[76heart]

this darling is so lovelyyyy
and I've just been hit with such the inspiration wave so many thanks for that ahhh <3

username: 76heart
name: prospera almira devine
gender: female, she/her
this is inspired by a magnificent animated series called tales of alethrion by sun creature studios
you can find it on youtube and I 100% reccomend watching it
this is also meant to be a poem type thing but i probably messed that up in a lot of places ahh


some say heroes carry their journey's burdens, not on their shoulders, but in their hearts
but what is a hero really?

they can scratch and maim and scream and kill just as good as any old villain, but yet they're the ones who win the fight and get heralded as the good
so what is a hero really?

what if they them self are the monster they fight, the one to beat to kill the strife and win a grand victory
are they a hero then?

we answer that on good old hallowe'en
where we tell the tale of a greedy and sorcerous saint

who let himself fall too deep into his magic, and wrought upon himself an ancient curse
from which his greed did burst

he thought he was the most talented man to ever walk this planet, and let his greed control him

he demanded all manner of payment to rid the world of strife and showcase his profound magic
and amassed a wealthy treasure that could cover this whole land

and did not recognize his own greed until it stared him in the face
he saw the horror he had created then and turned against his greed

it grew and grew until it burst forth into its own man
and the two fought and scraped and howled and snaked until it grew more still

it changed into a monstrous form and battered the sorcerer about, knocking him through all his treasures

the battle was so fierce and grand it shook the earth we walk
the sorcerer feared he would never win this fight

yet in the end he tricked the beast into the chest and locked it away with all his wealth
and with his imprisoned rapacity his tomb was made, in a sacrifice to save his world

his last breath was taken forcing it (to stay) closed
and in his name the land was found

because his sacrifice and realizing his wrongs saved us all from his curse of greed
and taught us never to unlock his chest of locked greed, or let the veil of wealth blind us lest we release it again

so listen now my sweet prospera, do you know what a hero is?
a hero is not someone of perfect ideal or one who saves the day, they are much more than that

a hero is one who rights their wrongs and shows others to do the same
so they won't follow in their paths and make the same mistakes they did

they realize where they went wrong and do their best to fix it
to save others from their grave missteps and protect the world in which they live

some care for others and bring them joy, and others just protect,
but whatever they do, they do it with heart

and that's what a hero is

475/500

[synastry]

username: snudder_mado
name: Sen Nakamura
gender: Female
story: Sen. A name derived from Japanese mythology, meaning 'lotus flower,' Perfectly appropriate for a forest nymph. This is the story of Sen, the nymph of Japanese stories...

Many, many years ago, before smog billowed into the vast blue sky, when forests were still filled with great, mighty oaks, or tall and intimidating redwoods. Before the deep, rich blue of the ocean was cluttered with the unnatural colors of plastic, there were days where you could step into a grotto just starting to bloom with flowers, with the help of flower sprites. River nymphs would race each other from stream to stream, the flora and fauna flourishing under the care of the beings that still existed before people came.

Sen's role in this homeostasis was simple. The most sacred of tree in the forest was to be guarded, at all costs, by her. Should anything attempt to bring any harm to said tree, she was to stop at nothing to protect it. She had been successfully doing this duty for many centuries, keeping the ginormous Angel Oak Tree safe through fire, flood, and drought. At the time, there were no humans to go around and destroy everything. That was... until she messed up. Badly.

They always say you can get a second chance. That accidents, as long as you tell the truth, won't count against you. Well... obviously not this one. They all lied about how the truth doesn't cause harm. It does... oh, it does. This... this is the story of how Sen Nakamura, Guardian Nymph of the Angel Oak, brought humans to wreak havoc on the forest she loved.

It was a peaceful, dew-filled morning. A wonderful start to a terrible day. She was snoozing lightly in the highest bows of the Tree, before she was woken up by one of the water sprites. Thank goodness, if she'd slept much longer she'd have fallen behind on her rounds to inspect and repair the Angel Oak. Clambering down through the trees, graceful with centuries of practice, she started from the roots and worked her way up. This easily took a handful of hours, and afterwards she was exhausted. Something was wrong with the tree... it had started recently and was becoming more time consuming and energy draining every day to fix. She needed more paws to help her, but there wasn't anyone else to help. It had taken several weeks of thought. Sen, among the most respected nymphs in the forest, had an idea. It could go well, and turn out to be extremely beneficial. Or it could go monstrously wrong. She hoped for the former.

After regaining her energy, she requested to be left alone to work on a special project that would benefit the forest. She had a gut feeling, deep down, that this wouldn't go the way she planned. She started to create a new being, piece by piece. Slowly... it came together: an organism never before seen. The first handful of humans had been created.

wc: 499

[riddlestyx]

breathes

[Blumoonwolf]

username: Blumoonwolf
name: Eshe
gender: Female

story: (500 word limit)
'Shhh, Eshe...' The memory of her brother's voice echoed clearly in her mind. She could almost feel his presence- the brush of his hand on her shoulder, his calming scent of marshwood. It steadied her, gave her the courage to remain still for just a little longer, crouched among the reeds and roots of the swamp watching her target. These strangers never seemed to stop squawking amongst themselves, pointing a hundred different ways and always walking in circles. It drove her mad just watching them.

She had been waiting for hours. But only now had they begun barking out orders- and tents sprung up like new blooms. It was just barely dusk, and yet the heat of fire and the pleasant scent of something roasted drifted through the air. Now. She crawled forward, invisible among the mud, roots, and occasional withering flower. It was easy enough work, pulling herself through the dirt and under the cloth flaps of tents. It was pitch black- an unnatural darkness that made her slow with her wariness. But she wasn't nervous- only a cool calm reverberated inside her bones. She patted around in the darkness until her fingers brushed the lip of what she assumed was a bag. Opening it, she dug through its contents with light fingers, her touch the only guide. Anything that caught her interest disappeared into one of her many unseen pockets. They were stolen goods- robbed from the remains of a world that had been preserved in tar.

"Misha!"
The voice startled her, and she dropped the bag rather unceremoniously. She scooted back, pushed herself against the cloth of the tent as the entrance flap was thrown open. Thankfully, she rested in the shadows. She was just counting her blessing when the kalon paused in his search. His eyes were the bright, unmistakable color of an Amplifier. Someone who could detect-
"Magic.." He breathed.

She let that word hang in the air... considered it. Then she snorted.

And then she was running- her footfalls and the splashes that came sounded loud as gunshots in her ears. She was trembling, shaking, from head to foot. Her brother had been an Amplifier. That single word echoed between her ears, rhythmic with her steps.

She wasn't magic, hadn't had a lick of it in her family for generations. Because what did happen to those with magic was... well, they didn't last long. Her only talent was disappearing. So mundane in everything- her appearance, her personality, her voice, that eyes seemed to glide over her. When they did land on her, it was just a reflection only they could see. Eshe could be a foot away, begging to be heard while her mother continues talking. It was hellish.. but nothing strange. In fact, she'd give her left foot just for the possibility of magic humming through her bones. Curled up in bed at night, she yearned for a future as strange and otherworldly as magic. But it was just that- a dream.

[SilhouetteStation]

username: SilhouetteStation
name: Aurelia
gender: Female
story: (500 word limit)

I'm running.

The wind is in my hair, a sweet summer breeze, making me feel so refreshed; making me feel alive. Below me, the ground blurs under my feet. Beside me, the forest passes by in shades of green and yellow. The sky overhead is the purest shade of blue, not a cloud to be seen.

I run after her.

She is in front of me, just out of reach. Running as I do. Never letting me catch up, never moving too far out of sight. The sunlight catches her hair, glimmering like silk, streaming out behind her like a waterfall. Her skin, so soft, dappled with sunlight as we move under the trees. She turns to look back at me, just for a second; the sun catches her eyes, and they sparkle like stars. She laughs, and it's the most beautiful sound. Clear and light, ethereal, enough to make you want to cry. You never want to hear another laugh.

I laugh with her. A bubbly, elated feeling. Euphoric, almost. Like I'm on top of the world, dancing among the clouds, free.

A voice calls my name, and I never want anyone to say my name again, only her.

We are still running, together; one soul, shared by two bodies.

I hear my name again, but it's different this time. Distorted. My feet stumble.

A raindrop hits my nose.

Confused, I look up to where the sky, only moments ago, was clear and blue. Stray clouds have begun to gather, soft grey and white, forming overhead. Another drop lands on my face, cold and wet. Two more follow.

Around me, the forest is starting to become dull, full of shadows and the looming figures of tall trees. The clouds become thicker, and as the sun is covered, a cold wind picks up. A shiver runs down the length of my spine.

Ahead of me, she is more out of reach. The falling rain is making it harder to see her. An echo of a laugh reaches my ears, but it's not the same. She looks back at me, for one last time.

I stumble.

I fall.

The rain pelts down on me, drenching my clothes. Mud sticks to my hands. Everything seems much darker, like a gloom has settled over the forest. Desperately I look in the direction she ran, but there's nothing to see.

She's gone. Swallowed up by the forest.

And then he is there, caught up with me, puffing as he drops to his knees. He pulls off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders. A small amount of warmth creeps back in to my tired bones.

"She's gone," is all I can say.

He looks at me with a pained expression. "I know," he says, and there is a deep sadness in his voice. "I know."

He holds me for what feels like hours. Eventually the rain subsides, and the sun peeks out through the clouds again.

She's gone.

But I'm still here.

(499/500)

*taken from a short story I wrote a few years back, so I hope people enjoy*

[raven [烏]]

username: norang
name: Coralia (coral)
gender: female
story: [500/500] <3

❝
Waking always felt like floating from the watery depths; gently toward the surface. As I lay there, I slowly became aware of my own weight, gravity pressing my back. For a little while, I was floating, gently in a liminal state; neither asleep nor awake. My gaze travelled from one end of the room to the other, before finally resting across the bedside table. There it was, twinkling in all its glory. The ring.

It was delicate and plated with gold. It was adorned with shards of diamond, arranged in an intricate pattern. As light began to dance around the room, the diamonds shone, reflecting colours and light from a broad range of directions and angles. A well-cut round brilliant reflects and refracts the surrounding panorama of light to the viewer's eyes in a mosaic, even artistic, composition possessing vibrancy and vitality. Each of the diamonds was blue, almost sapphire, each displaying fire and contrast brilliance under the partially obscured illumination of a bright, overcast, sky.

I remember that day. He walked up to me with a peculiar gait. "Follow me, ma'am. I've got everything. Take a look and see for yourself. Take your time." He wore a hat. It was large, torn and frayed at every edge. Its colour seems to have faded from a brilliant green hue, now covered in patches of grey and black smudges. His nose was long, bent like he was perpetually subjected to some form of trauma. Following him as he entered the store, I looked around. It was cold and dark. The strange man gestured to me as though he had something to show me.

"This ring, this ring belonged to a noble lady. She wore it to protect her from the evil one. I'll give it to you for 300"

It had been a while since I last heard that name. I had hoped I’d never hear it again.

"I'll take it."

While walking home, I noticed a grave that had supposedly been exhumed. The body would be moved to the family's new home, where they will be able to visit it more regularly. I turned and looked for any possible witnesses. I peered into the grave, and there it was.

The coffin cover had been removed, and the decaying body within was exposed, reeking a rather rancid smell which made my nose crinkle in disgust. I looked up, at the carving on the tombstone. "Here lies Mrs Figgs." Now only did I see the wounds that adorned whatever was left of her. One of her fingers had an indentation, in the shape of a ring.

Where had it gone?

I slowly pulled out the ring I now owned. I stared at it, feeling my eyes grow wider as it hit me. How could I not have noticed? I was looking at its owner.

It's been a few weeks now. He hasn't got to me, not yet and he never will. Unlike her, I'll be wearing the ring to protect me from the evil one.

❞

[artemis,]

res ^^

[T w e x i a]

username:
name:
gender:
story: (500 word limit)
mark

[SaltyBirb]

huhu wifi wasn't working a while ago :""> but oh well goob luck

[illicit]

omg what a b a e

mark. <3