RRR*, version 2006.2
*Round-Robin ‘Riting. A new story, not about the afareet.
Date: March 4, 2006
Categories: Fiction, poetry, and fanfiction
Comments RSS TrackBack 263 comments
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1
Sphinx
in March 5th, 2006 @ 07:34Whoo! First post, I hope!
Why’d we make a new one? What happens to the old one?
Can this one have djinn in it?
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kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 08:02first comment? hopefully… what should this be about?
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MontgomeryGurl
in March 5th, 2006 @ 08:18So….. what is this one about?
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Shadowfax
in March 5th, 2006 @ 08:32First post?
So what’s this one gonna be about?
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:19People who missed out on writing the other story kept asking for a place to start a new one of their own. Here’s the place. The rest is up to you.
Kokopelli #2 and Zallie were the main requesters, so maybe they should take the lead here.
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Ebeth The Lurker
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:22ooh fun
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kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:28can we please decided on a topic??? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
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8
SuperGirl
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:38Sure, I’m here.
How about, ok, I just lost my idea
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9
SuperGirl
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:39Um, im new, so what was the old one about?
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10
Violetfire
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:47How about it’s not related to the other one at all? No afareets, no djinn (well, maybe), no magic. What do you think of something medieval?
And does this mean we won’t finish the other story? It’s really good.
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:51Oh, no! The other one will continue. I suspect this one will involve a different group of writers.
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12
Zallie
in March 5th, 2006 @ 09:55I think we ought to write a story where everyone dies in the end, like Romeo and Juliet.
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13
Sphinx
in March 5th, 2006 @ 10:07Aww. no djinn? No magic? Okay, bye. I’m going back to the other one.
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14
Violetfire
in March 5th, 2006 @ 10:43I was kinda joking.
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15
Violetfire
in March 5th, 2006 @ 10:49I have decided. We’re definitely doing something medieval.
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Zallie
in March 5th, 2006 @ 10:57The other story is medieval, though. Well, only a little bit.
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17
Sphinx
in March 5th, 2006 @ 11:55No djinn? Fine.
….Please?
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18
kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 12:38i have an idea!!!!!!!!! okay actually have 2 ideas… but still…
Idea #1
A group of orphans live in the outskirts of a medival castle and steal food and stuff from within the castle and discover a secret about the king and end up saving the day somehow. And it gets very dangerous because they get thrown in prison and almost DIE…
Idea #2
A group of orphans sneak onto Columbus’s ship and set sail to the New World. Once there they sneak away to explore the New World. Then they get captured by Indians and are almost burned at stake but an Indian girl helps them escape. And it’s very dangerous because they almost DIE…
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19
kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 12:39and i shall write on both!!!!!!!!
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20
kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 12:39also can i pwease oh pwease get a main character?
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21
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 13:05i like idea #1
can we at least have a little magic?
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22
kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 13:20okay they can find an imprisoned faerie.
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23
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 13:36i’ve always been more of a dragon person
can it be an evil fairy?
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24
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 13:41so a group of orphans in medevil times discover something bad about the king and get thrown into pirson.
then they find a faire…kricket? anything else? can i add something?
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25
Zallie
in March 5th, 2006 @ 14:23Why must they be orphans? Orphans are so angsty.
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26
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 14:31i just read the entire first half of Dragonseye (it was really good) and no one has post anything!
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27
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 14:34should they have medevil names?
modern names?
ive never been good with names
whenever i try to think of one my mind goes completly blank
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 15:00That’s the problem with setting a story in a historical time and place: you have to do research.
Maybe Paul Baker could help, though his specialty is the Elizabethan (Renaissance) era.
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29
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 15:31i bought up this problem, so i should do the research
but id be happy for Paul Baker’s help
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30
dark lord of darkness
in March 5th, 2006 @ 15:35paul baker helping spunds good.
i vote yes for magic.
anyone else?
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31
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 15:42i have a good website for names
can i post a link?
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32
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:00yes for magic
yes for not too much
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33
Ebeth The Lurker
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:01I vote limited magic. Not a huge factor. Just a few flighty fairies and happy wood peoples or something. No big, powerful wizardy types.
yes the pb&j should be our Grand High Researcher!
I’m no good with names at all.
Are we doing idea #1? That sounds good to me!
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34
Shadowfax
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:19Idea #1 sounds great..I hope I get to write something. Maybe we should explain why fairies came to be in this story..We should also figure out which way we’re gonna spell it–fairy or faerie.
Can we pleeeeeeeeeeeeez have a dragon? It doesn’t have to appear. Maybe their principal god can be a dragon.. (could we at least consider that request?
)
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35
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:28either way for fairy works
i perfer fairy ‘cuz its commoner
what if they find out the king is going to use a dragon to do something evil?
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36
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:29i have a good website for names
can i post a link?
please answer
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:47DY,
Post it, and I’ll have a look before moderating it.
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38
yesterday's_kinked_moose
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:48I’m with The Lurker on magic. What, so we just inform pb&j to get cracking on the research so that we can write some weird story which for some reason has to involve orphans of some description??? That would be bothersome. Here’s an idea: A group of orphans are going for a walk (waiting for their porridge to cool) when they trip, fall in a lake and drown. Now we have a standard. Must be better than drowning orphans. Maybe instead of bickering about it, someone should just start it. We seem to be pretty much agreed on the time period. Now we need to know: will it occur on this world or another? Or both? And then everyone can add the stuff they wanted. Isn’t that how these things work? I’ve never done one on here before.
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39
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:49website for medieval names for characters:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/english.shtml[This is good. Some of these names would let you use an edh! –Admin.]
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40
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:52nor have i
i dont want to start
ill just mess it up, i know i will
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41
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 16:58one more suggeuston:
can we do chapters? with names?
otherwise it’ll get really confusing
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42
Someone out there (someone refers to a person, not an animal)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 17:10Will someone just start? I have never done this before, so maybe a veteran should start.
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43
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 17:12how about this:
first we figure out who is doing this RRR
second everyone desins one orfan
third we begein
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44
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 17:36i aggre with the post whos number is the answer to the ultiment question of life, the universe, and everything (42)
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45
Someone out there (someone refers to a person, not an animal)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 17:44I’m doing it. But I’m not starting. I guess I just said that, huh.
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46
yesterday's_kinked_moose
in March 5th, 2006 @ 17:56Yo Yoda! There has been a communication error. Either you have really bad spelling, or you’re using some foriegn language. Please explain.
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47
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:02which post
#43?
sorry, i was rushing to dinner
everyone participating makes up 1 orphan so its fair
#44?
i said i aggre with number 42
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48
Darth Yodat
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:04you know, 43 was wicked confusing, but hey, i was in a hurry.
sorry
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49
Ebeth The Lurker
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:08Darth Yoda is apparently a douglas adams fan (w00t) and want’s somebody to start the story. And yes, creative spelling is evident. That’s a really cool website btw.
kricket should probably start, since she had the idea. but anybody can start i guess…
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50
Darth Yodat
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:10to #34: faerie is old fashioned, i think
we should use faerie, it seems properer
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51
Darth Yodat
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:12i think we should just think up more and let kricket start
i just invited my friend on
Theo are you there?
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52
Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:18how embarasing
ive been using the name darth yodat for 1/2 an hour
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53
Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:28I can only understand Ebeth’s translations of Darth Yodese. Yodese is a confusing language. French I can handle. Pig latin is hildcay’s laypay. But Yodese I do not understand. Perhaps Mr. Yoda’s keyboard is broken, or his fingers are, or his dictaphone has malfunctioned, he is paralyzed, and Ebeth is the only one who can understand him. No, these contingencies are remote. Then again, do not confuse the impossible with the unusual. Hmm. But I digress.
I want to be in this one. Even though I can’t write to save my pathetic excuse for a life. Which idea are we using? The castle one or the ship one? I personally think the ship one is more interesting. And we’re not restricting ourselves to the list of names from the website, because that would be extremely boring. Oh yes, and no avian sidekicks.
Ikol: Hey! Doves are cute!
Rhonda: *shudder* I blanch at the thought. Vultures and emus are OK I guess, but not medieval-theme. Doves, sparrows, and other chirping blighters are out of the q.
Stig: No starlings?
Rhonda: No!
Stig: Cardinals?
Rhonda: Didn’t you listen to the Vatican Rag?
Ikol: Falcons?
Rhonda: Only if they’re Madeline Bassett’s AND disappear, leaving not a wrack behind, in the fifth paragraph.
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54
King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:32Here goes. If this shows up in the middle of some other story that has begun while I’m writing this, just ignore it. But maybe this will spark some genuine genius.
The storm tortured the stone wall of the old castle, moss ripped from crackes and mortar thrown down into the great moat below…
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55
kricket
in March 5th, 2006 @ 18:59Okay I guess I can start… First of all here’s my character… No this has nothing to do with Issy…
Isabella- orphan
Age- 12
Personality- kind, sneaky, able to steal without being noticed, loyal, smart, yet rash in decision making
Relations- none
Friends- her loyal group of orphan buddiesbefore we start the story, we need to make sure we all have a character, either an orphan or a minor character that doesn’t do much. Everyone is allowed to have one orphan and any other minor characters that you can think of. just to be fair. Also, the orphans can be any age from 9-16 years old and can be either boy or girl. I can start the story for you guys but I need to know what all the characters are first. Devise your own names and stuff too and be free to feel as creative as you want. We can even have one of the orphans be a fire eater that helps them make money or something. Be creative and please, no magic stuff or hidden powers besides what they find in the king’s palace, which can be a faerie. ((yes it is spelled faerie because it sounds more medival)) pb&j, would you mind giving us a brief discription of medival London?
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56
Jadestone
in March 5th, 2006 @ 19:15Yaaaaaaaaaaay! I will write on this one!! Yay for me!! Story time! Magic! Dragons! Midevilness! But first lets think of a plot line…
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Jadestone
in March 5th, 2006 @ 19:19Jadestone is going to be a dragon. So work it into the plot somehow because shes going to write in a dragon anyway. How about there is a whole colony of dragons sence everone seems to love them? Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay for dragons!
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:10I want my name to be Nathan, to be 14, and to be very good at throwing daggers, plus smart.
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Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:23heres my character
Name-Tobias
Age-14
Personality-solotary, determined, lacks the kind of intelligence learned in school but by no means dumb, steals only to survive
Realations-none
Weapons-a 6-inch dragger
Friends-none
History-Tobias remembers nothing before the age of 6. There was a fire, his parents died, and he ran away. Form 6 to 8 he lived like an animal, hunting rodents for food in a forest. Eventualy, he found a city (the one that the story happens in) and has lived in it ever since.
The orphans meet him by saving him from the imperial gaurd who are trying to kill him for stealing food.
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Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:24can we have a little more detail on nathan?
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Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:30Mr. Yoda?
who said im a boy
…
…
…
ok fine i am a boy
im a horrible lier away
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Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:31opps
i meant anyway
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Darth Yoda
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:34kricket,
why not start with just Isabella and meet more characters as people think of them?
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Jadestone
in March 5th, 2006 @ 20:49I will be a golden dragon, Very large, With very sharp teeth and speek to humans with my mind. I dont care what anyone else says but thereWILL be a dragon or seven in the story. And I will be the first.
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Jadestone
in March 5th, 2006 @ 21:09Hmm. 55 wasnt posted when she wrote 57 or 64, but please oh please oh please can she be a gold dragon they meet along the way? Even if it is only the size of a cat and created in a failed atempt on alchemy? Pwease?
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 5th, 2006 @ 21:18Since it has been requested for detail, I’ll write some.
Nathan is quiet, smart, quick, and slender. He has blue eyes, and medium brown hair. He has few friends, and none of them are close. As I said, he is good at throwing daggers, of which he has six tucked away in his black coat.Though Nathan is smart, he is living on the streets. He enjoys adventure, and gets into trouble for fun. He’s always lived in the city with the castle, but can’t remember ever having parents. He was brought up by an old man, who died years ago, but the man said that he wasn’t his father, and that his father was of no greater significance in the world. I’m sure more of Nathan will be revieled later in the “Book”. By the way, Kricket, what is the book called?
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kokopelli #2 (a.k.a. Mutt)
in March 5th, 2006 @ 23:08Random Idea:
We do a mad Free For All here. they’re basically giant RPs where one can do anything they like. i’ve heard it’s great fun. =D
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68
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 04:27Has Jadestone read “Dragonrider”?
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69
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 04:42How about only magical creatures, and no other magic?
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Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 05:11Dragons, Faeries, maybe the odd werewolf, thats enough magic for me. Any objections?
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71
Phoenix
in March 6th, 2006 @ 05:48I might just make a charecter, if I get a chance to write in this thinger.
Name: Zel
Age: 13-14 or so
looks: short, ragged blond hair and brown eyes. Small frame, agile. two fingers are missing on her right hand as a reminder of how she was tortured to give up her grandmother as a witch. Luckily she is ambidextrous…
Personality: Bitter, has a cold anger that lurks just below the surface. She hates all adults (which hides how much she is scared of them). She uses her anger like a shield, and so far it has proved to be near-on unbrakable.
Zel works in the boatyards. Her weapon: a pair of three bladed palm daggers, but her dream is to own a sword.
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72
Phoenix
in March 6th, 2006 @ 05:51Oh yeah, and did I mention she can climb like a spider? She has no fear of heights and so her job is usualy to mend rigging.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 6th, 2006 @ 08:44Are all the orphans going to have daggers? Sounds good to me, but I’m adding taht Nathan has really good night vision, and can sneak around real well, plus can fit into tight spaces.
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 09:49Why can’t some of these orphans be good at something that might earn them a little money, like juggling or befriending horses? They have to eat.
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Ebeth The Lurker
in March 6th, 2006 @ 10:08good idea GAPA!
Name: Will(iam)
Age: 16
Looks: tall, thin, light brown hair, hazel-ish eyes (always twinkling except when he’s in a fight) athletic and flexible, but not strong.
Personality: Fun-loving, easygoing, always ready to fight, yet will often bargain instead. Doesn’t enjoy violence, but is good at it.
Talents: gymnastics. trapeze artist in the circus. (there were circuses back then right?)
weapons: long knives
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 10:41OK, the kids know how to steal and fight. So far, so manga-like. It will be interesting to see how their characters develop.
I’ll bow out now. On with the epic.
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77
Phoenix
in March 6th, 2006 @ 11:48Um, I already told you that Zel works on the docks. She can sail, too. And a palm dagger is not a dagger. Its basically four metal rings that fit around your fingers, with small blades potruding from the tops. Also called “cutpurse knives”, because that is basically what they are used for. Zel doesn’t really know how to fight, she uses them to cut ropes and for self defence.
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 13:11True enough. That suggests that she might have done some traveling, or even come from somewhere else–possibilities worth considering for future plot twists.
Right, now over to you. Someone get this story rolling!
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Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:16I have just been informed by a close friend that Tobias is the name of a character in Animophs. Let me make this clear:
I HATE ANIMORPHS H-A-T-E!!! I GOT THE NAME FORM THE WEBSITE!!!
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80
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:20My character (Tobias) will not be with the orphans at the begeining of the story. So, whoever starts, please don’t include him yet, thanks.
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81
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:23One more sugguesston (then ill have my crossoint) can we start with some sort of battle scence/prologue?
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82
Black Knight
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:27Hey im a new bloke so I’m wondering if i can make a character maybe? If so here goes:
Name: Ivan
Age: 14
Personality / Looks: He is a athletic young boy with his left eye missing and a scar from his left eyebrow to his lip,with jet black hair and blue-grey eyes. He is quiet with a burning hatred for those who killed his parents and whom he lost his eye to.Yet he is cunning and fast. He works as an dock worker.Weopons: He has a hand crossbow and a punching dagger ( like brass nuckles with a blade attached).
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83
Black Knight
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:27so every one ok with that?
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84
Black Knight
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:30Any comment GAPA??
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:36I’m not running this show, so I’ll just say, “Welcome, Sir Newbloke!”
With so many characters, I do see a risk that your story could turn into an RPG. But I’m sure you’ll find ways to solve that problem.
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86
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:39sounds good to me, cool user Black Knight
so far everyone’s athletic and good at fighting
we need some fresh characters
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87
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 14:45So far we have
Isabella
Nathan
Tobias
Zel
Wil
Ivan
Lets start right now, and any others can come into the story
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88
Violetfire
in March 6th, 2006 @ 16:03I want to be a cat. I like cats. I’ll befriend the orphans and maybe later I’ll turn out to be magical. I think I’ll be Isabella’s cat. And I will be gray with green eyes, and I can…….uh………I know! I can distract evilles and fight and help the orphans out of tough situations. And all the people like me.
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89
Phoenix
in March 6th, 2006 @ 16:43Once more, ZEL DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIGHT. She uses her palm daggers as tools for her work, and to keep from getting her stuff stolen. No offence, Black Knight, but Ivan sort of resembles Zel.
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90
frankenfaerie
in March 6th, 2006 @ 16:47may i be the faerie?
a purple faerie?
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91
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 17:01Can we please start?
how about comment #100 is the begeining?
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 17:15If you have all the information you need, I say start at comment #93.
Kricket said she’d write the first section, right?
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93
King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 6th, 2006 @ 17:45since kricket is supposed to start, I just want to add one thing. Nathan does not work for food. Every night he disapears, and then later comes back with a full stomach. He steals it. No job, and he’s kinda a loner. But still in the gang.
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94
Jessie (The Evil One)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 18:00For now I think I’ll just read. Maybe later I’ll come in as a faerie or something.
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95
Darth Yoda
in March 6th, 2006 @ 18:10If this story is not started by comment #100, then, I will summon the not-so-ancient Muse Kokopelli to throw pies at you
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96
Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 6th, 2006 @ 18:27My character, who I am naming Desiderata Brancepeth (the scales will fall from your eyes) will be included in the story later. She (I know. I know. All will become clear) is planned to be around 12 and passionately bookish, scholarly, and wry, being Severn’s illegitimate daughter. Don’t ask.
The gang’s all here, insofar as I’ve been informed:
Isabella-kricket
Nathan-King George
Tobias-Darth Yoda
Zel-Phoenix
Will-Ebeth the Lurker
Ivan-Black Knight
Desiderata Brancepeth-Queenie3 girls, 4 boys, all orphans of unknown parentage excepting Desiderata Brancepeth (Severn’s daughter). Locality standing as rural, 18th-century Little England street-smart, oh-so-manga situation, with a dragon colony involved. Paul Baker standing by to check historical accuracy? Ready for launchoff. (Standing by, Brother Number One. Standing by, Brother Number Two.)
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97
frankenfaerie
in March 6th, 2006 @ 18:29i must agree with jessie (the evil one)
i’d like to see where the plot is going beforehand…
sounds very interesting, though
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98
Shadowfax
in March 6th, 2006 @ 18:32Can I be in it too? Kricket, youre goin first, right? My character is gonna be…
Name: Elesia
Age: 13
Person: Obviously a girl, longish brown hair, who isn’t very good at self-defense but has a lot of brains.
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kokopelli #2 (a.k.a. Mutt)
in March 6th, 2006 @ 21:19Name: Dekay (short for Da K)
Age: 12-13 or so
Personality: Hyper. Very, very hyper, yet extremely logical
Generally seen: Limping about her usual business on the streets, riding, racing horses, jumping horses, taking care of horses,. 0_0
Looks: Sandy brown hair, kelly green eyes, wears a green cape everywhere, with a messily wrapped brace.
Talents/Interests: Springting, beating boys in races, horses, horses, horses. and riding.
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100
Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 7th, 2006 @ 15:31May us old people join as minor characters?
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101
Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 7th, 2006 @ 15:46“Old”? You’re 13.
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102
Darth Yoda
in March 7th, 2006 @ 15:52I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice, you have taken way to long to start.
KOKOPELLI! I SUMMON YOU! PIE THEM!
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Violetfire
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:12I think he means “Us people who’ve been on the blog a long time but missed out on the first RRR”. And you people are forgetting my cat!
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Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:17Updated Starting Guide to the New RRR:
ORPHANS (12-16) OTHER
Isabella-kricket Cat-Violetfire
Nathan-King George Unknown-RRF, Jessie
Tobias-Darth Yoda
Zel-Phoenix
Elesia-Shadowfax
Dekay (Da K)-kokopelli #2
Will-Ebeth the Lurker
Ivan-Black Knight
Desiderata Brancepeth-Queenie3 girls, 4 boys, one cat, all orphans of unknown parentage excepting Desiderata Brancepeth (Severn’s daughter). Locality standing as rural, 18th-century Little England street-smart, oh-so-manga situation, with a dragon colony involved somehow. Plot loosely based around cave home, castle plot foiled. Paul Baker standing by to check historical accuracy? Ready for launchoff. (Standing by, Brother Number One. Standing by, Brother Number Two.)
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Darth Yoda
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:20Why forgetting? We havnt started yet.
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Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:36KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICKET!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHERE ARE YOU????!?!?!?!?!
This is bugging me. We’re going to have to don white cricket outfits and destroy your planet if you don’t show up. Hmph.
I meant to make two columns in my last post, but Violetfire is a cat, and RRF and Jessie both showed interest in joining but nothing has been defined yet. We’ll have to send out the guards in a few minutes to look for her.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:51What does King george unknown RRF mean? And where IS Kricket. Maybe she’s taking a cruise.
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Darth Yoda
in March 7th, 2006 @ 16:54It would be a lot easyer to “remember” violetfire’s cat if it had a name
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kricket
in March 7th, 2006 @ 17:02I’m here!!!! sry for the delay. okay Isabella is going to meet the orphans on the street and then form a gang.
Isabella snuck over towards the food stand quietly and sneakily. The smell enticed her to come closer. It was around midnight and the store owner was just about to close up shop. Right now, he was in the back. Looking around her, her hand shot out and grabbed a loaf of bread. Quickly she ran back into the street. But on the way, she was looking behind her and did not see the boy. Isabella ran headfirst into him.
“Ommmfff…” the boy said as he was knocked over.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry! Here let me help you up,” Isabella said extending her hand.
“Thanks,” the boy said. “What’s your name?”
“Isabella. And yours?”
“Nathan.”
————————
there!!! is that ok?
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 7th, 2006 @ 17:06Violetfire (103)- I am female. And actually, I mean “us people who wrote for the first RRR and all of them since and don’t want to ruin our RRR-y track records.” So can I?
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Darth Yoda
in March 7th, 2006 @ 17:18by the way, i’ll be copying each installment onto a word document, then we can have whole thing in one piece when we are done
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Darth Yoda
in March 7th, 2006 @ 17:25110 sure, i guess
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Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 7th, 2006 @ 18:24RRF, you’re always welcome on any of our threads. I’ll write the next installment:
——————————-
Nathan brushed himself off rather preemptorily. “What were you going so fast for?” he asked brusquely. Isabella shrugged.
“I had reasons,” she said.
“Want to tell us what they were?” Nathan cajoled, giving a far imitation of the average magistrate. His talent was emulation honed from experience with such figures of authority asking such questions of him. The point was not missed by Isabella, and she would have undoubtedly engendered a reply had not the conversation been interrupted by an arrow nearly removing some of Isabella’s pretty hair.
A tall, thickset man ran past them, shouting things which would have shocked Jack the Ripper. A tall, thin boy who looked around sixteen began to run after him but stopped just in front of the two and grinned sheepishly, noting their stares. Not that anyone with any vision at all could have missed the two’s concentrated scrutiny of the boy, or his just as focused expression directed past them into the dark alleyway into which the man had barrelled. He was lanky in a sort of way that would have fit Twiggy’s brother, and his hair was a light brown that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a faun just back from a holiday at some fashionable, sunny resort in the south of France. An especially expressive ejaculation from Nathan, which Isabella heartily concurred with, elicited an explanation from the mysterious stranger.
——————————
Not bad for a second one, eh?
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Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 7th, 2006 @ 19:22Sorry if my addition to the story didn’t make sense or you hated it. Oh yes. Desiderata Brancepeth’s description.
Female, age 12, androgynous. OK, boyish. Short black hair, monkey-ish face, sarcastic, tends to duck (not fight) lives totally mysteriously (raven-fed? We don’t know) and is skinny and short. Desiderata Brancepeth is Severn’s illegitimate daughter, her (dead) mother being one of Madeline Bassett’s ancestors and just how one would expect from that description. She likes quoting things, speaks in the sort of flamboyant way that would render her Jeeves’s soulmate, and is tempermental but a very good friend. She’s traveled extensively throughout Europe and is completely comfortable with everybody. You can think of her as the love child of Psmith (Wodehouse; flamboyant, “Never confuse the unusual with the impossible”) and Noddy Holder (Terry Pratchett: carries papers to prove he’s a human, Ankh-Morpork watch, lieutenant), with a large dose of Ford Prefect’s savvosity.
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 7th, 2006 @ 19:28Spiffy.
Ælfled
Gotta go, but that’s her name, at least.
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Zallie
in March 7th, 2006 @ 20:09*sigh* Orphans.
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Jadestone
in March 7th, 2006 @ 20:46Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can Jadestone be a gold dragon the size of a cat????????!!!!!!
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 7th, 2006 @ 21:14Ælfled
Age- 18
Gender- Female
Appearance- Long dark brown hair, dark brown eyes. She was born without a right arm, but otherwise, her appearance is about average.
Personality- She’s extremely aloof and cold. She hates the company of other people and castle-dwellers in particular, who believe she’s a witch. She lives alone in the city outside the castle, in a small house. She finds most thieves annoying, petty, and pointless, but they and other poor people are actually the ones she’s most likely to help or be kind to. She hates the feudal system and the opressive nobles, but is prone to inaction and hasn’t actually done anything about them yet.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 7th, 2006 @ 21:44“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us.”
The boy just continued to grin, showing his yellow teeth.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said it so that both Isabella and Nathan construed that he had meant to scare them. There was an awkward silence, interupted by the boy saying, “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. By!”
He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past Nathan, knocking him to the ground.
“Hey, what’s your name,” Isabella called out to the boy, as he ran through the crowd. but all the said was, “Later!”
Curiosity getting teh best of her, Isabella decided to follow him. Nathan struggled after her, his shoes clogged with the mud that he had fallen into.
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BlackRaven
in March 7th, 2006 @ 22:34My Character:
Roma teZenith
Age- 15
Appearance- Long black hair, dark clothing, black-flecked violet eyes, ashen skin.
Gender- (if you haven’t got it yet) Female
Characteristics- Dark, creepy, deadpan, dry; slightly Gothic, very intelligent. Has visions and can contact the dead and the unseen. Her mother is mental and her father is evil — somehow, she’s on the orphans’ side, because she’s probably worse off than an orphan. Comes in freaking out everyone else.
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BlackRaven
in March 7th, 2006 @ 22:56“Ow!” Isabella yelped as she smacked into someone about her height. It was a girl. She whipped around and glared at Isabella. “Do NOT do that again. Being disturbed and–” the girl glanced at Nathan and Isabella suspiciously– “SMASHED INTO by some idiots is the third-to-worst possible thing that can happen during a Communication.”
Isabella was taken aback. She was almost positive that the girl in the dark clothing had capitalized her C.
The girl stood and brushed her sealed black cloak off. “Might as well introduce myself,” she said in a rolling, raspy voice. Her violet eyes, flecked, strangely, with an evil-looking black, bored into Isabella’s. “I’m Roma — Roma teZenith. I got here five hours ago to communicate with the dead. It’s the best place to practice meditation, and I thought I could practice blocking out distractions.” She sighed pointedly. “Apparently, I was wrong. But it wasn’t really working anyway. So…who are you two?”
Nathan sent Isabella a warning glance, but she paid him no heed. Strangely, she had decided to trust this girl. There was something about her voice and eyes that made Isabella feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know why.
She soon would.
“I’m Isabella. I’m…an orphan…you know…so is Nathan here. Listen, we’ve been following this guy, and you–er–threw us off, so could you help us? I mean, if you really can communicate with the dead, can you ask his ancestors or someone who and where he is? He kind of let a few questions behind.”
Roma looked thoughtful. “Orphans, huh? Better off than me. Dad’s plotting to rule the world someday. He’s already started a conspiracy against the government. And my mother’s insane. Literally.” Her rasp grew deeper, more connected, more invoked. “She thinks I’m growing up to be…like him. She sees me as a black stain in her heart. She wants to destroy me.”
Nathan looked confused for a moment. “Roma, snap out of it. We really need to find this guy. And if you won’t help us, that’s fine.”
Roma blinked, and her vague eyes pierced Nathan’s. “I will give you help only if you ask for it. And, after watching who you’re stalking for the past few days, I highly advise you NOT to ask.”
_____________So I gave the story a little cliffhanger thingy. I advise the bow-boy owner to continue, since I don’t know much about bow-boy. Sorry if everyone hated it, but come on, it’s 11:56 my time.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 7th, 2006 @ 23:22sounded good
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Phoenix
in March 8th, 2006 @ 06:02I’m sorry, but I think we have too many charecters to have them all just meet by knocking each other down.
Actually, I think we have too many charecters, period. I think the limit should be five or, at most, six.
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BlackRaven
in March 8th, 2006 @ 06:16Thanks! It took me forever. My little brother was screaming outside my room because he was hungry, which really distracted me.
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BlackRaven
in March 8th, 2006 @ 06:33Well, I’ve got one person who likes it…and since nobody’s protesting…I’ll assume the rest of them are okay with it.
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BlackRaven
in March 8th, 2006 @ 06:41Sorry…I didn’t get the part about knocking down from the first installment. It was just in my head.
I guess, if you don’t want my character to be in it, then forget that I ever wrote that. I’m a terrible author anyway. Sorry.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 8th, 2006 @ 09:17If the GaPa make another RRR, then everybody else could go to it, and maybe it could have exactly the ame beginning, and in the end we could compare the two. It would be fun.
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evildude131
in March 8th, 2006 @ 15:16“When suddenly they heard a noise”
(oh, and trivia on the random page)
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Queen Julietaini or Queenie (J), and Alternate Selves Rhonda, Stig, and Ikol
in March 8th, 2006 @ 15:48Bowboy-Will-Ebeth. OK? OK.
This is getting complicated. Scratch DB, I can use her someplace else and she doesn’t care. Will, Nathan, Roma, and Isabella have to stay. OK?
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 8th, 2006 @ 15:58I wash my hands of blame, something I don’t do very often. But this time, it really isn’t my fault. Ælfled is a minor character, someone who may help the orphans indirectly but who definitely won’t be going questing with them, unless someone really wants her to.
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BlackRaven
in March 8th, 2006 @ 16:07Thank you for letting Roma stay. Scratch the “bumped-into-part”, okay everyone? They just stop her and ask if she’s seen Will, okay? So here’s how my part goes now:
___________“Hey…excuse me…um, have you seen an archer-type boy anywhere?” Isabella asked the nearest figure. It was a girl. She whipped around and glared at Isabella. “Do NOT do that again. Being disturbed and–” the girl glanced at Nathan and Isabella suspiciously– “ARROGANTLY QUESTIONED by some idiots is the third-to-worst possible thing that can happen during a Communication.”
Isabella was taken aback. She was almost positive that the girl in the dark clothing had capitalized her C.
The girl stood and brushed her sealed black cloak off. “Might as well introduce myself,” she said in a rolling, raspy voice. Her violet eyes, flecked, strangely, with an evil-looking black, bored into Isabella’s. “I’m Roma — Roma teZenith. I got here five hours ago to communicate with the dead. It’s the best place to practice meditation, and I thought I could practice blocking out distractions.” She sighed pointedly. “Apparently, I was wrong. But it wasn’t really working anyway. So…who are you two?”
Nathan sent Isabella a warning glance, but she paid him no heed. Strangely, she had decided to trust this girl. There was something about her voice and eyes that made Isabella feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know why.
She soon would.
“I’m Isabella. I’m…an orphan…you know…so is Nathan here. Listen, we’ve been following this guy, and you–er–threw us off, so could you help us? I mean, if you really can communicate with the dead, can you ask his ancestors or someone who and where he is? He kind of let a few questions behind.”
Roma looked thoughtful. “Orphans, huh? Better off than me. Dad’s plotting to rule the world someday. He’s already started a conspiracy against the government. And my mother’s insane. Literally.” Her rasp grew deeper, more connected, more invoked. “She thinks I’m growing up to be…like him. She sees me as a black stain in her heart. She wants to destroy me.”
Nathan looked confused for a moment. “Roma, snap out of it. We really need to find this guy. And if you won’t help us, that’s fine.”
Roma blinked, and her vague eyes pierced Nathan’s. “I will give you help only if you ask for it. And, after watching who you’re stalking for the past few days — his name is Will — I highly advise you NOT to ask.”
____________All right, so how is that for an editing entry? Sorry to make Roma appear so soon. I’ll try to think of what happens next, but anyone else is free to pick up from here.
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evildude131
in March 8th, 2006 @ 16:08That noise turned out to be a mangy mongrel in some sort of trance. Slowly yet surely, the mutt approached our protaganists and uttered a low, rumbling growl; a growl of death.
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 8th, 2006 @ 16:17Please, everyone, visit the old RRR thread and at least read and give comments. We can’t do it alone, and you can join at any time, controlling the characters that are already there or creating a new one. Here’s the link:
https://musefanpage.com/blog/?p=202
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Zallie
in March 8th, 2006 @ 17:47RRF has a brilliant idea. BRILLIANT.
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Darth Yoda
in March 8th, 2006 @ 18:52I’m probably leaving for the other one. Maybe. For my last suggueston, send two messages within 15 seconds of each other. Slow down coyboys.
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kricket
in March 8th, 2006 @ 18:56okay okay, I’m back!!!
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BlackRaven
in March 8th, 2006 @ 21:16Terrified, Isabella backed into her companions. The strange dog snarled again, and crawled toward her. Isabella looked up at Nathan and Roma. Roma seemed protective but calm, and was quietly moving the two others away from the mutt.
But Nathan…Nathan seemed startled. In the midst of fear, and as the dog advanced, Isabella looked questioningly at him. He shook his head in wonder, then opened his mouth. His voice came out hoarse and disbelieving.
“I-I’ve seen that dog before,” he croaked. The two girls stared at Nathan. “I used to know him. He’s working as a spy for the rebelling Clan.”
Roma was whispering something. Her eyes were jammed shut, her lips moving without sound issuing from them. Her fingers touched her head, lightly. The mutt growled, then contracted into a small black-brown creature, which sunk into the ground. Nathan looked at it wonderingly, but Isabella smiled, relieved. She was already getting used to her strange new friend.
She turned to face the boy. “Nathan? What’s the–”
He shook his head. “Now’s not the time. Come on. We’ve got a certain Will Ebeth to catch.
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 8th, 2006 @ 21:29134-
How so?
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 8th, 2006 @ 22:43Will Ebeth stood next to a stall, staring at apples piled high on the counter. His one eye surveyed them warily, as though he could see worms crawling inside.
Just then, a burly man flew past him, bowling him down.
“Scuse me,” he said hastily. Will picked himself up, and excepted the appology. then he reallized. The man had swipped his wallet.
“Hey,” but it was too late. Will reached into his pocket and pulled out two long knives. he raised them to throw, but the man dodged behind two kids. Frantically, Will grabbed a bow from the back of a young peddler, and notched an arrow. Twing !
The arrow wizzed past one of the kid’s head, and plunked itself into a wooden post holding up an awning. The burly man kept on running.Will ran up to the two kids, where he stopped.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us,” one of the kids said. He was a boy.
Will couldn’t do anything but smile. He had almost killed them.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. By!”
He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past the boy, knocking him to the ground.
He hear the other kid, a girl call out and ask his name, but he just said “Later.”
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 8th, 2006 @ 22:47I’m sorry the Characters are screwed up. Black Raven said that the person with a boy was will ?Ebeth?. That wasn’t on that Characters info sheet. Plus the only person with a bow was Ivan. Sorry if I kind of mixed the two together. I’m really confused.
I said Will had one eye. OOPS!:oops:
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kricket
in March 9th, 2006 @ 05:23“Okay,” Isabella said as Nathan pulled her along. But before they could go, Roma sidled up to them and said, “I’m going.”
“But…” Nathan said.
“We’d be fine with that!” Isabella said heartily. “Let’s get going!”
Roma smiled and then Nathan pulled them on their way.
Isabella grinned thinking, Boys are soooo impatient!!!
Roma looked at her and said, “I know what you mean.”
“Huh? But how could you… I mean, how…” Isabella gaped.
“Yeah, I can sort of hear your thoughts. It’s part of being who I am,” Roma said enjoying the astonished look on Isabella’s face.
“Come on !!!” Nathan said impatiently. “We’re never going to catch him if you keep dropping behind!”
“Actually, umm… Nathan?” Isabella said.
“Yeah?”
“He’s right over there.”
———————————————
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Ebeth The Lurker
in March 9th, 2006 @ 09:18Uh…yeah…i’m ebeth. Will is the character. Just will. Sry for confuzzlement.
Will ran through the streets, cursing his clumsiness, but at the same time rather enjoying the chase. After a while, he stopped, and watched the people that had been chasing them. There was a boy and a girl there and another girl with her back to him. The second girl turned around. Oh no, he thought, it’s Roma
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kricket
in March 9th, 2006 @ 15:19Isabella started over to Will but was pulled back by Roma.
“What the…” Isabella said.
“Look behind him,” Nathan said quietly.
Isabella looked and sure enough there was a silhouette shaped in the outline of a prison guard. Will seemed to notice them because his eyes widened in shock when he looked at Roma. Roma motioned with her eyes towards the guard. Will slowly turned around and sidled off to the side so he wouldn’t be noticed by the guard. Isabella however froze when she saw the guard’s face.
“Oh no!!!” Isabella said in shock. The others turned to look at her.
“It’s him ” she said looking at the guard.
“Do you know him?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Isabella said with absolute horror. “He’s the one who caught me making off with the king’s jewels. It’s the only time I was ever caught and I just escaped before the execution.”
“You WHAT?” Nathan said incredulous.
“What? You’re trying to tell me that you think that I didn’t try to steal the king’s jewels?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I did and that guard’s been searching for me ever since. We got to get out of here.” Isabella looked around for a way out of the crowded market.
“Not yet! We have to talk to that boy,” Nathan said.
“But…”
I don’t care! If he comes near you we’ll run.”
“Okay…”
“Good, let’s go.”
————————————–
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Violetfire
in March 9th, 2006 @ 16:38I think the story is a little confusing. We need to introduce the settings more, because I don’t know where to put the characters. And we need to elaborate a little more on them, too.
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 9th, 2006 @ 18:23144- It is, but I’ll do my best. I’m assuming that we are in a medieval castle town, circa 1200 or so.
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BlackRaven
in March 9th, 2006 @ 19:29Here’s the whole thing so far:
Isabella snuck over towards the food stand quietly and sneakily. The smell enticed her to come closer. It was around midnight and the store owner was just about to close up shop. Right now, he was in the back. Looking around her, her hand shot out and grabbed a loaf of bread. Quickly she ran back into the street. But on the way, she was looking behind her and did not see the boy. Isabella ran headfirst into him.
“Ommmfff…” the boy said as he was knocked over.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry! Here let me help you up,” Isabella said extending her hand.
“Thanks,” the boy said. “What’s your name?”
“Isabella. And yours?”
“Nathan.”
Nathan brushed himself off rather preemptorily. “What were you going so fast for?” he asked brusquely. Isabella shrugged.
“I had reasons,” she said.
“Want to tell us what they were?” Nathan cajoled, giving a far imitation of the average magistrate. His talent was emulation honed from experience with such figures of authority asking such questions of him. The point was not missed by Isabella, and she would have undoubtedly engendered a reply had not the conversation been interrupted by an arrow nearly removing some of Isabella’s pretty hair.
A tall, thickset man ran past them, shouting things which would have shocked Jack the Ripper. A tall, thin boy who looked around sixteen began to run after him but stopped just in front of the two and grinned sheepishly, noting their stares. Not that anyone with any vision at all could have missed the two’s concentrated scrutiny of the boy, or his just as focused expression directed past them into the dark alleyway into which the man had barrelled. He was lanky in a sort of way that would have fit Twiggy’s brother, and his hair was a light brown that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a faun just back from a holiday at some fashionable, sunny resort in the south of France. An especially expressive ejaculation from Nathan, which Isabella heartily concurred with, elicited an explanation from the mysterious stranger.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us.”
The boy just continued to grin, showing his yellow teeth.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said it so that both Isabella and Nathan construed that he had meant to scare them. There was an awkward silence, interupted by the boy saying, “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. By!”He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past Nathan, knocking him to the ground.
“Hey, what’s your name,” Isabella called out to the boy, as he ran through the crowd. but all the said was, “Later!”
Curiosity getting the best of her, Isabella decided to follow him. Nathan struggled after her, his shoes clogged with the mud that he had fallen into.
“Hey…excuse me…um, have you seen an archer-type boy anywhere?” Isabella asked the nearest figure. It was a girl. She whipped around and glared at Isabella. “Do NOT do that again. Being disturbed and–” the girl glanced at Nathan and Isabella suspiciously– “ARROGANTLY QUESTIONED by some idiots is the third-to-worst possible thing that can happen during a Communication.”
Isabella was taken aback. She was almost positive that the girl in the dark clothing had capitalized her C.
The girl stood and brushed her sealed black cloak off. “Might as well introduce myself,” she said in a rolling, raspy voice. Her violet eyes, flecked, strangely, with an evil-looking black, bored into Isabella’s. “I’m Roma — Roma teZenith. I got here five hours ago to communicate with the dead. It’s the best place to practice meditation, and I thought I could practice blocking out distractions.” She sighed pointedly. “Apparently, I was wrong. But it wasn’t really working anyway. So…who are you two?”
Nathan sent Isabella a warning glance, but she paid him no heed. Strangely, she had decided to trust this girl. There was something about her voice and eyes that made Isabella feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know why.
She soon would.
“I’m Isabella. I’m…an orphan…you know…so is Nathan here. Listen, we’ve been following this guy, and you–er–threw us off, so could you help us? I mean, if you really can communicate with the dead, can you ask his ancestors or someone who and where he is? He kind of let a few questions behind.”
Roma looked thoughtful. “Orphans, huh? Better off than me. Dad’s plotting to rule the world someday. He’s already started a conspiracy against the government. And my mother’s insane. Literally.” Her rasp grew deeper, more connected, more invoked. “She thinks I’m growing up to be…like him. She sees me as a black stain in her heart. She wants to destroy me.”
Nathan looked confused for a moment. “Roma, snap out of it. We really need to find this guy. And if you won’t help us, that’s fine.”
Roma blinked, and her vague eyes pierced Nathan’s. “I will give you help only if you ask for it. And, after watching who you’re stalking for the past few days — his name is Will — I highly advise you NOT to ask.”
Suddenly, they heard a noise, which turned out to be a mangy mongrel in some sort of trance. Slowly yet surely, the mutt approached our protaganists and uttered a low, rumbling growl; a growl of death.
Terrified, Isabella backed into her companions. The strange dog snarled again, and crawled toward her. Isabella looked up at Nathan and Roma. Roma seemed protective but calm, and was quietly moving the two others away from the mutt.
But Nathan…Nathan seemed startled. In the midst of fear, and as the dog advanced, Isabella looked questioningly at him. He shook his head in wonder, then opened his mouth. His voice came out hoarse and disbelieving.“I-I’ve seen that dog before,” he croaked. The two girls stared at Nathan. “I used to know him. He’s working as a spy for the rebelling Clan.”
Roma was whispering something. Her eyes were jammed shut, her lips moving without sound issuing from them. Her fingers touched her head, lightly. The mutt growled, then contracted into a small black-brown creature, which sunk into the ground. Nathan looked at it wonderingly, but Isabella smiled, relieved. She was already getting used to her strange new friend.
She turned to face the boy. “Nathan? What’s the–”
He shook his head. “Now’s not the time. Come on. We’ve got a certain Will Something to catch.”
__________Will stood next to a stall, staring at apples piled high on the counter. His one eye surveyed them warily, as though he could see worms crawling inside.
Just then, a burly man flew past him, bowling him down.
“Scuse me,” he said hastily. Will picked himself up, and excepted the appology. then he reallized. The man had swiped his wallet.“Hey,” but it was too late. Will reached into his pocket and pulled out two long knives. he raised them to throw, but the man dodged behind two kids. Frantically, Will grabbed a bow from the back of a young peddler, and notched an arrow. Twing !
The arrow whizzed past one of the kid’s head, and plunked itself into a wooden post holding up an awning. The burly man kept on running.
Will ran up to the two kids, where he stopped.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us,” one of the kids said. He was a boy.
Will couldn’t do anything but smile. He had almost killed them.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. Bye!”
He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past the boy, knocking him to the ground.
He hear the other kid, a girl call out and ask his name, but he just said “Later.”
__________“Okay,” Isabella said as Nathan pulled her along. But before they could go, Roma sidled up to them and said, “I’m going.”
“But…” Nathan said.
“We’d be fine with that!” Isabella said heartily. “Let’s get going!”
Roma smiled and then Nathan pulled them on their way.
Isabella grinned thinking, Boys are soooo impatient!!!
Roma looked at her and said, “I know what you mean.”
“Huh? But how could you… I mean, how…” Isabella gaped.
“Yeah, I can sort of hear your thoughts. It’s part of being who I am,” Roma said enjoying the astonished look on Isabella’s face.
“Come on !!!” Nathan said impatiently. “We’re never going to catch him if you keep dropping behind!”
“Actually, umm… Nathan?” Isabella said.
“Yeah?”
“He’s right over there.”
__________Will ran through the streets, cursing his clumsiness, but at the same time rather enjoying the chase. After a while, he stopped, and watched the people that had been chasing them. There was a boy and a girl there and another girl with her back to him. The second girl turned around. Oh no, he thought, it’s Roma.
__________Isabella started over to Will but was pulled back by Roma.
“What the…” Isabella said.
“Look behind him,” Nathan said quietly.
Isabella looked and sure enough there was a silhouette shaped in the outline of a prison guard. Will seemed to notice them because his eyes widened in shock when he looked at Roma. Roma motioned with her eyes towards the guard. Will slowly turned around and sidled off to the side so he wouldn’t be noticed by the guard. Isabella however froze when she saw the guard’s face.
“Oh no!!!” Isabella said in shock. The others turned to look at her.
“It’s him,” she said looking at the guard.
“Do you know him?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Isabella said with absolute horror. “He’s the one who caught me making off with the king’s jewels. It’s the only time I was ever caught and I just escaped before the execution.”
“You WHAT?” Nathan said incredulous.
“What? You’re trying to tell me that you think that I didn’t try to steal the king’s jewels?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I did and that guard’s been searching for me ever since. We got to get out of here.” Isabella looked around for a way out of the crowded market.
“Not yet! We have to talk to that boy,” Nathan said.
“But…”
I don’t care! If he comes near you we’ll run.”
“Okay…”
“Good, let’s go.”
___________________________So, here’s the thing I don’t get — will the final story be posted somewhere or something? I’m still pretty new here.
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BlackRaven
in March 9th, 2006 @ 19:30Whoa…sorry, my computer does that sometimes.
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evildude131
in March 9th, 2006 @ 20:43dang you guys are good. Include a cameo of Kokopelli, if you would. This could be a novel someday if you keep it alive.
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Jadestone
in March 9th, 2006 @ 21:32If someone doesnt answe my question(can i be a dragon?) i am going to add it in myself. PLEASE answer…
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BlackRaven
in March 9th, 2006 @ 21:33Nathan and Roma slowly positioned themselves in front of Isabella, blocking her from the guard’s view. Roma stared hard at Will, and although it had been a year since they had last seen one another, he got the message. He walked briskly over to the group and prepared to launch another arrow towards the guard if neccessary. When he was fully prepared, Roma looked away sharply.
“Hey — what do you think you’re doing?” The guard had seen them. His voice was load and hoarse, and his brown moustache bristled in anger. “You know you can’t use weapons in this alleyway. It’s a trade center. And who’s that with you?”
Isabella’s blood turned cold. Horror of horrors, he had seen her! She tried to back off, but it was too late.
As the guard strode toward them, Nathan shouted, “Quick!” and Will ran for the guard’s patrol horse. He swung himself onto its back and offered his hand out to Isabella. She took it, and was pulled up near the neck of the steed. Roma jumped onto the saddle behind Will, who avoided her gaze.
“Nathan!” Isabella called. Her friend had been holding the guard off while the others mounted the horse. Now he ran with all his might, but the horse, in a frenzy of fear, took off in a mad gallop, leaving Nathan far behind. “NATHAN!” screamed Isabella again, but the guard gagged the boy’s mouth and twisted his hands behind his back. The image faded from sight, and the passing landscape was a blur. Soon they were out of the town. Neither Roma with her calm air nor Will with his steady hands could soothe the poor horse. Sweat dripped down its face, and it came to a sudden halt in a dark meadow, flinging its riders onto the grass.
“No,” whispered Isabella. “We left him. We shouldn’t have gone without him.” Tears of fury and guilt streamed down her face, making paths in the dust clinging to her skin.
Roma squeezed her hand comfortingly, but her eyes were also welling up with small tears. “We couldn’t have known it was going to happen.”
“Stupid horse,” muttered Will.
Slowly, Roma turned to look at him. Memories of her past came rushing back to her:a friendly voice, an unsuspected ambush, a devastating seperation. She stared at Will. He stared back. Isabella stared at both of them.
“So…you t-two knew each other f-from somew-where?” Isabella’s voice was shaking, but she suddenly realized that she was interested in this curious reunion.
Will nodded. “They knew about her father…storming the country, enemy to everyone. And her mother was a mage, so they decided she — Roma — was a witch. It’s been a year…they’ve forgotten…”
“They have more important stuff to do,” broke in Roma hastily. “Anyway…Will helped me escape, but it didn’t end well. He was an archer’s apprentice, and–”
“My mentor turned me against Roma. She wasn’t too happy. When I saw her again today, I thought she’d kill me.” He smiled gratefully in the midst of all this sadness. “I was wrong.”
“Friends against each other,” murmured Isabella disbelievingly. “And not to get off subject, but does anyone know where we are?”
__________Okay, not the greatest installment ending in the world, but at least that part explained a lot. Whew! I didn’t know how I was going to connect Will’s past with Roma’s, but I did it! If anybody hates it, I’m sorry, but the hardest part of writing a story is giving everything an explanation.
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BlackRaven, or Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 9th, 2006 @ 21:52I think this should be my name when I add to the story (the part that comes after “or”). Otherwise, I’m still BlackRaven. Anyway, a short thing to get your mind in gear (Nathan’s POV):
Nathan watched the horse diappear into the dust.
The guard wrapped one beefy hand around his throat. “Protect’n an outlaw, huh? ‘E’ll see about that. You can’t hide that girl forever! We know who she is!”
Nathan could only picture Isabella’s face as he was dragged toward the castle, wishing with all his might that, like Roma, he could read his friend’s mind.
[Continue from there!]
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 9th, 2006 @ 23:41Rancid water sprinkled Nathan as he cowered in a corner of his dark cell. He could feel it hit his cheek, and run down his neck, but he was too weak to move. His wrists were sore from the shackles that endircled them, his legs from the endless walking he had to do.
When Nathan had gotten to the castle, it had loomed dark over him, the sun right behind it. The guard, who stank sourly of wine, threw him into a small room on the outside wall of the castle. He was told that he would be dealt with later.
Left there for over a day, Nathan grew weak from lack of food. It seemed like ages before a short stout man entered the room in a rather abtrusive way.
“Up!” the man said. Nathan presumed he was a guard. He would soon lear otherwise. “Come.” The two walked side by side, but they did not nearly look like companions. For one Nathan had on ripped worn cloths, and his wrists were clothed in metal rings, with a chain attached in between. Other wise known as Shackles. Two soldiers filed in line behind, after waiting patiently outside.Nathan was led into a large chamber with one desk and a chair. Then desk and chair for the man, the floor for Nathan. The two guards stood beside him, making sure he did not try to gain freedom. He was questioned about the whereabouts of Isabella, and where her two companions, Roma and Will, (though the man did not know there names,) were, but Nathan declined. He was then forced to work in a chain gang, carrying bags of powdered mortar for a new building being constructed inside the outer walls.
“Ready to tell us NOW where your friends are?” the man questioned on the forth day.
“I do not withhold any information, Sire,” Nathan replied. And he was promtly thrown into the darkest dungeon.
And Nathan sat, cold, tired, weary. Yet still with fire in his heart.
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kricket
in March 10th, 2006 @ 05:49Isabella looked around wondering where they were. Far away from the castle of course. Nathan was probably being questioned about them, and Isabella couldn’t do anything about it. She ground her teeth in fury. While Roma and Will were surveying the landscape, she had been trying to soothe the horse. Finally Will and Roma came back to the horse.
“So where are we?” Isabella asked eagerly.
“We’re about 3 miles from the castle,” Roma said. “If we can get the horse to run like it did today, without it being frightened then we probably could get there in about a day.”
“The castle…” Isabella muttered remembering the days she had been prisoner in the dungeon.
“We can fortunately disguise you by cutting your hair or something. I mean, we have to save Nathan, right?” Roma asked with a cocky grin. “I was never fond of long blond hair anyways.”
“Roma! I thought we had decided to make it seem like we were from India and put turbans around our heads and faces (except for the eyes).” Will said.
“Well, I guess that would work,” Isabella said. “We could be India royalty coming to take a look around the castle, and I could sneak off to free Nathan from the dungeon!”
“Well, we’ll see… But first we have to rest and make sure the horse doesn’t get scared again,” Roma said.
——————————-
and Jadestone, they can find a dragon inside the castle but it has to be small and it cannot be all powerful at all!!! it has to be just like the faerie, non powerful.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 10th, 2006 @ 06:16Yeah, okay, for anyone who didn’t read my comment above, this is my name when I’m writing, because BlackRaven just doesn’t seem like an author’s name. A poet, maybe…
__________As soon as they had caught their breath — and Roma and Will had goten over their shock of meeting once again — Isabella stood, her blood pounding in her ears. “We have to find Nathan,” she said. “They could have done anything to him by now…even killed him.”
“Yeah, but there’s one little problem, Isabella,” said Will, looking anxious. “Where’s the horse?”
Isabella whipped around to where the dun mare was chewing grass moments ago. There were just a couple hoofprints in the sandy grass. The horse had run away.
Clenching her fists in fury yet trying to keep calm, Isabella stalked back the the oak her friends were leaning against. “Then…how do we find him?” she murmured.
Roma and Will thought harder than ever, their minds clanking into gear, their energy furious. Finally, Will’s eyes turned bright. “Roma! do your thing — ”
“Yes, read Nathan’s mind and see where he is,” said Isabella, smiling. Maybe this would work after all…
Roma sighed, and stood wearily. “Something I considered a while ago, but…no. It’s more complicated than that. I’m already losing strength, and I shouldn’t make either of you do the Bonding…”
Will stumbled back in shock. “Oh, no,” he said.
Isabella was about to ask what the Bonding was, and why Will hated it so much, when an image came into her mind. Roma making a slit in her wrist…giving her blood to the rain…explaining to Will how this ancient ritual worked. He doing the same thing.
Isabella’s eyes blinked rapidly. “R-roma…how did you do that?”
“Part of telepathy,” came the dark girl’s rasp. “You can send people your memories. When I performed a Bond with Will, he had my powers for two days. That’s how Bonding works. But cutting your wrist open isn’t exactly amusing. He didn’t know what Bonding was, and before I was excecuted, he used his “powers” to help me escape.”
Will nodded. “Usually, Bonding is abrubt, but one of Roma’s powers vaguely remained.” He looked curiously at Roma. “You didn’t know that, did you?”
Roma seemed confused for a second. “But…Will, I recieved all my powers back.”
“Yes but I kept one. Or..somewhat. But I don’t think what you do is quite the same thing.”
“What — ” Isabella was confused. What powers DID Roma have? Definitely more than one, but Will was speaking of something far greater than —
“You can read minds, Roma. If I work hard enough, I can look into the future.”
The two girls sat in shock. Isabella was the first to recover. “Can you see if Nathan’s going to be all right?”
Will motioned for the girls to take his hands. “I need Roma’s mind-reading powers, and your strength,” he told Isabella. Once their hand were tightly grasped, all three of them closed their eyes.
Far away, Nathan awoke screaming.
__________Cliffhanger. If anyone understands this Bonding ceremony, could they please take it from here?
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 10th, 2006 @ 15:05Oh, sorry, kricket. That took me so long to write that your comment was enterd before mine. But I didn’t see it. Here’s the edited comment:
“Yeah, but there’s one little problem, Roma,” said Will, looking anxious. “Where’s the horse?”
Isabella whipped around to where the dun mare was chewing grass moments ago. There were just a couple hoofprints in the sandy grass. The horse had run away.
Clenching her fists in fury yet trying to keep calm, Isabella stalked back the the oak her friends were leaning against. “Then…how do we find him?” she murmured.
Roma and Will thought harder than ever, their minds clanking into gear, their energy furious. Finally, Will’s eyes turned bright. “Roma! do your thing — ”
“Yes, read Nathan’s mind and see where he is,” said Isabella, smiling. Maybe this would work after all…
Roma sighed, and stood wearily. “Something I considered a while ago, but…no. It’s more complicated than that. I’m already losing strength, and I shouldn’t make either of you do the Bonding…”
Will stumbled back in shock. “Oh, no,” he said.
Isabella was about to ask what the Bonding was, and why Will hated it so much, when an image came into her mind. Roma making a slit in her wrist…giving her blood to the rain…explaining to Will how this ancient ritual worked. He doing the same thing.
Isabella’s eyes blinked rapidly. “R-roma…how did you do that?”
“Part of telepathy,” came the dark girl’s rasp. “You can send people your memories. When I performed a Bond with Will, he had my powers for two days. That’s how Bonding works. But cutting your wrist open isn’t exactly amusing. He didn’t know what Bonding was, and before I was excecuted, he used his “powers” to help me escape.”
Will nodded. “Usually, Bonding is abrubt, but one of Roma’s powers vaguely remained.” He looked curiously at Roma. “You didn’t know that, did you?”
Roma seemed confused for a second. “But…Will, I recieved all my powers back.”
“Yes but I kept one. Or..somewhat. But I don’t think what you do is quite the same thing.”
“What — ” Isabella was confused. What powers DID Roma have? Definitely more than one, but Will was speaking of something far greater than –
“You can read minds, Roma. If I work hard enough, I can look into the future.”
The two girls sat in shock. Isabella was the first to recover. “Can you see if Nathan’s going to be all right?”
Will motioned for the girls to take his hands. “I need Roma’s mind-reading powers, and your strength,” he told Isabella. Once their hand were tightly grasped, all three of them closed their eyes.
Far away, Nathan awoke screaming.
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Jadestone
in March 10th, 2006 @ 15:53Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay i can be a dragon okay now heres my character’s bio-
Name- The orphan who finds him calls him Glisten, Glit for short
Gender- male
Age- ??? They dont know for sure, could be from about 3-months to 1 year
Spesices- Dragon (sort of)
Relationships- None, but will probably atach himself to the first orphan who finds him
Personality- He is young, and doesnt understand much. He has a strange but very vauge knowlage about the past (not details, things like the begaining of the world and Time)
History- He was accedentally created by an alcahmist who was trying to greate gold, so he is not rally a true Dragon.
Appearence-He is about the size of a cat, and has a long tail with small spines down his back. He doesnt have wings and cant breathe fire, and doesnt hve any other powers. Though it does have sharp teeth, but they are small and mostly used foe eating,
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Jadestone
in March 10th, 2006 @ 15:54Whoops. I ment “create” not “greate”
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kricket
in March 10th, 2006 @ 17:55and for instead of foe?
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Otzi
in March 10th, 2006 @ 18:36Can I be a depressed mummy who Communicates with Roma? I think everybody would be happier that way.
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kricket
in March 11th, 2006 @ 10:04NO!!!!!!!!! we are only allowing the faerie and the dragon!!! too much magic!!!!!!!!
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Jadestone
in March 11th, 2006 @ 10:45158- Yes. Whoops.
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Queen Julietaini; Queenie (J); WDNT
in March 11th, 2006 @ 11:32I like the mummy idea, Otzi. C’est plus passionant. Comment va-t-on faire alors?
No more magic? Oui, alors nous nous sommes arretes.
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yesterday's_kinked_moose
in March 11th, 2006 @ 11:37Suddenly, out of the inky blackness of the dungeon, there came a soft voice. It was also raspy, like the call of a raven, and tortured. It was barely audible, but one word was clear: light. There was the unpleasant sound of dragging chains and a match was lit. Out of the gloom, a dark face appeared. “I suppose you’ll be here for a while,” said a Spanish voice. It was the same voice as before, but it seemed clearer somehow in the light. “We might as well learn to tolerate eachother.”
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Otzi
in March 11th, 2006 @ 13:52There was something a little strange about that face. Possibly the fact that it looked just like a mummy. Or that it was a mummy.
“Are you….are you…dead? whispered Issabella. The answer came back assertive, almost proud: “Yesssssssssss….” it sighed. “5,000 years. I’m glad those German hikers found me. It getssssss boring, all alone in the ssssnowww…”
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Otzi
in March 11th, 2006 @ 13:53oops. I spelled Isabella’s name wrong.
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Jadestone
in March 11th, 2006 @ 18:26Are we including 163 and 164 in the story? Because I need to know weather or not to put them in the big copy im keeping. In a little while when we need to see the whole thing ill post it, but i need to know what to stick in.
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Jadestone
in March 11th, 2006 @ 20:29Okay sence no one responded I just going to include it.
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Otzi
in March 11th, 2006 @ 20:53You have to put them in! otherwise that would be discriminatory against ice mummies and mooses!
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Jadestone
in March 11th, 2006 @ 21:44Fine. The’re in.
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Pentatonikk (RRF)
in March 11th, 2006 @ 22:20The plural of moose is meese. Duh.
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Violetfire
in March 12th, 2006 @ 11:14Then what is the plural of mouse?
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Jadestone
in March 12th, 2006 @ 12:43Meeses. Duh. The plural of moose is mooses.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 13:16“Wow,” whispered Isabella. She was amazed that she was talking to a dead person and, what was more, the dead person was miles away, but she didn’t dare show her excitement to Roma or Will, for fear that she might break the spell. Suddenly she saw a very familiar face.
“Nathan! Can you hear me?”
“Huh? Yeah, I can hear you Isabella. What the — ISABELLA?”
“Long story.” Roma’s voice came out of the gloom, reaching both Isabella and Nathan’s ears. It was then Isabella realized that she was not only seeing where Nathan was, she was THERE…
She turned to face Will and Roma, who were coming out of the shadows and into the sliver of bleak light coming from the miniscule window on the higher portion of the dungeon wall. Will smiled at the two girls. “So…is this some form of teleportation?” he asked weakly. “I didn’t know we’d actually be part of the scene.”
Roma shook her head. “I can move myself, but not others, and it takes enough energy to knock me unconcious. This was beyond my power to do. I am unaware of how we got here.”
“Then–” Nathan said, still shocked, when they heard another voice, and suddenly remembered the mummy.
“There isss a curssse on me,” it croaked. “I have wasssted away like thisss, doomed to live forever, and I am tired of living. If you will promissse help me, I will help you.”
“Were you the one who brought us here?” Will questioned in his usual protective way…but the mummy was gone. Only a wisp of pale steam remained. For a split second, Isabella thought she saw a tortured face, stretched and long-mouthed, moaning and screaming in the soft breeze that shouldn’t have been in a tightly sealed dungeon. Then the face was gone, dissolved into the choked, stench-reeked air.
The four companions stared after it for a moment. Then Nathan suggested they try and find an exit. Will and Isabella agreed.
Roma didn’t answer. She sat in meditation, chanting some sort of spell. The shaft of light seemed to rotate until it shone on her face. Her eyes opened, thoroughly violet and glowing powerfully. The others watched curiously as they tapped at walls. A swirling black vortex appeared where Will was leaning against. He fell through it, screaming. Roma continued to speak strange, alien spellwords. Nathan shot upward like a rocket and disappeared in the tall, narrow dungeon’s ceiling. Isabella felt the stone underneath her give way, and she collapsed into a large pit.
Still Roma kept on speaking.
__________Will awoke slumped against a copper wall in a small chapel. He looked around frantically, and was relieved to see Nathan collapsed on the floor about halfway down the isle, and Isabella, unconcious but unhurt, curled up on one of the metallic benches.
What was this strange place?
Out of the air close to the chapel ceiling dropped a figure — Roma. Her eyes had their whites and pupils again, and the only violet was in her irises. She seemed a little shaken, but other than that, she looked fine. Will walked over to her.
“What was that all about?” he asked, his knees still wobbling from the pain of kneeling on a copper floor while sleeping. “And where are we?”
Roma grasped his wrist and helped him up. “The stoneless chapel,” she replied. “It’s where I was raised. We’ll be safe here. You can only get here by a spell, and I doubt that the people after Isabella — and possibly still me — know anything about magic.”
“You grew up in this place?” asked Will, surprised. “But where did you eat? Sleep? How did you have any fun?”
“This is the chapel of studies. The dorms can be reached once you’ve gotten here, and food and other needs are taken care of in various rooms below the floor. But you can only get here if you really need to, or if you’ve been here at all in the past twenty-four hours — although you can stay for as long as you like. I haven’t been here in a while, and we weren’t in great need of a sanctuary until we were in the dungeon. And about having fun — I didn’t. My life was thorough education until I got out into the real world. I learned mathematics and history, the arts of writing and poetry, and astronomy, as well as spells and meditation. It’s a pacifist area.”
“Wow. So I assume that there are other people here?” The question came from Nathan. He and Isabella were standing next to Will, who hadn’t noticed them until now.
“Right below us,” said Roma, and she guestured to a portal in the ground that hadn’t been there before.
They all dropped into complete darkness, and found that there was a long passageway in front of them. Roma stood up.
“Follow me,” she said softly. “I’d like you to meet my mother.”
__________Remember, her mom was a mage but now is crazy. I like the way you get to the chapel.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 13:30Here’s the latest edition, then:
__________Isabella snuck over towards the food stand quietly and sneakily. The smell enticed her to come closer. It was around midnight and the store owner was just about to close up shop. Right now, he was in the back. Looking around her, her hand shot out and grabbed a loaf of bread. Quickly she ran back into the street. But on the way, she was looking behind her and did not see the boy. Isabella ran headfirst into him.
“Ommmfff…” the boy said as he was knocked over.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry! Here let me help you up,” Isabella said extending her hand.
“Thanks,” the boy said. “What’s your name?”
“Isabella. And yours?”
“Nathan.”
Nathan brushed himself off rather preemptorily. “What were you going so fast for?” he asked brusquely. Isabella shrugged.
“I had reasons,” she said.
“Want to tell us what they were?” Nathan cajoled, giving a far imitation of the average magistrate. His talent was emulation honed from experience with such figures of authority asking such questions of him. The point was not missed by Isabella, and she would have undoubtedly engendered a reply had not the conversation been interrupted by an arrow nearly removing some of Isabella’s pretty hair.
A tall, thickset man ran past them, shouting things which would have shocked Jack the Ripper. A tall, thin boy who looked around sixteen began to run after him but stopped just in front of the two and grinned sheepishly, noting their stares. Not that anyone with any vision at all could have missed the two’s concentrated scrutiny of the boy, or his just as focused expression directed past them into the dark alleyway into which the man had barrelled. He was lanky in a sort of way that would have fit Twiggy’s brother, and his hair was a light brown that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a faun just back from a holiday at some fashionable, sunny resort in the south of France. An especially expressive ejaculation from Nathan, which Isabella heartily concurred with, elicited an explanation from the mysterious stranger.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us.”
The boy just continued to grin, showing his yellow teeth.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said it so that both Isabella and Nathan construed that he had meant to scare them. There was an awkward silence, interupted by the boy saying, “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. By!”He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past Nathan, knocking him to the ground.
“Hey, what’s your name,” Isabella called out to the boy, as he ran through the crowd. but all the said was, “Later!”
Curiosity getting the best of her, Isabella decided to follow him. Nathan struggled after her, his shoes clogged with the mud that he had fallen into.
“Hey…excuse me…um, have you seen an archer-type boy anywhere?” Isabella asked the nearest figure. It was a girl. She whipped around and glared at Isabella. “Do NOT do that again. Being disturbed and–” the girl glanced at Nathan and Isabella suspiciously– “ARROGANTLY QUESTIONED by some idiots is the third-to-worst possible thing that can happen during a Communication.”
Isabella was taken aback. She was almost positive that the girl in the dark clothing had capitalized her C.
The girl stood and brushed her sealed black cloak off. “Might as well introduce myself,” she said in a rolling, raspy voice. Her violet eyes, flecked, strangely, with an evil-looking black, bored into Isabella’s. “I’m Roma — Roma teZenith. I got here five hours ago to communicate with the dead. It’s the best place to practice meditation, and I thought I could practice blocking out distractions.” She sighed pointedly. “Apparently, I was wrong. But it wasn’t really working anyway. So…who are you two?”
Nathan sent Isabella a warning glance, but she paid him no heed. Strangely, she had decided to trust this girl. There was something about her voice and eyes that made Isabella feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know why.
She soon would.
“I’m Isabella. I’m…an orphan…you know…so is Nathan here. Listen, we’ve been following this guy, and you–er–threw us off, so could you help us? I mean, if you really can communicate with the dead, can you ask his ancestors or someone who and where he is? He kind of let a few questions behind.”
Roma looked thoughtful. “Orphans, huh? Better off than me. Dad’s plotting to rule the world someday. He’s already started a conspiracy against the government. And my mother’s insane. Literally.” Her rasp grew deeper, more connected, more invoked. “She thinks I’m growing up to be…like him. She sees me as a black stain in her heart. She wants to destroy me.”
Nathan looked confused for a moment. “Roma, snap out of it. We really need to find this guy. And if you won’t help us, that’s fine.”
Roma blinked, and her vague eyes pierced Nathan’s. “I will give you help only if you ask for it. And, after watching who you’re stalking for the past few days — his name is Will — I highly advise you NOT to ask.”
Suddenly, they heard a noise, which turned out to be a mangy mongrel in some sort of trance. Slowly yet surely, the mutt approached our protaganists and uttered a low, rumbling growl; a growl of death.
Terrified, Isabella backed into her companions. The strange dog snarled again, and crawled toward her. Isabella looked up at Nathan and Roma. Roma seemed protective but calm, and was quietly moving the two others away from the mutt.
But Nathan…Nathan seemed startled. In the midst of fear, and as the dog advanced, Isabella looked questioningly at him. He shook his head in wonder, then opened his mouth. His voice came out hoarse and disbelieving.“I-I’ve seen that dog before,” he croaked. The two girls stared at Nathan. “I used to know him. He’s working as a spy for the rebelling Clan.”
Roma was whispering something. Her eyes were jammed shut, her lips moving without sound issuing from them. Her fingers touched her head, lightly. The mutt growled, then contracted into a small black-brown creature, which sunk into the ground. Nathan looked at it wonderingly, but Isabella smiled, relieved. She was already getting used to her strange new friend.
She turned to face the boy. “Nathan? What’s the–”
He shook his head. “Now’s not the time. Come on. We’ve got a certain Will Something to catch.”
__________Will stood next to a stall, staring at apples piled high on the counter. His one eye surveyed them warily, as though he could see worms crawling inside.
Just then, a burly man flew past him, bowling him down.
“Scuse me,” he said hastily. Will picked himself up, and excepted the appology. then he reallized. The man had swiped his wallet.“Hey,” but it was too late. Will reached into his pocket and pulled out two long knives. he raised them to throw, but the man dodged behind two kids. Frantically, Will grabbed a bow from the back of a young peddler, and notched an arrow. Twing !
The arrow whizzed past one of the kid’s head, and plunked itself into a wooden post holding up an awning. The burly man kept on running.
Will ran up to the two kids, where he stopped.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us,” one of the kids said. He was a boy.
Will couldn’t do anything but smile. He had almost killed them.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said “Well, I better go catch that scoundrol. Bye!”He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past the boy, knocking him to the ground.
He hear the other kid, a girl call out and ask his name, but he just said “Later.”
__________“Okay,” Isabella said as Nathan pulled her along. But before they could go, Roma sidled up to them and said, “I’m going.”
“But…” Nathan said.
“We’d be fine with that!” Isabella said heartily. “Let’s get going!”
Roma smiled and then Nathan pulled them on their way.
Isabella grinned thinking, Boys are soooo impatient!!!Roma looked at her and said, “I know what you mean.”
“Huh? But how could you… I mean, how…” Isabella gaped.
“Yeah, I can sort of hear your thoughts. It’s part of being who I am,” Roma said enjoying the astonished look on Isabella’s face.“Come on !!!” Nathan said impatiently. “We’re never going to catch him if you keep dropping behind!”
“Actually, umm… Nathan?” Isabella said.
“Yeah?”
“He’s right over there.”
__________Will ran through the streets, cursing his clumsiness, but at the same time rather enjoying the chase. After a while, he stopped, and watched the people that had been chasing them. There was a boy and a girl there and another girl with her back to him. The second girl turned around. Oh no, he thought, it’s Roma.
__________Isabella started over to Will but was pulled back by Roma.
“What the…” Isabella said.
“Look behind him,” Nathan said quietly.
Isabella looked and sure enough there was a silhouette shaped in the outline of a prison guard. Will seemed to notice them because his eyes widened in shock when he looked at Roma. Roma motioned with her eyes towards the guard. Will slowly turned around and sidled off to the side so he wouldn’t be noticed by the guard. Isabella however froze when she saw the guard’s face.
“Oh no!!!” Isabella said in shock. The others turned to look at her.
“It’s him,” she said looking at the guard.
“Do you know him?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Isabella said with absolute horror. “He’s the one who caught me making off with the king’s jewels. It’s the only time I was ever caught and I just escaped before the execution.”
“You WHAT?” Nathan said incredulous.
“What? You’re trying to tell me that you think that I didn’t try to steal the king’s jewels?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I did and that guard’s been searching for me ever since. We got to get out of here.” Isabella looked around for a way out of the crowded market.
“Not yet! We have to talk to that boy,” Nathan said.
“But…”
I don’t care! If he comes near you we’ll run.”
“Okay…”
“Good, let’s go.”
Nobody moved but the guard.
Nathan and Roma slowly positioned themselves in front of Isabella, blocking her from the guard’s view. Roma stared hard at Will, and although it had been a year since they had last seen one another, he got the message. He walked briskly over to the group and prepared to launch another arrow towards the guard if neccessary. When he was fully prepared, Roma looked away sharply.
“Hey — what do you think you’re doing?” The guard had seen them. His voice was load and hoarse, and his brown moustache bristled in anger. “You know you can’t use weapons in this alleyway. It’s a trade center. And who’s that with you?”
Isabella’s blood turned cold. Horror of horrors, he had seen her! She tried to back off, but it was too late.
As the guard strode toward them, Nathan shouted, “Quick!” and Will ran for the guard’s patrol horse. He swung himself onto its back and offered his hand out to Isabella. She took it, and was pulled up near the neck of the steed. Roma jumped onto the saddle behind Will, who avoided her gaze.
“Nathan!” Isabella called. Her friend had been holding the guard off while the others mounted the horse. Now he ran with all his might, but the horse, in a frenzy of fear, took off in a mad gallop, leaving Nathan far behind. “NATHAN!” screamed Isabella again, but the guard gagged the boy’s mouth and twisted his hands behind his back. The image faded from sight, and the passing landscape was a blur. Soon they were out of the town. Neither Roma with her calm air nor Will with his steady hands could soothe the poor horse. Sweat dripped down its face, and it came to a sudden halt in a dark meadow, flinging its riders onto the grass.
“No,” whispered Isabella. “We left him. We shouldn’t have gone without him.” Tears of fury and guilt streamed down her face, making paths in the dust clinging to her skin.
Roma squeezed her hand comfortingly, but her eyes were also welling up with small tears. “We couldn’t have known it was going to happen.”
“Stupid horse,” muttered Will.
Slowly, Roma turned to look at him. Memories of her past came rushing back to her:a friendly voice, an unsuspected ambush, a devastating seperation. She stared at Will. He stared back. Isabella stared at both of them.
“So…you t-two knew each other f-from somew-where?” Isabella’s voice was shaking, but she suddenly realized that she was interested in this curious reunion.
Will nodded. “They knew about her father…storming the country, enemy to everyone. And her mother was a mage, so they decided she — Roma — was a witch. It’s been a year…they’ve forgotten…”
“They have more important stuff to do,” broke in Roma hastily. “Anyway…Will helped me escape, but it didn’t end well. He was an archer’s apprentice, and–”
“My mentor turned me against Roma. She wasn’t too happy. When I saw her again today, I thought she’d kill me.” He smiled gratefully in the midst of all this sadness. “I was wrong.”
“Friends against each other,” murmured Isabella disbelievingly. “And not to get off subject, but does anyone know where we are?”
Isabella looked around wondering where they were. Far away from the castle of course. Nathan was probably being questioned about them, and Isabella couldn’t do anything about it. She ground her teeth in fury. While Roma and Will were surveying the landscape, she had been trying to soothe the horse. Finally Will and Roma came back to the horse.
“So where are we?” Isabella asked eagerly.
“We’re about 3 miles from the castle,” Roma said. “If we can get the horse to run like it did today, without it being frightened then we probably could get there in about a day.”
“The castle…” Isabella muttered remembering the days she had been prisoner in the dungeon.
“We can fortunately disguise you by cutting your hair or something. I mean, we have to save Nathan, right?” Roma asked with a cocky grin. “I was never fond of long blond hair anyways.”
“Roma! I thought we had decided to make it seem like we were from India and put turbans around our heads and faces (except for the eyes).” Will said.
“Well, I guess that would work,” Isabella said. “We could be India royalty coming to take a look around the castle, and I could sneak off to free Nathan from the dungeon!”
“Well, we’ll see… But first we have to rest and make sure the horse doesn’t get scared again,” Roma said.
“Yeah, but there’s one little problem, Roma,” said Will, looking anxious. “Where’s the horse?”
Isabella whipped around to where the dun mare was chewing grass moments ago. There were just a couple hoofprints in the sandy grass. The horse had run away.
Clenching her fists in fury yet trying to keep calm, Isabella stalked back the the oak her friends were leaning against. “Then…how do we find him?” she murmured.
Roma and Will thought harder than ever, their minds clanking into gear, their energy furious. Finally, Will’s eyes turned bright. “Roma! do your thing — ”
“Yes, read Nathan’s mind and see where he is,” said Isabella, smiling. Maybe this would work after all…
Roma sighed, and stood wearily. “Something I considered a while ago, but…no. It’s more complicated than that. I’m already losing strength, and I shouldn’t make either of you do the Bonding…”
Will stumbled back in shock. “Oh, no,” he said.
Isabella was about to ask what the Bonding was, and why Will hated it so much, when an image came into her mind. Roma making a slit in her wrist…giving her blood to the rain…explaining to Will how this ancient ritual worked. He doing the same thing.
Isabella’s eyes blinked rapidly. “R-roma…how did you do that?”
“Part of telepathy,” came the dark girl’s rasp. “You can send people your memories. When I performed a Bond with Will, he had my powers for two days. That’s how Bonding works. But cutting your wrist open isn’t exactly amusing. He didn’t know what Bonding was, and before I was excecuted, he used his “powers” to help me escape.”
Will nodded. “Usually, Bonding is abrubt, but one of Roma’s powers vaguely remained.” He looked curiously at Roma. “You didn’t know that, did you?”
Roma seemed confused for a second. “But…Will, I recieved all my powers back.”
“Yes but I kept one. Or..somewhat. But I don’t think what you do is quite the same thing.”
“What — ” Isabella was confused. What powers DID Roma have? Definitely more than one, but Will was speaking of something far greater than –
“You can read minds, Roma. If I work hard enough, I can look into another place.”
The two girls sat in shock. Isabella was the first to recover. “Can you see if Nathan’s all right?”
Will motioned for the girls to take his hands. “I need Roma’s mind-reading powers, and your strength,” he told Isabella.
Once their hand were tightly grasped, all three of them closed their eyes.
Far away, Nathan awoke screaming.
Suddenly, out of the inky blackness of the dungeon, there came a soft voice. It was also raspy, like the call of a raven, and tortured. It was barely audible, but one word was clear: light. There was the unpleasant sound of dragging chains and a match was lit. Out of the gloom, a dark face appeared. “I suppose you’ll be here for a while,” said a Spanish voice. It was the same voice as before, but it seemed clearer somehow in the light. “We might as well learn to tolerate each other.”
There was something a little strange about that face. Possibly the fact that it looked just like a mummy. Or that it was a mummy.
“Are you….are you…dead? whispered Issabella. The answer came back assertive, almost proud: “Yesssssssssss….” it sighed. “5,000 years. I’m glad those German hikers found me. It getssssss boring, all alone in the ssssnowww…”
“Wow,” whispered Isabella. She was amazed that she was talking to a dead person and, what was more, the dead person was miles away, but she didn’t dare show her excitement to Roma or Will, for fear that she might break the spell. Suddenly she saw a very familiar face.
“Nathan! Can you hear me?”
“Huh? Yeah, I can hear you Isabella. What the — ISABELLA?”
“Long story.” Roma’s voice came out of the gloom, reaching both Isabella and Nathan’s ears. It was then Isabella realized that she was not only seeing where Nathan was, she was THERE…
She turned to face Will and Roma, who were coming out of the shadows and into the sliver of bleak light coming from the miniscule window on the higher portion of the dungeon wall. Will smiled at the two girls. “So…is this some form of teleportation?” he asked weakly. “I didn’t know we’d actually be part of the scene.”
Roma shook her head. “I can move myself, but not others, and it takes enough energy to knock me unconcious. This was beyond my power to do. I am unaware of how we got here.”
“Then–” Nathan said, still shocked, when they heard another voice, and suddenly remembered the mummy.
“There isss a curssse on me,” it croaked. “I have wasssted away like thisss, doomed to live forever, and I am tired of living. If you will promissse help me, I will help you.”
“Were you the one who brought us here?” Will questioned in his usual protective way…but the mummy was gone. Only a wisp of pale steam remained. For a split second, Isabella thought she saw a tortured face, stretched and long-mouthed, moaning and screaming in the soft breeze that shouldn’t have been in a tightly sealed dungeon. Then the face was gone, dissolved into the choked, stench-reeked air.
The four companions stared after it for a moment. Then Nathan suggested they try and find an exit. Will and Isabella agreed.Roma didn’t answer. She sat in meditation, chanting some sort of spell. The shaft of light seemed to rotate until it shone on her face. Her eyes opened, thoroughly violet and glowing powerfully. The others watched curiously as they tapped at walls. A swirling black vortex appeared where Will was leaning against. He fell through it, screaming. Roma continued to speak strange, alien spellwords. Nathan shot upward like a rocket and disappeared in the tall, narrow dungeon’s ceiling. Isabella felt the stone underneath her give way, and she collapsed into a large pit.
Still Roma kept on speaking.
__________Will awoke slumped against a copper wall in a small chapel. He looked around frantically, and was relieved to see Nathan collapsed on the floor about halfway down the isle, and Isabella, unconcious but unhurt, curled up on one of the metallic benches.
What was this strange place?
Out of the air close to the chapel ceiling dropped a figure — Roma. Her eyes had their whites and pupils again, and the only violet was in her irises. She seemed a little shaken, but other than that, she looked fine. Will walked over to her.
“What was that all about?” he asked, his knees still wobbling from the pain of kneeling on a copper floor while sleeping. “And where are we?”Roma grasped his wrist and helped him up. “The stoneless chapel,” she replied. “It’s where I was raised. We’ll be safe here. You can only get here by a spell, and I doubt that the people after Isabella — and possibly still me — know anything about magic.”
“You grew up in this place?” asked Will, surprised. “But where did you eat? Sleep? How did you have any fun?”
“This is the chapel of studies. The dorms can be reached once you’ve gotten here, and food and other needs are taken care of in various rooms below the floor. But you can only get here if you really need to, or if you’ve been here at all in the past twenty-four hours — although you can stay for as long as you like. I haven’t been here in a while, and we weren’t in great need of a sanctuary until we were in the dungeon. And about having fun — I didn’t. My life was thorough education until I got out into the real world. I learned mathematics and history, the arts of writing and poetry, and astronomy, as well as spells and meditation. It’s a pacifist area.”
“Wow. So I assume that there are other people here?” The question came from Nathan. He and Isabella were standing next to Will, who hadn’t noticed them until now.
“Right below us,” said Roma, and she guestured to a portal in the ground that hadn’t been there before.
They all dropped into complete darkness, and found that there was a long passageway in front of them. Roma stood up.
“Follow me,” she said softly. “I’d like you to meet my mother.”
__________Okay, so there you have it all! You’ll notice I changed the fact (in my portion, of course) that instead of being able to look into the future, Will can look into another place. Not like a Seer, more like a watcher. I can’t believe we’ve gotten so far in the writing! The plot is really developing well.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 13:52I have an idea for the title of the story: “Street Magic”.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 17:28“But…doesn’t she want to destroy you?” asked Isabella, concerned.
Roma looked at her. “Yes, but she has some important information for us about the guards. She knows — knew — them, and we might be able to find out how to deal with the guy who’s after you.”
“Okay,” said Nathan. Will nodded uncertianly.
“I-I guess so,” he said. He looked away.
Roma stared at him. “Will?”
__________I know it’s an odd place to stop, but I want to see want creative continuation the rest of you can think up.
-What’s happening to Will?
-Why does Nathan keep siding with Isabella?
-What will the meeting with Roma’s mother be like?
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 17:34By the way, Roma’s mother’s name is Leoflæde Å“naZenith (Leoflæde), and her father is Tyriac teUneChakra (Tyriac). Just in case you were wondering.
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Jadestone
in March 12th, 2006 @ 17:55175-Thats already the title of a story. By Tamora Peirce.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 12th, 2006 @ 18:12178- Oh, it is? Whoa. The best names are always taken. Okay, um, should it be “Street Roamers” or “Nightwalkers”? (I guess they SORT of make sense, but…)
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Jadestone
in March 12th, 2006 @ 18:18Okay, all the changes are in my Big Copy. Lets try not to change anymore stuff from the begening, though. Okay?
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Jadestone
in March 12th, 2006 @ 18:27Lets wait till the end to name it. So we can see how it turns out.
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Violetfire
in March 12th, 2006 @ 18:35Nightwalkers? Uhh…..
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kricket
in March 12th, 2006 @ 19:07okay, ummm… hmmmm… how should i put this…. hmmm… I think that Nathan likes Isabella and vice versa ( a little) but let’s not write a really big romance scene okay? just at the end… well, let’s just finish it and see how it turns out.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 12th, 2006 @ 20:33Teh four started down the hallway, which was made of copper and lined with gold inlade into grooves. The gold pictured an epic war battle. Looking at the helmets, Will guessed it was the Roman era.
“Where are you going?” Roma asked. Isabella, Nathan, and Will all looked back. Roma had stopped by a door, and the three of them had kept on walking. The door, Which blended into the copper wall, had gigantic lock on it, and a small, shiny handel. Roma knocked.
A tall, thin fellow with an eye patch answered. “Yes?” he grumbled. The boy, for he was a just a boy, had a scar running from his lip to his eyebrow, and an eyepatch covered his left eye.
“Oh, uh, are you a servant?”
The boy looked puzzled, and after a long pause, answered, “No, my names Ivan. I live here.”
Roma looked starled. Will couldn’t tell why, but he had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“Where’s Mrs. Å“naZenith?”
“Oh, her!” Ivan said with disdain. “She died, two weeks ago. Would you like to come in?” Ivan asked, for Roma had suddenly became queezy, and turned a slight blue. Nathan answered for her. “Yes!”
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BlackRaven
in March 12th, 2006 @ 20:40183- Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, but couldn’t figure out how to say it. But not at the end, at the climax, and then t the end they’re just smiling or something. Oh I don’t know…
182- Okay, okay, I know my names are stupid. “Street Magic” was my best one, but Tamora Pierce used it first. And 181, you’re right. Good idea. I have no idea what’s going to happen at the end.
Isn’t Leoflæde an awesome name? I got it from that English names website, but I think that one’s Latin.
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BlackRaven
in March 12th, 2006 @ 21:31“She…no! She can’t have died,” whispered Roma, who had gone quite pale. The news weighed her down, and she collapsed. Nathan and Will grabbed her arms, and Isabella helped her onto a nearby copper footstool. Roma looked up at them weakly.
“I’m sure — her — I mean, if she’s dead — she’ll be after me,” she said hoarsely. “Leoflæde is — was — mad. Her spirit won’t give up on haunting me, me out of all people, who can speak with the dead. I’ll probably die seeing her poltregeistic image. This is terrible. And she was my mother…I hardly ever got to speak with her…”
“It’s okay, we’re all orphans too,” said Will comfortingly, patting the shoulder of the girl he was still shocked to have ever seen again. “We’ve learned to live with it. You’ll be okay.”
Roma looked up sharply, eyes blazing. “I am NOT an orphan!” she screamed. “My father’s still alive, and what a father he is, too! Trying to destroy my life. Don’t mention that word…orphan! Not a privelege allowed to me — ”
Here Roma stopped yelling in Will’s face and broke down, crying softly.
Isabella and Nathan were shocked. They had never seen Roma acting so emotional. She always seemed as though she could just take care of it all, stay calm. And now here she was, sobbing on the floor of her own childhood home.
Will cautiously stepped toward her. He didn’t want her screaming again. He hadn’t wanted to walk down the corridor before — he had had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that something like this was going to happen. He quietly sat nearby, watching her cry, not speaking.
Ivan observed this whole scene pityingly but — was it possible? — a little bit amusedly. It was strange to see something like this happen to people you had never seen before. He didn’t know that Roma was nothing like the girl who now sat weeping on the floor, clutching her knees and rocking back and forth. He didn’t know that Will had seen this Roma, this strange, other-Roma, before. He didn’t notice that Nathan was squeezing Isabella’s hand and trying not to look at her. All he knew was that none of them saw him, only one another.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 12th, 2006 @ 23:26Ivan was alone, and he hated it. He was always alone. Was it because his eye? or was it his personality? Not matter, though, he despised the lonliness.
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kricket
in March 13th, 2006 @ 05:24Isabella noticed Ivan in the doorway after a few minutes of watching Roma. Turning in his direction, she fixed him in a cold hard stare as he watched the scene with a slight smile on his face.
“Well, Ivan, are you going to let us in?” Isabella said with a touch of hardness in her voice.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 13th, 2006 @ 05:43Another chapel resident who Ivan sometimes talked to tapped his shoulder. “If they want to come in, they should come in now,” he said stoically. Then he turned abruptly and stalked out of the room, more impatient than polite.
Ivan looked at the four young people beside him. He knew they were having a moment in connection, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous of them. Each one of them had the other three to protect and comfort them, even if they were orphans. He had nobody.
Roma wiped away the last of her tears, her dark violet eyes looking quite red by now. She stood shakily. Although having hardly been aware of the one-eyed boy’s presence before, she noticed that he had suddenly gone very stiff. “Come with me,” he said politely — TOO politely, in Roma’s opinion.
Will rose and followed him, motioning for Roma to come. She did not hesitate. She wanted to leave this terrible moment behind. Nathan and Isabella gazed after them for a moment, then decided to follow.
“Nathan…does something seem unusual to you about that boy?” Isabella whispered, hoping that Ivan’s hearing was as bad as his eye.
“Yeah, he seemed so angry all of a sudden. I don’t know…maybe he gets really embarrassed when people cry.”
As they stepped through the doorway of the room to talk to Ivan, they suddenly vanished.
The chapel resident who had tapped Ivan’s shoulder stood there, a wicked grin appearing on his face.
__________“Where do you think they are?” asked Will.
“I don’t know, but I’m starting to get a little worried. It just a doorway,” replied Roma. She stood and walked to the doorway. And then she realized what had happened, and she looked like she was about to collapse again.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 13th, 2006 @ 15:28Excellent writing, King George and kricket! (And everyone else, but they’ve been doing the most recently, so…)
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Queen Julietaini; Queenie (J); WDNT
in March 13th, 2006 @ 18:49Roma’s knees reeled. Isabella propelled herself forward to catch Roma. This wasn’t necessary. Isabella stared blankly at the scene before them, clearly aware that the situation was impossible. Will and Nathan stood next to the girls, transfixed. They had the expressions of people who had opened their lunchboxes on another humdrum weekday and been greeted by lemmings springing up to remove their noses. Out there, clearly irrationally, but there nonetheless, was a floating, dark cloud. Inside the cloud glimpses of people flashed like car headlights in a storm. People, gaunt, sallow, thin people, but people nonetheless, walked around looking like ghosts. Lightning bolts with the same chilling quality as dentistry equipment thundered far and near. The whole thing was cast in a pall of green light from a Bruce Neuman exhibit, and looked nightmarish. The sort of nightmare that has you screaming, covered in sweat, forty minutes after you wake up. Isabella was the first to respond. “What is this?” she asked in a breathy, scared voice.
“No idea,” Roma said, wonder wrestling grief to the floor.
“It’s an illusion,” said a dry voice from somewhere near them.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 13th, 2006 @ 19:54WAit, before we write anymore, can Black ravan explain kinda whats going on.? I know they went through the door, but WHO vanished, and Where is this black cloud, and “Where are they. Just to clarify. And thanks for the complement, *King George blushes, and bows. And boys can blush.
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BlackRaven
in March 13th, 2006 @ 20:51Oh — Isabella and Nathan vanished, and Ivan, Roma and Will have just walked into a back room to talk with Ivan. I don’t know about the black cloud. I didn’t write it.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 13th, 2006 @ 22:37Roma stood, staring at the cloud. Then, all of a sudden, Nathan’s face appeared. “Stop,” she shouted, but the cloud kept on moving, flicking between faces. She turned toward Will, and Ivan, and hung her head. Then anger arose, and she jumped up. “Where are they? What have you done?” she asked the grinning man, who stood to the side.
“What have I done? Well, I have walked into this room. If you are asking why Nathan (side note: the last post has Isabella in it, so this will too. Don’t put this in the final copy) is gone, then I can answer. The chapel has decided. Nathan does not have enough reason to be here. He has escaped the dungeon, and now may leave. While the rest of you, you are running away from something.”
Roma looked down, ashamed that she had not known.
“How did you know we came from the dungeons, and will we be able to see Nathan again?” asked Isabella. Tears began to well in her eyes, but she wiped them away.
“Follow me, and I’ll show you how I knew. I have a few things to explain. And for your last question, yes, Nathan is just around the corner, though maybe still out of reach.”
Thoughts circulated around the two orphans, bur Roma seemed calm enough to persuade them that it was all right. Will and Isabella mainly thought about this: where was Nathan, and how was he just out of reach, but still just around the corner.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 14th, 2006 @ 22:10GAPA, can you put this on the recent posts thing, because it’s a pain to go to the home page first, and nobody is adding onto the story, for like a day?
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Robert Coontz (Administrator)
in March 14th, 2006 @ 23:01KGtM,
Sorry, I don’t control the recent posts. The blog software takes care of them automatically.
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kricket
in March 15th, 2006 @ 05:16hey i’m sorry i haven’t been on but i have a life off the computer too!!! i’ll try to add on later!!!
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Jadestone
in March 15th, 2006 @ 16:02Roma cursed under her breath as she stumbled in the coridor. It was all right for Will and Isabella, they didnt have haunting memories of the very place she was walking. She turned the corner, automaticly reaching for the door to her mothers private chamber. No, she had to stop thinking like that. This house didnt belong to her family anymore. Her hand was allready on the wrought iron handel when Ivan spoke up.
“Wait, not there!” He cautioned. “Besides, it’s locked. She spebt a lot of time in there.
Roma frowned. “What are you talking about? Of course it’s open.” She swong the door open with ease, leaving Ivan gapeing in amazement.
“The stronest man in the chapel couldnet open that.”
Rome suddenly seemed uneasey. “No…It just sticks sometimes. Thats all.”
She walked in, inhailing the dusty air. Memories floded back, memories of her mother. She faught back another flood of tears, determened not to break down and cry again. But hard as she tried to forget, hovever much she had wanted to hurt her, her mother had still been just that: Hermother.
She blinked hard, and walked into the room to hide he face from the others.
“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” He advised “It’s as haunted as hells-”
Roma silenced him with a swish of her hand. “Hear that?” she asked.
“Hear wha-” Isabella cut herself of, having heard the strange noise too.
Will strode into the room, listening intently. Silently, he crept towards a large object covered with a dusty sheet. In one fluid motion he pulled the sheet off and lept backwards.
Isabella gasped. Inside the cage, shimering and golden, was a dragon.
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Jadestone
in March 15th, 2006 @ 16:11It wasn’t a very big dragon, only a little larger than a cat, with a row of glitering spins running down its back. Other than that, it looked completly miserable. Where claws should have been was reduced to bloody stumps, most likely from scrathing at the bars of its cage. Isabella knelt down next to it, a strangely kind expression on her stoney face. She undid the clasp on the cage, a complicated mecinism that could only be opened from the outside, and reached inside. Insted of resisting, the dragon looked up at her fearfully. She picked it up and cradeled it agenst herself, staring defiently at Ivan, as if daring him to take it from her. The little dragon gave one last moan, shuddered, and apeared to faint dead away.Instead of protesting her actions, Ivan just took a deep breath.
“We really need to get to the chapel now.” He told them.
____________
Like? Tell.
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kricket
in March 15th, 2006 @ 18:38i like it.
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Jadestone
in March 15th, 2006 @ 18:41Thanks. *199th post dance*
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Jadestone
in March 15th, 2006 @ 18:53Good news guys! Its 10 pages long allready! In size 12 font! :o)
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Jadestone
in March 15th, 2006 @ 18:54
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 15th, 2006 @ 22:21Wait, on that last addition, it said “We really need to get to the chapel now!” Weren’t they already in the chapel?
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Jadestone
in March 16th, 2006 @ 16:58Well, to where ever they were going then. Btw, where were they going?
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kricket
in March 16th, 2006 @ 19:00They were in the hallway.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 16th, 2006 @ 23:59Okey dokey. I’ll write something later if nobody else does. Tomorrow morning, or afternoon, or evening, or the next day…I’m lazy.
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Kricket
in March 17th, 2006 @ 14:52i’m lazy too
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 17th, 2006 @ 16:26Um…the copper chapel, where I introduced the whole thing, is the only chapel — but the rest doesn’t have a name because you can only get to it from there.
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Jadestone
in March 17th, 2006 @ 18:26So there in the hall of Roma’s old house, going to the chapel which is in some way conected to or inside the house?
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 17th, 2006 @ 19:03At the end of the hallway, a giant door met the group of five, for the dragon, who turned out to be a curious type, was studing a terrified mouse, Their conversation, for animals CAN talk to other animals, went like this.
“Hmm, your a small furry little creature. Personally, I don’t know how you mice survive with stuff.”
“Well,” the mouse said offensivly, “It keeps us warm at night. I bet you are fridgid, with no warm fur.”
“Really, well, would you like to know how we survive?” the dragon replied, rather suspiciously.
“Show me, and I’ll forever be in your debt. But how can you seriously, being cold blooded, stand not having fur. It’s jealosy, of coarse, all–” Woofff!!!
Flames erupted from the dragons mouth and burnt the wiskers of the mouse. Pouting, he ran inside. The dragon looked up, and almost had a heart attack! (ok, maybe not puite that drastic, but the dragon was shocked). the humans were going through a great door, and the dragon was about to be left behind. Quicky, the dragon bolted to the door, and barely made it through as it shut with a boom behind it.
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Jadestone
in March 17th, 2006 @ 22:08The little dragon, narrowly missing being chrushed by the door, found himself amidst a torrent of heavey, relentless, stomping feet. They were moving in the same direction, all of the ten feet each larger than his head. He sized up the slowest and least smelly pair, then leapt up to the shoulder of their owner. He found himself on the shoulder of the girl who had let him out of the nasty iron box. He liked her. To show his affection, he stuck his cold snout inside her ear.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 19th, 2006 @ 00:01Wisps of smoke filled the air and hooves thundered down the road. Flames flicked into view, barely visible in the haze. Screams could be heard in the distance. The hooves drew nearer. Gulammp, Galummp, Galummp! Two horses flew past, their riders donning read and silver shields and skirts.Armor reflected the glow of the fire in the distance. Then they were gone.
At teh burning wreckage, a family of four lay trembling on the ground. They watched in horror as their only belongings were incinerated in teh heat. Their cloths, their food. Their house.
Only hours before, they had been sitting at a pine table, eating a meager meal of potatoes and ham, when a knock came from the door.“Come in” the father of the family shouted. Immediatly, two knights from teh empire stode in, their swords shimmering, their hands holding daggers.
“Where are they?” they questioned, and the closest one grabbed a child, one of two, and held him up by the arm.
“Si–si–sir, we don’t know what you–”
“I asked, Where are they!” At this, he dropped the young one and he fell to the floor.
“Please explain what goi–”
“A boy escaped from a castle near here, only hours ago. We discovered a horse, stabled in your stable, that looks exactly like the one he road, and his friends road off with. You are hiding them. Where ARE THEY!”
‘I don’t know, si-”
“Burn the house.”
The other man, who had slowly walked to the door durigh the argument, hurried outside, fallowed by the other knight, and the family of four. And their house was slowly consumed by flames, no matter what their pleas were. All because they had found a horse in a field and kept it as their own. All becasue of a horse.
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Jadestone
in March 19th, 2006 @ 16:48Ooooh I like it! That was cool.
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kricket
in March 20th, 2006 @ 19:31that was good!!! i’ll write a little later.
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Ashen-Faced Poet Shrouded In Darkness
in March 21st, 2006 @ 05:56Awesome horse connection!
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kricket
in March 22nd, 2006 @ 05:47now someone write more. i’d do it but i’m not supposed to cloud my mind before the PSSAs today. plus i’m lazy… lol
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George Washington, who hates King George the MMMXXLIII (previously known as King George the MMMXXLIII) becasue of the revolutionary war.
in March 22nd, 2006 @ 09:37Thanks. WE need to get going on this if we are going to publish it. We are goingto publish it, right? I Guess it’s because of spirng brake. I’ll write some, once there’s another addition or two
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Jadestone
in March 22nd, 2006 @ 15:49Of c ourse we are going to publish it! I mean, all that work ive done editing it and fixing the speling and coping it out into a word document! We’ll need to publish it! Hey, when should I post the Story So Far?
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kricket
in March 22nd, 2006 @ 15:52seriously we need to get this going!!! should I write? I will do it eventually.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 23rd, 2006 @ 00:18Roma, Will, Isabella, and Ivan were led into a GREAT room, with a high vaulted ceiling, and balconies littering the walls. They were spread out randomly, as though someone had spattered paint on a wall, and then made a balcony wherever a drop hit. Everyone looked up at the ceiling in ahw, but giggles drew their chins down, and they were astonished to see the dragon nuzzling Isabella. She was giggling, the dragon sticking her cold snout around her face, and into her ears.
“Well, look who has a new friend!” said the man from the chapel. “But we have no time to lose, we might have already missed him.”
At hearing these words, especially “we may already have missed him”, the group stopped doddling, and sped along after the man. WIll called out to the man. “Sir, what may we call you? ”
“Call me Eli”
Eli motioned for the group to halt, for they had come to the far side of the great room. The wall was made of copper, again, but this time the door was solid wood. An engraving painted with purple paint read restricted for those who have greater knowledge than you do. Obviously, Eli had great knowledge, for he didn’t even bother to read the sign. Instead, he slowly turned the handle. As he did, he explained why.
“Don’t rush the turning of this handle. For that is the knowledge that this room seeks. If you turn it too fast, it bursts into flame. For those youngsters who are a bit to eager, and must for reasons that remain unknown, get into this room before the watchman comes around.”
The door creaked open, and let out a shaft of darkness. For a second, the sight was puzzling, but soon it became clear. The room was so dark, it obliterated light.
“Magnesium lamps are the only thing bright enough for this room’s darkness. And that means you can’t stay in this room too long, because one minute uses a whole lot of magnesium. Of coarse, you can blame my ancestors. They never let light into this room, for hundreds of years, and so it just takes a while for light to get back in. But we can’t leave the door open, for by then a little rascal will have catalogued everything in here, and stolen everything of value.”
Everyone, except Eli, looked at everyone, except Eli, in puzzlement.
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Jadestone
in March 23rd, 2006 @ 20:56221- I think the dragon was on Roma’s shoulder, but it being on Isabella;s makes a little more sence…
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Jadestone
in March 23rd, 2006 @ 20:57I dont understand the last line.
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Darth Yoda
in March 23rd, 2006 @ 21:14It’s means everyone looked at everyone in puzzelment, excluding Eli.
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King George the MMMXXLIII (a.k.a George Washington the MMMXXLIII)
in March 24th, 2006 @ 00:08Sorry if I made that confusing. It was late. And will unflung the cnvas from the cage. But Roma heard it. But Isabella Gasped. Oh, it’s so confusing…
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Jadestone
in March 24th, 2006 @ 17:07Hmmm…reading back i see that it was Isabella. Well, thats my memorey for ya. Would the last line make more sence if it was:
Everyone looked at everyone else in puzzlement, save for Eli who stood still where he was.
Mayhaps…
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King George the MMMXXLIII (a.k.a George Washington the MMMXXLIII)
in March 24th, 2006 @ 18:47Perfect. That’s a much bettter way to put it.
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kricket
in March 25th, 2006 @ 10:01definately.
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King George the MMMXXLIII
in March 25th, 2006 @ 12:13I’ve jsut promoted RRR on the writing blog, but I said no new characters, so HOPEFULLY, we’ll start seeing some writing again.
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Jadestone
in March 25th, 2006 @ 13:04Okay, Ill change it on my Big Copy…….Done.
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kricket
in March 25th, 2006 @ 14:03229- okay!!! i’ll be there in a minute.
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BlackRaven
in March 29th, 2006 @ 13:09Awesome! I have this copied onto a Microsoft Word Document (yes, I have been editing it) and it’s more than 15 pages long, Times Font, Size 12, Format::Justified!
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Violetfire
in April 3rd, 2006 @ 17:20232- So have I! I got all the spelling to, which took a looong time. Now BlackRaven and I are the oficial Keepers of the Story. Yay for us!
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Jadestone
in April 3rd, 2006 @ 17:23Whoops thats from me.
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Jedi Master Vader
in April 3rd, 2006 @ 19:39What’s outside this place that their all in? Write something people!
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BlackRaven
in April 3rd, 2006 @ 20:14233 – Agreed. :D:D
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Kricket
in April 4th, 2006 @ 18:28“Uh, excuse me,” Isabella said shyly. “What do you mean by… well, who do you mean by a little rascal?”
“And what…”
The stream of questions poured from the group until Elli raised his hand for quiet.
“Now, I’m sure you have a lot of questions and I will try to answer them as well as I can but one at a time! Now, who wants to ask first?”
Silence enveloped them as they struggled against shyness to answer Elli. Elli sighed and said, “Well, we had better hurry before we miss him. Come on then!”
———-there. if you don’t like it then too bad. hopefully people will write more now.
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Darth Yoda
in April 6th, 2006 @ 20:25I certenly intend to. On Satarday. Bye.
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Darth Yoda
in April 8th, 2006 @ 11:53Have we said who he is (fourth form last word, post 237)?
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Jadestone
in April 8th, 2006 @ 12:28No! And I cant write anything untill we know!! Grr…
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BlackRaven
in April 9th, 2006 @ 08:14Same here. This is confusing…
We may need some clearing up, because I’m bewildered.
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Jadestone
in April 9th, 2006 @ 19:55WHERE IS KRICKET?!?!?! KRIIIICKEEEEET!!!!!! WHERE ARRRRRE YOOOOOOU?????
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Darth Yoda
in April 10th, 2006 @ 19:51I have an idea, I’ll write a kinda side-story thing that will conect to the main story later. Let me see if i have time….
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King george the stroodle
in April 11th, 2006 @ 22:24Okey dokey. okey dokey. okey dokey.
NOw, let’s start writing. PLEASEEE!!!!! I’ll write a sentence, to start you guys off. It’s the side story, back with the guards chasing the group that this whole book is about. YOu know, the four kids, and the one who disapeared in a cloud? Yay, those people. NOw ready?
Dew dripped off the leaf, and went plummeting down to the ground where it scattered into micoscopic droplets. The Burly guard stood up from his crouch, and in a gruff tone, snarled, “Go back. They never came this way.”
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kricket
in April 13th, 2006 @ 09:40I’m here!!!! sadly i have no contribution to make to the story right now but i promise that i will later. as for where i was, i was grounded.
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King george the stroodle
in April 14th, 2006 @ 15:12You promis?
grounded? ohh
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Jadestone
in April 15th, 2006 @ 20:58Well, can you at least tell us who “he” is?
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kokopelli #13, a.k.a. TerroR
in April 19th, 2006 @ 14:43We need a new story, because 1. I don’t like medieval-or-however-you-spell-it stuff, and 2. We need modern-day technology mixed in with the story!
We should do a story about a team of special forces dudes, a.k.a.
that joins the American Revolution with Tommy guns and 47s and M16A2s and hand grenades and stuff. They should join the American side. There. I said it. Now everyone knows what I think and they can meditate on this. 
Prepare for war!
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Planet of the APEricot's villager
in April 22nd, 2006 @ 00:36I have to admit, this story isn’t going anywhere. Not that it was bad, but no one’s posting.
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kricket
in April 30th, 2006 @ 11:45Okay will peoples please start writing!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea what’s going on as i was gone for about 2 weeks so get your little cyber bodies over here and start writing~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Darth Yoda who feels like being Canadian today. Eh?
in May 6th, 2006 @ 07:56If the GAPAs would make a new page for this…
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Jadestone
in May 9th, 2006 @ 15:42Continued from 237-
The man gave a slight bow, and walked into the room. A few moments later he had disapeared compleatly into the darkness. Isabella gasped. Will seemed indesisive for a moment, then strode in, and Isabella stumbled along behind him. Roma lingered for just a second, then walked in too.
As soon as she was inside, Roma was afraid. Somthing ancient and powerful lurked within these walls. She could taste it on the air. The group blumbered about blindly for a minute, but soon light poored forth from a lamp which Elli held high.
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Jadestone
in May 9th, 2006 @ 15:45Please write more! Pwease? I is sad…we could have gotten this story published…*snibble*
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Jadestone
in June 23rd, 2006 @ 10:30POST HERE!!!!! POST HERE NOW!!! NOWNOWNOWNOW!!!
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Jadestone
in June 23rd, 2006 @ 10:31I shall take over the recent coments box.
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Jadestone
in June 23rd, 2006 @ 10:31Everyone, go to RRR v.2006.2 and write!
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Jadestone
in June 23rd, 2006 @ 10:32Espesally Kriket, who has not said who he is!
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Jadestone
in March 31st, 2007 @ 17:47…And now, months later, I shall be violently attacked by the PoPoPo. But this was more acceptable then, so I shall beg forgiveness. And now I shall post the whole story.
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Jadestone
in March 31st, 2007 @ 17:50Isabella snuck over towards the food stand quietly and sneakily. The smell enticed her to come closer. It was around midnight and the storeowner was just about to close up shop. Right now, he was in the back. Looking around her, her hand shot out and grabbed a loaf of bread. Quickly she ran back into the street. But on the way, she was looking behind her and did not see the boy. Isabella ran headfirst into him.
“Ommmfff…” the boy said as he was knocked over.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry! Here let me help you up,” Isabella said extending her hand.
“Thanks,” the boy said. “What’s your name?”
“Isabella. And yours?”
“Nathan.”
Nathan brushed himself off rather peremptorily. “What were you going so fast for?” he asked brusquely. Isabella shrugged.
“I had reasons,” she said.
“Want to tell us what they were?” Nathan cajoled, giving a far imitation of the average magistrate. His talent was emulation honed from experience with such figures of authority asking such questions of him. The point was not missed by Isabella, and she would have undoubtedly engendered a reply had not the conversation been interrupted by an arrow nearly removing some of Isabella’s pretty hair.
A tall, thickset man ran past them, shouting things that would have shocked Jack the Ripper. A tall, thin boy who looked around sixteen began to run after him but stopped just in front of the two and grinned sheepishly, noting their stares. Not that anyone with any vision at all could have missed the two’s concentrated scrutiny of the boy, or his just as focused expression directed past them into the dark alleyway into which the man had barreled. He was lanky in a sort of way that would have fit Twiggy’s brother, and his hair was a light brown that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a faun just back from a holiday at some fashionable, sunny resort in the south of France. An especially expressive ejaculation from Nathan, which Isabella heartily concurred with, elicited an explanation from the mysterious stranger.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us.”
The boy just continued to grin, showing his yellow teeth.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said it so that both Isabella and Nathan construed that he had meant to scare them. There was an awkward silence, interrupted by the boy saying, “Well, I better go catch that scoundrel. By!”
He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past Nathan, knocking him to the ground.
“Hey, what’s your name,” Isabella called out to the boy, as he ran through the crowd. But all the said was, “Later!”
Curiosity getting the best of her, Isabella decided to follow him. Nathan struggled after her, his shoes clogged with the mud that he had fallen into.
“Hey…excuse me…um, have you seen an archer-type boy anywhere?” Isabella asked the nearest figure. It was a girl. She whipped around and glared at Isabella. “Do NOT do that again. Being disturbed and–” the girl glanced at Nathan and Isabella suspiciously– “ARROGANTLY QUESTIONED by some idiots is the third-to-worst possible thing that can happen during a Communication.”
Isabella was taken aback. She was almost positive that the girl in the dark clothing had capitalized her C.
The girl stood and brushed her sealed black cloak off. “Might as well introduce myself,” she said in a rolling, raspy voice. Her violet eyes, flecked, strangely, with an evil-looking black, bored into Isabella’s. “I’m Roma — Roma teZenith. I got here five hours ago to communicate with the dead. It’s the best place to practice meditation, and I thought I could practice blocking out distractions.” She sighed pointedly. “Apparently, I was wrong. But it wasn’t really working anyway. So…who are you two?”
Nathan sent Isabella a warning glance, but she paid him no heed. Strangely, she had decided to trust this girl. There was something about her voice and eyes that made Isabella feel sorry for her, but she didn’t know why.
She soon would.
“I’m Isabella. I’m…an orphan…you know…so is Nathan here. Listen, we’ve been following this guy, and you–err–threw us off, so could you help us? I mean, if you really can communicate with the dead, can you ask his ancestors or someone who and where he is? He kind of let a few questions behind.”
Roma looked thoughtful. “Orphans, huh? Better off than me. Dads plotting to rule the world someday. He’s already started a conspiracy against the government. And my mother’s insane. Literally.” Her rasp grew deeper, more connected, more invoked. “She thinks I’m growing up to be…like him. She sees me as a black stain in her heart. She wants to destroy me.”
Nathan looked confused for a moment. “Roma, snap out of it. We really need to find this guy. And if you won’t help us, that’s fine.”
Roma blinked, and her vague eyes pierced Nathan’s. “I will give you help only if you ask for it. And, after watching who you’re stalking for the past few days — his name is Will — I highly advise you NOT to ask.”
Suddenly, they heard a noise, which turned out to be a mangy mongrel in some sort of trance. Slowly yet surely, the mutt approached our protagonists and uttered a low, rumbling growl; a growl of death.
Terrified, Isabella backed into her companions. The strange dog snarled again, and crawled toward her. Isabella looked up at Nathan and Roma. Roma seemed protective but calm, and was quietly moving the two others away from the mutt.
But Nathan…Nathan seemed startled. In the midst of fear, and as the dog advanced, Isabella looked questioningly at him. He shook his head in wonder, and then opened his mouth. His voice came out hoarse and disbelieving.
“I-I’ve seen that dog before,” he croaked. The two girls stared at Nathan. “I used to know him. He’s working as a spy for the rebelling Clan.”
Roma was whispering something. Her eyes were jammed shut, her lips moving without sound issuing from them. Her fingers touched her head, lightly. The mutt growled, then contracted into a small black-brown creature, which sunk into the ground. Nathan looked at it wonderingly, but Isabella smiled, relieved. She was already getting used to her strange new friend.
She turned to face the boy. “Nathan? What’s the–”
He shook his head. “Now’s not the time. Come on. We’ve got a certain Will Something to catch.”Will stood next to a stall, staring at apples piled high on the counter. His one eye surveyed them warily, as though he could see worms crawling inside.
Just then, a burly man flew past him, bowling him down.
“Scuse me,” he said hastily. Will picked himself up, and accepted the apology. Then he realized. The man had swiped his wallet.
“Hey,” but it was too late. Will reached into his pocket and pulled out two long knives. He raised them to throw, but the man dodged behind two kids. Frantically, Will grabbed a bow from the back of a young peddler, and notched an arrow. Twang!
The arrow whizzed past one of the kid’s head, and plunked itself into a wooden post holding up an awning. The burly man kept on running.
Will ran up to the two kids, where he stopped.
“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? You almost killed us,” one of the kids said. He was a boy.
Will couldn’t do anything but smile. He had almost killed them.
“Sorry, it slipped from my bow.” He said, “Well, I better go catch that scoundrel. Bye!”
He began his rampant sprint again, and brushed past the boy, knocking him to the ground.
He heard the other kid, a girl call out and ask his name, but he just said “Later.”“Okay,” Isabella said as Nathan pulled her along. But before they could go, Roma sidled up to them and said, “I’m going.”
“But…” Nathan said.
“We’d be fine with that!” Isabella said heartily. “Let’s get going!”
Roma smiled and then Nathan pulled them on their way.
Isabella grinned, thinking, “Boys are soooo impatient!”
Roma looked at her and said, “I know what you mean.”
“Huh? But how could you… I mean, how…” Isabella gaped.
“Yeah, I can sort of hear your thoughts. It’s part of being who I am,” Roma said enjoying the astonished look on Isabella’s face.
“Come on!!!” Nathan said impatiently. “We’re never going to catch him if you keep dropping behind!”
“Actually, umm… Nathan?” Isabella said.
“Yeah?”
“He’s right over there.”Will ran through the streets, cursing his clumsiness, but at the same time rather enjoying the chase. After a while, he stopped, and watched the people that had been chasing them. There was a boy and a girl there and another girl with her back to him. The second girl turned around. Oh no, he thought, it’s Roma.
Isabella started over to Will but was pulled back by Roma.
“What the…” Isabella said.
“Look behind him,” Nathan said quietly.
Isabella looked and sure enough there was a silhouette shaped in the outline of a prison guard. Will seemed to notice them because his eyes widened in shock when he looked at Roma. Roma motioned with her eyes towards the guard. Will slowly turned around and sidled off to the side so the guard wouldn’t notice him. Isabella however froze when she saw the guard’s face.
“Oh no!!!” Isabella said in shock. The others turned to look at her.
“It’s him,” she said looking at the guard.
“Do you know him?” Nathan asked.
“Yes,” Isabella said with absolute horror. “He’s the one who caught me making off with the king’s jewels. It’s the only time I was ever caught and I just escaped before the execution.”
“You WHAT?” Nathan said incredulous.
“What? You’re trying to tell me that you think that I didn’t try to steal the king’s jewels?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I did and that guard’s been searching for me ever since. We got to get out of here.” Isabella looked around for a way out of the crowded market.
“Not yet! We have to talk to that boy,” Nathan said.
“But…”
I don’t care! If he comes near you we’ll run.”
“Okay…”
“Good, let’s go.”
Nobody moved but the guard.
Nathan and Roma slowly positioned themselves in front of Isabella, blocking her from the guard’s view. Roma stared hard at Will, and although it had been a year since they had last seen one another, he got the message. He walked briskly over to the group and prepared to launch another arrow towards the guard if necessary. When he was fully prepared, Roma looked away sharply.
“Hey — what do you think you’re doing?” The guard had seen them. His voice was load and hoarse, and his brown moustache bristled in anger. “You know you can’t use weapons in this alleyway. It’s a trade center. And who’s that with you?”
Isabella’s blood turned cold. Horror of horrors, he had seen her! She tried to back off, but it was too late.
As the guard strode toward them, Nathan shouted, “Quick!” and Will ran for the guard’s patrol horse. He swung himself onto its back and offered his hand out to Isabella. She took it, and was pulled up near the neck of the steed. Roma jumped onto the saddle behind Will, who avoided her gaze.
“Nathan!” Isabella called. Her friend had been holding the guard off while the others mounted the horse. He ran with all his might, but the horse, in a frenzy of fear, took off in a mad gallop, leaving Nathan far behind. “NATHAN!” screamed Isabella again, but the guard gagged the boy’s mouth and twisted his hands behind his back. The image faded from sight, and the passing landscape was a blur. Soon they were out of the town. Neither Roma, with her calm air, nor Will, with his steady hands, could soothe the poor horse. Sweat dripped down its face, and it came to a sudden halt in a dark meadow, flinging its riders onto the grass.
“No,” whispered Isabella. “We left him. We shouldn’t have gone without him.” Tears of fury and guilt streamed down her face, making paths in the dust clinging to her skin.
Roma squeezed her hand comfortingly, but her eyes were also welling up with small tears. “We couldn’t have known it was going to happen.”
“Stupid horse,” muttered Will.
Slowly, Roma turned to look at him. Memories of her past came rushing back to her: a friendly voice, an unsuspected ambush, a devastating separation. She stared at Will. He stared back. Isabella stared at both of them.
“So…you t-two knew each other f-from somewhe-where?” Isabella’s voice was shaking, but she suddenly realized that she was interested in this curious reunion.
Will nodded. “They knew about her father…storming the country, enemy to everyone. And her mother was a mage, so they decided she — Roma — was a witch. It’s been a year…they’ve forgotten…”
“They have more important stuff to do,” broke in Roma hastily. “Anyway…Will helped me escape, but it didn’t end well. He was an archer’s apprentice, and–”
“My mentor turned me against Roma. She wasn’t too happy. When I saw her again today, I thought she’d kill me.” He smiled gratefully in the midst of all this sadness. “I was wrong.”
“Friends against each other,” murmured Isabella disbelievingly. “And not to get off subject, but does anyone know where we are?”
Isabella looked around wondering where they were. Far away from the castle, of course. Nathan was probably being questioned about them, and Isabella couldn’t do anything about it. She ground her teeth in fury. While Roma and Will were surveying the landscape, she had been trying to soothe the horse. Finally Will and Roma came back to the horse.
“So where are we?” Isabella asked eagerly.
“We’re about 3 miles from the castle,” Roma said. “If we can get the horse to run like it did today, without it being frightened then we probably could get there in about a day.”
“The castle…” Isabella muttered remembering the days she had been prisoner in the dungeon.
“We can fortunately disguise you by cutting your hair or something. I mean, we have to save Nathan, right?” Roma asked with a cocky grin. “I was never fond of long blond hair anyways.”
“Roma! I thought we had decided to make it seem like we were from India and put turbans around our heads and faces (except for the eyes).” Will said.
“Well, I guess that would work,” Isabella said. “We could be India royalty coming to take a look around the castle, and I could sneak off to free Nathan from the dungeon!”
“Well, we’ll see… But first we have to rest and make sure the horse doesn’t get scared again,” Roma said.
“Yeah, but there’s one little problem, Roma,” said Will, looking anxious. “Where’s the horse?”
Isabella whipped around to where the dun mare was chewing grass moments ago. There were just a couple hoof prints in the sandy grass. The horse had run away.
Clenching her fists in fury yet trying to keep calm, Isabella stalked back to the oak her friends were leaning against. “Then…how do we find him?” she murmured.
Roma and Will thought harder than ever, their minds clanking into gear, their energy furious. Finally, Will’s eyes turned bright. “Roma! Do your thing — ”
“Yes, read Nathan’s mind and see where he is,” said Isabella, smiling. Maybe this would work after all…
Roma sighed, and stood wearily. “Something I considered a while ago, but…no. It’s more complicated than that. I’m already losing strength, and I shouldn’t make either of you do the Bonding…”
Will stumbled back in shock. “Oh, no,” he said.
Isabella was about to ask what the Bonding was, and why Will hated it so much, when an image came into her mind. Roma making a slit in her wrist…giving her blood to the rain…explaining to Will how this ancient ritual worked. He was doing the same thing.
Isabella’s eyes blinked rapidly. “R-roma…how did you do that?”
“Part of telepathy,” came the dark girl’s rasp. “You can send people your memories. When I performed a Bond with Will, he had my powers for two days. That’s how Bonding works. But cutting your wrist open isn’t exactly amusing. He didn’t know what Bonding was, and before I was executed, he used his “powers” to help me escape.”
Will nodded. “Usually, Bonding is abrupt, but one of Roma’s powers vaguely remained.” He looked curiously at Roma. “You didn’t know that, did you?”
Roma seemed confused for a second. “But…Will, I received all my powers back.”
“Yes but I kept one. Or…somewhat. But I don’t think what you do is quite the same thing.”
“What — ” Isabella was confused. What powers DID Roma have? Definitely more than one, but Will was speaking of something far greater than –
“You can read minds, Roma. If I work hard enough, I can look into another place.”
The two girls sat in shock. Isabella was the first to recover. “Can you see if Nathan’s all right?”
Will motioned for the girls to take his hands. “I need Roma’s mind-reading powers, and your strength,” he told Isabella.
Once their hands were tightly grasped, all three of them closed their eyes.
Far away, Nathan awoke screaming.
Suddenly, out of the inky blackness of the dungeon, there came a soft voice. It was also raspy, like the call of a raven, and tortured. It was barely audible, but one word was clear: light. There was the unpleasant sound of dragging chains and a match was lit. Out of the gloom, a dark face appeared. “I suppose you’ll be here for a while,” said a Spanish voice. It was the same voice as before, but it seemed clearer somehow in the light. “We might as well learn to tolerate each other.”
There was something a little strange about that face. Possibly the fact that it looked just like a mummy. Or that it was a mummy.
“Are you…are you…dead? Whispered Isabella. The answer came back assertive, almost proud: “Yesssssssssss….” it sighed. “5,000 years. I’m glad those German hikers found me. It getssssss boring, all alone in the ssssnowww…”
“Wow,” whispered Isabella. She was amazed that she was talking to a dead person and, what was more, the dead person was miles away, but she didn’t dare show her excitement to Roma or Will, for fear that she might break the spell. Suddenly she saw a very familiar face.
“Nathan! Can you hear me?”
“Huh? Yeah, I can hear you Isabella. What the — ISABELLA?”
“Long story.” Roma’s voice came out of the gloom, reaching both Isabella and Nathan’s ears. It was then Isabella realized that she was not only seeing where Nathan was, she was THERE…
She turned to face Will and Roma, who were coming out of the shadows and into the sliver of bleak light coming from the miniscule window on the higher portion of the dungeon wall. Will smiled at the two girls. “So…is this some form of teleportation?” he asked weakly. “I didn’t know we’d actually be part of the scene.”
Roma shook her head. “I can move myself, but not others, and it takes enough energy to knock me unconscious. This was beyond my power to do. I am unaware of how we got here.”
“Then–” Nathan said, still shocked, when they heard another voice, and suddenly remembered the mummy.
“There isss a curssse on me,” it croaked. “I have wasssted away like thisss, doomed to live forever, and I am tired of living. If you will promissse to help me, I will help you.”
“Were you the one who brought us here?” Will questioned in his usual protective way…but the mummy was gone. Only a wisp of pale steam remained. For a split second, Isabella thought she saw a tortured face, stretched and long-mouthed, moaning and screaming in the soft breeze that shouldn’t have been in a tightly sealed dungeon. Then the face was gone, dissolved into the choked, stench-reeked air.
The four companions stared after it for a moment. Then Nathan suggested they try and find an exit. Will and Isabella agreed.
Roma didn’t answer. She sat in meditation, chanting some sort of spell. The shaft of light seemed to rotate until it shone on her face. Her eyes opened, thoroughly violet and glowing powerfully. The others watched curiously as they tapped at walls. A swirling black vortex appeared where Will was leaning. He fell through it, screaming. Roma continued to speak strange, alien, spellwords. Nathan shot upward like a rocket and disappeared in the tall, narrow dungeon’s ceiling. Isabella felt the stone underneath her give way, and she collapsed into a large pit.
Still Roma kept on speaking.Will awoke slumped against a copper wall in a small chapel. He looked around frantically, and was relieved to see Nathan collapsed on the floor about halfway down the isle, and Isabella, unconscious but unhurt, curled up on one of the metallic benches.
What was this strange place?
Out of the air close to the chapel ceiling dropped a figure — Roma. Her eyes had their whites and pupils again, and the only violet was in her irises. She seemed a little shaken, but other than that, she looked fine. Will walked over to her.
“What was that all about?” he asked, his knees still wobbling from the pain of kneeling on a copper floor while sleeping. “And where are we?”
Roma grasped his wrist and helped him up. “The stoneless chapel,” she replied. “It’s where I was raised. We’ll be safe here. You can only get here by a spell, and I doubt that the people after Isabella — and possibly still me — know anything about magic.”
“You grew up in this place?” asked Will, surprised. “But where did you eat? Sleep? How did you have any fun?”
“This is the chapel of studies. The dorms can be reached once you’ve gotten here, and food and other needs are taken care of in various rooms below the floor. But you can only get here if you really need to, or if you’ve been here at all in the past twenty-four hours — although you can stay for as long as you like. I haven’t been here in a while, and we weren’t in great need of a sanctuary until we were in the dungeon. And about having fun — I didn’t. My life was thorough education until I got out into the real world. I learned mathematics and history, the arts of writing and poetry, and astronomy, as well as spells and meditation. It’s a pacifist area.”
“Wow. So I assume that there are other people here?” The question came from Nathan. He and Isabella were standing next to Will, who hadn’t noticed them until now.
“Right below us,” said Roma, and she gestured to a portal in the ground that hadn’t been there before.
They all dropped into complete darkness, and found that there was a long passageway in front of them. Roma stood up.
“Follow me,” she said softly. “I’d like you to meet my mother.”“But…doesn’t she want to destroy you?” asked Isabella, concerned.
Roma looked at her. “Yes, but she has some important information for us about the guards. She knows — knew — them, and we might be able to find out how to deal with the guy who’s after you.”
“Okay,” said Nathan. Will nodded uncertainly.
“I-I guess so,” he said. He looked away.
Roma stared at him. “Will?”The four started down the hallway, which was made of copper and lined with gold inlaid into grooves. The gold pictured an epic war battle. Looking at the helmets, Will guessed it was the Roman era.
“Where are you going?” Roma asked. Isabella, Nathan, and Will all looked back. Roma had stopped by a door, and the three of them had kept on walking. The door, which blended into the copper wall, had gigantic lock on it, and a small, shiny handle. Roma knocked.
A tall, thin fellow with an eye patch answered. “Yes?” he grumbled. The boy, for he was a just a boy, had a scar running from his lip to his eyebrow, and an eye patch covered his left eye.
“Oh, uh, are you a servant?”
The boy looked puzzled, and after a long pause, answered, “No, my names Ivan. I live here.”
Roma looked startled. Will couldn’t tell why, but he had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“Where’s Mrs. Å“naZenith?”
“Oh, her!” Ivan said with disdain. “She died, two weeks ago. Would you like to come in?” Ivan asked, for Roma had suddenly become queasy, and turned a slight blue. Nathan answered for her. “Yes!”“She…no! She can’t have died,” whispered Roma, who had gone quite pale. The news weighed her down, and she collapsed. Nathan and Will grabbed her arms, and Isabella helped her onto a nearby copper footstool. Roma looked up at them weakly.
“I’m sure — her — I mean, if she’s dead — she’ll be after me,” she said hoarsely. “Leoflæde is — was — mad. Her spirit won’t give up on haunting me, me out of all people, who can speak with the dead. I’ll probably die seeing her poltergeist image. This is terrible. And she was my mother…I hardly ever got to speak with her…”
“It’s okay, we’re all orphans too,” said Will comfortingly; patting the shoulder of the girl he was still shocked to have ever seen again. “We’ve learned to live with it. You’ll be okay.”
Roma looked up sharply, eyes blazing. “I am NOT an orphan!” she screamed. “My father’s still alive, and what a father he is, too! Trying to destroy my life. Don’t mention that word…orphan! Not a privilege allowed to me — ”
Here Roma stopped yelling in Will’s face and broke down, crying softly.
Isabella and Nathan were shocked. They had never seen Roma acting so emotional. She always seemed as though she could just take care of it all and stay calm. And now here she was, sobbing on the floor of her own childhood home.
Will cautiously stepped toward her. He didn’t want her screaming again. He hadn’t wanted to walk down the corridor before — he had had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that something like this was going to happen. He quietly sat nearby, watching her cry, not speaking.
Ivan observed this whole scene pityingly but — was it possible? — A little bit amusedly. It was strange to see something like this happen to people you had never seen before. He didn’t know that Roma was nothing like the girl who now sat weeping on the floor, clutching her knees and rocking back and forth. He didn’t know that Will had seen this Roma, this strange, other-Roma, before. He didn’t notice that Nathan was squeezing Isabella’s hand and trying not to look at her. All he knew was that none of them saw him, only one another.Ivan was alone, and he hated it. He was always alone. Was it because his eye? Or was it his personality? Not matter, though, he despised the loneliness.
Isabella noticed Ivan in the doorway after a few minutes of watching Roma. Turning in his direction, she fixed him in a cold hard stare as he watched the scene with a slight smile on his face.
“Well, Ivan, are you going to let us in?” Isabella said with a touch of hardness in her voice.Another chapel resident that Ivan sometimes talked to tapped his shoulder. “If they want to come in, they should come in now,” he said stoically. Then he turned abruptly and stalked out of the room, more impatient than polite.
Ivan looked at the four young people beside him. He knew they were having a moment in connection, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous of them. Each one of them had the other three to protect and comfort them, even if they were orphans. He had nobody.
Roma wiped away the last of her tears, her dark violet eyes looking quite red by now. She stood shakily. Although having hardly been aware of the one-eyed boy’s presence before, she noticed that he had suddenly gone very stiff. “Come with me,” he said politely — TOO politely, in Roma’s opinion.
Will rose and followed him, motioning for Roma to come. She did not hesitate. She wanted to leave this terrible moment behind. Nathan and Isabella gazed after them for a moment, then decided to follow.
“Nathan…does something seem unusual to you about that boy?” Isabella whispered, hoping that Ivan’s hearing was as bad as his eye.
“Yeah, he seemed so angry all of a sudden. I don’t know…maybe he gets really embarrassed when people cry.”
As they stepped through the doorway of the room to talk to Ivan, they suddenly vanished.
The chapel resident that had tapped Ivan’s shoulder stood there, a wicked grin appearing on his face.“Where do you think they are?” asked Will.
“I don’t know, but I’m starting to get a little worried. It just a doorway,” replied Roma. She stood and walked to the doorway. And then she realized what had happened, and she looked like she was about to collapse again.Roma’s knees reeled. Isabella propelled herself forward to catch Roma. This wasn’t necessary. Isabella stared blankly at the scene before them, clearly aware that the situation was impossible. Will and Nathan stood next to the girls, transfixed. They had the expressions of people who had opened their lunchboxes on another humdrum weekday and been greeted by lemmings springing up to remove their noses. Out there, clearly irrationally, but there nonetheless, was a floating, dark cloud. Inside the cloud glimpses of people flashed like car headlights in a storm. People, gaunt, sallow, thin people, but people nonetheless, walked around looking like ghosts. Lightning bolts with the same chilling quality as dentistry equipment thundered far and near. The whole thing was cast in a pall of green light from a Bruce Neuman exhibit, and looked nightmarish. The sort of nightmare that has you screaming, covered in sweat, forty minutes after you wake up. Isabella was the first to respond. “What is this?” she asked in a breathy, scared voice.
“No idea,” Roma said, wonder wrestling grief to the floor.
“It’s an illusion,” said a dry voice from somewhere near them.Roma stood, staring at the cloud. Then, all of a sudden, Nathan’s face appeared. “Stop,” she shouted, but the cloud kept on moving, flicking between faces. She turned toward Will, and Ivan, and hung her head. Then anger arose, and she jumped up. “Where are they? What have you done?” she asked the grinning man, who stood to the side.
“What have I done? Well, I have walked into this room. If you are asking why Nathan (side note: the last post has Isabella in it, so this will too. Don’t put this in the final copy) is gone, then I can answer. The chapel has decided. Nathan does not have enough reason to be here. He has escaped the dungeon, and now may leave. While the rest of you, you are running away from something.”
Roma looked down, ashamed that she had not known.
“How did you know we came from the dungeons, and will we be able to see Nathan again?” asked Isabella. Tears began to well in her eyes, but she wiped them away.
“Follow me, and I’ll show you how I knew. I have a few things to explain. And for your last question, yes, Nathan is just around the corner, though maybe still out of reach.”
Thoughts circulated around the two orphans, bur Roma seemed calm enough to persuade them that it was all right. Will and Isabella mainly thought about this: where was Nathan, and how was he just out of reach, but still just around the corner.Roma cursed under her breath as she stumbled in the corridor. It was all right for Will and Isabella, they didn’t have haunting memories of the very place she was walking. She turned the corner, automatically reaching for the door to her mother’s private chamber. No, she had to stop thinking like that. This house didn’t belong to her family anymore. Her hand was already on the wrought iron handle when Ivan spoke up.
“Wait, not there!” He cautioned. “Besides, it’s locked. She spent a lot of time in there.
Roma frowned. “What are you talking about? Of course it’s open.” She swung the door open with ease, leaving Ivan gaping in amazement.
“The strongest man in the chapel couldn’t open that.”
Rome suddenly seemed uneasy. “No…it just sticks sometimes. That’s all.”
She walked in, inhaling the dusty air. Memories flooded back, memories of her mother. She fought back another flood of tears, determined not to break down and cry again. But hard as she tried to forget, however much she had wanted to hurt her, her mother had still been just that: Her mother.
She blinked hard, and walked into the room to hide he face from the others.
“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” He advised “It’s as haunted as hells-”
Roma silenced him with a swish of her hand. “Hear that?” she asked.
“Hear wh-” Isabella cut herself of, having heard the strange noise too.
Will strode into the room, listening intently. Silently, he crept towards a large object covered with a dusty sheet. In one fluid motion he pulled the sheet off and leapt backwards.
Isabella gasped. Inside the cage, shimmering and golden, was a dragon.It wasn’t a very big dragon, only a little larger than a cat, with a row of glittering spins running down its back. Other than that, it looked completely miserable. Where claws should have been was reduced to bloody stumps, most likely from scratching at the bars of its cage. Isabella knelt down next to it, a strangely kind expression on her stony face. She undid the clasp on the cage, a complicated mechanism that could only be opened from the outside, and reached inside. Instead of resisting, the dragon looked up at her fearfully. She picked it up and cradled it ageist herself, staring defiantly at Ivan, as if daring him to take it from her. The little dragon gave one last moan, shuddered, and appeared to faint dead away. Instead of protesting her actions, Ivan just took a deep breath.
“We really need to get to the chapel now.” He told them.At the end of the hallway, a giant door met the group of five, for the dragon, who turned out to be a curious type, was studding a terrified mouse, Their conversation, for animals CAN talk to other animals, went like this.
“Hmm, your a small furry little creature. Personally, I don’t know how you mice survive with stuff.”
“Well,” the mouse said offensively, “It keeps us warm at night. I bet you are frigid, with no warm fur.”
“Really, well, would you like to know how we survive?” the dragon replied, rather suspiciously.
“Show me, and I’ll forever be in your debt. But how can you seriously, being cold blooded, stand not having fur. It’s jealousy, of coarse, all–” Woofff!!!
Flames erupted from the dragon’s mouth and burnt the whiskers of the mouse. Pouting, he ran inside. The dragon looked up, and almost had a heart attack! (Ok, maybe not quite that drastic, but the dragon was shocked). The humans were going through a great door, and the dragon was about to be left behind. Quickly, the dragon bolted to the door, and barely made it through as it shut with a boom behind it.The little dragon, narrowly missing being crushed by the door, found himself amidst a torrent of heavy, relentless, stomping feet. They were moving in the same direction, all of the ten feet each larger than his head. He sized up the slowest and least smelly pair, and then leapt up to the shoulder of their owner. He found himself on the shoulder of the girl who had let him out of the nasty iron box. He liked her. To show his affection, he stuck his cold snout inside her ear.
Wisps of smoke filled the air and hooves thundered down the road. Flames flicked into view, barely visible in the haze. Screams could be heard in the distance. The hooves drew nearer. Gulammp, Galummp, Galummp! Two horses flew past, their riders donning read and silver shields and skirts. Armor reflected the glow of the fire in the distance. Then they were gone.
At the burning wreckage, a family of four lay trembling on the ground. They watched in horror as their only belongings were incinerated in the heat. Their cloths, their food. Their house. Everything, all of it gone forever.
Only hours before, they had been sitting at a pine table, eating a meager meal of potatoes and ham, when a knock came from the door.
“Come in,” the father of the family shouted. Immediately, two knights from the empire strode in, their swords shimmering, their hands holding daggers.
“Where are they?” they questioned, and the closest one grabbed a child, one of two, and held him up by the arm.
“Si–si–sir, we don’t know what you–”
“I asked, where are they!” At this, he dropped the young one and he fell to the floor.
“Please explain what is goi–”
“A boy escaped from a castle near here, only hours ago. We discovered a horse, stabled in your stable, and it looks exactly like the one he road, the same one his friend’s road off with. You are hiding them. WHERE ARE THEY?!”
‘I don’t know, si-”
“Burn the house.”
The other man, who had slowly walked to the door during the argument, hurried outside, fallowed by the other knight, and the family of four. And their house was slowly consumed by flames, no matter what their pleas were. All because they had found a horse in a field and kept it as their own. All because of a horse.Roma, Will, Isabella, and Ivan were led into a GREAT room, with a high vaulted ceiling, and balconies littering the walls. They were spread out randomly, as though someone had spattered paint on a wall, and then made a balcony wherever a drop hit. Everyone looked up at the ceiling in awe, but giggles drew their chins down, and they were astonished to see the dragon nuzzling Isabella. She was giggling, the dragon sticking her cold snout around her face, and into her ears.
“Well, look who has a new friend!” said the man from the chapel. “But we have no time to lose, we might have already missed him.”
At hearing these words, especially “we may already have missed him”, the group stopped doddling, and sped along after the man. Will called out to the man. “Sir, what may we call you? ”
“Call me Eli”
Eli motioned for the group to halt, for they had come to the far side of the great room. The wall was made of copper, again, but this time the door was solid wood. An engraving painted with purple paint read restricted for those who have greater knowledge than you do. Obviously, Eli had great knowledge, for he didn’t even bother to read the sign. Instead, he slowly turned the handle. As he did, he explained why.
“Don’t rush the turning of this handle, for that is the knowledge that this room seeks. If you turn it too fast, it bursts into flame. For those youngsters who are a bit to eager, and must for reasons that remain unknown, get into this room before the watchman comes around.”
The door creaked open, and let out a shaft of darkness. For a second, the sight was puzzling, but soon it became clear. The room was so dark, it obliterated light completely.
“Magnesium lamps are the only thing bright enough for this room’s darkness. And that means you can’t stay in this room too long, because one minute uses a whole lot of magnesium. Of coarse, you can blame my ancestors. They never let light into this room, for hundreds of years, and so it just takes a while for light to get back in. But we can’t leave the door open, for by then a little rascal will have catalogued everything in here, and stolen everything of value.”
Everyone looked at everyone else in puzzlement, save for Eli who stood still where he was.“Uh, excuse me,” Isabella said shyly. “What do you mean by… well, who do you mean by a little rascal?”
“And what…”
The stream of questions poured from the group until Elli raised his hand for quiet.
“Now, I’m sure you have a lot of questions and I will try to answer them as well as I can but one at a time! Now, who wants to ask first?”
Silence enveloped them as they struggled against shyness to answer Elli. Elli sighed and said, “Well, we had better hurry before we miss him. Come on then!”The man gave a slight bow, and walked into the room. A few moments later he had disappeared completely into the darkness. Isabella gasped. Will seemed indecisive for a moment, and then strode in. Isabella stumbled along behind him. Roma lingered for just a second, then walked in too.
As soon as she was inside, Roma was afraid. Something ancient and powerful lurked within these walls. She could taste it on the air. The group blumbered about blindly for a minute, but soon light poured forth from a lamp, which Elli held high.
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the man for aeiou
in September 17th, 2007 @ 20:29so is this near the end?
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the man for aeiou
in September 19th, 2007 @ 17:38post HERE!
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the man for aeiou
in September 29th, 2007 @ 11:07PEOPLE!
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the man for aeiou
in November 28th, 2007 @ 18:24PEOPLe post!
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