Time after the legends

Time after the legends

Edit: To keep things organized, I am implementing a Table of Contents, cause I always thought it was something that could be useful on topics like this when they start getting longer. Seeing as we are starting to get going, I'll use it now so it doesn't take forever to make later.

Book 1: Beginning of the End.
Prologue: Below
Ch1: It was all a Dream
Ch2: It all falls down
Ch3: Daddy's little Girl
Ch4: Green and White
Ch5: Pills of the Past, Follies of the Future
Ch6: Riddles and Rage
Ch7: Distracted Fury
Ch8: Shadow Dance
Ch9: Emotional Analysis
Ch10: The Bard

Prologue

Across time and space, in every civilization, there has been a myth, a legend, a rumor about a cave, an urn, a pot, a box. The vessel has varied, but it's owner is constant. Pandora, the little girl whose curiosity could not be quelled, and was punished by the gods. When opened, it steals the soul of the opener, until it is full. At that point, it unleashes the souls to wreak havoc and chaos on those around.

This story is about a little girl whose father was taken from this world by that box when she was young. Growing up, she was treated as royalty on a planet with few inhabitants. We join her first on her thirteenth birthday, where she befriends the only people that will stick with her through thick and thin. Cleo is a jigsaw puzzle of species with the body and tail of a snake, but wings of an eagle, her legs are of lion descent, but her arms are human. Her beautiful, delicate scaled face is framed neatly by shiny short black hair. Igneous Boldrum, Iggy to his friends, is a large boy that towers over his friends, his heart is of gold, but his skin is of magma, cooling and erupting like a planet's crust.

When we next encounter our mistress, it is her fifteenth birth day. She is plagued by a headache for the majority of the day, and her companions take notice, retiring to her room for the evening. This is the first time she hears a little voice in her mind.

Now we join her a year later on her sweet 16, she is dressed in an simple white dress, long curly pink hair cascades past her shoulders, her skin is green as a roses stem, with feathered wings glistening red in the moonlight of the twilight hour. She holds a bouquet of roses in her delicate hands. She approaches a cake almost as tall as Iggy, tiered several times. On the sides, it reads, “ Happy 16th Birthday, Lady Summer.” Upon reading this message, her eyes of emerald tear up, embracing her friends. Immediately after the embrace, her head starts to ache, and that voice speaks up, saying something she never thought possible, “Your father still lives”

Sad that no one replied to the prologue, but oh well.
Here we go:

Chapter 1: It was all a dream

I spent that evening in my room, an intense pain in my right arm, as if it was being ripped to shreds. My forehead burning with sweat, the voice spoke relentlessly in quick speaking gobbledygook. After that first surprise of the night, nothing it said was discernible, and the jumble of gibberish only made my head hurt more.

I tossed and turned all night, having nightmares of noble knights being slain by evil beasts. Phoenixes scorching fields and crops, hydras flooding port towns, minotaurs gouging villagers, and behind them all a malevolent ruler who ordered it all. Through the entirety, the voice kept up with it's unfocused jabbering, until a single phrase echoed in my head. “Find the evil being who unearthed this chaos and free him to have your father returned.”

I woke with a start, to find my world in flames.

A good start! I look forward to seeing how these characters progress and the events of the chapters to come.

Chapter 2: It all falls down.

As I ran through the halls, everything was on fire, an eery green flame that reacted not to wind, water or soil. It hurt me not, but those in their beds decayed to it's touch.
Once I got out into the courtyard, I turned to look as my home collapsed, and a green bird flew off, flames dripping from it's wings. I fell to my knees, saddened by the only place I ever felt safe disappearing before my eyes. I held my hands to my face, trying to push back the tears, but I felt small flakes in each. I wipe my eyes to see what is sitting in my hands, two small lenses of an emerald radiance in the exact shape of my eyes. Confused, it took me a second to think of looking into the nearby pool to see what had happened.

In my reflection, I saw someone I didn't recognize. She looked like me, but broken. Her hair was disheveled and frayed. My hair had always been neat and straightened, but I could write that off to a restless night and flames surrounding me. After that, I noticed what had brought me here, my eyes. They looked nothing like the pools of green that had always greeted me before. Instead they were outlined in white, with an inner ring of pink, and a central slit of ebony. One looked very sad, as I would it should. The other looked angry, or perhaps determined, I'm not sure which.

My robes were tattered, but most of the damage seemed to come from my right shoulder. After thinking this, I noticed that there was no sleeve on that arm, and in fact, no arm for the sleeve. At that point, my mind went blank as I screamed myself into unconsciousness.

hmmm, seems intereesting, can't believe I hadn't stumbled into this earlier...

I forgot about this for a while.

Its a very interesting series. You have a talent in writing, especially in the horror/suspense/fantasy genre.

Chapter 3: Daddy's Little Girl

Summer woke several hours after the previous nights events. Iggy and I had found her by the pool, her home in ruins. When we found her, we didn't recognize her at first, with her hair cut short and tattered, and only a shadow where her arm should be. Iggy brought her to our tree house a short ways away. We had always come here in times when we needed to be alone. Now it seems like the three of us will always be alone. The bird Summer mentioned hadn't only attacked her home, but all buildings in the area, possibly the entire planet. The three of us were the only ones left.

“Ugh, what happened?” Summers first words were after stirring. Iggy tilted his head towards me, differing as always. With the question left for me, I replied, “We aren't entirely sssure. After your ssscene at the party, everyone dissspersssed. Next thing we know, everything isss on fire. After we essscaped our homesss, we came to find you.” Summer looked like she figured as much, so I continued, “Ssso desssided you didn't like your hair or arm?” She looked down at her arm, gripping the stump, “I actually have no idea what happened. It felt like I had an arm there when I woke up, all the way up to when I got to the pool and looked, but nothing was there. My hair is probably just from the fire.”

“Think that daemon had anything to do with your voice,” the question had been in the back of my head for most of the time we tended to Summer. She shook her head, “I have no idea, but the voice showed me something similar in my dreams, and said the person responsible can lead me to my Dad. If even half the legends are true, my Dad could definitely help us.”

I looked into her eyes, seeing confusion, and hope in one of her eyes, but the other, all was rage and anger. Whatever the voice had done, it was more than we could ever comprehend. “Even if that'sss true, every sssingle legend wasss on another world. Your Dad hasssn't been here ssssince before you were born. We don't even know where he ISSS in the entire universssse. None of usss have ever left home before, and we don't have any meansss of sssspassse travel. What are we going to do?”

Summers face shifted then, and I will never forget that look. Determination was all that was there, she was dead set on this mission. “Uncle S once showed me something he had been working on before he passed. Said it was to be a birthday present when he was done. It's my birthday, let's see if he ever finished it.”

A nice new chapter. You definitely got across the eerie factor in this one. Well done!

Chapter 4: Green and White

Got to say, I'm a little envious of Summer. Who ever her father was definitely knew how to take care of his own. Growing up, she was royalty. Nobody knew why other than her dad said so. The Elders might have, but they stayed tight lipped about it. She lived in a castle for Zev's sake. Always got what she needed, and wanted for nothing.

Now I'm standing in front of a FREAKING SPACE TIARA that was apparently built by one of the Elders themselves. I'm serious about that Tiara quip, her ship is a glittering Tiara. Some people might call it a crescent, but I see what it really is. Even has a little note from S.

“Happy Birthday Summer,

A little birdie told me you are going to need this on your birthday. Didn't say why, or how they knew such, but that's just how things go. This is the greatest ship I ever made, and it's tuned to you and your friends thoughts. Think it, and she'll do it.

I wish you the best of luck on whatever journey you have to take. If you ever get in to trouble, your friends will be your greatest asset. No tool or weapon will have your back like a true friend. So even if things get rough between you, stay close with them, and you'll be fine.

S.

PS, the ships name is Winter. I know, corny, but she insisted.”

I looked at Summer and giggled a bit, “Well, it fitsss, doesssn't it? Sssparkling white crown ssshaped sssship for her highnesssss, Sssummer.” Iggy gave me a look and I stopped laughing.

Summer shrugged off the teasing and stepped back to look at the ship, “Alright, Winter, mind opening the door?” As if in response to her question, a metal whirring filled the atmosphere, then silence. After a minute of nothing happening, I spoke up, “Ssso, isss Winter trolling usss?”

In direct response, a loud, computerized voice chimed up. It sounded kinda sweet, if a robot voice can sound sweet, “Yes, I am.” and a large circular hatch popped open, hitting me.

Hmm. These last two chapters are quite interesting. You clearly are building up to something here. A minor complaint I might have is your syntax.You need to work on that just a bit. Keep up the good work!

Heeehee, Expect this to go on for Several 'Books'
Like each 'Chapter' is an 'Episode' to a show, ending in a Season Finale, but the story will go on after that.
I don't intend on this one ending ANYTIME soon

Excellent! o7

Chapter 5: Pills of the Past, Follies of the Future

I guess it's my turn to tell what happens next. Cleo was left on her rump, sore but okay. We entered Winter's hull to find a large, expansive beach. Well, sort of. The walls had been painted, or programmed, I guess, as the moved, to display a sunset on another planet. I know it wasn't ours cause the star was yellow, ours was blue. The floor looked like sand, but was solid metal. I expected the entire ship to shift when I stepped in, cause that happens, a lot. Though it didn't even sink down, like I didn't even come close to being enough weight to tip her.

“Welcome aboard, I apologize for injuring you, Cleo, but those were my programmed welcoming protocols,” Winter chimed up, and inside of her hull, it seemed to echo inside our minds, or at least mine, I don't know if the others got the same feeling. “Sss'okay, Esss tended to do thingsss like that, “ Cleo replied, which garnered a whirring followed by a confused Winter replying, “Who is 'S'? My creator, I suppose?

“I was never given his designation, only that three would come to wake me, Summer, Cleo, and Igneous. I am to aid you in an... Adventure is the word used in my programming, but it seems more like a fetch quest. It lists several places and items to gather, supposedly all heavily guarded against intruders and treasure hunters. Then it says to bring them to a place of sacred ground conquered by evil. Also programmed in are several coded messages that will only unlock after completing certain objectives. To tell the truth, it all seems rather bothersome, if you ask me.”

We were all stunned for a moment. Our world just got torched, and the first thing this computer wants us to do was a fetch quest? She isn't even disguising it as something else. I wish I had met S, or any of the other Elders. I only ever met one of the Disciples, V. Mad as a batter, at least, I think that's the saying....

The stories I got from him painted the Elders as both Gods and Demons, sometimes both within the same tale. At least, that's what I gathered in between the ramblings. Even as a tot, he was smaller than me, always complaining about how he missed someone that was an exceptional 'subject', never said who.

Summer shook her head, stubborn as usual, “I'm not going on a freaking fetch quest. My planet has just been ravaged by some phoenix, I have to track down it's master and kill him. Maybe after that, I'll do what your programming says, but this takes priority.”

Silence followed for a couple of minutes, a light whirr buzzing, Winter must have been calculating, or checking programming, or something like that. Eventually she replied, “This was anticipated by the one you call 'S', apparently this quest is to prepare you to face the person responsible.” the look on Summer's face was terrifying. Ferocity and defeat, or maybe betrayal, clashed as she spoke, “Uncle S KNEW this was going to happen? He knew and he did NOTHING to stop it?”

The two went back and forth, but I wasn't listening. I was remembering how Summer was the only person who called the Elders 'Uncle' or 'Auntie'. S, H, A, K, and T they were called, I'm sure they had names, but no one knew them. The Disciples may have, but they never said anything. BD, KK, Sh, V, Sir, and Son. Their monikers designed to show inferiority to the Elders, I'd guess they weren't happy about them, but again, they never said anything.

“FINE! I WILL DO THE STUPID FETCH QUEST IF YOU STOP TALKING IN RIDDLES,” the outburst shook me from my daze. “I hate riddles, if you talk straight I will go on this 'adventure' of yours,” She wasn't happy, Summer always got her way when she wasn't happy. “Agreed, I will decipher the messages programmed for deliverance to the best of my ability in exchange for compliance with my programming,” Winter said that a little shadily, I learned why later.

You made the universe this takes place in even more mysterious. I think it's great how everyone seems to be taking turns narrating.

Let's hope Summer can finish the fetch quest quickly. That phoenix needs to be defeated.

Not sure if I'm going to have Winter narrate, she'd probably wind up sounding like Glados, wanting to murder these three for messing up her floor.

And don't worry, all will be addressed at one point or another

Blarg, Double post, but can't be helped

Chapter 6: Riddles and Rage

“From across the stars, gather these things three to set your anger free. A staff from the hands of Beasts and Gods, A blade from the Dead, and a box from every fallen civilization. Once these things three have been gathered, master your emotions and go at the Island of Shadows and Concealment.” Winter recounted for the twelfth time. Once we were under way, she was allowed to tell us the riddle, and true to her word, she did her best to decipher it. Problem was...she had no idea what it meant, but the riddle came with the first set of co-ordinates in a far off planet in the galaxy.

“I do apologize, Lady Summer, I did not think deciphering this babble would be outside my capabilities,” for the eight time, Winter tried to cover up her ineptitude. I honestly stopped caring after I heard the riddle the first time. 'Set my Anger free' it said. Well, I'm definitely angry. Angry at Winter for being unable to tell us what exactly we are looking for. Angry at Uncle S for programming her that way. Angry at whoever set this into motion. But most of all, angry at my Dad for not sticking around to protect us.

From the stories, a phoenix would have been no threat to him, a morning work out, really. Supposedly he took down threat after greater threat simply because he liked the challenge. Not all legends painted him a Hero, nor all a Villain, but all wove a tapestry of Might. Some earlier stories told that he was inept, but rose quickly after something happened, no one ever said what, though. I don't know why, but both the Elders and Disciples kept us in the dark. Only painting the broad picture, never the smaller details.

Well, we'd been traveling for a week and my arm was still MIA, but I swear, when I sleep, I felt it there, as if it lingered still. Upon Winters medical examination, there was no wound, nothing to suggest an amputation or other such explanation. It was as if it simply vanished. Everything past the shoulder was gone. Occasionally, Cleo said that my shadow still had it's arm, but when I looked, I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

My wings had been cooped up for a while, I'd barely been able to stretch the Golden Brown Beauties in Winter's hull, resulting in me feeling incredibly confined. So twice I'd had Winter stop by a planet so I could take a couple laps around the ship to keep in shape. She wouldn't admit it, but I could tell Cleo liked the fresh air as well.

It was on the third little rest stop like that when things changed a bit.

Interesting plot development going on here, but I also like how you're concentrating on writing this in first person. Most of the SS/epics we get in General Creativity are third. ^^

Thanks Kon. I noticed that too, so I figured I'd try something different.
And now for something new. to be clear, this one is from Iggy's perspective, after reading it, I noticed it was hard to tell. In the future though, a good hint that it's Iggy is that he doesn't talk. Ever.

Chapter 7: Distracted Fury

When Summer says things changed, she means something started to try and kill us, by a bit, she means a lot. Something started to try and kill us a lot. This ‘something’ was several ‘things’, or ‘beings’, or ‘people’. Yes, I like that one best. Several people started to try and kill us a lot. I suppose I should describe these people.

They varied in shape and size. One was a sleek and slender fish headed guy, another was a three legged head with two arms, a third was a flaming butterfly-man, and a fourth resembled the old stories about the creature known as a Werewolf. What they all had in common, though, was that they were all dressed in uniform. A black leotard with the top blazing white, or is it silver? Summer says for some reason she knew that it was called ‘Platinum’. And in the middle of their chest was an emblem that appeared to be a Gear.

When they spoke, they spoke as one, “In the depths of space, and crevasses of the sea, our reach goes there, and all throughout infinity. You had better run, there is no place to hide from our power that burns with Pride.”

After this mantra, they shot at us with beams of light the same color of the top part of their uniform, Summer reminds me it’s called Platinum. Most shot us with just simple beams, other sent power tools, swords, and other things after us. I took all of them to my chest to protect the girls, the look on their faces was worth the minor discomfort it caused. I blacked out for a moment, and when I awoke, all of the attackers were unconscious, and Summer and Cleo stared at me with their mouths agape.

Well, this is interesting. You're definitely going somewhere with this. Keep it up.

Nice chapter! Although I can place an educated guess as to what the assailants are (: P) you do a good job of building up tension and suspense by not revealing all and giving clues for the reader to think about, well done.

I had a chance to read up to a point, a looong time ago, but forgot to review the next day after I went to sleep.

Regardless, this is a phenomenal kind of story. I love the way you introduce characters and build their personalities, be it in the RPG or in stories like this, and you've got a wonderful way with suspense in this tale.

This will have to be one for me to follow!

Thank you for the reviews, time for

Chapter 8: Shadow Dance

Iggy left out a little bit in his last journal. Yes he did a fair amount of beating on those guys, and that is probably why Summer’s jaw went slack. Mine, on the other hand, dropped because of Summer. In the time Iggy was in ’lights on but nobodies home’ mode, her right arm made it’s reappearance, from her shadow.

I knew I wasn’t seeing things on board Winter. Summer’s shadow DEFINITELY still had both arms, and now I know why, that’s where it was hiding. When Summer stutter stepped back from Iggy taking all those hits, the arm leaped from her shadow and impaled the fish-headed guy through his hand, the one that had a ring on it, severed it clean off.

Without his hand, Fishface’s costume dissolved in a flash of light, after which the Wolfy barked at the others, “That wouldn’t have happened if we kept our armor on!” The Bowling ball on legs countered, “the armor chafes and you know it,” just before Iggy slammed into him with a glowing red arm that burned it’s imprint onto his face and he slumped to the ground.

A little while later the group came too, and Iggy stared at them. Just stared. No threatening motions, no defensive posture, not a word or threat. He stood in front of them, still as a statue until the extinguished butterfly spoke up, “What do you WANT from us?!?!?” Iggy grinned a bit and Summer stepped out from behind him, now sporting her right arm again, black as night. Actually, it REALLY looked like the night. Well, the night sky at least, galaxies, nebulae, stars and all set against stark black. It didn’t have fingers, either. It had talons, and they looked sharp enough to cut through most anything.

I got to tell you, it really unsettled me, so much so I had to leave with a fond, “I’ll be in the sssship....” and I headed back.

Nice new chapters. Glad to see the Plat Lanterns are around.

The arm seems to have really cool powers. Wonder what will be revealed next!

This looks exciting.

I like how you described both of their arms - I can't wait to see further developments.

Looking forward to the next Chapter.

And Hello! Zev wrote:This looks exciting.

I like how you described both of their arms - I can't wait to see further developments.

Looking forward to the next Chapter.

Keep in mind, I only described one of their arms each in that post.

Summer's other is normal for her, fragile flesh.

Iggy is a Magma Golem, essentially.

Edit: Avoiding a double post

Chapter 9: Emotional Analysis

“What I want from you, is to know why you attacked us. Then, depending on your answer, your blood to run on these stones.” Stated Summer. Observation: biological beings are largely emotional. Facial expressions read in the time with these three has revealed many unique sets, each accompanied with a named emotion. Some emotions appear to have no facial expression as well, but instead accompanied with excretions for optical cavities. Said excretions can also be applied to all facial expressions and still make the emotion valid. In some cases, it appears to enhance or punctuate the emotion.

The one known as Summer is the most emotional of these three. She is quite vocal and disheveled. Her emotions vary in great extremes. My programming states that she is to be treated kindly, but firmly. My programming has hidden protocols on the subject for several cases, and will not reveal them until the case is met. It is troubling not knowing what this beings ‘story’ is.

Passenger Igneous keeps a stalwart appearance, and displays the fewest emotions. He maintains an air of simple mindedness, but his actions have an underlying precision that betrays himself otherwise. There is little in my coding on him, most cases end in ‘allow to do as seen fit’. If I understand the psychology of these beings, this would imply that ‘Iggy’ is the most.... the only word I can find for the description is ‘trustworthy’. I am not sure if that is the appropriate designation, but it is the best I can ascertain at the moment.

Cleo. I do not like this one. She does not give proper acknowledgment where it is due. Emotionally, she is an average between Summer and Igneous, not extreme, but not void. The emotions she displays are mostly negative. No optical cavity secretions escape this one. Her biological and chemical composition is not what these beings would deem or the norm. Several species appear to have been spliced together in her creation, artificially. I am not sure why, but this...disturbs me. Why I am capable of feeling disturbed is also to be questioned, but at a later time. The lines on her are clear; do not tolerate insubordination.

In the time I have taken to record these thoughts in this journal a second has passed. Just enough time for a drop of a secretion, similar in chemical makeup as my trio’s optical cavities produce when they believe themselves alone, to squeeze out from designation ‘Fishface’s forehead and his throat to catch. This would be consistent with the emotion of ‘intimidation’. Summer’s actions and words have set this emotion upon Fishface, stealing a glance at Summer’s right arm.

Calculations deem the threat of these men’s blood spilling may be the most probable cause of this change. The Butterfly replies, “We were sent to find a man who matches your genetic signature. At least, most of it.” This information tipped the slippery slope upon which Summers emotions were precariously perched. The emotion called ‘Anger’ dominated her form now. Her posture becomes rigid, her face angular. “You were out to kill my father? You wouldn’t stand a chance! If you could not handle me and Iggy, my dad would turn you to PASTE.”

“Soup,” I chime in. This confuses Summer, “What?” I reiterate, “Soup. These men would be soup, maybe stew. Not paste.” My explanation makes Summer giggle with what I can only assume is either happiness or delight, “Hear that? The computer thinks he wouldn’t have even left any fiber to make a paste.”

All of the men begin to perspire and gulp.

That last chapter was excellent.

I love how you present the computer's perspective, and how it understands the input gathered on emotions. It's also interesting to see how the A.I. interacts with the programming and hidden functions in its design.

At least, I hope that I haven't misconstrued what I've read.

I look forward to reading more.

Chapter 10: The Bard

It’s been some time since we met the Lanterns. They clarified that they weren’t meant to harm Summers father, but to guide him. We left them battered and beaten, but alive.  Winter guided us forward to another planet. She hasn’t said why we are here, other than it’s important. We disembarked and wandered around a bit, coming to a large metropolis.

Strolling in, we didn't stand out too much, even with our odd appearances. Several looked like Cleo, but less refined about it. For some reason or another, Summer and Cleo started arguing, so Summer was walking backwards and bumped into some guy dressed in a plain brown cloak, hood over his head, tipping him over. “Sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going! Here let me help you up!” said Summer, extending her normal arm. She’d taken to hiding her shadowy arm with her wing, apparently self conscious about it. The Stranger accepted and pulled himself up, “No need to apologize, this city is quite vast and a sight to take in.” His...or her? voice was odd. It didn’t really lend itself to a label, male or female. I’m going to stick with ‘him’ for clarity's sake.

“Thanks for the hand,.... I didn't catch your names,” The stranger came. Cleo spoke first “I’m Cleo, This is Iggy,” gesturing to me, “And the klutz is Summer.” There was a moment of alarm, or recognition in the stranger’s radiantly red eyes at this, before regaining his composure. Almost imperceptible, almost. “Summer, you say? Beautiful name, that. So what brings you here?”

“Not really sure, actually. On a quest, and our guide is being obtuse about it. So, you know are names, what’s yours?” Summer said. “Me? I’m just a Story Teller. A Bard if you will,” said the bard, cryptically.

Why do I get the feeling that we've met this Bard before?

Well, I had to reread the whole thing to be able to comment on this. I like how you have everyone take turns narrating.

Also, I'm almost certain I know who the bard is.