Post by zemira on Sept 7, 2007 10:35:53 GMT -5
Ok, this is a story I'm currently working on. It is by no means finished. I'm not sure how long it will be until it is finished. It's what I do when I'm bored at work.
I was largely inspired to write by The Braided Path and Haunting, so if it sounds like I'm stealing Chris Wooding-ness, I'm sorry. >_< The ideas are mine alone. I just tried to emulate his style a bit.
Also, I'm very rusty...I haven't written any fiction since 2007. >_< But here we go...
Luce tightened her grip on her staff, preparing the spell to send her foe to his death. She silently mouthed the words and let loose a fireball, incinerating the ground her enemy had been standing on. She allowed herself a quick smile, and then took what was rightfully hers from the dead body lying before her. Upon examining her prizes, she noticed a ring. The gem set in the ring shone brightly. Luce didn’t have the knowledge to determine if it was real of not, but she suspected it was. She smiled again. The Eyes of the Dragon would be pleased.
Luce began the long hike back into town. Her tutor, Jarren had sent her out to kill a particularly relentless ogre. Luce was not a tall person. In fact, she was barely above five feet tall, short for a human. The ogre had towered above her at ten feet tall, more than double her height. Jarren had sent her because he had more faith in her than his other students, but even she was cowed by the giant. Adding to her troubles, this ogre was smarter than most, and quickly uncovered her strategy of darting around to avoid his hammer. He could anticipate her moves, but he couldn’t quite keep up. Luce used her speed at first, but soon she grew tired. Finally, she resorted to using her magic. She hadn’t wanted to use a spell as large as Fireball, but she had little choice. She would have been killed if she hadn’t. Despite the danger she had just faced, Luce was calm and actually quite happy to enjoy the scenery as she returned.
Luce got her love of nature from her mother, Zemira, and her cheery outlook from her father, Hook. Her father had rarely been serious, even when the situation demanded it. He had always been joking about Zemira being old, ugly or simply no fun. Zemira rarely put up with these jokes and had no problems about actually hurting him (if she caught him). Luce’s real parents had died when she was only 2. She had been captured and help prisoner by…well, Luce still didn’t know what or who had imprisoned her. Her parents rarely mentioned it. She was rescued by Zemira. Luce had immediately latched to her despite there being several others who played a hand in freeing her. Adding to that surprise, Zemira was very imposing. She was a half-dragon. She was quite tall, and had sharp nails, and very dark skin. She usually kept her wings hidden under a cloak. As soon as Luce was released, she had rushed to Zemira’s side, hugging her, and calling her “Mama”. Luce had met Hook shortly after. He was the only male who had taken care of her (He loved children), and she took to calling him, “Papa”. At her young age, she hadn’t realized that Zemira disliked Hook a great deal, but Zemira quickly grew to care for Luce, and so was forced to suffer through Hook’s shenanigans.
Hook did much of the raising of Luce, yet there was a lot her mother in her. She treasured every moment with Zemira because they were few and far between. Zemira often left Luce in the care of the Eyes of the Dragon, and thus, Hook. Once Luce was old enough to realize that her mother was off fighting assorted enemies, Luce longed to learn to fight. She reasoned that if she could fight, she would be able to travel with Zemira. Luce convinced Hook to let her learn to fight. He tried to teach her himself, but Luce wanted to go down a different path. She was best suited for magic with her small size. She had always been a bright girl, and she took to magic very quickly. She enjoyed controlling certain elements the best. Her power over fire was quickly apparent, but she wanted a challenge and mastered the power of earth and stone during her teenage years. Now, a woman of 21, she had a basic control of most of the elements. Unfortunately, Zemira had given up fighting by the time Luce had become strong enough to accompany her. Zemira had found a mate, and they had both retired to live the remainder of their long lives in peace. Luce had tried to travel with Zemira’s previous party for a time, but she did not enjoy it as much as she had expected to. By this time, Hook had left the Eyes of the Dragon. He never shared details of his life to her, and Jarren had refused to tell her what had happened. The only thing anyone would tell her was that she would probably never see her father again. Left with no other alternative, Luce became a full member of the Eyes of the Dragon and had spent the last 3 years working for them.
Luce took her time walking back. She enjoyed the sunlight and didn’t like being stuck inside in the dark chambers of the Eye of the Dragon’s base. She knew Jarren would not appreciate her being late, but she was enjoying her walk too much. After a time, she inspected the ring once more. The jewel appeared to be an opal, but Luce couldn’t tell for sure. The jewel glinted in the sunlight. Luce longed to put the ring on her finger, but she resisted the urge. She knew not to put it on for the simple reason that she wanted to wear it. She pocketed the ring and tried not to think about it.
Upon entering the town, she smiled at the bustle of everyone about. Luce had moved from town to town, to different bases of the Eyes of the Dragon, and this town was similar to most others. She liked that it was more lenient of other species, and that it welcomed all people. She knew better than to get too attached, but that didn’t stop her from introducing herself around town. Many people knew her, and though her socializing was generally frowned upon by Jarren and the others, no one could deny the importance her contacts could have.
As casually as she could, Luce entered the “secret” base of the Eyes of the Dragon. It wasn’t entirely a secret because the townspeople knew a group made their home there, they just did not know which group it was. Once inside, Luce immediately felt something. She pulled out the ring, without realizing she was doing it. She once more resisted a compelling feeling to slip the ring over her finger. She frowned. This ring left her with a sense of unease, and she suspected dark magic was behind it. She once more pocketed the ring, and walked very quickly to Jarren’s quarters.
Jarren’s room was quite large. He was an important member of the Eyes of the Dragon, and so his lodgings were extravagant. There were plush cushions scattered about. He disliked chairs and couches, and so any guests who came to see him were forced to sit on the floor. Jarren was widely considered as odd because of his quirks. Luce had grown quite used to them, and did not see Jarren as unusual at all. Jarren was looking through assorted books when Luce entered. Jarren viewed himself as a man with no secrets and had the door into his quarters removed. He knew that she was there right away, but paid no attention to her. He continued to flip through his books for several moments. Finally, Luce spoke, if only to break the silence.
“I did it. The ogre won’t terrorize the townspeople again.”
“Good. I did not doubt you for a moment,” was the response, although it wasn’t true. Jarren, though he had no secrets, trusted no one. He doubted every person he’d ever known, including his pupil Luce. She took the remark as a compliment, but knew what he really thought. There was no doubt that Jarren was fond of Luce. There was also no doubt that he fancied her as more than a friend. He was at least 20 years her senior, but he had always liked younger girls. His problem was that Luce was smart. Most girls were influenced by his power both with magic and his position in the Eyes of the Dragon. He rarely struck out with anyone he pursued, but Luce was not so easily swayed. She knew of his dalliances, and knew that someday he would probably attempt to bed Luce. Though she was quite fond of Jarren, she would never accept his advance. Luce was like her mother in that she did not go actively seeking romance. If it happened to find her, then so be it.
Jarren never looked up from his books, but he knew that Luce had not moved. He briefly glanced at her, her curly black hair bouncing on her shoulders and shining in the sunlight. He felt a small jab of lust, but swallowed it. Now was not the time.
“What else did you need?” he asked.
Luce hesitated before answering. “I…I found something. The ogre had it.” Jarren immediately shut his book and looked at her, his attention not faltering for a second. Luce was suddenly nervous. She took the ring out of her pocket and showed it to Jarren.
He turned it over in his hands several time, seemingly hypnotized by it. “The ogre had this?” he said quietly, as if speaking any louder would destroy the ring.
“Yes,” Luce was watching Jarren raptly.
“Amazing,” Jarren murmured softly. “This means…” he trailed off. Luce instinctively bent forward to hear the remainder of his statement. “…nothing,” He laughed and handed the ring back to Luce. “It’s just an ordinary ring, my dear. Means nothing. Keep it for yourself or sell it. It’s yours for killing the ogre.” He went back to his books.
Luce turned and walked out of his chambers, confusion overtaking her. The ring was completely normal? It couldn’t be. Luce knew how intelligent Jarren was, but she couldn’t help doubting him on this matter. She stood in the hallway, looking at the jewelry in her hand. She felt something, but it wasn’t the same feeling as the compulsion to wear it.
Her day had soured very quickly since the walk home. She put her pack, including the ring, in her room and left. She wandered around town a few hours, talking a little, mostly taking in the sights. Before long, she found herself strolling into the forest. It wasn’t that dangerous in the forest. The ogre was the first real danger the town had seen in quite a while. Still, the forest had natural dangers: wolves, bears--the usual assortment of predators.
The sun was still shining brightly, although much lower in the sky when Luce heard leaves rustle nearby. She listened closely. It wasn’t any small forest creatures scuttling past. In fact, it was farther away than it had initially sounded. Luce kneeled on the ground to determine what was going on. It was a scuffle. When she realized that, Luce figured it was probably a fox trying to kill his meal. She started to continue on her way, when the thought struck her: It was too loud to have been caused by a fox. Luce began to head in the direction of the noise.
She happened upon the fight not long after. Then she saw what was really happening. There was a girl, younger than Luce, struggling with a wolf. The wolf was a loner, probably exiled from his pack, and too hungry to worry about attacking a foe much bigger than himself. The girl was trying to escape his glare, desperate to not become his next meal. Luce frowned briefly. She didn’t want to harm the wolf, but the girl obviously needed help. Luce quickly sorted through the tricks she knew before deciding upon a spell. She muttered it quietly and quickly before either the wolf or the girl could harm each other. The earth near the wolf shook a bit, not enough to tear the ground or injure the wolf, but it was enough to make the wolf decide he wasn’t as hungry as he had thought. The girl, upon seeing the wolf’s departure, sunk to the ground. Luce approached the girl, and noticed that she was praying.
“Don’t worry,” Luce said softly and sweetly to the young girl. “That wasn’t a real earthquake, and I won’t hurt you.”
The girl looked up at Luce, her huge green eyes shimmering in the light streaming between the trees. “I’m not scared of you or the earth.” She said. “I’m praying he can find food some other place.” The girl smiled a sweet smile.
Luce looked at the girl a long moment. She was probably about 17 or 18, but not any older. She was dressed in sky blue pants that fit loosely. Her top was a shade of blue that seemed closer to white at first glance. It too was loose, but not big. The girl had very long strawberry blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail and slid down her back. She looked like any parent’s ideal child—wide-eyed, beautiful, kind.
Luce realized she was staring at the girl and looked away, but she noticed that the girl was also staring at her. Luce opened her mouth to speak when the girl interrupted.
“My name is Erst. I know it sounds strange, but everyone says it somehow fits me. I’m 16 years old, but I’ll be 17 in two months. I just came here with my family. I went for a walk and I got lost, and the wolf found me. I hope he finds another meal soon.” Erst looked at the direction the wolf went with a sad look in her eyes.
Luce didn’t speak at first, mostly from the surprise of the girl being so open with a stranger. Finally, she managed a sentence. “I’m Luce. I’m sure the wolf will be fine. He’s survived this long, hasn’t he?” Erst looked at her and smiled, nodding her head. “Would you like some help in getting back to town?” Erst nodded once more, her blond locks bouncing off her back. Luce smiled at her, “Follow me, then. We’ll get back to town before nightfall.”
The two girls chattered almost non-stop on the way home. This wasn’t surprising—Luce was easy to get along with, and Erst was outgoing enough to provide plenty of topics for conversation. What was surprising was that Luce began to feel like a connection was being formed with the young girl. There were barriers between them, of course, but neither of them seemed bothered by them. Luce had many friends, but Erst stuck out in her mind as different. She felt like she could truly consider this girl as a close friend. She found herself disappointed when they arrived at their destination.
“I told you I’d get you home, and here we are,” Luce said when the town came into view.
Erst smiled, “I never doubted you could.” There was a brief pause before Erst spoke again. “Would you like to come to my house? I can get you something to drink. Consider it as payment for taking me home.”
Luce thought for a moment. She should be getting back to her own “home”, but she really did not want to leave Erst just yet. She smiled and said, “How could I refuse such a kind offer?”
And, can I ask that everyone tells me what they think of Jarren? I'm still not too sure about him yet--he likes to write himself. But I mostly want to know if you like him/don't like him, or what kind of role you think he'll play. A hero, villian, martyr, those type things. Thanks in advance. ^_^
I was largely inspired to write by The Braided Path and Haunting, so if it sounds like I'm stealing Chris Wooding-ness, I'm sorry. >_< The ideas are mine alone. I just tried to emulate his style a bit.
Also, I'm very rusty...I haven't written any fiction since 2007. >_< But here we go...
Luce tightened her grip on her staff, preparing the spell to send her foe to his death. She silently mouthed the words and let loose a fireball, incinerating the ground her enemy had been standing on. She allowed herself a quick smile, and then took what was rightfully hers from the dead body lying before her. Upon examining her prizes, she noticed a ring. The gem set in the ring shone brightly. Luce didn’t have the knowledge to determine if it was real of not, but she suspected it was. She smiled again. The Eyes of the Dragon would be pleased.
Luce began the long hike back into town. Her tutor, Jarren had sent her out to kill a particularly relentless ogre. Luce was not a tall person. In fact, she was barely above five feet tall, short for a human. The ogre had towered above her at ten feet tall, more than double her height. Jarren had sent her because he had more faith in her than his other students, but even she was cowed by the giant. Adding to her troubles, this ogre was smarter than most, and quickly uncovered her strategy of darting around to avoid his hammer. He could anticipate her moves, but he couldn’t quite keep up. Luce used her speed at first, but soon she grew tired. Finally, she resorted to using her magic. She hadn’t wanted to use a spell as large as Fireball, but she had little choice. She would have been killed if she hadn’t. Despite the danger she had just faced, Luce was calm and actually quite happy to enjoy the scenery as she returned.
Luce got her love of nature from her mother, Zemira, and her cheery outlook from her father, Hook. Her father had rarely been serious, even when the situation demanded it. He had always been joking about Zemira being old, ugly or simply no fun. Zemira rarely put up with these jokes and had no problems about actually hurting him (if she caught him). Luce’s real parents had died when she was only 2. She had been captured and help prisoner by…well, Luce still didn’t know what or who had imprisoned her. Her parents rarely mentioned it. She was rescued by Zemira. Luce had immediately latched to her despite there being several others who played a hand in freeing her. Adding to that surprise, Zemira was very imposing. She was a half-dragon. She was quite tall, and had sharp nails, and very dark skin. She usually kept her wings hidden under a cloak. As soon as Luce was released, she had rushed to Zemira’s side, hugging her, and calling her “Mama”. Luce had met Hook shortly after. He was the only male who had taken care of her (He loved children), and she took to calling him, “Papa”. At her young age, she hadn’t realized that Zemira disliked Hook a great deal, but Zemira quickly grew to care for Luce, and so was forced to suffer through Hook’s shenanigans.
Hook did much of the raising of Luce, yet there was a lot her mother in her. She treasured every moment with Zemira because they were few and far between. Zemira often left Luce in the care of the Eyes of the Dragon, and thus, Hook. Once Luce was old enough to realize that her mother was off fighting assorted enemies, Luce longed to learn to fight. She reasoned that if she could fight, she would be able to travel with Zemira. Luce convinced Hook to let her learn to fight. He tried to teach her himself, but Luce wanted to go down a different path. She was best suited for magic with her small size. She had always been a bright girl, and she took to magic very quickly. She enjoyed controlling certain elements the best. Her power over fire was quickly apparent, but she wanted a challenge and mastered the power of earth and stone during her teenage years. Now, a woman of 21, she had a basic control of most of the elements. Unfortunately, Zemira had given up fighting by the time Luce had become strong enough to accompany her. Zemira had found a mate, and they had both retired to live the remainder of their long lives in peace. Luce had tried to travel with Zemira’s previous party for a time, but she did not enjoy it as much as she had expected to. By this time, Hook had left the Eyes of the Dragon. He never shared details of his life to her, and Jarren had refused to tell her what had happened. The only thing anyone would tell her was that she would probably never see her father again. Left with no other alternative, Luce became a full member of the Eyes of the Dragon and had spent the last 3 years working for them.
Luce took her time walking back. She enjoyed the sunlight and didn’t like being stuck inside in the dark chambers of the Eye of the Dragon’s base. She knew Jarren would not appreciate her being late, but she was enjoying her walk too much. After a time, she inspected the ring once more. The jewel appeared to be an opal, but Luce couldn’t tell for sure. The jewel glinted in the sunlight. Luce longed to put the ring on her finger, but she resisted the urge. She knew not to put it on for the simple reason that she wanted to wear it. She pocketed the ring and tried not to think about it.
Upon entering the town, she smiled at the bustle of everyone about. Luce had moved from town to town, to different bases of the Eyes of the Dragon, and this town was similar to most others. She liked that it was more lenient of other species, and that it welcomed all people. She knew better than to get too attached, but that didn’t stop her from introducing herself around town. Many people knew her, and though her socializing was generally frowned upon by Jarren and the others, no one could deny the importance her contacts could have.
As casually as she could, Luce entered the “secret” base of the Eyes of the Dragon. It wasn’t entirely a secret because the townspeople knew a group made their home there, they just did not know which group it was. Once inside, Luce immediately felt something. She pulled out the ring, without realizing she was doing it. She once more resisted a compelling feeling to slip the ring over her finger. She frowned. This ring left her with a sense of unease, and she suspected dark magic was behind it. She once more pocketed the ring, and walked very quickly to Jarren’s quarters.
Jarren’s room was quite large. He was an important member of the Eyes of the Dragon, and so his lodgings were extravagant. There were plush cushions scattered about. He disliked chairs and couches, and so any guests who came to see him were forced to sit on the floor. Jarren was widely considered as odd because of his quirks. Luce had grown quite used to them, and did not see Jarren as unusual at all. Jarren was looking through assorted books when Luce entered. Jarren viewed himself as a man with no secrets and had the door into his quarters removed. He knew that she was there right away, but paid no attention to her. He continued to flip through his books for several moments. Finally, Luce spoke, if only to break the silence.
“I did it. The ogre won’t terrorize the townspeople again.”
“Good. I did not doubt you for a moment,” was the response, although it wasn’t true. Jarren, though he had no secrets, trusted no one. He doubted every person he’d ever known, including his pupil Luce. She took the remark as a compliment, but knew what he really thought. There was no doubt that Jarren was fond of Luce. There was also no doubt that he fancied her as more than a friend. He was at least 20 years her senior, but he had always liked younger girls. His problem was that Luce was smart. Most girls were influenced by his power both with magic and his position in the Eyes of the Dragon. He rarely struck out with anyone he pursued, but Luce was not so easily swayed. She knew of his dalliances, and knew that someday he would probably attempt to bed Luce. Though she was quite fond of Jarren, she would never accept his advance. Luce was like her mother in that she did not go actively seeking romance. If it happened to find her, then so be it.
Jarren never looked up from his books, but he knew that Luce had not moved. He briefly glanced at her, her curly black hair bouncing on her shoulders and shining in the sunlight. He felt a small jab of lust, but swallowed it. Now was not the time.
“What else did you need?” he asked.
Luce hesitated before answering. “I…I found something. The ogre had it.” Jarren immediately shut his book and looked at her, his attention not faltering for a second. Luce was suddenly nervous. She took the ring out of her pocket and showed it to Jarren.
He turned it over in his hands several time, seemingly hypnotized by it. “The ogre had this?” he said quietly, as if speaking any louder would destroy the ring.
“Yes,” Luce was watching Jarren raptly.
“Amazing,” Jarren murmured softly. “This means…” he trailed off. Luce instinctively bent forward to hear the remainder of his statement. “…nothing,” He laughed and handed the ring back to Luce. “It’s just an ordinary ring, my dear. Means nothing. Keep it for yourself or sell it. It’s yours for killing the ogre.” He went back to his books.
Luce turned and walked out of his chambers, confusion overtaking her. The ring was completely normal? It couldn’t be. Luce knew how intelligent Jarren was, but she couldn’t help doubting him on this matter. She stood in the hallway, looking at the jewelry in her hand. She felt something, but it wasn’t the same feeling as the compulsion to wear it.
Her day had soured very quickly since the walk home. She put her pack, including the ring, in her room and left. She wandered around town a few hours, talking a little, mostly taking in the sights. Before long, she found herself strolling into the forest. It wasn’t that dangerous in the forest. The ogre was the first real danger the town had seen in quite a while. Still, the forest had natural dangers: wolves, bears--the usual assortment of predators.
The sun was still shining brightly, although much lower in the sky when Luce heard leaves rustle nearby. She listened closely. It wasn’t any small forest creatures scuttling past. In fact, it was farther away than it had initially sounded. Luce kneeled on the ground to determine what was going on. It was a scuffle. When she realized that, Luce figured it was probably a fox trying to kill his meal. She started to continue on her way, when the thought struck her: It was too loud to have been caused by a fox. Luce began to head in the direction of the noise.
She happened upon the fight not long after. Then she saw what was really happening. There was a girl, younger than Luce, struggling with a wolf. The wolf was a loner, probably exiled from his pack, and too hungry to worry about attacking a foe much bigger than himself. The girl was trying to escape his glare, desperate to not become his next meal. Luce frowned briefly. She didn’t want to harm the wolf, but the girl obviously needed help. Luce quickly sorted through the tricks she knew before deciding upon a spell. She muttered it quietly and quickly before either the wolf or the girl could harm each other. The earth near the wolf shook a bit, not enough to tear the ground or injure the wolf, but it was enough to make the wolf decide he wasn’t as hungry as he had thought. The girl, upon seeing the wolf’s departure, sunk to the ground. Luce approached the girl, and noticed that she was praying.
“Don’t worry,” Luce said softly and sweetly to the young girl. “That wasn’t a real earthquake, and I won’t hurt you.”
The girl looked up at Luce, her huge green eyes shimmering in the light streaming between the trees. “I’m not scared of you or the earth.” She said. “I’m praying he can find food some other place.” The girl smiled a sweet smile.
Luce looked at the girl a long moment. She was probably about 17 or 18, but not any older. She was dressed in sky blue pants that fit loosely. Her top was a shade of blue that seemed closer to white at first glance. It too was loose, but not big. The girl had very long strawberry blond hair that was tied up in a ponytail and slid down her back. She looked like any parent’s ideal child—wide-eyed, beautiful, kind.
Luce realized she was staring at the girl and looked away, but she noticed that the girl was also staring at her. Luce opened her mouth to speak when the girl interrupted.
“My name is Erst. I know it sounds strange, but everyone says it somehow fits me. I’m 16 years old, but I’ll be 17 in two months. I just came here with my family. I went for a walk and I got lost, and the wolf found me. I hope he finds another meal soon.” Erst looked at the direction the wolf went with a sad look in her eyes.
Luce didn’t speak at first, mostly from the surprise of the girl being so open with a stranger. Finally, she managed a sentence. “I’m Luce. I’m sure the wolf will be fine. He’s survived this long, hasn’t he?” Erst looked at her and smiled, nodding her head. “Would you like some help in getting back to town?” Erst nodded once more, her blond locks bouncing off her back. Luce smiled at her, “Follow me, then. We’ll get back to town before nightfall.”
The two girls chattered almost non-stop on the way home. This wasn’t surprising—Luce was easy to get along with, and Erst was outgoing enough to provide plenty of topics for conversation. What was surprising was that Luce began to feel like a connection was being formed with the young girl. There were barriers between them, of course, but neither of them seemed bothered by them. Luce had many friends, but Erst stuck out in her mind as different. She felt like she could truly consider this girl as a close friend. She found herself disappointed when they arrived at their destination.
“I told you I’d get you home, and here we are,” Luce said when the town came into view.
Erst smiled, “I never doubted you could.” There was a brief pause before Erst spoke again. “Would you like to come to my house? I can get you something to drink. Consider it as payment for taking me home.”
Luce thought for a moment. She should be getting back to her own “home”, but she really did not want to leave Erst just yet. She smiled and said, “How could I refuse such a kind offer?”
And, can I ask that everyone tells me what they think of Jarren? I'm still not too sure about him yet--he likes to write himself. But I mostly want to know if you like him/don't like him, or what kind of role you think he'll play. A hero, villian, martyr, those type things. Thanks in advance. ^_^