Ranryu Writes and Possibly Does Some Things That Are Not Writing

[Ranryu]

So this could either be fun, or it could be terrible. Well, technically that's all-or-nothing thinking. It could also be quite average. I saw some other people doing this, so I thought I'd jump the bandwagon. 

I write stuff sometimes. I dream to publish something, of course, but there are so many aspiring writers- I highly doubt I'll be one to actually take that path. Anyone who's ever talked to me knows that at best, I'm barely understandable. Writing is fun, though. It gives me something to do.

So... what to write... Let's do a fun one and a serious one for today.

Funny one:

Spoiler

(Note, the story is not supposed to make sense. It's not the best quality, because I typed it up at 5 am on a detasseling bus.)

The Epic Saga of Booblebert

Once upon a time, there was a child named Booblebert. His parents didn’t particularly like him, but they nonetheless bestowed upon him their traditional name for firstborn sons. As Booblebert grew older, other children would tease him, so he decided to go by the nickname Stuart. 
Unbeknownst to Booble— um… Stuart, there was another, much more famous person who shared his name. Unlike Stuart (who grew up to be a great failure in every aspect), this Booblebert (who we will call Booblebert ll) pursued a successful and highly fulfilling career as a serial killer.
One day, while Stuart (Booblebert l) was walking home from his dead-end job as a high school janitor, men in body armor came and pushed him into a suspicious looking van.
“Who are you dudes?” Asked Stuart. “It is totally uncool of you to just come and lock me in the back of your suspicious looking van!”
One of the men snickered at Stuart’s surfer dude accent and lack of awareness when it came to narration, but no one answered him.
This made Stuart mad. He stamped his feet and then began jumping up and down.
“What is happening?” He whined. “This van is too stuffy. I need some fresh air.”
“Should we let him out?” Asked one of the kidnappers.
“He’s a wanted murderer. Are you willing to risk him coming out and killing you?” The tallest kidnapper replied.
“Yep. Sure am.” Said the first man.
They stopped the van and let Stuart out.
“Booblebert Nickerson. We are government agents. You have been arrested for multiple counts of murder and terrorism. You really thought you could fool us by changing your name to Stuart? We’re really cool agent guys, so don’t try to run.”
Stuart blinked. “I’m not the right guy. My name is Booblebert Nackerson.”
The agents looked confused for a second. The tallest agent smacked his compatriots.
“Look! There’s the real Booblebert terrorist over there!” 
The agents ran off after the man, who was indeed Booblebert ll. He had been enjoying a leisurely stroll along the highway, plotting his next murder. Unfortunately for him, he had picked the same road that the agents had been driving on.
Sensing his chance, Stuart turned and ran away as fast as he could. But, because of an ancient curse that I’m too lazy to explain, he tripped on a french fry and died.
The end

Serious one:

Spoiler

(Whaaaaat? Noooo. No depression here. That would be out of character for me)

Breather

Rin couldn’t breathe. People enclosed her on all tides, a tidal wave of humanity. Every single person around her had a life, a story, wants and needs. They reeked of it. The boy to her left, the one with the greasy hair and a slouch; he was in trouble. She could tell from his furrowed brow and the way he kept reaching his hand into his backpack to make sure his gun was still there. The girl behind him kept looking around the crowd to see if anyone would notice her new blonde streaks or nose ring. Hundreds more crowded the high school’s hallway. So many voices, so many people. It was slowly leeching the breath from Rin’s lungs.
    She needed a breather.

    Funny that not breathing was the thing that allowed her to get away from the crowd. Mr. Diamond, her English teacher, would probably call it irony– if he knew about Rin’s breathers. For as long as she could remember, she had been able to slip out of reality, away from people. When she was younger, she had tried to explain, but no one understood. Her parents praised her for having such an active imagination, and her teachers chided her for wasting their time with nonsense.
    All it took was five seconds.
    One…
    The people around Rin lost their color, voices fading slightly. Only one more class left in the school day, only one more period until the embrace of the weekend.
    Two…
    Only two people had ever believed Rin when she told them about her breathers. One was her best friend, Amy. The other was her beloved grandmother. The voices of Rin’s peers were almost inaudible, mere whispers now.
    Three…
    Three weeks ago, Amy moved away. On a map, Orlando didn’t look so far away. Knoxville was eight and one fourth inches away from Orlando on Mrs. Chaplin’s map. Rin measured it a month ago, on Amy’s last day of school. 
    “See? You’ll only be eight inches away. If you ever want to visit, all you have to do is hop over Georgia.”
    Amy had giggled at that. It was the last time Rin made her laugh before she drove away in her family's beat up sedan. 
    The last echo of a giggling sophomore faded away. Now it was just Rin, surrounded by translucent gray silhouettes. Two more seconds to true solitude.
    Four…
    Grandma passed away last Monday. She died peacefully, in her sleep. Rin’s parents cried, but not her. She felt cold, like how Grandma’s body was now. She knew she should be sad, but all she could do was wonder. Was that how she would die? Would people cry for her like they did for Grandma? The funeral was scheduled for Sunday,  but Rin didn't want to go. Grandma would’ve wanted to be remembered as she was in life, wise and kind. Not a corpse in the ground.
    The people in the hallway looked like ghosts, only visible if she squinted.
    Five…
    Now everyone was truly gone. The hallway lay deserted, Rin’s footsteps echoing in a dusty building. For as long as she could hold her breath, she would be free of the people- the ones who didn’t understand or care. Objects rearranged themselves when she wasn’t looking to match with how people interacted with things in reality. Rin blinked, and a phone appeared on the floor, screen shattered. Too bad for whoever dropped it.
    Although she was holding her breath, the air felt clearer. No words, no breath, no wakes of people walking past. If only she could stop breathing, stay in this quiet place forever. All too soon, however, she was forced to inhale,
    Reality crashed back in, sharp and intrusive. The smells of mint gum and BO assailed her, accompanied by a torrent of voices. Rin staggered, but caught herself. Only one class left. If the world got too loud, she could always take another breather.
 

 

[Wittles]

the funny one was totally ridiculous and absurd, my favorite kind of humor. the part with the unexplained curse made me laugh(more than the other parts)

The serious one actually made me kind of emotional. It hit hard. Awesome job!

[The Aspiring Archivist]

I'm probably going to read this later, but I cannot muster the mental energy at the moment.

UPDATE: It has been read.

The first one is very silly. Well done.

The second is interesting. The emotional parts are pretty well done, and I also like the concept of the breathers. The counting kind of reminded me of the summoning of a shardblade, but that might just be because I'm reading WoK.

Good job! I'd love to see more of this.

@Ranryu

Edited January 21, 2023 by The Aspiring Archivist

[Ranryu]

On 1/20/2023 at 11:10 PM, Witless of Shinovar said:

the funny one was totally ridiculous and absurd, my favorite kind of humor. the part with the unexplained curse made me laugh(more than the other parts)

The serious one actually made me kind of emotional. It hit hard. Awesome job!

 

On 1/20/2023 at 11:27 PM, The Aspiring Archivist said:

I'm probably going to read this later, but I cannot muster the mental energy at the moment.

UPDATE: It has been read.

The first one is very silly. Well done.

The second is interesting. The emotional parts are pretty well done, and I also like the concept of the breathers. The counting kind of reminded me of the summoning of a shardblade, but that might just be because I'm reading WoK.

Good job! I'd love to see more of this.

@Ranryu

Thanks! I was kind of worried about sharing this stuff with people, but apparently my concern was unfounded. I wrote that second one when I was having a rough time a while back. 

And also, another one!

Spoiler

(I like the idea on this one, but I didn't put a whole lot of effort into it. It was just a bit of creative writing so I didn't go insane writing boring essays. And also I went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole on the wild hunt)

The Unicorn and the Wild Hunt.
    The unicorn was close. Its sweet scent– sea foam and  lily– clung to the cool misty air like mud to a pair of boots. Jon took a second to admire his own boots, the first shoes he had ever owned. Who knew that stealing from Lord Bolelyn’s keep would have such rich rewards? Sure, Jon was forced to abandon his wife and newborn son, but they would be fine without him. Surely Lord Bolelyn wouldn’t punish them too harshly. 
    Besides, a unicorn’s coat would set everything right with the cruel tyrant. During his flight from the lord’s soldiers, Jon had discovered this place, this unicorn garden. Though the year was waning, flowers still bloomed here, and spring birds roosted in the ancient oak trees. He had caught a glimpse of the legendary animal when he entered the garden, but it had vanished without a trace, leaving only its sweet scent. 
    As Jon looked up from his boots, he saw a glimmer of white. The unicorn! He rounded a tree and sure enough, there it was. A unicorn, exactly how it had been described in the myths. A small horse-like creature, with a shining white coat and a long pearly horn.
    The unicorn stared at Jon innocently as he approached. It didn’t seem to be startled. As he gazed into its serene gold eyes, he felt regretful for killing it, but only for a second. The thought of riches beyond imagination drove him as he selected a large stick from off the ground. 
    The unicorn didn’t flinch as he swung the crude club, striking it squarely in the front legs. It let out the slightest whimper as it fell, collapsing gracefully to the forest floor. Jon let out a yell and jumped on the creature, squeezing its thin neck. It brayed and kicked weakly, but soon its struggles ceased as its eyes glazed over.
    Jon stood back and examined the carcass, satisfied with his hunting abilities. He didn’t even have to use the knife he stole from Lord Bolelyn. Of course, the knife would be needed to skin the animal and remove its horn. Jon set to work.
    Unnoticed by Jon, the unicorn garden around him withered away. Trees lost their leaves and rotted into moldering piles. Flowers wilted and disintegrated, blowing away into the wind. If Jon’s nose hadn’t been clogged with the scent of unicorn blood, he would have noticed the smell of thousands of animal corpses, all killed in the same instant the unicorn was. If he had looked up, he would’ve noticed black clouds gathering in the sky, drifting opposite from the wind.
    Unfortunately for the foolish thief, he didn’t notice anything, carried away as he was with skinning the unicorn. It wasn’t until the screaming started that he looked up.
    A mob surrounded him– no, an army. Hideous beasts, grinning skulls, and flaming warriors all leered at him. Jon’s brain could not process what he was seeing. 
Surely this must be some sort of dream! He thought. 
    A burning figure astride a demonic hound stepped forward, addressing Jon in a voice that shook the ground.
    “I am Revanche, leader of the Wild Hunt. Jon, son of Liam, you have been found guilty of an unforgivable crime.”
     She turned to the crowd behind her, allowing Jon a better view of her. This 'Revanche' was a child, no older than sixteen! Although her appearance was youthful, Jon was not comforted. The spector’s hair burned like fire, and her head was adorned with a terrible helm, made of a pure black metal and worked into the shape of a thousand tangled antlers. A boiling wind rolled off of her, causing Jon to start sweating more than he had been before. Her mount, a smoke-grey hound with burning eyes, growled, revealing its serrated teeth. 
    “This mortal, a human, has killed the king of the unicorns. I say we meet an unforgivable crime with an unfathomable punishment. What think you, my ghostly hunt?”
    The assembly of ghouls jeered. Bones clacked and daemons roared as the Hunt advanced towards Jon.
    “And you, human? Do you have any defense for your actions, any explanation besides selfishness?”
    Jon trembled. 
    “I… I… If the unicorn didn’t want to be slain, it should’ve defended itself.
    This made the Wild Hunt roar with anger.
    “Defended himself? Unicorns are beings of innocence, peace, and kindness. Even a mortal such as yourself would have sensed that. Away with him! Daemons, take him away to the depths of your realm, do with him as you will. Make sure this villain’s existence is one of eternal torment.
    The daemons delighted in this. A scaly beast picked Jon up by the arm, biting down hard on it. As one, the Wild hunt took to the sky, to return to their home realms. As the daemons exited, Revanche waited behind, viewing the ruins of the unicorn garden.
    “Rest in peace, unicorn. Your loss has been avenged.” 

 

[Ranryu]

Hmmm… @Telrao gave me a good idea a while back. I wrote this and have no idea where it’s going to go, but it’ll be fun!

Miniseries time!!

Spoiler

There is a glass forest north and east of here. It sounds strange, right? A forest made of glass— how can that be? Honestly, I don’t know. Nobody does. The forest has been here long before us and will undoubtedly be here for centuries to come. Each crystalline tree holds secrets beyond your understanding— knowledge not meant for mortals like you and me.

How do I know about this forest, you ask? It’s a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it? Okay then. Hmmm… let me think of where to start.

I was born in a little farming town not far from here. No, it’s not much like your big City at all. Hush now. Let me tell the story.

As I was saying, I was born to poor farmers. My parents loved me very much, but they didn’t have enough money to take care of me and all my siblings, so they sent me to the City to find work. Yes, this City. If you keep interrupting me, I won’t tell the story. 

Back before the labor laws, factories were eager to hire children like me to work their assembly lines. During the day, I painted the faces on tin soldiers. At night, I huddled in my apartment with the eleven young workers who lived in the same room as me. 

I promise the story will pick up soon. That was just the background so you’d understand what’s happening. Hush now. If your father hears your screeching, he’ll fire me and tan your hide.

This story starts in that crowded apartment one February night. All my roommates were fast asleep, wrapped in their dirty blankets and old coats. Our apartment didn’t have heating, you see. Anyway, everyone was asleep but me. My little cot was placed next to the single dingy window. It had been the only place available when I moved in. 

A cold draft leaked in from the window, making me even colder than I had been before. That wasn’t the reason I was awake, though. 

Our apartment was located on the twentieth floor of a rundown complex. The only way up or down was a splintery set of stairs, but I didn’t mind. The view more than made up for it.

Before me was the entire City in its decrepit grandeur. The neighborhood surrounding my apartment complex was old and rotting— full of abandoned tenement buildings, trash, and rodents. Between the old skeletons of dying buildings were glimpses of the rest of the city. I saw little shops that sold things far out of my price range, fancy new automobiles zooming down the freshly paved streets, and people in brightly colored clothes walking on sidewalks. Beyond that, the business district loomed on the horizon. Huge skyscrapers, covered in glittering lights and neon signs.

All of it was so different from the tobacco plantation I had grown up on. Every night I was kept awake by the strange city sounds, sights, and smells. On this particular night, a strange sound captured my attention. It was sort of like an automobile engine, but it boomed across the sky, drowning everything else out. My roommates didn’t even stir, of course.

Suddenly it came into view. A huge object in the sky, sort of an oval shape with a cab attached to the bottom. Could this be an airship, the giant balloon the papers had been buzzing about for weeks? I was in awe.

Hush now. It’s getting late. Perhaps we can finish the story tomorrow. Good night little one.

 

[Telrao]

OooooOOOooooo

I love the imagery in your writing! Paints a really neat picture  

[Ranryu]

Thanks! You really inspired me.

I know it's not the best-written thing ever, but I'd rather keep this a fun side activity instead of obsessing over it like I do with some of my other stuff. I'll edit this post with the next installment when it's finished!

[S. Stormy]

10 minutes ago, Ranryu said:

Thanks! You really inspired me.

I know it's not the best-written thing ever, but I'd rather keep this a fun side activity instead of obsessing over it like I do with some of my other stuff. I'll edit this post with the next installment when it's finished!

Seems pretty darn well-written to me!

[The Wandering Wizard]

14 hours ago, Ranryu said:

Hmmm… @Telrao gave me a good idea a while back. I wrote this and have no idea where it’s going to go, but it’ll be fun!

Miniseries time!!

  Hide contents

There is a glass forest north and east of here. It sounds strange, right? A forest made of glass— how can that be? Honestly, I don’t know. Nobody does. The forest has been here long before us and will undoubtedly be here for centuries to come. Each crystalline tree holds secrets beyond your understanding— knowledge not meant for mortals like you and me.

How do I know about this forest, you ask? It’s a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it? Okay then. Hmmm… let me think of where to start.

I was born in a little farming town not far from here. No, it’s not much like your big City at all. Hush now. Let me tell the story.

As I was saying, I was born to poor farmers. My parents loved me very much, but they didn’t have enough money to take care of me and all my siblings, so they sent me to the City to find work. Yes, this City. If you keep interrupting me, I won’t tell the story. 

Back before the labor laws, factories were eager to hire children like me to work their assembly lines. During the day, I painted the faces on tin soldiers. At night, I huddled in my apartment with the eleven young workers who lived in the same room as me. 

I promise the story will pick up soon. That was just the background so you’d understand what’s happening. Hush now. If your father hears your screeching, he’ll fire me and tan your hide.

This story starts in that crowded apartment one February night. All my roommates were fast asleep, wrapped in their dirty blankets and old coats. Our apartment didn’t have heating, you see. Anyway, everyone was asleep but me. My little cot was placed next to the single dingy window. It had been the only place available when I moved in. 

A cold draft leaked in from the window, making me even colder than I had been before. That wasn’t the reason I was awake, though. 

Our apartment was located on the twentieth floor of a rundown complex. The only way up or down was a splintery set of stairs, but I didn’t mind. The view more than made up for it.

Before me was the entire City in its decrepit grandeur. The neighborhood surrounding my apartment complex was old and rotting— full of abandoned tenement buildings, trash, and rodents. Between the old skeletons of dying buildings were glimpses of the rest of the city. I saw little shops that sold things far out of my price range, fancy new automobiles zooming down the freshly paved streets, and people in brightly colored clothes walking on sidewalks. Beyond that, the business district loomed on the horizon. Huge skyscrapers, covered in glittering lights and neon signs.

All of it was so different from the tobacco plantation I had grown up on. Every night I was kept awake by the strange city sounds, sights, and smells. On this particular night, a strange sound captured my attention. It was sort of like an automobile engine, but it boomed across the sky, drowning everything else out. My roommates didn’t even stir, of course.

Suddenly it came into view. A huge object in the sky, sort of an oval shape with a cab attached to the bottom. Could this be an airship, the giant balloon the papers had been buzzing about for weeks? I was in awe.

Hush now. It’s getting late. Perhaps we can finish the story tomorrow. Good night little one.

 

But I don't wanna go to bed, I wanna here more of the story!

Very very interesting!

[Ranryu]

Okay guys, here it is!

Miniseries #2 (I gotta come up with a better name for this) (also it's short because it's late and maybe sleep is fun)

Spoiler

Oh dearie, don’t cry. Your father isn’t mad at you when he yells like that. Well, maybe he is, but it’s not your fault. Here, I’ll tuck you in.
How about we continue that story?
Hmm… where did I leave off? Ah, the airship. This part is really exciting.
I was sitting in my apartment, staring out at the huge airship that loomed over the City. For a single moment, it seemed like something much larger and grander than a simple machine of rubber and metal. Then the alarms started going off.
Even from miles away, I could hear the frantic blaring. It echoed off every building in the City. The sound was soon followed by sirens and the ruckus of a City in panic. My roommates stirred slightly, but didn’t wake. 
With alarm, I noticed that the airship was decreasing in altitude. It got bigger and bigger– closer and closer. For a moment I feared it would crash into my building by some wicked twist of fate, but it didn’t. The magnificent vehicle swerved towards the industrial sector, then, with a metallic groan, burst into flames. 
I watched in horror as it went down… Eventually, it sank out of sight, sirens still wailing in my ears. I didn’t sleep that night. My eyes were drawn to the window, where the airship was no longer visible. What could have caused such a disaster? The airship program was the pride of the City’s elite, something bragged about constantly. Even I held some level of pride, knowing that the City I lived in was also the first City to create flying machines. 
Yes, the airship crashing was very scary for everyone. Many people were afraid that it would start a fire and burn down the City. Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. Your father has invented airships that will never crash or burn, and that is why he’s so busy all the time. 
The next day was not a good day for me or my roommates. The airship might not have crashed on us, but it did crash on the next worst thing. The toy factory we worked at was completely crushed. The toy company sent us fancy little letters saying that they were dreadfully sorry but we wouldn’t be able to work for them anymore. I cried that day. Without the money from my job, my family would go hungry. I would go hungry.
Of course, going hungry would not do at all, so I decided to get a new job. That’s right, you clever little rascal, you do know what happens next. I applied to become an airship worker.
…
I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Burnen, but Ronnie has a hard time falling asleep without a bedtime story. I hope we didn’t disturb you.
Yes, right away. Sorry, sir. 
…
I’m sorry dearheart, but it’s time to go to sleep now. Maybe I can tell you how the story ends another time. Goodnight. Yes, of course I love you. Now go to sleep.
 

 

[Telrao]

Yay! This is super engaging, Ranryu! I'm really interested in the plotline now  Awesome writing!

[Ranryu]

2 minutes ago, Telrao said:

Yay! This is super engaging, Ranryu! I'm really interested in the plotline now  Awesome writing!

Thanks! Now I just need to figure out where the plotline is going. I have a climax and an ending, but the stuff in-between eludes me. Is there anything in particular that you guys would be interested in seeing here?

[Telrao]

1 minute ago, Ranryu said:

Thanks! Now I just need to figure out where the plotline is going. I have a climax and an ending, but the stuff in-between eludes me. Is there anything in particular that you guys would be interested in seeing here?

*whispering* MORE EXPLOSIONS?? And perhaps cast scenes into the real world? I dunno  

[Ranryu]

Just now, Telrao said:

*whispering* MORE EXPLOSIONS?? And perhaps cast scenes into the real world? I dunno  

Real world scenes would be easier to do if I could change the font to make the transition clear, but that's definitely something I'll consider for later down the road. And yes, there will be many explosions. These aren't peaceful airships, you see.

And now I should probably sleep, even though I feel like writing until I pass out . 

[Ranryu]

Hey peeps! I promise I'll get to that miniseries eventually, but it might not be for a while. I'm pretty busy. Here's the (unedited) opening to the big project I'm working on!

Spoiler

King Alric panted, his heart pounding in his chest. By his side, his young daughter whimpered quietly. In the dark alleyway, he could barely see her terrified face.

“Hush.” He whispered to her. “If they hear you, they will chase us again.”

The six year old’s eyes widened at the thought, and she nodded her head vigorously. She was tired after running across the city, but the fear of their pursuers kept her going. She was too young to understand exactly what the danger was, but her father’s unease was enough to put her on alert.

“I want Mommy.” The little girl said quietly. “Where is she?”

Alric suppressed a sob. How was he supposed to explain to his precious youngest daughter that her mother was dead? That her siblings were dead? Executed by their own aunt– someone that little Kyra loved and trusted. He didn’t have the heart to say it.

“Mommy’s busy right now. Come along. We need to get to the monorail.” As he spoke, footsteps clattered down the street. A quick glance revealed a palace guard, black uniform contrasting against the white road and buildings, even in the dead of night. 

As the guard passed, Alric noted the red patch on his left shoulder. This guard supported Rhea, the usurper. Just a few more feet. Alric begged. Pass us by. The man walked down the street, oblivious of the royalty hidden in the alleyway behind him. 

Kyra let out another whimper. 

Alric tried to hush her, but it was too late. The guard snapped around, his suspicions raised. A curfew was in effect; nobody was supposed to be out this late. Alric pulled Kyra against the wall, heart rate accelerating. If the guard caught them, he would take them back to Rhea, and they would be executed just like the others. As the guard’s footsteps got louder, Alric fumbled with his satchel. Surely he had something in here that could help. His hands closed around cold metal.

Yes! My dagger! Hand shaking, Alric pulled the ornate dagger out of his bag and unsheathed it. The alleyway lit up with brilliant blue-white light from the weapon’s jeweled hilt.

“Who’s there?” The guard shouted, temporarily blinded. 

Alric wasted no time. Although he’d never been trained in combat, he understood the basic idea. 

“Kyra, close your eyes!”

He slashed, blade easily biting into the guard’s neck. The other man cried out, but the sound was quickly cut off. The metallic smell of blood filled the air, and it took all Alric had not to be sick. He had never killed a man before. Curse the royal metalsmiths for making this blade so sharp. And bless them, for saving my life tonight. He wiped the dagger off and put it back into the satchel, extinguishing the glow of the Valamite crystals on its hilt. 

Alric looked around, internally cursing. The guard had fallen out of the alley. If they wanted to have any measure of secrecy, the corpse would have to be moved further down the narrow passage. 

“Keep your eyes shut.” He instructed his still-whimpering daughter. 

Gingerly, he picked up the guard’s legs and dragged him into the alley a few meters. Blood smeared across the ground, causing Alric to gag. Hopefully Street Patrol won’t find him until morning. Alric took a few steps from the corpse, then paused realizing he had almost missed a valuable opportunity. He knelt down and unclipped the blaster from the guard’s belt. This might come in handy. 

After stowing the gun, he grabbed Kyra’s hand. “Don’t look back.” He pulled her along. “The late-night rail leaves soon. If we miss it, we’ll have to leave the city on foot.”

“Daddy, where are we going?” Kyra asked with wide-eyed innocence. “What about Mommy and Joie? Why are we running?”

“I’ll explain later, baby. Daddy is tired right now. We need to get to the rail station.”

Nobody questioned as two quiet figures slipped abroad the next ride out of the city. Luckily, Rhea hadn’t thought to post guards at the monorail. As they sped into the distance, Alric looked back at his city, Dawn’s Sight. Nowhere else was quite as beautiful, with its impossibly high white towers and gently glowing Valamite lamps. His heart ached with the loss of his wife, his children, and his kingdom. 

In an unwelcome flash, his last moments in the palace came back to him. Fighting everywhere. Chaos, and the huge beast that was his brother lunging at the enemy. Blood. His brother falling to the ground, and the wild cheering of the soldiers who had slain the monster. Running. Fear. And…

Kyra’s quiet voice brought him back into reality.

“Where are we going? I want to go home.”

“We have a new home.” Alric said gently. “We will live in the woods. You’ll like it, I promise.”

“Okay Daddy.” The little girl snuggled up next to him. “And Mommy will be there, right?”

Alric didn’t respond. It occurred to him that it was his duty to protect Kyra, not just because she was his daughter, but because she was quite possibly the only living member of clan Royse– the royal bloodline. His last connection to his wife, Vanya. There and then, he swore that he would never let anything happen to her.

As I said, I haven't edited this yet. What do you guys think?

[The Aspiring Archivist]

36 minutes ago, Ranryu said:

Hey peeps! I promise I'll get to that miniseries eventually, but it might not be for a while. I'm pretty busy. Here's the (unedited) opening to the big project I'm working on!

  Hide contents

King Alric panted, his heart pounding in his chest. By his side, his young daughter whimpered quietly. In the dark alleyway, he could barely see her terrified face.

“Hush.” He whispered to her. “If they hear you, they will chase us again.”

The six year old’s eyes widened at the thought, and she nodded her head vigorously. She was tired after running across the city, but the fear of their pursuers kept her going. She was too young to understand exactly what the danger was, but her father’s unease was enough to put her on alert.

“I want Mommy.” The little girl said quietly. “Where is she?”

Alric suppressed a sob. How was he supposed to explain to his precious youngest daughter that her mother was dead? That her siblings were dead? Executed by their own aunt– someone that little Kyra loved and trusted. He didn’t have the heart to say it.

“Mommy’s busy right now. Come along. We need to get to the monorail.” As he spoke, footsteps clattered down the street. A quick glance revealed a palace guard, black uniform contrasting against the white road and buildings, even in the dead of night. 

As the guard passed, Alric noted the red patch on his left shoulder. This guard supported Rhea, the usurper. Just a few more feet. Alric begged. Pass us by. The man walked down the street, oblivious of the royalty hidden in the alleyway behind him. 

Kyra let out another whimper. 

Alric tried to hush her, but it was too late. The guard snapped around, his suspicions raised. A curfew was in effect; nobody was supposed to be out this late. Alric pulled Kyra against the wall, heart rate accelerating. If the guard caught them, he would take them back to Rhea, and they would be executed just like the others. As the guard’s footsteps got louder, Alric fumbled with his satchel. Surely he had something in here that could help. His hands closed around cold metal.

Yes! My dagger! Hand shaking, Alric pulled the ornate dagger out of his bag and unsheathed it. The alleyway lit up with brilliant blue-white light from the weapon’s jeweled hilt.

“Who’s there?” The guard shouted, temporarily blinded. 

Alric wasted no time. Although he’d never been trained in combat, he understood the basic idea. 

“Kyra, close your eyes!”

He slashed, blade easily biting into the guard’s neck. The other man cried out, but the sound was quickly cut off. The metallic smell of blood filled the air, and it took all Alric had not to be sick. He had never killed a man before. Curse the royal metalsmiths for making this blade so sharp. And bless them, for saving my life tonight. He wiped the dagger off and put it back into the satchel, extinguishing the glow of the Valamite crystals on its hilt. 

Alric looked around, internally cursing. The guard had fallen out of the alley. If they wanted to have any measure of secrecy, the corpse would have to be moved further down the narrow passage. 

“Keep your eyes shut.” He instructed his still-whimpering daughter. 

Gingerly, he picked up the guard’s legs and dragged him into the alley a few meters. Blood smeared across the ground, causing Alric to gag. Hopefully Street Patrol won’t find him until morning. Alric took a few steps from the corpse, then paused realizing he had almost missed a valuable opportunity. He knelt down and unclipped the blaster from the guard’s belt. This might come in handy. 

After stowing the gun, he grabbed Kyra’s hand. “Don’t look back.” He pulled her along. “The late-night rail leaves soon. If we miss it, we’ll have to leave the city on foot.”

“Daddy, where are we going?” Kyra asked with wide-eyed innocence. “What about Mommy and Joie? Why are we running?”

“I’ll explain later, baby. Daddy is tired right now. We need to get to the rail station.”

Nobody questioned as two quiet figures slipped abroad the next ride out of the city. Luckily, Rhea hadn’t thought to post guards at the monorail. As they sped into the distance, Alric looked back at his city, Dawn’s Sight. Nowhere else was quite as beautiful, with its impossibly high white towers and gently glowing Valamite lamps. His heart ached with the loss of his wife, his children, and his kingdom. 

In an unwelcome flash, his last moments in the palace came back to him. Fighting everywhere. Chaos, and the huge beast that was his brother lunging at the enemy. Blood. His brother falling to the ground, and the wild cheering of the soldiers who had slain the monster. Running. Fear. And…

Kyra’s quiet voice brought him back into reality.

“Where are we going? I want to go home.”

“We have a new home.” Alric said gently. “We will live in the woods. You’ll like it, I promise.”

“Okay Daddy.” The little girl snuggled up next to him. “And Mommy will be there, right?”

Alric didn’t respond. It occurred to him that it was his duty to protect Kyra, not just because she was his daughter, but because she was quite possibly the only living member of clan Royse– the royal bloodline. His last connection to his wife, Vanya. There and then, he swore that he would never let anything happen to her.

As I said, I haven't edited this yet. What do you guys think?

Intruiguing. I like it! I don't really feel like I have decent feedback, though. Sorry...

[Ranryu]

Just now, The Aspiring Archivist said:

Intruiguing. I like it! I don't really feel like I have decent feedback, though. Sorry...

Well, thanks anyway. It's kind of not enough text to give super beneficial feedback on anyway, especially considering how it's just a draft. I might post more of it later, once I have it in a presentable state!

[The Wandering Wizard]

11 hours ago, Ranryu said:

Hey peeps! I promise I'll get to that miniseries eventually, but it might not be for a while. I'm pretty busy. Here's the (unedited) opening to the big project I'm working on!

  Hide contents

King Alric panted, his heart pounding in his chest. By his side, his young daughter whimpered quietly. In the dark alleyway, he could barely see her terrified face.

“Hush.” He whispered to her. “If they hear you, they will chase us again.”

The six year old’s eyes widened at the thought, and she nodded her head vigorously. She was tired after running across the city, but the fear of their pursuers kept her going. She was too young to understand exactly what the danger was, but her father’s unease was enough to put her on alert.

“I want Mommy.” The little girl said quietly. “Where is she?”

Alric suppressed a sob. How was he supposed to explain to his precious youngest daughter that her mother was dead? That her siblings were dead? Executed by their own aunt– someone that little Kyra loved and trusted. He didn’t have the heart to say it.

“Mommy’s busy right now. Come along. We need to get to the monorail.” As he spoke, footsteps clattered down the street. A quick glance revealed a palace guard, black uniform contrasting against the white road and buildings, even in the dead of night. 

As the guard passed, Alric noted the red patch on his left shoulder. This guard supported Rhea, the usurper. Just a few more feet. Alric begged. Pass us by. The man walked down the street, oblivious of the royalty hidden in the alleyway behind him. 

Kyra let out another whimper. 

Alric tried to hush her, but it was too late. The guard snapped around, his suspicions raised. A curfew was in effect; nobody was supposed to be out this late. Alric pulled Kyra against the wall, heart rate accelerating. If the guard caught them, he would take them back to Rhea, and they would be executed just like the others. As the guard’s footsteps got louder, Alric fumbled with his satchel. Surely he had something in here that could help. His hands closed around cold metal.

Yes! My dagger! Hand shaking, Alric pulled the ornate dagger out of his bag and unsheathed it. The alleyway lit up with brilliant blue-white light from the weapon’s jeweled hilt.

“Who’s there?” The guard shouted, temporarily blinded. 

Alric wasted no time. Although he’d never been trained in combat, he understood the basic idea. 

“Kyra, close your eyes!”

He slashed, blade easily biting into the guard’s neck. The other man cried out, but the sound was quickly cut off. The metallic smell of blood filled the air, and it took all Alric had not to be sick. He had never killed a man before. Curse the royal metalsmiths for making this blade so sharp. And bless them, for saving my life tonight. He wiped the dagger off and put it back into the satchel, extinguishing the glow of the Valamite crystals on its hilt. 

Alric looked around, internally cursing. The guard had fallen out of the alley. If they wanted to have any measure of secrecy, the corpse would have to be moved further down the narrow passage. 

“Keep your eyes shut.” He instructed his still-whimpering daughter. 

Gingerly, he picked up the guard’s legs and dragged him into the alley a few meters. Blood smeared across the ground, causing Alric to gag. Hopefully Street Patrol won’t find him until morning. Alric took a few steps from the corpse, then paused realizing he had almost missed a valuable opportunity. He knelt down and unclipped the blaster from the guard’s belt. This might come in handy. 

After stowing the gun, he grabbed Kyra’s hand. “Don’t look back.” He pulled her along. “The late-night rail leaves soon. If we miss it, we’ll have to leave the city on foot.”

“Daddy, where are we going?” Kyra asked with wide-eyed innocence. “What about Mommy and Joie? Why are we running?”

“I’ll explain later, baby. Daddy is tired right now. We need to get to the rail station.”

Nobody questioned as two quiet figures slipped abroad the next ride out of the city. Luckily, Rhea hadn’t thought to post guards at the monorail. As they sped into the distance, Alric looked back at his city, Dawn’s Sight. Nowhere else was quite as beautiful, with its impossibly high white towers and gently glowing Valamite lamps. His heart ached with the loss of his wife, his children, and his kingdom. 

In an unwelcome flash, his last moments in the palace came back to him. Fighting everywhere. Chaos, and the huge beast that was his brother lunging at the enemy. Blood. His brother falling to the ground, and the wild cheering of the soldiers who had slain the monster. Running. Fear. And…

Kyra’s quiet voice brought him back into reality.

“Where are we going? I want to go home.”

“We have a new home.” Alric said gently. “We will live in the woods. You’ll like it, I promise.”

“Okay Daddy.” The little girl snuggled up next to him. “And Mommy will be there, right?”

Alric didn’t respond. It occurred to him that it was his duty to protect Kyra, not just because she was his daughter, but because she was quite possibly the only living member of clan Royse– the royal bloodline. His last connection to his wife, Vanya. There and then, he swore that he would never let anything happen to her.

As I said, I haven't edited this yet. What do you guys think?

Fascinating!

I really want to know more about how the world works now

[Ranryu]

I wrote a thing for a group challenge. It's based on the song Under the Circus Lights, by Owl City. It's a little rough, but I had a hard time writing it, so I don't really care to go back and edit it.

Spoiler

Once upon a summer, the world ended.
Not literally, of course, Riley mused as she packed up her bedroom. It would be better– if the world had actually ended. No, the only thing ending was the school year. And everything Riley cared about in life. Her friends, her education, and her hopes for any sort of future. Everything and everyone would be moving on to college without her.
The MIT rejection letter sat on Riley’s desk. 
It was inconceivable. She had done everything right. Perfect grades, all the hardest classes, all the extracurriculars, a 34 on the ACT, and hours of work on the application process. All of Riley’s friends had gotten in. Why not her? A shiver went down her back.
Riley’s dad told her she was being unreasonable. MIT was a highly selective school. She could apply somewhere else and get in easily, but Riley didn’t want somewhere else. She had promised Jake…
At the thought, Riley climbed over boxes to the bookshelf at the back of the room. The treasures. An interesting chunk of sandstone. A worn pair of boots. A green ribbon. A carefully pinned morpho peleides kollar. A folded piece of paper. Her parents called them junk– only Riley knew their true value. 
For the time being, she ignored the other objects, picking up the paper. A letter from Jake. For the thousandth time, her eyes scanned the page, taking in the neat writing in blue ink. For the thousandth time, her fingers brushed the words, imagining Jake’s hand carefully writing each letter. For the thousandth time, her eyes were pulled to the bottom of the page. Jake’s last words to her.
Goodbye, butterfly.
Jake was the only one allowed to call her that. If anyone else dared, she’d kick them into next week. But Jake was special. Always. Her grip tightened, crumpling the paper slightly. She would not cry. Not anymore. 
Riley looked at all the boxes that filled her bedroom. There was a little apartment downtown waiting for her. Another, more appealing option glimmered in the back of her mind.
Before she could process what she was doing, Riley was running to the window, tearing off her thick denim jacket. This was a better option. She had nothing to lose. Not any more.
As she fumbled with removing the window’s screen, her bedroom door creaked open. 
“Riley– what?” But he was too late. The screen crashed on the pavement below.
“Sorry Dad.”
The wind rushed in, pulling away both Jake’s letter and the rejection letter. Riley let it take her, too. Out the window she went, ignoring the shouts of her father.
To the pedestrians below, Riley seemed to fall for ever. Then, inexplicably, she began to soar. It might just have been a trick of the light,  but she appeared to have iridescent butterfly wings arching from her back. If the pedestrian was especially observant, they might’ve noticed gleaming tears flowing down her cheeks, despite the grin that lit up her face. Or maybe it was just a trick of the light.
Riley followed the wind eastward, watching the two letters that changed her life disappear into the distance. All her life, she had lived without flying. Maybe now… she could find how to live after her world had ended.

 

[The Wandering Wizard]

1 hour ago, Ranryu said:

I wrote a thing for a group challenge. It's based on the song Under the Circus Lights, by Owl City. It's a little rough, but I had a hard time writing it, so I don't really care to go back and edit it.

  Reveal hidden contents

Once upon a summer, the world ended.
Not literally, of course, Riley mused as she packed up her bedroom. It would be better– if the world had actually ended. No, the only thing ending was the school year. And everything Riley cared about in life. Her friends, her education, and her hopes for any sort of future. Everything and everyone would be moving on to college without her.
The MIT rejection letter sat on Riley’s desk. 
It was inconceivable. She had done everything right. Perfect grades, all the hardest classes, all the extracurriculars, a 34 on the ACT, and hours of work on the application process. All of Riley’s friends had gotten in. Why not her? A shiver went down her back.
Riley’s dad told her she was being unreasonable. MIT was a highly selective school. She could apply somewhere else and get in easily, but Riley didn’t want somewhere else. She had promised Jake…
At the thought, Riley climbed over boxes to the bookshelf at the back of the room. The treasures. An interesting chunk of sandstone. A worn pair of boots. A green ribbon. A carefully pinned morpho peleides kollar. A folded piece of paper. Her parents called them junk– only Riley knew their true value. 
For the time being, she ignored the other objects, picking up the paper. A letter from Jake. For the thousandth time, her eyes scanned the page, taking in the neat writing in blue ink. For the thousandth time, her fingers brushed the words, imagining Jake’s hand carefully writing each letter. For the thousandth time, her eyes were pulled to the bottom of the page. Jake’s last words to her.
Goodbye, butterfly.
Jake was the only one allowed to call her that. If anyone else dared, she’d kick them into next week. But Jake was special. Always. Her grip tightened, crumpling the paper slightly. She would not cry. Not anymore. 
Riley looked at all the boxes that filled her bedroom. There was a little apartment downtown waiting for her. Another, more appealing option glimmered in the back of her mind.
Before she could process what she was doing, Riley was running to the window, tearing off her thick denim jacket. This was a better option. She had nothing to lose. Not any more.
As she fumbled with removing the window’s screen, her bedroom door creaked open. 
“Riley– what?” But he was too late. The screen crashed on the pavement below.
“Sorry Dad.”
The wind rushed in, pulling away both Jake’s letter and the rejection letter. Riley let it take her, too. Out the window she went, ignoring the shouts of her father.
To the pedestrians below, Riley seemed to fall for ever. Then, inexplicably, she began to soar. It might just have been a trick of the light,  but she appeared to have iridescent butterfly wings arching from her back. If the pedestrian was especially observant, they might’ve noticed gleaming tears flowing down her cheeks, despite the grin that lit up her face. Or maybe it was just a trick of the light.
Riley followed the wind eastward, watching the two letters that changed her life disappear into the distance. All her life, she had lived without flying. Maybe now… she could find how to live after her world had ended.

 

o:

That is just o:

Edit: It's a good o: of good writing 

Edited June 12, 2023 by The Wandering Wizard