AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
He has apparently worn some of her mom's designs so she finds him delightful
But no, not in that way
She's just always like that
Out Of Character Chat
- Thread starter stellar.nova
- Start date
He has apparently worn some of her mom's designs so she finds him delightful
But no, not in that way
She's just always like that
deer
sul sul
Oui, Bennett respects Avril and her mom. And has definitely paid tribute to her mom before when she passed and has worn her clothing line in photo shoots but also sometimes daily
PixieDust
Ten Thousand Club
Jada sends Avie a warm hug
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
I can't help but appreciate that Cassy's going to the garden
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Welp. I've written a lot today.
Yay
Tomorrow I'll hopefully get all my others up, but right now I have another thing to post for, so my OP charas are going on the backburner >w>
Next up will be: Toby, Jackie, Kenny, Ivy, Cassy, and finally Olly :3
Yay
Tomorrow I'll hopefully get all my others up, but right now I have another thing to post for, so my OP charas are going on the backburner >w>
Next up will be: Toby, Jackie, Kenny, Ivy, Cassy, and finally Olly :3
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
When what Galen suggested is what Toby was going to suggest, had I posted him first
Great minds think alike
Toby: He said it smarter.
Toby stop being insecure
Toby: Nah, I'll just go sit over here....in the corner....
TIME TO EDIT
Great minds think alike
Toby: He said it smarter.
Toby stop being insecure
Toby: Nah, I'll just go sit over here....in the corner....
TIME TO EDIT
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Now I shall collapse, having posted all my charas
*collapse*
I'll wait a bit before bothering with anything more
*falls asleep*
*collapse*
I'll wait a bit before bothering with anything more
*falls asleep*
PixieDust
Ten Thousand Club
Good job Gen!
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Skylie: *peeking in* Proud of you.
Avie: Oh, no, is she alright?
Ivy: I'll go get the hose.
Kenny: *pats my head*
Cassy: *sets a flower beside my head*
Olly: *reads a book beside me*
Toby: *smiles* Good job, Gen.
Jackie: *grins* You did good.
As you can see, they think so as well
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
PixieDust
DANG IT LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONEKenny: AVIE WHERE'S MY CAPE I NEED TO RESCUE GARETH FROM THIS AWKWARDNESS
Avie: *whips out a cape in an over-dramatic fashion* RIGHT HERE KENNY
Kenny: *sweeps it around himself and poses fantastically* Haha!
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Kenny: Now all I need is a super hero alias....
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Kenny, Avie, and Ivy are pretty raring to respond, but I'm going to wait like the polite person I am o v o
(Especially since Dani or Dulci is next in Kenny's interaction owo )
(And Avie's nice and wants either Jules or Mags to do something first, if they want to XD )
(Ivy: Meh. My joke can wait.)
(Especially since Dani or Dulci is next in Kenny's interaction owo )
(And Avie's nice and wants either Jules or Mags to do something first, if they want to XD )
(Ivy: Meh. My joke can wait.)
Seraph Darkfire
King of the Underworld
I didn't want to flood the discord chat with my stuff, but I was talking about all of my ideas for roleplays on there so I will put their synopsi? synopses? here in spoilers.
In the year 2020, humanity met had it's first official alien contact. The Alvia. They were a highly advanced race that had been displaced from their home planet. With their lack of a home, they possessed a small population aboard their ship. With their help, humanity was capable of expanding their knowledge and advancing their technology by centuries. Things that were impossible or just beginning to be understood, were now as common as paper.
Nanites, medicine, cryogenic technology, spaceflight. All of it became very simple to do. However, the Alvia had a secret, an enemy they hadn't told Humanity about.
They were the Colimna. They weren't highly advanced, nor did they need to be. They were a race of creatures that drifted through the void of space. They didn't consume creatures or steal their technology. They took their minds. The Colimna were highly evolved, to the point that their minds could expand and envelop others. They traveled from one planet to another, consuming their minds and adding them to their ultimate hive mind. They couldn't be killed either, or they could, but they wouldn't lose anything because of it. For every one that was killed, one would take it's place.
Humanity and the Alvia devised a plan. There was a special substance that could block off the senses of the Colimna, effectively severing the Hive mind connection. They would use this substance to defeat the Colimna. Unfortunately, only select planets produced this substance and even then, it was a very small, finite source.
With the Colimna advancing on Earth, Humanity and the Alvia created ships, massive ships, capable of carrying both races through the stars to find more planets with this substance. If not, there was also the capability of finding other habitable worlds. Humanity and the Alvia left the Earth.
However, humanity would never abandon it's home. All over the planet, in special locations, Facilities were built. These facilities were designed using the substance known as AlHu. Left in these facilities were special teams, each picked for their skills. These teams would be put in cryo stasis until after the Colimna had left the planet. Afterwards, the teams would explore their locations to both insure that the Colimna had left and to notify humanity that it was safe to return to Earth.
Things never go as planned though and many things were still not understood of the Colimna. Their presence had more of an effect on the Earth than previously believed. For the teams left on Earth, they'd wake up to a very different home.
The point of this roleplay was to explore the new changed earth as a team, fighting various super creatures and trying to connect with the rest of humanity.
Nanites, medicine, cryogenic technology, spaceflight. All of it became very simple to do. However, the Alvia had a secret, an enemy they hadn't told Humanity about.
They were the Colimna. They weren't highly advanced, nor did they need to be. They were a race of creatures that drifted through the void of space. They didn't consume creatures or steal their technology. They took their minds. The Colimna were highly evolved, to the point that their minds could expand and envelop others. They traveled from one planet to another, consuming their minds and adding them to their ultimate hive mind. They couldn't be killed either, or they could, but they wouldn't lose anything because of it. For every one that was killed, one would take it's place.
Humanity and the Alvia devised a plan. There was a special substance that could block off the senses of the Colimna, effectively severing the Hive mind connection. They would use this substance to defeat the Colimna. Unfortunately, only select planets produced this substance and even then, it was a very small, finite source.
With the Colimna advancing on Earth, Humanity and the Alvia created ships, massive ships, capable of carrying both races through the stars to find more planets with this substance. If not, there was also the capability of finding other habitable worlds. Humanity and the Alvia left the Earth.
However, humanity would never abandon it's home. All over the planet, in special locations, Facilities were built. These facilities were designed using the substance known as AlHu. Left in these facilities were special teams, each picked for their skills. These teams would be put in cryo stasis until after the Colimna had left the planet. Afterwards, the teams would explore their locations to both insure that the Colimna had left and to notify humanity that it was safe to return to Earth.
Things never go as planned though and many things were still not understood of the Colimna. Their presence had more of an effect on the Earth than previously believed. For the teams left on Earth, they'd wake up to a very different home.
The point of this roleplay was to explore the new changed earth as a team, fighting various super creatures and trying to connect with the rest of humanity.
The Cycle of Reincarnation. When people die, their souls return to this Cycle, first entering the Sea of Emptiness where all of their life is washed clean, returning them to a blank slate. These souls are then returned to life, reborn in various ways, depending on their Sin or Virtue. Not all souls are so easily washed clean, they struggle to remember who they were, struggle to remember their lives and why they have to do so. These poor souls are those who died unfairly yet had powerful minds. Those who successfully struggle soon find themselves washing up upon the Land of the Dead. There, the real struggle begins.
Those who arrive on the Land of the Dead find that it is not a pleasant land. In this land, the Strong control everything. Monsters roam this land, both big and small, but it isn't they who rule it. The souls of the departed exist here, ruled by the five Dead Kings, beings of such strength of mind that they had no loss of memory upon stepping out of the Sea. They were not the very first, but they are the ones who have been here the longest.
The Motto of this land is Fight, Grow Strong, Live Again.
When one has grown strong enough, they can challenge the Grim Reaper. Beating this being allows one to take charge of their own lives, to become blood and flesh once more. They become unbound to the cycle of life and death and are free to travel to their home worlds or even to other unknown worlds.
The point of this roleplay was for the characters to exceed what was Mortal and move to the level of Gods, slowly changing and growing stronger between each area.
Those who arrive on the Land of the Dead find that it is not a pleasant land. In this land, the Strong control everything. Monsters roam this land, both big and small, but it isn't they who rule it. The souls of the departed exist here, ruled by the five Dead Kings, beings of such strength of mind that they had no loss of memory upon stepping out of the Sea. They were not the very first, but they are the ones who have been here the longest.
The Motto of this land is Fight, Grow Strong, Live Again.
When one has grown strong enough, they can challenge the Grim Reaper. Beating this being allows one to take charge of their own lives, to become blood and flesh once more. They become unbound to the cycle of life and death and are free to travel to their home worlds or even to other unknown worlds.
The point of this roleplay was for the characters to exceed what was Mortal and move to the level of Gods, slowly changing and growing stronger between each area.
You don't know us, you've never even heard of us. But we are here. I guess we are like superheros, we are certainly special enough. But we are far from supernatural. Our abilities are scientific in nature. If you meet us you'll never know.
We are Sanctuary, protecting this world from those who would do it harm. Aliens, Terrorists, Supervillians, you name it. You may think it is make believe, but it is our life, whether we like it or not.
Short synopsis, but it gets the point across. It was about a team of people with various abilities, scientific in nature, protecting the world in secret. Super Heroes!
We are Sanctuary, protecting this world from those who would do it harm. Aliens, Terrorists, Supervillians, you name it. You may think it is make believe, but it is our life, whether we like it or not.
Short synopsis, but it gets the point across. It was about a team of people with various abilities, scientific in nature, protecting the world in secret. Super Heroes!
This world is a place of magic and fantasy, a place where heroes are born and even pulled into this world. There exist many races all over. Dwarves, Fairies, Elves, Humans, Golems, and Demons. However, the most abundant race, the one that is an enemy to all other races, are the Monsters.
Monsters are a grouping of many different creatures, not often born through traditional means. They are born through an overflow of magic in the world. In most cases, monsters are minor influences, only dangerous in forests, mountains, and other places that have no interactions with other races.
However, there are places in this world known as Devil's Nests, where the magical energy of the world is in overabundance. Monsters grow quickly and devour one another to gain experience. Devil's Nests can take many forms, from dense forests, caverns, or even labyrinths. Because of this, another name for the Devil's Nest can be Dungeon.
Adventurers and Heroes alike love Devil's Nests as they are a wealth of experience, allowing them to gain strength faster than anything else. However, these places are extremely dangerous the deeper one goes. The monsters grow in strength and begin to take on new evolved forms.
Eventually, one comes across the boss of the Devil's Nest, a monster of impressive strength, usually high tiered or at the end of their evolutionary chain.
However, every monster must begin at the bottom of the food chain.
Roleplay about playing as various Monsters growing from their weakest to their strongest.
Monsters are a grouping of many different creatures, not often born through traditional means. They are born through an overflow of magic in the world. In most cases, monsters are minor influences, only dangerous in forests, mountains, and other places that have no interactions with other races.
However, there are places in this world known as Devil's Nests, where the magical energy of the world is in overabundance. Monsters grow quickly and devour one another to gain experience. Devil's Nests can take many forms, from dense forests, caverns, or even labyrinths. Because of this, another name for the Devil's Nest can be Dungeon.
Adventurers and Heroes alike love Devil's Nests as they are a wealth of experience, allowing them to gain strength faster than anything else. However, these places are extremely dangerous the deeper one goes. The monsters grow in strength and begin to take on new evolved forms.
Eventually, one comes across the boss of the Devil's Nest, a monster of impressive strength, usually high tiered or at the end of their evolutionary chain.
However, every monster must begin at the bottom of the food chain.
Roleplay about playing as various Monsters growing from their weakest to their strongest.
In this world, there are many things that exist. Monsters, Magic, Demons, and even Gods. Humans, Dwarves, Haflings, Beastmen, Elves, Fairies, and other various species make up the society of this world. There is a tentative peace among these races, one that is maintained by the threat of the Dark Races such as Vampires, Dark Elves, Werebeasts, and other supposedly "Evil" beings.
Of course, there are actual evil beings. Magical Beasts and Monsters possess no kindness and actively attack and destroy the camps and cities of the other races. Goblins, Kobolds, Undead (Vampire's Excluded) are the monsters that fill this world. The clump together, not in societies but more in hordes. In small groups, these monsters aren't much of a threat, however many of them propagate faster than any other race and as they grow larger, they eventually leave their territories to spread out like a plague.
The various races have created Guilds to properly maintain and suppress these growing Hordes.
The Guilds also handle Magical Beasts, though they are much less of a threat as long as they don't arrive near cities or towns. These Magical Beasts are normal beasts such as wolves, bears, tigers, birds, and whatever animal exists in the wild. However, these creatures have been constantly exposed to raw magical energy from the earth. In small doses this energy can be helpful, but as it becomes absorbed, it forms what is known as a Core inside of the creature, changing the normal beast into a Magical one, gifted with various abilities related to their species.
These creatures simply grow stronger by absorbing magic from the earth. However, some actively hunt and consume other Magical Beasts or Monsters for their Magic Cores.
With the efforts of the Guilds and various races, the world is kept at a peaceful level. Of course, there are always things going on in the background.
That is where we come in. We are the people who work for the God of Death. This world sometimes creates Monsters or Magical Beasts that are Abnormal, ones who posses special skills or abilities, sometimes growing quickly enough to become a Calamity. We hunt those creatures down and kill them before they can become a major threat to the world.
We are Zombies.
This was a roleplay about...well...playing as Zombies. People brought into the world of the roleplay by the God of Death to fight against monsters too powerful for normal living creatures.
Of course, there are actual evil beings. Magical Beasts and Monsters possess no kindness and actively attack and destroy the camps and cities of the other races. Goblins, Kobolds, Undead (Vampire's Excluded) are the monsters that fill this world. The clump together, not in societies but more in hordes. In small groups, these monsters aren't much of a threat, however many of them propagate faster than any other race and as they grow larger, they eventually leave their territories to spread out like a plague.
The various races have created Guilds to properly maintain and suppress these growing Hordes.
The Guilds also handle Magical Beasts, though they are much less of a threat as long as they don't arrive near cities or towns. These Magical Beasts are normal beasts such as wolves, bears, tigers, birds, and whatever animal exists in the wild. However, these creatures have been constantly exposed to raw magical energy from the earth. In small doses this energy can be helpful, but as it becomes absorbed, it forms what is known as a Core inside of the creature, changing the normal beast into a Magical one, gifted with various abilities related to their species.
These creatures simply grow stronger by absorbing magic from the earth. However, some actively hunt and consume other Magical Beasts or Monsters for their Magic Cores.
With the efforts of the Guilds and various races, the world is kept at a peaceful level. Of course, there are always things going on in the background.
That is where we come in. We are the people who work for the God of Death. This world sometimes creates Monsters or Magical Beasts that are Abnormal, ones who posses special skills or abilities, sometimes growing quickly enough to become a Calamity. We hunt those creatures down and kill them before they can become a major threat to the world.
We are Zombies.
This was a roleplay about...well...playing as Zombies. People brought into the world of the roleplay by the God of Death to fight against monsters too powerful for normal living creatures.
"Alright, bring in the next one" a soft but firm voice floats into your ears. After a moment, the wheelchair you are in is pushed through a set of double doors into a clean laboratory room. From what you can see, there are many machines and several fluid filled tubes. The desire to flee fills you, however, you can't move. The drugs they have you on are keeping you relatively immobile, though completely lucid. All you can do is get moved around according to these people's wills.
A surprisingly young woman steps into your view. She has bright red hair that falls down her back and piercing green eyes. Her face is angular but not unattractive. She begins by taking your chin in her hands and observing you quietly "Alright, are you a boy or a girl?" she asks before smiling and letting your head drop "Seriously, who would ask that question. It is clear what your gender is, especially since you don't wear clothes" she waves her hand to the men around you "On the table gentlemen, we have many more after this one"
You've been fed enough to keep you alive, but not nearly enough to keep any weight. The men are strong and evenly lift you up and onto the table as instructed before properly securing your arms. The woman watched quietly as she prepared a syringe, a strange glowing blue liquid inside of it "So, you may be wondering why you and all of the others are here. Well, I need test subjects and, as all know, one should never test on their subordinates" she tapped the syringe a few times to make sure there were no air bubbles within it.
"So, I had to get test subjects, so I had you gathered" she smiles "People that wouldn't be missed. Beggars, orphans, you know, the real trash of society" she walks over to you and begins to find a vein in your arm. Swabbing your arm, she sticks the needle in and injects you with that blue liquid. A fire races through your body, rushing towards your heart and your brain. The liquid seems to burn straight through the drugs keeping you sedated and you jerk up against your restraints as pain fills your body, as if every nerve is trying to rip itself out of your body.
After several minutes of this, you collapse, immobile once more, this time more from exhaustion than anything else.
"Oh wonderful, you didn't die!" the woman exclaims as she claps her hands in excitement "That is a very good sign, it means you get to move on to stage two!" she snaps her fingers and a small object is brought to her. You immediately recognize this as a Pokemon Egg, though you can't tell what species it is.
"I'm sure you know that this is a Pokemon Egg. But what you don't know that this is a random Pokemon Egg. It is a very special type of egg that I invented. It contains the DNA of nearly every pokemon known to man, aside from those very rare ones" she shrugs "I'd like to get my hands on those but...oh well" she sets the egg on a small table next to you. The egg begins to softly glow for a few seconds before it stops.
"Also a good sign" the woman says thoughtfully "So, I'll explain...mostly because these men aren't very talkative...though I suppose neither are you" she smiles and taps the egg "What I injected you with was Liquid Mega Stone, the stuff that allows Pokemon to evolve beyond their final evolution, the so called Mega Evolution" she shakes her head "It doesn't last very long and Pokemon are fairly useless once they are returned to their Pokeballs"
She picks up the egg and sets it on your chest "So I had this thought, what if there were Humans who had the same abilities as Pokemon, yet none of the restrictions? My first tests were horrible monsters" she made a disgusted face "But I've fixed the problems I had before, now people only die if they aren't compatible with the injection. It usually breaks them apart into a gooey mess"
From the base, you can see the egg beginning to dissolve, the resulting mess seeping into your naked flesh. Strangely enough, there is no pain, just a soothing cool feeling flowing into your body. After a few minutes, it stops.
"Damn, a failure. That should have wiped your brain in the process, but your eyes are still clear as before" she runs a hand through her hair with a soft sigh "Alright, get a pod and send this one off to the island with the others. At least they'll provide some entertainment"
She speaks to the men standing there before she picks up another syringe and injects you with it. Though you struggle to stay awake, the fluid quickly takes away your consciousness.
You are awoken by a beeping sound. This time, you can freely move, though not very far. A large glass door blocks you from stepping out of what appears to be a strange tube of some sort. Possibly the pod the woman mentioned before.
Looking through the glass reveals a single room full of the same pod, various people sitting inside of them. You can tell that a few people are already awake, some pushing against he door of the pod, others looking around like you. Suddenly, a video starts up in front of you.
"Hello Subject!" you frown upon hearing the woman's voice again before she popped up on the video "So you have woken up, I suppose it is time to give you a bit of orientation. The facility you have awoken in is Facility 6409827...I have a lot of facilities...anyway! This facility is on an island known as...er...ah...oh! Avalia Island. On this island are well...people like you and various creatures I've tinkered with. They are a bit dangerous, so I'd recommend learning how to use your new abilities if you want to survive"
The woman shrugs "Otherwise, feel free to do whatever, govern yourselves, fight to the death" she smiles "I don't really care, however I get paid by subscribers and stuff, so please try to give a good show" she winks at you "Once you step out, there should be a few meager supplies to keep you afloat for a few days, as well as a map of the island. Anyway, have fun!" she waves and the video vanishes. After several seconds, the pod hisses and opens. All around you the other pods do the same thing.
This one didn't have a synopsis, just this bit of information. It was about Pokemorphs, people with the genetics of Pokemon. It was basically a survival type roleplay.
A surprisingly young woman steps into your view. She has bright red hair that falls down her back and piercing green eyes. Her face is angular but not unattractive. She begins by taking your chin in her hands and observing you quietly "Alright, are you a boy or a girl?" she asks before smiling and letting your head drop "Seriously, who would ask that question. It is clear what your gender is, especially since you don't wear clothes" she waves her hand to the men around you "On the table gentlemen, we have many more after this one"
You've been fed enough to keep you alive, but not nearly enough to keep any weight. The men are strong and evenly lift you up and onto the table as instructed before properly securing your arms. The woman watched quietly as she prepared a syringe, a strange glowing blue liquid inside of it "So, you may be wondering why you and all of the others are here. Well, I need test subjects and, as all know, one should never test on their subordinates" she tapped the syringe a few times to make sure there were no air bubbles within it.
"So, I had to get test subjects, so I had you gathered" she smiles "People that wouldn't be missed. Beggars, orphans, you know, the real trash of society" she walks over to you and begins to find a vein in your arm. Swabbing your arm, she sticks the needle in and injects you with that blue liquid. A fire races through your body, rushing towards your heart and your brain. The liquid seems to burn straight through the drugs keeping you sedated and you jerk up against your restraints as pain fills your body, as if every nerve is trying to rip itself out of your body.
After several minutes of this, you collapse, immobile once more, this time more from exhaustion than anything else.
"Oh wonderful, you didn't die!" the woman exclaims as she claps her hands in excitement "That is a very good sign, it means you get to move on to stage two!" she snaps her fingers and a small object is brought to her. You immediately recognize this as a Pokemon Egg, though you can't tell what species it is.
"I'm sure you know that this is a Pokemon Egg. But what you don't know that this is a random Pokemon Egg. It is a very special type of egg that I invented. It contains the DNA of nearly every pokemon known to man, aside from those very rare ones" she shrugs "I'd like to get my hands on those but...oh well" she sets the egg on a small table next to you. The egg begins to softly glow for a few seconds before it stops.
"Also a good sign" the woman says thoughtfully "So, I'll explain...mostly because these men aren't very talkative...though I suppose neither are you" she smiles and taps the egg "What I injected you with was Liquid Mega Stone, the stuff that allows Pokemon to evolve beyond their final evolution, the so called Mega Evolution" she shakes her head "It doesn't last very long and Pokemon are fairly useless once they are returned to their Pokeballs"
She picks up the egg and sets it on your chest "So I had this thought, what if there were Humans who had the same abilities as Pokemon, yet none of the restrictions? My first tests were horrible monsters" she made a disgusted face "But I've fixed the problems I had before, now people only die if they aren't compatible with the injection. It usually breaks them apart into a gooey mess"
From the base, you can see the egg beginning to dissolve, the resulting mess seeping into your naked flesh. Strangely enough, there is no pain, just a soothing cool feeling flowing into your body. After a few minutes, it stops.
"Damn, a failure. That should have wiped your brain in the process, but your eyes are still clear as before" she runs a hand through her hair with a soft sigh "Alright, get a pod and send this one off to the island with the others. At least they'll provide some entertainment"
She speaks to the men standing there before she picks up another syringe and injects you with it. Though you struggle to stay awake, the fluid quickly takes away your consciousness.
You are awoken by a beeping sound. This time, you can freely move, though not very far. A large glass door blocks you from stepping out of what appears to be a strange tube of some sort. Possibly the pod the woman mentioned before.
Looking through the glass reveals a single room full of the same pod, various people sitting inside of them. You can tell that a few people are already awake, some pushing against he door of the pod, others looking around like you. Suddenly, a video starts up in front of you.
"Hello Subject!" you frown upon hearing the woman's voice again before she popped up on the video "So you have woken up, I suppose it is time to give you a bit of orientation. The facility you have awoken in is Facility 6409827...I have a lot of facilities...anyway! This facility is on an island known as...er...ah...oh! Avalia Island. On this island are well...people like you and various creatures I've tinkered with. They are a bit dangerous, so I'd recommend learning how to use your new abilities if you want to survive"
The woman shrugs "Otherwise, feel free to do whatever, govern yourselves, fight to the death" she smiles "I don't really care, however I get paid by subscribers and stuff, so please try to give a good show" she winks at you "Once you step out, there should be a few meager supplies to keep you afloat for a few days, as well as a map of the island. Anyway, have fun!" she waves and the video vanishes. After several seconds, the pod hisses and opens. All around you the other pods do the same thing.
This one didn't have a synopsis, just this bit of information. It was about Pokemorphs, people with the genetics of Pokemon. It was basically a survival type roleplay.
"Insanity is a relief"
That is our motto. You see, they believe us to be mad, people capable of many terrible things. But they don't know anything. They don't know about the other world. Those of us here call it the Chill. It's colder than it is here, but the cold is pleasant, focusing.
The Doctor's say it is an illusion, but they don't know what we go through every night. When the world cracks and falls away, giving way to the Chill. Monsters come out of the darkness, creatures from the world of nightmares and dreams.
There we are different, more than human, monsters in our own right. We fight those monsters, and sometimes we fight each other. It is fun, it is wild. This transition to the Chill, we call it Rending. The first time is sudden, startling, like you're being dropped through a hole in the world and falling through icy cold water.
That night is so important to us. It is the first time we become ourselves, our true selves. It is a feeling no normal 'sane' person could understand. The sudden feeling of knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be, that you are you and no one else.
I've met women that were men in the Chill, and vice versa. It is a place we outsiders belong. We are meant for that world and not this one.
But to live in that world, we must live in this one. There have been some who've tried to stay there by cutting their lives from this world. But it doesn't work like that. The two sides are connected. We live here and there.
Every day, we walk through this place called a hospital, play nice, take our meds. But each night we go to bed with a smile, knowing what will happen next. The Rending takes place, the world cracking and falling away, dropping us into the Chill.
There, we are free to wander about, to use the full force of our abilities in that world. There is nothing you can do, no matter what, that will be our home, and this simply the waiting area for when we can return home again.
----
The Chill: A world unlike our own. A world of beauty and darkness, of battle and magic. Here exists powers beyond anything ever seen in the normal world. No matter where you are in the Chill, it is cold. It is night here, always, though it is never hard to see anything, as there is a massive moon that rests in the sky, granting a beautiful silvery light over everything.
The Chill is ruled by three all powerful figures known as the Forever. The Forever are normal people like anyone else, born in both worlds, existing in the normal world and living in the Chill. However, they are the only three who have died in the normal world, yet continued to live in the Chill.
Elysia is the Queen of the Night. A dark and beautiful woman who's mastery over illusion held no equal. Her illusions could become real allowing her to conjure enemies and weaponry in droves. However, she doesn't fight that often, preferring to read.
Valies is a man of unparalleled strength and speed. His physical fighting skill is above all others and while a bit of a air head normally, in battle his intelligence is next to none. Valies loves to fight but never seeks it as he is too strong. Instead, he spends time in his Arena, constantly training and waiting for challengers. Despite having not lost a single battle, he still receives challenges daily.
Aven, a woman who possesses the greatest healing abilities, able to heal anyone from even the cusp of death. She has a motherly attitude, one that draws errant children towards her. She acts as the caregiver of the Chill, tending it's plants and life in her free time. However, she is not without her own fighting abilities. With a single word, she can inflict pain and destruction on those before her. Because of this, she never speaks, using simple light magic to write words in the air before her.
Rending: This is the act of travelling between the two worlds. It only occurs at night, precisely the moment when the sun vanishes behind the horizon. How this happens, no one is sure as the sun and earth are constantly moving. It never fails to happen though, no matter where someone is. Most of those who have been in the Chill for a while know to go to bed before the sun sets to prevent any scares or trouble.
For first timers however, this can be startling. To outsiders, the person seems to just pass out, but to the person going through the Rending it is different. They don't move. The world around them falls apart and they fall through a dark void. This is the same for everyone, no matter who they are.
Where they arrive in the Chill is different for everyone though. The most anyone can tell is that it is an infinitely sized room, big or small is dependent on the person, as is the internal decor. It can range from an open area to a small room. But there is always a door, plain white.
Opening the door leads to a random area in the Chill.
A roleplay about a parallel world and the people connected to it through their dreams, I think. It's been a while since I thought of this one. There was supposed to be magic and battles, though I didn't quite figure out the time differences and stuff between the real world and the Chill.
That is our motto. You see, they believe us to be mad, people capable of many terrible things. But they don't know anything. They don't know about the other world. Those of us here call it the Chill. It's colder than it is here, but the cold is pleasant, focusing.
The Doctor's say it is an illusion, but they don't know what we go through every night. When the world cracks and falls away, giving way to the Chill. Monsters come out of the darkness, creatures from the world of nightmares and dreams.
There we are different, more than human, monsters in our own right. We fight those monsters, and sometimes we fight each other. It is fun, it is wild. This transition to the Chill, we call it Rending. The first time is sudden, startling, like you're being dropped through a hole in the world and falling through icy cold water.
That night is so important to us. It is the first time we become ourselves, our true selves. It is a feeling no normal 'sane' person could understand. The sudden feeling of knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be, that you are you and no one else.
I've met women that were men in the Chill, and vice versa. It is a place we outsiders belong. We are meant for that world and not this one.
But to live in that world, we must live in this one. There have been some who've tried to stay there by cutting their lives from this world. But it doesn't work like that. The two sides are connected. We live here and there.
Every day, we walk through this place called a hospital, play nice, take our meds. But each night we go to bed with a smile, knowing what will happen next. The Rending takes place, the world cracking and falling away, dropping us into the Chill.
There, we are free to wander about, to use the full force of our abilities in that world. There is nothing you can do, no matter what, that will be our home, and this simply the waiting area for when we can return home again.
----
The Chill: A world unlike our own. A world of beauty and darkness, of battle and magic. Here exists powers beyond anything ever seen in the normal world. No matter where you are in the Chill, it is cold. It is night here, always, though it is never hard to see anything, as there is a massive moon that rests in the sky, granting a beautiful silvery light over everything.
The Chill is ruled by three all powerful figures known as the Forever. The Forever are normal people like anyone else, born in both worlds, existing in the normal world and living in the Chill. However, they are the only three who have died in the normal world, yet continued to live in the Chill.
Elysia is the Queen of the Night. A dark and beautiful woman who's mastery over illusion held no equal. Her illusions could become real allowing her to conjure enemies and weaponry in droves. However, she doesn't fight that often, preferring to read.
Valies is a man of unparalleled strength and speed. His physical fighting skill is above all others and while a bit of a air head normally, in battle his intelligence is next to none. Valies loves to fight but never seeks it as he is too strong. Instead, he spends time in his Arena, constantly training and waiting for challengers. Despite having not lost a single battle, he still receives challenges daily.
Aven, a woman who possesses the greatest healing abilities, able to heal anyone from even the cusp of death. She has a motherly attitude, one that draws errant children towards her. She acts as the caregiver of the Chill, tending it's plants and life in her free time. However, she is not without her own fighting abilities. With a single word, she can inflict pain and destruction on those before her. Because of this, she never speaks, using simple light magic to write words in the air before her.
Rending: This is the act of travelling between the two worlds. It only occurs at night, precisely the moment when the sun vanishes behind the horizon. How this happens, no one is sure as the sun and earth are constantly moving. It never fails to happen though, no matter where someone is. Most of those who have been in the Chill for a while know to go to bed before the sun sets to prevent any scares or trouble.
For first timers however, this can be startling. To outsiders, the person seems to just pass out, but to the person going through the Rending it is different. They don't move. The world around them falls apart and they fall through a dark void. This is the same for everyone, no matter who they are.
Where they arrive in the Chill is different for everyone though. The most anyone can tell is that it is an infinitely sized room, big or small is dependent on the person, as is the internal decor. It can range from an open area to a small room. But there is always a door, plain white.
Opening the door leads to a random area in the Chill.
A roleplay about a parallel world and the people connected to it through their dreams, I think. It's been a while since I thought of this one. There was supposed to be magic and battles, though I didn't quite figure out the time differences and stuff between the real world and the Chill.
Death. It is horrible, but it happens to everyone. Though this story isn't about death, this is about what happens afterwards. The so called 'Life after Death'
When anyone dies, they are sent to the Underworld. Good, Evil, Neutral, everyone ends up here. Now, I know what you are thinking, but it isn't so bad. Society is the basis of all things, living or dead.
Here in the Underworld, you work off your sins, and everyone has them, whether or not they've lived a chaste life. You are lucky if it is just a simple small thing, you work it off for a few years and boom! you get to go to Paradise, where you can either simply enjoy your eternity, or you can choose to be reborn in your world.
Once you are dead, you are dead, but death isn't the end, nor is it the most horrible thing here. Here you can't die...well, not in the traditional sense. You see, the Soul as you know it is a patchwork of every memory you've ever had, whether or not you yourself are aware of that.
Fighting is extremely dangerous here in the Underworld, specifically because you no longer have a physical body. Here, taking damage means you lose memories. A scratch could cause the loss of the memory of what you had for breakfast when you were nine, but more serious injuries can even make you lose the memories of your family.
But these memories aren't gone. Even if you can't remember them specifically, you'll know something is missing. Normally, these memories will eventually return, over the course of many years. However, sometimes they have to be found, or retrieved from those who find them.
Here lies the jobs of the Seven Deadly Sins. An organization of Seven people that track down the lost memories...for a price.
There is no Monetary value in the Underworld. Material objects are simply there for enjoyment. The real value is in favors. Unlike in your life, here, your word is law. If you promise to do something, you must follow that promise. This supersedes even your sins. If you owe someone a favor, even if you've cleared your slate, you will be unable to travel to Paradise until you pay that favor in full.
In most cases, most people will only owe one or two favors. However, the Seven Deadly Sins covet these favors and bind people with contracts. They are not evil beings, but they aren't good either. These seven are called such for a very good reason.
They can never work off their sins.
Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Lust, Greed, Envy, and Gluttony. These seven do not embody their sin, yet the sin is bound to them, unable to be removed like others. Upon death, they were bound to the Underworld forever.
Only the King of the Underworld can remove these sins from them. However, the King never does anything without a price of his own.
"Collect Favors. Collect as many as you possibly can. Once you've reached the right amount, I will tear your sin away"
This is what he told them.
Now they find lost memories to collect favors. Hopefully, one day, they'll gain enough to be set free.
Roleplay made about Sins (obviously) it was more of a mystery roleplay. I think the synopsis explained it quite well.
When anyone dies, they are sent to the Underworld. Good, Evil, Neutral, everyone ends up here. Now, I know what you are thinking, but it isn't so bad. Society is the basis of all things, living or dead.
Here in the Underworld, you work off your sins, and everyone has them, whether or not they've lived a chaste life. You are lucky if it is just a simple small thing, you work it off for a few years and boom! you get to go to Paradise, where you can either simply enjoy your eternity, or you can choose to be reborn in your world.
Once you are dead, you are dead, but death isn't the end, nor is it the most horrible thing here. Here you can't die...well, not in the traditional sense. You see, the Soul as you know it is a patchwork of every memory you've ever had, whether or not you yourself are aware of that.
Fighting is extremely dangerous here in the Underworld, specifically because you no longer have a physical body. Here, taking damage means you lose memories. A scratch could cause the loss of the memory of what you had for breakfast when you were nine, but more serious injuries can even make you lose the memories of your family.
But these memories aren't gone. Even if you can't remember them specifically, you'll know something is missing. Normally, these memories will eventually return, over the course of many years. However, sometimes they have to be found, or retrieved from those who find them.
Here lies the jobs of the Seven Deadly Sins. An organization of Seven people that track down the lost memories...for a price.
There is no Monetary value in the Underworld. Material objects are simply there for enjoyment. The real value is in favors. Unlike in your life, here, your word is law. If you promise to do something, you must follow that promise. This supersedes even your sins. If you owe someone a favor, even if you've cleared your slate, you will be unable to travel to Paradise until you pay that favor in full.
In most cases, most people will only owe one or two favors. However, the Seven Deadly Sins covet these favors and bind people with contracts. They are not evil beings, but they aren't good either. These seven are called such for a very good reason.
They can never work off their sins.
Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Lust, Greed, Envy, and Gluttony. These seven do not embody their sin, yet the sin is bound to them, unable to be removed like others. Upon death, they were bound to the Underworld forever.
Only the King of the Underworld can remove these sins from them. However, the King never does anything without a price of his own.
"Collect Favors. Collect as many as you possibly can. Once you've reached the right amount, I will tear your sin away"
This is what he told them.
Now they find lost memories to collect favors. Hopefully, one day, they'll gain enough to be set free.
Roleplay made about Sins (obviously) it was more of a mystery roleplay. I think the synopsis explained it quite well.
What are Gods? To mortals, they are supreme beings, capable of incredible feats that defy common knowledge. In the Higher Realm, Gods are very common, all very powerful but far limited in what they can do.
Gods aren't born, they are Created. To become a God, you must sit on the Throne of a previous God. These Throne's are all different, depending on the God that came before. The abilities that are bestowed are also dependent on the previous God. Should one sit upon the Throne of a Fire God, then one would be bestowed with the powers and abilities of a Fire God. This does not mean that one is only limited to the powers of Fire, just that Fire will be the most dominant strength.
In the beginning, there existed the Four Overgods, beings of pure power. These beings embodied the traits of Destruction, Life, Fate, and Death. Together, they created the Seven Elements, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning, Light, and Darkness.
These Elements came to life, becoming aware and conscious of the universe they lived in, empty as it was. Seeing their sadness at being alone, the Overgods gave them a home, the Higher Plane. This realm was a perfect combination of all seven Elements. There were many beasts and plants, but none that were self aware.
The Seven Elements were thankful but also wished to have their own realms. Seven realms that embodied their elements were created, separate of the Higher Plane, connected through the Inter-planar Tunnels.
Then came Existence. The Seven Elements and the Four Overgods began working, created multitudes of Realms, the vast majority of them connected to the Higher Plane, though some of them connected to the Planes of the Elements.
It was in these planes that life was created. The existence on these realms was far weaker than on the higher Planes. Once these Material Planes were finished, the Elements split them among each other. On these many Planes, they placed one Throne, blank but flowing with an Element.
Throughout many eons, the various planes lived happily and blissfully unaware of the higher planes, though all of them formed Magic, gifted by the universe to all realms. The vast majority of Magic was in the form of the Seven Elements, but there were a few rare cases of those being born with the magic of the Four Edicts.
During this time, many Gods were created by gaining access to the Throne. Those that only recently became Gods, found that their lives had only just begun.
Not sure exactly what I had planned for this one honestly. It sounded interesting at the time, but I had no actual plot designed for it.
Gods aren't born, they are Created. To become a God, you must sit on the Throne of a previous God. These Throne's are all different, depending on the God that came before. The abilities that are bestowed are also dependent on the previous God. Should one sit upon the Throne of a Fire God, then one would be bestowed with the powers and abilities of a Fire God. This does not mean that one is only limited to the powers of Fire, just that Fire will be the most dominant strength.
In the beginning, there existed the Four Overgods, beings of pure power. These beings embodied the traits of Destruction, Life, Fate, and Death. Together, they created the Seven Elements, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning, Light, and Darkness.
These Elements came to life, becoming aware and conscious of the universe they lived in, empty as it was. Seeing their sadness at being alone, the Overgods gave them a home, the Higher Plane. This realm was a perfect combination of all seven Elements. There were many beasts and plants, but none that were self aware.
The Seven Elements were thankful but also wished to have their own realms. Seven realms that embodied their elements were created, separate of the Higher Plane, connected through the Inter-planar Tunnels.
Then came Existence. The Seven Elements and the Four Overgods began working, created multitudes of Realms, the vast majority of them connected to the Higher Plane, though some of them connected to the Planes of the Elements.
It was in these planes that life was created. The existence on these realms was far weaker than on the higher Planes. Once these Material Planes were finished, the Elements split them among each other. On these many Planes, they placed one Throne, blank but flowing with an Element.
Throughout many eons, the various planes lived happily and blissfully unaware of the higher planes, though all of them formed Magic, gifted by the universe to all realms. The vast majority of Magic was in the form of the Seven Elements, but there were a few rare cases of those being born with the magic of the Four Edicts.
During this time, many Gods were created by gaining access to the Throne. Those that only recently became Gods, found that their lives had only just begun.
Not sure exactly what I had planned for this one honestly. It sounded interesting at the time, but I had no actual plot designed for it.
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
So I was watching Victorious yesterday since nothing else good was on, and every time Jade said something I couldn't help but think that her name was Phil, not Jade
This is what you have done to me,
stellar.nova
IN OTHER NEWS, MY CHARACTERS WOULDN'T SHUT UP
And now to wallow in self-pity because I was writing those last night instead of studying for Chem XD
This is what you have done to me,
stellar.nova
IN OTHER NEWS, MY CHARACTERS WOULDN'T SHUT UP
If you asked her about him, she’d either roll her eyes and punch you or laugh and cover her reddening face with her hands. No matter the reaction, it was hard to deny that she was happy, and that it was a feeling she’d been aching to have for years.
Skylie herself wasn’t sure where the sudden emotion had come from. Usually, she shut them all off so that the people around her wouldn’t affect her. (Unless she was with Gareth, of course.) But something about him made her want to smile all the time, or do something stupidly girly like frolic in a meadow or something.
That’s why it still shocked her when her nightmares came back to visit her. In the midst of her happiness, they’d come and find her, immediately draining any feeling of security afforded to her.
It was the same old deal. A fist swinging through the air, arms pinning her down, a cruel mouth twisted angrily. Skylie screamed in her dream as the dark memories engulfed her, wrapping around her and assuring her that she would always be alone.
She shot up in bed in a cold sweat, her eyes wide and scared. Tears were streaming down her face, an after effect of sudden recollection of the bad days. Covering her face with her hands, she struggled to control her shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat.
Suddenly, warmth spread through her, and when she looked down, she realized why. He was there, as he always seemed to be, a ray of sun in the cloudy skies of her life. A weak smile flickered across her face as she laid down again, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Thanks to him, she felt safe for once. It was a feeling she’d thought she’d forgotten.
Right on cue, he wrapped himself around her, as if he was a blanket himself. Skylie blushed and smiled as he kissed her head, murmuring consolingly to her so she could calm down.
Lifting her head to kiss him, she whispered, “I love you, Omar. Never let me go."
(
stellar.nova
)
Skylie herself wasn’t sure where the sudden emotion had come from. Usually, she shut them all off so that the people around her wouldn’t affect her. (Unless she was with Gareth, of course.) But something about him made her want to smile all the time, or do something stupidly girly like frolic in a meadow or something.
That’s why it still shocked her when her nightmares came back to visit her. In the midst of her happiness, they’d come and find her, immediately draining any feeling of security afforded to her.
It was the same old deal. A fist swinging through the air, arms pinning her down, a cruel mouth twisted angrily. Skylie screamed in her dream as the dark memories engulfed her, wrapping around her and assuring her that she would always be alone.
She shot up in bed in a cold sweat, her eyes wide and scared. Tears were streaming down her face, an after effect of sudden recollection of the bad days. Covering her face with her hands, she struggled to control her shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat.
Suddenly, warmth spread through her, and when she looked down, she realized why. He was there, as he always seemed to be, a ray of sun in the cloudy skies of her life. A weak smile flickered across her face as she laid down again, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Thanks to him, she felt safe for once. It was a feeling she’d thought she’d forgotten.
Right on cue, he wrapped himself around her, as if he was a blanket himself. Skylie blushed and smiled as he kissed her head, murmuring consolingly to her so she could calm down.
Lifting her head to kiss him, she whispered, “I love you, Omar. Never let me go."
(
stellar.nova
) Castiel tried not to deal in emotions, but sometimes, he couldn’t help himself. And when it came his crisantemo… Well, it was hard not to feel something. That’s why, whenever he found himself overcome with jealousy for missing out on chances to spend time with her, he shut himself up with his flowers. They soothed him in a way no human could, not even her.
Today, he found himself staring at the yellow roses. He couldn’t even remember why he kept so many. Was it sentimentality? Was it nostalgia? Was it a trophy of some sort of his first lover? Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d felt more for him than he’d cared to admit. Then again, after his first real boyfriend ran away, he hadn’t really stopped to consider his feelings.
Right next to the roses were the lilies. A wry smile twisted his face. Something told him he was causing his lily pain by keeping her there, reminding her of him. At the same time, he couldn’t let go of what could have been, had things been different.
At the center of all his flowers were the white chrysanthemums. Castiel’s face grew tender as he stared at them. Emotions he didn’t know existed surged up whenever he looked at them, and sometimes he wondered if maybe something had been irrevocably broken when he’d first met Eva, the sexiest woman he’d possibly ever tried to charm.
If it had, it was certainly for the best, because he didn’t want to let this feeling go, not for anything in the world.
(
PixieDust
stellar.nova
)
Today, he found himself staring at the yellow roses. He couldn’t even remember why he kept so many. Was it sentimentality? Was it nostalgia? Was it a trophy of some sort of his first lover? Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d felt more for him than he’d cared to admit. Then again, after his first real boyfriend ran away, he hadn’t really stopped to consider his feelings.
Right next to the roses were the lilies. A wry smile twisted his face. Something told him he was causing his lily pain by keeping her there, reminding her of him. At the same time, he couldn’t let go of what could have been, had things been different.
At the center of all his flowers were the white chrysanthemums. Castiel’s face grew tender as he stared at them. Emotions he didn’t know existed surged up whenever he looked at them, and sometimes he wondered if maybe something had been irrevocably broken when he’d first met Eva, the sexiest woman he’d possibly ever tried to charm.
If it had, it was certainly for the best, because he didn’t want to let this feeling go, not for anything in the world.
(
PixieDust
stellar.nova
)Oliver knew that romantic attention would never come his way. It just wasn’t in the stars for him. Ever since his first and only girlfriend humiliated him for being smart, he highly doubted he would pursue such interests ever again.
But something about those two that he’d met made him feel happier than he had in a long time. One was full of pure kindness and goodness all around, while the other was intelligent and absolutely stunning. Oliver felt himself getting lost in what he’d believed was called a “crush.” Er, in this case, two.
He hid behind his book instead of telling them what kind of emotions they stirred inside him. Besides, they probably had their eyes set on other people. Those people far exceeded him. One was a smart boy who doled out compliments better than Oliver could ever imagine giving, and the other was a charming man who could sweep girls off their feet, perhaps quite literally.
Nothing anybody could say would change his thoughts. If he was good at flirting, maybe he’d have some sort of chance, but as it stood, he really didn’t. And it’s not like he was looking for romance. As long as he had Avril and Maddox, his surrogate family, he knew he’d be alright.
So, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, he told himself, “As long as Francesca and Mateo are happy, I am, too.”
(
Athens
PixieDust
)
But something about those two that he’d met made him feel happier than he had in a long time. One was full of pure kindness and goodness all around, while the other was intelligent and absolutely stunning. Oliver felt himself getting lost in what he’d believed was called a “crush.” Er, in this case, two.
He hid behind his book instead of telling them what kind of emotions they stirred inside him. Besides, they probably had their eyes set on other people. Those people far exceeded him. One was a smart boy who doled out compliments better than Oliver could ever imagine giving, and the other was a charming man who could sweep girls off their feet, perhaps quite literally.
Nothing anybody could say would change his thoughts. If he was good at flirting, maybe he’d have some sort of chance, but as it stood, he really didn’t. And it’s not like he was looking for romance. As long as he had Avril and Maddox, his surrogate family, he knew he’d be alright.
So, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, he told himself, “As long as Francesca and Mateo are happy, I am, too.”
(
Athens
PixieDust
)Smoke curled through the air as Jacqueline and Tobias lounged on a couch as casually as always. A cigarette protruded from Jackie’s lips as she stared at the TV screen across the room. “Isn’t there ever anything good on?”
Toby groaned, “I wanna watch a ballet.”
Jackie smirked. “You always want to watch a ballet, ever since you met that sweet little ballerina. What was her name? Vasilisa?”
“And what about you? You won’t shut up about ‘your little troublemaker,’ Val. You keep moaning and groaning about wanting to run your hands through her hair and kiss her and blah blah blah…” Toby retorted, returning his cousin’s smirk.
She shrugged. “What can I say? She’s certainly better than that jackass I dated in high school. I’m sure a night with her would be better than that mistake.” After a pause, she murmured, “I really miss her when she’s not around, though.”
“And I wish I could share a dance floor with Vasilisa. But all good things come to those who wait. How about us both liking girls whose names began with ‘V’?”
“Great cousins think alike,” Jackie said, grinning. “And this time, I think we’ll both find our brand of happiness.”
“You’re right about that.”
(
diwa
deer
)
Toby groaned, “I wanna watch a ballet.”
Jackie smirked. “You always want to watch a ballet, ever since you met that sweet little ballerina. What was her name? Vasilisa?”
“And what about you? You won’t shut up about ‘your little troublemaker,’ Val. You keep moaning and groaning about wanting to run your hands through her hair and kiss her and blah blah blah…” Toby retorted, returning his cousin’s smirk.
She shrugged. “What can I say? She’s certainly better than that jackass I dated in high school. I’m sure a night with her would be better than that mistake.” After a pause, she murmured, “I really miss her when she’s not around, though.”
“And I wish I could share a dance floor with Vasilisa. But all good things come to those who wait. How about us both liking girls whose names began with ‘V’?”
“Great cousins think alike,” Jackie said, grinning. “And this time, I think we’ll both find our brand of happiness.”
“You’re right about that.”
(
diwa
deer
)Ivy blew a lock of hair out of her face as she tapped a pen against her notebook. Coming up with new material got harder and harder as time went on, so she made sure to make specific time to map out her new jokes.
Unfortunately, she found she was quite distracted. Instead of planning out jokes, she’d jokingly drawn a knight—specifically, the one she’d first met on the boat to the university. Dammit, why was she so distracted by that? Was it her imagination getting the best of her again? Ugh, she had to rein it in.
However, her thoughts were tangled up in another boy. Particularly, one she considered a neighbor of sorts. Either it was the Welsh accent or his adorable smile, but sometimes, Ivy couldn’t get him out of her head. What would her darling Trevor Noah say if he found out?
At that thought, she laughed. At the rate she was going, she’d probably be way past her prime before she could marry him. She supposed he wouldn’t mind if she liked someone else in the meantime.
She chuckled. “Heh… An unofficial dispute between Sir Ilya and Prince William. That makes for an interesting anecdote. Or a joke. Hmm.” Her thoughts refocused, she set back to work on her jokes, leaving her doodles of knights and princes behind.
(
mxlly
PixieDust
)
Unfortunately, she found she was quite distracted. Instead of planning out jokes, she’d jokingly drawn a knight—specifically, the one she’d first met on the boat to the university. Dammit, why was she so distracted by that? Was it her imagination getting the best of her again? Ugh, she had to rein it in.
However, her thoughts were tangled up in another boy. Particularly, one she considered a neighbor of sorts. Either it was the Welsh accent or his adorable smile, but sometimes, Ivy couldn’t get him out of her head. What would her darling Trevor Noah say if he found out?
At that thought, she laughed. At the rate she was going, she’d probably be way past her prime before she could marry him. She supposed he wouldn’t mind if she liked someone else in the meantime.
She chuckled. “Heh… An unofficial dispute between Sir Ilya and Prince William. That makes for an interesting anecdote. Or a joke. Hmm.” Her thoughts refocused, she set back to work on her jokes, leaving her doodles of knights and princes behind.
(
mxlly
PixieDust
)For whatever reason, Avril had been spending a lot of time sleeping lately. In between naps, she’d say hi to Olly or Cassy, and on rare occasions, she’d specifically find Dax and give him a hug. Most of the time, though, she’d read a book until she fell back asleep.
Now, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling, which was an odd feeling. Usually, she was acutely aware of what she felt at all times, which, for the most part, was happiness. A cheery girl like her was easy to read like that.
Right now, though, her mind bounced everywhere. There were all sorts of people around her, including those who had known her parents. It was a slap in the face for this daughter of a fashion designer and a history professor. What soared above the rest of that was the collection of faces she met, friends she hoped she’d still be in contact with for years to come.
With a small smile, her mind drifted to Alois, who had shared some honey cake with her not too long ago. The taste had been heavenly, though Avie still considered herself biased to French cuisine. She’d thought of comparing it to his sweet personality, but part of her had convinced her not to. Even now, she wasn’t sure why.
Avie closed her eyes and remembered briefly how they had danced. A certain giddiness had filled her then, a feeling unlike the one she seemed to always have around Galen. It was hard to describe, since she didn’t remember feeling it before, so whenever she asked herself what it meant, she couldn’t answer.
It didn’t help that he seemed to shine when he smiled.
Covering her eyes with an arm, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Maman, Papa, but it seems your love story wasn’t enough. I wish you had taught me what all this means before you left.”
With a slight smile, she added inaudibly, “It seems my heart can’t decide. What would you do in this situation, Maman?”
(
stellar.nova
)
Now, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling, which was an odd feeling. Usually, she was acutely aware of what she felt at all times, which, for the most part, was happiness. A cheery girl like her was easy to read like that.
Right now, though, her mind bounced everywhere. There were all sorts of people around her, including those who had known her parents. It was a slap in the face for this daughter of a fashion designer and a history professor. What soared above the rest of that was the collection of faces she met, friends she hoped she’d still be in contact with for years to come.
With a small smile, her mind drifted to Alois, who had shared some honey cake with her not too long ago. The taste had been heavenly, though Avie still considered herself biased to French cuisine. She’d thought of comparing it to his sweet personality, but part of her had convinced her not to. Even now, she wasn’t sure why.
Avie closed her eyes and remembered briefly how they had danced. A certain giddiness had filled her then, a feeling unlike the one she seemed to always have around Galen. It was hard to describe, since she didn’t remember feeling it before, so whenever she asked herself what it meant, she couldn’t answer.
It didn’t help that he seemed to shine when he smiled.
Covering her eyes with an arm, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Maman, Papa, but it seems your love story wasn’t enough. I wish you had taught me what all this means before you left.”
With a slight smile, she added inaudibly, “It seems my heart can’t decide. What would you do in this situation, Maman?”
(
stellar.nova
)It wasn’t hard to tell what Kendrick was feeling. He was an open book about practically everything, except maybe Luciana. But lately, he’d been especially happy, strumming his guitar and humming Sam Smith whenever he got the chance.
When he woke up in the morning, he smiled. When he went to bed at night, he sighed contentedly. Whenever anyone ever said anything about anything, he grinned and nodded. He was so far gone.
One day, he reached up to the locket around his neck. Clicking the button, he stared at the picture of his Luciana, with her honey blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, even after a car tore her apart. Closing his eyes, he kissed the picture softly, sorrow pulling him under for a single moment. “I miss you like hell, Luciana. I sorely hope heaven is treating you well.”
Kenny left his room and went to find Gareth, the source of his smiles. When he found him, a strange feeling took over, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy, resting his chin on his shoulder so his hair covered his eyes. “I love you, Gareth,” Kenny murmured, tightening his arms around him.
He may have lost Luciana, but he knew that she’d never forgive him if he spent the rest of his life mourning what could have been. Instead, he lived every day to the fullest, especially now that he’d found a new love in Gareth. One that made him feel as free as a bird.
The breeze seemed to whisper, You’re happy, and that’s all I want. Kenny smiled in response and kissed the boy who meant the world to him, as Luciana once had.
(
PixieDust
)
When he woke up in the morning, he smiled. When he went to bed at night, he sighed contentedly. Whenever anyone ever said anything about anything, he grinned and nodded. He was so far gone.
One day, he reached up to the locket around his neck. Clicking the button, he stared at the picture of his Luciana, with her honey blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, even after a car tore her apart. Closing his eyes, he kissed the picture softly, sorrow pulling him under for a single moment. “I miss you like hell, Luciana. I sorely hope heaven is treating you well.”
Kenny left his room and went to find Gareth, the source of his smiles. When he found him, a strange feeling took over, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy, resting his chin on his shoulder so his hair covered his eyes. “I love you, Gareth,” Kenny murmured, tightening his arms around him.
He may have lost Luciana, but he knew that she’d never forgive him if he spent the rest of his life mourning what could have been. Instead, he lived every day to the fullest, especially now that he’d found a new love in Gareth. One that made him feel as free as a bird.
The breeze seemed to whisper, You’re happy, and that’s all I want. Kenny smiled in response and kissed the boy who meant the world to him, as Luciana once had.
(
PixieDust
)And now to wallow in self-pity because I was writing those last night instead of studying for Chem XD
Last edited:
PixieDust
Ten Thousand Club
Omg those are beautifulSo I was watching Victorious yesterday since nothing else good was on, and every time Jade said something I couldn't help but think that her name was Phil, not Jade
This is what you have done to me,
IN OTHER NEWS, MY CHARACTERS WOULDN'T SHUT UP
If you asked her about him, she’d either roll her eyes and punch you or laugh and cover her reddening face with her hands. No matter the reaction, it was hard to deny that she was happy, and that it was a feeling she’d been aching to have for years.
Skylie herself wasn’t sure where the sudden emotion had come from. Usually, she shut them all off so that the people around her wouldn’t affect her. (Unless she was with Gareth, of course.) But something about him made her want to smile all the time, or do something stupidly girly like frolic in a meadow or something.
That’s why it still shocked her when her nightmares came back to visit her. In the midst of her happiness, they’d come and find her, immediately draining any feeling of security afforded to her.
It was the same old deal. A fist swinging through the air, arms pinning her down, a cruel mouth twisted angrily. Skylie screamed in her dream as the dark memories engulfed her, wrapping around her and assuring her that she would always be alone.
She shot up in bed in a cold sweat, her eyes wide and scared. Tears were streaming down her face, an after effect of sudden recollection of the bad days. Covering her face with her hands, she struggled to control her shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat.
Suddenly, warmth spread through her, and when she looked down, she realized why. He was there, as he always seemed to be, a ray of sun in the cloudy skies of her life. A weak smile flickered across her face as she laid down again, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his face. Thanks to him, she felt safe for once. It was a feeling she’d thought she’d forgotten.
Right on cue, he wrapped himself around her, as if he was a blanket himself. Skylie blushed and smiled as he kissed her head, murmuring consolingly to her so she could calm down.
Lifting her head to kiss him, she whispered, “I love you, Omar. Never let me go."
(
Castiel tried not to deal in emotions, but sometimes, he couldn’t help himself. And when it came his crisantemo… Well, it was hard not to feel something. That’s why, whenever he found himself overcome with jealousy for missing out on chances to spend time with her, he shut himself up with his flowers. They soothed him in a way no human could, not even her.
Today, he found himself staring at the yellow roses. He couldn’t even remember why he kept so many. Was it sentimentality? Was it nostalgia? Was it a trophy of some sort of his first lover? Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d felt more for him than he’d cared to admit. Then again, after his first real boyfriend ran away, he hadn’t really stopped to consider his feelings.
Right next to the roses were the lilies. A wry smile twisted his face. Something told him he was causing his lily pain by keeping her there, reminding her of him. At the same time, he couldn’t let go of what could have been, had things been different.
At the center of all his flowers were the white chrysanthemums. Castiel’s face grew tender as he stared at them. Emotions he didn’t know existed surged up whenever he looked at them, and sometimes he wondered if maybe something had been irrevocably broken when he’d first met Eva, the sexiest woman he’d possibly ever tried to charm.
If it had, it was certainly for the best, because he didn’t want to let this feeling go, not for anything in the world.
(
Oliver knew that romantic attention would never come his way. It just wasn’t in the stars for him. Ever since his first and only girlfriend humiliated him for being smart, he highly doubted he would pursue such interests ever again.
But something about those two that he’d met made him feel happier than he had in a long time. One was full of pure kindness and goodness all around, while the other was intelligent and absolutely stunning. Oliver felt himself getting lost in what he’d believed was called a “crush.” Er, in this case, two.
He hid behind his book instead of telling them what kind of emotions they stirred inside him. Besides, they probably had their eyes set on other people. Those people far exceeded him. One was a smart boy who doled out compliments better than Oliver could ever imagine giving, and the other was a charming man who could sweep girls off their feet, perhaps quite literally.
Nothing anybody could say would change his thoughts. If he was good at flirting, maybe he’d have some sort of chance, but as it stood, he really didn’t. And it’s not like he was looking for romance. As long as he had Avril and Maddox, his surrogate family, he knew he’d be alright.
So, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, he told himself, “As long as Francesca and Mateo are happy, I am, too.”
(
Smoke curled through the air as Jacqueline and Tobias lounged on a couch as casually as always. A cigarette protruded from Jackie’s lips as she stared at the TV screen across the room. “Isn’t there ever anything good on?”
Toby groaned, “I wanna watch a ballet.”
Jackie smirked. “You always want to watch a ballet, ever since you met that sweet little ballerina. What was her name? Vasilisa?”
“And what about you? You won’t shut up about ‘your little troublemaker,’ Val. You keep moaning and groaning about wanting to run your hands through her hair and kiss her and blah blah blah…” Toby retorted, returning his cousin’s smirk.
She shrugged. “What can I say? She’s certainly better than that jackass I dated in high school. I’m sure a night with her would be better than that mistake.” After a pause, she murmured, “I really miss her when she’s not around, though.”
“And I wish I could share a dance floor with Vasilisa. But all good things come to those who wait. How about us both liking girls whose names began with ‘V’?”
“Great cousins think alike,” Jackie said, grinning. “And this time, I think we’ll both find our brand of happiness.”
“You’re right about that.”
(
Ivy blew a lock of hair out of her face as she tapped a pen against her notebook. Coming up with new material got harder and harder as time went on, so she made sure to make specific time to map out her new jokes.
Unfortunately, she found she was quite distracted. Instead of planning out jokes, she’d jokingly drawn a knight—specifically, the one she’d first met on the boat to the university. Dammit, why was she so distracted by that? Was it her imagination getting the best of her again? Ugh, she had to rein it in.
However, her thoughts were tangled up in another boy. Particularly, one she considered a neighbor of sorts. Either it was the Welsh accent or his adorable smile, but sometimes, Ivy couldn’t get him out of her head. What would her darling Trevor Noah say if he found out?
At that thought, she laughed. At the rate she was going, she’d probably be way past her prime before she could marry him. She supposed he wouldn’t mind if she liked someone else in the meantime.
She chuckled. “Heh… An unofficial dispute between Sir Ilya and Prince William. That makes for an interesting anecdote. Or a joke. Hmm.” Her thoughts refocused, she set back to work on her jokes, leaving her doodles of knights and princes behind.
(
For whatever reason, Avril had been spending a lot of time sleeping lately. In between naps, she’d say hi to Olly or Cassy, and on rare occasions, she’d specifically find Dax and give him a hug. Most of the time, though, she’d read a book until she fell back asleep.
Now, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling, which was an odd feeling. Usually, she was acutely aware of what she felt at all times, which, for the most part, was happiness. A cheery girl like her was easy to read like that.
Right now, though, her mind bounced everywhere. There were all sorts of people around her, including those who had known her parents. It was a slap in the face for this daughter of a fashion designer and a history professor. What soared above the rest of that was the collection of faces she met, friends she hoped she’d still be in contact with for years to come.
With a small smile, her mind drifted to Alois, who had shared some honey cake with her not too long ago. The taste had been heavenly, though Avie still considered herself biased to French cuisine. She’d thought of comparing it to his sweet personality, but part of her had convinced her not to. Even now, she wasn’t sure why.
Avie closed her eyes and remembered briefly how they had danced. A certain giddiness had filled her then, a feeling unlike the one she seemed to always have around Galen. It was hard to describe, since she didn’t remember feeling it before, so whenever she asked herself what it meant, she couldn’t answer.
It didn’t help that he seemed to shine when he smiled.
Covering her eyes with an arm, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Maman, Papa, but it seems your love story wasn’t enough. I wish you had taught me what all this means before you left.”
With a slight smile, she added inaudibly, “It seems my heart can’t decide. What would you do in this situation, Maman?”
(
It wasn’t hard to tell what Kendrick was feeling. He was an open book about practically everything, except maybe Luciana. But lately, he’d been especially happy, strumming his guitar and humming Sam Smith whenever he got the chance.
When he woke up in the morning, he smiled. When he went to bed at night, he sighed contentedly. Whenever anyone ever said anything about anything, he grinned and nodded. He was so far gone.
One day, he reached up to the locket around his neck. Clicking the button, he stared at the picture of his Luciana, with her honey blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, even after a car tore her apart. Closing his eyes, he kissed the picture softly, sorrow pulling him under for a single moment. “I miss you like hell, Luciana. I sorely hope heaven is treating you well.”
Kenny left his room and went to find Gareth, the source of his smiles. When he found him, a strange feeling took over, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy, resting his chin on his shoulder so his hair covered his eyes. “I love you, Gareth,” Kenny murmured, tightening his arms around him.
He may have lost Luciana, but he knew that she’d never forgive him if he spent the rest of his life mourning what could have been. Instead, he lived every day to the fullest, especially now that he’d found a new love in Gareth. One that made him feel as free as a bird.
The breeze seemed to whisper, You’re happy, and that’s all I want. Kenny smiled in response and kissed the boy who meant the world to him, as Luciana once had.
(
And now to wallow in self-pity because I was writing those last night instead of studying for Chem XD
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
mxlly
baby got backstories
Ahh, i love these! ♡So I was watching Victorious yesterday since nothing else good was on, and every time Jade said something I couldn't help but think that her name was Phil, not Jade
This is what you have done to me,
IN OTHER NEWS, MY CHARACTERS WOULDN'T SHUT UP
If you asked her about him, she’d either roll her eyes and punch you or laugh and cover her reddening face with her hands. No matter the reaction, it was hard to deny that she was happy, and that it was a feeling she’d been aching to have for years.
Skylie herself wasn’t sure where the sudden emotion had come from. Usually, she shut them all off so that the people around her wouldn’t affect her. (Unless she was with Gareth, of course.) But something about him made her want to smile all the time, or do something stupidly girly like frolic in a meadow or something.
That’s why it still shocked her when her nightmares came back to visit her. In the midst of her happiness, they’d come and find her, immediately draining any feeling of security afforded to her.
It was the same old deal. A fist swinging through the air, arms pinning her down, a cruel mouth twisted angrily. Skylie screamed in her dream as the dark memories engulfed her, wrapping around her and assuring her that she would always be alone.
She shot up in bed in a cold sweat, her eyes wide and scared. Tears were streaming down her face, an after effect of sudden recollection of the bad days. Covering her face with her hands, she struggled to control her shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat.
Suddenly, warmth spread through her, and when she looked down, she realized why. He was there, as he always seemed to be, a ray of sun in the cloudy skies of her life. A weak smile flickered across her face as she laid down again, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Thanks to him, she felt safe for once. It was a feeling she’d thought she’d forgotten.
Right on cue, he wrapped himself around her, as if he was a blanket himself. Skylie blushed and smiled as he kissed her head, murmuring consolingly to her so she could calm down.
Lifting her head to kiss him, she whispered, “I love you, Omar. Never let me go."
(
Castiel tried not to deal in emotions, but sometimes, he couldn’t help himself. And when it came his crisantemo… Well, it was hard not to feel something. That’s why, whenever he found himself overcome with jealousy for missing out on chances to spend time with her, he shut himself up with his flowers. They soothed him in a way no human could, not even her.
Today, he found himself staring at the yellow roses. He couldn’t even remember why he kept so many. Was it sentimentality? Was it nostalgia? Was it a trophy of some sort of his first lover? Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d felt more for him than he’d cared to admit. Then again, after his first real boyfriend ran away, he hadn’t really stopped to consider his feelings.
Right next to the roses were the lilies. A wry smile twisted his face. Something told him he was causing his lily pain by keeping her there, reminding her of him. At the same time, he couldn’t let go of what could have been, had things been different.
At the center of all his flowers were the white chrysanthemums. Castiel’s face grew tender as he stared at them. Emotions he didn’t know existed surged up whenever he looked at them, and sometimes he wondered if maybe something had been irrevocably broken when he’d first met Eva, the sexiest woman he’d possibly ever tried to charm.
If it had, it was certainly for the best, because he didn’t want to let this feeling go, not for anything in the world.
(
Oliver knew that romantic attention would never come his way. It just wasn’t in the stars for him. Ever since his first and only girlfriend humiliated him for being smart, he highly doubted he would pursue such interests ever again.
But something about those two that he’d met made him feel happier than he had in a long time. One was full of pure kindness and goodness all around, while the other was intelligent and absolutely stunning. Oliver felt himself getting lost in what he’d believed was called a “crush.” Er, in this case, two.
He hid behind his book instead of telling them what kind of emotions they stirred inside him. Besides, they probably had their eyes set on other people. Those people far exceeded him. One was a smart boy who doled out compliments better than Oliver could ever imagine giving, and the other was a charming man who could sweep girls off their feet, perhaps quite literally.
Nothing anybody could say would change his thoughts. If he was good at flirting, maybe he’d have some sort of chance, but as it stood, he really didn’t. And it’s not like he was looking for romance. As long as he had Avril and Maddox, his surrogate family, he knew he’d be alright.
So, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, he told himself, “As long as Francesca and Mateo are happy, I am, too.”
(
Smoke curled through the air as Jacqueline and Tobias lounged on a couch as casually as always. A cigarette protruded from Jackie’s lips as she stared at the TV screen across the room. “Isn’t there ever anything good on?”
Toby groaned, “I wanna watch a ballet.”
Jackie smirked. “You always want to watch a ballet, ever since you met that sweet little ballerina. What was her name? Vasilisa?”
“And what about you? You won’t shut up about ‘your little troublemaker,’ Val. You keep moaning and groaning about wanting to run your hands through her hair and kiss her and blah blah blah…” Toby retorted, returning his cousin’s smirk.
She shrugged. “What can I say? She’s certainly better than that jackass I dated in high school. I’m sure a night with her would be better than that mistake.” After a pause, she murmured, “I really miss her when she’s not around, though.”
“And I wish I could share a dance floor with Vasilisa. But all good things come to those who wait. How about us both liking girls whose names began with ‘V’?”
“Great cousins think alike,” Jackie said, grinning. “And this time, I think we’ll both find our brand of happiness.”
“You’re right about that.”
(
Ivy blew a lock of hair out of her face as she tapped a pen against her notebook. Coming up with new material got harder and harder as time went on, so she made sure to make specific time to map out her new jokes.
Unfortunately, she found she was quite distracted. Instead of planning out jokes, she’d jokingly drawn a knight—specifically, the one she’d first met on the boat to the university. Dammit, why was she so distracted by that? Was it her imagination getting the best of her again? Ugh, she had to rein it in.
However, her thoughts were tangled up in another boy. Particularly, one she considered a neighbor of sorts. Either it was the Welsh accent or his adorable smile, but sometimes, Ivy couldn’t get him out of her head. What would her darling Trevor Noah say if he found out?
At that thought, she laughed. At the rate she was going, she’d probably be way past her prime before she could marry him. She supposed he wouldn’t mind if she liked someone else in the meantime.
She chuckled. “Heh… An unofficial dispute between Sir Ilya and Prince William. That makes for an interesting anecdote. Or a joke. Hmm.” Her thoughts refocused, she set back to work on her jokes, leaving her doodles of knights and princes behind.
(
For whatever reason, Avril had been spending a lot of time sleeping lately. In between naps, she’d say hi to Olly or Cassy, and on rare occasions, she’d specifically find Dax and give him a hug. Most of the time, though, she’d read a book until she fell back asleep.
Now, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling, which was an odd feeling. Usually, she was acutely aware of what she felt at all times, which, for the most part, was happiness. A cheery girl like her was easy to read like that.
Right now, though, her mind bounced everywhere. There were all sorts of people around her, including those who had known her parents. It was a slap in the face for this daughter of a fashion designer and a history professor. What soared above the rest of that was the collection of faces she met, friends she hoped she’d still be in contact with for years to come.
With a small smile, her mind drifted to Alois, who had shared some honey cake with her not too long ago. The taste had been heavenly, though Avie still considered herself biased to French cuisine. She’d thought of comparing it to his sweet personality, but part of her had convinced her not to. Even now, she wasn’t sure why.
Avie closed her eyes and remembered briefly how they had danced. A certain giddiness had filled her then, a feeling unlike the one she seemed to always have around Galen. It was hard to describe, since she didn’t remember feeling it before, so whenever she asked herself what it meant, she couldn’t answer.
It didn’t help that he seemed to shine when he smiled.
Covering her eyes with an arm, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Maman, Papa, but it seems your love story wasn’t enough. I wish you had taught me what all this means before you left.”
With a slight smile, she added inaudibly, “It seems my heart can’t decide. What would you do in this situation, Maman?”
(
It wasn’t hard to tell what Kendrick was feeling. He was an open book about practically everything, except maybe Luciana. But lately, he’d been especially happy, strumming his guitar and humming Sam Smith whenever he got the chance.
When he woke up in the morning, he smiled. When he went to bed at night, he sighed contentedly. Whenever anyone ever said anything about anything, he grinned and nodded. He was so far gone.
One day, he reached up to the locket around his neck. Clicking the button, he stared at the picture of his Luciana, with her honey blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, even after a car tore her apart. Closing his eyes, he kissed the picture softly, sorrow pulling him under for a single moment. “I miss you like hell, Luciana. I sorely hope heaven is treating you well.”
Kenny left his room and went to find Gareth, the source of his smiles. When he found him, a strange feeling took over, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy, resting his chin on his shoulder so his hair covered his eyes. “I love you, Gareth,” Kenny murmured, tightening his arms around him.
He may have lost Luciana, but he knew that she’d never forgive him if he spent the rest of his life mourning what could have been. Instead, he lived every day to the fullest, especially now that he’d found a new love in Gareth. One that made him feel as free as a bird.
The breeze seemed to whisper, You’re happy, and that’s all I want. Kenny smiled in response and kissed the boy who meant the world to him, as Luciana once had.
(
And now to wallow in self-pity because I was writing those last night instead of studying for Chem XD
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
stellar.nova
queen of the stars
Omg these are so great!!! ❤❤So I was watching Victorious yesterday since nothing else good was on, and every time Jade said something I couldn't help but think that her name was Phil, not Jade
This is what you have done to me,
IN OTHER NEWS, MY CHARACTERS WOULDN'T SHUT UP
If you asked her about him, she’d either roll her eyes and punch you or laugh and cover her reddening face with her hands. No matter the reaction, it was hard to deny that she was happy, and that it was a feeling she’d been aching to have for years.
Skylie herself wasn’t sure where the sudden emotion had come from. Usually, she shut them all off so that the people around her wouldn’t affect her. (Unless she was with Gareth, of course.) But something about him made her want to smile all the time, or do something stupidly girly like frolic in a meadow or something.
That’s why it still shocked her when her nightmares came back to visit her. In the midst of her happiness, they’d come and find her, immediately draining any feeling of security afforded to her.
It was the same old deal. A fist swinging through the air, arms pinning her down, a cruel mouth twisted angrily. Skylie screamed in her dream as the dark memories engulfed her, wrapping around her and assuring her that she would always be alone.
She shot up in bed in a cold sweat, her eyes wide and scared. Tears were streaming down her face, an after effect of sudden recollection of the bad days. Covering her face with her hands, she struggled to control her shallow breathing and erratic heartbeat.
Suddenly, warmth spread through her, and when she looked down, she realized why. He was there, as he always seemed to be, a ray of sun in the cloudy skies of her life. A weak smile flickered across her face as she laid down again, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Thanks to him, she felt safe for once. It was a feeling she’d thought she’d forgotten.
Right on cue, he wrapped himself around her, as if he was a blanket himself. Skylie blushed and smiled as he kissed her head, murmuring consolingly to her so she could calm down.
Lifting her head to kiss him, she whispered, “I love you, Omar. Never let me go."
(
Castiel tried not to deal in emotions, but sometimes, he couldn’t help himself. And when it came his crisantemo… Well, it was hard not to feel something. That’s why, whenever he found himself overcome with jealousy for missing out on chances to spend time with her, he shut himself up with his flowers. They soothed him in a way no human could, not even her.
Today, he found himself staring at the yellow roses. He couldn’t even remember why he kept so many. Was it sentimentality? Was it nostalgia? Was it a trophy of some sort of his first lover? Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d felt more for him than he’d cared to admit. Then again, after his first real boyfriend ran away, he hadn’t really stopped to consider his feelings.
Right next to the roses were the lilies. A wry smile twisted his face. Something told him he was causing his lily pain by keeping her there, reminding her of him. At the same time, he couldn’t let go of what could have been, had things been different.
At the center of all his flowers were the white chrysanthemums. Castiel’s face grew tender as he stared at them. Emotions he didn’t know existed surged up whenever he looked at them, and sometimes he wondered if maybe something had been irrevocably broken when he’d first met Eva, the sexiest woman he’d possibly ever tried to charm.
If it had, it was certainly for the best, because he didn’t want to let this feeling go, not for anything in the world.
(
Oliver knew that romantic attention would never come his way. It just wasn’t in the stars for him. Ever since his first and only girlfriend humiliated him for being smart, he highly doubted he would pursue such interests ever again.
But something about those two that he’d met made him feel happier than he had in a long time. One was full of pure kindness and goodness all around, while the other was intelligent and absolutely stunning. Oliver felt himself getting lost in what he’d believed was called a “crush.” Er, in this case, two.
He hid behind his book instead of telling them what kind of emotions they stirred inside him. Besides, they probably had their eyes set on other people. Those people far exceeded him. One was a smart boy who doled out compliments better than Oliver could ever imagine giving, and the other was a charming man who could sweep girls off their feet, perhaps quite literally.
Nothing anybody could say would change his thoughts. If he was good at flirting, maybe he’d have some sort of chance, but as it stood, he really didn’t. And it’s not like he was looking for romance. As long as he had Avril and Maddox, his surrogate family, he knew he’d be alright.
So, with a single tear rolling down his cheek, he told himself, “As long as Francesca and Mateo are happy, I am, too.”
(
Smoke curled through the air as Jacqueline and Tobias lounged on a couch as casually as always. A cigarette protruded from Jackie’s lips as she stared at the TV screen across the room. “Isn’t there ever anything good on?”
Toby groaned, “I wanna watch a ballet.”
Jackie smirked. “You always want to watch a ballet, ever since you met that sweet little ballerina. What was her name? Vasilisa?”
“And what about you? You won’t shut up about ‘your little troublemaker,’ Val. You keep moaning and groaning about wanting to run your hands through her hair and kiss her and blah blah blah…” Toby retorted, returning his cousin’s smirk.
She shrugged. “What can I say? She’s certainly better than that jackass I dated in high school. I’m sure a night with her would be better than that mistake.” After a pause, she murmured, “I really miss her when she’s not around, though.”
“And I wish I could share a dance floor with Vasilisa. But all good things come to those who wait. How about us both liking girls whose names began with ‘V’?”
“Great cousins think alike,” Jackie said, grinning. “And this time, I think we’ll both find our brand of happiness.”
“You’re right about that.”
(
Ivy blew a lock of hair out of her face as she tapped a pen against her notebook. Coming up with new material got harder and harder as time went on, so she made sure to make specific time to map out her new jokes.
Unfortunately, she found she was quite distracted. Instead of planning out jokes, she’d jokingly drawn a knight—specifically, the one she’d first met on the boat to the university. Dammit, why was she so distracted by that? Was it her imagination getting the best of her again? Ugh, she had to rein it in.
However, her thoughts were tangled up in another boy. Particularly, one she considered a neighbor of sorts. Either it was the Welsh accent or his adorable smile, but sometimes, Ivy couldn’t get him out of her head. What would her darling Trevor Noah say if he found out?
At that thought, she laughed. At the rate she was going, she’d probably be way past her prime before she could marry him. She supposed he wouldn’t mind if she liked someone else in the meantime.
She chuckled. “Heh… An unofficial dispute between Sir Ilya and Prince William. That makes for an interesting anecdote. Or a joke. Hmm.” Her thoughts refocused, she set back to work on her jokes, leaving her doodles of knights and princes behind.
(
For whatever reason, Avril had been spending a lot of time sleeping lately. In between naps, she’d say hi to Olly or Cassy, and on rare occasions, she’d specifically find Dax and give him a hug. Most of the time, though, she’d read a book until she fell back asleep.
Now, she lay awake, staring at her ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling, which was an odd feeling. Usually, she was acutely aware of what she felt at all times, which, for the most part, was happiness. A cheery girl like her was easy to read like that.
Right now, though, her mind bounced everywhere. There were all sorts of people around her, including those who had known her parents. It was a slap in the face for this daughter of a fashion designer and a history professor. What soared above the rest of that was the collection of faces she met, friends she hoped she’d still be in contact with for years to come.
With a small smile, her mind drifted to Alois, who had shared some honey cake with her not too long ago. The taste had been heavenly, though Avie still considered herself biased to French cuisine. She’d thought of comparing it to his sweet personality, but part of her had convinced her not to. Even now, she wasn’t sure why.
Avie closed her eyes and remembered briefly how they had danced. A certain giddiness had filled her then, a feeling unlike the one she seemed to always have around Galen. It was hard to describe, since she didn’t remember feeling it before, so whenever she asked herself what it meant, she couldn’t answer.
It didn’t help that he seemed to shine when he smiled.
Covering her eyes with an arm, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Maman, Papa, but it seems your love story wasn’t enough. I wish you had taught me what all this means before you left.”
With a slight smile, she added inaudibly, “It seems my heart can’t decide. What would you do in this situation, Maman?”
(
It wasn’t hard to tell what Kendrick was feeling. He was an open book about practically everything, except maybe Luciana. But lately, he’d been especially happy, strumming his guitar and humming Sam Smith whenever he got the chance.
When he woke up in the morning, he smiled. When he went to bed at night, he sighed contentedly. Whenever anyone ever said anything about anything, he grinned and nodded. He was so far gone.
One day, he reached up to the locket around his neck. Clicking the button, he stared at the picture of his Luciana, with her honey blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes. She’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, even after a car tore her apart. Closing his eyes, he kissed the picture softly, sorrow pulling him under for a single moment. “I miss you like hell, Luciana. I sorely hope heaven is treating you well.”
Kenny left his room and went to find Gareth, the source of his smiles. When he found him, a strange feeling took over, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy, resting his chin on his shoulder so his hair covered his eyes. “I love you, Gareth,” Kenny murmured, tightening his arms around him.
He may have lost Luciana, but he knew that she’d never forgive him if he spent the rest of his life mourning what could have been. Instead, he lived every day to the fullest, especially now that he’d found a new love in Gareth. One that made him feel as free as a bird.
The breeze seemed to whisper, You’re happy, and that’s all I want. Kenny smiled in response and kissed the boy who meant the world to him, as Luciana once had.
(
And now to wallow in self-pity because I was writing those last night instead of studying for Chem XD
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Skylie: Mine's obviously the best.
Kenny: Mine's a close second.
Seraph Darkfire
King of the Underworld
More information on a few of the ideas from before.
stellar.nova
Zombies are Monsters usually summoned by Necromantic Magic. They are one of the Undead Monsters that exist along Skeletons, Ghosts, Wraiths, and other Undead types. These creatures are some of the weakest monsters in the world. Individually, they pose nearly no threat. The major threat is when they are in large groups. They possess no sense of pain or fear and will actively swarm their prey. Once dead, their prey become infected with the Necromantic Magic that invigorates them, adding to their numbers.
Revived Zombies
Zombies can also be created where there are large amounts of dead bodies such as graveyards, crypts, and battlegrounds. These Zombies, unlike ones created through Necromancy, possess Magic Cores like any other Monster. Furthermore, they do not add to their ranks. However, they can and will grow stronger the more they kill and absorb the energy of living beings.
These Zombies can generally be avoided though. Priests or Holy Persons can sanctify the ground where bodies lay to prevent them from gathering dark magic. This will prevent Zombies from rising. This must be done every few years as the magic will begin to grow after a while.
God of Death's Zombies
There is a third type of Zombie. These Zombies are not Monsters. They are given life through the Keeper, one head Zombie who serves as the Will of the Death God. This Keeper serves as the Anchor that keeps the souls of the other Zombies tethered to this world. When they choose to end their role as the Keeper, they, and their anchored Zombies will pass on, leaving one Zombie to become the new Keeper.
These Zombies serve the God of Death. Their duty is to fight and subdue the Abnormals, Monsters and Magical Beasts that are far stronger than normal. They prevent these creatures from becoming Calamities. Unlike other Zombies, there are nearly no signs that they are an Undead being. They look and act just as any other normal person.
These Zombies grow stronger by consuming the Magic Cores of the Monsters and Magical Beasts they kill.
The effects are extremely varied, even to the point that a core gathered from two of the same species can give two different weapons completely different effects. Some simply add extra strength to the user, some improve the quality of the weapon.
These Cores are rated from Least to Greatest depending on the creature they come from.
Lesser, Minor, Average, Major, and Greater. Usually, a Monster, who is born with their Magic Core, will have a greater quality Core than a Magical Beast. There are exceptions, especially when a Magical Beast lives in a dense magic area.
Most Monster Cores are Average in Quality. However, a Magical Beast that manages to grow strong enough will almost always have at least a Major core. In other cases, they will only have Lesser or Minor Cores.
There is one more Quality of Core, though each one is Unique. These are Supreme Quality Cores. When processed and added to a weapon or object, it can make said object become a Legendary Item or Weapon. These types of Items and Weapons are reserved for a Country's Heroes when they are summoned.
The world of Alteria has two major Continents, connected at the topmost by a massive land bridge. These two continents are Anvre and Maleti. Due to the conflicting interests of the Dark and Light races, the people are separated on these continents. Anvre being the continent of Light and Maleti being the Continent of Darkness.
Anvre is home to the Elves, Fairies, Beastmen, Humans, Dwarves, Halflings, as well as the other various species of Light. Each race has their own Kingdom within this continent.
Maleti is home to the Vampires, Dark Elves, Orcs, Sidhe, Werebeasts, Gorgons and other intelligent races of Darkness.
Elves
The Elves possess the Forests to the North and are split up among the various Elf subspecies such as Wood Elves, High Elves, and Mountain Elves. These various Elves are almost always in disagreement regarding the management and control over their lands, however, they will work together when threatened by outside forces. Almost all elves are in opposition of their Dark Elf brethren who live on the continent of Maleti. Most Elves believe in protecting themselves and tradition, not getting involved with the other races unless it directly interferes with them.
Dark Elves believe in getting interfered with everyone and building good relations. At the same time, they are wiling to throw away tradition in order to benefit them and their allies. The Dark Elves do not have any specific home, often choosing to live along side the other races on Maleti.
All elves possess the lowest birth rate.
Fairies and Sidhe
While the Elves are long lived, the Fairies are truly Immortal. They'll never die from old age and are one of the most Magically inclined races. Unlike the other races, they live in another dimension, a space slightly above the one known by everyone else. They often appear in places with a high concentration of magic, linking the two dimensions together. While they have no problems with other races, they will often prank the people that arrive in these places.
Their counterparts are the Sidhe, certainly a darker version. They are far more prideful and arrogant than even Elves. They are often far more willing to deal with the other races than the Fairies. However, their deals are usually lined with something that will benefit them. They also have a law that states if any mortal being enters their realm and eats of their food, then that person can no longer leave, thus becoming a slave of the Sidhe. They mainly prefer children.
To eat the food of a Fairy or Sidhe, makes one immortal for as long as they stay in that realm. Once one leaves, they will rapidly age to match their actual age. As it is extremely hard to tell time in the Fairy realm, most people don't notice that they've been there for centuries. For races like the Elves and Dwarves, this isn't much of a problem. It is those like the Humans that have a problem.
To prevent this occurrence, one can become a servant of the Sidhe King or the Fairy Queen, allowing them to leave without aging.
Both Fairies and the Sidhe can change their size from average human height to barely a foot tall.
Faires and Sidhe possess no birthrate as they aren't often born. The only time a new one is created is when one dies.
Beastmen and Werebeasts
Beastmen are the creatures who possess the qualities of beasts. This can be from a few beast like traits, to full on beast appearance. However, whether they look like a bipedal beast or a human with beast appendages, they are all far stronger than most. Only the Dwarves can match them in raw strength. Their five senses are also usually better than normal, with one sense being greater than others depending on the base race. The Beastmen are incapable of using Magic. Instead, they have a special skill that ignites the beast blood within them, giving them incredible speed and strength beyond what they are already capable of. Beastmen live in the southern plains, enjoying the wide open space. Beastmen have the second highest birth rate.
Werebeasts are the exact opposite. Instead of being born with the blood of beasts, they are those of other races who have had their base race overwritten by the blood of a Magical Beast. This is usually caused by a high leveled beast biting or clawing them. Every full moon, the new blood in the body is stimulated and forces them into a wild frenzy like state.
Many of those who become Werebeasts struggle with their animal like instincts and are usually hunted down because they give into them. Others though have striven to control this blood and have gained the ability to shift into their beast form at will, and even a hybrid form in between. Werebeasts often live alone or in packs of those who are similar.
Humans and Vampires
Humans are the most adaptable race. Because of this and their propensity to propagate, the Humans are one of the strongest races as well. Because of their body structures, they have the capability of learning new techniques and skills beyond their own natural talents. At the same time, this also makes them more susceptible to changes in their bodies. They are also the only race capable of interbreeding with any other race, even Fairies and Sidhe. Half-breeds are common among the humans, though they usually go to live with their other parent.
They are also the ones to generally become adventurers due to their greed or sense of justice. They also hold the biggest land in the center of Anvre.
Vampires are the counterpart of humans because they can only come from humans. Vampires are created by virus that infects the human body, turning them into a blood sucking fiend. However, the first Vampires were originally humans who sought to become immortal by manipulating their blood.
Vampires can take control over their own hunger and take on Ghouls, special humans that provide their blood in exchange for the heightened gifts that a single drop of Vampire's blood brings. Along with greater combat capabilities, a Vampire's Immortal Blood can give them longevity.
Due to the fact that they drink blood from humans specifically, many humans hate and fear them. Because of this hate, Vampires have stood against humans by creating an empire on Maleti that equals that of humans, made up of the various creatures that the races of Light have shunned.
Orcs and Dwarves
Orcs are large and wildly unattractive creatures. They mainly live in the west of Maleti, away from the other races. They are a highly competitive race, often fighting and holding tribal wars for territory. Orcs possess the greatest strength, greater than the Beastmen and Dwarves. Their society revolves around being strong and overbearing and often respect the loud and brash strength of others. As such, they aren't very close to Elves. However, Dwarves get along with them well.
Because of their violent and unattractive behavior, they are often discriminated against in Anvre.
Dwarves are strong and dexterous, capable of building and crafting anything. They live in the eastern mountains of Anvre where they reign supreme under the mountain. They are very susceptible to greed and often craft weapons and tools for the other races to use. However, they are also honorable and will never trick someone by giving them faulty work. If it is made by a Dwarf, it is made to last.
Dwarves are raucous and capable of drinking a great amount of alcohol. However, they won't drink just anything, preferring to drink the best. Many Dwarves have gone on great quests to either make or find the greatest drink.
Halflings and Gorgons
Halflings are small human like creatures who are about as dexterous as the Dwarves. However, unlike the Dwarves, they don't create weapons or tools. Instead, they make food, the best food that anyone has tasted before. To have a Hafling as your cook is one of the pleasures of life. However, they aren't perfect. Halflings are quite known to be quite mischievous, often becoming rouges and thieves.
They have a surprisingly high gift for magic, though rarely take that route. Those that do however should make others beware. Halflings are found all over, not really having a kingdom. However, in times of strife, they come together.
Gorgons are a race of beautiful women with Snakes for hair. They are alluring and draw you in, however, should one look you in the eyes, they will turn you into stone in an instant. They have a deep control over snakes and are often protected by snake monsters or Magical Beasts. They aren't violent though, often leaving the other races alone. However, if attacked, they return this full fold.
Gorgons can be found in the southern wastes of Maleti. They enjoy the dry air and sunshine among the rocks.
The day was bright, with very little clouds in the sky, the city full of the hustle and bustle of people moving about their daily business. Various adventurers wearing various pieces of equipment were wandering about. Some were headed to the local guild hall while others were headed out of the city to carry out their quest.
There was one young man, dressed as an adventurer, who was doing neither. He had white hair and sharp yellow eyes, a long sword strapped to his waist.
He didn't like being in the cities. There was always the possibility of being discovered. However, he needed to get the necessary equipment for the new arrivals in a few days. The major problem was that until they arrived, he was not sure of their attributes. They could be sword wielders, archers, mages, hand to hand combat specialists. He wondered if his master had this problem deciding for him.
He sighed as he walked down the bricked roads, he had to admit, the people of this world were certainly advanced to a degree. Paved roads and a decent system of cleanliness. It surprised him every time, knowing what he knew about societies at this level of growth, they should have been dirtier.
He figured that it was because this world had magic whereas his original one hadn't. He sighed and shook his head. He'd died in that other world, this one was his home now. He stopped at an armor shop and purchased a few things of various sizes. The man selling him these objects was surprised when he waved his hands and the objects he'd selected vanished into a small ring he had on his ring finger.
This was an interspatial ring, one that had quite a bit of storage space. Whoever this young man was, he held a decent amount of wealth. There were many adventurers of noble or high birth who went on excursions to gain fame and recognition. It was best to give him a good impression, as well as get a bit more coin from him.
"Young Master, since you have shown such wealth, this object here should catch your eye" the man lifted up a necklace that shined with a bright red jewel.
"Oh, is that a Major Core?" he asked curiously "I wouldn't have imagined to see one here, where was it obtained?" it was best to know where things came from. If it was stolen then it could lead people to track him down. He couldn't give away the location of his home.
"It was obtained in the Malein Forest, a few days away from here to the north" the man answered "It took several Class A adventurers to bring down the Alein Bear that the Core was taken from, I was told that it was extremely difficult"
'Hmf, Adventurers' he thought. He himself could take down a bear of that quality with no back up. It was easy enough 'Try facing an Abnormal once, then tell me what is difficult'
However, he did need the stone "Alright, since so much trouble was taken to obtain it, how could I not purchase it" he gave the man a smile.
"Of course sir, that will be fifteen gold" the man returned his smile.
The white haired man frowned slightly but still paid for the necklace, placing it within his ring. This was clearly more than the necklace was worth, but he didn't want to get into a dispute. He was very likely to end up hurting the man. He turned and left the shop. He now needed to pick up a few weapons. With a soft sigh, he headed down the street.
Afterwards, he cracked his back and headed out of the city, one out of the city, he could pick up his speed and be back home in a few hours. However, he frowned when he detected that someone was following him, or rather a group of someones. He frowned, wondering why he was being followed. It could have been for his ring. Interspatial rings were very special magic from an older age. It was so rare and valuable that they couldn't be bought, especially since the magic to make it had long since vanished.
Of course, the people following him could also know what he really was. There were a few Necromancers that had tried to learn how he and his allies maintained their physical forms. To understand his Zombie physiology would give them tremendous control over a lot of places. Undead that didn't look it would make very useful pawns.
Well, either way, if they attacked him, they'd find themselves without their lives. Well, whatever, they wouldn't be able to kill him. He brought the necklace out of his ring and looked at it. He hadn't bothered to ask about it's abilities because he didn't really care. Magic Cores were like candy to him. Whatever they did became useless once he consumed it. He only got a boost to his own level.
He brought out a small card and pressed it to the gem on the necklace "Observe" he spoke softly. The card glowed for a second before several words and numbers appeared on the card.
Necklace of the Alein Bear
Defense +16 Vitality +12 Attack + 9
He ran a hand through his white hair and whistled "Not bad for a Major Core" he said chuckling as he stored the necklace away once again. Major Cores had an incredible effect...at least for normal people anyway.
Suddenly, two arrows pierced through his calves and he dropped to the ground as his legs stopped working 'Ah, so it is for the ring. Good, Necromancers are hard to deal with' he thought, not worrying about the arrows in his legs. Necromancers could summon more undead to serve them and it was just time consuming to fight them all.
Suddenly, he was rolled over. He was facing three people, two humans and a Halfling girl. A mage, a warrior, and a rouge 'How cliche could you get?' he thought. Of course it was a Halfling that had shot him, they had pretty good aim.
"Sorry about this buddy, but you really shouldn't show off your wealth like that" the warrior man said nodding towards the Halfling. She moved quickly and stabbed him through the chest, the short dagger she was using, quickly piercing into his heart. Thank the God of Death he didn't need it.
"He kind of just let you do it huh?" the mage asked curiously, looking at the Halfling.
"Whatever, these rich guys are always a bunch of wusses. Come on, get his ring" she pulled her knife out of his heart and stood up, wiping it clean.
"Pretty vicious though" the warrior said quietly as he reached down to pick up the sword that was attached to the man's waist.
"Well, it isn't like I'll die" the voice from the supposed dead body startled the warrior, but before he could do anything, a hand clamped around his neck with surprising force. He tried to struggle away, but the grip was like a bear trap. With a single crack, the man twisted his fingers and the man's neck snapped.
"Holy shit!" the mage said backing up. The guy they'd attacked was clearly much smaller than their warrior, but the ease at which he'd killed him was terrifying.
Sitting up, the white haired man snapped off the tips of the arrows in his legs and pulled them out through the hole. To the remaining people, it was very surprising. This man didn't even flinch as he did it.
Very soon, the blood coming from his chest and legs stopped flowing and he stood up. He cracked his knuckles and stretched "You guys know, I still feel pain, it isn't a major problem, but it is really annoying" his body blurred slightly as he appeared next to the mage. A single blow from his fist shattered the man's chest and caved in his heart, causing him to cough up blood before crumpling to the ground.
Only the Halfling was left. She found that her legs wouldn't work as she just stood there, watching this monster of a man walk towards her "You see, I don't like killing women, however, I can't just let you go off and tell people about me, and don't bother saying you won't, I can't monitor you forever to make sure you won't"
Running a hand through his white hair, he drew the sword at his waist "So I'll make it quick" in a flash, the world twisted around her and just for a second, she saw her own headless body drop to the ground before everything went dark.
"Geez, and she was cute too" he said as he stored all the bodies into his ring. He didn't need to leave bodies behind. Fortunately, the Interspatial ring could store anything as long as it wasn't alive.
He sighed and started down the road, quietly walking as he waited to see if anyone else was going to attack him. However, he didn't sense any other presences so he figured he was in the clear. He did however wander around a bit more just to make sure, often darting off into the woods in random directions.
Eventually, he was sure he wasn't being followed and stretched his leg forwards, the muscles bulging out. With a crack, his body shot forward as he took off like a galloping horse. He never tired and his speed was incredible so it only took him a few short hours to reach a small building hidden among some moss covered stones in the middle of the forest. Inside this building was a single magical array, inactive of course.
He scratched his chin and opened his hand. He was a warrior type Zombie so he didn't know much magic, but he knew the spell to activate the array.
He pushed his long black hair back out of his eyes and looked around. The room he was in was the cryo room. It was a stand alone room, separate from the rest of the facility. Even if everything lost power, the cryopods would stay active as the room itself had a separate power source.
His vision danced slightly, doubling everything as he stumbled with his first step.
"Please standby, you are experiencing cryo sickness, it will pass in a moment" a mechanical but clearly male voice entered his ears. He frowned slightly but nodded.
"Entra, good to see that you are up and running" he said as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply "What's the date?"
"I'm sorry, I do not have the current date, there was a malfunction in my systems that prompted the emergency activation of myself as well as your awakening"
"Damn" he mumbled "What is the damage?"
"Minor damage to the solar arrays as well as moderate damage to several key systems throughout the facility. Air filtration, food processing, water filtration..."
"Alright!" he sighed as he opened his eyes and stretched slightly "Is the auto repair functioning properly?" he wondered as he headed towards a small row of lockers. One one of the lockers was his name 'Alistair Manson'. It was a manual lock instead of a digital one, just in case there had been a malfunction with the power supply for the cryo room. Even if there was a problem, at least they'd have access to their equipment.
"Repair functions are working optimally" Entra responded "Minor damage should be repaired within eight hours, moderate damage in thirty four hours"
He nodded "Good" he said as he got ready to get dressed. Alistair was currently in the nude and the cold wasn't doing him any favors. He pulled out a simple black skintight suit and pulled it on first before he pulled out the all purpose body suit that his entire team would be wearing. It's design wasn't anything to write home about, but it was tough enough and flexible enough to go through many different situations.
As soon as he put on the suit, the nanites in the suit registered his data, monitoring his life signs. It even altered itself to fit his body perfectly. There was nothing to get in the way of his movement.
"What is the time before the other's awaken?" he asked Entra.
"Twenty four hours" the AI responded "Protocol dictates that the leader be awoken twenty four hours before the rest of the team to ready the facility for full access"
Alistair listened as he stepped into the air lock that separated the cryo room from the rest of the facility.
"How are things outside the facility?" he asked as he stepped out of the air lock, the lights of the hallway activating as he walked "The Alvia?"
"Unknown, though my scans indicate that there are no enemy forces nearby...they may be malfunctioning"
"They may be malfunctioning?" Alistair asked, curious as to why the AI was unsure of a possible malfunction.
"Scans indicate that the area outside of the facility is...a forest"
Alistair's eyebrows went up "How is that possible?" he wondered. The Facility had been built in the Sahara Desert, underneath the sand. It was a very good place to hide from the enemy. The sands would clear away any signs of life after a short period of time. Footprints, tools, bodies, everything was claimed by the desert.
The heat and sun exposure also helped power the facility through the use of solar arrays. Water filtration pulled water from the ocean a distance away as well as untapped water reservoirs below the desert.
A forest outside was nearly impossible "Drones?" he asked.
"Inoperable at the moment. The facility needs to be manually rebooted, there are sections I am unable to access"
"Of course" Alistair sighed "And our resident engineer is still in cryo" he scratched his head "Alright, we'll leave exploration for later, I'll head to the Hub and get all of the briefing left behind, maybe that will have an explanation for what is going on"
He sighed and headed for the elevator.
stellar.nova
Zombies
Necromantic Zombies
Necromantic Zombies
Zombies are Monsters usually summoned by Necromantic Magic. They are one of the Undead Monsters that exist along Skeletons, Ghosts, Wraiths, and other Undead types. These creatures are some of the weakest monsters in the world. Individually, they pose nearly no threat. The major threat is when they are in large groups. They possess no sense of pain or fear and will actively swarm their prey. Once dead, their prey become infected with the Necromantic Magic that invigorates them, adding to their numbers.
Revived Zombies
Zombies can also be created where there are large amounts of dead bodies such as graveyards, crypts, and battlegrounds. These Zombies, unlike ones created through Necromancy, possess Magic Cores like any other Monster. Furthermore, they do not add to their ranks. However, they can and will grow stronger the more they kill and absorb the energy of living beings.
These Zombies can generally be avoided though. Priests or Holy Persons can sanctify the ground where bodies lay to prevent them from gathering dark magic. This will prevent Zombies from rising. This must be done every few years as the magic will begin to grow after a while.
God of Death's Zombies
There is a third type of Zombie. These Zombies are not Monsters. They are given life through the Keeper, one head Zombie who serves as the Will of the Death God. This Keeper serves as the Anchor that keeps the souls of the other Zombies tethered to this world. When they choose to end their role as the Keeper, they, and their anchored Zombies will pass on, leaving one Zombie to become the new Keeper.
These Zombies serve the God of Death. Their duty is to fight and subdue the Abnormals, Monsters and Magical Beasts that are far stronger than normal. They prevent these creatures from becoming Calamities. Unlike other Zombies, there are nearly no signs that they are an Undead being. They look and act just as any other normal person.
These Zombies grow stronger by consuming the Magic Cores of the Monsters and Magical Beasts they kill.
Magic Cores
Monsters and Magical Beasts possess a Magical Core somewhere inside of their bodies. These are the source of their magic and strength. They come in various shapes and colors, but are always about the same size. Most possess a thumbs width and height, no matter the size of the monster or beast. These Cores are highly valuable, especially to Weapon Smiths and Adventurers. These cores, when processed can be made into special gems that can be slotted into weapons and accessories. They can give various effects and buffs to the users.The effects are extremely varied, even to the point that a core gathered from two of the same species can give two different weapons completely different effects. Some simply add extra strength to the user, some improve the quality of the weapon.
These Cores are rated from Least to Greatest depending on the creature they come from.
Lesser, Minor, Average, Major, and Greater. Usually, a Monster, who is born with their Magic Core, will have a greater quality Core than a Magical Beast. There are exceptions, especially when a Magical Beast lives in a dense magic area.
Most Monster Cores are Average in Quality. However, a Magical Beast that manages to grow strong enough will almost always have at least a Major core. In other cases, they will only have Lesser or Minor Cores.
There is one more Quality of Core, though each one is Unique. These are Supreme Quality Cores. When processed and added to a weapon or object, it can make said object become a Legendary Item or Weapon. These types of Items and Weapons are reserved for a Country's Heroes when they are summoned.
Alteria
The world of Alteria has two major Continents, connected at the topmost by a massive land bridge. These two continents are Anvre and Maleti. Due to the conflicting interests of the Dark and Light races, the people are separated on these continents. Anvre being the continent of Light and Maleti being the Continent of Darkness.
Anvre is home to the Elves, Fairies, Beastmen, Humans, Dwarves, Halflings, as well as the other various species of Light. Each race has their own Kingdom within this continent.
Maleti is home to the Vampires, Dark Elves, Orcs, Sidhe, Werebeasts, Gorgons and other intelligent races of Darkness.
Elves
The Elves possess the Forests to the North and are split up among the various Elf subspecies such as Wood Elves, High Elves, and Mountain Elves. These various Elves are almost always in disagreement regarding the management and control over their lands, however, they will work together when threatened by outside forces. Almost all elves are in opposition of their Dark Elf brethren who live on the continent of Maleti. Most Elves believe in protecting themselves and tradition, not getting involved with the other races unless it directly interferes with them.
Dark Elves believe in getting interfered with everyone and building good relations. At the same time, they are wiling to throw away tradition in order to benefit them and their allies. The Dark Elves do not have any specific home, often choosing to live along side the other races on Maleti.
All elves possess the lowest birth rate.
Fairies and Sidhe
While the Elves are long lived, the Fairies are truly Immortal. They'll never die from old age and are one of the most Magically inclined races. Unlike the other races, they live in another dimension, a space slightly above the one known by everyone else. They often appear in places with a high concentration of magic, linking the two dimensions together. While they have no problems with other races, they will often prank the people that arrive in these places.
Their counterparts are the Sidhe, certainly a darker version. They are far more prideful and arrogant than even Elves. They are often far more willing to deal with the other races than the Fairies. However, their deals are usually lined with something that will benefit them. They also have a law that states if any mortal being enters their realm and eats of their food, then that person can no longer leave, thus becoming a slave of the Sidhe. They mainly prefer children.
To eat the food of a Fairy or Sidhe, makes one immortal for as long as they stay in that realm. Once one leaves, they will rapidly age to match their actual age. As it is extremely hard to tell time in the Fairy realm, most people don't notice that they've been there for centuries. For races like the Elves and Dwarves, this isn't much of a problem. It is those like the Humans that have a problem.
To prevent this occurrence, one can become a servant of the Sidhe King or the Fairy Queen, allowing them to leave without aging.
Both Fairies and the Sidhe can change their size from average human height to barely a foot tall.
Faires and Sidhe possess no birthrate as they aren't often born. The only time a new one is created is when one dies.
Beastmen and Werebeasts
Beastmen are the creatures who possess the qualities of beasts. This can be from a few beast like traits, to full on beast appearance. However, whether they look like a bipedal beast or a human with beast appendages, they are all far stronger than most. Only the Dwarves can match them in raw strength. Their five senses are also usually better than normal, with one sense being greater than others depending on the base race. The Beastmen are incapable of using Magic. Instead, they have a special skill that ignites the beast blood within them, giving them incredible speed and strength beyond what they are already capable of. Beastmen live in the southern plains, enjoying the wide open space. Beastmen have the second highest birth rate.
Werebeasts are the exact opposite. Instead of being born with the blood of beasts, they are those of other races who have had their base race overwritten by the blood of a Magical Beast. This is usually caused by a high leveled beast biting or clawing them. Every full moon, the new blood in the body is stimulated and forces them into a wild frenzy like state.
Many of those who become Werebeasts struggle with their animal like instincts and are usually hunted down because they give into them. Others though have striven to control this blood and have gained the ability to shift into their beast form at will, and even a hybrid form in between. Werebeasts often live alone or in packs of those who are similar.
Humans and Vampires
Humans are the most adaptable race. Because of this and their propensity to propagate, the Humans are one of the strongest races as well. Because of their body structures, they have the capability of learning new techniques and skills beyond their own natural talents. At the same time, this also makes them more susceptible to changes in their bodies. They are also the only race capable of interbreeding with any other race, even Fairies and Sidhe. Half-breeds are common among the humans, though they usually go to live with their other parent.
They are also the ones to generally become adventurers due to their greed or sense of justice. They also hold the biggest land in the center of Anvre.
Vampires are the counterpart of humans because they can only come from humans. Vampires are created by virus that infects the human body, turning them into a blood sucking fiend. However, the first Vampires were originally humans who sought to become immortal by manipulating their blood.
Vampires can take control over their own hunger and take on Ghouls, special humans that provide their blood in exchange for the heightened gifts that a single drop of Vampire's blood brings. Along with greater combat capabilities, a Vampire's Immortal Blood can give them longevity.
Due to the fact that they drink blood from humans specifically, many humans hate and fear them. Because of this hate, Vampires have stood against humans by creating an empire on Maleti that equals that of humans, made up of the various creatures that the races of Light have shunned.
Orcs and Dwarves
Orcs are large and wildly unattractive creatures. They mainly live in the west of Maleti, away from the other races. They are a highly competitive race, often fighting and holding tribal wars for territory. Orcs possess the greatest strength, greater than the Beastmen and Dwarves. Their society revolves around being strong and overbearing and often respect the loud and brash strength of others. As such, they aren't very close to Elves. However, Dwarves get along with them well.
Because of their violent and unattractive behavior, they are often discriminated against in Anvre.
Dwarves are strong and dexterous, capable of building and crafting anything. They live in the eastern mountains of Anvre where they reign supreme under the mountain. They are very susceptible to greed and often craft weapons and tools for the other races to use. However, they are also honorable and will never trick someone by giving them faulty work. If it is made by a Dwarf, it is made to last.
Dwarves are raucous and capable of drinking a great amount of alcohol. However, they won't drink just anything, preferring to drink the best. Many Dwarves have gone on great quests to either make or find the greatest drink.
Halflings and Gorgons
Halflings are small human like creatures who are about as dexterous as the Dwarves. However, unlike the Dwarves, they don't create weapons or tools. Instead, they make food, the best food that anyone has tasted before. To have a Hafling as your cook is one of the pleasures of life. However, they aren't perfect. Halflings are quite known to be quite mischievous, often becoming rouges and thieves.
They have a surprisingly high gift for magic, though rarely take that route. Those that do however should make others beware. Halflings are found all over, not really having a kingdom. However, in times of strife, they come together.
Gorgons are a race of beautiful women with Snakes for hair. They are alluring and draw you in, however, should one look you in the eyes, they will turn you into stone in an instant. They have a deep control over snakes and are often protected by snake monsters or Magical Beasts. They aren't violent though, often leaving the other races alone. However, if attacked, they return this full fold.
Gorgons can be found in the southern wastes of Maleti. They enjoy the dry air and sunshine among the rocks.
Bit of Story
The day was bright, with very little clouds in the sky, the city full of the hustle and bustle of people moving about their daily business. Various adventurers wearing various pieces of equipment were wandering about. Some were headed to the local guild hall while others were headed out of the city to carry out their quest.
There was one young man, dressed as an adventurer, who was doing neither. He had white hair and sharp yellow eyes, a long sword strapped to his waist.
He didn't like being in the cities. There was always the possibility of being discovered. However, he needed to get the necessary equipment for the new arrivals in a few days. The major problem was that until they arrived, he was not sure of their attributes. They could be sword wielders, archers, mages, hand to hand combat specialists. He wondered if his master had this problem deciding for him.
He sighed as he walked down the bricked roads, he had to admit, the people of this world were certainly advanced to a degree. Paved roads and a decent system of cleanliness. It surprised him every time, knowing what he knew about societies at this level of growth, they should have been dirtier.
He figured that it was because this world had magic whereas his original one hadn't. He sighed and shook his head. He'd died in that other world, this one was his home now. He stopped at an armor shop and purchased a few things of various sizes. The man selling him these objects was surprised when he waved his hands and the objects he'd selected vanished into a small ring he had on his ring finger.
This was an interspatial ring, one that had quite a bit of storage space. Whoever this young man was, he held a decent amount of wealth. There were many adventurers of noble or high birth who went on excursions to gain fame and recognition. It was best to give him a good impression, as well as get a bit more coin from him.
"Young Master, since you have shown such wealth, this object here should catch your eye" the man lifted up a necklace that shined with a bright red jewel.
"Oh, is that a Major Core?" he asked curiously "I wouldn't have imagined to see one here, where was it obtained?" it was best to know where things came from. If it was stolen then it could lead people to track him down. He couldn't give away the location of his home.
"It was obtained in the Malein Forest, a few days away from here to the north" the man answered "It took several Class A adventurers to bring down the Alein Bear that the Core was taken from, I was told that it was extremely difficult"
'Hmf, Adventurers' he thought. He himself could take down a bear of that quality with no back up. It was easy enough 'Try facing an Abnormal once, then tell me what is difficult'
However, he did need the stone "Alright, since so much trouble was taken to obtain it, how could I not purchase it" he gave the man a smile.
"Of course sir, that will be fifteen gold" the man returned his smile.
The white haired man frowned slightly but still paid for the necklace, placing it within his ring. This was clearly more than the necklace was worth, but he didn't want to get into a dispute. He was very likely to end up hurting the man. He turned and left the shop. He now needed to pick up a few weapons. With a soft sigh, he headed down the street.
Afterwards, he cracked his back and headed out of the city, one out of the city, he could pick up his speed and be back home in a few hours. However, he frowned when he detected that someone was following him, or rather a group of someones. He frowned, wondering why he was being followed. It could have been for his ring. Interspatial rings were very special magic from an older age. It was so rare and valuable that they couldn't be bought, especially since the magic to make it had long since vanished.
Of course, the people following him could also know what he really was. There were a few Necromancers that had tried to learn how he and his allies maintained their physical forms. To understand his Zombie physiology would give them tremendous control over a lot of places. Undead that didn't look it would make very useful pawns.
Well, either way, if they attacked him, they'd find themselves without their lives. Well, whatever, they wouldn't be able to kill him. He brought the necklace out of his ring and looked at it. He hadn't bothered to ask about it's abilities because he didn't really care. Magic Cores were like candy to him. Whatever they did became useless once he consumed it. He only got a boost to his own level.
He brought out a small card and pressed it to the gem on the necklace "Observe" he spoke softly. The card glowed for a second before several words and numbers appeared on the card.
Necklace of the Alein Bear
Defense +16 Vitality +12 Attack + 9
He ran a hand through his white hair and whistled "Not bad for a Major Core" he said chuckling as he stored the necklace away once again. Major Cores had an incredible effect...at least for normal people anyway.
Suddenly, two arrows pierced through his calves and he dropped to the ground as his legs stopped working 'Ah, so it is for the ring. Good, Necromancers are hard to deal with' he thought, not worrying about the arrows in his legs. Necromancers could summon more undead to serve them and it was just time consuming to fight them all.
Suddenly, he was rolled over. He was facing three people, two humans and a Halfling girl. A mage, a warrior, and a rouge 'How cliche could you get?' he thought. Of course it was a Halfling that had shot him, they had pretty good aim.
"Sorry about this buddy, but you really shouldn't show off your wealth like that" the warrior man said nodding towards the Halfling. She moved quickly and stabbed him through the chest, the short dagger she was using, quickly piercing into his heart. Thank the God of Death he didn't need it.
"He kind of just let you do it huh?" the mage asked curiously, looking at the Halfling.
"Whatever, these rich guys are always a bunch of wusses. Come on, get his ring" she pulled her knife out of his heart and stood up, wiping it clean.
"Pretty vicious though" the warrior said quietly as he reached down to pick up the sword that was attached to the man's waist.
"Well, it isn't like I'll die" the voice from the supposed dead body startled the warrior, but before he could do anything, a hand clamped around his neck with surprising force. He tried to struggle away, but the grip was like a bear trap. With a single crack, the man twisted his fingers and the man's neck snapped.
"Holy shit!" the mage said backing up. The guy they'd attacked was clearly much smaller than their warrior, but the ease at which he'd killed him was terrifying.
Sitting up, the white haired man snapped off the tips of the arrows in his legs and pulled them out through the hole. To the remaining people, it was very surprising. This man didn't even flinch as he did it.
Very soon, the blood coming from his chest and legs stopped flowing and he stood up. He cracked his knuckles and stretched "You guys know, I still feel pain, it isn't a major problem, but it is really annoying" his body blurred slightly as he appeared next to the mage. A single blow from his fist shattered the man's chest and caved in his heart, causing him to cough up blood before crumpling to the ground.
Only the Halfling was left. She found that her legs wouldn't work as she just stood there, watching this monster of a man walk towards her "You see, I don't like killing women, however, I can't just let you go off and tell people about me, and don't bother saying you won't, I can't monitor you forever to make sure you won't"
Running a hand through his white hair, he drew the sword at his waist "So I'll make it quick" in a flash, the world twisted around her and just for a second, she saw her own headless body drop to the ground before everything went dark.
"Geez, and she was cute too" he said as he stored all the bodies into his ring. He didn't need to leave bodies behind. Fortunately, the Interspatial ring could store anything as long as it wasn't alive.
He sighed and started down the road, quietly walking as he waited to see if anyone else was going to attack him. However, he didn't sense any other presences so he figured he was in the clear. He did however wander around a bit more just to make sure, often darting off into the woods in random directions.
Eventually, he was sure he wasn't being followed and stretched his leg forwards, the muscles bulging out. With a crack, his body shot forward as he took off like a galloping horse. He never tired and his speed was incredible so it only took him a few short hours to reach a small building hidden among some moss covered stones in the middle of the forest. Inside this building was a single magical array, inactive of course.
He scratched his chin and opened his hand. He was a warrior type Zombie so he didn't know much magic, but he knew the spell to activate the array.
The Facility
Each facility is designed based on it's location as well as those designing it. Depending on it's uses, one facility may be quite different from another. The facility this story takes place in, is a Facility once designed under the Sahara Desert. The Facility is designed with five layers.
The lowest layer houses the Cryo Room, Core Room, Storage Room, Hydro Facilities, and Food Processing.
The next layer consists of the AI Core, Living Quarters, and Recreational Area.
The third layer possesses the Armory and Hanger
The Fourth layer is quite small, only holding the Hub, a central area housing the main computer for the entire facility.
Above that is the final layer which is simply a prepping area for the team to leave for exploration.
Cryo Room
The Cryo Room is actually several minor bays all connected to a central room. In each of these bays exists a single cryopod. Leaving the bay, you enter into a large square room where there exists a wall of lockers. The teams are usually between five to seven people, but there are always extra lockers and cryopods in case of unforeseen circumstances. Each locker is manually locked in case of power failure. Inside of each locker are the individuals possessions as well as the team Battle Suit.
These suits are the best of both Humanity and Alvian technology. Inside of the suits exist nanites that can monitor the wearer's life signs and provide emergency care if needed. They are self repairing and can be used in a variety of situations. The neck of the suit can expand into a solid helmet in situations where it is needed.
The suit is flexible enough that movement is unimpaired, yet tough enough that it can withstand high caliber weaponry. It can even enhance bodily strength by two times.
Core Room
While the facility gets power from various systems, such as solar facilities, heat absorbent systems, and hydro electricity, a majority of it's power comes from the Core. It is this same core that powers the starships Humanity and Alvia used to leave the planet. The Core Room houses the Star, a special system designed to reproduce the reactions that occur within a Star. It isn't perfect but as long as it is provided the right fuel, it can run for thousands of years. Most of the time, the Core is maintained by the Facility's AI Entra, occasionally, it requires manual interaction.
Storage Room
Less of a room, and more of a facility on it's own, the Storage Room is massive, easily taking up most of the lowest level's area. It is broken up into four areas. Weapons and Tools, Supplies, Materials, and Misc. Each area is maintained by many drones that flit about. It is simple to request an item and have it brought to you by the drones.
Hydro and Food Facilities
The Hydro Faculties and Food Processing are actually one in the same. This area is the second largest, containing an internal reservoir of water. The water is used for nearly everything. What water isn't set aside for bathing and drinking, is sent over to the food processing systems to be combined with various protein strands and carbohydrates. Using a specialized Food Printer, any food desired can be printed out.
AI Core
Entra is one of several extremely powerful AI systems that run the facilities across the planet. They handle a majority of situations, leaving the more important missions to the teams. Entra also has the job of relaying the team's information back to the ships housing humanity. If there is any malfunction that Entra can not handle during the team's sleep, the team leader will be awoken immediately to handle the problem.
All teams are given basic education on AI repair, but the more complex situations are generally handled by the team Engineer.
Living Quarters
The Living Quarters are broken up into several bedrooms surrounding a central area where the team can converse shortly after waking up. The rooms themselves are quite simple with a large window like area that can be customized with several videos to simulate the above world.
Each room possesses it's own bathroom and kitchen. From within the kitchen, any food can be synthesized from the food printer.
Recreational Area
The Recreational Area is broken up into a few smaller areas. First is the Park. This is a medium sized area that has been designed to look exactly like an above ground park. It is maintained by various drones and if one didn't already know they were underground, it could easily fool a person.
Other areas include a large swimming pool, exorcise room, and training room.
Armory
The Armory, unlike the storage room, houses the immediate weaponry as well as various heavy armor. Additionally, the Armory is connected to a shooting range for testing accuracy. Weapons include snipers, shotguns, pistols, assault rifles, and even close range combat weapons like swords and knives.
Hanger
The Hanger contains the two main vehicles of the team as well as several smaller vehicles used for short range exploration. The Valkyrie, a special drop ship designed to get the team in and out of special areas, it can provide air support in the form of heavy artillery or even short range drop pods delivering weapons and ammunition.
Next is the Avino, an all terrain vehicle designed to hold the four people. It is high speed on all terrains and corners quiet well. It is well armored and could stand up to most high artillery attacks. It is even capable of righting itself should it be flipped.
Designed for reconnaissance is the Annihilator a high speed motorcycle that is best used on flat terrain. This vehicle is the fastest land vehicle currently in humanity's possession.
The Hub
Containing the central computer for the entire facility, all information makes it's way through this system, cataloged by Entra. This is where the team will plan before missions as well as debrief. Any communication with the Humanity ship will also be stored on the system for viewing.
Alvia
The Alvia are a highly advanced race that have existd for a very long time. They possess a matriarchal society. The females of the race are humanoid with a single tail like head. They are the political members of the society and run everything. Cultural fads, monetary worth, societal norms are all determined by the females of the species. The males of the species have no say in political or diplomatic situations. The females pick their males depending on their intellect.
The males of the species are the scientists of the species. They are doctors and observers possessing the intellect for engineering and scientific advancement. They are the ones that originally designed their home ship as well as the cryo technology and AI technology.
Just as the females rule political, economical, and diplomatic situations, the males control all scientific advancement. They are free to study whatever they want and design whatever they want. The females will find a use for whatever they create.
The males are vastly different from the females, possessing similar four arms as well as possessing a quadrupedal form, similar to a centaur. They are quite distant from simply humanoid, possessing four 'welding' tails designed for high speed construction.
Their bodies give off a sustainable energy source that is used in their engineering. The way their faces are designed, they see in a wider range of spectrum than the females or even humans, allowing them to observe the universe in an entirely different way.
Colimna
The Colimna possess aquatic traits, a sign that they were once possibly an aquatic species. These traits allow them to 'swim' through empty space. This isn't entirely understood though both humans and Alvia scientists believe that they somehow interact with the Dark Matter of the universe to move.
They are a large threat to the intelligent species of the universe as they are a Hive Mind species. They naturally gather towards planets that have a high level of mental activity. Within a few short years, they will consume and assimilate entire personalities into their hive mind. How or why they do this is completely unknown as they seem to have no use for the intellect of the species they consume.
However, what is known is that what ever is left is simply a living husk of the species. Brain dead yet going through the motions of their memories. Eventually, these husks simply die after some time.
When the planet has been picked clean of highly intelligent species, the Colimna move on to the next planet, ignoring any non-intelligent species such as animals, insects, or plants.
Attempts to communicate with this species are either ignored or incapable of being understood.
There is a substance, called AlHu, named after the two species, that has an odd effect on the mental energy of the Colimna. It was once observed by Alvia scientists by accident. The substance was once used to create probes designed to study the atmospheres. Naturally, it possessed a few scientists to monitor the results. When the Colimna first arrived, it was observed that they completely ignored the scientists in the probe, as if they were completely blind to them.
The substance is very rare, however it does appear on planets with life. With this information, Humanity and Alvia left to find more of it, to finally find a way to defeat the Colimna.
There was a soft hiss as the doors to the cryopod popped open, releasing a white mist that drifted across the steel floors. A single hand came from within the pod and gripped the edge of the doors, pulling the figure it was attached to forwards. With a soft groan, a young man in his early twenties stepped out of the pod. One hand supported him as he stood on the cold floor while the other rubbed his forehead "Cryo sleep...." he mumbled "....really sucks"Each facility is designed based on it's location as well as those designing it. Depending on it's uses, one facility may be quite different from another. The facility this story takes place in, is a Facility once designed under the Sahara Desert. The Facility is designed with five layers.
The lowest layer houses the Cryo Room, Core Room, Storage Room, Hydro Facilities, and Food Processing.
The next layer consists of the AI Core, Living Quarters, and Recreational Area.
The third layer possesses the Armory and Hanger
The Fourth layer is quite small, only holding the Hub, a central area housing the main computer for the entire facility.
Above that is the final layer which is simply a prepping area for the team to leave for exploration.
Cryo Room
The Cryo Room is actually several minor bays all connected to a central room. In each of these bays exists a single cryopod. Leaving the bay, you enter into a large square room where there exists a wall of lockers. The teams are usually between five to seven people, but there are always extra lockers and cryopods in case of unforeseen circumstances. Each locker is manually locked in case of power failure. Inside of each locker are the individuals possessions as well as the team Battle Suit.
These suits are the best of both Humanity and Alvian technology. Inside of the suits exist nanites that can monitor the wearer's life signs and provide emergency care if needed. They are self repairing and can be used in a variety of situations. The neck of the suit can expand into a solid helmet in situations where it is needed.
The suit is flexible enough that movement is unimpaired, yet tough enough that it can withstand high caliber weaponry. It can even enhance bodily strength by two times.
Core Room
While the facility gets power from various systems, such as solar facilities, heat absorbent systems, and hydro electricity, a majority of it's power comes from the Core. It is this same core that powers the starships Humanity and Alvia used to leave the planet. The Core Room houses the Star, a special system designed to reproduce the reactions that occur within a Star. It isn't perfect but as long as it is provided the right fuel, it can run for thousands of years. Most of the time, the Core is maintained by the Facility's AI Entra, occasionally, it requires manual interaction.
Storage Room
Less of a room, and more of a facility on it's own, the Storage Room is massive, easily taking up most of the lowest level's area. It is broken up into four areas. Weapons and Tools, Supplies, Materials, and Misc. Each area is maintained by many drones that flit about. It is simple to request an item and have it brought to you by the drones.
Hydro and Food Facilities
The Hydro Faculties and Food Processing are actually one in the same. This area is the second largest, containing an internal reservoir of water. The water is used for nearly everything. What water isn't set aside for bathing and drinking, is sent over to the food processing systems to be combined with various protein strands and carbohydrates. Using a specialized Food Printer, any food desired can be printed out.
AI Core
Entra is one of several extremely powerful AI systems that run the facilities across the planet. They handle a majority of situations, leaving the more important missions to the teams. Entra also has the job of relaying the team's information back to the ships housing humanity. If there is any malfunction that Entra can not handle during the team's sleep, the team leader will be awoken immediately to handle the problem.
All teams are given basic education on AI repair, but the more complex situations are generally handled by the team Engineer.
Living Quarters
The Living Quarters are broken up into several bedrooms surrounding a central area where the team can converse shortly after waking up. The rooms themselves are quite simple with a large window like area that can be customized with several videos to simulate the above world.
Each room possesses it's own bathroom and kitchen. From within the kitchen, any food can be synthesized from the food printer.
Recreational Area
The Recreational Area is broken up into a few smaller areas. First is the Park. This is a medium sized area that has been designed to look exactly like an above ground park. It is maintained by various drones and if one didn't already know they were underground, it could easily fool a person.
Other areas include a large swimming pool, exorcise room, and training room.
Armory
The Armory, unlike the storage room, houses the immediate weaponry as well as various heavy armor. Additionally, the Armory is connected to a shooting range for testing accuracy. Weapons include snipers, shotguns, pistols, assault rifles, and even close range combat weapons like swords and knives.
Hanger
The Hanger contains the two main vehicles of the team as well as several smaller vehicles used for short range exploration. The Valkyrie, a special drop ship designed to get the team in and out of special areas, it can provide air support in the form of heavy artillery or even short range drop pods delivering weapons and ammunition.
Next is the Avino, an all terrain vehicle designed to hold the four people. It is high speed on all terrains and corners quiet well. It is well armored and could stand up to most high artillery attacks. It is even capable of righting itself should it be flipped.
Designed for reconnaissance is the Annihilator a high speed motorcycle that is best used on flat terrain. This vehicle is the fastest land vehicle currently in humanity's possession.
The Hub
Containing the central computer for the entire facility, all information makes it's way through this system, cataloged by Entra. This is where the team will plan before missions as well as debrief. Any communication with the Humanity ship will also be stored on the system for viewing.
Alvia
The Alvia are a highly advanced race that have existd for a very long time. They possess a matriarchal society. The females of the race are humanoid with a single tail like head. They are the political members of the society and run everything. Cultural fads, monetary worth, societal norms are all determined by the females of the species. The males of the species have no say in political or diplomatic situations. The females pick their males depending on their intellect.
The males of the species are the scientists of the species. They are doctors and observers possessing the intellect for engineering and scientific advancement. They are the ones that originally designed their home ship as well as the cryo technology and AI technology.
Just as the females rule political, economical, and diplomatic situations, the males control all scientific advancement. They are free to study whatever they want and design whatever they want. The females will find a use for whatever they create.
The males are vastly different from the females, possessing similar four arms as well as possessing a quadrupedal form, similar to a centaur. They are quite distant from simply humanoid, possessing four 'welding' tails designed for high speed construction.
Their bodies give off a sustainable energy source that is used in their engineering. The way their faces are designed, they see in a wider range of spectrum than the females or even humans, allowing them to observe the universe in an entirely different way.
Colimna
The Colimna possess aquatic traits, a sign that they were once possibly an aquatic species. These traits allow them to 'swim' through empty space. This isn't entirely understood though both humans and Alvia scientists believe that they somehow interact with the Dark Matter of the universe to move.
They are a large threat to the intelligent species of the universe as they are a Hive Mind species. They naturally gather towards planets that have a high level of mental activity. Within a few short years, they will consume and assimilate entire personalities into their hive mind. How or why they do this is completely unknown as they seem to have no use for the intellect of the species they consume.
However, what is known is that what ever is left is simply a living husk of the species. Brain dead yet going through the motions of their memories. Eventually, these husks simply die after some time.
When the planet has been picked clean of highly intelligent species, the Colimna move on to the next planet, ignoring any non-intelligent species such as animals, insects, or plants.
Attempts to communicate with this species are either ignored or incapable of being understood.
There is a substance, called AlHu, named after the two species, that has an odd effect on the mental energy of the Colimna. It was once observed by Alvia scientists by accident. The substance was once used to create probes designed to study the atmospheres. Naturally, it possessed a few scientists to monitor the results. When the Colimna first arrived, it was observed that they completely ignored the scientists in the probe, as if they were completely blind to them.
The substance is very rare, however it does appear on planets with life. With this information, Humanity and Alvia left to find more of it, to finally find a way to defeat the Colimna.
He pushed his long black hair back out of his eyes and looked around. The room he was in was the cryo room. It was a stand alone room, separate from the rest of the facility. Even if everything lost power, the cryopods would stay active as the room itself had a separate power source.
His vision danced slightly, doubling everything as he stumbled with his first step.
"Please standby, you are experiencing cryo sickness, it will pass in a moment" a mechanical but clearly male voice entered his ears. He frowned slightly but nodded.
"Entra, good to see that you are up and running" he said as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply "What's the date?"
"I'm sorry, I do not have the current date, there was a malfunction in my systems that prompted the emergency activation of myself as well as your awakening"
"Damn" he mumbled "What is the damage?"
"Minor damage to the solar arrays as well as moderate damage to several key systems throughout the facility. Air filtration, food processing, water filtration..."
"Alright!" he sighed as he opened his eyes and stretched slightly "Is the auto repair functioning properly?" he wondered as he headed towards a small row of lockers. One one of the lockers was his name 'Alistair Manson'. It was a manual lock instead of a digital one, just in case there had been a malfunction with the power supply for the cryo room. Even if there was a problem, at least they'd have access to their equipment.
"Repair functions are working optimally" Entra responded "Minor damage should be repaired within eight hours, moderate damage in thirty four hours"
He nodded "Good" he said as he got ready to get dressed. Alistair was currently in the nude and the cold wasn't doing him any favors. He pulled out a simple black skintight suit and pulled it on first before he pulled out the all purpose body suit that his entire team would be wearing. It's design wasn't anything to write home about, but it was tough enough and flexible enough to go through many different situations.
As soon as he put on the suit, the nanites in the suit registered his data, monitoring his life signs. It even altered itself to fit his body perfectly. There was nothing to get in the way of his movement.
"What is the time before the other's awaken?" he asked Entra.
"Twenty four hours" the AI responded "Protocol dictates that the leader be awoken twenty four hours before the rest of the team to ready the facility for full access"
Alistair listened as he stepped into the air lock that separated the cryo room from the rest of the facility.
"How are things outside the facility?" he asked as he stepped out of the air lock, the lights of the hallway activating as he walked "The Alvia?"
"Unknown, though my scans indicate that there are no enemy forces nearby...they may be malfunctioning"
"They may be malfunctioning?" Alistair asked, curious as to why the AI was unsure of a possible malfunction.
"Scans indicate that the area outside of the facility is...a forest"
Alistair's eyebrows went up "How is that possible?" he wondered. The Facility had been built in the Sahara Desert, underneath the sand. It was a very good place to hide from the enemy. The sands would clear away any signs of life after a short period of time. Footprints, tools, bodies, everything was claimed by the desert.
The heat and sun exposure also helped power the facility through the use of solar arrays. Water filtration pulled water from the ocean a distance away as well as untapped water reservoirs below the desert.
A forest outside was nearly impossible "Drones?" he asked.
"Inoperable at the moment. The facility needs to be manually rebooted, there are sections I am unable to access"
"Of course" Alistair sighed "And our resident engineer is still in cryo" he scratched his head "Alright, we'll leave exploration for later, I'll head to the Hub and get all of the briefing left behind, maybe that will have an explanation for what is going on"
He sighed and headed for the elevator.
There are five major cities within the Chill, three of which are homes to the Forever and reflect their views. Each of the cities possess an otherworldly quality. From the floating mountains to the east, to the living forests to the west.
Navi Moutains and the City of Neir: These mountains are called such due to their mystical ability to float free from the ground and tucked away in the center of these mountains lies the City of Neir, a great city built into many floating mountains, each connected by a large natural pathways that lead towards the ground. This city is also known as the Knowledge Center of the World. It is here the largest library in all of the Chill lies. Everything from the smallest monsters, to the most mystical of magics, lies in this library. If there is something you need to know, this is the place to find it.
As such, the Dlviet School of Magic is also located here. Newcomers to the Chill are directed here to learn about this new and dangerous world. Some can do magic, some can't, yet everyone attains some form of training, usually from one of the professors who share a similar affinity as they do. The world of the Chill possesses many strange and unusual talents and skills, along with a large number of species, as not everyone who arrives looks human.
In the search for knowledge, the City of Neir is the best place to live. This is also the home of one of the Forever, the Queen of the Night, Elysia.
Victus Forest and the City of Falese: This forest lies in the western side of the Chill, massive, covering the entire western front. It is also one of the more dangerous places to go exploring. The entire forest is alive, in a far more literal sense. The forest has remained this big because no one would dare cut it down. Anyone who has tried has been met with a very hostile response. The forest will actively attack those it deems as a threat to its domain. However, this is also the major reason it is also one of the safest places to live.
The City of Falese is protected by this forest and any who maintain and care for the forest are allowed to live here. Healers, florists, forest creatures, as long as you obey the law of the forest, you are free to enter and leave. Friend to the forest means the forest is your friend.
While the City of Neir is the Knowledge Center of the World, the City of Falese is where the masters of healing magic reside. Those who have completed their studies in Neir and found that they have a particular affinity for healing, move here for Specialty training. Being surrounded by the living forest helps healers learn and master their abilities faster, they also learn the value of keeping things alive. The forest itself can be as good a teacher as any.
Aven resides here. She is revered for her great healing abilities as no injury is too great for her to heal.
The Knight's Colosseum and the City of Enteria: Enteria is a city of warriors, all of the worlds greatest fighters take residence here. Strength is key here, though strength may take many forms. Speed, Flexibility, even trickery, are all forms of strength.
From long ago, the city was designed for the strong, taking on the best qualities of many societies, most notably Rome, though the form of dress is anyone's choice. The Knights of Enteria are based here, a faction of warriors focused on protecting the people throughout the Chill.
They keep the peace and fight off the more dangerous creatures that come out of the wilds.
The Knight's Colosseum is the center of this city, a place for anyone to challenge another person to a duel. A good fight is always enjoyed in Enteria and the Colosseum is always a place to find one. Every year, there is a grand tournament where people from all over come to participate. It is governed by the three Forever's and the victor is given a small fortune and a decent amount of land to do with as they see fit.
Many warriors keep the money but return the land as they would never have time to maintain it.
The warrior and Forever Valies lives here, specifically in the highest floor of the Colosseum. He is always accepting challenges to fight, though he has never lost one.
The Forge of Creation and the City of Nihilo: The City of Nihilo is the city of the Smiths. Here, anything can be created and the greatest smiths come from here. Many of the buildings in the Chill have been created by the smiths of Nihilo. Here, they also make powerful magical and non-magical weapons, those used by the nearly everyone in the Chill. The better the weapon, the more expensive it is, though some smiths will require favors instead of money.
Nihilo is deep underground, closer to the fiery core of the Chill. Lava flows freely and is used to heat the many forges that are dotted throughout the city. Nihilo is always filled with the sounds of hammers clanging and metal being worked.
The Forge of Creation is the greatest forge, at the very back of the City. It was this forge that designed the weapons of the Forever, this forge must be used by a minimum of ten master smiths and a single mistake can ruin the work of everyone else. The Forge of Creation is rarely used, only to make the greatest of weapons for the greatest of people.
The Black Sea and the City of Avail: There are many coastal cities in the Chill, each has their own export. The smaller ones transport crabs and other creatures to the more land locked cities. The City of Avail is the biggest and most profitable. It is also the location of some of the greatest naval experts in the Chill. Mainly aquatic people live here, born to fish or hunt the monsters that dwell within the darker pits of the ocean.
It's greatest export is a species of fish that, when cooked properly, melts on the tongue and invigorates the mind. It is particularly effective with mages, making it easier to cast spells. Even on others, it has a awakening effect on them, allowing them to fight longer, or simply stay energized.
The naval forces guard the seas from pirates and the much larger sea monsters out in open waters. Many people who love the seas join the navy to explore the oceans. The Chill has the purest, clearest water ever seen by the eye. On the shore, you can see clear to the sand.
The Black Sea is a massive dark spot in the ocean several miles outside of Avail. The waters here are black as the night sky and not even the great moon that hovers over the Chill can lighten it. Here resides an extremely rare species of creature, known as Black Carp. Every single bit of this creature is valuable, from its scales, which can be made into a powerful medicine, to it's innards, each of which can be made into a specific potion to either aid or harm, depending on how you make it.
However, the Black Sea is dangerous, possessing some of the largest sea creatures, some that would make the Kraken pale in comparison. To venture into this Sea is a feat only for the bravest and strongest. Succeeding will lead to great prestige.
Datalian Research Institute for the Chilled
This institute was built for one reason, to study the Mass Hallucination known as the Chill. There are many institutions created based on this first institution, all dedicated to finding the cause of this hallucination and curing it. However, all attempts have been fruitless. Many of those who have entered the Chill end up here.
The scientists and doctors here believe it to be some sort of disease that infects certain people, though no specific ethnicity, gender, or physical attribute has been nailed down as the cause. Anyone can be a person who enters the Chill, though it is impossible to tell who will.
It has been found that at the exact time the sun passes beyond the horizon, every single one of their patients passes out at that exact moment, no matter what they are doing, though many know what is happening and will find a place to lay down before the sun sets. Once this happens, there is no way to wake them up, pumping them with near lethal levels of adrenaline do nothing.
For the entire night, all of the patients are legally brain dead. When they awake the next morning, at the exact moment the very tip of the sun appears over the horizon, they sometimes act as if they haven't seen any of the Doctors in years.
Many patients have explained that time moves differently in the Chill and no one really ages there, nor has there ever been a child born there. However, that is just the people, animals, plants, and everything in the Chill changes over time. They could spend centuries in the Chill and still only a night has passed. Strangely enough, this doesn't work both ways. A day in the normal world is simply a day in the Chill, as if the world is waiting for their return.
Elementalist: The Elementalist is a master of a single element. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Spirit. Each Element has it's own subdivision of elements, however, those who decide to travel down one of these subdivisions become far more adept at that than the base element. Any elementalist can summon one familiar of their element to aide them in battle.
Seal Magic: Seal magic is a tedious study. Most magic requires some form of incantation or bodily movement. Seal magic requires physically drawing magical symbols and, when combined in an intricate magical language, a seal mage can manipulate the very facets of the universe around them. Despite this, there are only a handful of seal mages. Seal magic however is used everywhere. It strengthens and even adds magical properties to weapons in the form of enchantments.
Many people know some form of minor seal magic, such as creating a small fire, or using a seal to drain fresh clean water from the air or a stream. There are very few who actually attempt to master this magic.
Seals can also be used to enhance physical abilities, such as strength and speed. Many warriors have learned at least this much to give them an edge in battle.
Healing Magic: Healing magic is one of the most powerful magics out there. To heal, a mage can either take energy from themselves or the surrounding areas. The strongest healing mage can heal even the most deadly of wounds, given they have enough energy to do so. Many healing mages will reside in places that are bountiful of life, such as forests. Before traveling, the mage will store energy in special stones designed for this purpose. However, they do not last forever and will begin to deteriorate after a few weeks, in which the mage must recharge them.
Healers are wanted the most as a death in the Chill means you lose access to it. The shock of dying in the Chill will also cause a serious loop in the normal world as well, putting many in comas for their entire life. Those who do wake up find life nearly unbearable to live. The desire to return to the Chill is almost irresistible. Healers are needed to prevent this and as a rule, will heal anyone who asks them for healing.
This magic is primarily used by those who can't or won't use seal magic to enhance their abilities.
Strength: Using the strength boost, one can increase their physical strength to the point of being able to crush solid steel in their bare hands and even shatter the ground in a massive quake. The stronger a person makes themselves, the slower they become as all muscles used for speed are being used instead to enhance their strength.
Speed: All muscle strength directed towards movement and flexibility is enhanced, giving away strength for mobility. Those who use this form of Warrior Magic prefer the "runaway" tactic, where they strike fast and deal damage based on how many times they can strike their opponent. Those who have been defeated by this technique call it a "Death by a thousand cuts"
Some may even reach speeds high enough to leave an afterimage of their selves, tricking other into believing they are still there.
Endurance: "War of Attrition" is what comes to mind with this boost. This increases a person's durability to near impenetrable levels. Those who have mastered this technique can even stop swords with their bare hands. They sacrifice both speed and strength to enhance the toughness of their bodies, intending to win a fight by how long they can last. However, this only works against weaker opponents. If they are strong enough, they can break through this defense. Most who use this only use it quickly and temporarily in order to block an otherwise unblockable attack.
Berserker: This is the ultimate form, pushing the body to it's utmost limits in all three forms. This, however, completely crushes the user's mind. The user will mindlessly attack anyone and anything within range with unrelenting force, even after the point of death. The only way to beat this form is to overpower them or wait until the form runs out. Once the form runs out, the user's body will be completely worn out, unable to stand or even move a finger.
Navi Moutains and the City of Neir: These mountains are called such due to their mystical ability to float free from the ground and tucked away in the center of these mountains lies the City of Neir, a great city built into many floating mountains, each connected by a large natural pathways that lead towards the ground. This city is also known as the Knowledge Center of the World. It is here the largest library in all of the Chill lies. Everything from the smallest monsters, to the most mystical of magics, lies in this library. If there is something you need to know, this is the place to find it.
As such, the Dlviet School of Magic is also located here. Newcomers to the Chill are directed here to learn about this new and dangerous world. Some can do magic, some can't, yet everyone attains some form of training, usually from one of the professors who share a similar affinity as they do. The world of the Chill possesses many strange and unusual talents and skills, along with a large number of species, as not everyone who arrives looks human.
In the search for knowledge, the City of Neir is the best place to live. This is also the home of one of the Forever, the Queen of the Night, Elysia.
Victus Forest and the City of Falese: This forest lies in the western side of the Chill, massive, covering the entire western front. It is also one of the more dangerous places to go exploring. The entire forest is alive, in a far more literal sense. The forest has remained this big because no one would dare cut it down. Anyone who has tried has been met with a very hostile response. The forest will actively attack those it deems as a threat to its domain. However, this is also the major reason it is also one of the safest places to live.
The City of Falese is protected by this forest and any who maintain and care for the forest are allowed to live here. Healers, florists, forest creatures, as long as you obey the law of the forest, you are free to enter and leave. Friend to the forest means the forest is your friend.
While the City of Neir is the Knowledge Center of the World, the City of Falese is where the masters of healing magic reside. Those who have completed their studies in Neir and found that they have a particular affinity for healing, move here for Specialty training. Being surrounded by the living forest helps healers learn and master their abilities faster, they also learn the value of keeping things alive. The forest itself can be as good a teacher as any.
Aven resides here. She is revered for her great healing abilities as no injury is too great for her to heal.
The Knight's Colosseum and the City of Enteria: Enteria is a city of warriors, all of the worlds greatest fighters take residence here. Strength is key here, though strength may take many forms. Speed, Flexibility, even trickery, are all forms of strength.
From long ago, the city was designed for the strong, taking on the best qualities of many societies, most notably Rome, though the form of dress is anyone's choice. The Knights of Enteria are based here, a faction of warriors focused on protecting the people throughout the Chill.
They keep the peace and fight off the more dangerous creatures that come out of the wilds.
The Knight's Colosseum is the center of this city, a place for anyone to challenge another person to a duel. A good fight is always enjoyed in Enteria and the Colosseum is always a place to find one. Every year, there is a grand tournament where people from all over come to participate. It is governed by the three Forever's and the victor is given a small fortune and a decent amount of land to do with as they see fit.
Many warriors keep the money but return the land as they would never have time to maintain it.
The warrior and Forever Valies lives here, specifically in the highest floor of the Colosseum. He is always accepting challenges to fight, though he has never lost one.
The Forge of Creation and the City of Nihilo: The City of Nihilo is the city of the Smiths. Here, anything can be created and the greatest smiths come from here. Many of the buildings in the Chill have been created by the smiths of Nihilo. Here, they also make powerful magical and non-magical weapons, those used by the nearly everyone in the Chill. The better the weapon, the more expensive it is, though some smiths will require favors instead of money.
Nihilo is deep underground, closer to the fiery core of the Chill. Lava flows freely and is used to heat the many forges that are dotted throughout the city. Nihilo is always filled with the sounds of hammers clanging and metal being worked.
The Forge of Creation is the greatest forge, at the very back of the City. It was this forge that designed the weapons of the Forever, this forge must be used by a minimum of ten master smiths and a single mistake can ruin the work of everyone else. The Forge of Creation is rarely used, only to make the greatest of weapons for the greatest of people.
The Black Sea and the City of Avail: There are many coastal cities in the Chill, each has their own export. The smaller ones transport crabs and other creatures to the more land locked cities. The City of Avail is the biggest and most profitable. It is also the location of some of the greatest naval experts in the Chill. Mainly aquatic people live here, born to fish or hunt the monsters that dwell within the darker pits of the ocean.
It's greatest export is a species of fish that, when cooked properly, melts on the tongue and invigorates the mind. It is particularly effective with mages, making it easier to cast spells. Even on others, it has a awakening effect on them, allowing them to fight longer, or simply stay energized.
The naval forces guard the seas from pirates and the much larger sea monsters out in open waters. Many people who love the seas join the navy to explore the oceans. The Chill has the purest, clearest water ever seen by the eye. On the shore, you can see clear to the sand.
The Black Sea is a massive dark spot in the ocean several miles outside of Avail. The waters here are black as the night sky and not even the great moon that hovers over the Chill can lighten it. Here resides an extremely rare species of creature, known as Black Carp. Every single bit of this creature is valuable, from its scales, which can be made into a powerful medicine, to it's innards, each of which can be made into a specific potion to either aid or harm, depending on how you make it.
However, the Black Sea is dangerous, possessing some of the largest sea creatures, some that would make the Kraken pale in comparison. To venture into this Sea is a feat only for the bravest and strongest. Succeeding will lead to great prestige.
Datalian Research Institute for the Chilled
This institute was built for one reason, to study the Mass Hallucination known as the Chill. There are many institutions created based on this first institution, all dedicated to finding the cause of this hallucination and curing it. However, all attempts have been fruitless. Many of those who have entered the Chill end up here.
The scientists and doctors here believe it to be some sort of disease that infects certain people, though no specific ethnicity, gender, or physical attribute has been nailed down as the cause. Anyone can be a person who enters the Chill, though it is impossible to tell who will.
It has been found that at the exact time the sun passes beyond the horizon, every single one of their patients passes out at that exact moment, no matter what they are doing, though many know what is happening and will find a place to lay down before the sun sets. Once this happens, there is no way to wake them up, pumping them with near lethal levels of adrenaline do nothing.
For the entire night, all of the patients are legally brain dead. When they awake the next morning, at the exact moment the very tip of the sun appears over the horizon, they sometimes act as if they haven't seen any of the Doctors in years.
Many patients have explained that time moves differently in the Chill and no one really ages there, nor has there ever been a child born there. However, that is just the people, animals, plants, and everything in the Chill changes over time. They could spend centuries in the Chill and still only a night has passed. Strangely enough, this doesn't work both ways. A day in the normal world is simply a day in the Chill, as if the world is waiting for their return.
Magic of the Chill
The Chill is home to many different types of magic, from battle magic to healing magic, and everything in between. There is always something knew to study. Because time doesn't mean much, many studies take a long time.
The Chill is home to many different types of magic, from battle magic to healing magic, and everything in between. There is always something knew to study. Because time doesn't mean much, many studies take a long time.
Elementalist: The Elementalist is a master of a single element. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Spirit. Each Element has it's own subdivision of elements, however, those who decide to travel down one of these subdivisions become far more adept at that than the base element. Any elementalist can summon one familiar of their element to aide them in battle.
- Fire: The element of heat and desire, the fire elementalist can wield the flame as if it was a solid object. Depending on the person, it can be used as a weapon or a tool.
Lightning: Those who follow the subdivision of fire can learn to manipulate electricity becoming much more refined than fire, but losing the natural malleability of the flame.
- Water: The element made to soothe and protect, the water elementalist can manipulate liquid freely, even pulling moisture from the very air. Water can be manipulated far more than fire and can be used as whips. A water elementalist can, with practice, learn to heal with their water by injecting their own life force into the water. Water can be as sharp as a blade or as soft as silk.
Ice: Hardening water molecules can create ice that can trap and spear, or even create a miniature blizzard to freeze enemies in their place. A master can even freeze an opponents blood, though it is frowned upon by others.
- Earth: The element of strength and defense, the earth elementalist can manipulate the very earth around them, forming powerful walls of defense, or even projectiles to damage an opponent.
Sand: The elementalist crushes the earth around them into a fine sand, creating a far more maneuverable weapon. The sand can ensnare enemies but it's greatest effect is it's defense. An elementalist of this nature can create a layer of super hard sand that covers their skin, offering a powerful defense that can block even blades from piercing their flesh.
- Air: The element of agility and light. The air elementalist possesses far more speed than normal and can bend the very air around them as they will. They can make themselves as light as the air for limited flight or increase their physical speed to increase physical attack. They can even knock enemies away with powerful gusts of air.
Vacuum: The elementalist forgoes manipulated the air and instead removes it, sucking it from the surrounding area, creating a sudden force that can crush anything in it's wake.
- Spirit: The element of the mind and soul. The spirit elementalist can manipulate the mind, controlling to a certain limit. They can hypnotize their enemy and even sway their emotions.
Necromancy: The Spirit elementalist gives away their connection to the mind, instead accessing the soul. They can bring forth the spirits of the monsters nearby and in the right area, can even summon a small army.
Seal Magic: Seal magic is a tedious study. Most magic requires some form of incantation or bodily movement. Seal magic requires physically drawing magical symbols and, when combined in an intricate magical language, a seal mage can manipulate the very facets of the universe around them. Despite this, there are only a handful of seal mages. Seal magic however is used everywhere. It strengthens and even adds magical properties to weapons in the form of enchantments.
Many people know some form of minor seal magic, such as creating a small fire, or using a seal to drain fresh clean water from the air or a stream. There are very few who actually attempt to master this magic.
Seals can also be used to enhance physical abilities, such as strength and speed. Many warriors have learned at least this much to give them an edge in battle.
Healing Magic: Healing magic is one of the most powerful magics out there. To heal, a mage can either take energy from themselves or the surrounding areas. The strongest healing mage can heal even the most deadly of wounds, given they have enough energy to do so. Many healing mages will reside in places that are bountiful of life, such as forests. Before traveling, the mage will store energy in special stones designed for this purpose. However, they do not last forever and will begin to deteriorate after a few weeks, in which the mage must recharge them.
Healers are wanted the most as a death in the Chill means you lose access to it. The shock of dying in the Chill will also cause a serious loop in the normal world as well, putting many in comas for their entire life. Those who do wake up find life nearly unbearable to live. The desire to return to the Chill is almost irresistible. Healers are needed to prevent this and as a rule, will heal anyone who asks them for healing.
Warrior Magic
Magic that happens within the body instead of without. This is mainly used by the Warrior Caste of Enteria, though almost anyone can use the basics once trained. This magic is for enhancement over anything else. Speed, Strength, even physical resistance can be boosted this way. While anyone can use these basics, only a few can use the mastered forms of each boost. Pushing the body's limits beyond the normal can be achieved by anyone, though generally most can only handle one or two forms of boosting. To over use Warrior Magic can destroy the body's muscles.
This magic is primarily used by those who can't or won't use seal magic to enhance their abilities.
Strength: Using the strength boost, one can increase their physical strength to the point of being able to crush solid steel in their bare hands and even shatter the ground in a massive quake. The stronger a person makes themselves, the slower they become as all muscles used for speed are being used instead to enhance their strength.
Speed: All muscle strength directed towards movement and flexibility is enhanced, giving away strength for mobility. Those who use this form of Warrior Magic prefer the "runaway" tactic, where they strike fast and deal damage based on how many times they can strike their opponent. Those who have been defeated by this technique call it a "Death by a thousand cuts"
Some may even reach speeds high enough to leave an afterimage of their selves, tricking other into believing they are still there.
Endurance: "War of Attrition" is what comes to mind with this boost. This increases a person's durability to near impenetrable levels. Those who have mastered this technique can even stop swords with their bare hands. They sacrifice both speed and strength to enhance the toughness of their bodies, intending to win a fight by how long they can last. However, this only works against weaker opponents. If they are strong enough, they can break through this defense. Most who use this only use it quickly and temporarily in order to block an otherwise unblockable attack.
Berserker: This is the ultimate form, pushing the body to it's utmost limits in all three forms. This, however, completely crushes the user's mind. The user will mindlessly attack anyone and anything within range with unrelenting force, even after the point of death. The only way to beat this form is to overpower them or wait until the form runs out. Once the form runs out, the user's body will be completely worn out, unable to stand or even move a finger.
By eating the Cores of the Monsters they defeat, the bodies of the Dead, which are usually small and frail mortal bodies, begin to change. These changes can be varied in many different ways, though most of the changes are bestial in nature, to be better suited towards fighting in the harsh Land of the Dead. Many do not understand these changes, but some theorize that these changes are brought out by the strengths of the person's mind, attuning them to an image that is most ideal to them. At some point, they stop changing as their bodies become perfected. Consuming more cores will not change them any further, instead increasing the strength of their abilities.
All of the dead have access to special abilities that become more pronounced the more their bodies change, though some are better at specific ones.
Physical: Over their time in the Land of the Dead, many will learn physical abilities, such as martial arts. Those who specialize in these physical abilities have durable physical defenses and incredible strength. They excel at using either one or more weapons, or possibly relying on their bodies alone to fight. Physical changes are more battle oriented for these people as they develop sharp claws and fangs.
Physical Souls that use weapons are bound to their chosen weapon from the moment they choose it. From then on, they can have no other weapon, even ones in the same weapon class. These weapons grow the more they are used, however, they can also be upgraded by Inner Souls. They also self repair in the same manner that the bodies of Souls do.
Certain Physical abilities include generating energy through their nails, or even increasing or decreasing the size of their weapons.
Astral: Some do not develop strong bodies, in fact, they will either keep their original bodies, with some minor changes, or they'll take on even smaller compact forms. However, what they lack in Physical prowess they make up for in their Astral abilities. These abilities create a special sort of Spiritual energy that surrounds them, forming a ghostly image of the beast they are most like. They can be used to attack from afar or defend. These Astral Bodies are quite strong and can often equal the strength of a Physical Abilities user.
Astral Souls use weapons similar to the Physical Souls, however unlike them, their weapons aren't Soul Bound like them. They are freely capable of using multiple weapons, however using them physically has nearly no effect given the weaker bodies of the Astral Souls. Instead they can bind the weapons to their Astral Bodies, allowing them to use powerful attacks. The weapons can be imbued with their energy to double or even triple their base strength.
Their weapons however do not grow with them and require both replacement and maintenance. They can be upgraded however.
Inner: Some people do not develop either strong bodies or strong astral forms. Instead, they develop powerful special support abilities which can be used to either bolster their weaker Physical or Astral abilities. These Supportive abilities can even aid others making the already powerful even stronger. Such abilities include seeing through illusions, rapid healing, increased defenses, possibly even controlling powerful Monsters to fight for them.
Unlike Physical Abilities which are primarily close range, aside from a few long range weapons, the Astral and Inner abilities can be mid to long range. Astral bodies can stretch their attacks to a maximum of five hundred meters, with the strength and effectiveness waning as one nears that mark.
Inner abilities are more direct as they don't necessarily attack. Some abilities are only close range, requiring one to touch another in order to affect them, while others can be stretched across a thousand meters, with waning effects. Inner abilities also have time limits before the buff or debuff can be used again on the same person, however the only limit to actually using the ability is limited to the mental strength of the user.
Inner Souls can use multiple weapons just the same as Astral Souls, however, just like them, they have weaker bodies. While this can be subsided to some degree with bodily enchantments as well as weapon upgrades, most of their close range weapons go unused. Instead, Inner Souls focus on using long range weapons as their physical strength to use them is less necessary. A Inner Soul using a Bow can fire many differently enhanced arrows to create a wide range of damages.
Inner Souls can permanently upgrade weapons using Cores of Monsters. Bringing them a specific core can allow them to upgrade a weapon for a small fee. Some can also create weapons using the bodies and Cores of Monsters.
The greatest and most unique ability of Inner Souls is the ability to Tame Monsters by replacing their Cores with their own energy. However, they have a limit depending on their strength as well as the strength of the Monster. Some can only have one to three monsters, others can have five. Monsters can either be replaced like weapons or grown personally by feeding them Cores to nurture the piece of Soul within them.
The Five Dead Kings are the five main controllers of the Land of the Dead. Each King rules a specific province of the Land. They are the King of the Sea, King of the Land, King of the Sky, and King of the Dead. Even the weakest of these Kings still outstrips the many souls that exist within their provinces. Each King provides for and protects their Province, though generally they will not interfere with the battles of others unless they occur within the cities they rule. Outside of the cities, it is a land of the strong.
Each Province is blocked off with powerful energy that no one can pass through. To move to the next Province, one has to gain the approval of the King and the only way to do that is to meet them in combat and win, or at least impress them enough.
The King of the Sea
The weakest of the Kings rules over the land nearest to the Sea of Emptiness where the newly arrived souls appear. The King of the Sea controls the four cities of the Sea Province and even helps guide the new arrivals by providing basic living arrangements as well as information on the Land of the Dead. Many of the arriving souls end up living in this Province forever, dependent on the King and their soldiers, never growing stronger. The real fighters, the strongest never remain here for very long.
The most common Monsters within this province are all relatively easy, Rabbits, Goblins, Wolves, Foxes. Generally the weakest of the weak among the mortal realms. However in the Land of the Dead, even the weakest Rabbit can easily kill a newly arrived Soul and even the overconfident.
Once one's strength has been acknowledged by the King of the province, one can travel to the next Province and freely return to this one at any time.
The King of the Land
The King of the Land rules the next province. This Province is much larger and is filled with various landscapes. Plains, Mountains, Volcanoes, whatever can exist on land exists here. There are places in this Province where the land alone can strip a unwary Soul of their memories, such as the Lava lakes hidden among the mountains.
There is a vast majority of strange Monsters in this Province, including stronger versions of the Monsters of the previous Province. Birds of Prey, Soul Sucking Bats the size of trucks, Ents, Shadow Beasts, Sand Worms. This Province hold the largest Variety of Monsters compared to any other Province, though not the strongest.
The King of the Sky
This Province is quite special and most assuredly the most dangerous. Unlike the previous Provinces where one could quite easily move across the land, the Province of the Sky possesses no solid ground. Instead there is only a vast void dotted with many floating islands. Only those with the right skills can even travel from one island to the other. Some can fly using their Astral bodies or leap from island to island using powerful strength. Should one fall into the abyss, they would never return, sucked deeper and deeper into the void. They would not reincarnate nor would they be destroyed, they'd simply fall for eternity.
Not even the King of the Sky would dare fall too deep, for even their abilities would run out before they got back to land.
The monsters that cover the province are primarily flying or levitating Monsters such as Valkyries, Harpies, Dragons, Rocs, Spectres. On the various island are a multitude of strange creatures, such as Giants and living Weapons and Armors.
The King of the Dead
Quite possibly the most powerful King is the King of the Dead. The Province is most assuredly the most confusing. Landmarks and Maps do not work here as the land is constantly shifting outside of the cities. The greatest challenge is getting to a city. Afterwards, one can purchase a Token of the Dead. With this token, one will always know the direction of the closest city, never getting lost within the maze that is this province.
Not even path seeking abilities work in this land. The Monsters here are almost as unusual and confusing as the Province itself. These Monsters hold no true form, instead copying the appearances of other Monsters and even the Souls that travel through the land. They are quite unpredictable in their combat styles.
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is the final challenge of the Land of the Dead. After the Province of the Dead, there exists a Wasteland. There are no cities, at most there are simple towns or camps where other Souls have taken rest. This Wasteland is truly a land of the Strong. There are no Kings to stop wanton killings. Those who rule the wasteland are Warlords, not as strong as the Kings but far more ruthless. These Warlords have taken control of the Wasteland, spreading their influence back through all of the Provinces. Often, new souls will be captured and forced into servitude for these Warlords early on.
The Warlords choose to stay in the Land of the Dead. They like they power they possess and do all they can to prevent other Souls from reaching the Reaper.
The Grip Reaper is the most Dangerous creature in all of the Land of the Dead. This being is beyond powerful. Even the Five Kings working as a team would be hard pressed to defeat him. Not only is he difficult to defeat, all Souls only get one chance to fight him. Either you win, or you lose. There is no trying again.
When defeated by the Grim Reaper, he rends your soul, tearing away all your memories and sending you back into the cycle of Reincarnation. You will never have another chance to face him.
However, the reward is as great as the risk. Defeating the Grim Reaper nets you his eternal respect for your strength and the right to return to life. You are given flesh and blood once more and allowed to roam the multitudes of world in your quest for either power, peace, revenge, or whatever it is you want.
There are many, many different monsters that exist within the Land of the Dead. These Monsters are remnants of creatures that exist and existed in other worlds. Unlike the creatures that exist in the other worlds who grow stronger by either absorbing the energy of the world or by killing other creatures, these Monsters grow stronger by consuming the memories of the many Souls that travel throughout the Land of the Dead.
By doing so, they strengthen and increase the quality of the special Core's in their heads. These Cores are ranked considering their strength and how much energy they possess. These Cores can be consumed by Souls to increase their strength, changing their bodies and giving them new abilities. In the Land of the Dead, these Cores can be used as Currency for services or items among other Souls.
Cores start of as Early, Middle, High, and Peak. Each rank has ranks within it as well.
Early Class Core: These Cores are the weakest and easiest to absorb by Souls. They are bright red and have different types of quality, from Poor to Fine. The poorest level has scratches and cracks across it's surface while the finest ones are smooth and shiny. Most new Souls only have these to consume as they are the basis of their foundation. The stronger cores are not good for their weak bodies as too much energy is just as bad as too little, causing their bodies to explode with energy, casting them back into the Sea once more.
Middle Class Core: These Cores are the most common and widely used throughout the entirety of the Land of the Dead. They are also the most commonly asked for payment. They are bright blue and are also ranged from Poor to Fine. One of these Cores is equal to a hundred Early Class Cores.
High Class Core: These Cores are very high quality. If New Souls could absorb them, it would quickly turn them into Middle Class warriors, completely jumping the Early level. High Class Cores are a pure Golden color and actually do not have a Poor quality level, ranging from mid level to Fine instead.
Peak Class Core: These Cores are perfect but extremely rare to get one's hands on. These Cores only come from Peak level Monsters and are often only a short distance away from being as strong as a King level Soul. These Cores are a deep, inky Black and radiate energy. They are only of Fine level quality.
All Cores can be used to tame a Monster of either the same level or less if one has the requisite ability.
Monsters in turn are ranked by their Cores from Early to Peak level monsters. Some can be as common as household pets on Earth, while others can be strange and powerful like Dragons, Sandworms, or Wyverns.
Early Stage Soul: These Souls range from those who have just recently come out of the Sea, to those who have partially began to change, showing some bestial appearances, such as tails, elongated nails or teeth, or even becoming furrier or feathered.
Middle Stage Soul: These souls range from barely bestial to completely transformed. The level of change is different for everyone. Some appear humanoid with only a minor amount of bestial traits, whiles other will be completely beast like. Those who have reached the Middle Stage will begin to show off the first signs of Astral or Inner abilities. Physical Souls will find the first two stages the most beneficial as their muscles and body will become harder and stronger than ever before. Astral and Inner souls will benefit from Middle Stage onward as their true abilities come forth.
Astral souls will now be capable of forming pieces of their Astral Bodies. Arms or legs for combat chest for defense.
Inner Souls can now extend their abilities to other Souls or tame Monsters weaker than them using Cores. They can also enhance the weapons of Physical Souls using their own abilities, though only to their current level.
High Stage Soul: These souls are the true leaders of the Land of the Dead, they have solidified their Physical abilities and Astral Souls can fully form their Astral Body. Inner Souls are the master enhancers and energy boosts. They are invaluable at this level as Support.
Peak Stage Soul: No matter how strong one is, one is only considered a Peak Level Soul when they have defeated all of the Kings and entered the Wasteland. Physical Souls are considered perfect bodied, with a powerful Defense and Close Quarters Combat abilities. They have minor Astral and Inner skills that are mainly supportive.
Astral Souls are mighty mid range fighters. Their Astral Bodies are like solid walls of armor and can be imbued with elemental energies to deal constant damage.
Inner Souls can simultaneously benefit and enhance entire armies if needed. Since they can enhance and bolster weapons and have weak bodies, they usually have powerful long range weapons for fighting. Some who have the ability will have powerful, loyal monsters to fight for them.
True Names
True Names are useless in most worlds like Earth, where the soul is not completely one with the body. In other worlds however, these worlds possess magic and energy. In these worlds a True Name is a name of Power. A True Name could allow a normal average Mortal man control a God. A Soul can never be destroyed, only wiped clean and sent through the cycle of Reincarnation. A Soul is a piece of the eternal life force of the Universe, taken Mortal form when a Mortal gains sentience.
From the moment a Race takes it's first steps into self awareness, they are naturally gifted with a portion of the Eternal Life Force. At this moment, the Soul is born and gifted a True Name. No matter what happens in any of their Lives, the Soul will forever possess the same True Name.
The True Name can completely control the Soul. By speaking the True Name, one can easily command a person to do anything, no matter what.
One can also swear an Oath on their True Name. Such Oaths are binding and cannot be broken. Should one break it, they will immediately be killed and their Soul cast into the Sea by the Eternal Life Force. It is for this reason that one will not make Oath's lightly as the consequences for failing to uphold the Oath are great.
All of the dead have access to special abilities that become more pronounced the more their bodies change, though some are better at specific ones.
Physical: Over their time in the Land of the Dead, many will learn physical abilities, such as martial arts. Those who specialize in these physical abilities have durable physical defenses and incredible strength. They excel at using either one or more weapons, or possibly relying on their bodies alone to fight. Physical changes are more battle oriented for these people as they develop sharp claws and fangs.
Physical Souls that use weapons are bound to their chosen weapon from the moment they choose it. From then on, they can have no other weapon, even ones in the same weapon class. These weapons grow the more they are used, however, they can also be upgraded by Inner Souls. They also self repair in the same manner that the bodies of Souls do.
Certain Physical abilities include generating energy through their nails, or even increasing or decreasing the size of their weapons.
Astral: Some do not develop strong bodies, in fact, they will either keep their original bodies, with some minor changes, or they'll take on even smaller compact forms. However, what they lack in Physical prowess they make up for in their Astral abilities. These abilities create a special sort of Spiritual energy that surrounds them, forming a ghostly image of the beast they are most like. They can be used to attack from afar or defend. These Astral Bodies are quite strong and can often equal the strength of a Physical Abilities user.
Astral Souls use weapons similar to the Physical Souls, however unlike them, their weapons aren't Soul Bound like them. They are freely capable of using multiple weapons, however using them physically has nearly no effect given the weaker bodies of the Astral Souls. Instead they can bind the weapons to their Astral Bodies, allowing them to use powerful attacks. The weapons can be imbued with their energy to double or even triple their base strength.
Their weapons however do not grow with them and require both replacement and maintenance. They can be upgraded however.
Inner: Some people do not develop either strong bodies or strong astral forms. Instead, they develop powerful special support abilities which can be used to either bolster their weaker Physical or Astral abilities. These Supportive abilities can even aid others making the already powerful even stronger. Such abilities include seeing through illusions, rapid healing, increased defenses, possibly even controlling powerful Monsters to fight for them.
Unlike Physical Abilities which are primarily close range, aside from a few long range weapons, the Astral and Inner abilities can be mid to long range. Astral bodies can stretch their attacks to a maximum of five hundred meters, with the strength and effectiveness waning as one nears that mark.
Inner abilities are more direct as they don't necessarily attack. Some abilities are only close range, requiring one to touch another in order to affect them, while others can be stretched across a thousand meters, with waning effects. Inner abilities also have time limits before the buff or debuff can be used again on the same person, however the only limit to actually using the ability is limited to the mental strength of the user.
Inner Souls can use multiple weapons just the same as Astral Souls, however, just like them, they have weaker bodies. While this can be subsided to some degree with bodily enchantments as well as weapon upgrades, most of their close range weapons go unused. Instead, Inner Souls focus on using long range weapons as their physical strength to use them is less necessary. A Inner Soul using a Bow can fire many differently enhanced arrows to create a wide range of damages.
Inner Souls can permanently upgrade weapons using Cores of Monsters. Bringing them a specific core can allow them to upgrade a weapon for a small fee. Some can also create weapons using the bodies and Cores of Monsters.
The greatest and most unique ability of Inner Souls is the ability to Tame Monsters by replacing their Cores with their own energy. However, they have a limit depending on their strength as well as the strength of the Monster. Some can only have one to three monsters, others can have five. Monsters can either be replaced like weapons or grown personally by feeding them Cores to nurture the piece of Soul within them.
The Kings
The Five Dead Kings are the five main controllers of the Land of the Dead. Each King rules a specific province of the Land. They are the King of the Sea, King of the Land, King of the Sky, and King of the Dead. Even the weakest of these Kings still outstrips the many souls that exist within their provinces. Each King provides for and protects their Province, though generally they will not interfere with the battles of others unless they occur within the cities they rule. Outside of the cities, it is a land of the strong.
Each Province is blocked off with powerful energy that no one can pass through. To move to the next Province, one has to gain the approval of the King and the only way to do that is to meet them in combat and win, or at least impress them enough.
The King of the Sea
The weakest of the Kings rules over the land nearest to the Sea of Emptiness where the newly arrived souls appear. The King of the Sea controls the four cities of the Sea Province and even helps guide the new arrivals by providing basic living arrangements as well as information on the Land of the Dead. Many of the arriving souls end up living in this Province forever, dependent on the King and their soldiers, never growing stronger. The real fighters, the strongest never remain here for very long.
The most common Monsters within this province are all relatively easy, Rabbits, Goblins, Wolves, Foxes. Generally the weakest of the weak among the mortal realms. However in the Land of the Dead, even the weakest Rabbit can easily kill a newly arrived Soul and even the overconfident.
Once one's strength has been acknowledged by the King of the province, one can travel to the next Province and freely return to this one at any time.
The King of the Land
The King of the Land rules the next province. This Province is much larger and is filled with various landscapes. Plains, Mountains, Volcanoes, whatever can exist on land exists here. There are places in this Province where the land alone can strip a unwary Soul of their memories, such as the Lava lakes hidden among the mountains.
There is a vast majority of strange Monsters in this Province, including stronger versions of the Monsters of the previous Province. Birds of Prey, Soul Sucking Bats the size of trucks, Ents, Shadow Beasts, Sand Worms. This Province hold the largest Variety of Monsters compared to any other Province, though not the strongest.
The King of the Sky
This Province is quite special and most assuredly the most dangerous. Unlike the previous Provinces where one could quite easily move across the land, the Province of the Sky possesses no solid ground. Instead there is only a vast void dotted with many floating islands. Only those with the right skills can even travel from one island to the other. Some can fly using their Astral bodies or leap from island to island using powerful strength. Should one fall into the abyss, they would never return, sucked deeper and deeper into the void. They would not reincarnate nor would they be destroyed, they'd simply fall for eternity.
Not even the King of the Sky would dare fall too deep, for even their abilities would run out before they got back to land.
The monsters that cover the province are primarily flying or levitating Monsters such as Valkyries, Harpies, Dragons, Rocs, Spectres. On the various island are a multitude of strange creatures, such as Giants and living Weapons and Armors.
The King of the Dead
Quite possibly the most powerful King is the King of the Dead. The Province is most assuredly the most confusing. Landmarks and Maps do not work here as the land is constantly shifting outside of the cities. The greatest challenge is getting to a city. Afterwards, one can purchase a Token of the Dead. With this token, one will always know the direction of the closest city, never getting lost within the maze that is this province.
Not even path seeking abilities work in this land. The Monsters here are almost as unusual and confusing as the Province itself. These Monsters hold no true form, instead copying the appearances of other Monsters and even the Souls that travel through the land. They are quite unpredictable in their combat styles.
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is the final challenge of the Land of the Dead. After the Province of the Dead, there exists a Wasteland. There are no cities, at most there are simple towns or camps where other Souls have taken rest. This Wasteland is truly a land of the Strong. There are no Kings to stop wanton killings. Those who rule the wasteland are Warlords, not as strong as the Kings but far more ruthless. These Warlords have taken control of the Wasteland, spreading their influence back through all of the Provinces. Often, new souls will be captured and forced into servitude for these Warlords early on.
The Warlords choose to stay in the Land of the Dead. They like they power they possess and do all they can to prevent other Souls from reaching the Reaper.
The Grip Reaper is the most Dangerous creature in all of the Land of the Dead. This being is beyond powerful. Even the Five Kings working as a team would be hard pressed to defeat him. Not only is he difficult to defeat, all Souls only get one chance to fight him. Either you win, or you lose. There is no trying again.
When defeated by the Grim Reaper, he rends your soul, tearing away all your memories and sending you back into the cycle of Reincarnation. You will never have another chance to face him.
However, the reward is as great as the risk. Defeating the Grim Reaper nets you his eternal respect for your strength and the right to return to life. You are given flesh and blood once more and allowed to roam the multitudes of world in your quest for either power, peace, revenge, or whatever it is you want.
Monsters
There are many, many different monsters that exist within the Land of the Dead. These Monsters are remnants of creatures that exist and existed in other worlds. Unlike the creatures that exist in the other worlds who grow stronger by either absorbing the energy of the world or by killing other creatures, these Monsters grow stronger by consuming the memories of the many Souls that travel throughout the Land of the Dead.
By doing so, they strengthen and increase the quality of the special Core's in their heads. These Cores are ranked considering their strength and how much energy they possess. These Cores can be consumed by Souls to increase their strength, changing their bodies and giving them new abilities. In the Land of the Dead, these Cores can be used as Currency for services or items among other Souls.
Cores start of as Early, Middle, High, and Peak. Each rank has ranks within it as well.
Early Class Core: These Cores are the weakest and easiest to absorb by Souls. They are bright red and have different types of quality, from Poor to Fine. The poorest level has scratches and cracks across it's surface while the finest ones are smooth and shiny. Most new Souls only have these to consume as they are the basis of their foundation. The stronger cores are not good for their weak bodies as too much energy is just as bad as too little, causing their bodies to explode with energy, casting them back into the Sea once more.
Middle Class Core: These Cores are the most common and widely used throughout the entirety of the Land of the Dead. They are also the most commonly asked for payment. They are bright blue and are also ranged from Poor to Fine. One of these Cores is equal to a hundred Early Class Cores.
High Class Core: These Cores are very high quality. If New Souls could absorb them, it would quickly turn them into Middle Class warriors, completely jumping the Early level. High Class Cores are a pure Golden color and actually do not have a Poor quality level, ranging from mid level to Fine instead.
Peak Class Core: These Cores are perfect but extremely rare to get one's hands on. These Cores only come from Peak level Monsters and are often only a short distance away from being as strong as a King level Soul. These Cores are a deep, inky Black and radiate energy. They are only of Fine level quality.
All Cores can be used to tame a Monster of either the same level or less if one has the requisite ability.
Monsters in turn are ranked by their Cores from Early to Peak level monsters. Some can be as common as household pets on Earth, while others can be strange and powerful like Dragons, Sandworms, or Wyverns.
Souls
The Souls are people who have died. However, unlike the normal average souls who have their memories stripped away by the Sea, they have strong mind and memories, retaining who they are long enough to wash ashore the Land of the Dead. Once here, they eventually find themselves consuming the Cores of Monsters. As the eat the Cores of monsters, their bodies go through qualitative changes.
Early Stage Soul: These Souls range from those who have just recently come out of the Sea, to those who have partially began to change, showing some bestial appearances, such as tails, elongated nails or teeth, or even becoming furrier or feathered.
Middle Stage Soul: These souls range from barely bestial to completely transformed. The level of change is different for everyone. Some appear humanoid with only a minor amount of bestial traits, whiles other will be completely beast like. Those who have reached the Middle Stage will begin to show off the first signs of Astral or Inner abilities. Physical Souls will find the first two stages the most beneficial as their muscles and body will become harder and stronger than ever before. Astral and Inner souls will benefit from Middle Stage onward as their true abilities come forth.
Astral souls will now be capable of forming pieces of their Astral Bodies. Arms or legs for combat chest for defense.
Inner Souls can now extend their abilities to other Souls or tame Monsters weaker than them using Cores. They can also enhance the weapons of Physical Souls using their own abilities, though only to their current level.
High Stage Soul: These souls are the true leaders of the Land of the Dead, they have solidified their Physical abilities and Astral Souls can fully form their Astral Body. Inner Souls are the master enhancers and energy boosts. They are invaluable at this level as Support.
Peak Stage Soul: No matter how strong one is, one is only considered a Peak Level Soul when they have defeated all of the Kings and entered the Wasteland. Physical Souls are considered perfect bodied, with a powerful Defense and Close Quarters Combat abilities. They have minor Astral and Inner skills that are mainly supportive.
Astral Souls are mighty mid range fighters. Their Astral Bodies are like solid walls of armor and can be imbued with elemental energies to deal constant damage.
Inner Souls can simultaneously benefit and enhance entire armies if needed. Since they can enhance and bolster weapons and have weak bodies, they usually have powerful long range weapons for fighting. Some who have the ability will have powerful, loyal monsters to fight for them.
True Names
True Names are useless in most worlds like Earth, where the soul is not completely one with the body. In other worlds however, these worlds possess magic and energy. In these worlds a True Name is a name of Power. A True Name could allow a normal average Mortal man control a God. A Soul can never be destroyed, only wiped clean and sent through the cycle of Reincarnation. A Soul is a piece of the eternal life force of the Universe, taken Mortal form when a Mortal gains sentience.
From the moment a Race takes it's first steps into self awareness, they are naturally gifted with a portion of the Eternal Life Force. At this moment, the Soul is born and gifted a True Name. No matter what happens in any of their Lives, the Soul will forever possess the same True Name.
The True Name can completely control the Soul. By speaking the True Name, one can easily command a person to do anything, no matter what.
One can also swear an Oath on their True Name. Such Oaths are binding and cannot be broken. Should one break it, they will immediately be killed and their Soul cast into the Sea by the Eternal Life Force. It is for this reason that one will not make Oath's lightly as the consequences for failing to uphold the Oath are great.
stellar.nova
queen of the stars
Omg these are so amazing!!!!More information on a few of the ideas from before.
Zombies
Necromantic Zombies
Zombies are Monsters usually summoned by Necromantic Magic. They are one of the Undead Monsters that exist along Skeletons, Ghosts, Wraiths, and other Undead types. These creatures are some of the weakest monsters in the world. Individually, they pose nearly no threat. The major threat is when they are in large groups. They possess no sense of pain or fear and will actively swarm their prey. Once dead, their prey become infected with the Necromantic Magic that invigorates them, adding to their numbers.
Revived Zombies
Zombies can also be created where there are large amounts of dead bodies such as graveyards, crypts, and battlegrounds. These Zombies, unlike ones created through Necromancy, possess Magic Cores like any other Monster. Furthermore, they do not add to their ranks. However, they can and will grow stronger the more they kill and absorb the energy of living beings.
These Zombies can generally be avoided though. Priests or Holy Persons can sanctify the ground where bodies lay to prevent them from gathering dark magic. This will prevent Zombies from rising. This must be done every few years as the magic will begin to grow after a while.
God of Death's Zombies
There is a third type of Zombie. These Zombies are not Monsters. They are given life through the Keeper, one head Zombie who serves as the Will of the Death God. This Keeper serves as the Anchor that keeps the souls of the other Zombies tethered to this world. When they choose to end their role as the Keeper, they, and their anchored Zombies will pass on, leaving one Zombie to become the new Keeper.
These Zombies serve the God of Death. Their duty is to fight and subdue the Abnormals, Monsters and Magical Beasts that are far stronger than normal. They prevent these creatures from becoming Calamities. Unlike other Zombies, there are nearly no signs that they are an Undead being. They look and act just as any other normal person.
These Zombies grow stronger by consuming the Magic Cores of the Monsters and Magical Beasts they kill.
Magic CoresMonsters and Magical Beasts possess a Magical Core somewhere inside of their bodies. These are the source of their magic and strength. They come in various shapes and colors, but are always about the same size. Most possess a thumbs width and height, no matter the size of the monster or beast. These Cores are highly valuable, especially to Weapon Smiths and Adventurers. These cores, when processed can be made into special gems that can be slotted into weapons and accessories. They can give various effects and buffs to the users.
The effects are extremely varied, even to the point that a core gathered from two of the same species can give two different weapons completely different effects. Some simply add extra strength to the user, some improve the quality of the weapon.
These Cores are rated from Least to Greatest depending on the creature they come from.
Lesser, Minor, Average, Major, and Greater. Usually, a Monster, who is born with their Magic Core, will have a greater quality Core than a Magical Beast. There are exceptions, especially when a Magical Beast lives in a dense magic area.
Most Monster Cores are Average in Quality. However, a Magical Beast that manages to grow strong enough will almost always have at least a Major core. In other cases, they will only have Lesser or Minor Cores.
There is one more Quality of Core, though each one is Unique. These are Supreme Quality Cores. When processed and added to a weapon or object, it can make said object become a Legendary Item or Weapon. These types of Items and Weapons are reserved for a Country's Heroes when they are summoned.
Alteria
The world of Alteria has two major Continents, connected at the topmost by a massive land bridge. These two continents are Anvre and Maleti. Due to the conflicting interests of the Dark and Light races, the people are separated on these continents. Anvre being the continent of Light and Maleti being the Continent of Darkness.
Anvre is home to the Elves, Fairies, Beastmen, Humans, Dwarves, Halflings, as well as the other various species of Light. Each race has their own Kingdom within this continent.
Maleti is home to the Vampires, Dark Elves, Orcs, Sidhe, Werebeasts, Gorgons and other intelligent races of Darkness.
Elves
The Elves possess the Forests to the North and are split up among the various Elf subspecies such as Wood Elves, High Elves, and Mountain Elves. These various Elves are almost always in disagreement regarding the management and control over their lands, however, they will work together when threatened by outside forces. Almost all elves are in opposition of their Dark Elf brethren who live on the continent of Maleti. Most Elves believe in protecting themselves and tradition, not getting involved with the other races unless it directly interferes with them.
Dark Elves believe in getting interfered with everyone and building good relations. At the same time, they are wiling to throw away tradition in order to benefit them and their allies. The Dark Elves do not have any specific home, often choosing to live along side the other races on Maleti.
All elves possess the lowest birth rate.
Fairies and Sidhe
While the Elves are long lived, the Fairies are truly Immortal. They'll never die from old age and are one of the most Magically inclined races. Unlike the other races, they live in another dimension, a space slightly above the one known by everyone else. They often appear in places with a high concentration of magic, linking the two dimensions together. While they have no problems with other races, they will often prank the people that arrive in these places.
Their counterparts are the Sidhe, certainly a darker version. They are far more prideful and arrogant than even Elves. They are often far more willing to deal with the other races than the Fairies. However, their deals are usually lined with something that will benefit them. They also have a law that states if any mortal being enters their realm and eats of their food, then that person can no longer leave, thus becoming a slave of the Sidhe. They mainly prefer children.
To eat the food of a Fairy or Sidhe, makes one immortal for as long as they stay in that realm. Once one leaves, they will rapidly age to match their actual age. As it is extremely hard to tell time in the Fairy realm, most people don't notice that they've been there for centuries. For races like the Elves and Dwarves, this isn't much of a problem. It is those like the Humans that have a problem.
To prevent this occurrence, one can become a servant of the Sidhe King or the Fairy Queen, allowing them to leave without aging.
Both Fairies and the Sidhe can change their size from average human height to barely a foot tall.
Faires and Sidhe possess no birthrate as they aren't often born. The only time a new one is created is when one dies.
Beastmen and Werebeasts
Beastmen are the creatures who possess the qualities of beasts. This can be from a few beast like traits, to full on beast appearance. However, whether they look like a bipedal beast or a human with beast appendages, they are all far stronger than most. Only the Dwarves can match them in raw strength. Their five senses are also usually better than normal, with one sense being greater than others depending on the base race. The Beastmen are incapable of using Magic. Instead, they have a special skill that ignites the beast blood within them, giving them incredible speed and strength beyond what they are already capable of. Beastmen live in the southern plains, enjoying the wide open space. Beastmen have the second highest birth rate.
Werebeasts are the exact opposite. Instead of being born with the blood of beasts, they are those of other races who have had their base race overwritten by the blood of a Magical Beast. This is usually caused by a high leveled beast biting or clawing them. Every full moon, the new blood in the body is stimulated and forces them into a wild frenzy like state.
Many of those who become Werebeasts struggle with their animal like instincts and are usually hunted down because they give into them. Others though have striven to control this blood and have gained the ability to shift into their beast form at will, and even a hybrid form in between. Werebeasts often live alone or in packs of those who are similar.
Humans and Vampires
Humans are the most adaptable race. Because of this and their propensity to propagate, the Humans are one of the strongest races as well. Because of their body structures, they have the capability of learning new techniques and skills beyond their own natural talents. At the same time, this also makes them more susceptible to changes in their bodies. They are also the only race capable of interbreeding with any other race, even Fairies and Sidhe. Half-breeds are common among the humans, though they usually go to live with their other parent.
They are also the ones to generally become adventurers due to their greed or sense of justice. They also hold the biggest land in the center of Anvre.
Vampires are the counterpart of humans because they can only come from humans. Vampires are created by virus that infects the human body, turning them into a blood sucking fiend. However, the first Vampires were originally humans who sought to become immortal by manipulating their blood.
Vampires can take control over their own hunger and take on Ghouls, special humans that provide their blood in exchange for the heightened gifts that a single drop of Vampire's blood brings. Along with greater combat capabilities, a Vampire's Immortal Blood can give them longevity.
Due to the fact that they drink blood from humans specifically, many humans hate and fear them. Because of this hate, Vampires have stood against humans by creating an empire on Maleti that equals that of humans, made up of the various creatures that the races of Light have shunned.
Orcs and Dwarves
Orcs are large and wildly unattractive creatures. They mainly live in the west of Maleti, away from the other races. They are a highly competitive race, often fighting and holding tribal wars for territory. Orcs possess the greatest strength, greater than the Beastmen and Dwarves. Their society revolves around being strong and overbearing and often respect the loud and brash strength of others. As such, they aren't very close to Elves. However, Dwarves get along with them well.
Because of their violent and unattractive behavior, they are often discriminated against in Anvre.
Dwarves are strong and dexterous, capable of building and crafting anything. They live in the eastern mountains of Anvre where they reign supreme under the mountain. They are very susceptible to greed and often craft weapons and tools for the other races to use. However, they are also honorable and will never trick someone by giving them faulty work. If it is made by a Dwarf, it is made to last.
Dwarves are raucous and capable of drinking a great amount of alcohol. However, they won't drink just anything, preferring to drink the best. Many Dwarves have gone on great quests to either make or find the greatest drink.
Halflings and Gorgons
Halflings are small human like creatures who are about as dexterous as the Dwarves. However, unlike the Dwarves, they don't create weapons or tools. Instead, they make food, the best food that anyone has tasted before. To have a Hafling as your cook is one of the pleasures of life. However, they aren't perfect. Halflings are quite known to be quite mischievous, often becoming rouges and thieves.
They have a surprisingly high gift for magic, though rarely take that route. Those that do however should make others beware. Halflings are found all over, not really having a kingdom. However, in times of strife, they come together.
Gorgons are a race of beautiful women with Snakes for hair. They are alluring and draw you in, however, should one look you in the eyes, they will turn you into stone in an instant. They have a deep control over snakes and are often protected by snake monsters or Magical Beasts. They aren't violent though, often leaving the other races alone. However, if attacked, they return this full fold.
Gorgons can be found in the southern wastes of Maleti. They enjoy the dry air and sunshine among the rocks.
Bit of Story
The day was bright, with very little clouds in the sky, the city full of the hustle and bustle of people moving about their daily business. Various adventurers wearing various pieces of equipment were wandering about. Some were headed to the local guild hall while others were headed out of the city to carry out their quest.
There was one young man, dressed as an adventurer, who was doing neither. He had white hair and sharp yellow eyes, a long sword strapped to his waist.
He didn't like being in the cities. There was always the possibility of being discovered. However, he needed to get the necessary equipment for the new arrivals in a few days. The major problem was that until they arrived, he was not sure of their attributes. They could be sword wielders, archers, mages, hand to hand combat specialists. He wondered if his master had this problem deciding for him.
He sighed as he walked down the bricked roads, he had to admit, the people of this world were certainly advanced to a degree. Paved roads and a decent system of cleanliness. It surprised him every time, knowing what he knew about societies at this level of growth, they should have been dirtier.
He figured that it was because this world had magic whereas his original one hadn't. He sighed and shook his head. He'd died in that other world, this one was his home now. He stopped at an armor shop and purchased a few things of various sizes. The man selling him these objects was surprised when he waved his hands and the objects he'd selected vanished into a small ring he had on his ring finger.
This was an interspatial ring, one that had quite a bit of storage space. Whoever this young man was, he held a decent amount of wealth. There were many adventurers of noble or high birth who went on excursions to gain fame and recognition. It was best to give him a good impression, as well as get a bit more coin from him.
"Young Master, since you have shown such wealth, this object here should catch your eye" the man lifted up a necklace that shined with a bright red jewel.
"Oh, is that a Major Core?" he asked curiously "I wouldn't have imagined to see one here, where was it obtained?" it was best to know where things came from. If it was stolen then it could lead people to track him down. He couldn't give away the location of his home.
"It was obtained in the Malein Forest, a few days away from here to the north" the man answered "It took several Class A adventurers to bring down the Alein Bear that the Core was taken from, I was told that it was extremely difficult"
'Hmf, Adventurers' he thought. He himself could take down a bear of that quality with no back up. It was easy enough 'Try facing an Abnormal once, then tell me what is difficult'
However, he did need the stone "Alright, since so much trouble was taken to obtain it, how could I not purchase it" he gave the man a smile.
"Of course sir, that will be fifteen gold" the man returned his smile.
The white haired man frowned slightly but still paid for the necklace, placing it within his ring. This was clearly more than the necklace was worth, but he didn't want to get into a dispute. He was very likely to end up hurting the man. He turned and left the shop. He now needed to pick up a few weapons. With a soft sigh, he headed down the street.
Afterwards, he cracked his back and headed out of the city, one out of the city, he could pick up his speed and be back home in a few hours. However, he frowned when he detected that someone was following him, or rather a group of someones. He frowned, wondering why he was being followed. It could have been for his ring. Interspatial rings were very special magic from an older age. It was so rare and valuable that they couldn't be bought, especially since the magic to make it had long since vanished.
Of course, the people following him could also know what he really was. There were a few Necromancers that had tried to learn how he and his allies maintained their physical forms. To understand his Zombie physiology would give them tremendous control over a lot of places. Undead that didn't look it would make very useful pawns.
Well, either way, if they attacked him, they'd find themselves without their lives. Well, whatever, they wouldn't be able to kill him. He brought the necklace out of his ring and looked at it. He hadn't bothered to ask about it's abilities because he didn't really care. Magic Cores were like candy to him. Whatever they did became useless once he consumed it. He only got a boost to his own level.
He brought out a small card and pressed it to the gem on the necklace "Observe" he spoke softly. The card glowed for a second before several words and numbers appeared on the card.
Necklace of the Alein Bear
Defense +16 Vitality +12 Attack + 9
He ran a hand through his white hair and whistled "Not bad for a Major Core" he said chuckling as he stored the necklace away once again. Major Cores had an incredible effect...at least for normal people anyway.
Suddenly, two arrows pierced through his calves and he dropped to the ground as his legs stopped working 'Ah, so it is for the ring. Good, Necromancers are hard to deal with' he thought, not worrying about the arrows in his legs. Necromancers could summon more undead to serve them and it was just time consuming to fight them all.
Suddenly, he was rolled over. He was facing three people, two humans and a Halfling girl. A mage, a warrior, and a rouge 'How cliche could you get?' he thought. Of course it was a Halfling that had shot him, they had pretty good aim.
"Sorry about this buddy, but you really shouldn't show off your wealth like that" the warrior man said nodding towards the Halfling. She moved quickly and stabbed him through the chest, the short dagger she was using, quickly piercing into his heart. Thank the God of Death he didn't need it.
"He kind of just let you do it huh?" the mage asked curiously, looking at the Halfling.
"Whatever, these rich guys are always a bunch of wusses. Come on, get his ring" she pulled her knife out of his heart and stood up, wiping it clean.
"Pretty vicious though" the warrior said quietly as he reached down to pick up the sword that was attached to the man's waist.
"Well, it isn't like I'll die" the voice from the supposed dead body startled the warrior, but before he could do anything, a hand clamped around his neck with surprising force. He tried to struggle away, but the grip was like a bear trap. With a single crack, the man twisted his fingers and the man's neck snapped.
"Holy shit!" the mage said backing up. The guy they'd attacked was clearly much smaller than their warrior, but the ease at which he'd killed him was terrifying.
Sitting up, the white haired man snapped off the tips of the arrows in his legs and pulled them out through the hole. To the remaining people, it was very surprising. This man didn't even flinch as he did it.
Very soon, the blood coming from his chest and legs stopped flowing and he stood up. He cracked his knuckles and stretched "You guys know, I still feel pain, it isn't a major problem, but it is really annoying" his body blurred slightly as he appeared next to the mage. A single blow from his fist shattered the man's chest and caved in his heart, causing him to cough up blood before crumpling to the ground.
Only the Halfling was left. She found that her legs wouldn't work as she just stood there, watching this monster of a man walk towards her "You see, I don't like killing women, however, I can't just let you go off and tell people about me, and don't bother saying you won't, I can't monitor you forever to make sure you won't"
Running a hand through his white hair, he drew the sword at his waist "So I'll make it quick" in a flash, the world twisted around her and just for a second, she saw her own headless body drop to the ground before everything went dark.
"Geez, and she was cute too" he said as he stored all the bodies into his ring. He didn't need to leave bodies behind. Fortunately, the Interspatial ring could store anything as long as it wasn't alive.
He sighed and started down the road, quietly walking as he waited to see if anyone else was going to attack him. However, he didn't sense any other presences so he figured he was in the clear. He did however wander around a bit more just to make sure, often darting off into the woods in random directions.
Eventually, he was sure he wasn't being followed and stretched his leg forwards, the muscles bulging out. With a crack, his body shot forward as he took off like a galloping horse. He never tired and his speed was incredible so it only took him a few short hours to reach a small building hidden among some moss covered stones in the middle of the forest. Inside this building was a single magical array, inactive of course.
He scratched his chin and opened his hand. He was a warrior type Zombie so he didn't know much magic, but he knew the spell to activate the array.
The FacilityThere was a soft hiss as the doors to the cryopod popped open, releasing a white mist that drifted across the steel floors. A single hand came from within the pod and gripped the edge of the doors, pulling the figure it was attached to forwards. With a soft groan, a young man in his early twenties stepped out of the pod. One hand supported him as he stood on the cold floor while the other rubbed his forehead "Cryo sleep...." he mumbled "....really sucks"
Each facility is designed based on it's location as well as those designing it. Depending on it's uses, one facility may be quite different from another. The facility this story takes place in, is a Facility once designed under the Sahara Desert. The Facility is designed with five layers.
The lowest layer houses the Cryo Room, Core Room, Storage Room, Hydro Facilities, and Food Processing.
The next layer consists of the AI Core, Living Quarters, and Recreational Area.
The third layer possesses the Armory and Hanger
The Fourth layer is quite small, only holding the Hub, a central area housing the main computer for the entire facility.
Above that is the final layer which is simply a prepping area for the team to leave for exploration.
Cryo Room
The Cryo Room is actually several minor bays all connected to a central room. In each of these bays exists a single cryopod. Leaving the bay, you enter into a large square room where there exists a wall of lockers. The teams are usually between five to seven people, but there are always extra lockers and cryopods in case of unforeseen circumstances. Each locker is manually locked in case of power failure. Inside of each locker are the individuals possessions as well as the team Battle Suit.
These suits are the best of both Humanity and Alvian technology. Inside of the suits exist nanites that can monitor the wearer's life signs and provide emergency care if needed. They are self repairing and can be used in a variety of situations. The neck of the suit can expand into a solid helmet in situations where it is needed.
The suit is flexible enough that movement is unimpaired, yet tough enough that it can withstand high caliber weaponry. It can even enhance bodily strength by two times.
Core Room
While the facility gets power from various systems, such as solar facilities, heat absorbent systems, and hydro electricity, a majority of it's power comes from the Core. It is this same core that powers the starships Humanity and Alvia used to leave the planet. The Core Room houses the Star, a special system designed to reproduce the reactions that occur within a Star. It isn't perfect but as long as it is provided the right fuel, it can run for thousands of years. Most of the time, the Core is maintained by the Facility's AI Entra, occasionally, it requires manual interaction.
Storage Room
Less of a room, and more of a facility on it's own, the Storage Room is massive, easily taking up most of the lowest level's area. It is broken up into four areas. Weapons and Tools, Supplies, Materials, and Misc. Each area is maintained by many drones that flit about. It is simple to request an item and have it brought to you by the drones.
Hydro and Food Facilities
The Hydro Faculties and Food Processing are actually one in the same. This area is the second largest, containing an internal reservoir of water. The water is used for nearly everything. What water isn't set aside for bathing and drinking, is sent over to the food processing systems to be combined with various protein strands and carbohydrates. Using a specialized Food Printer, any food desired can be printed out.
AI Core
Entra is one of several extremely powerful AI systems that run the facilities across the planet. They handle a majority of situations, leaving the more important missions to the teams. Entra also has the job of relaying the team's information back to the ships housing humanity. If there is any malfunction that Entra can not handle during the team's sleep, the team leader will be awoken immediately to handle the problem.
All teams are given basic education on AI repair, but the more complex situations are generally handled by the team Engineer.
Living Quarters
The Living Quarters are broken up into several bedrooms surrounding a central area where the team can converse shortly after waking up. The rooms themselves are quite simple with a large window like area that can be customized with several videos to simulate the above world.
Each room possesses it's own bathroom and kitchen. From within the kitchen, any food can be synthesized from the food printer.
Recreational Area
The Recreational Area is broken up into a few smaller areas. First is the Park. This is a medium sized area that has been designed to look exactly like an above ground park. It is maintained by various drones and if one didn't already know they were underground, it could easily fool a person.
Other areas include a large swimming pool, exorcise room, and training room.
Armory
The Armory, unlike the storage room, houses the immediate weaponry as well as various heavy armor. Additionally, the Armory is connected to a shooting range for testing accuracy. Weapons include snipers, shotguns, pistols, assault rifles, and even close range combat weapons like swords and knives.
Hanger
The Hanger contains the two main vehicles of the team as well as several smaller vehicles used for short range exploration. The Valkyrie, a special drop ship designed to get the team in and out of special areas, it can provide air support in the form of heavy artillery or even short range drop pods delivering weapons and ammunition.
Next is the Avino, an all terrain vehicle designed to hold the four people. It is high speed on all terrains and corners quiet well. It is well armored and could stand up to most high artillery attacks. It is even capable of righting itself should it be flipped.
Designed for reconnaissance is the Annihilator a high speed motorcycle that is best used on flat terrain. This vehicle is the fastest land vehicle currently in humanity's possession.
The Hub
Containing the central computer for the entire facility, all information makes it's way through this system, cataloged by Entra. This is where the team will plan before missions as well as debrief. Any communication with the Humanity ship will also be stored on the system for viewing.
Alvia
The Alvia are a highly advanced race that have existd for a very long time. They possess a matriarchal society. The females of the race are humanoid with a single tail like head. They are the political members of the society and run everything. Cultural fads, monetary worth, societal norms are all determined by the females of the species. The males of the species have no say in political or diplomatic situations. The females pick their males depending on their intellect.
The males of the species are the scientists of the species. They are doctors and observers possessing the intellect for engineering and scientific advancement. They are the ones that originally designed their home ship as well as the cryo technology and AI technology.
Just as the females rule political, economical, and diplomatic situations, the males control all scientific advancement. They are free to study whatever they want and design whatever they want. The females will find a use for whatever they create.
The males are vastly different from the females, possessing similar four arms as well as possessing a quadrupedal form, similar to a centaur. They are quite distant from simply humanoid, possessing four 'welding' tails designed for high speed construction.
Their bodies give off a sustainable energy source that is used in their engineering. The way their faces are designed, they see in a wider range of spectrum than the females or even humans, allowing them to observe the universe in an entirely different way.
Colimna
The Colimna possess aquatic traits, a sign that they were once possibly an aquatic species. These traits allow them to 'swim' through empty space. This isn't entirely understood though both humans and Alvia scientists believe that they somehow interact with the Dark Matter of the universe to move.
They are a large threat to the intelligent species of the universe as they are a Hive Mind species. They naturally gather towards planets that have a high level of mental activity. Within a few short years, they will consume and assimilate entire personalities into their hive mind. How or why they do this is completely unknown as they seem to have no use for the intellect of the species they consume.
However, what is known is that what ever is left is simply a living husk of the species. Brain dead yet going through the motions of their memories. Eventually, these husks simply die after some time.
When the planet has been picked clean of highly intelligent species, the Colimna move on to the next planet, ignoring any non-intelligent species such as animals, insects, or plants.
Attempts to communicate with this species are either ignored or incapable of being understood.
There is a substance, called AlHu, named after the two species, that has an odd effect on the mental energy of the Colimna. It was once observed by Alvia scientists by accident. The substance was once used to create probes designed to study the atmospheres. Naturally, it possessed a few scientists to monitor the results. When the Colimna first arrived, it was observed that they completely ignored the scientists in the probe, as if they were completely blind to them.
The substance is very rare, however it does appear on planets with life. With this information, Humanity and Alvia left to find more of it, to finally find a way to defeat the Colimna.
He pushed his long black hair back out of his eyes and looked around. The room he was in was the cryo room. It was a stand alone room, separate from the rest of the facility. Even if everything lost power, the cryopods would stay active as the room itself had a separate power source.
His vision danced slightly, doubling everything as he stumbled with his first step.
"Please standby, you are experiencing cryo sickness, it will pass in a moment" a mechanical but clearly male voice entered his ears. He frowned slightly but nodded.
"Entra, good to see that you are up and running" he said as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply "What's the date?"
"I'm sorry, I do not have the current date, there was a malfunction in my systems that prompted the emergency activation of myself as well as your awakening"
"Damn" he mumbled "What is the damage?"
"Minor damage to the solar arrays as well as moderate damage to several key systems throughout the facility. Air filtration, food processing, water filtration..."
"Alright!" he sighed as he opened his eyes and stretched slightly "Is the auto repair functioning properly?" he wondered as he headed towards a small row of lockers. One one of the lockers was his name 'Alistair Manson'. It was a manual lock instead of a digital one, just in case there had been a malfunction with the power supply for the cryo room. Even if there was a problem, at least they'd have access to their equipment.
"Repair functions are working optimally" Entra responded "Minor damage should be repaired within eight hours, moderate damage in thirty four hours"
He nodded "Good" he said as he got ready to get dressed. Alistair was currently in the nude and the cold wasn't doing him any favors. He pulled out a simple black skintight suit and pulled it on first before he pulled out the all purpose body suit that his entire team would be wearing. It's design wasn't anything to write home about, but it was tough enough and flexible enough to go through many different situations.
As soon as he put on the suit, the nanites in the suit registered his data, monitoring his life signs. It even altered itself to fit his body perfectly. There was nothing to get in the way of his movement.
"What is the time before the other's awaken?" he asked Entra.
"Twenty four hours" the AI responded "Protocol dictates that the leader be awoken twenty four hours before the rest of the team to ready the facility for full access"
Alistair listened as he stepped into the air lock that separated the cryo room from the rest of the facility.
"How are things outside the facility?" he asked as he stepped out of the air lock, the lights of the hallway activating as he walked "The Alvia?"
"Unknown, though my scans indicate that there are no enemy forces nearby...they may be malfunctioning"
"They may be malfunctioning?" Alistair asked, curious as to why the AI was unsure of a possible malfunction.
"Scans indicate that the area outside of the facility is...a forest"
Alistair's eyebrows went up "How is that possible?" he wondered. The Facility had been built in the Sahara Desert, underneath the sand. It was a very good place to hide from the enemy. The sands would clear away any signs of life after a short period of time. Footprints, tools, bodies, everything was claimed by the desert.
The heat and sun exposure also helped power the facility through the use of solar arrays. Water filtration pulled water from the ocean a distance away as well as untapped water reservoirs below the desert.
A forest outside was nearly impossible "Drones?" he asked.
"Inoperable at the moment. The facility needs to be manually rebooted, there are sections I am unable to access"
"Of course" Alistair sighed "And our resident engineer is still in cryo" he scratched his head "Alright, we'll leave exploration for later, I'll head to the Hub and get all of the briefing left behind, maybe that will have an explanation for what is going on"
He sighed and headed for the elevator.
There are five major cities within the Chill, three of which are homes to the Forever and reflect their views. Each of the cities possess an otherworldly quality. From the floating mountains to the east, to the living forests to the west.
Navi Moutains and the City of Neir: These mountains are called such due to their mystical ability to float free from the ground and tucked away in the center of these mountains lies the City of Neir, a great city built into many floating mountains, each connected by a large natural pathways that lead towards the ground. This city is also known as the Knowledge Center of the World. It is here the largest library in all of the Chill lies. Everything from the smallest monsters, to the most mystical of magics, lies in this library. If there is something you need to know, this is the place to find it.
As such, the Dlviet School of Magic is also located here. Newcomers to the Chill are directed here to learn about this new and dangerous world. Some can do magic, some can't, yet everyone attains some form of training, usually from one of the professors who share a similar affinity as they do. The world of the Chill possesses many strange and unusual talents and skills, along with a large number of species, as not everyone who arrives looks human.
In the search for knowledge, the City of Neir is the best place to live. This is also the home of one of the Forever, the Queen of the Night, Elysia.
Victus Forest and the City of Falese: This forest lies in the western side of the Chill, massive, covering the entire western front. It is also one of the more dangerous places to go exploring. The entire forest is alive, in a far more literal sense. The forest has remained this big because no one would dare cut it down. Anyone who has tried has been met with a very hostile response. The forest will actively attack those it deems as a threat to its domain. However, this is also the major reason it is also one of the safest places to live.
The City of Falese is protected by this forest and any who maintain and care for the forest are allowed to live here. Healers, florists, forest creatures, as long as you obey the law of the forest, you are free to enter and leave. Friend to the forest means the forest is your friend.
While the City of Neir is the Knowledge Center of the World, the City of Falese is where the masters of healing magic reside. Those who have completed their studies in Neir and found that they have a particular affinity for healing, move here for Specialty training. Being surrounded by the living forest helps healers learn and master their abilities faster, they also learn the value of keeping things alive. The forest itself can be as good a teacher as any.
Aven resides here. She is revered for her great healing abilities as no injury is too great for her to heal.
The Knight's Colosseum and the City of Enteria: Enteria is a city of warriors, all of the worlds greatest fighters take residence here. Strength is key here, though strength may take many forms. Speed, Flexibility, even trickery, are all forms of strength.
From long ago, the city was designed for the strong, taking on the best qualities of many societies, most notably Rome, though the form of dress is anyone's choice. The Knights of Enteria are based here, a faction of warriors focused on protecting the people throughout the Chill.
They keep the peace and fight off the more dangerous creatures that come out of the wilds.
The Knight's Colosseum is the center of this city, a place for anyone to challenge another person to a duel. A good fight is always enjoyed in Enteria and the Colosseum is always a place to find one. Every year, there is a grand tournament where people from all over come to participate. It is governed by the three Forever's and the victor is given a small fortune and a decent amount of land to do with as they see fit.
Many warriors keep the money but return the land as they would never have time to maintain it.
The warrior and Forever Valies lives here, specifically in the highest floor of the Colosseum. He is always accepting challenges to fight, though he has never lost one.
The Forge of Creation and the City of Nihilo: The City of Nihilo is the city of the Smiths. Here, anything can be created and the greatest smiths come from here. Many of the buildings in the Chill have been created by the smiths of Nihilo. Here, they also make powerful magical and non-magical weapons, those used by the nearly everyone in the Chill. The better the weapon, the more expensive it is, though some smiths will require favors instead of money.
Nihilo is deep underground, closer to the fiery core of the Chill. Lava flows freely and is used to heat the many forges that are dotted throughout the city. Nihilo is always filled with the sounds of hammers clanging and metal being worked.
The Forge of Creation is the greatest forge, at the very back of the City. It was this forge that designed the weapons of the Forever, this forge must be used by a minimum of ten master smiths and a single mistake can ruin the work of everyone else. The Forge of Creation is rarely used, only to make the greatest of weapons for the greatest of people.
The Black Sea and the City of Avail: There are many coastal cities in the Chill, each has their own export. The smaller ones transport crabs and other creatures to the more land locked cities. The City of Avail is the biggest and most profitable. It is also the location of some of the greatest naval experts in the Chill. Mainly aquatic people live here, born to fish or hunt the monsters that dwell within the darker pits of the ocean.
It's greatest export is a species of fish that, when cooked properly, melts on the tongue and invigorates the mind. It is particularly effective with mages, making it easier to cast spells. Even on others, it has a awakening effect on them, allowing them to fight longer, or simply stay energized.
The naval forces guard the seas from pirates and the much larger sea monsters out in open waters. Many people who love the seas join the navy to explore the oceans. The Chill has the purest, clearest water ever seen by the eye. On the shore, you can see clear to the sand.
The Black Sea is a massive dark spot in the ocean several miles outside of Avail. The waters here are black as the night sky and not even the great moon that hovers over the Chill can lighten it. Here resides an extremely rare species of creature, known as Black Carp. Every single bit of this creature is valuable, from its scales, which can be made into a powerful medicine, to it's innards, each of which can be made into a specific potion to either aid or harm, depending on how you make it.
However, the Black Sea is dangerous, possessing some of the largest sea creatures, some that would make the Kraken pale in comparison. To venture into this Sea is a feat only for the bravest and strongest. Succeeding will lead to great prestige.
Datalian Research Institute for the Chilled
This institute was built for one reason, to study the Mass Hallucination known as the Chill. There are many institutions created based on this first institution, all dedicated to finding the cause of this hallucination and curing it. However, all attempts have been fruitless. Many of those who have entered the Chill end up here.
The scientists and doctors here believe it to be some sort of disease that infects certain people, though no specific ethnicity, gender, or physical attribute has been nailed down as the cause. Anyone can be a person who enters the Chill, though it is impossible to tell who will.
It has been found that at the exact time the sun passes beyond the horizon, every single one of their patients passes out at that exact moment, no matter what they are doing, though many know what is happening and will find a place to lay down before the sun sets. Once this happens, there is no way to wake them up, pumping them with near lethal levels of adrenaline do nothing.
For the entire night, all of the patients are legally brain dead. When they awake the next morning, at the exact moment the very tip of the sun appears over the horizon, they sometimes act as if they haven't seen any of the Doctors in years.
Many patients have explained that time moves differently in the Chill and no one really ages there, nor has there ever been a child born there. However, that is just the people, animals, plants, and everything in the Chill changes over time. They could spend centuries in the Chill and still only a night has passed. Strangely enough, this doesn't work both ways. A day in the normal world is simply a day in the Chill, as if the world is waiting for their return.
Magic of the Chill
The Chill is home to many different types of magic, from battle magic to healing magic, and everything in between. There is always something knew to study. Because time doesn't mean much, many studies take a long time.
Elementalist: The Elementalist is a master of a single element. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Spirit. Each Element has it's own subdivision of elements, however, those who decide to travel down one of these subdivisions become far more adept at that than the base element. Any elementalist can summon one familiar of their element to aide them in battle.
- Fire: The element of heat and desire, the fire elementalist can wield the flame as if it was a solid object. Depending on the person, it can be used as a weapon or a tool.
Lightning: Those who follow the subdivision of fire can learn to manipulate electricity becoming much more refined than fire, but losing the natural malleability of the flame.
- Water: The element made to soothe and protect, the water elementalist can manipulate liquid freely, even pulling moisture from the very air. Water can be manipulated far more than fire and can be used as whips. A water elementalist can, with practice, learn to heal with their water by injecting their own life force into the water. Water can be as sharp as a blade or as soft as silk.
Ice: Hardening water molecules can create ice that can trap and spear, or even create a miniature blizzard to freeze enemies in their place. A master can even freeze an opponents blood, though it is frowned upon by others.
- Earth: The element of strength and defense, the earth elementalist can manipulate the very earth around them, forming powerful walls of defense, or even projectiles to damage an opponent.
Sand: The elementalist crushes the earth around them into a fine sand, creating a far more maneuverable weapon. The sand can ensnare enemies but it's greatest effect is it's defense. An elementalist of this nature can create a layer of super hard sand that covers their skin, offering a powerful defense that can block even blades from piercing their flesh.
- Air: The element of agility and light. The air elementalist possesses far more speed than normal and can bend the very air around them as they will. They can make themselves as light as the air for limited flight or increase their physical speed to increase physical attack. They can even knock enemies away with powerful gusts of air.
Vacuum: The elementalist forgoes manipulated the air and instead removes it, sucking it from the surrounding area, creating a sudden force that can crush anything in it's wake.
- Spirit: The element of the mind and soul. The spirit elementalist can manipulate the mind, controlling to a certain limit. They can hypnotize their enemy and even sway their emotions.
Necromancy: The Spirit elementalist gives away their connection to the mind, instead accessing the soul. They can bring forth the spirits of the monsters nearby and in the right area, can even summon a small army.
Seal Magic: Seal magic is a tedious study. Most magic requires some form of incantation or bodily movement. Seal magic requires physically drawing magical symbols and, when combined in an intricate magical language, a seal mage can manipulate the very facets of the universe around them. Despite this, there are only a handful of seal mages. Seal magic however is used everywhere. It strengthens and even adds magical properties to weapons in the form of enchantments.
Many people know some form of minor seal magic, such as creating a small fire, or using a seal to drain fresh clean water from the air or a stream. There are very few who actually attempt to master this magic.
Seals can also be used to enhance physical abilities, such as strength and speed. Many warriors have learned at least this much to give them an edge in battle.
Healing Magic: Healing magic is one of the most powerful magics out there. To heal, a mage can either take energy from themselves or the surrounding areas. The strongest healing mage can heal even the most deadly of wounds, given they have enough energy to do so. Many healing mages will reside in places that are bountiful of life, such as forests. Before traveling, the mage will store energy in special stones designed for this purpose. However, they do not last forever and will begin to deteriorate after a few weeks, in which the mage must recharge them.
Healers are wanted the most as a death in the Chill means you lose access to it. The shock of dying in the Chill will also cause a serious loop in the normal world as well, putting many in comas for their entire life. Those who do wake up find life nearly unbearable to live. The desire to return to the Chill is almost irresistible. Healers are needed to prevent this and as a rule, will heal anyone who asks them for healing.
Warrior MagicMagic that happens within the body instead of without. This is mainly used by the Warrior Caste of Enteria, though almost anyone can use the basics once trained. This magic is for enhancement over anything else. Speed, Strength, even physical resistance can be boosted this way. While anyone can use these basics, only a few can use the mastered forms of each boost. Pushing the body's limits beyond the normal can be achieved by anyone, though generally most can only handle one or two forms of boosting. To over use Warrior Magic can destroy the body's muscles.
This magic is primarily used by those who can't or won't use seal magic to enhance their abilities.
Strength: Using the strength boost, one can increase their physical strength to the point of being able to crush solid steel in their bare hands and even shatter the ground in a massive quake. The stronger a person makes themselves, the slower they become as all muscles used for speed are being used instead to enhance their strength.
Speed: All muscle strength directed towards movement and flexibility is enhanced, giving away strength for mobility. Those who use this form of Warrior Magic prefer the "runaway" tactic, where they strike fast and deal damage based on how many times they can strike their opponent. Those who have been defeated by this technique call it a "Death by a thousand cuts"
Some may even reach speeds high enough to leave an afterimage of their selves, tricking other into believing they are still there.
Endurance: "War of Attrition" is what comes to mind with this boost. This increases a person's durability to near impenetrable levels. Those who have mastered this technique can even stop swords with their bare hands. They sacrifice both speed and strength to enhance the toughness of their bodies, intending to win a fight by how long they can last. However, this only works against weaker opponents. If they are strong enough, they can break through this defense. Most who use this only use it quickly and temporarily in order to block an otherwise unblockable attack.
Berserker: This is the ultimate form, pushing the body to it's utmost limits in all three forms. This, however, completely crushes the user's mind. The user will mindlessly attack anyone and anything within range with unrelenting force, even after the point of death. The only way to beat this form is to overpower them or wait until the form runs out. Once the form runs out, the user's body will be completely worn out, unable to stand or even move a finger.
By eating the Cores of the Monsters they defeat, the bodies of the Dead, which are usually small and frail mortal bodies, begin to change. These changes can be varied in many different ways, though most of the changes are bestial in nature, to be better suited towards fighting in the harsh Land of the Dead. Many do not understand these changes, but some theorize that these changes are brought out by the strengths of the person's mind, attuning them to an image that is most ideal to them. At some point, they stop changing as their bodies become perfected. Consuming more cores will not change them any further, instead increasing the strength of their abilities.
All of the dead have access to special abilities that become more pronounced the more their bodies change, though some are better at specific ones.
Physical: Over their time in the Land of the Dead, many will learn physical abilities, such as martial arts. Those who specialize in these physical abilities have durable physical defenses and incredible strength. They excel at using either one or more weapons, or possibly relying on their bodies alone to fight. Physical changes are more battle oriented for these people as they develop sharp claws and fangs.
Physical Souls that use weapons are bound to their chosen weapon from the moment they choose it. From then on, they can have no other weapon, even ones in the same weapon class. These weapons grow the more they are used, however, they can also be upgraded by Inner Souls. They also self repair in the same manner that the bodies of Souls do.
Certain Physical abilities include generating energy through their nails, or even increasing or decreasing the size of their weapons.
Astral: Some do not develop strong bodies, in fact, they will either keep their original bodies, with some minor changes, or they'll take on even smaller compact forms. However, what they lack in Physical prowess they make up for in their Astral abilities. These abilities create a special sort of Spiritual energy that surrounds them, forming a ghostly image of the beast they are most like. They can be used to attack from afar or defend. These Astral Bodies are quite strong and can often equal the strength of a Physical Abilities user.
Astral Souls use weapons similar to the Physical Souls, however unlike them, their weapons aren't Soul Bound like them. They are freely capable of using multiple weapons, however using them physically has nearly no effect given the weaker bodies of the Astral Souls. Instead they can bind the weapons to their Astral Bodies, allowing them to use powerful attacks. The weapons can be imbued with their energy to double or even triple their base strength.
Their weapons however do not grow with them and require both replacement and maintenance. They can be upgraded however.
Inner: Some people do not develop either strong bodies or strong astral forms. Instead, they develop powerful special support abilities which can be used to either bolster their weaker Physical or Astral abilities. These Supportive abilities can even aid others making the already powerful even stronger. Such abilities include seeing through illusions, rapid healing, increased defenses, possibly even controlling powerful Monsters to fight for them.
Unlike Physical Abilities which are primarily close range, aside from a few long range weapons, the Astral and Inner abilities can be mid to long range. Astral bodies can stretch their attacks to a maximum of five hundred meters, with the strength and effectiveness waning as one nears that mark.
Inner abilities are more direct as they don't necessarily attack. Some abilities are only close range, requiring one to touch another in order to affect them, while others can be stretched across a thousand meters, with waning effects. Inner abilities also have time limits before the buff or debuff can be used again on the same person, however the only limit to actually using the ability is limited to the mental strength of the user.
Inner Souls can use multiple weapons just the same as Astral Souls, however, just like them, they have weaker bodies. While this can be subsided to some degree with bodily enchantments as well as weapon upgrades, most of their close range weapons go unused. Instead, Inner Souls focus on using long range weapons as their physical strength to use them is less necessary. A Inner Soul using a Bow can fire many differently enhanced arrows to create a wide range of damages.
Inner Souls can permanently upgrade weapons using Cores of Monsters. Bringing them a specific core can allow them to upgrade a weapon for a small fee. Some can also create weapons using the bodies and Cores of Monsters.
The greatest and most unique ability of Inner Souls is the ability to Tame Monsters by replacing their Cores with their own energy. However, they have a limit depending on their strength as well as the strength of the Monster. Some can only have one to three monsters, others can have five. Monsters can either be replaced like weapons or grown personally by feeding them Cores to nurture the piece of Soul within them.
The Kings
The Five Dead Kings are the five main controllers of the Land of the Dead. Each King rules a specific province of the Land. They are the King of the Sea, King of the Land, King of the Sky, and King of the Dead. Even the weakest of these Kings still outstrips the many souls that exist within their provinces. Each King provides for and protects their Province, though generally they will not interfere with the battles of others unless they occur within the cities they rule. Outside of the cities, it is a land of the strong.
Each Province is blocked off with powerful energy that no one can pass through. To move to the next Province, one has to gain the approval of the King and the only way to do that is to meet them in combat and win, or at least impress them enough.
The King of the Sea
The weakest of the Kings rules over the land nearest to the Sea of Emptiness where the newly arrived souls appear. The King of the Sea controls the four cities of the Sea Province and even helps guide the new arrivals by providing basic living arrangements as well as information on the Land of the Dead. Many of the arriving souls end up living in this Province forever, dependent on the King and their soldiers, never growing stronger. The real fighters, the strongest never remain here for very long.
The most common Monsters within this province are all relatively easy, Rabbits, Goblins, Wolves, Foxes. Generally the weakest of the weak among the mortal realms. However in the Land of the Dead, even the weakest Rabbit can easily kill a newly arrived Soul and even the overconfident.
Once one's strength has been acknowledged by the King of the province, one can travel to the next Province and freely return to this one at any time.
The King of the Land
The King of the Land rules the next province. This Province is much larger and is filled with various landscapes. Plains, Mountains, Volcanoes, whatever can exist on land exists here. There are places in this Province where the land alone can strip a unwary Soul of their memories, such as the Lava lakes hidden among the mountains.
There is a vast majority of strange Monsters in this Province, including stronger versions of the Monsters of the previous Province. Birds of Prey, Soul Sucking Bats the size of trucks, Ents, Shadow Beasts, Sand Worms. This Province hold the largest Variety of Monsters compared to any other Province, though not the strongest.
The King of the Sky
This Province is quite special and most assuredly the most dangerous. Unlike the previous Provinces where one could quite easily move across the land, the Province of the Sky possesses no solid ground. Instead there is only a vast void dotted with many floating islands. Only those with the right skills can even travel from one island to the other. Some can fly using their Astral bodies or leap from island to island using powerful strength. Should one fall into the abyss, they would never return, sucked deeper and deeper into the void. They would not reincarnate nor would they be destroyed, they'd simply fall for eternity.
Not even the King of the Sky would dare fall too deep, for even their abilities would run out before they got back to land.
The monsters that cover the province are primarily flying or levitating Monsters such as Valkyries, Harpies, Dragons, Rocs, Spectres. On the various island are a multitude of strange creatures, such as Giants and living Weapons and Armors.
The King of the Dead
Quite possibly the most powerful King is the King of the Dead. The Province is most assuredly the most confusing. Landmarks and Maps do not work here as the land is constantly shifting outside of the cities. The greatest challenge is getting to a city. Afterwards, one can purchase a Token of the Dead. With this token, one will always know the direction of the closest city, never getting lost within the maze that is this province.
Not even path seeking abilities work in this land. The Monsters here are almost as unusual and confusing as the Province itself. These Monsters hold no true form, instead copying the appearances of other Monsters and even the Souls that travel through the land. They are quite unpredictable in their combat styles.
The Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is the final challenge of the Land of the Dead. After the Province of the Dead, there exists a Wasteland. There are no cities, at most there are simple towns or camps where other Souls have taken rest. This Wasteland is truly a land of the Strong. There are no Kings to stop wanton killings. Those who rule the wasteland are Warlords, not as strong as the Kings but far more ruthless. These Warlords have taken control of the Wasteland, spreading their influence back through all of the Provinces. Often, new souls will be captured and forced into servitude for these Warlords early on.
The Warlords choose to stay in the Land of the Dead. They like they power they possess and do all they can to prevent other Souls from reaching the Reaper.
The Grip Reaper is the most Dangerous creature in all of the Land of the Dead. This being is beyond powerful. Even the Five Kings working as a team would be hard pressed to defeat him. Not only is he difficult to defeat, all Souls only get one chance to fight him. Either you win, or you lose. There is no trying again.
When defeated by the Grim Reaper, he rends your soul, tearing away all your memories and sending you back into the cycle of Reincarnation. You will never have another chance to face him.
However, the reward is as great as the risk. Defeating the Grim Reaper nets you his eternal respect for your strength and the right to return to life. You are given flesh and blood once more and allowed to roam the multitudes of world in your quest for either power, peace, revenge, or whatever it is you want.
Monsters
There are many, many different monsters that exist within the Land of the Dead. These Monsters are remnants of creatures that exist and existed in other worlds. Unlike the creatures that exist in the other worlds who grow stronger by either absorbing the energy of the world or by killing other creatures, these Monsters grow stronger by consuming the memories of the many Souls that travel throughout the Land of the Dead.
By doing so, they strengthen and increase the quality of the special Core's in their heads. These Cores are ranked considering their strength and how much energy they possess. These Cores can be consumed by Souls to increase their strength, changing their bodies and giving them new abilities. In the Land of the Dead, these Cores can be used as Currency for services or items among other Souls.
Cores start of as Early, Middle, High, and Peak. Each rank has ranks within it as well.
Early Class Core: These Cores are the weakest and easiest to absorb by Souls. They are bright red and have different types of quality, from Poor to Fine. The poorest level has scratches and cracks across it's surface while the finest ones are smooth and shiny. Most new Souls only have these to consume as they are the basis of their foundation. The stronger cores are not good for their weak bodies as too much energy is just as bad as too little, causing their bodies to explode with energy, casting them back into the Sea once more.
Middle Class Core: These Cores are the most common and widely used throughout the entirety of the Land of the Dead. They are also the most commonly asked for payment. They are bright blue and are also ranged from Poor to Fine. One of these Cores is equal to a hundred Early Class Cores.
High Class Core: These Cores are very high quality. If New Souls could absorb them, it would quickly turn them into Middle Class warriors, completely jumping the Early level. High Class Cores are a pure Golden color and actually do not have a Poor quality level, ranging from mid level to Fine instead.
Peak Class Core: These Cores are perfect but extremely rare to get one's hands on. These Cores only come from Peak level Monsters and are often only a short distance away from being as strong as a King level Soul. These Cores are a deep, inky Black and radiate energy. They are only of Fine level quality.
All Cores can be used to tame a Monster of either the same level or less if one has the requisite ability.
Monsters in turn are ranked by their Cores from Early to Peak level monsters. Some can be as common as household pets on Earth, while others can be strange and powerful like Dragons, Sandworms, or Wyverns.
SoulsThe Souls are people who have died. However, unlike the normal average souls who have their memories stripped away by the Sea, they have strong mind and memories, retaining who they are long enough to wash ashore the Land of the Dead. Once here, they eventually find themselves consuming the Cores of Monsters. As the eat the Cores of monsters, their bodies go through qualitative changes.
Early Stage Soul: These Souls range from those who have just recently come out of the Sea, to those who have partially began to change, showing some bestial appearances, such as tails, elongated nails or teeth, or even becoming furrier or feathered.
Middle Stage Soul: These souls range from barely bestial to completely transformed. The level of change is different for everyone. Some appear humanoid with only a minor amount of bestial traits, whiles other will be completely beast like. Those who have reached the Middle Stage will begin to show off the first signs of Astral or Inner abilities. Physical Souls will find the first two stages the most beneficial as their muscles and body will become harder and stronger than ever before. Astral and Inner souls will benefit from Middle Stage onward as their true abilities come forth.
Astral souls will now be capable of forming pieces of their Astral Bodies. Arms or legs for combat chest for defense.
Inner Souls can now extend their abilities to other Souls or tame Monsters weaker than them using Cores. They can also enhance the weapons of Physical Souls using their own abilities, though only to their current level.
High Stage Soul: These souls are the true leaders of the Land of the Dead, they have solidified their Physical abilities and Astral Souls can fully form their Astral Body. Inner Souls are the master enhancers and energy boosts. They are invaluable at this level as Support.
Peak Stage Soul: No matter how strong one is, one is only considered a Peak Level Soul when they have defeated all of the Kings and entered the Wasteland. Physical Souls are considered perfect bodied, with a powerful Defense and Close Quarters Combat abilities. They have minor Astral and Inner skills that are mainly supportive.
Astral Souls are mighty mid range fighters. Their Astral Bodies are like solid walls of armor and can be imbued with elemental energies to deal constant damage.
Inner Souls can simultaneously benefit and enhance entire armies if needed. Since they can enhance and bolster weapons and have weak bodies, they usually have powerful long range weapons for fighting. Some who have the ability will have powerful, loyal monsters to fight for them.
True Names
True Names are useless in most worlds like Earth, where the soul is not completely one with the body. In other worlds however, these worlds possess magic and energy. In these worlds a True Name is a name of Power. A True Name could allow a normal average Mortal man control a God. A Soul can never be destroyed, only wiped clean and sent through the cycle of Reincarnation. A Soul is a piece of the eternal life force of the Universe, taken Mortal form when a Mortal gains sentience.
From the moment a Race takes it's first steps into self awareness, they are naturally gifted with a portion of the Eternal Life Force. At this moment, the Soul is born and gifted a True Name. No matter what happens in any of their Lives, the Soul will forever possess the same True Name.
The True Name can completely control the Soul. By speaking the True Name, one can easily command a person to do anything, no matter what.
One can also swear an Oath on their True Name. Such Oaths are binding and cannot be broken. Should one break it, they will immediately be killed and their Soul cast into the Sea by the Eternal Life Force. It is for this reason that one will not make Oath's lightly as the consequences for failing to uphold the Oath are great.
AnimeGenork
The Duck Overlord
Welp it seems as if I'm writing a collection of short stories about Sky, Kenny, Avie, Cassy, and Olly
Ivy, Toby, Jackie: We see how it is.
Your backstories aren't depressing enough.
Ivy, Toby, Jackie: We see how it is.
Your backstories aren't depressing enough.