Write Your Butt Off 358/II.8 prompts HD Final Chapter Prologue

[SoulWeaver]

15 hours ago, TheSilentChloey said:

True, but I like him because he's cool.  And also I kinda do a Yugi/Kaiba deck hybrid deck so...

Oh absolutely, I tracked down the Jump Promo for the sake of having it, the one with artwork by Takahashi himself. I used to have the Red one used by Arcana that came with one of the Legendary Deck sets, but I think I gave it away.

Hm, Dark Magician/Blue-Eyes...been a while since I checked either of those decks but I imagine that wouldn't be too hard, you can run Dark Magician the Dragon Knight pretty easily, do Synchro 8 plays off DM and the Eyes of Blue Tuners, then go into Rank 8 plays from there...yeah, there's probably some pretty solid potential. If you haven't yet, I'd recommend looking into finding a copy of DMTDK and some Eternal Soul, those let you set up a pretty threatening boardstate that only Kaijus can really break. I don't know how hard it is to get them for you though, DMTDK only got one printing and Eternal Soul only got three, so they can be a little tricky to find. Can I ask what your current list is?

[TheSilentChloey]

7 hours ago, SoulWeaver said:

Oh absolutely, I tracked down the Jump Promo for the sake of having it, the one with artwork by Takahashi himself. I used to have the Red one used by Arcana that came with one of the Legendary Deck sets, but I think I gave it away.

Hm, Dark Magician/Blue-Eyes...been a while since I checked either of those decks but I imagine that wouldn't be too hard, you can run Dark Magician the Dragon Knight pretty easily, do Synchro 8 plays off DM and the Eyes of Blue Tuners, then go into Rank 8 plays from there...yeah, there's probably some pretty solid potential. If you haven't yet, I'd recommend looking into finding a copy of DMTDK and some Eternal Soul, those let you set up a pretty threatening boardstate that only Kaijus can really break. I don't know how hard it is to get them for you though, DMTDK only got one printing and Eternal Soul only got three, so they can be a little tricky to find. Can I ask what your current list is?

I'm working on it so not yet.  I'll probably send via PM when I'm done though because it is a doozy. 

 

Also I'm playing a very old school deck, so good luck trying to find the exact recipe I'm working on.

Edited December 2, 2021 by TheSilentChloey

[Benice]

One day left! Although things can change in the next couple of hours, @Jotari, I would advise preparing a prompt for our next writing cycle!

[Benice]

Well, this is a double-post, but I feel like it's a necessary evil in this case.

 

With the calendar coming to December 6, we have officially completed the first round of the latest WYBO competition!

Congratulations to Jotari for winning in our maiden voyage, and thank you to everyone for participating.

@Jotari, once you are available to do so, please submit the prompt for the next round!

Edited December 6, 2021 by Benice

[Jotari]

Feel slightly guilty not reading or voting while still winning the round. But I suppose even if I had it wouldn't be a deadlock since I had three votes. Anyway on to prompt making. So I'm not going to check the back log to see if this has been suggested before. It might have been because it's somewhat generic, but I reckon if it has people will still probably write something new. The prompt is

Time is running out

Write a story where someone is under pressure for time in some way. I think we settled on the winner still being able to partake right? Well I have noting particular in mind for this one so I probably won't partake. Unless I get inspired by something particularly good. It might be difficult to present a sense of urgency of time and resolve it in a short story, but well, therein lies the challenge. Have fun.

[Benice]

Alrighty! This round shal span until Dec. 26th! I'll update the OP, and sall wish youa ll good luck for this round!

[Jotari]

3 minutes ago, Benice said:

Alrighty! This round shal span until Dec. 26th! I'll update the OP, and sall wish youa ll good luck for this round!

Oh dang. Now I feel I should have done a Christmas prompt. Eh, probably for the best. That might have been too cliche.

[indigoasis]

Let us commence the writing festivities, fellow artists. Good luck!

[Benice]

2 minutes ago, Jotari said:

Oh dang. Now I feel I should have done a Christmas prompt. Eh, probably for the best. That might have been too cliche.

It's fine, I'm sure people will incorporate holiday themes if they're feeling like it; I personally intend to, at least. Not quite sure what I'm doing yet, but I will get something done. Surely.

 

On a bit of a different note, while I have you ll here, how would we feel about accepting anonymous entries? I've been considering reaching out to some people on the forums who might want to particiapte but are self-concious about it, and was meaning to offer that they can get someone else to post their story on their behalf. I'm not sure that it would increase the amount of entries we get and therefore improve more people's writing, but I think it's worth a try, personally. What are your thoughts on it?

[Jotari]

1 hour ago, Benice said:

It's fine, I'm sure people will incorporate holiday themes if they're feeling like it; I personally intend to, at least. Not quite sure what I'm doing yet, but I will get something done. Surely.

 

On a bit of a different note, while I have you ll here, how would we feel about accepting anonymous entries? I've been considering reaching out to some people on the forums who might want to particiapte but are self-concious about it, and was meaning to offer that they can get someone else to post their story on their behalf. I'm not sure that it would increase the amount of entries we get and therefore improve more people's writing, but I think it's worth a try, personally. What are your thoughts on it?

Sure. I can't see why anyone would have any issue with that. The only question would be if an anonmous entry wins, who would pick the topic? Would the anon choose it by way of sending it to you?

Also the poll you put up is still closed for voting.

[Benice]

8 minutes ago, Jotari said:

Also the poll you put up is still closed for voting.

Yeah, I had some chunky issues with getting the OP up and running, but the poll should be working now. I think.

9 minutes ago, Jotari said:

The only question would be if an anonmous entry wins, who would pick the topic? Would the anon choose it by way of sending it to you?

I imagine so, although I have no issues with other people submitting anonymous entries on someone else's behalf either.

[indigoasis]

2 hours ago, Benice said:

On a bit of a different note, while I have you ll here, how would we feel about accepting anonymous entries? I've been considering reaching out to some people on the forums who might want to particiapte but are self-concious about it, and was meaning to offer that they can get someone else to post their story on their behalf. I'm not sure that it would increase the amount of entries we get and therefore improve more people's writing, but I think it's worth a try, personally. What are your thoughts on it?

Absolutely! The more the merrier, as they say. 

If you need someone to post on another's behalf, I'd be willing to help out if you need me, or unless you plan on doing that yourself for everyone you invite.

[AnonymousSpeed]

5 hours ago, Benice said:

On a bit of a different note, while I have you ll here, how would we feel about accepting anonymous entries? I've been considering reaching out to some people on the forums who might want to particiapte but are self-concious about it, and was meaning to offer that they can get someone else to post their story on their behalf. I'm not sure that it would increase the amount of entries we get and therefore improve more people's writing, but I think it's worth a try, personally. What are your thoughts on it?

I don't necessarily mind anonymous entrants, but I do have a couple "security" concerns.  Then again, nothing stops people from making sock accounts, aside from the fact that a sparse posting history would make it kind of obvious.

While on the note of rule changes, I do have one weird idea. What if the winner was chosen by lottery rather than my "merit voting"? This rewards consistent participation (and therefore consistent writing). Even if you didn't finish a story, you'd still want to submit what you had put down so you'd have a shot at picking the next prompt. Unfinished work still benefits a lot from criticism- in many ways it benefits more.

[eclipse]

The closest I'll accept for "anonymous" entries is someone submitting them to @Benice and he posts them.  But that will be for every single entry, and IMO that's a lot of work.  I swear I'm not going to laugh/bite!

Which reminds me, I completely forgot to put that thing for @indigoasis!  I'll stick to one thing.

Spoiler

Showing and telling each have their place, but you do a bit more of the latter.  Take this for example:

Quote

It looked just like a life pod from all those sci-fi movies from about 30-something years ago.

What does that life pod look like?

Quote

A phenomenally intelligent man, and incredibly confident.

A man of few words, “don’t speak unless you’re spoken to” was one of his guiding rules in life.

These can be shown through dialogue.  The smart guy will, say, have a more extensive vocabulary.  Meanwhile, the quiet guy can keep his speech short and will usually let other people initiate the conversation.  For example (this is not a good example, just something I pulled out of my rear):

Spoiler

"Preparations are complete, Richard.  Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, sir," the other man mumbled.
"These are your objectives."  The other man produced a checklist from his pocket and handed it to Richard.  "You'll need to complete all of them before returning."
"Understood, sir."

It's probably not a good idea to overhaul everything at this point.  Try to single out a couple of places where you tell the reader what to expect, and either describe what the reader would see if they were there, or use actions/dialogue to show the reader something about the characters in your story.

 

[Benice]

On 12/6/2021 at 2:47 PM, indigoasis said:

unless you plan on doing that yourself for everyone you invite.

Given that I'm the host, I was hoping to be able to pull my weigh and do it myself, but I personally have no objections to you assisting.

On 12/6/2021 at 8:50 PM, AnonymousSpeed said:

don't necessarily mind anonymous entrants, but I do have a couple "security" concerns.  Then again, nothing stops people from making sock accounts, aside from the fact that a sparse posting history would make it kind of obvious.

I do agree that there could be some security concerns, but, between my own posting history of two entries in, like, 18 months and the time it takes for everyone sans Chloey to submit their pieces, (and I don't think Chloey would cheat with the new rules) I'm not too concerned about double-submissions, personally. Furthermore, I will personally do my best to make sure that all anon. entries are legally submitted and the like.

Otherwise, since you seem a little dubious, do you have any suggestions in terms of security, or anything at all that could sway you towards opening the gates? More suggestions means that we end up with either a better-organized system, or at least a less contested one.

On that note the votes are currently very close, so I'm not going to commit one way or another just yet.

12 hours ago, eclipse said:

closest I'll accept for "anonymous" entries is someone submitting them to @Benice and he posts them

Yup, that's what I was planning to do!

On 12/6/2021 at 8:50 PM, AnonymousSpeed said:

While on the note of rule changes, I do have one weird idea. What if the winner was chosen by lottery rather than my "merit voting"? This rewards consistent participation (and therefore consistent writing). Even if you didn't finish a story, you'd still want to submit what you had put down so you'd have a shot at picking the next prompt. Unfinished work still benefits a lot from criticism- in many ways it benefits more.

I don't object! I'm not sold, but I'd happily accept the change if that's what the people decide to do.

[TheSilentChloey]

I'm neither one way or the other, but I won't overly object.

 

On the subject of entries don't take the title too literally.

 

Title: The Last One

Words: 655

Spoiler

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TwM5CFSjzpAGOSAV1mJlGk0SRDS-slpmS9jHr5FwSCo/edit?usp=drivesdk

I've been quite tired so had to do something small for this round.  I figured dropping more hints further throughout would be fun also short and easy to read (I hope).

Edited December 8, 2021 by TheSilentChloey
Entry.

[indigoasis]

On 12/7/2021 at 11:14 PM, eclipse said:

Which reminds me, I completely forgot to put that thing for @indigoasis!  I'll stick to one thing.

Thank you for the suggestions! I have notes from my class, too, so I think I've got a better direction for how I want to revise my story. This has all been super helpful; you're the best!

Maybe I'll post a revised version somewhere when I'm done with it.

On 12/8/2021 at 12:19 PM, Benice said:

Given that I'm the host, I was hoping to be able to pull my weigh and do it myself, but I personally have no objections to you assisting.

Whatever you think works best! If you do get more people on board and want to divide the work, just let me know. If not, that's totally fine, too. 

[Benice]

2 minutes ago, indigoasis said:

Whatever you think works best! If you do get more people on board and want to divide the work, just let me know. If not, that's totally fine, too. 

Of course! At this point, it doesn't look like we'll be allowing anon. entries, but I'll leave the poll up 'til we get to the voting segment.

[eclipse]

On 12/9/2021 at 3:21 PM, indigoasis said:

Maybe I'll post a revised version somewhere when I'm done with it.

Sure!  Hit me over the head when you do.  I might not get to it immediately, but I'll read it eventually.

As for this prompt, I have far too many ideas.  Need to whittle them down.

[TheSilentChloey]

1 hour ago, eclipse said:

Sure!  Hit me over the head when you do.  I might not get to it immediately, but I'll read it eventually.

As for this prompt, I have far too many ideas.  Need to whittle them down.

I just wrote without thinking too much and it probably shows.  Still I thought it'd be a nice change from my usual style.

 

That said I'd love to see what everyone does this round because it is a very interesting prompt...

 

And I realised I could do another Yu-Gi-Oh! entry god damn it!

[indigoasis]

Alright fellas, I've got two submissions. One of them is a joke (and one that I'd like to submit for serious consideration if I'm allowed to submit multiple pieces), and the other is the actual submission.

This first one doesn't actually work as well as I would have hoped since it relies on me actually being late to submit, but oh well.

Title: I ran out of time to write

Word Count: seven

Spoiler

I ran out of time to write.

And here's the actual one. I hope it fits this prompt better than what I submitted for the last prompt.

Title: Peaches n' Pearls

Word Count: 1181

Spoiler

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t5LdbZ6mWJY8S874smIgyaZsabumFz2qWQrN77me_Fc/edit?usp=sharing

[TheSilentChloey]

2 hours ago, indigoasis said:

Alright fellas, I've got two submissions. One of them is a joke (and one that I'd like to submit for serious consideration if I'm allowed to submit multiple pieces), and the other is the actual submission.

This first one doesn't actually work as well as I would have hoped since it relies on me actually being late to submit, but oh well.

Title: I ran out of time to write

Word Count: seven

  Reveal hidden contents

I ran out of time to write.

And here's the actual one. I hope it fits this prompt better than what I submitted for the last prompt.

Title: Peaches n' Pearls

Word Count: 1181

  Reveal hidden contents

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t5LdbZ6mWJY8S874smIgyaZsabumFz2qWQrN77me_Fc/edit?usp=sharing

That first one is pure gold lol

[AnonymousSpeed]

I didn't really proof-read this, so...sorry.

Name: Palisade

Spoiler

A young ballistician leaned against his engine and stared out into the night. In the valley far below, a hundred feet down from their stone fortress, scattered fires burned, as they had every night for nearly eight years. Fireflies added to the display, dancing around in the warm air, which wrapped around him like a blanket. He wavered in place, his eyes growing heavy.

"Cambyses, report."

The young ballistician snapped awake. "Huh? Oh, Captain Abbas! Uh...n-nothing to report, sir..." Cambyses stood straight as a needle and bowed his head. He could barely make out Abbas's scornful look in the dim light of the torch against the wall.

"...stay awake." Abbas handed Cambyses a small candy and marched off. The young gunner sighed in relief and placed his hands on the wall. His ballista nest extended slightly beyond the cliffside to accommodate the size of his weapon. He peeked briefly over the side of the wall- a sheer drop to a stony death- and quickly recoiled from it.

***

Abbas marched along the parapet, giving similar inspections to the other ballisticians. The rest of them were awake at their posts and had as many bolts as was practical to give them. In the fort's prime each ballista had a man dedicated to fetching new bolts at all times, so that their ammo piles would always be overflowing. For ballistae now remaining, they could only spare about half that many men at a time, running between each station to ensure they were reasonably stocked.

Each engine was placed in a dedicated turret, which were arrayed in two rows along the outside of the fortress. It was such marvels of military engineering which allowed Palisade, carved into a cliffside, to survive the emperor who commissioned it and the war for which it had been built. Unfortunately, it was due to other circumstances that it had survived those who designed and constructed it.

The invasion of the Masked had swept across the continent, devouring its great empires, and flooding the land with a hostile force totally unfamiliar to its people. They were unspeaking, unfeeling, inhuman creates without faces. As Abbas completed a last lap around the walls, he glared at the fires dotting the horizon. Encampments of the Masked besieging them.

Abbas and his men had survived, for the most part, by retreating into the fortress. It was too heavily defended and too hard to access for the Masked to swarm, but scouts on wyverns reported that the rest of the continent had not been so lucky.
The Masked needed neither food nor water nor pleasure nor any other thing which kept the mortal engine running. They had all the time in the world to wait for them.

Palisade, whether coming or going, was impenetrable.

***

After the ballistae, Abbas decided it check the gardens. He retreated into the hollowed out mountain and made his way to a staircase cut into the stone. As he ascended, he spotted another man coming down.

"Samsa."
The man nodded. "Hello Abbas," he said vacantly.

Abbas and his men were among the Auran Empire's finest. Samsa was from the Cardinal Empire, their sworn rival. The Masked did not care much for politics and nearly destroyed both- Samsa took refuge in the mountains and was rescued by Abbas and his men. They were in no place to turn down his help, and Samsa was in no place to withhold it.

"I'm just going to get some fresh air," said Samsa.
"Very well. Be back to your post soon."
"Yes sir."
"I'll be checking in to make sure you're there."
"Understood sir."

The two passed each other, and Abbas soon passed out from the tunnels of the enclosed stairway into the open air once more, glancing scornfully at the moon as he reached the grounds.

***

Palisade's original design had not been entirely practical. Atop the fortress, behind the upper line of ballistae and shadowed in the evening by the mountain tops, was a garden. It was planted with a splendid assortment of flowers and trees from across the Auran Empire as a display of its breadth. It was guarded by countless stone idols of Belladonna, goddess of war and mother of the Auran Empire.

Abbas remembered when he first arrived, how beautiful it had seemed to him, how impressive the sharp details in the carvings were. Now the idols were worn smooth by wind and rain. The garden had found new purpose growing food. The flowers had been uprooted. Parsnips, yams, and peas grew in their place. Juvenile lemon trees struggled to grow where oaks had once stood. Trees bearing peaches and apples did slightly better in the local climate, although the lemons were much preferred and so more had been planted.

It was a foolish decision. Abbas scorned himself over it as he scanned the paltry grove. Whether one fruit was better or another didn't matter in such a desperate situation, yet he and most others had been swayed by the idea of fresh citrus.

Abbas noticed a crumbled figure sitting beneath a dried up fountain. He walked over, making no efforts to be quiet, but the figure did not seem to notice. As Abbas grew closer he was able to discern the man was rocking back and forth, muttering prayers, his hands clasped tightly around a small icon on a necklace.

"Osroes."

Hearing his name started the young man. He glanced up and shrunk further, quickly reciting the end of his prayer. "Captain."

"Why aren't you asleep?" Abbas asked. He carefully measured his tone to sound warm- it didn't work, but the effort was discernible. "We're going to need you to be well rested in the morning. We can't afford to be down a bolt fetcher if the Masked attempt another skirmish."

Osroes nodded. "I...I couldn't sleep, Captain. I thought that I should do some praying, if I could not do any resting. So I came up here to beseech Mother Belladonna."

Abbas looked down at the lad with a stern expression. Osroes had come to the fortress as a boy and was now old enough to be a man with his own family, had circumstances permitted. Abbas wasn't sure what to say, but he knew that he ought to say something. He stood silently, maintaining the illusion of certainty, until Osroes spared them by speaking up.

"Captain...why? Why has Mother Belladonna not returned? In eight years...surely this cruelty is not less than that of Hearth in the hundred-and-first year...have we done something to make her reject us?"

The captain nearly winced. "...Osroes."
"Yes, Captain?"
"Report to turret four in half an hour. Give the same instructions to anyone else who is awake and whose post is important for defense."
"But...what does that have to do with my question, Captain?"

Abbas sighed. "Just so you know, I will not accept such questioning of my orders in front of others."
"O-of course, Captain."
"Since you have asked privately...I expect it will appear more clear when we've assembled."

Abbas stood awkwardly as Osroes got to his feet. He handed the young man a candy and sent him on his way, then marched towards the old store room.

***

The room was cold and dark, tucked far back in their stony abode. A single torch burned at the entrance. Leaning against the archway and staring into the room was a familiar figure.

"Samsa, report."

The foreigner turned to Abbas and nodded. "It's about the same as always here."

Abbas nodded and glanced through the doorway. A musty smell wafted from inside. The old store room had long ago been emptied. It was too large of a space for their dwindling supplies, and monitoring it for moisture was proving too difficulty, so the room had been repurposed. Dirt and refuse were carted in, turning it into a mushroom farm. Decay and darkness had been turned to their advantage.

"No moisture in the armory," Samsa continued. "I take it your room is still dry?"
"Affirmative."

Partly to protect against theft and partly to free up the old store room, the original stock of supplies had been moved to the captain's quarters. Crates once stacked up to the ceiling and created a maze of wooden walls. When they moved them into Abbas's room, the furniture had to be cleared out- he used crates for a bed and desk. By now the bed and desk had been moved back in.

"Not getting tired, are you?"
Abbas turned to the side. "No. Why?"
"You just seemed a little still. I know you're not quite a night owl."

Abbas shook his head- the Cardinals were all so aloof. "I am quite alright. Though I do not understand why you seem to enjoy the night so much."
"It's just a preference, I suppose. At night, when the moon is out, it really feels like Philotes is watching over me."
"Perhaps, then, you should consider instead seeking the protection of Belladonna, who reigns over the day, when men should be awake."
"Hey now, don't get testy. Besides, who would do nightly inspections then?"

The captain paused, considered his options, then replied. "Very well, though I wish you would consider it. Regardless, report to turret four in a few minutes. I would like to say some things to everyone."
The Cardinal eyed Abbas suspiciously. "It's nice to be included, but...I think I'd rather stay here."
"It's an order, Samsa."

"...alright. I'll see you there."

***

The appointed time was drawing close, but Abbas had time to stop by his personal quarters on the way to the specified turret. He checked the door to make sure it was still locked and, finding that it was, unlocked it and slipped inside. A few crates lined the walls. Some were old crates that had been filled with new foodstuffs, others still contained their original cargo.

Abbas walked over to a lone crate behind his desk. It contained hard candies, made from honey boiled with rosemary and lemon. Eight years ago they could have lined his entire wall with such crates, but now only this one remained. It was half full. Abbas stuffed his satchel with handfuls of them- they were one of the few luxuries they had, one of the few rewards or incentives he could hand out.

***

With a few minutes to spare, Abbas arrived at the fourth turret, and a small congregation quickly grew around him. He scanned the small crowd, finding Samsa, Osroes, and many others. No ballisticians, as instructed, though many of them would hear .

"Men...I know that our situation seems difficult," began Abbas. "Do not be discouraged though. I have never been anything but encouraged, because despite our trying situation, you have all performed remarkably. It has been an honor to serve with you, and will continue to be an honor. By our cunning and our spirit, we have endured far longer than anyone would have thought possible. Palisade is unbreakable, and so too is the spirit of the Aurans."

Abbas glanced over to Samsa and paused.

"Some of us bear divine blood. All of us bear divine purpose. Will we surrender to these strange beasts which make a mockery of the form of the goddesses? Or will we persist, and overcome, as we have done all these years? Surely, salvation will come. Should it tarry...then let us await it with honorable conduct. Let us act so that, whenever deliverance comes, we will be worthy recipients of it. Let us be remembered as unbreakable men, let our legend be one of conquest of our place and not submission to it."

A heavy silence covered the air. Abbas groped the bag of honey candies. Should he hand them out? Would that kill the mood? Would he have enough, or would doing that burn through what remained of them? He stood, almost frozen, until a scout's voice filled the night.

"Enemies approaching from the northeast!"

***

All eyes turned in the specified direction. A squadron of six Masked approached on wyverns.

"Everyone to your stations!" Abbas shouted. "Ballisticians at the ready!" Men posted along the length of parapet shouted these same orders so they were quickly heard by all and quickly obeyed.

Abbas ran to the nearest firing nest and looked out into the dark of night. The Masked riders could be barely seen by the glow of their torches, small specks approaching them. The wind was picking up, and the flames flickered in the distance.

"Hold!" He commanded. In broad daylight, a shot from this distance would have a reasonable chance of hitting, but in the middle of the night? The bolts were too valuable to expend on such a gamble.

The terrible beasts drew closer. They were well in range of the ballistae, but still beyond the range of standard bows.

"Four to leftmost! Five to leftmost! Eight to center-left!"

Abbas barked out orders to the ballisticians, telling which next to aim at what target. More and finer details of the Masked could be made out. Their armor seemed lighter, they did not seem to carry spears or axes. They were still too far for a reliable shot.

"Archers at the ready! Mages at the ready!"

A battalion of bowman and tome-users prepared to attack once the wyverns came close enough.

"Hold!"

At last Abbas could make out the arms of his adversaries- heavy tomes. It was a squadron MaligKnights. He could see their fingers begin to twist with shocking dexterity in strange and arcane patterns, the glow of their torches was joined by a glow of magical energy.

"Fire!"

The ringing sound of strings being loosed filled the air- crude bolts soared through the sky and through the ranks of the Masked.

Abbas watched as one wyvern was struck in the underbelly. The beast plummeted, careening into the cliff-side, crushing its rider between it and the sheer surface. The Masked instantly disintegrated into red clay, as was the fate of all defeated Masked.

Another rider pulled harshly on the reigns of its mount, turning its flank to the fortress as it attempted a hard turn to get out of the way. The move proved ineffective as the bolt tore through the wyvern's wing and smashed into the back of the Masked rider. Soldiers watched from the parapet as the dragon fell to the ground, a cloud of clay dust trailing behind it.

So happened to a third, then a fourth, all in rapid succession as the ballista bolts tore through their attackers in a single unified strike. Yet two survived- one wounded by the bolts and still flying, another having managed to just barely avoid them.

"Archers! Mages! Fire!"

Arrows and blades of wind tore through the night, and the wounded beast was taken out. Soon fire focused on the last remaining MaligKnight. An onslaught of projectiles fell upon it, but the creature extended its hand and fire a bolt of lightening in a beam into the walls. There was a blinding light and a loud crack as it tore through the air and struck the back wall, missing Abbas by mere meters. The last MaligKnight attempted to dive down to escape, but too many attacks were already aimed and fired at it. It too joined its comrades.

The ballisticians quickly reloaded. The scouts had their eyes peeled. Bolt runners were restocking the one shot which each ballista had used, the archers were notching new arrows. Yet there seemed to be no threat.

"All clear?" asked Abbas.
"All clear!" shouted an aging scout.
"Good. Healers, out!"

Priests of Belladonna rushed out from the stone walls, tending to whoever might be injured. Abbas turned around to watch them work, then saw one kneeling over a prone figure. "Captain Abbas!"

He ran over to the scene.

"We've...lost one." The priest turned the figure over. Abbas clenched his fists. He growled. Though scarred by lightening, Osroes was still recognizable.

"...blast it all," growled Abbas. "Samsa!"

The Cardinal quickly made himself known. "Sir...?" He looked to the Captain with knowing trepidation.

"Make fertilizer from the body."

He nodded quietly and dragged the corpse away.

It was unpleasant business, but shrewd tactics like that had managed to keep them alive. Resolve alone, Abbas knew, would not have gotten them so far. He cursed quietly- first the Masked, then the goddesses, then himself. Then just in general. Eight years had not managed to break them, but like the statues in the garden, they were slowly being worn down. He had carefully avoided it during his speech, but they couldn't keep this up forever, no matter how much they recycled.

They were running out of candies, soldiers, morale. Quite frankly, they were running out of time.

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by AnonymousSpeed

[hY4/"q.6sXZbp~e.]

Re: anonymous entries, it's not a question of whether to allow them, but whether to prohibit them. They are essentially allowed, as it is. Please do not prohibit them.

[SoulWeaver]

12 hours ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

I didn't really proof-read this, so...sorry.

Name: Palisade

  Reveal hidden contents

A young ballistician leaned against his engine and stared out into the night. In the valley far below, a hundred feet down from their stone fortress, scattered fires burned, as they had every night for nearly eight years. Fireflies added to the display, dancing around in the warm air, which wrapped around him like a blanket. He wavered in place, his eyes growing heavy.

"Cambyses, report."

The young ballistician snapped awake. "Huh? Oh, Captain Abbas! Uh...n-nothing to report, sir..." Cambyses stood straight as a needle and bowed his head. He could barely make out Abbas's scornful look in the dim light of the torch against the wall.

"...stay awake." Abbas handed Cambyses a small candy and marched off. The young gunner sighed in relief and placed his hands on the wall. His ballista nest extended slightly beyond the cliffside to accommodate the size of his weapon. He peeked briefly over the side of the wall- a sheer drop to a stony death- and quickly recoiled from it.

***

Abbas marched along the parapet, giving similar inspections to the other ballisticians. The rest of them were awake at their posts and had as many bolts as was practical to give them. In the fort's prime each ballista had a man dedicated to fetching new bolts at all times, so that their ammo piles would always be overflowing. For ballistae now remaining, they could only spare about half that many men at a time, running between each station to ensure they were reasonably stocked.

Each engine was placed in a dedicated turret, which were arrayed in two rows along the outside of the fortress. It was such marvels of military engineering which allowed Palisade, carved into a cliffside, to survive the emperor who commissioned it and the war for which it had been built. Unfortunately, it was due to other circumstances that it had survived those who designed and constructed it.

The invasion of the Masked had swept across the continent, devouring its great empires, and flooding the land with a hostile force totally unfamiliar to its people. They were unspeaking, unfeeling, inhuman creates without faces. As Abbas completed a last lap around the walls, he glared at the fires dotting the horizon. Encampments of the Masked besieging them.

Abbas and his men had survived, for the most part, by retreating into the fortress. It was too heavily defended and too hard to access for the Masked to swarm, but scouts on wyverns reported that the rest of the continent had not been so lucky.
The Masked needed neither food nor water nor pleasure nor any other thing which kept the mortal engine running. They had all the time in the world to wait for them.

Palisade, whether coming or going, was impenetrable.

***

After the ballistae, Abbas decided it check the gardens. He retreated into the hollowed out mountain and made his way to a staircase cut into the stone. As he ascended, he spotted another man coming down.

"Samsa."
The man nodded. "Hello Abbas," he said vacantly.

Abbas and his men were among the Auran Empire's finest. Samsa was from the Cardinal Empire, their sworn rival. The Masked did not care much for politics and nearly destroyed both- Samsa took refuge in the mountains and was rescued by Abbas and his men. They were in no place to turn down his help, and Samsa was in no place to withhold it.

"I'm just going to get some fresh air," said Samsa.
"Very well. Be back to your post soon."
"Yes sir."
"I'll be checking in to make sure you're there."
"Understood sir."

The two passed each other, and Abbas soon passed out from the tunnels of the enclosed stairway into the open air once more, glancing scornfully at the moon as he reached the grounds.

***

Palisade's original design had not been entirely practical. Atop the fortress, behind the upper line of ballistae and shadowed in the evening by the mountain tops, was a garden. It was planted with a splendid assortment of flowers and trees from across the Auran Empire as a display of its breadth. It was guarded by countless stone idols of Belladonna, goddess of war and mother of the Auran Empire.

Abbas remembered when he first arrived, how beautiful it had seemed to him, how impressive the sharp details in the carvings were. Now the idols were worn smooth by wind and rain. The garden had found new purpose growing food. The flowers had been uprooted. Parsnips, yams, and peas grew in their place. Juvenile lemon trees struggled to grow where oaks had once stood. Trees bearing peaches and apples did slightly better in the local climate, although the lemons were much preferred and so more had been planted.

It was a foolish decision. Abbas scorned himself over it as he scanned the paltry grove. Whether one fruit was better or another didn't matter in such a desperate situation, yet he and most others had been swayed by the idea of fresh citrus.

Abbas noticed a crumbled figure sitting beneath a dried up fountain. He walked over, making no efforts to be quiet, but the figure did not seem to notice. As Abbas grew closer he was able to discern the man was rocking back and forth, muttering prayers, his hands clasped tightly around a small icon on a necklace.

"Osroes."

Hearing his name started the young man. He glanced up and shrunk further, quickly reciting the end of his prayer. "Captain."

"Why aren't you asleep?" Abbas asked. He carefully measured his tone to sound warm- it didn't work, but the effort was discernible. "We're going to need you to be well rested in the morning. We can't afford to be down a bolt fetcher if the Masked attempt another skirmish."

Osroes nodded. "I...I couldn't sleep, Captain. I thought that I should do some praying, if I could not do any resting. So I came up here to beseech Mother Belladonna."

Abbas looked down at the lad with a stern expression. Osroes had come to the fortress as a boy and was now old enough to be a man with his own family, had circumstances permitted. Abbas wasn't sure what to say, but he knew that he ought to say something. He stood silently, maintaining the illusion of certainty, until Osroes spared them by speaking up.

"Captain...why? Why has Mother Belladonna not returned? In eight years...surely this cruelty is not less than that of Hearth in the hundred-and-first year...have we done something to make her reject us?"

The captain nearly winced. "...Osroes."
"Yes, Captain?"
"Report to turret four in half an hour. Give the same instructions to anyone else who is awake and whose post is important for defense."
"But...what does that have to do with my question, Captain?"

Abbas sighed. "Just so you know, I will not accept such questioning of my orders in front of others."
"O-of course, Captain."
"Since you have asked privately...I expect it will appear more clear when we've assembled."

Abbas stood awkwardly as Osroes got to his feet. He handed the young man a candy and sent him on his way, then marched towards the old store room.

***

The room was cold and dark, tucked far back in their stony abode. A single torch burned at the entrance. Leaning against the archway and staring into the room was a familiar figure.

"Samsa, report."

The foreigner turned to Abbas and nodded. "It's about the same as always here."

Abbas nodded and glanced through the doorway. A musty smell wafted from inside. The old store room had long ago been emptied. It was too large of a space for their dwindling supplies, and monitoring it for moisture was proving too difficulty, so the room had been repurposed. Dirt and refuse were carted in, turning it into a mushroom farm. Decay and darkness had been turned to their advantage.

"No moisture in the armory," Samsa continued. "I take it your room is still dry?"
"Affirmative."

Partly to protect against theft and partly to free up the old store room, the original stock of supplies had been moved to the captain's quarters. Crates once stacked up to the ceiling and created a maze of wooden walls. When they moved them into Abbas's room, the furniture had to be cleared out- he used crates for a bed and desk. By now the bed and desk had been moved back in.

"Not getting tired, are you?"
Abbas turned to the side. "No. Why?"
"You just seemed a little still. I know you're not quite a night owl."

Abbas shook his head- the Cardinals were all so aloof. "I am quite alright. Though I do not understand why you seem to enjoy the night so much."
"It's just a preference, I suppose. At night, when the moon is out, it really feels like Philotes is watching over me."
"Perhaps, then, you should consider instead seeking the protection of Belladonna, who reigns over the day, when men should be awake."
"Hey now, don't get testy. Besides, who would do nightly inspections then?"

The captain paused, considered his options, then replied. "Very well, though I wish you would consider it. Regardless, report to turret four in a few minutes. I would like to say some things to everyone."
The Cardinal eyed Abbas suspiciously. "It's nice to be included, but...I think I'd rather stay here."
"It's an order, Samsa."

"...alright. I'll see you there."

***

The appointed time was drawing close, but Abbas had time to stop by his personal quarters on the way to the specified turret. He checked the door to make sure it was still locked and, finding that it was, unlocked it and slipped inside. A few crates lined the walls. Some were old crates that had been filled with new foodstuffs, others still contained their original cargo.

Abbas walked over to a lone crate behind his desk. It contained hard candies, made from honey boiled with rosemary and lemon. Eight years ago they could have lined his entire wall with such crates, but now only this one remained. It was half full. Abbas stuffed his satchel with handfuls of them- they were one of the few luxuries they had, one of the few rewards or incentives he could hand out.

***

With a few minutes to spare, Abbas arrived at the fourth turret, and a small congregation quickly grew around him. He scanned the small crowd, finding Samsa, Osroes, and many others. No ballisticians, as instructed, though many of them would hear .

"Men...I know that our situation seems difficult," began Abbas. "Do not be discouraged though. I have never been anything but encouraged, because despite our trying situation, you have all performed remarkably. It has been an honor to serve with you, and will continue to be an honor. By our cunning and our spirit, we have endured far longer than anyone would have thought possible. Palisade is unbreakable, and so too is the spirit of the Aurans."

Abbas glanced over to Samsa and paused.

"Some of us bear divine blood. All of us bear divine purpose. Will we surrender to these strange beasts which make a mockery of the form of the goddesses? Or will we persist, and overcome, as we have done all these years? Surely, salvation will come. Should it tarry...then let us await it with honorable conduct. Let us act so that, whenever deliverance comes, we will be worthy recipients of it. Let us be remembered as unbreakable men, let our legend be one of conquest of our place and not submission to it."

A heavy silence covered the air. Abbas groped the bag of honey candies. Should he hand them out? Would that kill the mood? Would he have enough, or would doing that burn through what remained of them? He stood, almost frozen, until a scout's voice filled the night.

"Enemies approaching from the northeast!"

***

All eyes turned in the specified direction. A squadron of six Masked approached on wyverns.

"Everyone to your stations!" Abbas shouted. "Ballisticians at the ready!" Men posted along the length of parapet shouted these same orders so they were quickly heard by all and quickly obeyed.

Abbas ran to the nearest firing nest and looked out into the dark of night. The Masked riders could be barely seen by the glow of their torches, small specks approaching them. The wind was picking up, and the flames flickered in the distance.

"Hold!" He commanded. In broad daylight, a shot from this distance would have a reasonable chance of hitting, but in the middle of the night? The bolts were too valuable to expend on such a gamble.

The terrible beasts drew closer. They were well in range of the ballistae, but still beyond the range of standard bows.

"Four to leftmost! Five to leftmost! Eight to center-left!"

Abbas barked out orders to the ballisticians, telling which next to aim at what target. More and finer details of the Masked could be made out. Their armor seemed lighter, they did not seem to carry spears or axes. They were still too far for a reliable shot.

"Archers at the ready! Mages at the ready!"

A battalion of bowman and tome-users prepared to attack once the wyverns came close enough.

"Hold!"

At last Abbas could make out the arms of his adversaries- heavy tomes. It was a squadron MaligKnights. He could see their fingers begin to twist with shocking dexterity in strange and arcane patterns, the glow of their torches was joined by a glow of magical energy.

"Fire!"

The ringing sound of strings being loosed filled the air- crude bolts soared through the sky and through the ranks of the Masked.

Abbas watched as one wyvern was struck in the underbelly. The beast plummeted, careening into the cliff-side, crushing its rider between it and the sheer surface. The Masked instantly disintegrated into red clay, as was the fate of all defeated Masked.

Another rider pulled harshly on the reigns of its mount, turning its flank to the fortress as it attempted a hard turn to get out of the way. The move proved ineffective as the bolt tore through the wyvern's wing and smashed into the back of the Masked rider. Soldiers watched from the parapet as the dragon fell to the ground, a cloud of clay dust trailing behind it.

So happened to a third, then a fourth, all in rapid succession as the ballista bolts tore through their attackers in a single unified strike. Yet two survived- one wounded by the bolts and still flying, another having managed to just barely avoid them.

"Archers! Mages! Fire!"

Arrows and blades of wind tore through the night, and the wounded beast was taken out. Soon fire focused on the last remaining MaligKnight. An onslaught of projectiles fell upon it, but the creature extended its hand and fire a bolt of lightening in a beam into the walls. There was a blinding light and a loud crack as it tore through the air and struck the back wall, missing Abbas by mere meters. The last MaligKnight attempted to dive down to escape, but too many attacks were already aimed and fired at it. It too joined its comrades.

The ballisticians quickly reloaded. The scouts had their eyes peeled. Bolt runners were restocking the one shot which each ballista had used, the archers were notching new arrows. Yet there seemed to be no threat.

"All clear?" asked Abbas.
"All clear!" shouted an aging scout.
"Good. Healers, out!"

Priests of Belladonna rushed out from the stone walls, tending to whoever might be injured. Abbas turned around to watch them work, then saw one kneeling over a prone figure. "Captain Abbas!"

He ran over to the scene.

"We've...lost one." The priest turned the figure over. Abbas clenched his fists. He growled. Though scarred by lightening, Osroes was still recognizable.

"...blast it all," growled Abbas. "Samsa!"

The Cardinal quickly made himself known. "Sir...?" He looked to the Captain with knowing trepidation.

"Make fertilizer from the body."

He nodded quietly and dragged the corpse away.

It was unpleasant business, but shrewd tactics like that had managed to keep them alive. Resolve alone, Abbas knew, would not have gotten them so far. He cursed quietly- first the Masked, then the goddesses, then himself. Then just in general. Eight years had not managed to break them, but like the statues in the garden, they were slowly being worn down. He had carefully avoided it during his speech, but they couldn't keep this up forever, no matter how much they recycled.

They were running out of candies, soldiers, morale. Quite frankly, they were running out of time.

 

Hm...guess we’d better get that RP back on track.