Weekly Stories pt. 3: Sherbet the Cloud Dragon

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. My husband watched our daughter so I could work on my writing uninterrupted, took me out to eat and to a movie, then gave me the game Betrayal at House on a Hill. We played it with my sister and her husband. Apparently I am now one year older...though I don't feel or look any different. Birthdays are so surreal the older one gets, don't you think? This picture is by GaudiBuendia found on DeviantArt via Pinterest.

Week 3

Cloudberry

“Just a second longer, little guy. I’m almost done.” Vera told the tiny orange dragon resting on a cloudberry. Her oxygen mask muffled her voice and dug into her skull. The cloudberry and subsequent cloud dragon could only be found above 25,000 ft above sea level. “I wish I could take you home with me, little guy, but you wouldn’t survive for very long. I think I am going to name you Sherbet--”

“Sherbet? What dragon wants to be named after ice cream? Why don’t you pick something more manly and vicious? Something befitting a beast capable of living here?”

“I didn’t ask your opinion, Kev, thank you very much.” Vera responds without turning around.

“I know, you asked me and Tarin to fly you to this isolated, far away, extremely far away, mountain all so you could sketch a baby dragon for your book. ‘I can’t write a book about dragons if I am missing a known species.’” He mimics her voice and ends his speech with a large snort.

“First of all, this dragon is a mature, adult cloud dragon. If you had been paying any attention to me last night when I asked you would know that full grown this breed only grow an inch to an inch and a half inches long. Second, I am not just sketching him but also observing his habits, mannerisms, and behaviors. I need more information if I am to write more than a paragraph, which is all Dr. Greve wrote on them. For example, I think he is sunbathing on the cloudberry, warming both himself and the berry with his body heat. Then--”

“All right, all right! Forget I asked, Vera. I didn’t think you would launch into one of your long boring speeches. I will just lay here quietly with Tarin. It’s not like I have anything else to do that’s super important, like scouting or hunting. Wake us when you are finished.” Vera smiled. Kev talked big but she knew he loved her and her eccentric behavior. That was why he had agreed to take her here in the first place when he did have important things to do.

She paused in her drawing to peek at him over her shoulder. He was lounging on Tarin’s muscular, gray hide with his head resting on his hands. His eyes were closed and his oxygen mask was pressed over his long wavy hair. His tan skin accentuated his muscular body. Tarin blinked his green eye at her then closed it, and by the sounds emanating from him and Kev, they both fell asleep.

She resumed her research, finishing her drawing and writing down her thoughts on his behavior. Oh how she loved that man.

Weekly Story pt. 2: Panther Assassin

As some of you know, I work at the Main Salt Lake City Library which means I am surrounded by books. Every so often as I am straightening books in the stacks, I am struck by an intense desire and longing to see my book on a library shelf one day. This longing, along with a few other inspiring things, has pushed me to write and finish my novel, as I said in my previous post. Little by little I see my novel grow. This beautiful snippet's picture is by Josh Corpuz.

Week 2:

Panther Assassin

This is it. Venge thought. My final mission. Once I’m done with this, I’m free. A shiver of anticipation ran up his spine at the thought of his freedom. Nobody would control him after tonight. One last assassination, one last item to steal, and he could leave the guild without any repercussions.

100 days to master panther movement, 100 days to master panther weaponry, and 100 days to master the shadow panther art. 100 cubed. Therefore it takes 10,000 missions to pay us back. After that you are free to leave and start a new life or remain here and earn money for future missions. He could still remember being told that right before he signed the contract. The Panther Guild was known for being the hardest yet quickest way to rise above slavery.

The training regimen for all new recruits is quite intense. Many don’t survive. More don’t live to finish all 10,000 missions. But still, everyday Venge saw more beaten down children enter Panther Guild walls in search of a better life, even if the chance was slim to none.

Venge breathed in the fresh, warm air of night. The city was asleep, a hazy blackness surrounding him with the occasional light in the distance and the stars above him. The time had come to move. He could see the strange smoke curling off his body in the gentle breeze. His shadow spray would last or 6 hours. It should only take him 4 hours to assassinate his target, steal the item, and return to the guild.
He leapt down from his perch on the ledge of a building, his gloves touching the pebbled ground for a moment, then quickly, yet quietly, ran through the city like a cat on steroids with his shadow speed. His shadow spray hid him and even kept him cool as he sprinted in his black leather jacket and padded leather boots. It was a warm evening but he didn’t pull his hood down. His master claw rested in his right hand, a long skinny knife that the Panther guild had given him when he graduated to Master Assassin. Despite it being his most proficient weapon, he hated it’s shiny surface and onyx hilt, wiped clean of the blood of his victims time and time again
This was his last mission; his last time using such a vile tool. Soon, he would return it the Panther’s, still bloody, of course, along with the signet ring of Commander Shoul and walk away a free man. He would never stay with the guild and shed blood for money. He would never kill again. Venge bared his teeth in a smile and crept into the back window of the silent house, blade ready. One more murder...  

Snippets and Shorter Stories Revamped

Whew, I never knew how much time taking care of a baby can take. Time seems to slip by like water in my hands if I don't pay attention. To help me pay attention, I decided that setting goals along with setting aside time to work on my goals is the best way to help me continue writing. I recently set the goal to finish my first draft of my novel by the end of August (but if I finish it early, I'm okay with that too!). I will need to write 900 words a day excluding Sundays to accomplish it. I will keep you updated about how I am doing. I'm excited, also, cause I bought the Scrivener software and I love it. Seriously. It helps keep me organized and motivated in my writing process. Lastly, I figured that posting a weekly story on my blog would be a good way to hone my writing and editing skills. This picture is by HELMUTTT and was found on DeviantArt via Pinterest. The story is my own and a piece of fiction. Comments are welcomed!

Week 1:

Scavenger

Ashlin hated this part of her job. Scavenging in the ruins of civilizations lost to time set her teeth on edge, but it was the best place to find valuable things to sell. The silence of the tunnel suffocated her as she opened chests, drawers, and anything else that appeared to contain valuables. She exited the small room she was in and moved farther down the hall to the grand chamber.

Large cobwebs stretched across the room and the furniture. As she tiptoed down the stairs, she accidentally stepped into one of the wispy webs. It took several minutes to distinguish what was hair and what was cobweb on her black cloak. Not for the first time, Ashlin cursed her white hair. Dust an inch thick covered the ground and she sneezed before she could stop herself. Fear clenched her stomach as her sneeze echoed off the walls and throughout the dwarf stronghold. She waited. She breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened for several minutes. That meant she was alone here. Hopefully. Even though Ashlin had been scavenging for years, she had never quite gotten over the feel of being alone, or feeling alone at least. In the beginning, she had hated hearing only her breath and near silent footfalls. Now she welcomed it. Her first few jobs as a scavenger, she had thought that silence was the worst thing about her job. But the only thing worse than hearing nothing besides her own footsteps was hearing other footsteps.

Still, she shouldn’t linger too long. Efficiently, but more hurried than before, Ashlin searched through the wreckage. She found several discarded pouches on the ground with small amounts of money and jewels inside. Success at last. She picked up a dusty emerald necklace off the ground and stuffed it into her cloak. Then she froze, her blood turning as cold as the stone all around her.

Ashlins’ heart skipped a beat as her ears detected the padded footsteps coming from behind her. Guess she wasn’t alone after all. What it was would determine whether she fled or not. There was still a lot of the stronghold left to explore. No one had survived the plague that had swept through this Dwarven stronghold and it was too soon for others to risk moving in. Ashlin herself wouldn't be here if not for her slight elven blood that protected her against most diseases. She scanned one last time for anything close by her, grabbing a few loose coins before pulling her elvish steel bow off her back and notching an arrow. Situated in the middle of a large chamber with hallways on all four sides, she waited silently, half hidden behind an old table turned on its side, hoping that it was just rats or diggers, but she knew she was fooling herself. Perhaps it was just another scavenger like herself. Whoever or whatever it was, she was about to find out. The sounds were coming from the end of the hall just to her left. That was the way she had come in, but she knew of several other ways to exit in case she needed them. She had paid a dwarf a large sum of money for a blueprint of the stronghold.

Just before the sounds reached the entrance to the chamber, Ashlin felt the rhythm of her heart change. What is...? Oh, no. She was in trouble. It wasn’t rats or diggers; it was the Undead Monks. She had heard stories of their Heart Chant, but she hadn’t experienced it till now. When they stopped their spell any heart within their sound radius would stop as well. Very few could counter such a powerful spell. She only had a few moments to break free from their silent spell or get out of range before her heart stopped and she joined the ranks of their undead followers.
Channeling her energy into her bow, Ashlin cast her fira spell, igniting the magical steel and imbuing her arrow with the power of a fire explosion. Then she turned and let her arrow fly before sprinting in the opposite direction.

Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0 Seeks Refuge

2.19 I have often wondered what the future will hold for us as human beings. If we did find life how would we react and how would we change as a race if we were not the only ones out there. Would we continue to be on top of the food chain or would we be seen as nothing more than animals. Deep thoughts people. They keep me up at night. Artist: Vasylina

Princess Lorona

The High Queen’s room shook as explosions and other sounds of battle sounded aboard the ship. The grand ship, Freedom, carrying the last human High Queen was under attack and they were losing. If the ship went down, no one would be able to protect Earth and the Shingarians would enslave the planet. High Queen Corba ordered her 9 month old daughter be brought to her. One of her guards plucked the sleeping child from her crib and handed her to High Queen Corba. She kissed her baby one last time then handed her to Ran'to, her Royal Captain and one of the seven Elite Angels chosen to guard the royal family. The princess looked so tiny in his arm and Corba’s heart broke to know she would never see either of them again. She steadied her wavering resolve and  handed him the Infinity Ring. "Go, Ran’to, take Princess Lorona and escape. Keep her safe and when the time is right, free our people. Take the teleporters, no, don't tell me where you will go. I trust you will pick a suitable location for her. Go now, before it is too late!" The steel doors to the throne room groaned as the Shingarians pounded it. It wouldn't hold much longer.

Thunder and Lightning in Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0

2.18 If there was a school for people to learn how to control the elements I would be all over that...Just saying. What is your favorite element? Artist: Almost Without Wants.

Wind 101

"Welcome to Wind 101. My name is Professor Gaylyn Gale but you will call me Professor Gale. In this class you will be learning about the basics of wind control. Please read the syllabus quietly to yourself while I prepare a demonstration of what you will be able to achieve at the end of Wind 102." Professor Gale sat behind her desk at the front of the classroom. A nervous, but excited feeling filled the room. The 24 students pretended to read the syllabus while they watched Professor Gale prep. They had heard from older siblings and rumors around campus about the exhilarating first class demonstrations. If all went well with their studies they would be able to do some amazing things.

Professor Gale finished assembling items and blew a slight breeze at the bell in the far corner of the room to call their attention. It rang and all the students jumped, pencils hit the ground and rolled several feet. Professor Gale tapped her long fingernail on her desk for a moment as the kids gathered their pencils. Finally she raised a glass jar, sweeping it around the room for all to see. Then she sprinkled some water inside, screwed the lid on, and placed it under a light. The water evaporated inside the jar and she pulled it out and set it in the middle of her table. "Gather round, students, if you would. No pushing, please. Civility at all times."

When all 24 of the students had a good view of the medium sized jar, Professor Gale asked them to be silent. She closed her eyes, stilled her mind, and swirled her left hand around the top of the jar, slowly opening her eyes. Around and around her hand went.  

After a minute or so, a gasp escaped the student closest to the jar. "A cloud is forming in the jar! I can see it." The students whispered animatedly to each other and pressed closer to the table for a better look, stepping on each other’s feet. Professor Gale gave a half-smile and let them chatter. She remembered the first time she had watched this demonstration. They would cease chattering soon anyway. She continued to swirl her hand around the glass jar and it wasn't long before other children exclaimed that they too, could see the tiny cloud forming inside. 

Professor Gale finished the last swirl of her hand as the students lapsed into silence once more then tapped once on the lid. Tiny streaks of lightning lit up the students' faces, their eyes wide, mouth open. They jumped again when the crash of thunder broke the silence. They cheered and clapped their hands. Professor Gale smiled for a second before she hushed them and lifted the jar into the air. "This is a thundercloud as I am sure you are all well aware. It is a mixture of water, electricity and air. All three are needed but only an wind bender, such as us, can create a cloud and a thundercloud.” Another burst of lightning and thunder erupted from the tiny thundercloud. “Next semester will be focused more on creating one and you will be working in pairs so I suggest you observe your fellow classmates and pick your partner carefully. As I said earlier, this semester we will be focusing on the very basics of wind control, namely creating and calming. Now if you will all return to your seats and pull out your notebooks, we can begin."  

X Marks the Spot in Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0

2.17 I love a good treasure hunt, especially when it involves mythological creatures. Artist: JNickBlack

Phoenix Treasure

Shane slid down the last few feet of the slope. He took off his boots one at a time and dumped out the rocks and dirt that had collected inside from his climb down the steep walls. Feeling much better, he pulled out the map and looked at the clue again. On the map there were a group of symbols: a chest drawn in red ink, a rock, the symbol for a river on maps, a bird also drawn in red ink, the number 3, and an upside down U. Shane translated it as thus: red treasure, boulder, river, red bird, third arch. Then there was a very basic drawing of two parallel lines with a river running through the middle, three squiggly lines at the top, and an X three quarters of the way down. Shane assumed the red bird was a Phoenix and the location was Phoenix Canyon. The three squiggly lines meant Phoenix Falls and the treasure, which could only mean rubies, was near the third arch in the canyon.

If his calculations were correct, Shane should be right where the X was. Now he just had to look for boulders near the third arch. There were seven arches total. He had counted the arches backwards on his march along the top edge of the canyon. He remembered the thrill he had received when he had found a ratty old purse with the folded up map hidden inside the inner lining. The feeling returned stronger now that he was so close to finding the rubies.

Phoenix Canyon was where the old kingdom had mined for rubies. That is until they had dug too deep and too far north and woken the ancient phoenixes thought to be extinct. The fiery birds had taken up roost near the Falls where the Canyon ended and were a constant source of grief for anyone nearby. Ever since then, rubies had understandably become one of the rarest gems and were worth a fortune to those lucky enough to find them.

Shane just had to find some rubies and leave before he encountered any of the fiery birds and he would be set for life. Granted, the third arch where he was currently looking was perilously close to the Falls. He could even hear them in the distance, but it would be worth it. He worked his way around the river, occasionally digging in case the rubies were buried. It hadn’t been more than ten minutes before he spotted the chest lying next to a boulder almost his size. Shane grinned. It was too easy. 

He jogged over to it, but paused before he reached the boulder. It was too easy. He pulled out the map and read the warning at the bottom again. Be ye warned, all who seek the treasure. A red and black death awaits those not deemed worthy. Proceed ye with caution. Shane did not fancy being burned to death by a phoenix, with nothing but his smoldering ashes as all that remained of him, but he didn’t see any around so he continued forward more cautiously this time. He pulled out his sword for good measure. He hopped on the boulder and reached down to grab the chest when a small, bright red creature leaped into the air from behind it. Shane froze as he stared directly into the eyes of a phoenix. A baby phoenix. It’s long wings and tail swayed gently as it hovered above the chest. A bead of sweat trailed down Shane’s face and dripped off, hitting the dusty ground. The phoenix cocked its head and Shane swung with his sword.

Defeat Every Enemy in Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0

2.16 I love me some action role-playing games where you level-up your character and collect armor and weapons. When I saw this picture, with his missing spikey shoulder thing I immediately thought, He must be looking in a dungeon for the right shoulder thing to complete his armor. Then I laughed and wrote this. Artist: p0p5

A Complete Set

Garreth crept through the abandoned dwarf city, painfully aware of how loud his boots sounded in the eerily silent, rocky tunnels. If he was lucky he would make it to the armory, find the last piece of his armor, and make it out without having to fight any orcs, goblins, or giant spiders; he didn’t need the experience and he would just waste time later washing their blood from his legendary shindian armor. The tunnel ended in a wood and metal door that was surprisingly in great condition. Must be from the lack of water and sun. Garreth mused and opened the squeaky door as quietly as he could, poking his head inside to look around.

It opened into a large banquet hall with grand arches, chiseled pillars, and broken furniture scattered everywhere. It was empty. Garreth smiled and walked inside. The door swung shut with a resounding bang. Curses! Garreth swung around and immediately saw his mistake. It was rigged. He tried to open it but the thing wouldn’t budge. Scowling, he tapped on the lock. Please say I need to find a scroll or key to unlock you! A small textbox appeared.

To open this door: defeat every enemy in this dungeon.

Garreth groaned. He was trapped in this dark and dank dungeon until every last orc, goblin, cave troll, giant spider, rodent, wraith and whatever else was lying dead on the cold ground. Just my luck, he thought.

Well, no sense in staying quiet. He would make them come to him as he looked for the treasure room. Garreth stomped across the banquet hall, kicking aside broken chairs, broken cooking pots, and grumbling about the unfairness of the random task assignments. He hadn’t come across a ‘defeat every enemy’ task in months. He smashed open every door he found, exiting the banquet hall when he found another tunnel leading farther in. It wasn’t long before he heard shrieks and pounding feet. Probably orikins by the sound of their cries. Garreth sighed and pulled out his double swords as the foul creatures surrounded him on both sides of the tunnel. He could smell their putrid stench and see the skulls of the unfortunate on their belts like trophies, distinguishing rank among the tribes. They would be easy enough to defeat as long as he didn’t get trapped or bogged down by their bodies. Garreth steeled himself, cast a berserk spell, and charged.

Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0 Warns You to Never Trust a Pirate

2.15 I have been doing a lot of fantastical snippets lately and thought it would be nice to have a change. This pirate battle was one I found a few days ago and loved. It has so many details and angles that the snippet could go that it took me a while to actually write one. I haven't written a pirate snippet before so I hope you enjoy! Artist: Sinto-risky.

A Pirate's Revenge

Cannons exploded and wood cracked and burned. Bits of both pirate ships flew all around Piran. When Piran and his crew had pulled away from Diamond Isle with their cargo full of jewels, Captain “Blue Blooded” Bill had appeared around the east side of the island and overtaken his heavily laden ship. The fight had only been going for a couple of minutes and already the bodies were piling up. Piran himself had killed several men and moved to strike at an enemy pirate who was attempting to swing across the gap. No need to use his last bullet when he could kill the man with one stroke of his sword. 

However, just before the man reached him, one of Pirans' crew mates hoisted Piran up and threw him into the swinging man. Turning in surprise, Piran’s eyes widened then his face twisted and his eyes narrowed with rage and cold fury. Mutiny! They will pay dearly for this, Piran thought as they both plunged into the clear, warm water with a splash, barely audible over the din of the nautical battle. The man emerged a few feet away from Piran and began swimming toward him. Piran pulled his gun out of the water and hoped desperately that it hadn’t gotten too wet. He aimed it at the approaching man, who was reaching for him, and pulled the trigger.

Fear and Fog in Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0

2.14 All of us have fears we wish we could conquer. There is something about conquering them that gives us a sense of empowerment and pride. It makes us a hero. And who doesn't want to be the hero of their own story? Artist: Mood studio.

Master Guardsman

Lyle took a deep breath. This was his final test; if he passed he would be promoted to Master Guardsman. He released his breath and stepped forward into the Demon Fog. Here his fears would become reality and if he could not conquer them his mind would forever wander the barren wasteland, haunted by demons. Focus. Clear your mind and focus. Find the gem and escape. His armor felt tight and rubbed against his leather clothing. Lyle risked a glance at his sword hilt and felt each of the nine gems on it. He had won them at different locations around the kingdom, each testing his resolve and skill. There was one empty socket. Lyle walked for what felt like hours until he found the pedestal with his tenth victory gem on it. He smiled and placed the final gem into the hilt of his sword then he turned around and walked back the way he came. Perhaps the Demon Fog didn’t work on him. Perhaps he had no fear for the fog to prey on. Out of the corner of his eye, Lyle saw a dark shape glide past him. Something was following him. There had been reports of a giant wolf preying on the nearby villages, perhaps this was its home. Lyle drew his sword. Wouldn’t it be perfect if he returned to the King with his final jewel and the head of the beast plaguing the land? Lyle climbed a boulder shaped like a carved helmet. It looked oddly familiar but he didn’t have time to think about it. He saw the shadow of the wolf in the distance. It slowly moved toward him until it stood over him. It was over fifty feet tall. Lyle swallowed, calmed his heart, slowed his breathing, and fell into his Hawk stance.

Ice Elves and Snow Lions in Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0

2.13 I don't know why but elves and lions fascinate me so this picture is awesome! I love how much emotion and personality you get. Plus I want a white lion now...and awesome pointy ears. Artist: Unknown.

Princess Salara

Salara woke from her dream with an intense need to see Frostbite immediately. She changed into her riding gear, belting on her sword last, pulled her hood up, and tiptoed through the palace to the animal house. The ice crunched underneath her feet as she lightly jogged through the frozen forest. The ice-kissed pine trees were sparse on the otherwise barren landscape. Hundreds of years of winter had reduced their plant population to those that could either survive winter without hibernation or those that had somehow adapted quickly enough.

Salara slipped inside the barn and felt the warmth of the animals thaw her long ears and nose. Just because she was an Ice elf didn’t mean she was immune to the cold, it just meant she could survive colder temperatures than other creatures. Salara grabbed a slab of meat from the thawing station and crept around the maze of sleeping animals looking for her snow lion, Frostbite. She didn’t dare call for him for fear that it would wake the other animals, who would then wake the guards, who would escort her back to her room for her own safety. She could hear their patronizing tones and see their faces, talking to her as though she were a child of four instead of a woman of twenty. Salara shook her head and continued to look for Frostbite. She made her way around the whole barn and didn’t see him in any of the solitary sleeping animals. She groaned. That meant...

Her eyes fell on the great pile of white that consisted of several animals, including her snow lion, snuggling together for warmth and company. She scowled at the soft breathing and scoured the pile for some sign of where her friend was. It wasn’t hard to figure out that there were three dire wolves, six white foxes, two leopards, and of course, her snow lion all mixed up with no way to tell where one ended and one began. Salara circled the mound and there in the back was the long thin tail of her snow lion. Luck was apparently on her side this chilly, clear morning.

She kicked, pulled, and stroked the tail until, little by little, the rest of the body emerged. The mound lost a good third of its size as the great fluffy head finally emerged and stretched. Frostbite yawned and followed Salara outside where it was safer to make noise and yawned before eating the caribou leg Salara had for him. Then he pushed his head into her chest and purred while she scratched his ears and kissed his forehead. After a few minutes, Salara moved around to the side and mounted his back, holding on to his mane. “Let’s go for a ride, Frostbite.”

Frostbite flexed his paws and sprang, running gracefully through the forest with Salara riding him, their movements perfectly in sync.