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 Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:33 am
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:29 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:32 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:35 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:37 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:39 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:44 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:38 pm
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Prentice - Journal entry 1
Class Affinity
"If you hunt for food you take a spear or a bow; not a sword. I hunt for Yaeli and other trespassers who come too close. Do you still want to come now?"
The moment Pruu heard those words, a truth opened up in her mind. It had been an unconscious expectation that inspiration would strike while talking to her mother, Kou. However, it was Ai, a cousin Alkidike, who opened her eyes. She had always been drawn to using the blades more than the other weapons, but she had never been able to put her finger on why that was. She had spent her time training with all three. She felt comfortable with the spear, and was able to use the bow with relative accuracy, but she always ended up grabbing the blades more often than not.
Now, she knew why.
"Then follow my rules; we do not torture, and you leave no one left alive. There can be no survivors to warn the others, do you hear me? If you leave one alive you will be punished. If you torture an enemy who tried to defend itself you will be punished. There are no exceptions."
Some of their cousins and sisters enjoyed torturing and tormenting others. She was with those who believed that there was no honor in dragging out the pain their prey felt. Clean and efficient kills were the way to go.
Not only clean though, but honest kills. There was a place for striking from a distance with the bow. There was a place for using the spear to have a longer reach. In executions though.. in the reinforcing of the Elarian strength and power, and reinforcing the power within herself, nothing would compare to being able to look in her enemy’s eyes as she drove her blade into their bellies and ended their lives. With their blood on her hands, she could also make certain than no one was left alive after being pierced by her blades.
Of course, Fassala didn’t see it that way.
“Could you not have chosen something that gave you more distance between you and the ones you fight?” the Alkidike asked hesitantly, her brow knit in thought. “Kou at least uses a spear. You could follow that suit, and train with her. Or you could use the bow and arrow, and we could train together.”
Oh, Pruu wanted to scream at the dense woman! She.. she couldn’t speak out too sharply against her mother though. “Kou will be happy for me when I tell her I have decided on which weapons to focus my training with. Why are you unable to be happy as well? We are raised to take up arms, and now you wish I would not?”
Fassala shook her head. “Pruu, I did not say anything about not being happy for you. I am glad that you are settling on a path.” The Alkidike shifted and shrugged her shoulders. “I just.. I wish it was a different path. I want to know my daughters are safe, after all.”
“We will not be safe if we cannot fight for ourselves, or defend ourselves, mother! Besides, the blades chose me. I can feel it!” Pruu hissed, shaking her head so roughly that her hair whipped around with a slight lift. “If it were up to you, everyone would wield flowers rather than our weapons!”
Fassala gave her daughter a flat look. “Do not exaggerate, Pruu. We must all be efficient with weapons; even I know that. I just wish they would be used only as needed rather than anything else. What is wrong with having weapons and not using them?”
Pruu snorted sharply. She could not believe this woman! “What is wrong with having an iron pot and never cooking with it? What is wrong with having a shirt and you never wear it? What is wrong with having air and not breathing it?”
Fassala sighed heavily. “That is enough. Just.. be careful, Pruu. My sisters hold much anger within them, and you are of new life. You do not need to be the same. You do not need to grow with fighting on the forefront of your mind.”
After that delightful conversation, Pruu was spinning her blades against a training dummy. Not be like the cousins? What other way was there? The Alkidikes were proud and strong, and encouraged the same in the Elarians. The matron was quite clear about how no one was as right or important as the Alk and Elarian races; and the Elarians were even a bit more than the Alks. It was always about defeating the enemy; and the enemy was every earthling not of their superior races. What was wrong with that woman?! It was bad enough that Fassala was soft, but that softness had been born into her dear sister Pyrrha, and it showed through so clearly. Why did Elzira choose to grant blossoms to Fassala? Kou, sure, but Fassala... Pruu liked to imagine that she was actually Kou’s blossom, but the two women had prayed together, and had been answered with two blossoms as their responsibility. ..That’s right. Elzira would not have granted Fassala any blossom had Kou not been by her side. Surely, that was it.
She slashed a blade across a dummy’s back, slicing through the leather tie so that the makeshift armor covering the front of it dropped to the ground. As she stabbed the blade into the wood, she raised her chin with a sudden thought. She was granted to the pair in order to make up for Fassala’s weakness. She would not be hiding in the shadows in the background. Unlike Fassala, she would be strong. Pruu turned her blades back and forth, and side to side. Yes, this was to be her path. She would be of those who brought the Elarian’s to the forefront, and would help them gain the glory they deserved.
(( word count: 903 = 3 pnts )) (Not counting Ai’s quotes) |
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:09 pm
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Prentice- Growth Quest Solo
Blade
Pruu stood at the shore’s edge, toes curling to grip slightly at the edge of the slick rock she stood on. With the ocean spread out in what seemed an endless expanse, some might be inclined to feel small and insignificant. Pruu felt empowered though. That something so large as the sea could be wielded and used for the benefit of her people... One day, a ship would be made to take them to the mainland, where they would exact revenge on the pathetic earthlings for their actions against her cousins. Honor would be brought to their race in war and victory.
But until then...
She had watched one of her sisters swimming through the waves, looking strong and graceful cutting through the water. She wanted to be able to do the same. To be able to tame the waves... She had thus far stuck to practicing in the calmer waters of the inland caves to build her skill. Floating to keep her body from sinking down to the bottom.. Kicking without bending her knees to push herself forward.. Scooping at the water with her hands and arms to steer and further propel her forward.. Turning her head to breathe rather than lifting it for smoother motion.. Pruu was fairly comfortable with all of it now, which meant she was getting bored.
She needed a challenge!
The waves crested and sprayed against her legs, the cool water refreshing against her skin. She wasn’t going to go too far out. She knew better than that. Out in the open water would be a whole different step for a later time. The shallows of the shore would be better for her to tackle.
She dove in, skimming along the surface as she headed in. Scooping at handfuls of water, using her muscles as though climbing horizontally while pushing the water toward her hips, she felt that graceful strength that she had come to love. Her bare skin delighted in the touch of the wetness rushing over her. It was freedom and power that she found here.
There was other power in the ocean though; much of which the young Elarian had yet to experience; and one of those things was the current. Pausing to catch her breath, Pruu dropped her legs to stand and take a rest. When her feet found nothing but the empty water, her stomach gave a small lurch of panic. Float! She had to float! Kicking hard to keep her head above the surface, she spun around to regain her bearings and was shocked when she figured out where she was. How had she gotten so far from the shore?!
She forced herself to breathe despite how her heart kicked up. Just swim back... Being used to having something solid to push herself from to begin, she found herself feeling slow and sluggish having to get her momentum going from the middle of the water. It was okay though! No need to be concerned. She was tired, but she could do it!
When she next looked up to check her progress, she spotted a couple of lights nearby, apparently just floating beneath the water’s surface. She had to get back to shore, but this was something new that could possibly be food or of some other use. She paddled toward the light, eyes widening with interest. The lights were coming from some blobs that were barely the size of her hand. How curious!
Without hesitation, she reached out to grab the nearest one. It was squishy, and had what looked like long hairs coming from within the curved head. The long tendrils swept with the water to brush along her arm, and it felt like she was being pierced by hundreds of tiny teeth. She yelped and dropped the creature, rapidly kicking to get away from the glowing mysteries. Her whole arm was tingling, a few irritated lines running along the skin of her forearm. She had never seen a thalella before, and was amazed at the pain the tiny creature had caused with a simple touch.
Okay! It was definitely time to go back to shore now! For a moment, she considered how the tendrils might be used on their weapons. Yet, the further she tried to swim, the further the tingling spread through her body. Her arm touched by the creature felt like it was turning into stone and weighing her down. It was so hard to lift, and the shore was still so far away... Sinking below the surface, her lungs were burning and her heart was truly pounding. A sour taste filled her mouth as she looked up at the surface from underneath, mind spinning with panic.
Panic.. Fear... Pruu couldn’t recall having ever actually experienced these emotions before. The elarians were supposed to be free of fear, but the dimming light was making it run rampant in her slowly fading consciousness. No air... Something wrapped around her, dragging her down into the dark...
‘Are you sure this is wise?’
‘Could you look at yourself tomorrow if you left her to die?’
‘It, Herth. If we left IT to die. It would give no care if our positions were reversed. They are monsters! Scum! They kill our people without worrying about it.”
‘Is that not enough reason to help this one? Maybe she will return to her pack of heathens and spread word that we saved her? Maybe this one act can change the course of their actions?’
‘Not likely! They don’t care for us, and I am not about to start caring for them. They are just monsters who deserve whatever fate comes to them. I hope the lot of them get eaten by a vryhx! Let them come back from legend and save us.’
‘That’s enough. She might wake up soon.. and we should not be here when she does.’
When Pruu’s eyes fluttered open, she gasped in sharply and sat upright. Air! She was breathing! She looked around, panting heavily. Her heart had started to thud again, but slowly began to calm. She was back on the shore. The stones under her were solid. Damp, but solid. Looking down at herself, she was surprised to see her arm wrapped with a bandage. The limb still felt heavy, but not as though made of stone anymore; simply weighed down. Had.. those voices been real? Touching the bandages, she gave a soft hiss. These were not the bandages the Alks used. This material was worn by the purple haired bugs they were forced to share the island with for the time being.
Had the Yealians helped her?
Growling furiously, she yanked the dressings off her arm, ignoring the snap of pain that sparked from the action. The Yeali had helped her. They had saved her life. How demeaning! They had found her in a vulnerable situation, and taken advantage! It wasn’t as though they could have caught her on a hunt with a weapon in hand. Maybe the glowing things had been a trap? Had she fallen into a trap set by the cowardly earthlings?! That had to be it. They had trapped her, pulling her out into the water further than she had meant to and throwing poisoned lights at her. They had touched her, sat around her, and done who knows what to her while she had been unconscious! She pushed herself to stand, shaking her head at the wave of dizziness.
She had heard it firsthand. They were trying new tricks, pretending to be benevolent while hiding their true intentions. The Yealians did want to see the Alks and Elarians dead.
Gritting her teeth, Pruu scooped up her items and turned to wobble her way back home. Her vision for her path had been confirmed. She had chosen her blades for one purpose; she would defend her home, her family, and take the fight to all who threatened it.
First, she had to get even stronger.
Word count: 1,326
Conclusion: Pruu has experienced real fear for the first time, and being saved by the Yeali is a huge embarrassment. While some might have used it as a reason to soften toward the rivals, Pruu’s views have quickly turned the situation into a driving force for going after the Yeali people even harder. She is still young and denies weakness, but is growing enough to understand that fear is a legitimate feeling. Fear is not a weakness as long as you overcome the barrier. It’s a dose of reality for the young Elarian, and is a step in maturing and growing; all knowledge that she will utilize in her future to fuel her hatred toward earthlings. Of course, she is going to pretend she felt no fear when she tells her sisters about what happened... |
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:58 pm
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Blade - Journal entry 1
Which Way...
So, just like that, Pyrrha was gone. The sister she had grown side by side with was kicked out- or had left- or both.. Kou had spat out a summary of what had happened in the night once everyone was awake, and then she was quietly stalking around the house with repressed emotions. Fassala had locked herself away, sobbing the whole morning without stepping a toe from the bedroom despite Kou’s entreaties that she have a meal and some fresh air. Myrcella seemed relieved by the whole matter and had contently gone on with her day as though nothing had happened.
When she had found out about what had happened, Pruu’s instinct had been to find Pyrrha; make sure her twin was at least safe, and then maybe make sure she found a safe place to be. Instead, she sat in her room, rubbing at an arm that still bore Kou’s angry finger marks after being grabbed. Pruu had been forbidden- forbidden- to go seek out her sister. It made her feel ill. She could not go against her mother’s order.. but she could not deny that the news did not sit well with her.
So much progress had seemed to have been made so recently! Pyrrha had turned her attention to the bow and had shocked everyone with her skills. Pyrrha had been gaining respect, and talk of her becoming a sacred heart had even been in the air! What had gone wrong?
Of course, Pruu knew what had gone wrong. Deep inside, she had known that the change in her sibling was forced, and only temporary. After all, she was Pyrrha’s twin. Pyrrha had tried to fit in.. but that was not Pyrrha out in the training grounds. The real Pyrrha walked with her head in the clouds and with flowers in her hands. Pruu knew that it had been a peace-making mission that put her sister on the straight and narrow path. She had enjoyed training with her twin, and so had left the underlying understanding alone. Things were good, ideal even, so why disrupt it by telling Pyrrha to be her air-headed, lazy, unfocused self again?
This was why, apparently.
Feeling her eyes prickle with tears, she brushed at them roughly. She would not cry over this. According to Kou, Pyrrha had been preparing to leave anyway. It was stressful with her twin never following the rules. Things would be so much easier and simpler around the house! Pyrrha had been wilting while being stuck home and under supervision. Pyrrha would surely be much happier out of the house, and everyone in the house would be happier as well!
If Pyrrha were to vanish...
As she did every day, Pruu sat up and looked out of her window to start a prayer. She could not see the grand tree, but Elzira sat at what could have been within view of the window, hidden only by the thick trees surrounding her. Pruu closed her eyes, breathing slowly to make sure she was clear of mind. She had already said her morning recital, but surely Elzira would understand, and would hopefully not think her to be too selfish for requesting the goddess’ attention again. Surely Elzira would understand Pruu’s pain. The elarian had to follow the rules. What was she if she did otherwise? There was enough chaos in Zinris without her adding to the mess! She had to provide some sort of stability for those who were lost in the ruckus. She could not lose what strength she had worked so hard to gain in the community. Still.. surely Elzira would understand her sincere appeal for the goddess to keep her twin safe from harm.
(( word count: 618 = 2 pnts )) |
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