Welcome to Gaia! ::

For the Dogs!

The scabbard burned at her side, the heavy blade(5) inside calling for action with every thump that came into contact with her body. Gala had quickly learned the futility of trying to attack the more... substantial entities. It only resulted in more trouble than it was worth. Their blood and screams and smells attracted the ghostly ones, who were far, far more dangerous. Etherial burns through her armor and bits of exposed skin were a reminder. Her sword would see no more action here unless something that proved otherwise came along or, perhaps, if the situation became hopeless enough. This whole nightmare was beginning to strike Gala as not worth the continued effort, but on the same coin, she felt that she could not go back empty-handed now. Even friends would interpret this stubbornness as some altruistic loyalty(4) to a mission or person. It was actually made up of a combination of anger and curiosity.


If it was ever summer(3) somewhere on this plane, such warm delights have never reached this corner of existence. The small light spell she used to illuminate her path did nothing in the way of warmth.Walls alternated between stone and wood, yet they maintained the same shiver-inducing temperature as everything else -- as the air itself. All the same, Gala found herself sliding down one of these walls seeking comfort, if just for a moment, as she struggled to catch her breath and will her muscles to stop screaming. "Just remember the power(7)," she thought to herself, not willing to even speak her mantra aloud lest it attract company. Deep breaths were muffled by a scrap of cloth, though it did nothing to ease the burning of her lungs as the cold touched them. She slipped a vial from a pouch and quickly downed the beverage(8 ) within. It was quite disgusting, but already she could feel the warmth settling into her as sharp pains were replaced with a soothing thaw.

Gala struck out with renewed energies that once again matched her vigor. Cautious yet quick, she darted down the corridors. There were little to no choices for direction and the few that did present themselves soon saw one path end. It was certainly a saving grace. Anyway, the creatures here had little want for elaborate rooms and sweeping ballrooms -- half were as likely to fall asleep in a wall as anywhere else and the other half didn't seem to sleep so much as they collapsed for awhile.

So accustomed now to the atmosphere, watching for any hint of ghoulish danger, she almost missed it. She almost missed the dead end.

Overcome with adrenaline and relief, her legs crumpled like soggy cardboard(9) before the wooden(2) chest. For a moment there was respite from the terror, from the cold, from the darkness. For a moment there was only the prize.

It resembled an old pirate's(1) chest, rectangular with a rounded lid. Except in place of a normal key hole, there was a different looking shape -- not exactly odd upon first impression, but also not a key hole that had ever been seen before. Gala smirked at the magic and ingenuity that had come to work together. It would have led a less experienced adventurer to rage. Her hand once again darted to a pouch, this time producing a cashew(10). Which slid perfectly into place within the key hole. A puff of magic energies seemingly 'harumph'ed at her victory as long-sleeping gears clicked.


The lid flipped open, allowing the awesome rainbows(6) to fly out. Their colorful joy coated the walls, painted the floor purple, opened the ceiling up to a beautiful sweeping sky. Blue Beetle was alive again and time itself shifted so that the Dirty Harry video game was never conceived, because that thing was just wrong. The plucky adventurer could not hold back a cry, "Harmony, harmony, oh love!" Then the unicorns pounded out, past Gala who knew, certainly, that this was one adventure she would ALLLLWAYS remember.

For the Dogs!

He had been on this ship for over a year now~doing things that normal cats usually did. Ratting, purring, scratching up furniture...that sort of thing. Well, when he wasn't making sure he was way out of dangers range. You see, this particular little Wish, for he was NOT a normal cat though the humans couldn't tell, was on a pirate(1) ship. It was an old ship, wooden(2) and creaky, old and built to last. This summer(3) had been a wonderful one, filled with small adventures and awe inspiriting sights. But, summer was coming to a close, and the wish had a yearning to try something new. He was loyal(4) to only one thing: his heart and its love of adventure. It had come like a blade(5) to his consciousness, smooth and quick, the day he realized he yearned for dry land. He wanted to play in the mountains, run through the forest and wade in a stream. He wanted to not have the salty air in his fur, he wanted to see an end to the horizon. Not to mention, he want to not have to chase rats for a while.

The morning he left the ship behind was a beautiful one. He had known it was time to start a new adventure the moment he looked outside. They were docked in a small seaside town, and there, beyond the town but in front of the mountains behind it, was a rainbow(6). It could not have been a better sign. In his heart, the wish could feel the power(7) of the new day starting, the power of his own decision getting stronger. It was time to leave. Taking one last sip from his watering dish, his last taste of any beverage(8 ) aboard this ship (though he quite liked rum and would have loved on last taste), the wish turned and bounded out through the door, across the deck, and down the little walkway connecting the ship to the dock. He didn't stop there. He kept running. Oh, it was wonderful to feel the ground beneath his four feet again. It was a little difficult, being solid ground and all, but as long as he kept running, he didn't notice. He didn't stop till he was on the edge of town. When he stopped, he leapt around, feeling the ground beneath him. It was firm, and yet had some give, it would have felt like jumping on cardboard(9), if he knew what that was. But, he didn't, so he really had nothing to equate it to.

He was startled by someone yelling. He turned to see a woman with a broom running at him and yelling. She didn't look happy, so the wish turned around and continued with his running. He ran and ran, past the pig pens, past the cashew(10) farm, past the small gate and it's guard at the edge of town. This time, when he stopped running, there was nothing around him, except for the quiet nature of the foothill forests. He sat down in the road to catch his breath. Leaving for an adventure was the best thing he had ever done. He had been many places, done many things. He had once been the lap cat of a princess, he had helped a street urchin steal food, he had performed tricks with elephants in the circus and he had just finished being a ratter or a pirate ship. He looked at the road ahead of him. It stretched through the forest towards the mountains, leading heaven knows where. Just the way he liked it. With a spring in his step and a sparkle in his eye, the little Wish moved on, towards his next adventure.

Winner of the story contest is Sosiqui!

Congratulations to her!