The 12 Realms Story (All Characters Slots Taken)

[Bloodshadow]

Wait, wait... I'm with OldTrees, and OldTrees is with 918, so why hasn't 918 acknowledged my existence?

[Glitch]

Wait, wait... I'm with OldTrees, and OldTrees is with 918, so why hasn't 918 acknowledged my existence?

And, more importantly, why are you not dealing with the skeleton... pointing... at you?

[Bloodshadow]

And, more importantly, why are you not dealing with the skeleton... pointing... at you?

Wait, what do you mean by this post? If you're asking why I haven't written another chapter, it's because I don't have time right now.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Wait, wait... I'm with OldTrees, and OldTrees is with 918, so why hasn't 918 acknowledged my existence?

His chapter happens before you met OT I think. He was running short on time when he posted the chapter so that's why there is no OOC message saying when the chapter takes place.

And, more importantly, why are you not dealing with the skeleton... pointing... at you?

You just attacked Oldtrees. We haven't gotten further than that. Or maybe Bloodshadow is just watching for some reason instead of helping.

[Bloodshadow]

Again, my character did not respond because I haven't written the part where he responded yet.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Chapter 24

The New Allies, A Meal, and A Pep Talk
Part 1

After that ridiculous encounter with that ravenous bird, Condor, in which a Lyra-possesed me failed quite a number of times trying to catch that confounded creature, we met this odd elemental called Flayne, who according to Lyra and one very irritated Nepycros is a death elemental.

We had just finished our meal, and I realized I didn't know much about my three new comrades, nor my bloodthristy mark.  As everyone stretched out after a (hopefully) relaxing meal, I decided it was to best time to ask a few questions.

"So guys - how'd you end up in this crazy conflict?"

"None of your buisness." Nepycros grumbled. I was beggining to think he didn't know the meaning of the word "friendship."

Zblader.

"Well..." Emeraldtiger stated. "I was recently sent to go into this Native World from the Life Plane. We had an establishment at the Mahui Village, but as you can see they're going to need some intense healing.  I'm really sorry - I don't know all that much."

"That's okay." I replied. Clearly this guy wasn't used to some of the more intense situations in war. "And you, Flayne?"

"Me? I strangley have no memory of who I am, or why I am here." Nepycros rose his... shadebrows at that statement but said nothing.

"I think this bird is part of it somehow... he was with me when I got here, nobody else. That's all I'll managed to remember."

Zblader.  No. I wasn't going to listen to Lyra. Why should I?

Zblader, please.

"Nepycros, at least tell us why you're here." Emeraldtiger spoke again, and Flayne's eyes followed him to the irritated shade.

"I'll say I was on an observation mission. That's all you guys get to know." Nepycros leaned back again and tried to pretend he was sleeping.  There was an awkward silence until Emeraldtiger again spoke.

"Hey, have any of you been hearing voices in your head latley?"

"Nope."

"I wish I could say yes. Maybe I'd have an answer to why i was here then."

I thought for a second, but realized something was off.

Zblader!

"Are you sure you've gotten enough sleep recently?"

"Yeah, have you had such a... disorder before? It's almost like someones singing in my-"

Emeraldtiger was cut off as his eyes hardened and became teal.

"I am NOT a disorder. I am a Mark, a very extra-special Mark at that."
ZBLADER!

"ALRIGHT LYRA, WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANT?!" I yelled. The pressure of the day and her actions had been just too much.  I looked up and realized I had yelled that out loud.

"Oh, you have a mark too?" ET was acting strangley, with a more confident and slightly more playful tinge to his voice.

"Zblader, do you think our camp's haunted?!" Flayne was beggining to panic, and Nepycros sat up from where he was resting and snapped "Okay, spill it. There's something wrong with you."

Time slowed down, and I now found myself in the realm of my mind again.

Why'd you blow my cover like that?! Lyra snapped.

Well then, why'd you kill my one of my best friends? I retorted.  Lyra paused... and then broke down into tears.  I didn't do anything - she didn't deserve the comfort, and she just sobbed for what seemed like many hours. Finally, she looked up.

I'm... I can't just say I'm sorry... can't I.  Something made me twinge inside. Perhaps it was my sister's memories inside her, or perhaps I'm just too kind.

I walked toward her, and her out my hand. She accepted it with a calm face, but I could tell she was genuininly sorry.  When you've fought enough battles, you'll learn to read the enemy's movements through their face as well as their body. It also helps when you're trying to tell how others feel on a subject. For example, Nepycros, that jerk...

You don't like him right? Lyra interupted me. I was suprised until I realized she'd been reading my thoughts again.

Yeah, that wasn't obvious ever since we meet him. He's extremely rude, how could he have friends?!

I think he's cool actually. my only response to this statement was to go wide-eyed.

....hah, I thought you wouldn't like that. But I can tell he's genuinely good at heart. I can also tell you're as angry as a Fire Elemental with a Rage Potion overdose.

...Right. I'd be suprised if he wasn't a spy or something sent to kill me. In any case, what happened to Emeraldtiger?

Aether Mark was her reply. She seems rather careless - I gathered up all sorts of things about her already from her leaked thoughts.

Such as?

W-ell, her name's Laureth'al. Supposedly she has 'al' because she was important or something.

Anything else?

Hah, you wouldn't understand "certain things".

... and you're saying the rest are rather inappropriate thoughts?!

No, silly!  I'm just saying I don't want to reveal anymore. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself - here I was about to lose my cool at some kind of spirit inside me who probably was just an amplified figment of my imagination.

How rude, I actually have a history you know!

Well, you are trying to mess around with me. So what do we do?

I think I can't hide anymore. I guess I'll reveal myself.

How? By possesing me?

Nope, by a method that leaves far less to the imagination.  She winked and time sped up again.

Hey wait! I snapped, but she seemed to have withdrawn back into my body.  I was back in the real world - and then we all felt an eerie breeze.

Meanwhile...
As Krathos continued down whatever beaten path of the forest he was on, he heard a soft thump.

"Who's there?!" He called, turning around and running in the direction of the sound to a nearby bush. When he got there however, he found no one.

"That's strange..." he paused and continued on, unaware that a pink-haired figure was watching him from the shadows and wringing it's arm in pain for having such a clumsy fall.

Back at the camp...
"What the?" the possessed ET stood up and seemed to sense a prescence. "Reveal yourself!"

Hehe, why should I? an extremely familar voice snickered. Not so sure now, since you can't see me eh?

I swear that Lyra would've been laughing right now had she not needed to keep the facade going.

Saaaa.... Laureth'al... I know you're there... you and your host will haunted forever now...

"Lies! There are no supernatural spirits around here! Appear, you extremely arrogant mark!  I bet you're just not manly enough to face a woman!" At this point, I saw a small flicker of color. Upon focusing my eyes, I now saw a very transparent image of what I assumed was Lyra when she was alive. She put a finger to her lips, and silently crept towards emeraldtiger, her projection either limited to me or too dim to be noticed by anyone else.

[Bloodshadow]

Okay, here's what I'll do. OT doesn't know anything about obtaining  magic, so I decide to go with Gl1tch while OT goes to find ET. Then OT finds 918.

Reserved and editing.

Chapter 25

The Living Dead

Before the talking tree was able to answer my question, something suddenly jumped out of the shrubs. It seemed to be a Skeleton, an undead creature composed of nothing but bones. Its build was slender, and its facial features seemed elfin rather than human. It was ironic, really, seeing an Elf aligned with Life turned undead. "En garde!" The Skeleton screamed, flailing its own left arm as a sword in a rather comical way.

My first reaction was to smite this freak of nature. Undead creatures were abominations, their very existence against the natural cycle of life. The undead also happened to be assaulting me, which gave me another reason to end its unnatural existence. I gathered a sphere of holy light in my right palm. But before I was able to send my light toward the Skeleton and release its soul from undeath, a voice hissed in my ear. Fool! Do you not want to revive Selene?! This creature might possess information about the Death magic that we seek!

Nadir has a point. I snuffed out my light, and looked into the Skeleton's empty eye sockets. "Put down your weapon," I said, if one skeletal arm could be considered a weapon. "I mean you no harm. In fact, I may require your assistance; I am looking for places where I can access Death magic."

"Why do you want to know about the dead?" The Skeleton asked. Despite having no facial features, it somehow managed to look panicked and suspicious at the same time.

None of your concern, Nadir wanted to say, but I was more polite than my darker counterpart. "My lover is dead, and I want to resurrect her."

"Resurrection?" I could tell that the Skeleton tried to narrow its eyes but failed due to the lack of eyelids. "Not something a Light Elemental like you should be playing with. But still, I happen to know where the Land of Death is. I'll take you there if you agree to my request."

You are in no position to bargain with me, Nadir tried to say. I can obliterate you with a single wave of my hand. But I held my alternate personality in check. "What request?"

"Revive me too!" The Skeleton blurted out. "I'm sick of this blasted undead body!" It made an exaggerated hand motion, intentionally causing his joints to loose and his forearm to fall off. "I want to be an Elf again!"

I felt a twinge of sympathy for the Skeleton. He was a victim too... "All right, I'll resurrect you too if I can." I turned to OldTrees beside me. "Want to come along?"

"'fraid not," the tree said. "I have to look for someone. Besides, I've got nothing to do with Death anyways. I guess you'll have to teach me your art some other time."

Oh well. One ally lost, one ally gained. I turned to the Skeleton. "What is your name?"

"Oh, me? I'm Gl1tch. At least that used to be my name when I was alive."

"Nice to meet you, Gl1tch. My name is Zenith. I look forward to resurrecting you."

And with that, me and my new Skeleton companion headed for the Land of Death.

Done.

Can we change the character names to something other than our usernames? For example, "Gl1tch" doesn't really sound like the name of an Elf. If we're gonna publish this, the names need to be better.

[Ekki]

This happened a bit before what ZBlader says, and then goes on after that

Chapter 27

Something important

"So that's why I am here" No one is hearing me. I was so excited telling my story that I didn't realise when the guy who asked me why I was here standed up and went to do something more interesting.

So, I am alone again. In this bar, somewhere between the realms of Fire and Earth. I always wondered why the land between them was so green. Most forests in fire are... on fire, or dead, and the mountains in earth have forests only along the coast. But that has nothing to do with my objective.

I should go inside the realm of Fire to get quick to Gravity's territory? I might prefer to go through the desert of... time. Again. I hate losing my sense of time and having visions, but there is no better choice.

So I continued my journey, always aware of any sound. Being wanted "alive or dead" isn't as cool as it sounds.

I got again close to the desert. It's funny how the sand gets into the forest in this part. It's like a war between Time and Life, in a very figured way, without elementals, and... without war. I am deliring.

I began to walk between the desert and the forest, but when I saw the trees were dead, I realised I was too close to Fire, so I had to go a bit deeper.

After what I thought were 5 minutes, I lost sight of Fire's plains. Obviously I lost sense of time, too.

Then, another vision:
It was me, flying upwards.
This feels great it wasn't my voice.
Then I started to burn, and fell to the floor.

It ended there. I don't remember having ever flied, even though I remember being in fire... *sigh* I wonder who's voice was it, since it doesn't sound familiar to me.

"It was a vision of the future" A female voice spoke to me.

"Who's out there?" I was in the middle of a sandstorm, after losing sense of time again.

"My name is Clea, and I have been helping you for a while now. You and your friend" She spoke fast. And with her high voice, she sounded a bit crazy.

"My friend? Wh- Helping me? Why?-"

Clea got closer to me, and I could see her. She was very pretty, with long, dark hair, yellow eyed, small (like 1.50 meters). I stared at her.

"You will understand everything when the time comes. For now you should know that you are very important, and that you should go to Gravity's capital. Are you even hearing me?"

I was amused. She is sweet as Earth's cakes. I've never felt this. I think the expression is sweet as a puppy dragon. But I recovered.
"I am shocked. How do you know that much? Why are you helping me?"

"I was going to tell you... I am a Time elemental, I can see the future, and I have seen something important in you, something you will do-"

"Can you teach me Time magic?"

"Well, it will help you understand what I saw. You will need some Time energy first, luckily we are next to a Time Factory" the sandstorm ended, and I realised I was actually next to a Time Factory "You should focus on one thing, and see all the energy inside it, think of it as a whole and focus in the Time energy, then you will be able to have a precognition, or a poscognition"

"A poscognition?"

"A vision of the past... Precognition, vision of the future future, poscognition, you know... You looked smarter"

"Very funny, you looked more serious"

"Huh, shut up. Now focus in one thing, a scorpion is always a good starting point" She had a scorpion held by his tail in her hand. "Try to see the future, but remember once you see it, it changes"

I focused in the scorpion, then in the fire inside him, then I realised I could burn it from inside... "It's hard" I got extremely tired. Time energy wasn't part of my body, not as Fire.

"Try again, all energies are one. Just in different forms" That made me think a lot. Then I tried again. Serena dropped the scorpion, it stinged me, and I fell to the ground, dead.

"No!!" I moved my leg, just before the scorpion stinged me. I have changed the future... Then I remembered that I hate Time magic "Why have you done that?! I could have died!"

"I knew you will move your leg, silly. Now that you get it, remember, this is something REALLY IMPORTANT, I helped you bec-"

It happened too fast. A blob passed between us and she dissappeared. I tried to run towards the blob, but it was gone. Once I looked back, the Time Factory was gone. It must have been a speeder, $%#&!!

So I was alone again, more doubtful than ever, and nervous... Knowing you will do something important is a pain, specially if you don't know what it will be.

I went on, heading to the realm of Gravity. I wondered if Serena was safe, I focused on her, and I could saw her, it was a vision of the future. She was happy, alive and as sweet as ever. I ended up tired because of the mixture of Time energy inside me, but now that I knew she will be fine, I could be more focused in fullfilling my "important" destiny.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Side Story 2

Tania - The Beginning

We're all travelers. my penpal friend, an Air Elemental called James, once told me that.  Now I find myself on a journey of my own. Is it really everyone's goal to travel once in their lifetime?

I guess you could put it as "We're all the same and we're all different". A close friend told me that. I suppose it's really true. We all are born, we all have good times and bad times, and we all die one way or another.

I'm Tania. I was just an ordinary native from the Mahui village, and my dream was to become a map-maker, similar to the Air elementals that used to visit our home. It must've been wonderful to be able to sprout wings and fly free like them.

We were closely associated with the Fluxi - we warred together, made treaties together and celebrated together.  I made many friends with the Fluxi, and was probably the person that many people could trust and rely on -  even when the Life Elementals came, the first person they warmed up too was me.  I don't know if it's just my personality or something else.

But those friends probably know me no more, or won't find me the next day they come out of bed.  I can't believe the Fluxi were destroyed so quickly. They won't tell me why or who told them, but I do know that Lucien was killed for some reason. It seems that some Entropy elemental was messing around with our minds. He's gone now and so is the curse that befouled our minds and bodies - but so is Lucien, my mentor with the spear and the staff.  I suppose my odd talents were also something that made me so famous - I took up the spear instead of the preffered battleaxe/hammer or sword/knife, and had no talents in magic whatsoever, but Lucien always recognized potential, and took me to train and use the length of the weapon to my advantage.  Soon, I was more than useful to the military because of my style of tactics and my fluid fighting style.

But that's all the past. If my skills are good for anything now, it's for getting my next meal.  My friends will probably think I left on a journey or something, and they'll search for me. Maybe they'll assume me dead, or just deem me as traveling.  But I'm already far from the village I used to call home.  Maybe'll they'll even try to search for any Fluxi survivors. I hope they will - maybe they can start over again.

H-huh? Where am I?

"Who's there?!" I cried out in alarm, reaching for my knife.

That voice... Tania? Where are you?  It took me a second to realize that the voice was coming from inside my head rather than from around me, as well as who it belonged too.


"James?"

[EmeraldTiger]

Chapter 28
The New Allies, A Meal, and A Pep Talk Part 2

Nepycros and Flayne were staring at me like I was mad, but I didn't care. There was someone in my head, and someone else apparently trying to get in as well. I wasn't up for being a hive for people without bodies, so I tried concentrating in order to force out any intruders. I was beginning to think it worked, but then I heard the voice saying, nice try. I was getting genuinely worried, and, against my better judgment, asked Laureth'al for help, but she just giggled and 'stepped' back (or whatever these formless things do) and watched me as I helplessly intercepted who I gleaned from her mental memos was Lyra. At this point, I abandoned any hope of fighting her off, so I allowed her full entrance, but did my best to keep my personal thoughts sealed off. Lyra sifted through my subconscious, eventually stumbling on Laureth'al. She politely nodded her head in greeting, and said, I understand you lost your village, my friend. Don't worry, I'll help you. Take some of my energy, and become strong. She turned to me too, and said, I'll give you some too. You can't protect her in your current state, after all. She began to glow, and her energies consumed Laureth'al and me. I was feeling lightheaded, and almost like I was floating. The sensations stopped as quickly as they started, and when I recovered, I opened my eyes and stared at my hands, which had begun to glow turquoise, long claws extending out several inches. A vapor drifted around my newest adaptation, and I could easily tell that Aether had become a physical part of me, not just a mental piece. I tried to find Lyra, but she had retreated, leaving a memory of a thought in my head: I'll teach you to become strong, to protect those you care for. "Thank you, Lyra." I replied. And I heard Laureth'al say, "I thank you as well." I was deep in thought for a bit, then I asked "How do know this land?". They could all tell that I wasn't directing the question at anyone in paticular.

[918273645]

Chapter # 29

A New Friend

"Ya should wait here. I'll go retrieve the others." Old Trees said.

"Others?" He is already gone.

I wander around for a while, seeing a Rusler or Firefly every once in a while.

Quite boring around here, isn't it?

"I don't think so. The small little critters are quite interesting. I like to watch them take part in their habits," I think.

Still yourself. Something dangerous is ahead.

I walk slowly to a crook in a tree and crouch. My hand reaches for my sword and I take the blade from its place on my belt.

I mantally thank Claire for the warning and focus on the rustling in the leaves.

Put your blade up. It is just an Otyugh.

I see that my campanion is correct. The Otyugh is very small, and it couldn't have been born more than a week ago.

"Hey, little fella. Where is your mother?" I say. The whimper the creature makes is unmistakingly mournful.

"Claire, where could I get some food?" I ask mentally.

We have some roasted Holy Cow in your belt pack.

"Don't those come around only once a year?" I ask while feeding the little creature.

Yes, but the Gravity Nation bought some on that day and domesticated them. They are delicious.

"You're a good little guy," I tell the Otyugh.

I walk back where Old Trees set our rendezvous point, my new pet folling me closely.

[TimerClock14]

I realize that I have no character, therefore I made one, and then killed him.
rather than messing you guys up, I thought that throwing in a little plot twist would mix things up a bit. If there's a problem here I'll remove the post punctually.

Chapter # 30

Purge

The world is thrown into peace and chaos all at different points of time. Everything affects everything, everyone affects everyone; all the pieces of chaos have been assembled.....

I awaken. Where am I?, I wonder as I attempt to free my eyelids from the pull of gravity. They seemed heavier than usual.

I start to come to.

My ears slowly begin to function and I hear muffled sounds of....a factory? I put it aside and decide to focus on the growing pain in my leg.

My eyes have opened now, I still cannot see much. It is all blurry and my eyelids still feel heavy. I can move my hand now. I try to touch my leg with what I can. As I begin to succeed in regaining my mobility, my ears begin opening. I still hear faint sounds of a factory, but it's different. Different in a way that I can't explain. I halt for a moment to take in the sounds.

My eyes are closed again. I decide that it is too troublesome to keep them open. As I complete my resolve, a staggering pain shoots up my left leg.

My eyes are wide open now. My vision still blurry, but stained in red.

My ears open further and I hear more sounds. Perhaps not a factory, but a shopping center?

I see many people around, just blurs in the red veil of my watery vision.

As my vision begins to stabilize, I can make out shapes and colors. Everything still with a red tint, I decipher some shapes.

Poles? No, staffs. Or perhaps swords? I see people all over with feigned shapes of swords. They seem to be running around like mice inside of a maze. Almost like they are looking for something.

My senses begin to return and the pain in my leg increases. I feel a prick in the back of my head and a welt on my arm. As I begin to investigate, I realize that I am wearing strange clothing.

What in the world was I doing?, I think to myself.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot a strange shape. What could it be? It shines like the sun, but it's dark and seems to suck in all light around it. I keep staring at it in an attempt to figure out what it could be.

Everything went dark. No more pain in my leg; I was relieved about that. But oddly, I could no longer feel the strange clothing I was wearing. Come to think of it, I cannot see or hear anything either.
As his senses slowly fade into oblivion, TimerClock14 becomes a victim of war.
Cause of death: Numerous injuries to the limbs and head. The final blow was dealt by an arrow through the eye.


Here, in the small island nation of Graavek, war has broken out between the islands. The archipelago was never meant to sustain a war, however. The islands begin to sink under the weight of heavy machinery. In the years since the war began, beaches and coastlines have shrunk, food and agriculture have near ceased from pollution. News of this war has begun to spread across the world. Will there be any saving grace for this nation? Or will it be thrown into chaos and become consumed?