Short Story Competition - Draconic Guardians

[TimerClock14]

I'll try my hand at this.

Reserving: Procrastination. (my specialty )

[Camoninja]

I want to write a story about the Thorn Carapace.

[Pineapple]

I'll reserve Permafrost.

[Xenocidius]

I shall reserve Hope.

[Nepycros]

I guess I'll take Dusk?

[Nepycros]

I suppose I'll post my story now.

   Bullies never change. They’ve never changed in all the time of recorded history. To mark this is a tale that occurred three thousand years ago. The story of a boy, whose name is erased from all documents, and whose face has been forgotten so easily, it was like he never existed at all. The story of the boy who gave everything, to have one sweet break from the tragedy of his daily life. The story of the boy who was bullied into Darkness. The story, whose protagonist’s name was eventually distorted down to merely Boy, of Athens, and his bullies.
   “Well, boy, you seem to have it rough,” said a voice from the shadows of the alleyway. This contact caused Boy to raise his head, seeking the face that carried the voice to him. He squinted, trying ever so hard to find the stranger talking to him, then winced, the pain in the bruises on his face reacting with vigor to his exertion. His head dropped down to the ground again, where blood ever so lightly lay on the street. “No. Rough is on different days. They took it easy on me today,” came the meek reply from Boy. His bullies weren’t usually so lenient.
   Suddenly, on this road where so few walked, and where none would offer aid to the young boy sprawled in the path, a hand reached down, and plucked the child from the bloodied road, setting him up so he could stand, and resting a shoulder on him so he would stay steady. “I saw what they did to you. Rough is rough, boy. It’s a crime, is what it is,” the voice said, hinting a small tone of concern. Boy found just enough strength to raise his head, and look toward the face that uttered the tone... or lack thereof. Where he looked, all he saw was the shadow offered by the hood that covered the upper half of his face, and enshrouded the rest. But Boy didn’t find this disturbing. It seemed all the kindness of Eleos had not forsaken him just yet. “Thank you for your care, mister. But I’m telling you, I’m fine. I’ve been in much worse.” Boy backed away, then set into a wobbling bow to respect the hooded figure. “I need to get home, sir.”
   “I suppose you do, boy. But before you depart, I would like to offer you something,” the faceless voice said, almost in a whisper, hidden in the hood.
   “What is it?” Boy asked politely, but with growing anxiety.
   “It’s a present!” and with this, the man withdrew a hand into his robe, and brought out a small mantle, quickly unfolding it to reveal it was the perfect size for Boy. “This cloak will offer you protection.”
   The boy marveled at the mantle. Black, silky fabric, that seemed to hide itself and the man’s hands in an endless night, only discernible if one were to focus with all their might. The brooch that fastened it together was odd: three arcs almost appearing as flower petals, impaled by three needles extending from the center. Between each needle extended what appeared to be a small blade. He reached out for it before he even realized what he was doing. He had almost taken the robe without confirming that the man agreed to it. “I’m sorry! I acted on impulse,” Boy said softly, bowing as low as he could go without hurting his back. “I was just mesmerized by its magnificence! Could this really help keep my bullies from hurting me?”
   The man smiled, but Boy would never know that. “Of course it will keep your bullies away! I swear to you on the Parthenon! This cloak is very valuable. The gods were said to have fought over it once,” came the sinister reply from under the hood. This was a lie, of course. Far darker powers than any coveted by the gods were at work today. “I’m giving this to you, so don’t be afraid. Take it!”
   Boy reached out a second time, but suddenly hesitated. Why am I accepting a stranger’s garments, he wondered. But the mantle clouded his thoughts with its wonderful visage. The boy lost his composure, and snatched away the cloak, holding it tight to him in awe. He fawned over its beauty with lust for its supposed abilities. He lifted his gaze after a moment to thank the man for his gift, but saw only an empty street. The mantle reached out again, clouding his thoughts, forcing him to abandon thoughts of suspicion. And so, Boy simply went home, proud of his new possession.
   The next day, the boy was leaving his lessons to head home, when three of his bullies surrounded him. Their grins were devilish, and they wasted no time in assaulting him. Just before they landed the first strike, Boy threw on his mantle... and vanished. The bullies were fascinated! They couldn't see him, hear him, or touch him! Surely the power of the gods was at work.
   Boy decided the time for revenge was at hand, and proceeded to use his escape from the senses to enact his vengeance, hitting the bullies wherever he could, causing as much pain as they caused him. The bullies finally ran away from their torture, and Boy laughed to himself. He tried to remove his mantle, but found that he couldn't. He struggled, and suddenly bumped into a passerby. When he looked to see who he had hit, he was startled. It was the man with the hood. "Dusk Mantle was not meant to be a weapon for your amusement, boy," he chided coldly.
   Boy was terrified. The man could see him, and was apparently angry. He started to back away, but the man's hand shot out, and grabbed him by the brooch on his cloak. "Please, sir, I was simply trying to pay them back!" he said shakily. "I wasn't going to go too far!"
   The man simply took off his hood... and Boy screamed. A long, horrible scream, that nobody heard. An instant later, the man disappeared with the boy, leaving behind a mantle. The mantle's fabric suddenly evaporated, turning into solid shadow.
   They say the boy was trapped in the mantle from then on. The mantle served as a shield for all, but every once in a while, it would fail, for Boy's will to escape caused the cloak's power to falter... but never break. So Dusk Mantle's legacy began, and Boy's ended.

[Pineapple]

    "Attention all passengers, we will shortly arrive at Atlantis," blared the speakers on the subway. Only the dim electrical lights installed on the car ceiling lit the ocean outside the window; however, I could make out a baby squid following an octopus. I watched them gracefully swim around in circles, a sublime ritual that fascinated me as I pressed my face close to the window. With better visibility, I made out tens . . . hundreds . . . no, there must have been thousands of squids surrounding the train. A deep, gnawing fear settled in the depths of my stomach as I realized that the submerged railway passed through an octopus nesting ground . . . and it was mating season. The youngest squids, defiant in proving themselves better than the other competitors, liked to brandish their freezing capabilities on the biggest fish. And to them, this aqua-train was nothing but a very, very big fish.
    “Attention all passengers, we advise you to prepare for some minor tubule—-" came out through the speakers before degenerating into ominous static. Suddenly, the train lurched forward, and the lights started flickering, and the train became cold, so very cold, as cracks formed on the edge of the windows. My ears perked at a shrill cry of fright resounding from the car behind me. I ran to the source of the scream and was brought face-to-face with a girl, sitting on the ground, doe eyes staring into my soul. Bright, ruby-red doe eyes. She got up and ran towards me, embracing me with a tight hug.
    “Who are you . . . ?” I said, right before the windows broke, flooding the train with water. My last memory, before blacking out, was being swept around the car, holding only her warm, tender hand.
    “Are you awake, Prince?” A man dressed in an Atlantis Retrieval Squad uniform was looking down at me. I slowly got up and looked around. We were in the Royal Infirmary of Atlantis.
    "The lights . . . The squids . . . " I tried to form coherent sentences, to no avail. My head was pounding.
    "Prince, I think you should lie back down. You suffered some serious head trauma during your incident."
    “And . . . the girl?”
    “What girl?” the man replied, confused.
    “The girl . . . girl who was on the train with me.”
    “Prince . . . you may have hit your head too hard. You were the only passenger on the train."
    "No . . . there was a girl . . . a red girl . . . very red . . . " I placed my hand on my forehead, trying to think.
    "Prince, we didn't find anyone else at the wreckage. Try to rest."
    His voice was calm and soothing, I couldn't help but comply. I lay back down, and let my heavy eyelids close.
    "And..what day is it?" I mumbled, half-asleep.
    "The second day of the eighth month."
    "What?" My eyes shot open, and I abruptly rose, causing another shot of pain into my temple. "I have to go back home soon. I promised Julia I would be home for our anniversary."
    My companion chuckled. "Oh, it's in two days, isn't it? How's the young one?"
    "Young ones, you mean. She bore me a second son just last year. The first one's going into first grade the coming autumn." I noticed my mistake: the warrior didn't know what "first grade" meant.
    "Lucky you, you know how it is in Atlantis. Unless you're royalty, you are not allowed to have more than one child per mate. Of course, in your father's case . . . " He trailed off, noticing my discomfort. "Sorry, I forgot that it was a sensitive subject."
    "Never mind that, I must see my father now. Is he in the throne room?" I climbed off the bed, noticing that my right ankle was sprained.
    "Yes, but I suggest you don't move around so soon. You're still--" he said, stopping in front of me.
    "I don't think you understood me. I must see my see my father now, and finish what he called me here to do so that I can go home." He backed away, startled.

    “In two days, you will reach Pyras. There, you will honor the ancient vow with the princess.” my father said, his back facing me. This was how it always was, with him staring out the window. If I asked why, he would only tell me that he was looking out for the horizon, for that was where my future lay. When I was young, I would scream at him, begging me to look at the present me, not at some figment of his imagination.
    “For the last time, I refuse. Is that the only reason you dragged me to Atlantis? I almost died on that train, and is that all you wanted to say to me?”
    “The Ruby Dragons have revolted against the king of Pyras, killing him to ascend the throne. They have taken his daughter and imprisoned her on the central mountain. That is the reason I have brought you here. Only you can save her.”
    “They’re only Ruby Dragons, a single Ice Lance can kill one. Can’t the Atlantis Retrieval Squad do it?"
    "The Council has promised to erase your insolence from The Record if you single-handedly rescue the princess. If you prove your worth, The Council shall allow you to honor the ancient vow."
    "How many times have I told you? I don’t care about her! I only care about Julia!” My father turned around to face me, but I only saw a silhouette of his aged figure, surrounded by the blinding sunlight outside the window. I could not see his face, but I knew he was enraged.
    “There is more on the line here than some petty promise you made to some mortal child . . . "
    "She is not just any mortal, father. She is my wife!"
    " . . . in a building built for an entity that does not even exist! None of this is in any way over or above the most respected tradition of Atlantis!” He strode over to my right and opened a chest, taking out a staff and a shield, dropping them at my feet. The light from the hallway shone onto his face, and for the very first time I saw those disgusting wrinkles and sunken eyes. I heard that, in his prime, those eyes were a beautiful sapphire color, but age had degenerated them into murky fogs of grey. He was blind. With a soft, croaked voice, he said, "Poseidon and the Permafrost Shield . . . family heirlooms, as you must know. Take them, and save the girl."
    "Father, no matter what you offer, I still refuse!"
    He leaned over and placed his lips next to my ear, whispering--no, pleading, "Don't you understand? If you honor the tradition, The Council can make you a god. You know . . . You know that I do not have much time. And you know . . . Your mother . . . She gave me only you. I am . . . I am begging you.” I bent down to pick up the shield, and upon touching it, tore my hand away. It was cold, very cold. My father, somehow noticing my difficulty, explained, "The Permafrost Shield recognizes its master only if its master recognizes himself. You are its master. You have the royal blood of Atlantis flowing through your veins. Never forget this, Neptune." I reached down, and placed a firm grip on the shield. It was still cold, but not a hostile temperature that would freeze upon contact. It felt cool, yet reassuring, like a refreshing glass of lemonade. It felt . . . right.

    And that’s how I ended up deep within this forsaken mountain cave, battling these dragons. "Ice Lance!" I shout, and a stream of ice erupts from my hand and pierces the chest of the eleventh one I've encountered. I know I only have one more Lance, but I also know that the only dragons I've seen have been part of the 12 Rubies that gained influence in the southern region of Pyras. From that, I can conclude that there is only one dragon left--their leader. I wander only a few more steps before the I see the entrance of some form of chamber. The dragon in the chamber has dark, chaotic aura surrounding it, and I  know I do not have enough quanta left to defeat it with just one lance. A few meters ahead, I spy a small pool of water. As I notice the water, the dragon spots me and lunges towards me with an intensity so feral it's scary. Instinctively, I bring my Permafrost Shield up and end up having it knock into my chest. I don’t have enough time to check how many ribs just got cracked, as the dragon lifts its foot for another blow. I pray to the gods as its foot connects with my Permafrost Shield, freezing the dragon right above the water, but sending me tumbling across the floor. After using Poseidon to help myself up, I slowly stumble towards the pool and place my hand in it, regenerating quanta at what seemed like too slow a rate. Once I regenerate just enough quanta, I calmly rise and place my hand on the dragon’s chest. I can feel its frozen heart beating at chaotic intervals. With a whispered “Ice Lance”, I knock it back a few meters behind the pool. It doesn’t get up.
    Suddenly, Poseidon disappears from my grasp. “I knew you’d come to save me!” a childish voice squeals from behind me. I turn around, and out of the darkness emerges two glowing spheres of deep scarlet, as shiny as ruby gems. I bring my shield up as the girl from the subway comes into view, sensually caressing Poseidon’s shaft. “Don’t hide your face from me,” she giggles, and, with a wave of her hand, my Permafrost Shield erupts into flames. I drop it onto the ground and try to save it by stamping the fire out, but with the fire goes the shield. I am unarmed and out of lances.
    “Who are you?” I shout at my enemy. “How did you survive the crash by yourself?”
    “Me? Oh, I’m but a harmless princess from Pyras. How did I survive? Well . . . Me and the squids go way back. I would’ve taken you too, if not for the Atlantis Retrieval Squad arriving so quickly.” Why did the squids attack the train? Her answers only leave me with more questions.
    “Didn’t the dragons kidnap you?”
    “These cute little things?” She snickers. “No, they were following my orders! They barely weigh a penny, did you seriously expect them to have the brains to plan out a coup?”
    “Then . . . Your father . . . ” She is insane. Very, very insane. I take a step back, aiming to replenish my quanta from the pool. If I could only summon a dragon. . . .
    “Yes, I killed him. And I’ll kill you too, unless you join me, of course.”
    “And if I refuse?” I ask, taking another step back.
    “I have Poseidon now. I’ll become the new queen of Atlantis . . . with or without your help.”
    “You’re crazy!” I cry, inching closer and closer to the pool.
    Then, I see her eyes squint. She had noticed my movement, and her gaze previously fixed on my face wanders to the pool behind me. “Oh, I won’t let you do that” she says, tapping Poseidon into the ground. I turn and sprint toward the pool as the cave’s ceiling cracks open and dirt and debris rain into the water, obstructing me from my only source of quanta. From the sheer helplessness of my situation, I drop into a kneeling position, breathing heavily. If only I had shockwaves. I am out of quanta and out of time, but most of all, the wounds from the battle with the chaotic ruby dragon have become excruciatingly painful. I can do nothing but stare at the ground and hear her footsteps grow louder and louder. She kneels down beside me, places her baby-soft hand on my cheek, and lifts my head up so I can stare into those ruby-red eyes one last time.
    “It’s a shame that the valiant hero gave his life to rescue the helpless princess. I thought you were pretty cute, too. No matter. Goodnight, sweet prince.” Her hand becomes a hot-iron, pressing into my cindering flesh. Embers erupt around me, and soon I am consumed with the flame of a thousand suns. “Fire Lance,” she whispers. I open my mouth to let out a scream, but it was too late. I was gone.

Code: [Select]

    "Attention all passengers, we will shortly arrive at Atlantis," blared the speakers on the subway. Only the dim electrical lights installed on the car ceiling lit the ocean outside the window; however, I could make out a baby squid following an octopus. I watched them gracefully swim around in circles, a sublime ritual that fascinated me as I pressed my face close to the window. With better visibility, I made out tens . . . hundreds . . . no, there must have been thousands of squids surrounding the train. A deep, gnawing fear settled in the depths of my stomach as I realized that the submerged railway passed through an octopus nesting ground . . . and it was mating season. The youngest squids, defiant in proving themselves better than the other competitors, liked to brandish their freezing capabilities on the biggest fish. And to them, this aqua-train was nothing but a very, very big fish.
    “Attention all passengers, we advise you to prepare for some minor tubule—-" came out through the speakers before degenerating into ominous static. Suddenly, the train lurched forward, and the lights started flickering, and the train became cold, so very cold, as cracks formed on the edge of the windows. My ears perked at a shrill cry of fright resounding from the car behind me. I ran to the source of the scream and was brought face-to-face with a girl, sitting on the ground, doe eyes staring into my soul. Bright, ruby-red doe eyes. She got up and ran towards me, embracing me with a tight hug.
    “Who are you . . . ?” I said, right before the windows broke, flooding the train with water. My last memory, before blacking out, was being swept around the car, holding only her warm, tender hand.

    “Are you awake, Prince?” A man dressed in an Atlantis Retrieval Squad uniform was looking down at me. I slowly got up and looked around. We were in the Royal Infirmary of Atlantis.
    "The lights . . . The squids . . . " I tried to form coherent sentences, to no avail. My head was pounding.
    "Prince, I think you should lie back down. You suffered some serious head trauma during your incident."
    “And . . . the girl?”
    “What girl?” the man replied, confused.
    “The girl . . . girl who was on the train with me.”
    “Prince . . . you may have hit your head too hard. You were the only passenger on the train."
    "No . . . there was a girl . . . a red girl . . . very red . . . " I placed my hand on my forehead, trying to think.
    "Prince, we didn't find anyone else at the wreckage. Try to rest."
    His voice was calm and soothing, I couldn't help but comply. I lay back down, and let my heavy eyelids close.
    "And..what day is it?" I mumbled, half-asleep.
    "The second day of the eighth month."
    "What?" My eyes shot open, and I abruptly rose, causing another shot of pain into my temple. "I have to go back home soon. I promised Julia I would be home for our anniversary."
    My companion chuckled. "Oh, it's in two days, isn't it? How's the young one?"
    "Young ones, you mean. She bore me a second son just last year. The first one's going into first grade the coming autumn." I noticed my mistake: the warrior didn't know what "first grade" meant.
    "Lucky you, you know how it is in Atlantis. Unless you're royalty, you are not allowed to have more than one child per mate. Of course, in your father's case . . . " He trailed off, noticing my discomfort. "Sorry, I forgot that it was a sensitive subject."
    "Never mind that, I must see my father now. Is he in the throne room?" I climbed off the bed, noticing that my right ankle was sprained.
    "Yes, but I suggest you don't move around so soon. You're still--" he said, stopping in front of me.
    "I don't think you understood me. I must see my see my father now, and finish what he called me here to do so that I can go home." He backed away, startled.

    “In two days, you will reach Pyras. There, you will honor the ancient vow with the princess.” my father said, his back facing me. This was how it always was, with him staring out the window. If I asked why, he would only tell me that he was looking out for the horizon, for that was where my future lay. When I was young, I would scream at him, begging me to look at the present me, not at some figment of his imagination.
    “For the last time, I refuse. Is that the only reason you dragged me to Atlantis? I almost died on that train, and is that all you wanted to say to me?”
    “The Ruby Dragons have revolted against the king of Pyras, killing him to ascend the throne. They have taken his daughter and imprisoned her on the central mountain. That is the reason I have brought you here. Only you can save her.”
    “They’re only Ruby Dragons, a single Ice Lance can kill one. Can’t the Atlantis Retrieval Squad do it?"
    "The Council has promised to erase your insolence from The Record if you single-handedly rescue the princess. If you prove your worth, The Council shall allow you to honor the ancient vow."
    "How many times have I told you? I don’t care about her! I only care about Julia!” My father turned around to face me, but I only saw a silhouette of his aged figure, surrounded by the blinding sunlight outside the window. I could not see his face, but I knew he was enraged.
    “There is more on the line here than some petty promise you made to some mortal child . . . "
    "She is not just any mortal, father. She is my wife!"
    " . . . in a building built for an entity that does not even exist! None of this is in any way over or above the most respected tradition of Atlantis!” He strode over to my right and opened a chest, taking out a staff and a shield, dropping them at my feet. The light from the hallway shone onto his face, and for the very first time I saw those disgusting wrinkles and sunken eyes. I heard that, in his prime, those eyes were a beautiful sapphire color, but age had degenerated them into murky fogs of grey. He was blind. With a soft, croaked voice, he said, "Poseidon and the Permafrost Shield . . . family heirlooms, as you must know. Take them, and save the girl."
    "Father, no matter what you offer, I still refuse!"
    He leaned over and placed his lips next to my ear, whispering--no, pleading, "Don't you understand? If you honor the tradition, The Council can make you a [i]god[/i]. You know . . . You know that I do not have much time. And you know . . . Your mother . . . She gave me only you. I am . . . I am begging you.” I bent down to pick up the shield, and upon touching it, tore my hand away. It was cold, very cold. My father, somehow noticing my difficulty, explained, "The Permafrost Shield recognizes its master only if its master recognizes himself. You are its master. You have the royal blood of Atlantis flowing through your veins. Never forget this, Neptune." I reached down, and placed a firm grip on the shield. It was still cold, but not a hostile temperature that would freeze upon contact. It felt cool, yet reassuring, like a refreshing glass of lemonade. It felt . . . right.

    And that’s how I ended up deep within this forsaken mountain cave, battling these dragons. "Ice Lance!" I shout, and a stream of ice erupts from my hand and pierces the chest of the eleventh one I've encountered. I know I only have one more Lance, but I also know that the only dragons I've seen have been part of the 12 Rubies that gained influence in the southern region of Pyras. From that, I can conclude that there is only one dragon left--their leader. I wander only a few more steps before the I see the entrance of some form of chamber. The dragon in the chamber has dark, chaotic aura surrounding it, and I  know I do not have enough quanta left to defeat it with just one lance. A few meters ahead, I spy a small pool of water. As I notice the water, the dragon spots me and lunges towards me with an intensity so feral it's scary. Instinctively, I bring my Permafrost Shield up and end up having it knock into my chest. I don’t have enough time to check how many ribs just got cracked, as the dragon lifts its foot for another blow. I pray to the gods as its foot connects with my Permafrost Shield, freezing the dragon right above the water, but sending me tumbling across the floor. After using Poseidon to help myself up, I slowly stumble towards the pool and place my hand in it, regenerating quanta at what seemed like too slow a rate. Once I regenerate just enough quanta, I calmly rise and place my hand on the dragon’s chest. I can feel its frozen heart beating at chaotic intervals. With a whispered “Ice Lance”, I knock it back a few meters behind the pool. It doesn’t get up.
    Suddenly, Poseidon disappears from my grasp. “I knew you’d come to save me!” a childish voice squeals from behind me. I turn around, and out of the darkness emerges two glowing spheres of deep scarlet, as shiny as ruby gems. I bring my shield up as the girl from the subway comes into view, sensually caressing Poseidon’s shaft. “Don’t hide your face from me,” she giggles, and, with a wave of her hand, my Permafrost Shield erupts into flames. I drop it onto the ground and try to save it by stamping the fire out, but with the fire goes the shield. I am unarmed and out of lances.
    “Who are you?” I shout at my enemy. “How did you survive the crash by yourself?”
    “Me? Oh, I’m but a harmless princess from Pyras. How did I survive? Well . . . Me and the squids go way back. I would’ve taken you too, if not for the Atlantis Retrieval Squad arriving so quickly.” Why did the squids attack the train? Her answers only leave me with more questions.
    “Didn’t the dragons kidnap you?”
    “These cute little things?” She snickers. “No, they were following my orders! They barely weigh a penny, did you seriously expect them to have the brains to plan out a coup?”
    “Then . . . Your father . . . ” She is insane. Very, very insane. I take a step back, aiming to replenish my quanta from the pool. If I could only summon a dragon. . . .
    “Yes, I killed him. And I’ll kill you too, unless you join me, of course.”
    “And if I refuse?” I ask, taking another step back.
    “I have Poseidon now. I’ll become the new queen of Atlantis . . . with or without your help.”
    “You’re crazy!” I cry, inching closer and closer to the pool.
    Then, I see her eyes squint. She had noticed my movement, and her gaze previously fixed on my face wanders to the pool behind me. “Oh, I won’t let you do that” she says, tapping Poseidon into the ground. I turn and sprint toward the pool as the cave’s ceiling cracks open and dirt and debris rain into the water, obstructing me from my only source of quanta. From the sheer helplessness of my situation, I drop into a kneeling position, breathing heavily. If only I had shockwaves. I am out of quanta and out of time, but most of all, the wounds from the battle with the chaotic ruby dragon have become excruciatingly painful. I can do nothing but stare at the ground and hear her footsteps grow louder and louder. She kneels down beside me, places her baby-soft hand on my cheek, and lifts my head up so I can stare into those ruby-red eyes one last time.
    “It’s a shame that the valiant hero gave his life to rescue the helpless princess. I thought you were pretty cute, too. No matter. Goodnight, sweet prince.” Her hand becomes a hot-iron, pressing into my cindering flesh. Embers erupt around me, and soon I am consumed with the flame of a thousand suns. “Fire Lance,” she whispers. I open my mouth to let out a scream, but it was too late. I was gone.

[DrunkDestroyer]

Azure Dragon.

Not that I know what I'll be doing with it yet...

[TH]

Phase. (Shield)

CO Comment : While I'm aware that another user has reserved Phase Dragon, I would appreciate it if people state the full name of the card to prevent possible confusion in competitions such as this one. Thank you!

[Aves]

I'd like to reserve Gravity shield.
Question: when I post, should it be in a new post or should I edit this one?

[Bloodshadow]

I think the maximum word limit is too little. 1100 words is too short for even a shorty story. I suggest you raise the max word amount to at least 2000.

[ZephyrPhantom]

I'd like to reserve Gravity shield.
Question: when I post, should it be in a new post or should I edit this one?

You can do either one.

I think the maximum word limit is too little. 1100 words is too short for even a shorty story. I suggest you raise the max word amount to at least 2000.

I'm slightly surprised about that since the last competition had a max limit of 1000 words and still got 25 entries, but if others find the limit too constraining I'll raise it.