War Correspondent - Short Story Competition - VOTING!

[SpikeSpiegel]

VOTE VOTE VOTE!

Submissions:

1 - CCCombobreaker

Spoiler for The Obsidian Elemental:

Introduction:
During the 5th Great War, Earth and its warriors were ravaged.  The Earth itself was plundered, and its champion TerroKing was slain.  The Legendary warrior Kirchj33 had vanished after the 4th Great War and never returned.  Surrounded by destruction and despair, CCCombobreaker embraced the last resort available to any Earth elemental; he drank the basilisk blood.  Kneeling down, he underwent the slow and agonizing process of turning to pure stone.  He knew that one of Earth’s great strengths was patience, although sometimes the price of patience was quite severe.  The burning agony in his limbs was a powerful reminder of this fact, but slowly each limb then ceased to feel at all.  As the process completed, the final thought cemented into his mind was: There shall be another war: a war of vengeance!

Awakening:
CCCombobreaker remained in this catatonic, calcified slumber an undeterminable amount of time, for when one has drunk of the basilisk’s blood, time for them seems to stop altogether.  So after a long time, but seemingly just a moment later, a voice reached out to his mind.  A voice that came not from the Earth, to which he had always been connected, but from a place that was somehow both external to his self but clearly present within him.

“Earth has rejected you.  I can grant that which you seek.”

The voice was faintly familiar, but CCCombobreaker could not readily identify it.  Rejected... by Earth?  Grant.. what I seek?  CCCombobreaker tried to reach back into his past to find the source, but couldn’t place it.

“Even now I assemble forces.  We are in need of that which you have to offer.”

The voice continued trying to draw him in, but CCCombobreaker instead focused intently on the task at hand, depetrification.  It is no simple task to reverse the effect of the basilisk blood.  He concentrated deeply on unweaving the spell on one part of his body at a time, and after he had awoken each muscle and joint, he opened his eyes.

That instant, lightning struck less than five meters in front of CCCombobreaker; the blast knocked him over, and with the heavy crash of granite against Earth, he ended up on his back looking at the sky.  It pulsated with electricity, frequently unleashing torrents of energy that arced from far overhead all the way to the surface of the Earth with such force and heat that the ground was now covered in smoking craters.  The air was thick with the scent of charred dirt.  How long has Aether had dominion over the Earth?  Have I missed my new war?  My chance for vengeance?   

“The Aetherlings have destroyed all who opposed them for two wars, leaving this in their wake.  Earth stands no chance against them, but you know that we do… together.”

Sitting up, CCCombobreaker noticed a shard of pure obsidian was lodged in his chest, and while it caused him no physical discomfort, it was much more a concern than a curiosity.  Because it only protruded a mere fraction of a meter and was so incredibly smooth, no amount of grasping at it with his large stone fingers yielded any result.  CCCombobreaker considered trying to crush it against himself with a mighty swing of his arm, but it seemed unwise to direct such a pulverizing strike at his own chest, and the frequency and proximity of the lightning strikes was making him increasingly uncomfortable standing out in the open.  Shelter is more of a priority right now, he reasoned, I’ll be able to deal with this better when I don’t have to dodge lightning strikes.

He lumbered to a nearby cave opening that was shielded by an outcropping of shale.  The lightning flowing through the atmosphere provided more than enough illumination for the first several meters into the cave, so he stopped there and slumped against the cave wall.  Still he had not heard the voice of the Earth reaching out to him nor had not seen another Earth elemental anywhere; his hopes were fading rapidly.

“You blocked us out for so long, fought against us, but we are much weaker apart.  Join us.  We have already accepted you.  What other hope do you have?”

CCCombobreaker looked down into the obsidian shard, and as a flash of lightning struck near the entrance of the cave, he saw a face in the shard, a face that unlocked some deep room in his mind, and following the voice to that door, he realized who it was that beckoned to him.  Odii… what exactly is it that you want from me?

“To make you strong again, to direct your power at our enemies, and that you might have the victory at my side that has always eluded you.  I ask that you no longer block me out, but instead embrace me.  Embrace the Darkness.”

And as the voice spoke, it was as if the cave moved upward around CCCombobreaker, pulling him deeper even though he remained motionless.  And as Odii finished speaking, CCCombobreaker found himself enveloped in Darkness. But what once might have felt like he was being smothered by Darkness, now felt different, softer, as though Darkness was embracing him.  With nowhere else to turn, and no one else to call friend, CCCombobreaker embraced it back.

Presently he could hear the skittering of parasites on the ground and walls around him.  Those skittering parasites that once repulsed him now stopped and awaited some response.  No, it was not just a response they wanted...they were awaiting his command.  As he put his hand down to push himself up, CCCombobreaker felt something next to himself and picked it up.  His eyes were just beginning to adjust to the blackness, and he could make out the faint outline of a doll held in his now shard-like obsidian claws.  I can make good use of this, he mused.  Come my little friends and let us show them all your true power.  Our true power.

2 - CrockettRocket

Spoiler for Hidden:

Note: Everything in the last paragraph is spelled that way on purpose.

Bloody Hell mate!

Preparation for war! Then suddenly, a plague happens.
     Tension filled the atmosphere so densely that only the most talented warriors could breath. In preparation for war, each army ranged from thousands of soldiers to millions, but with the newfound tension so thick, each army now has two warriors. In all armies there is a clear General, the other a Lieutenant.

The reward on the battlefield, and for winning this war.
     The rules are simple: kill all those in sight, survive, and behold the powers of everyone you killed if you killed them with your main power. For example, if fire killed darkness, then water killed fire, water would have both darkness's and fire's powers as well as it's original water power but only if water killed fire with water.

Survival, how are these warriors still breathing?
     Water is surviving with a water sphere around their heads. Air is controlling the very little breathable air that is left to swirl around themselves. Earth is using geothermal energy to create mist as they walk. Gravity is using their three rings to breath, but no one knows what they're made of. Death is not breathing, nor surviving. They're special, they're preparing in the underworld. Life is using photosynthesis to create fresh and breathable air. Time has procrastinated the plague from effecting their surroundings until after the war. Aether is sending out lightning bolts from the sky constantly, smoldering the ground with searing heat to make steam. Being immune to the shocks, they don't worry about the lightning killing them. Darkness is stealing the air out of those who are still managing to breath. Light has ascended to the high heavens, where clouds protect them. Entropy has mutated into a being that doesn't require air. Fire is spontaneously generating fire around their bodies, creating steam because they're so hot.

War! How all those but one army of two died. (Everything in the parentheses is commentary)
     The water sphere circled around so fast that it burst. (Was the water finally starting to shape to it's container? That being the earth? Maybe you guys should give that a try, oh good job! You're lying on the ground.) The air started swirling so fast around the bodies, that it created a vacuum around the users, suffocating them until they begged for mercy, but their begging fell on deaf ears. (Next time, try talking to someone that can hear, rather than being insane. Oh wait, there will be no next time.) Entropy looked in a mirror, their acne and diseased faces traveling across the mirror so fast that it scared themselves to death. (Yo mama so ugly, she died twice as fast as you.) Earth started running, getting too tired and couldn't walk anymore. (I'm telling you, stone skin does not help you run marathons.) Death arose from the underworld to fast for the fight, being shocked at how fast they came into the world, they thought they were actually living. That in itself defeated their moral, making them concede the right to exist. (Wow, you guys are almost as dumb as me.) Life couldn't sustain itself anymore because all the plants absorbed too much light, needing another user's powers to survive, but no way to obtain the powers unless they defeated light in battle. (Ehh, you died cause you were too weak to win a battle, but that was expected if your opponent was light.) Time tried procrastinating too much, but to no avail. (Sounds like me when trying to give my teachers excuses.) Light descended from the high heavens so fast, they hit the earth and died upon impact. (Seriously? You were to dumb to bring a parachute?) Darkness wasn't fast enough to steal the air from more victims, as the breathing of the victims accelerated. (Get your heads out of the shadows, maybe you'd have gotten more victims that way.) Fire's powers were working to well. The heating process went on to fast, which stopped creating steam and instead created water. As the water surrounded their bodies, they were extinguished. (Oooh, not burn.) Aether's lightning bolts flew to fast, searing a hole in the ground rather than sparking a fire. (Wouldn't it have been easier to go into a different dimension? Oh, I guess they call that dimension death. (Suit yourself, now I'll never truly know if you killed yourselves or not.) Gravity used the three rings to win the war, two around their army to breath and one to accelerate other's powers in a manipulative way. (Wow! With the war taking eons, and gravity improving the most per second, gravity should have been a predictable outcome.)

Gravity has won war! The new grandmaster is Captain Scibra!

How was the antidote found?
     The Grandmaster had acquired the powers of everyone he defeated in battle. He then threw up the three rings, and as they dispersed the plague of tension caused a mass sense of relief upon everyone, acting as an antidote. All hail Captain Scibra, the Protector of Peace! He then silenced everyone and slaughtered them all, because of piece and quiet. He gazed up through the air, down at the ground, around the mirror, through the flames, past the heavens, over the buffet table, at the pieces of people he killed, then down at his own body. He felt a shift in his nervous system, with blood soaked all around a knife. That was Naesala's knife, and that was his blood! It was his time to die. He looked death right in the eye and said "I guess it's better than looking at grandma's house."

3 - Naesala

Spoiler for War:

They say that war never changes. Those  who say that are the ones who get killed off. War always changes.

I'm one of the Graviton. A Firemaster. The pinnacle of our technology, harnessing flames to become infinitely powerful. Mercenaries stand beside me, waiting for my word. Armagios have been cleverly placed around the route the Light warriors use to resupply their crusaders with foreign weaponry. I power up and give the motion, and we descend. Armagios rise from their hiding places to absorb blasts of light, pulling the enemies close to them while my flaming spear blazes their cargo. I pump fire quanta into it, the latest in our technologies, scorching the caravan and melting people who approach. The mercenaries laugh, easily repelling angels with their shields, allowing them to easily murder the rest of the troops. The angels cry out, unable to descend bellow our protective barrier as their allies die around us. It's a clean sweep, and we leave them to mourn their dead, now little more than ashes blowing in the wind. I power down. Heat radiates away from my body in waves as some of the mercenaries congratulate me. No congratulations are necessary, the mission was completed as it was meant to be.

Tactics. Technology. Brutality. They grow with every war. Each year we develop better ways to murder our enemies, to destroy their lives. Evermore gruesome. Evermore destructive. And if you can't keep up, it will be your lives that are destroyed. War always changes.

4 - Zawadx

Spoiler for Hidden:

With a burp and a fart, all hell broke loose on the Oracle Plains.
 
Deuce22 sniffed at the air from the top of his mountain of skulls. He could make out traces of a  chicken roast, the perfumes of the Oracle’s Harem, and gas. Those upstart air elementals, defiling their sacred rears! Do they really think some funny smells are enough to topple my magnificent realm?
 
Judging by how all the soldiers still standing on the battlefield were either retching their guts out or flailing uncontrollably, it probably was enough.
 
“A hoi hoi, Deuce!” exclaimed a gruff voice from behind, accompanied by the footsteps of a heavy-set man. “Funny smell around, aye?”
 
Relieved that at least one person around could resist the gas, Deuce sprinted from the top of his mountain and licked Jen-i. “Yes, another dose from Air. But this one… this one’s different. I can sniff it. It’s as bad as some of last night’s gravy.”
 
Suddenly, a hooded figure appeared from behind the mountain and kicked Deuce in the nuts! “Of course it’s as bad as last night’s gravy!” shouted the hoarse voice of vagman13, not even pausing as Deuce let out a pitiful whine, “Did you hear that burp? Gravy and Air are up to something, and last night’s gravy was an omen!”
 
“If your words were right, every little barnacle-hole and gale would be an omen” piped Jen, and Deuce winced in assent. Vagman looked away sullenly, muttering something about illiterate pirates and nutkicks, when a huge portal appeared in the sky; the three remaining aether warriors fell down head-first from it.
 
“That went beyond my visions, sorry.” A deep rolling voice said in  half a whisper and half a telepathic thought. “Pardon me, brave warriors, but the Vagman is right. Something diabolical is spreading across the plain, and it’s taking all of my power to protect my ladies. Air and Gravity are behind this, and for the sake of Elements I ask you to destroy those nymph-stealing maniacs.”
 
“Wait, aren’t we supposed to be the tyrannical villains?” Kakerlake whispered, but he was drowned out by mrpaper’s booming tenor.
 
“Sure, we’ll defeat those vile usurpers. We were gonna do it anyway.”
 
 
~*~

Jenkar stared balefully at the battlefield. All those people dying at his command… was this really the price to pay? Setting up a new tyrant in place of the hated Ninja Dog? “There has to be a better way.” He turned to his lieutenant.
 
The smile on Hainkarga’s face could have rivaled the Chesire Cat. “It’s too late for all that, Jenk. Do you think Fatso will ask us out for a cup of tea when we return with his ladies? Or that deuce will let us live after all those times we’ve humiliated him in combat? That’s only if we survive the thrashing the Gravies will give us when we tell them it’s over.”
 
Jenk sighed. Of course there was no way out. Even if his team managed to defeat all the others and crown him Grandmaster, another would rise to take his title soon enough. He should’ve remained as an enforcer of the rules, instead of jumping into the foray at Hain’s suggestion.
 
He instead turned to the Oracle plains, to the lush hollows in which he’d spent his beautiful days of War-mastering. Of course, it wasn’t so lush after their little gas explosion… Just as the entire realm wouldn’t be so lush once Hain has his way. Jenk looked back at Hain, who was soaking in the barren landscape as if it were the world’s most magnificent vista. As good an opportunity as I’ll find. He raised his hand high, readying an orb of thunder.
 
Hain deflected the blast with a lazy flick of his hand, sending the Shockwave to some random demiplane through a dimshield. “Oooh la la, Jenk, I never expected this from you. I thought were supposed to be allies. Who would expect something so dishonorable from the great Jenkar, the oh so competent Warmaster. It’s your fault that Aether holds sway today, Jenk. One little rule change from you would’ve made Air the supreme today, but you were too much of a pussy for that. But I must thank you, for your foolishness is what gave me the power to become a wielder of both the mortal air and the divine! “
 
Jenk stared at Hain with bloodshot eyes, calculating if he’d manage to get away with a run. He always knew Hain was crazy, but this was just quintessential evil villain level. But even as he turned to run, Hain stopped him with a violent gust. “There’s no place you can run, Jenk. Stay, and I’ll ensure that you won’t die. Stay, and you might even be crowned as Grandmaster, as long as you remain a good boy and do not mess with my plans.” He offered out his hand.
 
Jenk bit his lip, and shoved himself up. He took Hain’s hand, and gave a reluctant shake. “Alright then. Let’s go defeat the Tyrant.”
 
 
~*~

A low moan sounded from the open window of the Harem, but Deuce22 opted to not look. Hain was making his way up the mountain, and it wouldn’t do to be distracted at this moment. Not now, when this war was at an end. “Hello Hain. Ready to end this?”
 
Hain gave a cynical smile. “Hello, Tyrant. Don’t you want to know where Jenk is?”
 
Deuce shot him a blank look. “No, I just want to get this over with.”
 
“Well, it all started the day we crowned you. The clock was ticking...”
 
“Er, Hain, we really can’t do a monolog here. The clock’s ticking even now.”
 
“Oh just die!” Hain shouted as his sword thrust into Deuce’s belly, leaving the dog entrails hanging. The great ninja staggered, and fell from the mountain to his demise.
 
“A war without a Grandmaster and me in charge of Aether.” Hain’s eyes glinted with the daydream as he watched Deuce fall. “This will be fun.” 

5 - mathman101

Spoiler for War story entry:

   As he rode toward the battle with his staff held high the Life General could see the fire in the eyes of his troops as every giant frog, cockatrice, and scorpion raced along beside him ready to defend their domain of the elemental world. Already on the battlefield Aether was casting bolts of lightning from the palms of his hands as the Water General steadied himself behind his shield of ice. Fire spirits were crawling around everywhere to ransack whomever they could manage to sneak up on. Entropy's General was about to toss a seed filled with chaos upon one of the spirits, but just before he could tongues of flames rose out of the ground right where the spirit had been. When the flames subsided a lava destroyer stood there as if the spirit had been cremated and the destroyer had rose from the ashes of the spirit. Death slowly danced around the wreckage laughing joyfully as mighty colossal and stone dragons fell to the ends of their lives, just so that he could reanimate their bodies into an army of skeletal warriors.
   Life stopped on the outer edge of the war zone and realized this was war, and that he would have to do his best if he wished to come out alive. He took one more look at his warriors and knew that they were ready to fight. He tossed out a few shots of adrenaline to some of the well known frogs and scorpions, "You guys know what to do with these!" he shouted to them with exuberance over the crack of a thunderstorm starting. The scorpions scuttled about in multitudes overloading the smaller groups of creatures where they could. Fireflies and dragonflies swarmed out in a battalion from the outstretched sleeves of the Air General towards the mass of frogs. The two groups clashed in a furry of wings and tongues, exoskeletons and webbed feet, severe injury for some and death for others.
   Some may call it a gauntlet of destruction, others have heard it called a bloodlust among mortal enemies, but everyone knew it as 'War of the Mighty Elementalists!'. Twelve mighty armies would enter the battlefield ready to defend each of their domains, with a high and mighty General at their lead, but only one would emerge victorious.

6 - willng3

Spoiler for War:

He awoke, gasping for air.

  It seemed like he had been released from a continuous nightmare as he felt the frigid floor beneath him. He had no recollection of how he arrived at this cold, dark room as he stood and attempted to make sense of his current situation. Gazing at the ground, a sudden burst of greenery caught his attention which spread outwards from an unseen source and seemed to kiss his feet, granting them a warm, tingling sensation as contact was made. Even without the figure having a face, the man recognized the presence immediately.
  "Where...where am I? How did I come to this place?" he asked.
  The response was lighthearted, but not devoid of concern. "You are situated in the void between life and death. Your spirit was resurrected by my power."
  Pausing briefly, she continued. "Both your body and spirit were broken during the Great War, but I am willing to restore your earthly form. And though it may seem heartless of me to ask this of you, I am in need of you to lend your strength in the battles that approach."
  "Whatever my lady requires of me, I will do as she commands. But I must know, how long has it been since my fall?"
  "One and a half years," she responded before adding a hint of caution to her next statement. "I need you to lend your services to another Element in the next Great War."
  The man was virtually speechless. "You would ask me to fight against you? I, who have stood by you for years and have rallied others to your cause?" He clenched his fists tightly as he continued, "Have I dishonored you in my defeat so much that you would breathe life into me only to forsake me?"
  A soothing warmth rose up from within him that seemed to alleviate his devastation.
  "I will never forsake you. You may fight against those who have also taken my name, but I will always remain by your side in spirit. What you need to understand is that, in your current state, you will be unable to offer the same amount of strength as you had when you were still a Master. You have forgotten what it means to fear the power that I have gifted you, and you have therefore forgotten how to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies."
  Breathing a deep sigh, she continued. "I cannot bear losing you again. This is why I need you to traverse to the other side and observe with your own eyes why my power is meant to be feared. I needed you before to act as a shield to defend those who I chose to nurture and grant their current strength. Eventually I will need you to stand among them and cut down our enemies without mercy."
  Grimacing, he responded, "They will despise me for this."
  "They will despise you," the spirit agreed, "They will try everything within their power to see that you fall before them. But in doing so they will also find themselves uniting against a common enemy and they will become stronger than before. By facing their strength you will also become stronger and will remember what it means to fear deep within your heart."
  The spirit approached the man and though she did not possess a physical form, he could still unmistakably feel a hand caress his cheek.
  "I will not stop until I finally have you back within my embrace," she reassured him.
  The spirit then broke off contact with the man and walked away, leaving a trail of wildflowers behind as she passed. Instinctively, he did the same as he left behind the warmth that he was familiar with and wandered out into the cold unknown. After a time he was able to see a doorway of light in the distance which he felt drawn to for reasons he could not explain. When he stood before the door, he took a deep breath and stepped into the light, not knowing what awaited him on the other side.
  When his eyes had readjusted to their new surroundings, he took in a world of purple which seemed to obey a very perverse set of physics that he did not understand. As he explored more of this new area he came across a curved purple sword embedded in what could be called the ground that seemed to draw him to it the longer that he gazed upon it. Casting aside his hesitation, he grasped the hilt and removed the sword from the ground. As he inspected the blade more closely he became aware of the presence of five individuals approaching him from behind. Turning to face them, he understood why they had sought him out like this.
  "So Entropy," he stated with a smile, "What do you require from a fallen Master of Life?" In response, one of the figures pointed to a valley to the east. He knew what awaited him there.
  The two opponents met in this green-filled area and stared at each other for what seemed like hours. "So," spoke dawn to dusk, "Are you ready to fall before my blade, traitor?"
  "Let's just see you try", the man replied with a smirk.
  As the two combatants struck at one another, it quickly became obvious to the man that he did not stand a chance against a general as powerful as the one attacking him. And yet with each new injury that appeared on his body, he felt invigorated by the adrenaline that coursed through him in response. In the end, however, his strength proved to be inferior to his opponent as he lay defeated on the ground, blood exuding from several wounds on his body.
  "Now then...", the general began, "I'll leave you to succumb to death's cold embrace."
  Smiling wearily, the man replied, "On the contrary, my friend, I don't think I've ever felt quite so alive."

7 - Oyek

Spoiler for Into the Night of Falling Stars:

We suddenly found ourselves in a clearing; the black trees parted, revealing a spacious black lake calmly rippling by the night. We had been running in the dark forest for about ten minutes now. We strained our ears and listened closely for signs of our pursuer.

     “Did we lose them?”

     “No,” I panted, taking out a small water bottle and refilling it. “They have ‹‹Chords›› with them. ‹‹Air’s›› Unique Skill, ‹‹Remote Sense››, allows the caster to radar other people’s locations. There’s no way we’d lose them with just this.”

     “Then what do we do?” the fair-skinned girl with me said downheartedly. She had long, flowing black hair, characteristic of her kind. The fairness of her skin was from being a ‹‹Lensmaker››, while her ‹‹Grimoire’s›› umbrella form was evidence of a ‹‹Rainmaker››.

     I held her trembling hand. “There’s no other way. Kill me.”

     “What?” she panicked.

     “Listen. There’s a troop of ‹‹Lensmakers›› currently after us, and both our Health-Bars are already in the red. Plus, we’ve already seen from Spiegel's fight; they mastered ((Holy Flashes)). ‹‹Darkness›› is completely ineffective here.”

     “I can still fight with ‹‹Water-”

     “Do you really think a ‹‹Half-Blood›› who spent her entire life in the isolated land of ‹‹Darkness›› would be a match for them??? You’re a ‹‹Lensmaker-Rainmaker›› in name only… We can’t win anymore…”

     “But- That… That doesn’t mean I have to end your life……”

     I could see pearls of tear forming by the corner of her eye. This is why I didn’t want to stay in this place too long. I always end up making unnecessary connections with the people, and then it becomes only harder for it to leave them when the time comes.

     “Listen. I am a refugee,” I gripped her hand even firmer. It’s not like I wanted to die, but there were more than a hundred ‹‹Shadow›› casualties already. I can’t let this continue any longer. “Sorry I brought this onto all of you. If only I hadn’t come; ‹‹Light›› wouldn’t have attacked you…”

     “Don’t say tha-”

     “It’s true. This all started when I was accused of stealing the ‹‹Shard of Freedom››. Even though I was only a student, there was somehow a video showing me, stealing the Shard. Naturally, no one believed me when I told them I didn’t do it. No matter how many eyewitnesses…

     “War broke out between ‹‹Air›› and ‹‹Time››. I was driven out of my own country, ran for my life, all the elite forces have been searching the whole map for me, and now they found me; it’s my fault that ‹‹Light›› is now after the people of ‹‹Darkness›› too. That’s why, the least I can do is die by your hands.”

     “I…”

     She remained speechless.

     I mustered my resolve. “You’ll kill me in front of them. When they see with their own eyes that I died by your hands, at the very least, they’ll spare your life… as a witness if anything else……”

     “……”

     “Hey, remember when we first met?” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “It was in this exact same spot, wasn’t it? When I was still running from the T50 and stumbled upon you in the middle of that lake.”

     She didn’t reply. I guess an icebreaker really was too much to ask of right now. The sound of rustling leaves followed. Three of the five generals emerged out of the thicket and pointed their [[Morning Glories]] at us.

     “Do it,” I whispered.

     But she stayed rooted to the spot.

     “Please,” I repeated.

     Her legs were limp, her face downcast. I knew it was too much to expect of her. She never, not even once, had the guts to hurt a {{Damselfly}}, let alone bring herself to kill a living, breathing human being.

     If she wasn’t going to… maybe I can still do that by getting hit while protecting her.

     However, just when I thought she’d bail, hands trembling more than ever, she slowly raised her [[Vampire Stiletto]], looked into my eyes one last time, and when she had finally conveyed her last farewell telepathically, closed her eyes and let out a blood-curdling scream.

     Her weapon pierced through my chest. It didn’t hurt much thanks to my high END. My Health-Bar dropped empty, and in a whirl of white light, the last thing I saw was Ching’s defeated face.











     Under a faraway tree, Synth rested from the moonlight shade. His ‹‹Hunger-Bar›› was empty, but he didn’t worry. It only deals damage when walking. Nor did he worry about his emptying ‹‹Sleep-Bar››. He wasn’t going to fight. An empty ‹‹Thirst-Bar›› will deal damage over time, much like a Poison-Counter, so being the most dangerous, he occasionally drinks from a small, black water bottle.

     Miraculously fullest of all, however, was his ‹‹Health-Bar››. It was a risky plan, but just after Ching struck, Synth used a ‹‹Teleportation-Crystal›› to escape. Thank the Oracles the moon was out tonight. For the first time, ‹‹Astral Watch›› was actually useful to him, timing the ‹‹Teleportation-Crystal›› at the exact millisecond. Honestly, he had never been happier to be a ‹‹Chronicler››.

     He didn’t die, because for some mysterious reason, unlike normal humans, he has two ‹‹Health-Bars››; 200 Hit-Points. He only found out about this recently. His Mark had also been quite active lately, and his Draw Rate has increased twice as fast. Why, he no longer knew; what these things mean, he could only surmise.

     He felt bad faking his death and not telling Ching, but he was sure she wouldn’t believe he had 200 HP anyway. In any case, he could not stay in the same place for long. Who knows when the generals will find out he’s still alive. To keep Ching and the other ‹‹Shadows›› from danger, he had to get away from the land of ‹‹Darkness››, as soon as possible.

     Clutching the wound in his chest, he heaved himself up and, staggering, started on his next journey.

8 - Higurashi

Spoiler for Mindgate:

"Honey, time to get out of the baaaath."
"Dun wanna!"
"You'll turn into a raaaaisin."
"Nuh-uh, you can't trick me anymore, mom."
"Oh yeah? Look at your fingertips then."

The girl looked down at her hands and her eyes widened. She flings herself out of the bathtub and skids into the wall.
"Oof."


She loved spending her time in the yard. Her mother had a small but lovely garden that encircled her in their backyard. Surrounded by flowers and bird's song, she would play around with her pretend-fencing act. In her head she was a galactic heroine out to save the universe from evil.

Suddenly, a spark.

She stops in her tracks, mid-lunge, and stares at the bushes. There had been a flash like dry lightning, for there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and a crackle from behind the bushes. She slowly tip-toes into the foliage...

And just like that, she was tumbling through a tunnel, trying in vain to get her bearings and remain upright. Finally managing to look in the direction she was falling, she was approaching the end and saw a ring of bones. She was falling into it.


Marisa was well occupied fending off a near-full platoon of Graboids and more. Explosions all around her bore witness to Novas with which these creatures were summoned. Then, something heavy drops on her head.

"Oof."
She stumbles on her feet. A little girl? She looks up as the portal closes. Bad timing.

An enormous Shrieker assaults the wall with a deafening screech. Inside the wall it's only louder. The girl forgets where she is and clings onto the leg of the only other human around. She looks up to see the tall Lady Aether surrounded by crackling electricity. Her hair stands on end as energy from within her travels into the ashen red sky. It breaks open to reveal dark space with all its stars. Just like that the sky is clear as on a winter night in just that spot.

Then comes a crackling, oppressive pressure from the sky that forces them both to avert their eyes from the beauty. A huge stream of turquoise energy booms down into the Shrieker in a matter of half a second. Pieces fly everywhere and it roars in its death throes. The girl is mouth agape.

A familiar brand of Arsenic flickers in the darkness. It beats its searing poison against the wall. The thing that is giving them no time to rest is a Fire elemental. Marisa mutters under her breath.
"Traitor..."

He responds with a mocking cry.
"Maybe you should've bid more for me then!"

His banter leaves him open for a split second. She accelerates her own Arsenic with psionic force. It thuds into his chest. His eyes widen. He loses control of his legs and kneels, clutching his torso. Her work isn't done, she knows that much. She finishes uttering a long and forbidden chant in a language understood only by the Immortals, the Phase beings and the old gods. This time the entire sky opens up and the darkness and the reddening hue of everything makes way for a bright blue glow.

What they see before themselves is something akin to the northern lights breaking apart into smaller and smaller fractions, gaining sharp angles and corners rapidly. It's immensely beautiful. The fire elemental stares at it wistfully, as if remembering something familiar and comforting.

Then from the thin lines in the cracks of the sky, something enormous comes crashing into their world. Wings of ivory and purple mist beat the air, and a deafening roar fills the temporary silence. Nearby six more of the beasts come down from the sky, their eyes aglow with an unnatural fire as they stare hungrily at him. The fire elemental summons a mist around himself and brings down a few Dragons with fiery rage in a final desperate act, but the destruction that follows is merciless. Marisa turns the girl away.


"Who was that?! Where am I?!"
She's both excited and terrified, but doesn't ask who the woman before her is. Marisa can't help but smile.

"You're having a bad dream. You fell asleep in the garden. Remember the garden? The flowers and the bird song. Can you picture it in your head? Keep thinking of it, okay?"


The girl wakes up in the grass and the serenity. No more thunder, no more destruction. She had a very noisy dream. Her fingers touch something that wasn't there before, around her neck. The string tied to a small pendant, shaped somewhat like a leaf. She feels the inexplicable need to avoid touching the pendant itself and to hide it away in her room. She feels she's going to need it later. Back to her pretend swordplay.


Marisa approaches the blackened remains of the fire elemental.
"The process of mindgating does not always involve seeing into your opponent's mind in the present. Sometimes you have to go back in time, or forward, to see plans they didn't know they had yet or plans they had forgotten. My younger self was here today and saw what you had in mind. That's why I knew your moves before you did. Take notes."

She pulls out the Arsenic and he falls to the ground with a final breath.

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/round-2-167/%28aether%29-gen-higurashi-3-%28fire%29-deuce22-%282%29/

9 - eljoemo

Spoiler for Hidden:

Accessing Digital Journal for Pvt L. Joemo.

Locating Digital Journal entries.

Digital Journal entries located.

Beginning playback of recent Digital Journal entries.

Entry recorded on 17-05-2145 at 22:46 local time.

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Still not much to report so far. We've been running drills and training for the most part. I think the General is still worried about what happened in the caves a couple months back. Reckons we were under-prepared and need more training. I reckon he just can't take blame for sending us in ill-equip. Blaming us is a load of bull crap; he's supposed to know what's going on. How were we supposed to know they would set off an earthquake? Leaving us stranded from our supplies. Leaving us sitting ducks for their shriekers. He's the one with all the intel, he should have prepared us better! Anyway, still no word on who'll we'll be hitting next. I heard from a guy that Fire tried to take on one of our outposts near the mountains. Maybe the General wants to get some revenge. I dunno. And as long as he doesn't screw us over this time, I don't care who we have to fight. Anyway, sleep's calling. It's been a long day. Joemo Out.


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Entry recorded on 07-06-2145 at 15:07 local time.

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Water just hit us. Hard. The weather'd been a little grim, then the day before last, it just started raining and raining and raining. This storm would make a hurricane look like a hose pipe. Within hours we're flooded, at least two foot deep, the whole base. Then the crawlers came, pulling the men down with their tentacles. They keep coming more and more, more than I've seen at once. We fought back what we could, but conventional weaponry doesn't work well underwater. We had to retreat to higher ground, the General was not happy. Salvage and repairs didn't take long, there wasn't much left for them to destroy. It's the men they wanted anyway. They know we're short on troops. But at least- ... Yes, Sir! Coming, Sir! ... ugh. Joemo out.


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Entry recorded on 23-06-2145 at 18:30 local time.

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The General is pleased with our progress. We spent 5 god-damned camped out in some hellish jungle, constantly fighting off some kind of rabid animal or critter all the damn time. Barely time to stop and eat before something else attacks you for 5, whole, days! And the General is pleased! The general can kiss my god-damned ass! I watched a man get his leg torn off by some huge jumped up chicken thing and he's pleased. He didn't even come out here either. He sent his cocky lieutenant over to tell us he's bloody pleased. We could have died! We nearly did. If he ever gets his self righteous backside out of his office and comes down here to where us soldiers are, I'll be damn pleased. Pleased I finally have the chance to shove my boot up his snatch. Who the hell does he think he is? I swear sometimes I could just ... argh ... When this is done, I swear I'm gonna find that guy, and I'm gonna tell him what I think. Of him. And this whole operation. Joemo out.


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Entry recorded on 25-06-2145 at 08:23 local time.

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Y'know, I knew the General was cold. I knew he wanted to win, whatever the cost. I knew that we were just another asset to him, just another tool for him to use then cast aside. But this? This is a whole new low. We just got a bunch of new recruits in and they don't have a clue. They wouldn't know a salvager from a sanctuary. I'm surprised one of 'em hasn't managed to kill himself yet. And they're being shipped out to the desert as soon as we get the signal. They don't stand a chance. I know that, you know that. Hell, I think even they know it. But the General's got this master plan, he knows what he's doing. When them Time folks wipe out our little friends, they'll think we're done. They'll come for more, and they'll find an ambush. It's a brilliant strategy, mind you. But what the hell kind of leader would send an entire squad of rookies in knowing they're dead men? And that's our General. He'd get us all killed if it won him the war. Disobey order, you get killed. Follow orders, you get killed. Either way, the General's screwing us over... Joemo out.


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Entry recorded on 03-08-2145 at 20:41 local time.

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Someone once said war is hell. War isn't hell. If it was, there'd be a reason for me being here. I'd know why I had watch my friends die. I'd know why I have to slaughter the innocent in the name of something that means nothing to me. If war was hell, I would deserve this. We move tomorrow, first thing. The last push, the big guys. They say that that's where we can win this war, once and for all. They don't get it. No one wins war. Even if we beat Aether, and I get to go home, to my family, to my life; even then we won't have won. When all 12 nations fight each other for... for what? Everyone loses. So I'll go. I'll go and I'll fight. Maybe I'll die, maybe I won't. But in truth, I already did die, a long long time ago...


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Closing Digital Journal for Pvt. L. Joemo.

[SpikeSpiegel]

Up!

[rob77dp]

Will's username is misspelled in the submissions as "willing3".  There is only (1) 'i' and it is correct in the poll...

[willng3]

Will's username is misspelled in the submissions as "willing3".  There is only (1) 'i' and it is correct in the poll...

The fact that it was correct in the poll was the only reason I didn't point out the typo in the submissions :D

When I'm reincarnated I'll choose a less easily typo'd username guys, I swear!

[Espithel]

I only voted for one person.
It was the person that blew my mind.

[SpikeSpiegel]

Typo fixed. Thanks for being annoying the report.

[Naesala]

Good luck to everyone!

[CrockettRocket]

Good luck to everyone!

I'll need it x)

[eljoemo]

Congratulations to willng3, a great story indeed!

Also a well done to everyone else, they were all good.

[Dm]

Congratulations to willng3 for winning our Short Story Competition this time around!

Topic will remain open for another 24 hours~

[ARTHANASIOS]

Gratz willu! A fair 1st place.

[Zawadx]

Gratz Willu! /late

Locking~