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[Xyvol]

I was looking at the short story contest and thinking what I could have done for it, when a screenshot I took a while ago came back to my mind. It inspired me to write this short little scene, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it. It would have been too long for the contest anyway, I kept putting more detail in.

Amethyst swung her hammer and sent the last skritt flying. It slammed into the cavern wall and slumped down, unmoving. Nasty vermin, she thought. Like overgrown rats that could walk upright and talk. A little ways behind her, she heard the two humans near the pillar speak.
"Just how long is the fuse on that thing, exactly?"
"Um, how fast can you run?"
They began to run for the cave entrance and Amethyst knew she'd never catch up before that bomb went off. She dove for cover under the flimsy tin of a skritt's hut. The bomb blast at the base of the column sent shards of rock flying across the cavern. With a great shaking, the ceiling of the cavern collapsed, filling it with debris and dust. Once the shaking stopped, Amethyst kicked the tin away and dusted herself off.
"Wolf's teeth," she cursed. Those humans were too rash. She stood up and took stock of her surroundings. The bomb had done it's job, as intended. Whatever was left of the small skritt encampment was cut off from the cave opening that lead to the human's lumber mill. That would keep the pests off their back for a while, but they would eventually return. Just like rats. She spit in the dust.
Sunlight streamed in through an opening near the top of the cavern. It seems the cave-in had opened up an alternate means of escape. Thanking the Spirits for watching over her, she began to climb. Wood and metal scraps dislodged from the blast made the climb an easy one. Pulling herself up onto a grassy hill top, Amethyst was greeted with a majestic sight. In the distance, against a darkening twilight sky, stood the silhouette of Divinity's Reach, the human's massive walled capital city.
Finally, she thought, this journey is almost at an end.

Attached Files

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[QueenEtna]

Nice I like it

[Xyvol]

“That, I think, cleans you out,” Varg said as he leaned across the table and scooped the pile of coins towards him. Then, as if the thought just occured to him he said, “Unless you’re willing to wager that frilly top you call ‘armor,’ little girl.” His sneer was sickening.
Amethyst scoffed and said, “Maybe, if that’s going to be all the entertainment you can get tonight.” Varg’s sneer turned to a scowl, and Amethyst hurried on before he could respond to the insult. ”But I have something better. Romke’s horn. I’ll wager it against all the winnings from tonight.” It was a risky move; that horn had been passed down her family for generations. She’d only brought it with her as a claim to her ancestry if there was trouble being admitted into this year’s Great Hunt. Varg had won most of their games this evening, including that last one, but his luck couldn’t hold forever.
This time Varg was the one who scoffed. “Someone like you wouldn’t have the property of one of the legendary hunters!” He began to sneer again, but it turned into a shocked expression as Amethyst pulled the horn from her pack.
“Romke was and ancestor of mine. This horn’s been in my family for generations,” she said as she placed the horn on the table.
“That’s a mighty thing to be wagering in a dice game,” Varg said quietly.
“I know, but my money’s all been lost and I have no place to stay in Hoelbrak. I have to win it back.”
Varg raised his voice loud enough to be hear across the moot. “You’re on! The horn against this pile of coins, winner keeps all. One toss decides the outcome.” He reached over and held the dice out to Amethyst. “I’ll even let you make the toss.” That sickening sneer was back, and Amethyst had second thoughts about wagering the horn, but there was no backing out now.
Amethyst took the dice and rattled them, saying a silent prayer to Wolf.  The bone they were carved from felt heavy in her hand. She took a deep breath and tossed the dice across the table. They rolled and bounced over the wood planks, then slowed and wobbled a bit before finally settling. Jormag’s tooth showed on each one. She’d lost. She just sat there and stared at the two dice.
Varg laughed excitedly as he stood and plucked the horn from the table. He scooped the dice and coins into a bag, then hesitated for a moment. He then tossed a handful of coppers on the table. “I’d hate to think of a poor little girl sleeping under a snow bank tonight.” He laughed as he walked away from the table. Amethyst just sat there, astonished that she had lost everything.
“Hail to the finest hunters of the season!” Eir’s voice called from the steps leading up the mountain. “Follow me if you dare – and ready yourselves for battle!” The Great Hunt was starting. Amethyst picked up her hammer from beside the table. No, she hadn’t lost everything. She would make her legend, starting here.

[Xyvol]

Today is my birthday, Amethyst thought. Her father had promised to take her along on one of his hunting trips when she was old enough and had enough training to protect herself in the wild. His gift to her today had been to make good on that promise. Today was her birthday, and all she could think about was that they all were going to die.
Sons of Svanir had raided the camp just after sunset, while the hunting party was at work preparing the day's kill. Now they had all the men bound and lined up un the middle of the camp. The women were off to the side. Not for any chivalrous reason, the Sons of Svanir saw women as weak and inferior. The women would simply be killed once the men were delt with. Still, the female hunters of the group had their hands bound like the men, "to keep them from annoying us," as one of the Svanir had put it. Amethyst knelt along side the other women, but she had not been tied up. No one felt a little girl posed any threat. Sitting in the snow beside a large hulking warrior, she certainly felt scared and helpless.
"You have trespassed on Dragon's hunting grounds," the leader of this Sons of Svanir group was saying to the men lined up in front of him. "Dragon does not share His meat with those who are weak. Only those who have embraced the power of Dragon, the Sons of Svanir, may hunt these lands. I give you a choice. Join the Sons of Svanir, let Dragon show you what it means to be powerful. If not, we will kill you here and let the carrion feast on your bodies."
A man stepped forward from the line of captives to speak. Amethyst realized that it was her father, Kain. "Dragon holds no lands, only takes what is meant for all. The power you feel comes from destruction and corruption. It will only lead to your demise. Reject Jormag's influence and return to the ways of your people before the corruption changes you to one of his mindless servants."
"Fool," the Svanir leader shouted. He pushed Kain to his knees in the snow. "The other Spirits are weak! Dragon has already killed several of them, He will finish off the others. Dragon is the most powerful of all the Spirits. If you cannot embrace his power, then you will die!" The man pulle his sword free and drew back for the killing blow.
"No!"
Amethyst sprang to her feet and raced forward. All thoughts of hulking warriors or helplessness were gone. She didn't have a plan or consideration for what would happen when she reached him, all she knew was that her father was in trouble. Her loving father, who taught her how to hunt deer in the forest, how to track a rabbit through the snow, how to avoid a wolf's bite, how to stave off the freeze from an ice wurm. He was about to be stuck down, and she couldn't, she wouldn't sit and watch.
She reached her father just as the sword was swinging down, and planted herself between him and the attacker. Closing her eyes, she threw her arm up in front of herself to ward against the blow that would cleave it off, and surely kill her as well. There was a dull thud as the sword struck against something solid, something that was surprisingly not her arm.
Amethyst opened her eyes.
Between her arm and the sword was a purplish glow of light, in roughly the shape of a shield. It pulsed as the steel pressed against it. The Svanir leader hesitated a moment, then he pushed his weight forward against the magical shield, shoving Amethyst down into the snow. The shield winked out of existance.
Above her she heard a strange sound. An unnatural sound that began as the cry of a man and ended as the roar of a bear. As Amethyst looked up at her father, furry paws burst the rope bindings and swung around to slam into the head of the Svanir leader. The man fell to the snow, large gashes clawed across his face.
Around the camp, sounds of battle broke out as the captive hunters turned on their Svanir captors. Most took on the form of their totem animals, a few fought while still bound, using whatever advantage they could find. The humanoid bear that was her father stood over Amethyst, swatting away any who dared approach. The fight was over after a few minutes, the Sons of Svanir dead or fleeing into the woods. Kain reverted back to his human form and knelt down in the snow, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"Amethyst, are you alright?"
Slowly she sat up and began to realize what had just occurred. She was alive. Her father was alive. She flung her arms around Kain's waist. Sitting there in the snow, in her father's embrace, she began to cry.

Armund Hjorth watched the last sliver of sun go down behind the dome of the Great Hall. It was time to turn in for the evening, for tomorrow would bring an early start with a new group of trainees. He made ready for bed, but just as he was about to lay down, a thunderous knock came from the door.
Upon opening the door, he found Kain Talonthorn outside.
"Greetings Armund," Kain said. "I hope you'll forgive the late call. I have a favor to ask." His hand was on the shoulder of a young girl who stood at his side. "This is my daughter, Amethyst. I'd like you to begin training her with the others tomorrow."
"The class is full," Armund replied. "Besides, she looks much younger than the required age." Even as he spoke though, he could sense something in this girl. Passion blazed in her violet eyes as she stepped forward.
Armund had heard many elaborate stories and reasons from eager young students who hoped to shirk the requirements for training. As Amethyst stood before him, tall and proud, she only said one simple thing.
"I want to help people."


(I had a couple of ideas for this scene a little while ago when I was wondering how someone would go about choosing their profession from an lore perspective rather than selecting it from a menu. When I logged in with Amethyst last week and got a birthday gift, I just had to write it out )

[Rimmy1a]

Interesting, I hadn't considered that the professions would manifest themselves, rather than be the result of training + aptitude.

I like your way.

[Xyvol]

Thanks! It's just one possibility that I thought of. We're told that all creatures of Tyria have the natural ability for magic. I'm certain you could train to be any profession you wish, but some people would have a natural affinity, or talent for a particular skill.

[Xyvol]

Figured I put this here instead of a new topic. I met an artist at a convention last month and I asked her to sketch Amethyst for me. I like how it turned out, especially the detail on the armor!

http://irishmoo.deviantart.com/

[obsession]

May I ask you something, that sounds quite good and interesting, do you write more than that, are the more stories to read - and did u ever publish something of it?

[Xyvol]

Hey, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed! Unfortunately no, I don't have any other writing works. I was feeling creative at the time, but haven't really kept up on it.

[obsession]

Maybe at some point you really should do as it seems quite readable and pleasing, I know also what you mean, sometimes you have to motivate yourself in being creative all the way, but a freind of mine also started like that, just wrote short stories but then she had the courage to go to a publishing house to spread them.

[obsession]

I can tell news by the ways, as I am also writing for myself and after a logn time I made the first step and sended my manuscript to a vanity publisher, novum publishing, and got accepted so far - just had to spread the good news as I am so happy this functioned after all the work I put inside my project.