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durinde-blog · 5 months ago

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Lighthouse on the Glass Sea

(Note: This was an entry for a Newgrounds writing jam.)

They say that you can always tell those who walk the path of magic by their eyes. As they delve deeper and deeper into the arcane arts, their eyes change. Come across any experienced wizard and you will see that their eyes are always deep-set, always with a strange sparkle, and always with unusual coloring. Most strikingly, their eyes always carry a look of deep sadness.

The Archmagus of the school was no exception; her eyes bore all the telltale signs of being imbued with the traits of those who studied magic. I always felt that the Archmagus had exceptionally sad eyes, but the look she gave me now with those sparkly seafoam green orbs was downright heartbreaking.

She stared at me in silence from across her massive desk, its expansive surface filled with an assortment of books, artifacts, and baubles. In fact, her entire office was a visual cacophony of all the unusual trappings one might acquire in a lifetime of studying magic. A finger bone here, a staff there - even the tapestries that lined the walls seemed to shift and change color.

I had never been in her office before, and the curious part of me wanted to closely examine every object and every nook and cranny. However, those sad eyes of hers seemed to spellbind me into uncomfortable silence.

I had no idea why I had been summoned here. The day had started usual enough with breakfast, followed by the standard morning classes. The only thing of note was later in the morning, while we tended to the school's herb garden, we did see a horseback courier gallop through the courtyard. However, a hurried courier in itself was not an unusual sight, given the importance of the magic school and those who dwelled within it.

It was while we were having lunch when a strange hush fell over the dining hall. The room darkened, and I found myself illuminated in a light green glow - the sign that I had been summoned to the Archmagus' office.

The dining hall erupted in chatter then. Rarely did anyone get summoned to the office unless they were in extreme trouble.

"It's time they got rid of you," I heard one student remark as I stood to leave.

"Doubt she'll be back," I heard one whisper to another. "Usually if they summon you, that's it."

I jumped back to reality when three sharp raps sounded on the office door. At that, the Archmagus finally broke eye contact with me and glanced towards the door.

"Come," she said in a soft, yet authoritative voice.

Daven, the boy who had remarked about it being time for the school to get rid of me, entered.

Daven never liked me and constantly mocked me for being a "book mage". I had always excelled at academics, but in pure magical talent, he had me beat and he liked to remind me of that fact. He gave me a look as he passed me by and placed a small device on the table. Daven turned to leave, but the Archmagus beckoned him to stay.

"Do you know what this is?" the Archmagus asked, motioning to the item.

My heart sank as I knew where this was going.

"It's the device that they bring to the villages to test for magical power," I said. "We all had to make the little needle jump before we were invited to the school."

The Archmagus gave a slight smile.

"Do you remember how you did?" she asked.

"Not well, Archmagus. I only got it to go to the first marker."

She held out her hand to the device. "Pick it up, please."

I picked it up and hesitated.

"Go ahead," she said.

I began to concentrate, remembering the instructions that we had been given when the school scouts came to my hometown. I felt the universal energy gathered by me flow into the device.

I closed my eyes and felt the device begin to warm. I did my best to push as much power as I could into it.

"Open your eyes and tell me what you see," the Archmagus said.

I forced my eyes open to stare at the instrument. The needle hovered over the first marker, just as it had two years ago.

"It's at the first marker," I said.

"Now give the device to your classmate here."

I turned and handed the device over.

The Archmagus nodded to Daven, who then performed the same procedure as I had just done.

I saw the needle jump up to the 5th marking.

"A typical result," the Archmagus said. "It's about what we would expect from a student who has been in the school for this long."

She looked to my classmate. "You may go," she said. "And do not speak a word about what you saw here."

"Yes, ma'am," Daven said. He shot me another dirty look and gave me a satisfied smile as he passed by.

The Archmagus leaned back and stared at me with those sad eyes again. "Absolutely no progress," the Archmagus said.

"If I let you continue here, you'd only get hurt when your class moves on to higher-level magics. I can't send you home either."

I kept silent and only nodded. The sinking feeling in my heart only intensified.

"Of course, we told you that when you first came here."

I nodded, remembering the lecture that they gave to the first years. I vividly recalled the Archmagus and the school staff on stage getting us to repeat the mantra "Once a mage, always a mage."

"What do you think we do with failed mages?"

I gulped. The words "failed mage" hit me like a barrel of bricks.

"I... I'm not sure, Archmagus..." I stuttered. I thought of the extensive graveyard on the school grounds. Would they...?

The Archmagus gave me a slight smile, seeming to read my thoughts. "Please, it's not as bad as you think. We have a place for you."

The Archmagus pulled a letter from a desk drawer and examined it for a moment. She also dropped three small glass marbles in front of me. They glowed with a faint green light.

"Do you know what these are?"

"Yes, Archmagus," I nodded. "Mage Spheres. If a mage needs to cast a spell that requires much energy, they can rely on the spheres to give them a boost."

"And why do we need to do that?"

"Some spells are just that powerful, way beyond a mage's natural ability."

The Archmagus nodded and turned her attention back to the letter. "And where do these spheres come from?"

I thought back to a first-year lecture. "The Glass Sea," I said. Aware of the name, but not quite understanding what that meant. I remembered something about the name being a misnomer.

"Good," the Archmagus said. "Good. You should do fine apprenticing under Magus Ladev. She has written and requested some help at her lighthouse."

"Apprenticing?"

"Yes, young one. We send... less promising students to apprentice on the Glass Sea to harvest the glass to be shaped into these spheres. The area is infused with magic, and after a few years of apprenticeship there, students tend to come back to the school with their raw magical abilities somewhat... boosted. We're not sure why. Magus Ladev is studying the effect, actually."

I relaxed a little. It was humiliating, but it looked like it wasn't the end of the line for me. The Archmagus gave me details about my destination and what Magus Ladev would expect from me, but for some reason, I couldn't quite relax as she looked at me with those sad, seafoam green eyes.

I could only describe Magus Ladev as "Bouncy". She was young for a Magus, maybe only a decade or so older than my own sixteen years. Her eyes hadn't even taken on the pallor of magic yet. They were brown, bright, and somehow full of a certain vigor that I never saw in the school administration.

She embraced me in an enthusiastic hug when I arrived on the stoop of her workshop at the base of a lighthouse on the edge of the Glass Sea. She hadn't been expecting an apprentice for some time, and had been quite pleased that the school had sent me along so soon after making the request.

"Oh my," she said as she showed me around the structure. "I thought I'd have to wait years... Most do... but here you are! How wonderful!"

As she bustled me around, showing me every nook and cranny of her very unorganized workshop, I stopped to look out a window on the vast expanse of blasted terrain that stretched out to the horizon.

"Has anyone explained yet?" The Magus asked when she saw me gazing out an extremely dusty window. "Why we call it a sea when there's no water? Why there's a lighthouse when there are no boats? Well... none floating anyways..."

I nodded, "The Archmagus told me that this area used to be a giant lake, before the lightning storms came and blasted the area with magic."

"Right, right! A lake so big that it needed its own lighthouses! Can you imagine! Bless the mages from back then! Before the storms, the magic was running out, weakening! Oh! Those poor people when the water went away! Many abandoned settlements around... but the lightning brought us back! The glass brought us forward!"

"I never heard that part before," I said.

Magus Ledev opened her mouth as if to say more, but stopped herself. A look of concern crossed her face. She measured her next words.

"Sorry, if you couldn't tell I ramble. Just part of an esoteric part of my research... rumors in old manuscripts... nothing more. You just need to help me around here. Gather the glass after a storm... help me turn it into spheres. It's not hard... even a child could do it."

She looked around the messy workshop. "And maybe help me keep the place tidy, yes? I know it must be disappointing to be sent here, but I promise after some time you'll be bursting with power."

She gave a little half-laugh at this. "Yes... bursting."

The next few months were uneventful. Magus Ledev would give me tasks for the day, which were mostly housework and organizing the workshop and living area. I would often complete my chores and then have hours of free time to explore the area and do as I pleased. I even had access to some of the Magus' books shelved in the common area. I pretty much had the run of the place except for the Magus' bedroom/study and the lighthouse itself.

I was told I was forbidden from the former out of sheer embarrassment over its "state," and from the latter for my own safety. Magus Ledev told me that the lighthouse tower was centuries old and in disrepair, with no upkeep done since the time before the lake had become the Glass Sea.

As for the Glass Sea itself, it was indeed a victim to frequent, almost regular storms. At least once a week, lightning and thunder would crash over the dry lakebed for hours, yet no rain would come. It was almost as if Mother Nature herself were angry at the area, as if the place were an abomination that somehow slighted nature. The morning following these storms, I would be directed to search the sand for places where lightning struck the earth and recover any glass found to be turned into mage spheres.

I thought the task would be easy, given the sheer amount of lightning striking the sandy surface, but I often wandered for hours and returned from these day-long expeditions empty-handed. It almost felt like busy work, something to keep me out of the way. After a few weeks, I felt the whole apprenticeship situation was starting to become bizarre.

As time continued, Magus Ledev became less cordial. Although still upbeat and friendly, I felt like the longer I spent with her, the more annoyed she became with my presence. One night, while trying to sleep, I overheard her muttering from her room. Curious, I silently crept next to the doorway and peered through the keyhole. As always, she kept the key latched on the other side so I couldn't see anything, but I could hear.

"When... when will it be my turn?" I heard her mumble. I wasn't sure if she was dreaming or talking to herself as she scribbled away at her notes. "She came so quickly too... I thought I would join them by now back at the school... to have the eyes of magic... I've checked the Lighthouse several times already and the reflector is set to change her, I just need her in the right place... In the right storm... I need the eyes of seafoam green. The magic is in the sand... it will change her... change her to glass."

Something tipped over in her chamber and she uttered a curse. "Oh no, no, no... the ink! My work."

As she shuffled around, I returned to my own sleeping area and gave thought to what I had just heard.

A few weeks later, I was awakened by a loud thunderclap. I settled back, trying to get back to sleep, knowing that Magus Ledev would no doubt send me to scour the lakebed for glass the next morning.

Then, I felt someone shaking me. "Get up, young one! It's time! Yes, time to hunt for glass!"

I looked up at Ledev with bleary eyes. "Shouldn't I wait until the storm has passed?"

The Magus shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no! This time there will be glass for sure! I saw a huge bolt of lightning strike near the bluffs! If you go now, the magic will be fresh! So fresh!"

I pulled myself out of bed, knowing there was no point in arguing in my position as an apprentice. As I gathered my clothes, Ledev rushed around, collecting items and components... almost as if she was... packing?

"Remember, the bluffs. You need to be out by the bluffs! That's where the magic happens!"

I bundled myself up as best as I could and headed out into the cool night air. Slowly, I made my way down the hillside from the lighthouse towards the lakebed.

The lightning tonight was strange. As I approached the bluffs, I could see distant flashes in the sky. Usually, it would just be streaks of white light, but there was a color about the flashes: greens, blues, and pinks.

I cautiously approached the bluffs and then dodged behind a particularly tall rock and waited. Minutes passed as I listened to the thunder. Occasionally, a colorful flash of light would illuminate the sky.

Suddenly, a ray of piercing white light swept across the bluff—the lighthouse beam. It lit the area for a few brief seconds before sweeping away in a circular arc. After the light had passed, the areas it struck sparkled and snapped for a few moments.

It wasn't long before I heard footsteps approaching. As they drew closer, I could hear the voice of Magus Ledev calling.

"Young one? Are you all right, young one? I lost sight of you, so I decided to brave using the lighthouse to try and find you. Did you make it to the bluffs?"

I stayed quiet. I peeked out and saw that the Magus's movements were slow, deliberate, like she was following a set path.

"Young one? Have you been changed already? Are you ready to be my new eyes?"

She stopped just behind the rock I was hiding behind. I could hear her breathing, searching.

As the beacon from the lighthouse reflector hit Magus Ledev, her form instantly transfigured. The change happened so rapidly, there wasn't even time for a scream to escape her lips.

"This is what they were planning for me," I thought as I watched a new set of magical orbs fall to the sand where the Magus had once stood. They had planned to reduce me to something to be harvested, converted into a "useful" thing for those in charge. At some point, their view of me switched from being a potential mage... a person... to a set of magical glass eyes, the next stepping stone for Magus Ledev to move into the upper ranks of magic. The whole "gathering glass" thing and been mostly a ruse to get me here, to make me cooperative.

I had been lucky that everything worked out. Every chance I got, I snuck into Ledev's chambers to learn as much as I could about her plan to use the lighthouse and the storms to convert me into her new set of "Magical Eyes". The lighthouse reflector had been set to follow a very particular path along the bluffs, and I managed to change the angle of the reflector without her noticing. She had even taken the bait to follow me onto the lakebed, content in the knowledge that she would be safe if she followed her set path.

I thought about every instructor back at the school, every Mage and Magus. I thought about the extremely sad eyes of the Archmagus. This scenario had to have played out thousands of times. A weak student sent away to disappear. They would tell their little lies about being able to come back to the school—and they did come back, just not in the way they were told.

I crouched down and picked up the remains of Magus Ledev, looking into the "pupils". The colors shifted and swirled. Was she in there? Was her soul trapped? Is that why the "eyes" of elder Mages always looked so sad?

I knew I had some time to look over the Magus' notes, but I couldn't linger at the lighthouse forever. I'd find out the truth, and then I would have to move on. It probably wouldn't take too long for the school, and then the wider society of Mages, to figure out what happened here. Could I have been the first one to put together the puzzle? There had always been rumors of renegade mages, but they were few and far between.

I looked out over the blasted landscape of the former lake and wondered about the number of lighthouses dotted around its edge. How many "apprentices" were out there right now? Could I get to them? Warn them? Join forces with them?

A clap of thunder jolted me, and I decided to make my way back to the workshop. First thing was first—I had to give myself a fighting chance. I'd have to figure out how to replace my own eyes with the two orbs that I held in my hand.

And then, I'd shatter the system.

#writing #creative writing #fantasy #magic #magic school

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durinde-blog · 7 months ago

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A couple of pixelart Mechs from Battletech

The Hauptmann and The Sasquatch

#mech #mecha #battletech #mechwarrior #mecha art #giant robot

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durinde-blog · 9 months ago

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I wrote this story as part of a bi-weekly writing contest for another site. The theme was "The Banality of Evil" with the idea of an evil being doing something "ordinary"

Recital

"Grand Overseer, we are so pleased you are joining us tonight," the middle-aged human woman, presumably some sort of administrator, said as she placed herself in front of me.

I heard my bodyguards begin to shuffle behind me, no doubt interpreting the woman's forced interaction as some sort of 'slight.'

She was a thin woman, somewhat mousey, with her eyes amplified by oversized glasses. She wore a number of colorful scarves which bordered on breaking several decency and public order bylaws. In her hands was a clipboard that she held in front of her, her knuckles white. It took a moment, but then I realized that I had met her before.

"Ah, Ms. Pike," I addressed my daughter's music teacher. "I look forward to seeing how my child and the others perform this evening."

The woman nodded. "Your daughter is a bright girl," Ms. Pike said. "She's caught on very quickly. She's been doing very well despite...." She trailed off.

"Despite?" I asked, growling a little. I felt my fur bristle.

"No... nothing, Grand Overseer."

I let myself breathe a moment, forcing my ire to slip by. I had been advised not to attend this event, given my temper and general disdain towards humans. I would not be here but for my daughter, my dear only daughter, who had pleaded that I attend.

We had subjugated them a generation ago. Like we had done dozens of times before, we opened portals to this new dimension and invaded. They fought, fell quickly, and eventually surrendered, as all beings of lesser dimensions eventually did. I had been appointed Grand Overseer of a large swath of territory on this world and had been transferred here with my then pregnant mate.

My daughter, being the strongest of the litter and the only survivor of the infant phase, had grown up here. She hadn't ever known anything else. She had an unhealthy fascination with the humans and their culture, especially their music. I relished the fact that I only had two more cycles of governing here. After that, I could take her back to her home dimension. She could be with her own kind, her own people, away from these demons.

These humans always played submissive, but there was always something there, a rebellious streak that we've been unable to break. The first few years of governance had been peaceful, but it felt like something was brewing. Rebellious and traitorous acts were on the rise, and my patience with these humans was growing thin.

The woman stepped aside and motioned towards a dais. "Please, we've prepared a special seat for you, Grand Overseer. We've made sure to make it comfortable, and it will give you a great view of the recital."

I nodded towards one of my bodyguards who moved towards the dais to inspect it. I could see the nostrils on his boar-like snout sniffing heavily. If the humans had rigged the chair with explosives, my bodyguard's specialized nose would pick it up, even if there was only the faintest trace. The woman looked on nervously.

"No need to worry, Ms. Pike," I said. "Standard procedure to ensure my safety. You understand?"

I could smell the fear radiating off of her. Pathetic.

In fact, this entire gymnasium was foul. I understood that the offspring of these humans would exercise here as part of their educational curriculum. It was something that we allowed, given that we wanted our stock healthy. The space would get repurposed from time to time as a space for performances.

Rows of human-sized folding chairs were lined up in front of the stage that occupied one end of the large indoor arena. Years of sweat and cleaning solution hung in the air. I doubted the humans with their poor sense of smell could even fathom how bad it was.

The bodyguard finished his sniffing and grunted in satisfaction. He gave me the signal that the chair was safe.

"You'll excuse me, Ms. Pike," I said. "I should take my seat."

She nodded. "Of course! Enjoy the show, Grand Overseer!" I could see her body visibly relax. I moved past her, and I noticed her approach other parents in greeting. Unlike her interaction with me, she had smiles for the human parents, sometimes laughter as well.

I ignored it. I settled into the chair on the dais and tried to relax. There were so many things I could punish them for, so many rebellious looks or stares. Again, I forced down my ire and reminded myself that tonight, I had to be nothing but a parent, supporting his child in something she loved.

More humans streamed into the gymnasium. I felt the air grow more oppressive as more of their stench hung heavy in the air. I felt their eyes falling upon me and heard their muttering as they took their seats.

I did my best to ignore it. I was here for her, not them.

Finally, the lights dimmed, and Ms. Pike stood at the front of the stage.

"Good evening everyone! And a very good evening to our special guest, the Grand Overseer!"

Scattered, nervous applause came from the crowd. It hung on the edge of being disrespectful.

"Now, our students have worked very hard to prepare this evening. Remember, these are children and that everyone," she paused for a moment. "And I mean EVERYONE deserves your applause for their hard work."

She relaxed and smiled. "Now, let's get on with the show!"

The event proceeded. I watched human after human attend to the stage. Some played instruments, some sang, some danced, some even approached having talent. I endured the best I could, clapping after every child left the stage, doing my best to appear amicable to the humans.

Finally, my daughter appeared. She approached a human musical instrument called a piano and moved the bench aside, opting to stand in front of the device. I knew that the human-scaled bench would be much too small to support her weight.

Before starting, she looked around the gymnasium, spotting me. She gave a shy smile, content in knowing that I was there for her.

She started. I didn't really get what she was playing. To me, all human music sounded discordant. She began, and after a few moments appeared to make an error, causing her to pause the performance and the human audience to gasp. I felt all eyes fall upon me. I ignored them, keeping my eyes on the stage as I saw Ms. Pike nervously encouraging my daughter to continue.

My daughter looked at me for a moment, and I nodded, motioning for her to continue. She picked the performance back up. As she carried on, I noticed the difficulty she was having, her large paws a little too oversized for the human instrument.

And that's when she began to sing. I felt my heart swell as I realized it was a song from our home dimension. Amazingly, she had matched the lyrics to the human music. I knew her and her mother had been working on something in secret, but I had no idea this was it.

I was completely relaxed then. I was no longer a stranger here, just a father watching his daughter give the performance of her life.

She finished, and I gave a standing ovation; the others in the gymnasium followed.

A few more human children performed, and the lights came back on. I stood and headed out the door, my bodyguards in tow. My child met me in the hallway.

She ran up to me and hugged me. I stroked her fur as she beamed up at me.

"Did you see, father? Did you like it?"

I nodded. "You did great, honey." I motioned towards our waiting vehicle. "Let's get you home. I'll be there in a moment."

One bodyguard helped her aboard the vehicle, while the other remained next to me as I looked back at the building.

"How should we punish them?" he asked. "They crossed so many lines tonight. Their taint is spreading; I fear for your daughter."

I shook my head as I watched the humans guide their own children to their own vehicles. The human children were animated, talking excitedly to their parents about their performances. It mirrored the interaction I just had with my own offspring. They were just like me.

"Let them have tonight," I said.

"We can start the harvest tomorrow."

#fantasy #storytelling #shortstory #voiceover #narration #sketch #voiceacting

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durinde-blog · 10 months ago

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Bones of the Old World

“Can we talk?”

I shuddered as I felt the wind shift, as it always did when she appeared. No matter where, no matter when, if she chose to materialize so that I could see her, there was always a frigid wind that cut through to my bones.

I stopped in my tracks. It was twilight, and a few flickers of quickly dimming daylight remained, glowing like dying embers on the horizon. It was the solstice, and while many people would start merrymaking and celebrating the longest night of the year, I was bushwhacking along a forgotten game trail, the miniature ghost of a young woman hovering over my shoulder.

“Is this the right time for this?” I asked, pushing aside branches and stepping over a fallen log.

“I need to say I’m sorry,” she said.

“We’ve gone over this. You’ve apologized so many times; I’ve lost count.”

She floated directly in front of my face, forcing me to stop completely.

“If I hadn’t cursed you, you’d be home right now, celebrating the solstice with your family.”

“I have to press on,” I said, ignoring the comment. “You told me yourself, this has to be done tonight. We’ve made arrangements for the Duke’s cook to drug the mulled wine, and you said it was important that it had to be done on the solstice.”

“I know,” she nodded. “My connection to this world—to my remains—is the strongest on this night. But a few minutes here and now won’t make a difference.”

I thought about the small pouch of pulverized bone that I carried in a satchel around my neck. It was all that was left of her body. A quick image of the gruesome procedure to get her body to that state flashed in my mind.

“I’m not sure what else there is to say,” I slowly continued forward, brushing past her small floating figure. “We are here now, and the only way for either of us to rest is for you to receive your vengeance. Besides, if I stop moving now, I’ll never make it to the Duke’s manor before freezing to death.”

She floated to the front of my face again, however this time allowing me to keep moving through the bush by hovering backward as I continued along the game trail.

“Do not make jokes about freezing to death!” she warned. Her eyes flashed for a moment.

“You know I wouldn’t make a joke about that,” I snapped back.

I stopped. “I’m sorry; I know that’s a sensitive subject... for the both of us.”

The Young Duke was eager to prove himself a leader upon claiming his hereditary title following the death of his father. Even more so, he was eager to gain favor with the heads of the new religion, the followers of which had made certain arrangements to speed up his ascension to Dukedom.

To show his dedication to the new faith, the Duke first targeted the covens - those least prepared to fight back against the hammer of the new dogma falling on the land.

He took his men and swept through the land. His goal was to cleanse the land of “heresy” and make way for the monks of the new faith to move in.

She was a victim of one of the assaults. When the alarm was raised that the coven was under attack, she was instructed to gather the children and hide with them underneath a false floor that had been prepared for such an occasion. She had huddled with them, keeping them quiet as the horrific sound of slaughter and looting echoed through the air.

She stayed with them for hours, waiting for the sounds of the dying to fade. When she emerged from the hiding spot to see if it was safe, she found herself quickly surrounded by the Duke’s men.

They grabbed her, and the building was burned. She was tied behind the Duke’s horse and was made to walk as the screams of the youth echoed through the night.

“Merely the cries of rats,” the Duke sneered, and the building was engulfed in flame. “Those who do not follow the new light deserve to burn. Even their youth must be purged.”

“Put the blade to me,” she cried. “Let me join my people.”

“Oh, you will join them soon enough,” he gave a sickly smile. “But our faith demands sacrifice, and I think a pretty young thing like you will do wonderfully.”

Eventually, she found herself on the edge of a cliff, a river raging below. If the fall wouldn’t kill her, the raging icy depths certainly would.

A holy man of the new faith stepped forward, waving around some sort of symbolic fetish as he muttered in a strange tongue.

“Be glad,” the Duke said. “Your soul is being cleansed. You will face death with a sinless heart. After all, what good is a sacrifice that has been tainted by sin? Our deity will not accept anything less.”

“This is what your faith is?” she questioned, her back to the cliff’s edge. “Old men speaking gibberish? Pointless gestures and symbols? You killed people, you killed CHILDREN for this?”

“You dance under the moon,” the Duke retorted. “You tell old tales in an ancient language. You bind people to the land, to the past. You talk about having magic in your bones. Our way is the future.”

She scoffed. The trauma of the events was turning into a dark bitterness. She was angry—no, she was enraged at how unfair all this was.

The old man put away his symbols and ceased his gibbering.

“Now, jump,” the Duke said. “I can’t have the death of a cleansed soul on my conscience.”

“That’s your plan?” she spat. “A loophole so you don’t have to bloody your own hands? What kind of pathetic god would overlook such foolishness.”

“You told me you wanted to join your people,” the Duke said, unaffected by her comment. “So, go ahead.”

“This will not end well for you,” she said. She spread her arms and fell backward, plunging into the raging water below.

I squat at the side of the river, washing my hands free of the blood from butchering my most recent kill.

It had been a harsh winter, and the village was running low on food. I and the other youths had been dispatched a few days ago, sent out to hunt once the snow had melted enough for us to travel. Game seemed to be getting scarcer every year.

Something drew my attention upriver. Something was floating towards me.

Once I realized I was looking at a person, I quickly dove into the river, angling to catch the body as it passed by.

Breathless from the effort, I slung the unfortunate individual onto the bank.

It was a woman, covered in cuts and bruises. She was very pale, but still breathing. Something told me that she wasn’t long for the world.

I quickly pulled her over to the fire and did my best to comfort her while she passed. She was ice-cold. I felt pity for the poor girl, but I had seen death come upon members of my village, and there was very little that I could do.

I was leaning over her to check her pulse when her eyes flickered open, locking on me. She grabbed my arm with an unnatural strength.

“I curse you. For all that is natural in this world, I curse you. You will never rest until justice has been done.”

Her grip relaxed, and I saw the last essence of her life drain from her eyes.

I shook my head. I wasn’t sure what had happened to that girl, but her last moments were those of rage and anger. I just hoped that in the next world, she could find peace.

I buried her next to the river and packed my horse, fully intent on returning to the village with my kill. I’d have an odd tale to tell for sure.

I began to ride towards home. It was late in the day, but I was sure I could make good time on horseback, perhaps even getting back before dark.

My mind drifted, and I thought of the warmth of my bedding.

And then found myself emerging back at the riverside, the freshly dug grave before me.

I had grown up in the surrounding forests. Getting lost or getting turned around could literally be a death sentence, and yet, here I was, back where I started with no sense of how that happened.

I felt a chill run down my spine. There was something unnatural going on, and the grave had something to do with it.

I decided to unpack my horse and camp at the riverside for the night. Maybe whatever was preventing my departure would ease up by morning. I unrolled my bedroll and checked over my bow and my current supply of arrows. Finally, sleep took me. I found myself floating in a void of nothingness. No sound, no light, just terrifying black.

Then a voice.

“I.... I’m sorry.”

A figure floated before me. It was the woman that I had pulled from the river. The edges of her figure seemed to be in flux, somehow being wicked away by something ethereal.

Unlike a typical dream, I felt very much awake and in control of myself.

“You’re that woman...” I said, unsure of how to proceed.

“I am, and I’ve done a horrible thing.”

“Horrible?”

“I’ve cursed you, I’ve bound you to my body.”

I had heard tales of curses. Always taking place in some old story in some ancient land. Now, I seemed to be part of one of those tales.

“Cursed? Is that why I can’t seem to leave this riverbank?”

The floating figure nodded, looking sad.

“Why? I tried to save you?”

“In that final moment, as death approached, I was confused, I was angry. I thought you were one of the ones that did that to me. I wanted vengeance and in those final moments, I unleashed all my hatred on you.”

I shook my head. “Who are you to curse me?”

“I was part of a coven,” she said. “I worship the old ways.”

“Can you release me? You know I did nothing to you.”

“I’m afraid that you are bound to my body. The magic of the old ways becomes embedded in our bones. It’s an... old spell to keep a murderer from fleeing should one of our coven fall.”

“I’m not a murderer though.”

“No, you’re not. I was so filled with anger; I wanted to strike out at someone... anyone. The only way to be free is for you to enact my vengeance.”

We talked through the night. She told me of the attack on the coven and the deeds of the Duke.

“It will be hard for me to do anything stuck on this riverbank with your body. Let alone help you get your vengeance - as deserved as I think it is.”

“You are a hunter, yes? You know how to butcher a creature? Break it down into meat and bone?”

“Yes, but...”

“My power, my essence.... it’s in my bones.”

I felt myself pale at those words; I had grim work ahead of me.

I snapped back to the present. I now stood at the rear wall of the Duke’s manor. I could hear the laughter of seasonal merriment drifting through the cold night air.

“The drug should be taking effect soon,” the ghost whispered to me. “The effects of their drink should be a little more pronounced, and they should be none the wiser.”

“I just hope the cook did the second thing he promised. If not, all this might be for naught.”

The cook had kept his promise. I found an open door to the manor’s cellar.

I soon found my way to the upper level of the manor.

The hallway was decorated with greenery and holly to mark the season. The fact that these people brought greenery indoors seemed strange to me. If you wanted to enjoy the woods, why not just go out and take a walk in it?

I shook my head and made my way to the Duke’s bedroom, slipping inside.

A fire crackled, shadows danced across the wall.

"Better hide," the ghost said. "Once he goes to bed, we will act."

I slipped inside the walk-in closet and waited.

Finally, I heard the door open.

"And I have your assurances, sir, that you will let our clergy occupy the outlying villages once the spring comes?" One voice said.

As soon as the second voice spoke, the ghost stiffened. It was a voice she had heard before.

"Followers of our faith seem to be more obedient, and I’m more than happy to let them have whatever they need. Much better than those unfaithful savages that follow the old ways."

"Then I wish you a happy evening, Sir Duke.”

"Get ready," the ghost said.

I tensed, grabbing the special arrow from my quiver.

I heard the Duke move about the bedroom. After a time, things fell silent.

“Now,” the ghost said.

I silently opened the closet door. The fire, now much lower, cracked and popped, still emanating a dull and dying light. I could see a figure lying in the bed.

I recalled every lesson I learned as a hunter about moving silently, stealthily. I crept towards the bed.

Wordlessly, I plunged the arrow into where the ghost had instructed me. Before we had departed for the manor, she had been very specific about where the wound must be made. Between the ribs, the arrow slid.

The Duke bolted upright, breaking the shaft of the arrow, looking first to the wound in shock and then to me. He let forth an extremely loud wail.

I heard boots stomping up the hallway. A retinue of guards burst through the door, catching me standing over the now very injured Duke.

Even through the stupor of the wine and the drug, the guards could clearly see the assassination attempt. Before I could even think, I was grabbed and roughly carried out of the room. Shouts for the Duke’s doctor echoed down the hall.

I had failed.

I wasn’t sure what was colder, traversing the forest at night, or the cell I now found myself in.

I was bewildered. Beaten and thrown into a cell, I didn’t have time to process, or even think. I felt myself slipping away, drifting into an unwanted sleep.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed. The room spun, and I was sure I fell into the darkness at least a few times.

Finally, things snapped into place and I had a coherent thought. Daylight was creeping into the cell. The solstice had passed. The longest night was over.

I heard somebody stomping down the hallway. Somebody wearing a set of heavy keys was approaching.

“Leave me,” I heard the Duke’s voice say.

“But Sir...” somebody protested.

“You gave him an outright beating last night. He’s in no condition to hurt me.”

“But your wound, sir.”

“Bah, the Doctor looked at it. Barely a scratch.”

I shook my head. Barely a scratch? But I plunged the arrow straight between his ribs?

The door opened, and the Duke stepped inside. His eyes narrowed.

“Well, look at you..” he smirked. “My men certainly did a number on you.”

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a croak.

The Duke grinned, looking at my expression.

“A villager, not much older than a boy, and you thought you could take me out...”

I wanted to strike him, but my will had been sapped.

“And it worked.”

My cracked and bloody lips parted, a confused “Wha?” escaped from my lips.

The Duke’s figure glowed bright blue for a moment. The form shifted, becoming shorter and softer. Hair lengthened, and a familiar feminine form now stood across from me.

The woman from the river. She stood in front of me, more alive than I had ever seen her.

I stood with my mouth agape.

“Miss me?” she grinned.

“I’m not sure what I’m looking at..” I managed to spit out.

“You did it. The arrow that I made you forge months ago with bits of my bone sprinkled into the iron, it did the trick.”

“The power is in the bones,” she said, as if that explained everything. “Once my essence of made contact with the Duke’s heart... I was able to take control.”

“You are... the Duke?” I asked.

“When I wish to be. I can now assume his form whenever I wish.”

“And what happened... to him?”

“Oh.. He's long gone. If there’s any truth to his deity, I guess he’s with him now.”

“So, I’m free?”

She looked around the cell. “Uhh, not quite. You made an attempt on the Duke’s life after all.”

“What’s going to happen to me then?”

“Oh, the Duke will have a change of heart and pardon you in a couple of weeks, specifically when the new year is rung in. He’ll make a declaration that he will be returning to the old ways of his father.

She turned, looking to the lightening sky of the morning after the solstice.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “You gave me my vengeance, and for that, I am grateful. I’ll give you any reward you wish once enough time has passed.”

I nodded, still in pain from my treatment by the guards.

She smiled sadly, looking over my wounds. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that; I’ll send the Duke’s doctor, claiming I want you in top shape for a trial.”

“In the meantime, look forward to the new year. I’m sure it will be a good one.”

She shifted her form back to that of the Duke’s, turning to leave.

“I can feel it in my bones.”

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durinde-blog · 10 months ago

Video

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Bones of the Old World (Short Story Narration)

#youtube #voice #voiceover #voice acting #narration #short story #storytelling #ghost #ghoststory #ghostgirl #transformation #vengence