Guild Wars 2

HOW TO GET A FREE COMMISSION:
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[1st set:] closed 7/26
write a story for me, detailing a romanticized scene. this can be love related, or just an adventure in Tyria; can even be stumbling into something magical. the story can be long or short. as long as the story have some sort of beautiful image that I can envision

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[2nd set]: closed 7/31 midnight PST
this time I want a short story/poem consisting of a few sentence; dont even need to be a poem or story so long as the meaning is clear. also most importantly, why is the subject meaningful to you? (game related only)

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Have fun with your stories!

I don’t think my english is good enough to participate, but I love the idea, very nice.
Oh, and amazing painting skills

(Ooohhh this is gonna be fun!)

“Of all people…”

The dark-skinned sylvari danced back and forth, his weapons -twin swords forged from the foliage of the Nightmare tree- flashing out in a blur before him. He leaned back in time to avoid a slash that would’ve taken his eye, retaliating with a quick thrust to poke a hole in his assailant’s neck. His opposite hand rose to intercept and deflect a spear thrust into his side and he vaulted over the polearm, snapping out a kick mid-jump to knock away a second attacker. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he noticed someone else had managed to get to the altar he was defending. There was a sylvari woman laying there unconscious, her body was covered in cuts and gashes from his own blade. The man lifted a dagger to her throat to finish her, but couldn’t understand the sudden flash of burning pain that raced up and down his spine. He couldn’t understand how Aeoldyn could so instantly appear behind him, back to back, with his sword impaled through the man’s spine and heart. The swords had a hilt and crosspiece made of tightly wrapped plant-like material with an indigo vine smothered in thorns that crept out of the middle of the weapon and up the blade, occasionally the vines would also dig into the sylvari’s wrist, drawing venom from his body and mixing it with toxins taken from the nightmare tree itself to create a deadly concoction that induced horrible mind-altering nightmares.

The Nightmare Court did so love their mesmers.

Aeoldyn held a prestigious title in the court: “Baron of Anguish” because of his skill in torture and, as Aeoldyn claimed, “Anguish is a word that you have to cringe in order to say properly. Delicious.” and it had always been something he relished, until now.

“I.. I should have fathomed this sooner, I presume.”

The blood that stained his blades made him cringe with regret, he felt he deserved the wisps of steam that radiated from patches on his body from electrical burns. Despite being a mesmer, Aeoldyn was very proficient with his dual swords. His preferred method was to incapacitate an opponent in combat and allow the poison to do it’s wicked work so that the victim would awaken begging to join the court simply to end the pain. Aeol didn’t like begging, he thought it an admission of weakness, and he wasn’t particularly fond of most of his courtiers. On several occasions he had found himself clashing violently with other members of the court, using the excuse of “discipline” in order to exert authority.

The three-year-old sylvari had Dreamed of learning all about the mind. He was always interested in knowing the “why” behind the actions of reasoning beings. Aeoldyn wanted to understand why good people did good, why some people never reached their true ambition, why people made excuses for themselves, and how to use this information to predict the future of Tyria. That meant he needed to understand life from both a righteous and sinister perspective, and he had joined the court arrogantly thinking that he would not be changed. Thinking that his mind would not be poisoned by their corruption and values. His plan was simple, to infiltrate the court but to remain a member of the Durmand Priory, making ‘friends’ that would help him maintain his morals and righteousness.

But the Court did not like to share.

So it wasn’t long before Aeoldyn was ordered to sever his ties, though he had protested that he had been an excellent spy within the Priory. They didn’t seem to care, they already had others there to do the job. So instead, his mission had been changed: Retrieve a powerful elementalist that had once escaped the court; capture his beloved friend Llyrann dead or alive.

And so there he stood, surrounded by a ring of his subordinates killed or maimed by his own hand. Standing guard over the person who had first escorted him around Tyria, had taught him to dance, taught him to smile genuinely and enjoy the company of others.

He was a traitor to both.

His heart thumped heavily in his chest, his stomach felt tied in a knot and his breathing was labored. Try as he might to convince himself that it was from exertion he knew the truth: he was terrified. Only one courtier remained before him, wounded and injured and wielding his spear in a way that told Aeoldyn in no uncertain terms that this grunt was no match for him. Behind him lay his target.

“W-why did you strike us?” The courtier asked.
“You were about to eliminate her.” Aeoldyn, ever maintaining a calm and dignified appearance, responded.
“You hesitated!” The man protested.
“I have yet to decide whether to return her dead or alive.”
“That’s a load of skritt and you know it!”

Despite himself, Aeoldyn cringed. He was about to respond when Llyrann grunted and wimpered. Aeoldyn’s face seemed expressionless, refusing to show sympathy or concern, but he moved two fingers to touch her temples and closed his eyes, peering into her thoughts.

She had been dreaming of their last Wintersday, they had gone for icecream, had a snowball fight, even build a snowman that Aeoldyn knocked over in frustration because he couldn’t properly sculpt it to match Llyrann’s image. It was the most childish she had ever seen Aeoldyn act, and one of their greatest memories together, but the poison from Aeoldyn’s swords was turning it into a horrible nightmare. The snow was acid, the snowballs were rats, Aeoldyn was shaving apart her face!

He couldn’t help himself. A tear rolled down Aeoldyn’s eye. “She will die from the poison with a broken mind. She will be of no use to the court.” He said without looking at the courtier.

“You will leave, inform the court of her demise, and on your life you will speak no words of what happened here.”
“…” The man glanced from Aeoldyn to Llyrann, silent.

In the blink of an eye the mesmer appeared right infront of him, swords crossed over his throat. For the first time anyone in the court had ever seen, Aeoldyn looked enraged! The sylvari’s glowing cerulean eyes burned with killing intent.

“Under. Stood?!”

The man nodded softly, a motion that made the blade nick his neck just slightly. Aeoldyn unceremoniously shoved the courtier backwards, causing the man to stumble back a few steps, then, just like that, Aeoldyn seemed to shatter apart into a myriad of purple whisps. The courtier was left alone within the remote part of Caledon Forest with the writhing Llyrann on the table before him. He licked his lips, unsure of whether to leave as commanded or to finish the job that Aeoldyn was too weak to do.

If he killed her, Aeoldyn would undoubtedly kill him. If he didn’t the court would do much worse to him for returning empty handed.

Slowly he began to take several steps away from the altar, shaking his head at his predicament. Llyrann grunted yet again, and the courtier stopped. He slowly turned around and glanced back at the elementalist. What if he killed her and branded Aeoldyn as a traitor? The court could protect him. But what if Aeoldyn was still watching, testing him? He’d be dead before he made the attempt. The courtier gritted his teeth, weighing his options…

He found himself walking back to the altar, spear in hand and eyes peeled for any surprise attacks. He was twenty paces of her.

Ten paces.

Five.

Three.

Standing before her, his eyes wide, he raised his spear and plunged it down into her chest with a shriek of fear and excitement. His blade spiked into the altar hard, but it seemed to pierce straight through the woman as if she was made of nothing but air.

…As if she was an illusion.

The clone of Llyrann was already fading apart, beautifully separating into ethereal-looking butterfly-shaped embers that flapped away into nothingness. The courtier exhaled, deeply and shook his head.

“Aeoldyn. The traitor… "

(Even if I don’t win, I had fun writing this. I’ve been in a writing slump for weeks, thanks for kickstarting my muse again! )

Oh.. I almost forgot to mention. post reference of your characters if you can. otherwise I have nothing to work off!

Btw.. how long did it take for you to paint that? It’s excellent! I’m a pencil artist myself and just caaaan’t wrap my head around painting

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Btw.. how long did it take for you to paint that? It’s excellent! I’m a pencil artist myself and just caaaan’t wrap my head around painting

I actually was reading your stories, they are amazing! xD also it took me 2 days. but can do this in 1 if I do nothing but paint all day.

Nyon has the eye of a murderer. As a charr, this is the thing his parents would be proud of – something fierce, something wild.

Something to keep him from making friends when he was small.

Also given that he is too shy to talk, he spent most of the time training as a thief and sitting alone in his fahrar life until she shown up.

“Hey, my name’s Misch”
She introduces herself.

“This headband suits you! It covers part of your eyes and make you cute as you always be, just as expected.”
When she show up with a headband the next day, and forced him to wear it.

“I’ll be called Veilcast as I’m going to be the first to promoted to be a legionnaire here. Gotta cast you all like spells HAHA! So you are Veil-what again?”
When they’re assigned to the same warband.

“Your voice is AMAZING as a male charr! You gotta try singing human operas.”
One day in the bar after a meeting, when she made him take the script.

“Remeber me, but ah, forget my fate”
When her voice nearly make him cry in the backstage.
===

1325 A.E. during an attack of ghosts at smokestead, three warbands – Veil, Stalk and Ghoul, were assigned to be special operating unit.
Their objective is to save soldiers with special talents, who are experts, or have any other potential to benefit Ash legion in the future.

Still, the operation is dangerious. Imagine being surrounded by ghosts, with an unconscious charr to protect and evacuate with.

“Contact of our team died and we’re in a mess. Don’t think we got a lot of survivors in Ghoul. What’s your situation”
Routhil Ghoulbrace – a guardian – swinging his hammer in one hand, holding a charr warrior on his another.

“I’m the contact of Stalk and the only member alive is stuck deep in the crypt. Four…now three of them”
Uzzah Nullstalk – a necromancer – appears to be a green cloud of pollutant with a swarm of locus.

Holding Misch on his shoulder, Nyon appears in the dark.
“I overheard you. We are the only surviving ones in Veil.”

“Whoa…where’s her lower part of the body”

“I…sorry…I dropped that mid-way and don’t have time to pick it up…”
Near sobbing, but not allowing tears to fall, Nyon says.

“The operation needed to be ceased. We’re too torn”
says Uzzah
“We should head back, settle this last batch of wounded and report”
===
And her last word was “Remember me”
She don’t have time for romantic scenes when she was brought under a tree and givedeep speeches. She just mutter it mid-way and he barely catch the words.

Still not letting his tears drop, he let her body rest at Victor’s Presidium.
And he stealths.
Stealth to be safe from ghost.
Stealth from being seen crying by anyone.

He knows she always want to be a pretty girl, with a non-soldier life when she can sit at some garden and make herself look good. Maybe with the pet Jaguar she used to work with.
“I would like to die holding flowers on my chest. Isn’t that beautiful?”
“You are.”

===
Thanks for giving me the motivation to write this down!
I always wanted to do this and…you know, I’m lazy owo

ok I’ve read both your stories. great so far!

I’m waiting until the end of tomorrow to decide on the final entry I’ll be working on. I wont announce which story until the end, just gonna surprise you guys xD. I got 1 month and a half before school begins so I’ll be doing this all summer!

Oh and I forgot to post my characters
Misch, Nyon, Routhil and Uzzah in order

quick question. Does the story need to be a beautiful scene, or can it be a scene that just seems to happen more often then not to the character? Possibly somewhat humorous…

Hey, just stopping in to say that I just finishing up a story for this, I’ll post it in a couple of hours!

i’ve spent like 800g on commissions in the past few months z_z and i’m really particular so it amounted to about 2 usable photos x_x at least the people i worked with though were nice, the best was getting flat out ignored by some of the more popular artists on this subforum, whether their que was open or not.. anyway, it’s really nice to see people get into this game, story, artwork thing.. i won’t clutter up your thread, my story is in my signature.. it may be a bit grittier than anything you’d want to approach, hah.. but if anyone’s interested in drawing something, i can tell you what is currently being worked on

Atanae.1079:

I don’t think my english is good enough to participate, but I love the idea, very nice.
Oh, and amazing painting skills

If you want to write something I’d proofread it for you. I usually help Chaos with his writing too.

(Llyrann is my character.)

I might be interested in posting something, I don’t know how short I could keep it. Let’s how I do with a word limit for myself.

Ok, here’s my story. Sorry about any typos, I was trying to get it from my head to paper in time.

Part I – A recollection from 1304 AE
I remember the day he fell. From the ledge, I watched him, dropping so fast, so silently. The quiet is what haunts me. After the seasons we spent together, this is the most vivid memory I have of him, this deafening silence as he fell. Then, as his body broke on the rocks below, the silence hung for a moment more, then the roar of the water crashing down around him rose once again. My memory of the moments that followed is crowded by that sound, the sound of my roaring terror as I sprinted down the slope, stumbling on the mossy rocks, tumbling, regaining my footing only to crash again, but I thought only to reach him.

Then, suddenly, everything was dark, quiet.

The green of the forest and roaring falls fell away. There was nothing, nothing but me for what felt like hours. Then, slowly, I felt something, a creeping tightness rising in my chest. Breathe, I thought, just fill your lungs. But something was wrong. My lungs were heavy and stiff, a sensation I had known once before. Then it came to me. The silence, the darkness, the crushing weight within my chest. I was back in my pod, newly awakened. Life-giving earth was all around me, but also within me, taking back its gift like a cruel child. I remembered horror, confusion — my first memories — but this time I was not living them, not feeling them. This time, there was no fear, no confusion, because I knew what was coming next, I knew he was coming. But that didn’t stop the pain, the rising weight in my lungs and throat. I needed to calm myself. I thought back to our first moon together.

“Nhaevryn,” he called me.
It fit. “I like it,” I answered.
“And me? Who am I?”
Nothing came to me. “How do you choose?”
“I’m not sure, I don’t really feel like I chose it.”
“Well, that isn’t working for me. Can we just call you Nhaevryn, too?”
He laughed, “I don’t think so. Look at me, what do you see? How do I make you feel?”

We had been awake for only a few hours, together since he brought me out of the dark weight of the earth. He saved my life and I couldn’t even give him a name, I knew nothing about him. I stayed quiet for a few minutes, staring at him, while he looked at the moon. I knew then that we awakened together for a reason, and that he would always be with me.

“Loyal.” I said after awhile.
He smiled and laughed. He didn’t look away from the moon. “Loyal.”
I could tell he thought it was weird, somehow off. “How about Lael, then?”
He was silent. Then he turned away from the moon and looked at me. “Yes. Lael.”

His arms crashed down through the rocky soil and heaved me out of the dark earth. He had come, finally. My lungs erupted, I spat out death and choked down air, just as I had that day. The light flooded in, but as I righted myself, I realized that I wasn’t crouched in the mud above my pod. Lael wasn’t at my side. Then I heard it all around me again, the roaring of the water, swallowing me. Then, almost immediately, it was drowned out again by that terrible silence. Lael falling. But now it was I that had fallen. Fallen trying to get to him, trying to be with him for the end. I could have been unconscious for hours as he lay nearby, struggling to keep breathing, dying alone. I sprang to my feet, and ran to the spot where he fell. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t lying there holding onto life, waiting to say goodbye, and he wasn’t twisted and broken, already gone from this life. He was just gone. And for the first time in three years, I was alone.

-continued in next post-

Part II
“He’s gone, Cadeyrn. Leave him be.”
“I’ll not let a brother die. There are far too few of us to give up on a life, even one so close to burning out.”
“He’s no brother of ours. He’s no firstborn, and most of the secondborn are far too young to venture as far from the Grove as you have. You yourself said you’ve never seen him before.”
“He’s Sylvari, Serimon. Perhaps you think the Mother would share your harsh indifference toward his fate?”
Silence.
“That’s what I thought. Help me get him into the pod.”
“This is folly, this pod has served its purpose and brought one of our own safely into the world. What you want from it, it cannot give, Cadeyrn.”
“You’re a Mender, are you not? If this is so hopeless, can you offer an alternative?”
Serimon lowered his eyes. “I…No, I don’t have the skills his wounds require.”
“Then the pod, NOW.”

The two of them struggled to fit Lael’s body into the pod, he was much bigger than its previous occupant, a female Sylvari whom Serimon was already not fond of. But it was fresh and it was here.

“Get his legs in. And careful to not put too much strain on his back, I’m certain it’s broken and you probably made it worse carrying him back him.”
Cadeyrn gently bent Lael’s legs inward. “Made it worse? You didn’t see him lying there on the rocks. I couldn’t have made it worse even if I had dragged him back by the ank—”

As he spoke one of the vines inside the pod twitched.

“Serimon, did you see…”
“I saw. Be quiet, and don’t touch him again.”

The vine seemed to spasm again, then it slithered around Lael’s waist and pulled him in tight against the walls of the pod. A second vine wrapped around his legs while several more entwined his shoulders and chest. Then, slowly, the leaves of the pod closed tightly around the Sylvari’s body.

“Rest well, brother,” Cadeyrn whispered, placing a hand on the pod. “May you meet the Dream and may it guide you back to us.”

Part III – 1325 AE
Lael blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Where is Caithe?”
A nearby Sylvari turned to him “Caithe? You dreamed of Caithe?”
“Yes, she and I battled a dragon in my dream.”
“A dragon? Don’t try to move too much, I’ll get the Mender.”

Lael looked around. He didn’t recognize this place, but as he stared down at the sprawled pod and the mud on the ground nearby, he felt an uneasiness in his heart.

A voice gasped from down the path. “By the Tree…You…You’re…”
“I’m what? Do you know me? I don’t remember you from my dream.”

Serimon stood staring for a long time. For days after they placed Lael in the pod, the Mender checked on his condition regularly. The pod had done its work quickly, and his body appeared healthy after only a few days, yet he did not wake. After a year, Serimon began to believe he wouldn’t reawaken and suggested they bury his body, but Cadeyrn refused. From then on, Cadeyrn watched over Lael’s pod himself and Serimon’s visits grew more infrequent. By the time Cadeyrn left the Grove and began calling others into Nightmare, Serimon had all but forgotten about Lael. Yet, here he was. Standing. Speaking. Awakened. And a dreamer!

“No, no, of course not. You’re right, not from the dream. But perhaps…before the dream?” Serimon shouldn’t have said it, he realized immediately. Whoever this Sylvari is now, he is no longer the same broken soul that Cadeyrn found in the West. Serimon decided to back down and let his curiosities go unanswered for now.

“Before the dream? I don’t understand. Where is Caithe?”
“Come with me, Sapling. I’ll take you to Caithe.”

The two walked silently along the path. After some time, they arrived at a house deep within the Grove.

“Caithe will be expecting you inside.”
“Thank you for showing me the way, Mender…”
“Serimon is my name. And you, what is your name?”
“My name? I don’t know. I had no name in my dream. Is that normal”
“It happens. You can pick your own name if you like. What feels right? It can be anything, but I find that saplings often know their names, even if they’re unaware of it.”
Lael stood at Caithe’s door for a moment, thoughtful. He looked at his feet, then his eyes wandered around the Grove, finally settling on the moon. He stared up for what seemed to Serimon like a long time, then finally turned back to the Mender. “Laelvryn,” he said. “My name is Laelvryn.”

Sorry it was so long! Thanks for reading, I’ll get some screens posted soon!

And here are my character references, Laelvryn and Nhaevryn:

Arcadian Knight.1079:

quick question. Does the story need to be a beautiful scene, or can it be a scene that just seems to happen more often then not to the character? Possibly somewhat humorous…

I would perfer the story to have a unique meaning, rather then be cliche (over used) :p

alright guys. first submission is due by the end of tonight. which is in 2 hours. 2nd submission will be after I finish this current one.

ok It is midnight here. we have selected the story to work of, to keep things fair, all entries submitted beyond this point will no longer be taken until the 2nd set is open! thanks again for submitting your stories, we’ve really enjoyed reading them!

• I say “we” because my friend like to take part in the experience/process, so she’s reading them and helping me decide.

Kimehcol.8742:

Arcadian Knight.1079:

quick question. Does the story need to be a beautiful scene, or can it be a scene that just seems to happen more often then not to the character? Possibly somewhat humorous…

I would perfer the story to have a unique meaning, rather then be cliche (over used) :p

Hmmm, guess that rules out that story. Would have just been a story that showed (somehow through narrative) my character always being the target of monsters for no descernable reason. My friends and I always found it funny that all monsters targeted a tiny Asura with a pistol and shield over the 2 towering Norns wielding greatweapons. So I would have put something describing that somehow. But if that’s not the type of story you’d like to draw for I can come up with something else in the next selection process

Regards to the ones above..I enjoyed reading all of them. Love some of the creativity that comes from the Guild Wars world I am going to enjoy watching this thread grow with stories from here on.

Arcadian Knight.1079:

Kimehcol.8742:

Arcadian Knight.1079:

quick question. Does the story need to be a beautiful scene, or can it be a scene that just seems to happen more often then not to the character? Possibly somewhat humorous…

I would perfer the story to have a unique meaning, rather then be cliche (over used) :p

Hmmm, guess that rules out that story. Would have just been a story that showed (somehow through narrative) my character always being the target of monsters for no descernable reason. My friends and I always found it funny that all monsters targeted a tiny Asura with a pistol and shield over the 2 towering Norns wielding greatweapons. So I would have put something describing that somehow. But if that’s not the type of story you’d like to draw for I can come up with something else in the next selection process

Regards to the ones above..I enjoyed reading all of them. Love some of the creativity that comes from the Guild Wars world I am going to enjoy watching this thread grow with stories from here on.

actually. for the next set of stories, it’s going to be more focused on short stories rather than long ones. Although alot of stories that were posted to me were good, only a tiny part of it was selected. so It is more important that you convey a powerful image with a short story (a few sentence long) over something that spam over 2-3 pages. remember, I’m trying to illustrate a scene here, not the story! xD

I would much rather prefer something that happened to you in game, over something that is made up; unless it’s really good though. the story could be romanticize to make it seem almost dream-like, just as long as it portrays your characters. dont tell me about your character’s personality, instead, show me.

could even be a poem:

• First comes love, than obsession, but from the obsession a dream sprout root and blossoms into reality.

• a faint clap of thunder
  clouded skies
  perhaps rain comes
  if so
  will you stay here with me?
  - quote from garden of words

• Time have taken us apart, and age will even farther us from one another, but I will always keep you close to me… for you are a part of me

• Thunder and lightning were heard clashing in the distance as my legion approach; carnage awaits

because I’m still drawing the current painting for this first set, I will post the stories that were submitted to me (that are not already posted here) so anyone can read them while you guys wait for the painting to be completed.

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Lale likes it here, in the desert. The hot, dry air of the desert calms her down. Ever since Godfrey and her have set foot into the tiny village of Prosperity, she’s felt home… in a way. In a far away from actual home way, which is good. It is exactly what she needs right now.

But today is different.

They were out exploring the area, trying to find a path over to the other side of a gigantic, red rock wall. Most days, exploring is enjoyable, the adventure is exciting, and they both come home with tired bones and being the good kind of sleepy. Not today – today it all went nowhere. An entire day lost.

Now they’re both standing by the llama corral, watching the gentle animals eat hay and enjoy the cooler evening shade.

Today should have been fun, Lale says to Godfrey. And look at it, it’s all terrible and useless. I’ve got sand in my gun… She shoots an angry look at the elixir gun leaning against the fence. … and this thing, it’s just useless now! She turns around to pick up her battered shield but stumbles on a small rock. kitten ation! My toe! she shouts.

Lale, he says with a smirk, You can’t kick sand all over the llamas’ dinner, just because you’re frustrated!

Lale tries to suppress a giggle. He always does that. Says something completely ridiculous at just the right moment. Sorry, Beano, she whispers, and briefly strokes her favorite llama’s dusty neck.

Hug? says Godfrey and smiles.

Yep, says Lale.

~*~

The last day dawns on the Kingdom of Ascalon. It arrives with no fanfare, no tolling of alarms. Those who will remember, will speak fondly of the warm morning breeze. People carry on with their daily lives, unaware that in a short while… everything they have ever known will come to an end.

I had known her since she was a little girl, she told me stories about her father off at war and a worrisome mother at home as we traveled about. Her name was Gwen, at the time I saw her as nothing more than a curious child and I welcomed the company. Then the searing came, fire fell from the sky, people screamed and fled the city, when the dawn broke there was nothing left but ash and rubble. I searched for her, for Gwen but all I found of her was a broken flute and I felt as if I had failed, some hero I was, when I couldn’t even save a child that depended on me.

I grew bitter and resentful, I traveled across the great sea, leaving what remained of my home and the past behind me. I focused my efforts to doing good in Elona and joined the Sunspear ranks. Years passed and my efforts in Elona came to fruition, I fought demons and gods, threw myself into the mouth of torment and came back a hero worthy of the people yet the bitterness of my failure sat deep within my heart.

One day the ground shook, people panicked and myself and current companions were quick to respond. We met new faces along the way and they became friends, but my heart shook when I saw her again. Her bitterness rivaled my own, her heart darkened by years of abuse and all she had known for so long was death. This was my fault. yet in this series of confusing emotions there was joy, she was alive, despite my failures she was alive.

We spent the next few years as companions, she traveled with me and together we did great things. The great destroyer was dead, princess Salma had been named queen, the threat of the White Mantle and the Mursaat were no more. We had beaten dragons, lich lords and the ghostly menace Shiro. The world was at long last, relaxing with well earned peace. At first it was jovial, we sang songs, told tales, I even got to be there when Gwen was married. She had come so far to shed her bitterness and the same could be said for me.

There was however one problem, I knew the world wouldn’t stay this way, I knew the future would hold terrors and I decided to, with Livia’s aid, enter an ancient sleep. I bid everyone farewell, Gwen promised to be strong and lead in my absence and I believe her. 250 years went by and when I awoke I felt feeble and numb. I struggled to hold my ground in this new world. I traveled as far as my feet would take me until I found myself at the gates of Ebbonhawk, Gwen had spoken of it in passing, a city to stand vigilant against the charr menace.

It was here I found her yet again, a frail smile came to my face as I sat next to her, my words quivered as I spoke. “Hey Gwen, its me. It’s been a while, how have things been? I hear so many amazing stories of your adventures after I began the deep sleep.”

A faint melody shot through the air, rising and falling just as quickly as it appeared and I smiled once more. I return often, I tell tall tales of my current adventures, or or the new friends I met along the way. We laugh, or rather I laugh and sometimes cry, but the day goes on and so must I.

“Waaa-it!! Slow down! I cannot keep up!”

I heard the call of my partner, but I was unable to wait. How could I? This discovery was simply too amazing to wait for! As I scampered up the small cliffside, I stumbled slightly in my haste to reach the top.

A pair of goggles lay in the grass up top, right beside a jagged opening. “How curious” I thought. But life is too short to simply let opportunities for fun slip by. Grabbing the goggles eagerly, I swept off my leaves and swan dove in.

The underwater tunnel that greeted me was rather deep, and I hadn’t been prepared for it. I quickly stuffed my underwater breather on, and refitted my leaves back onto myself. There was a purplish-blue glow coming from the end of the tunnel. I heard a splash, and backflipped to see the my partner had jumped into the tunnel as well. She struggled with her equipment though, making her swim lop-sided as she tried to drag it along, her pet nudging her arm to tell her she wasn’t swimming properly. I relieved her of her burden, far too excited to be patient with her.

Furiously pedaling my feet through the water, I surfaced into an enomous cavern. “WOW…!!” I dropped the equipment with a loud clunk as my feet hopped onto the closest rocks. There was a defiant “HEY!” behind me as my partner worriedly went to check on her things, followed by a soft purr of content from her jungle stalker as he shook himself dry.

The cavern was a vast dome covered in crystals, giving off a shimmering blue and purple glow. Mysterious sparks were exploding in pockets of light around the cave, and a series of stepping stone rocks patterned themselves across the shallow water.

“Hurry. HURRY!” I squealed as I ran to the closest energy pocket. I reached out to touch it, and got blasted back by a sparkle of light. “Ouch…”

“I did tell you to be careful.” My partner scolded me. “Though I appreciate you for escorting me here, despite my low level. When I first heard of Chaos Crystal Caverns, I knew I’d have to see it for myself to simply be able to take in the sights. Of course, there’s plenty of research to be done here. The sheer amount of Chaos Energy expelling from this location ca-”

“Yes yes.” I cut her off knowing she’d begin to ramble too much and disrupt the atmosphere. “I’m going to check things out over… HERE.”

Running over to the other end of the cave, I swept my hand across the crystalline walls of the cave, staring in awe at the mysterious structure. Suddenly, a pink mist of electrical mesh caught my eye. There was an asura gate here… how curious! Looking up at it, I tried to blink to it. No luck though, the rock it was planted on was far too high. My wandering eyes then spotted a glint of metal on a rock above me. A lock! And that lock was securely latched onto…

“A chest! There’s a chest! Come and help… I want to see it!” I ran around, trying to find a rock I could jump on. Her cat came running to me, hoping to help give me a boost.

“Alright… just let me get this last sample here… Oh my!”

There was a stiffled scream from her, and I turned to see. The sparks of energy that exploded this time left Risen creatures, Steam Creatures, Icebrood, Branded… all the enemies of our people… in their wake. As they began to edge towards my partner, I quickly pulled out my sword, the mists from my phantasmal weapon floating up with my swift action. I knew she’d be scared, after all these creatures were far stronger than her, and the Pale Tree had already warned her it’d be dangerous with her lack of experience to venture here. I was confident though. After all, I am a Warmaster of the Vigil, and second only to Trahearne in the Pact.

“DUCK!” I yelled as I pulled my sword back, ready to strike, my other hand channeling a phantasm to leap ahead of me. She dropped to the ground, covering her head, as her jungle stalker ran forward to distract the enemy. My phantasm and I reached the mobs at the same time, landing a deafening blow to the crowd.

“Will you go and look after her please?” I asked her pet, who silented fell back to reassure his master, knowing better than to get in my way.

“This will be fun…” My lips curled into a small grin. A beautiful, yet dangerous place to explore… that is what adventuring is all about. “Out of the way people!” I called out to the enemies. “You’re in the way of my treasure!”

Hours of fighting passed, their lifeless bodies everywhere. I never knew air could be so thick and heavy, the scent of mordrem blood, saturated it. “Come on Adeline!” I roared at myself. My blades cut through the last vine that had inundated the Pact base in Timberline. Overwhelmed by tiredness, and sadness, my eyes filled with tears.

I began to run up the hills, i need to escape this. The grass beneath me started to crunch. Looking up, i see where the beautiful green lands filled with tree after tree, suddenly change to stunning stretches of snow and cliffs. Could this be the most wonderful place on Tyria? Unsure as all i could feel was hope gone. Pain filled my heart.

Using my hands to pull myself up the last rocks, i turned my body, as if though by a force that wasn’t mine. My mind ruminating, so much destruction amid the most breathtaking view ive ever witnessed. Whatever was holding me up ceased, my limbs went weak, as i fell to my knees.

That distinct sound of crunching grass closed in behind me. I felt the immense warmth of arms encase my jaded body. I knew who it was, my Galohalt. “You can end this lonely feeling now, I’m here” He so sedately said in my ear.
…and in that moment, the world surrounding me stood silent. Air filling my lungs, as though if it were for the very first time. It was then, and only then, i realised he saved me…

Agent Kordiceps and Agent Cerridwen Cross could not have been more different. The mushroom headed sylvari Agent Kordiceps was prim, upright, professional. For the most part, everything was done by the book, as he was young, and that was the only way he knew how to do things. He wasn’t the perfect agent by any means, as the serpentine appendages of the alien creature that took root inside him on that botched mission could attest to, but he always tried to be. He was a soldier. He followed orders.

The pale human woman Cerridwen Cross was his opposite in almost every way. She’d had a hard life, and learned hard lessons about letting authority have too much power over her, so chose to bend the rules when she could. It often got her into trouble, and she had the terrible scars to prove it. Still, she was bright eyed, cheerful, flirty, and wonderfully creative. She was an artist in the medium of meat and bone.

It was the necromancy that brought these two together in the first place. Oh, it started simply enough, a project here, a research question there, a crazy idea about making a horse out of minotaurs because you just want something to ride around. A professional partnership became a friendship, and a friendship became, well, more.

It’s hard to say the exact moment the two fell in love, but they did have a dinner by candle light on Valentine’s Day, and that is usually a good formula for such things to occur. It wasn’t intentional, of course. Any good necromancer will tell you that the lab has to be lit by candle light. With so many open books around, sometimes candles just end up on the skulls on the table as a place to put them, so that the lab can be well lit. It wasn’t an extravagant dinner, either. Sure, he had baked that apple pie himself for them to share, but they were in the Tyrian Apple Company, and it was all he knew how to bake. As they sat, and talked, and joked with one another, enjoying the moment of happy intimacy among the gloomy shelves of rare reagents and preserved body parts, maybe they both realized it at the same time. They cared about each other. They understood each other. Here was a persona that really got that necromancy was a good thing, that had a passion for the art, that wouldn’t be judgmental no matter how weird an idea you came up with, that you could just take off your mask and be yourself with. It was a strange feeling, opening yourself up to a person like that after so long being guarded, and, well, you know what they say.

You can’t spell necromancer without romance.

==============

Hopefully we get more submissions next time!

“Waaa-it!! Slow down! I cannot keep up!”

I heard the call of my partner, but I was unable to wait. How could I? This discovery was simply too amazing to wait for! As I scampered up the small cliffside, I stumbled slightly in my haste to reach the top.

A pair of goggles lay in the grass up top, right beside a jagged opening. “How curious” I thought. But life is too short to simply let opportunities for fun slip by. Grabbing the goggles eagerly, I swept off my leaves and swan dove in.

The underwater tunnel that greeted me was rather deep, and I hadn’t been prepared for it. I quickly stuffed my underwater breather on, and refitted my leaves back onto myself. There was a purplish-blue glow coming from the end of the tunnel. I heard a splash, and backflipped to see the my partner had jumped into the tunnel as well. She struggled with her equipment though, making her swim lop-sided as she tried to drag it along, her pet nudging her arm to tell her she wasn’t swimming properly.

this was from the original post, moving it down here since I want to edit the original message and dont want to have it run out of space.

Sanjyu and Janna grew up together as commoners of Divinity’s Reach, always struggling to pay their dues and help each others through daily life. Working in Minister Wi’s household, they were at least treated well; despite the low wages. Disregarding the dangers around Clayment Falls, they would travel often to train on their free time. Upon coming of age, the couple finally stepped out of Divinity’s Reach and into Shaemoor where they would get to experience Tyria for the first time in their life; in it’s magnificent beauty and dreadful sorrows.

It’s been years since leaving the comfort of home and the many lives that they have saved, along with the many friends they have met along the way only strengthen their love for one another. In an era of unsettled rest, time is of an essence in which is held dearest to their hearts, and despite Tyrian’s need for heroes, they still find time for one another.

…kicking bad guy’s kitten will have to wait for another day.

Sanjyu Roku + Janna Meagan

[2nd set]
“Rolling a New Toon”

The time was flying, it was just past noon
So I decided to make a brand new toon
With options of both profession and race
What choices I had would soon take place

There are five different races to choose
Maybe I should just look at other’s reviews
One says Charr another says Asuran
But there’s also Norn, Sylvari, and Human

I’ll choose one at random and see what happens
All the races should be fine I only imagine
But now the next very important question
What will by my new toon’s profession?

Back to reviews to see what is best
And what would be easiest for Tryia’s test
They all recommend just fitting my style
So I’ll just randomly pick from this huge pile

I guess I’ll just be a Norn Guardian soon
Who seems to be awesome at applying a boon
I’ll play and I’ll play until I reach level max
At which point there is no turning back

I’ve gotten him up now to level eighty
But I admit a Norn is quite weighty
Filling my screen was not the plan
Maybe I should have just rolled Asuran

Hi! This is a short story (really short) about my favorite part of the game. In Harathi Hinterlands, there’s a couple hidden away “seraphette” and “bandito” who are in forbidden love. (Romeo and juliet). The scene is gorgeous and I love it, so I wrote this as a little shout out to that as well as my RP character and her “love interest” the seraph commander.

==

I happened upon them as I explored, Bandito and Seraphette, as they sat in secret in their little cove hidden in Harathi Hinterlands. Their forbidden love injected such melancholy into the air, despite the beauty of the water and stones around them.

My love, Liam, Seraphette’s superior officer had been wandering with me, and we both stopped and looked on from afar. Seraphette was consorting with the enemy, and more than that, was wrapped in a deep embrace of tears and desperate longing. I remembered that feeling all too well, as the streetrat turned Heroine of Shaemoor, the desperate struggle to keep, hold on, grasp, the love that is forbidden and out of reach.

I glanced back at Liam, whose face contorted in confusion, and he turned away, unwilling to intervene, despite his duty. He grasped my hand and hurried me away. As I glanced back, I smiled at the romancing couple. Forbidden as it may be, they deserve a moment of love before she must kill him.

==

Pictures are Seraphette and Bandito and my character and Liam.

This story is set when my character, Vinesta, is sixteen and just starting her journey as a mesmer. Please note, this is a “short” story to me. I gave myself a 1500 word limit. This is what I came up with (1347 words, final total).

~~~~~~

Vinesta turned in a circle, looking up at the magnificent ceiling over the Queen’s garden. Wonder lit her face with a brilliant smile. She didn’t care if people stared or murmured. She was proud to be Human and call such an amazing city home, though, she did not always dwell within the walls. Since the centaur attack on Shaemoor she had been busy helping the denizens of Queensdale and the other districts, increasing her fame.

“You’re here early.” A male voice said behind her.

Vinesta turned, smiling to Lieutenant Francis. “Good to see you Francis! I thought I would enjoy the garden before I met with Captain Thackeray. Are you well now?”

The lieutenant had been injured at the hospital when some local thugs set it ablaze. He put a hand to his left arm and looked away. She got a sense of sorrow and shame from him.

“My arm is healed, but…” he trailed off, still not looking to her.

“I am glad to see you well, lieutenant. The captain needs you.”

His head came up. A curious feeling came from him – regret. Something was wrong, but what?

“I hope your appointment with the captain goes well. I must see the Queen.” His speech was stilted. He bowed to her then continued towards the palace.

Vinesta watched after him then turned her face up to the ceiling once more. The stars and planets traversed their orbits around the room. Their edges glittered in the sunlight. She closed her eyes, committing the scene to her memory then started across the grass to the Seraph Headquarters. It had been a while since she’d met with the Captain of the Seraph.

A Seraph stopped her at the door. She pulled a paper from her pocket to show him. He scanned the document then handed it back to her. It was unusual for the Seraph to have a door guard. He held the door open and announced her to the main office. Unease settled over Vinesta. There were a dozen other Seraph in the room and Captain Thackeray looked anxious.

“Greetings Captain Thackeray!” She swept him a bow and smiled. “How can I be of assistance today?”

He did not speak as he looked at her. His thoughts and feelings were in turmoil. He was upset and fearful. What could possibly be on his mind?

“Vinesta, I am so sorry.” He said softly and signaled the Seraph in the room.

Bewildered, she stood there as the nearest Seraph grabbed her. Her mind processed what was happening. She had been betrayed by none other than Logan Thackeray of the Seraph and Destiny’s Edge. Something cool and metallic slid onto her right wrist. She gritted her teeth with a feral growl. She had done nothing wrong and she was being treated as a criminal!

A simple blade flashed into her hand, called from the Ether. She turned on the Seraph holding her, slashing wildly at him. He released her as the blade scraped across his armor harmlessly. Her focus came next. She turned, her back to the desk and Logan.

Two Seraph charged at her, their armor glinting cruelly in the light of the office. She set her curtain out in front of her. The ribbon of chaotic energy crackled as it rose from the floor. When they were almost on her she closed it, pulling them off their feet and across the room. Sparks of power fell off around her. She would not wait for the next person to attack her, she went on the offensive, leaping at a Seraph. As she moved she spawned clones. The odds were not in her favor, but they would not take her without a fight. She downed one soldier and moved to the next and the next.

“Vinesta!” Logan shouted over the din of battle. “Stop it.”

“And what? Let you take me easily?” She stabbed the soldier in front of her, spiking power through the blade and into the woman. “Never!”

“Seraph! Stand down!” Logan ordered as he rushed towards her.

The Seraph backed away. Vinesta turned to face him. It was a futile effort, but she would not surrender. She conjured a phantasm. It whirled, deadly axes carving the air around it. Logan was undaunted, skirting the phantasm. She teleported behind him, leaping in to slash at his back. He pushed her away as he channeled energy through his shield. She was slower to get to her feet. She was tired of the fight already. What was going on?

Vinesta rolled away from Captain Thackeray, spawning a clone in her wake. He was ready for that. He knocked her off balance with his shield and used the pommel of his sword to thump her on the head. She crumpled at his feet. He stared down at her sadly.

“Get it over with.” He said as he turned to the arcanists lurking near the stairs.

A small man bustled forward, fastening a wrap over Vinesta’s eyes. The gold seal blazed white, ready to be filled with the power of the men and women assembled. They swayed in place, chanting together softly. The threads of the wrap and seal glowed as their power filled them, stifling the power of the young mesmer. Logan watched quietly beyond them. His gaze never wavering from Vinesta. If she woke before they finished it would be deadly for everyone involved, but she did not.

With the deed done the arcanists filed out of the office to report to Countess Anise. Logan pulled a chair over to sit watch on Vinesta. He had dismissed his Seraph and sent the injured to see a chirurgeon. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his clasped hands. He sighed. This, no doubt, cost him a valuable ally.

An hour later Vinesta stirred. She was dizzy, confused and her head hurt. She brought a hand up to her head, wondering at the darkness. Why couldn’t she see? What had happened? Her fingers brushed the wrap and she froze. Where was her power? It was always within easy reach. Now it was gone. She could feel it, but too far away.

A hand supported her back as she sat up. Logan was there. It was a bitter comfort. He had betrayed her. The Seraph, the Queen, everyone. She knew, deep down, that not even Petra and Andrew would welcome her back after this. She was on her own, alone. Angrily, she pushed away Logan’s support and got to her feet. She stood, shaking and wobbling like a newborn foal.

“Vinesta, I am so sorry. This isn’t what I wanted.” Grief thickened Logan’s voice, but fury rolled through Vinesta. “Let me help you.”

“You have helped me quite enough!” Her hand cut through the air. A snarl curled her lips back from her teeth. “Don’t ever call for me again, Logan Thackeray. We are not friends, not even allies.”

She turned her back on him and stumbled out of the Seraph offices. The door guards eyed her. Her head throbbed as indignation swelled in her breast. She prayed, then, to Grenth for revenge. When she was strong again she would return and they would all be sorry to have made an enemy of her. She turned a corner blindly and walked into someone. She didn’t say anything as she backed up, intending to go around the person, but they stepped in front of her.

“I have a proposition for you, Vinesta.” The man said, a light lilt in his voice. “I am an agent with the Order of Whispers. We would like to recruit you.”

She considered the option. She had thought to join the Priory with their endless adventures in search of knowledge, but now… Now she was hobbled. She had no home, no friends, there was no one to turn to. And the Order of Whispers? She tilted her head, a cold smile forming on her lips. They were a hub of information. She would be able to find the truth of herself through them.

“I accept.”

(The images are her “trademark” look.)

@Calliope

kitten, this is very good work, a lot of questions on my mind. What happened to her? Why did Logan betray her? Why? Where was her power?

You writing style is very detailed, it makes me feel as if I am right there with Vinesta.

10/10 for me. Gj!

@Callipoe although I did say a couple sentences, I’ll take this because within the first few lines, I can already see potential in this.

due to the lack of submissions ( 3 ), I decided to close this one. Maybe I will open up another time. Right now it just dont seem like it’s worth the effort with just 3 people doing this. Again, thanks for those who submitted something, and sorry about closing so suddenly.

amazing! I love how you painted the scene. Awesome composition and colors too! Looking forward for the coming painting ovo.