Guild Wars 2

((my story continues a couple hours after I send Muriseer my letter)
I’m sitting in a room with Sophiera and her translator when someone knocks on the door. It’s a messenger from Muriseer, finally. He took his time to get here, it’s not that far. I walk to him and he gives me a package with a note attached to it:

Yerol Star,
here are the documents you asked for.
Muriseer.

I take the package and walk to a room where I can be alone, I wouldn’t want Sophiera or someone else finding out what’s in here. I want to open the package, but then I notice something. The seal stamp on the package is of. Normally we put our signature on the seal when we send something, but it’s missing here. I just hope that noone has opened it, it would do me no good if someone found out about my criminal activities.
I tell myself that Muriseer probably just forgot signing it and there should be no worries.

I open the package, pull out the files and start reading them, but stop quite fast. It’s late and I can never remember stuff when I’m tired. I put the Dossiers in my bag and start looking for a place to sleep. I find a Priory who guides me to the visitor rooms and go to bed.

I wake up, it’s quite late. I was planning on waking up early, but apparently I overslept.
I go to the translator’s room to see if they are done. When I walk into the room I see Sophiera reading something, the translator isn’t here anymore.
“Has the translator finished?”
She tells me he’s done and immediatly continues reading. It seems like she finds it very interesting.
I tell her I’m gonna get some breakfast and I would love to read it after. She nods vaguely but doesn’t stop reading. I don’t think she really heard what I said.

After I ate, I suddenly remember that yersterday I forgot to ask Sophiera how to repay her for her help. I buy her some hot choco and go back to Sophiera. She likes the hot choco, though she tells me she doesn’t want anything in return for her help. After that she gives me two copies of the translations and asks me if I want to give on to Captain Storyteller. I tell her I’ll do it and she leaves.

After reading the translation I realise I don’t have a clue what the mermaid looks like. How am I gonna find someone when I don’t even know what she looks like? After all mermaids look like ordinary humans if they want to. I get the Ash legion Dossiers from my bag and start reading them. Let’s see, who are or were are contacts. hmm.. ah this is usefull. Apparently she’s got a contact in Rata Sum called Chief Gliptr. He has met Bubbles, he knows what she looks like. I’ll go find him but first I will bring Storyteller his copy of the translation. I pack my stuff and leave the Priory, to Lions Arch.

((such a beautiful ending for Bubbles Thank you hamfast, and everyone else, for all the work on this.

I’d like to propose that Midnight and her benefactor turned popsicle both continue their tales in an independent thread if their authors are so inclined. A link from the leaving off point in this thread to the continuation would be great. It is, of course, their discretion if they want to continue, but the stories are very intriguing and my wife and I both have anxiously anticipated each update. ))

I’m in a bar in LA, I sigh. I told Sophiera I would give Storyteller a copy of the translation, but forgot I don’t know where he lives. Fortunatly the Lionguard have put a request wall in Lions Arch. They had enough of people putting posters everywhere and decided to make a general place to place request stuff. I put this short note over there:

I’m looking for Captain Storyteller.
If anyone has any clues as of where he might be, please contact me at Yerol.9546.

Still, it’s stupid that I promise something that I can’t do, sigh. After taking another drink I go to Rata Sum to find Chief Gliptr. I walk to the Asura gates and enter Rata Sum. I don’t really like this city: too many noisy golems and too much other technology around here. I prefer places that are somewhat calmer.
After asking around for a bit, I manage to find Chief Gliptr. I ask him how he met Bubbles.
“Who wants to know and why?” he asks. I tell him my name, that I’m a Scribe, and that I’m writing a book about her.
“Well, fine”, he says, “I don’t see why not.” He tells me how he and Bubbles met each other.
“hmm..” I say, “and how does, I mean did she look like?”
“Why do you want to know? you’re not one of those people who still thinks she’s allive, are you?”
“No, I want some pictures in my book. Some mermaid pictures, that’s why I need to know what she looked like.”
“You know, I liked that mermaid. If she were alive, I wouldn’t tell her – for her safety of course. But now she’s dead, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Just what I thought: now that she’s dead, people don’t have to keep Bubbles secret anymore. I’m not going to tell anyone she’s alive. It’s a lot easier this way

He tells me what Bubbles looks like, but is unable to give me a lot of details.
“Can’t you be more specific?” I ask him.
“Do I look like I’ve got a lot of time to stare at peoples faces? No. As a peacemaker I’m always busy.”
“Thank you for your time.” I say and walk away.
After I found a quiet place I start drawing a picture of Bubbles using Gliptr’s information.
The drawing isn’t as helpfull as I hoped it would be. With the little information that Gliptr gave me, I’m only able to get a general idee of how she looks like. Well… at least it’s a good picture for the book, I guess. I won’t be able to identify her with only Gliptr’s info, that’s for sure.
((I actually drew a picture of Bubbles based on the picture based of this post: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Warning-Buoy/page/2#post3201090.))

((I hope this isn’t the end of this story. even though Bubbles’ story is done now, it still hasn’t ended yet for everyone.
I really enjoy doing this, but if it does end here I will round up my part too.
though if it does continue (even if it’s in another thread) I will continue too. I know I’m not the best writer, but I just like doing it too much.))

[[With one thread starter writing herself out, and the other abandoning it, I’d say it’s done.]]

Thank you, everyone for keeping an old lady entertained for days on end.

Hope to see more from you all in the future!

No it’s not. Trust me it’s not. :P I’ve just been busy lately.

Dear everyone in this thread.

Thank you for being a part of this, and thank you for giving me inspiration to write again. I’ve been struggling of late, and easing my way back into writing with an existing world and scenarios has been just what I needed.

I plan to expand on what I have already written here into a larger novel format, and would like permission to use the content posted, as well as characters, whether you intend to carry on with their stories yourself or not.

Arikyali, I wouldn’t mind collaborating some as we have been already with ideas and scenes. If you wouldn’t mind getting in touch by PM if you are interested in doing something larger, I would appreciate it.

Now, I have to get back to work (break over) so will be delayed replys.

Cheers.

Edit: Out of curiosity, I decided to check how many words I had written on this story. 10k. I am happy with this.

You guys really want to continue it on the forums itself? We can make a new thread in Fan Generated content, but Bubbles will no longer be here

Epilogue

It had been so long, the prisoner had almost forgotten what it was like to not be a slave to the krait. Perhaps the prisoner was lucky to have lasted longer than so many others without having been sacrificed… if luck is really the right word where being at the mercy of the krait was concerned. Or perhaps the krait were keeping the prisoner for some other purpose.

The prisoner had watched as the events leading up to the escape had unfolded – the cage of the human female being accessed by a human male (perhaps a lover, perhaps just a friend or ally) while she was out being worked, and then the male returning to break the female out of the cage. The asura – whether male or female, it was hard to tell from this distance with the asura – struggling frantically with something at the cage door before finally it opened, the asura swimming free with the vengeful returning krait hot on his heels.

The prisoner had not seen if the escapees had escaped or not, simply that they were never returned to their cages… but that was nothing unusual. Since their escape, though, the krait had become, if anything, more cruel towards their captives. Increased security measures had also been introduced – breathing masks were now attached to the cages, so that airbreathing prisoners could not leave the cages without the assistance of their captors.

Nights passed, and in that time, it seemed as if the krait had been preparing to move the prisoners out, to some holding deeper into the ocean. And then it happened.

The first thing the prisoner’s attention was drawn to was ripples across the surface far above as something splashed into the water. The prisoner focused on the object just long enough to identify a wooden crate sinking into the water before it broke apart with the flashes of underwater explosives, apparently having been designed to do so. Drifting out of the box came several strange apparatuses, balloons expanding around them to provide just enough buoyancy to prevent them from sinking to the bottom without causing them to float to the top. Before the krait were able to react, the purpose of the devices became clear as they began to launch harpoons, nets, and explosive rockets into the krait nearest to them, their numbers growing as more crates crashed into the water.

As the krait were driven away from the forest of turrets, soldiers began dropping into the water among the forest of turrets – some in gilded armour decorated with leonine aspects, others in armour and robes of silver, bronze and blue. Expanding out from the safety of the turrets, the new arrivals began laying into the surrounding krait, many of which still seemed off-balance by the suddenness of an attack which had not been presaged by the appearance of a single hull in the water, with volleys of spears, beams of blue and purple that bounced from krait to krait, and the occasional homing torpedo. Before long, the krait were in full retreat – although the prisoner did see that a krait priestess, the same one that had often visited the female human escapee’s cell, had taken control of the retreat and prevented it from becoming a rout. Moving among the cages, the attackers seemed more interested in releasing the prisoners than following, possibly because they were wary of moving too far away from the relative safety of the turret array to possibly be drawn into a trap laid by the krait.

It took a few minutes per cage with darksteel-bladed saws to release the prisoners while the other attackers floated nearby, vigilantly watching for a krait counterattack. Compared to the eons of captivity, however, it was not long at all before each of the prisoners had been broken from their cages and provided with rebreathers. As the prisoner swam to the surface along with the others, the prisoner overheard one of the others ask a blue-robed woman – the numbers of which, the prisoner had noticed, had seemed to drop remarkably, although the attackers were not bearing nearly enough casualties to explain the reduction in number – how they would be escaping from the ocean.

The woman chuckled. “Same way we arrived,” she replied, pulling a rope down from where it had apparently been floating on the surface and tying it into a harness around her questioner. “It’ll be a bit cramped until we reach the rendezvous with the conventional navy, but between the Memory of Glint and Captain Kiel’s airship, we should be able to get you all out of here before the krait come back… if they dare.”

Kicking herself half out of the water, the woman appeared to signal to something above. Following suit, the now ex-prisoner took in the sight of two large dirigibles floating low over the ocean beneath an overcast sky, just as one of the ropes hanging from the nearest of the airships tightens, hoisting the first of the rescuees into the air.

It’s not over yet…

To be continued

Interlude

In the meantime one brave little asura continues to warn unsuspecting ships.

This is when rumours start to spread of a “mersura” and the cycle repeats…

…Did someone say “mersura?”

(Fare well, valiant Captain)

[[good start to the thread, and it ended in a train wreck. Ah well ]]

“You foolss!!!” The krait priestess cried. “Our base wasss dissscoverrred and dessstroyed!!"

She reared up, clutching a beautiful golden dagger in her fists, shaking with rage. “Hoow could you have beeen so carelesss?” She hissed. The pirates before her stood unresponsive, making her all the more angry. “Answer me!!” She shrieked.

The captain finally glanced up at the seething krait. A small wry smile turned the corner of his lips. “This can still be salvaged.” He said quietly.

“How!?”

With one glance, the captain nodded to a mess of overgrown ferns. “Kill her.”

The priestess’ eyes widened with realization, whipping around to face the cleverly concealed cannon. All she saw was a blast of gunpowder – she did not even see the cannonball that crushed her skull in, smashing it into the sand.

The pirate captain chuckled softly. “Like any of us ever cared about the ‘sacrifices’ for your pathetic prophets,” he mused.

He reached down, yanking the dagger out of her limp hand. “Oh, this is nice,” he grinned, tucking it into his belt. “All right crew! We’re moving out! Stupid krait didn’t last long enough to die for us in the first wave, but once those bombs go off tomorrow, Lion’s Arch is easy pickings!”

The crew, who had been concealed within the jungle, cheered, raising their swords and pistols up in the air. “Shaddup you salty sea dogs!” The captain barked. “Last thing we need is to blow our cover! Quiet down all of you!”

He grinned, kicking the dead body of the krait priestess. “You krait get the ingredients, the stupid nightmare salads make the bombs, and we reap the benefits. What more could I ask in a business proposal?”

He turned around and walked back into the jungle. “Grab your gas masks crew…when those bombs go off, it’s gonna get ugly.”

No one ever took notice of the young woman far in the distance, concealed behind some mossy rocks. A single soft swear passed her lips, before she sank back into the darkness.

Ten hours earlier…

Too soon I realized that leaving via the Asuran gates was a bad idea. There were Lion Guard patrol at every corner. The main entrance was already blocked off, with guards checking each traveler in and out of the city, searching for bombs. The gates were too difficult to monitor, and had been shut off completely. The Asurans who ran the gate were naturally peeved, and an argument broke out between an aggravated Non Lionguard, and irritated Asura. Sadly, the Norn won the argument when he picked up the Asura by the ears and chucked the poor thing into the sea.

I shut my eyes and sighed in annoyance, trying to ignore the cries of outbreak amidst the gateway plaza. How was I to get out now? The Lionguard kept informing the citizens that there was no need for evacuations, and everything was just a precaution. This only made it more difficult…nervous people got rowdy. Rowdy people attracted more guards. More guards meant less chance to escape.

I snuck along the edge of the walls, dropping down to the harbor. My best bet now was to find an abandoned rowboat and…row out in the night.

It’ll be all worth it…I sank to the sand, concealed underneath the boardwalk. Home…finally going home. I just hoped my mother didn’t build a net turret to trap me at the door, the same way she did my dad. Then again, if she did, I couldn’t really blame her.

“Did you hear? We got a Mersuran!” I glanced up at the sailors above the boardwalk. Mersuran…?

“A…what?” another sailor asked in confusion.

“A mersuran! A mermaid asuran!”

“Oh come on. I think we’ve had enough of this whole mermaid fiasco to last us a lifetime.”

I rolled my eyes. I had enough mermaid madness to last me three lifetimes.

After a short rest, I searched the bay for an abandoned rowboat. Thankfully, it did not take me too long to find one. Rowboats were one thing Lion’s Arch had in abundance, aside from thieves and brigands. I climbed in and set off, being extra careful to keep close to the cliff sides to avoid the guards.

I was pleasantly surprised to find not many patrol boats within the water. Most of the Lionguard must have been focused within the city. The few that did guard the harbor entrance were easily avoided with a few stealthy skills. They didn’t pay much attention to an empty rowboat drifting out of the harbor.

I rowed for awhile, using the oars to navigate around the rocky cliffs that surrounded the harbor. By the time I reached the other side, my arms were sore and tired. I left the rowboat by the side of a beach, trudging up toward the jungle. IT was going to be a long trip back home, but at least I could avoid most of the nighttime wildlife with my shadow arts. When morning came, I could find a safe place to rest before figuring out my next plan.

“You foolss!!!”

I froze, recognizing that high pitched shriek all too well. I ducked under a mossy outcropping, peering over just enough to see what was going on. OF all luck…the krait priestess….and pirates.

And the krait didn’t look to happy.

I watched silently, realization of their ploy slowly dawning. I watched in surprise as the cannon went off, killing the priestess, and the pirate captain gloating over his near victory. I sank back below the rocks. There was no denying it…Lion’s Arch was going to be in a lot of trouble.

The sneaky self-preservation side of my brain kicked in. I could easily escape…amidst the distraction of pirates and bombs. I just had to remain hidden until the attack. No one would bat an eye at someone fleeing the city.

But could I allow myself to do it? I might have been a thieving bounty hunter, but I couldn’t just run away and condemn people to their fate.

What did these people ever do for me? I thought bitterly. I would never have come here if Kristie never lost her eyesight. No one gave two bottles of bilgewater for me, or her, or my mother. No one. Centaurs come, kill, and leave. Bandits raided and ran. And pirates just plundered and murdered. No act of charity or kindness came along to help Kristie when she lost her eyesight. No one gave a centaur’s behind when my father died. I was forced to find work among the seedy crowd of Lion’s Arch, and why? So I could hopefully pay the ridiculous amount of gold needed for Kristie’s surgery. That krewe of Asuran did not care how she lost her sight. The people that hired me didn’t care what happened to their victims. And the Lionguard? All they cared about was how many thugs could they get into the gauntlet arena. No one bloody cared.

I don’t owe this city anything…I crept off, slipping into the dark overgrowth of the jungle. And even if I did go back, no one would believe me anyway. They’d just throw me in prison…and I’d die there when the bombs go off.

As far as I was concerned, Lion’s Arch brought this onto itself.

GuzziHero.2467:

[[good start to the thread, and it ended in a train wreck. Ah well ]]

I SAID IT WASN’T OVER YET!!! I just needed…inspiration >.> My muse caught laryngitis.

Anywaaaay…does anyone know if I can safely transmute the gas mask for a second character? I originally planned to save it for later, but…after I wrote this chapter, it seems I may need to use it for Ana…

((I would assume it’s like most of the other skins, but I haven’t tried it yet.))

GuzziHero.2467:

[[good start to the thread, and it ended in a train wreck. Ah well ]]

Thank you so much for your insightful and helpful critique, Simon Cowell.

After 3 weeks, this thread has averaged over 20 posts per day (many long ones) and nearly 2300 readers per day. You yourself added to it a dozen times. And even though the initial participants have moved on, it is still growing. (Much thanks, Arikyali, Ashabhi, and company! I am still reading! Keep up the creativity!)

A lot of people have enjoyed what they read here. Many people have gone to great effort into adding to our fun. We have created (to the best of my knowledge) a new form of entertainment here. We had no guidelines, but we learned as we went. It’s not perfect, but it’s not a contest for you to judge either. So please take your flippant remarks elsewhere. Comments like yours are the real train wreck at the end of all our fun and hard work.

Hamfast.8719:

(Fare well, valiant Captain)

Farewell ç__ç

I trudged through the jungle with a heavy heart. Nothing I can do would save the city anyway…It wouldn’t have made any difference. I sighed. Like I said, I have no ties to Lion’s Arch, and no reason to help. City never helped me, so I don’t owe it anything. But why did I feel guilty about my decision?

I climbed over the rocky cliffs, avoiding the wildlife that inhabited the jungle. The sooner I returned to Kryta, the sooner I would be with my family again, and the sooner Kristie would get her sight back. My life in Lion’s Arch would be a thing of the past – I wouldn’t need to steal anymore, or sneak around back alleys. I may have to change my name to avoid guards, but I wouldn’t have to be a criminal anymore. Life could be normal again.

I drank in the salty air breeze, climbing over one last pile of rubble and catching a glimpse of Lion’s Arch one last time. It looked so peaceful and quiet now…and tomorrow, it would be filled with chaos. One person couldn’t do anything to save it.

A cold steel blade gently tapped the back of my neck. “No sudden movements…”

I froze. How did I not hear anyone?! I shifted my weight forward, careful not to make it visable. “All right,” I whispered, “you caught me….not!” I lurched forward and landed a sweeping kick at the person behind me. My heel connected to the face of a startled Asuran, but the image shattered into several pinkish shards of magical energy.

My mind reeled. With one hand, I grabbed a dagger as I pressed my other hand to my temple. It felt like a searing white-hot rod had been shoved into my brain, making my senses fuzzy. Confusion. I saw another flash, and a short Asura leaping at me with his blade high. Illusion or not, I couldn’t tell. I dropped low and dodged out of the way – and over the cliff.

My eyes widened in horror, and my lips did not suppress my scream. The jagged rocks below came rushing up to greet me, like sharp teeth ready to snatch up prey.

“You bookah!!” Londatt swore. He rushed to the edge of the cliff, peering down to the sea below. His eyes searched the dark rocks and foaming seawater, finally spotting a mangled form drifting in the sea. He swore again. He watched the dark mass for a long time, waiting for it to move, but it did not rise.

He shut his eyes and heaved a sigh. Finally, he turned around and picked his way down the path that led to the beach below.

The last couple of days I’ve been searching for more leads about Bubbles, but no results at all. The Quaggans didn’t know anything, the Lionguard didn’t know anything and because of that I don’t know anything.

However I did find someone that new Storyteller’s adress and I was able to send the files I promised Sophiere to send him. I hope he likes it.
I’ll hand in the story to Muriseer in a couple of days, but for now I’ll take a break in Two Ters.
“One apple cider please”

No Anakysha dun die T_T

The novelty of an ice ship/city had worn off fairly quickly. True to my original suspicions, the Kodan were uninteresting to observe. There was a little bit of politics between some factions, but nothing remotely on par with what was found in Lion’s Arch. They thought they were clever with their little plots, but they wouldn’t last a day trying those things in a real city. Still, every race has to start somewhere, I guess.

I made my way around the area, scouting for anything remotely interesting. Or even just somewhere warm. I never saw that large shape I once had in the past again, but I did find a few interesting places at least. One place had some curious ice which seemed to have flowing water inside it, and a large structure with what appeared to be propellor blades atop it, which was inside a giant ice cavern. It was surrounded by Dredge, and wondered if they had built it, and if so how long it had taken them.

Ah, yes. The dredge. It seemed like they wanted to fight everybody in existence. Vigil? Check. Kodan? Check. Svanir? Check. Dredge? Check. Yup, they even fought amongst themselves. Some form of rebellion was going on, I even spoke with one who tried to explain things to me, but he had limited information. This place was completely, totally, utterly…

Boring.

Reports filtered back to me every so often of events happening at other places in the world. Lion’s Arch was still on high alert, of course. Whispers agents were basically all over things, it turns out an exploding toxic barrel threat (originating from none other than that pesky plant, Scarlet) had been dealt with efficiently, and the mermaid rumours were both true and false at the same time. It was annoying having to go by second hand information. I wanted to find these things out myself, it was frustrating. Additionally, there was always one thing that I hoped to see and not see, and every report brought the subject back to my mind.

Her. I felt terrible for how I left. Sometimes at night I dreamt of that one wrenching sob, I could never forget what I had caused. I don’t even know what caused it, aside from something to do with her father. I remembered those eyes, too. She had nice eyes. Looking back on the fight, even the way she had moved was delightful. Snap out of it! Brooding about those events didn’t help me in the slightest. I caught myself going back through previous messages, looking them over just in case I had missed a mention of either Midnight or Anakysha. I already knew what they said, and angry with myself I threw them into a fire.

The debt was paid, right?

This thread reminds me. We need boats and ships we can sail and steer. We also need guild halls and player housing.

We need something that isn’t a boring race to get some achies.

We need more toys to play with. Best open world in the MMO industry, with absolutely nothing to do out there once you’ve seen it once.

It took me a few tries to steady my hand on my next report. I had been talking to the Vigil, in regards to a bunch of equipment they had set up. I’d never really gotten a clear answer out of them, but recently they had been getting a little more active. I think I managed to convince a slightly more talkative member to give me some details about it all. He mentioned ‘it was to take down the dragon, of course.’ I glanced around, thinking that if they were going to take on a dragon, they were going to need bigger guns, and a lot more of them. I wondered about the Vigil, sometimes. Most people avoided dragons, and I was one of them.

A fighter I was not, and I didn’t fancy hanging around to where a kitten ed off dragon was going to be. Even as I moved on, the cannons started roaring, causing me to jerk out my weapons. Just above and behind me explosion scattered through the sky, and a dragon barrelled straight through them, almost without noticing. It hadn’t made a single sound, I never heard it coming. It didn’t stay quiet though. I can tell you it let out a roar that made the air explosions seem like popcorn in comparison, which hurried my feet along quite nicely, thank you.

It was a couple of minutes before I turned back to survey the area. The explosions had gotten fewer, and quieter, while the dragon still circled and shrieked in anger. I guess those cannons didn’t work, after all. Abruptly, I decided that I had spent enough time here. It was cold. It was boring. And there was a dragon in the area that the Vigil were doing their best to make angry. Even though I didn’t have orders to do, I returned to HQ. Maybe if I came up with a really good story I could get reassigned. I wouldn’t push for Lion’s Arch, but pretty much anywhere was preferable to where an angry dragon was. It hadn’t been that long, but I still needed to brush up on my skills some.

Lies. Misdirection. Secrets.

It was a beautiful day. Blue skies, white puffy clouds, and songbirds singing in the high branches of the lush summer trees. A cool summer breeze wafted into the kitchen, carrying the scent of lazy wildflowers dotting the hillside outside of the kitchen window. Kristie was busy at the table, mixing the batter for the pie crust. I picked another apple from the basket besides me, laying it on the cutting board and slicing it into chunks.

“Molarsh is coming back in,” my mother called from the second floor. “Get him a glass of water, will you Ana?”

As if on que, heavy boots stomped on the porch outside, followed by the loud swing of the door. I stifled an annoyed sigh. It would have been an almost perfect day.

“Man, it’s hot today!” Molarsh wiped his muddy boots on the floormat outside, before hunkering into the small kitchenette. “Hey there, squirt,” he said, plopping his callous hands on top of Kristie’s head, ruffling her pigtails despite her protests. “Hey Ana! How about a nice cold drink for your handsome and hardworking farmhand?”

Without turning away from my work, I pointed behind. “Glasses are in the cabinet over there, water pump outside by the herb box. We don’t have ice.” I picked up another apple and continued chopping.

I could sense my mother’s disapproving, but understanding frown from the stairways nearby. “Huh,” Molarsh shrugged, peering over my shoulder. Gosh, he reeked of sweat. “Whatcha makin, Ana?”

“Apple pie,” I replied casually.

“What for?”

“Thanking the Seraphs in town.”

A hand circled my waist as Molarsh breathed into my ear. I stiffened. “Ya know Ana,” Molarsh said, reaching over to pick up a piece of fruit from the cutting board, “maybe later today you and I could go out to the lake…we could-”

I raised the knife high, and slammed it down on the cutting board with a heavy bang. Molarsh yanked his hands away and stumbled backwards. “Hmmmm?” I asked innocently, continuing with my chopping as before.

“…Nevermind,” he said, getting the hint.

My mother came down the steps with a basket of laundry. “Don’t get close to my daughter when she has a knife in her hands,” she eyed Molarsh. “Last boy who got ‘too close’ couldn’t walk for a week.”

Kristie giggled. “Ana, I think I’m done,” she said, pushing the mixing bowl across the table. “I didn’t feel any more chunks.” I turned around and picked it up. “Perfect, Kristie,” I said, using the wooden spoon to flatten a few small chunks she had missed. “I’m gonna go get some spices from the herb box, then we can make the crust.”

Kristie grinned. “Okay,” she said, carefully climbing off her chair and holding on to the edge of the table. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“Kristie, why don’t you help me fold the laundry?” My mother said, reaching for her hand and guiding her up the steps. “And Molarsh, your break’s up. I’m paying you by the job, not the hour. That farm isn’t going to weed itself.”

“I’ll get right back to it ma’am,” Molarsh said, stomping back outside. I sighed, taking the back door to the herb box.

The moment I stepped outside, everything was quiet. There were no songbirds, or any scurrying of critters. It was eerily silent. I blinked a bit in the bright sun, momentarily confused. Despite the strangeness, I didn’t feel any fear. I could sense something beckoning for me in the distance. I hesitated, then walked up to the dirt road in front of me, and followed it down the unfamiliar path.

The trail weaved around the forest, until the trees thinned out. I followed it, unsure of where it led. A white misty fog slowly seeped around, clinging to the ground. The sun was still bright high above, but I couldn’t feel its warm heat. There was no breeze, and everything was still. I kept walking, until I came before a bridge.

I stopped in front of the bridge. The fog shrouded the other side, preventing me from seeing what was beyond. Something in the back of my mind told me that if I crossed the bridge, I would never be able to go back. Yet the voice beckoned me to cross. I took a hesitant step forward.

A figure slowly became visible on the other side of the bridge. I paused, squinting my eyes to try and make it out. He looked familiar…

“…Father?”

“Anakysha,” he called out. His voice sounded distant. “It’s not your time yet.”

“My…” I hesitated. “I don’t understand…”

“Go back,” he said. “Turn around and go back. You have much more to live for.”

“Dad, where are you? Why haven’t you come home yet?” I asked. “I miss you! I want to see you again!”

“I’m sorry Ana.” His voice sounded so full of pain and regret. “I’m sorry. Please, don’t make the same mistakes I did. Make something of yourself, before it’s too late. Don’t waste this chance.”

“Dad, come back home,” I begged.

“I can’t, Ana.” He said. “I can’t…go back.”

“Why not?” I asked. “Then let me come see you!”

He shook his head. I could barely see his face shrouded in the mists, but I knew his voice and his stance. There was no denying it was him. “Go back, Ana. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

“Dad?” I called out again. I suddenly jerked forward in a coughing fit. I gasped for air, choking on the seawater that was caught in my throat.

“You bookah.” I coughed a bit, struggling to look up at Londatt. I was shivering, drenched from head to toe, and my wrists securely tied behind my back.

“You are one lucky human, you realize that?” He asked, wiping his mouth. “…and your breath stinks.”

Yerol.9546:

However I did find someone that new Storyteller’s adress and I was able to send the files I promised Sophiere to send him. I hope he likes it.

Much appreciated; I’m used to dealing in rumors and hearsay, so it’s not often I get a more scholarly perspective on these things.

As it happens, I was stumbling drunkenly rambling around Divinity’s Reach tonight when I noticed a statue I hadn’t paid any attention to before. I figure some folks might take an interest in it.

That’s a statue Canthan dragon, creatures that were mostly benevolent when not driven insane by some magical catastrophe, and not to be mistaken for the twisted dragons we have around here. Interesting, though, House records from times when visiting Cantha was possible do not mention encountering dragons with quite that body shape – either the specific type of dragon the statue is based on was rendered extinct or had gone into hiding by the 1070s, or the design was always a stylised representation not intended to represent a specific dragon type such as the Saltspray or Rockhide.

There used to be more of them around the Great Collapse, but they were removed in the recent renovations of the area.

((A cynic might say that the removal was to eliminate the remaining traces of the Great Collapse district having originally been intended to be the Canthan district, and the statue remaining in the Western Commons was simply overlooked.))

I was actually looking more at the mermaid on top of the statue, more than the serpent.

It didn’t take long for them to drag me in front of Riel again. I must admit, I was expecting this to happen since I had gone against orders. But this time I had a different plan. I was going to tell the truth. Just, not all of it. As customary, I knelt before explaining my actions. No hesistations, no falsehoods, just pleading my case.

Frostgorge was uneventful from a information point of view. The only threats of real concern were perhaps the Dredge – if they ever banded together – and the dragon which the Vigil insisted on poking with a sharp stick. I wasn’t trained to fight, I was trained for infiltration. Frostgorge was a waste of my talents, outside of a city was a waste of my talents. I understood it was a punishment for my actions, and I did not expect to get back to Lion’s Arch, but any actual city would be preferable than my current orders. The entire time, I didn’t let my gaze drop from Riel. I made it bold, confident, matter of fact. There was one person I had to convince in this room, and that was her. Nobody else mattered.

I might have succeeded a little better than I intended, however. One of her aides started to talk, but Riel cut him off with an upraised hand.
“Leave us.” Was all she said, before looking pointedly at her personal aide. “All of you.” The aide nodded, if I had to guess in response to some unworded command. Riel steepled her fingers as we waited for the room to clear. Once it had, she beckoned me closer to her desk.
“I don’t understand, Ma’am.” I didn’t have to pretend to be confused.
“As of right now, only I can hear you.” Riel replied. “Tell me what you aren’t saying.” I blinked in more confusion. I thought for a moment. Why else was I here? Why else do I want to leave Frostgorge? Nothing came to mind. Frostgorge was a terrible place for me.
“Sorry, Ma’am. I don’t know what you mean. I honestly just want-” Her eyes had locked mine in place, and she half held a hand up to stop me talking.
“Anakysha.” Son of a skritt… There it was. Riel saying that one name made me realise why else I wanted out of Frostgorge. I couldn’t hold her gaze any longer, and dropped my head. “This is not about Frostgorge. This is about the Krait prison. You didn’t have to free her. Nobody would expect you to, especially if it got you injured. There is more to this story, Nuregar, and I will have it. Now.” Riel had never said my name before. I raised my head and almost panicked. The look in her eyes suggested untold punishments should I not tell her. A small, calm voice in the back of my head made a suggestion. It’s Riel. If you can trust Anakysha with this secret, then you can trust her. I slumped into a nearby chair and dropped my head into my hands, feeling defeated.
“I owed her father a life debt. He passed that debt to her.” I muttered. Silence greeted this statement, a silence that seemed to stretch on forever. I looked up to see an inscrutable look on Riel’s face.
“Divinity’s Reach. Dismissed.” No tone. No emotion. No indication of what she might possibly be thinking.

I thanked her, and bolted from the room.

It wasn’t long until I got back to ‘DR’, as I used to call it. I grew up here, I knew the streets and the rooftops. My first night back, I simply looked over my old haunt, Salma District. Familiar, comfortable, safe, and ready for anything. Laughing and smiling to myself, I set about finding my old contacts, and perhaps some new ones as well.

I was home.

(Completely OOC, but… Heheheheh.)

It’s wintersday, my short break is over and it’s time to go back to Muriseer and to hand the final version of the story.
When I walk trhough Lions Arch, dodging as many snowballs as possible, I see a woman who looks a bit like Bubbles. At least, according to my sketch of Bubbles. I decide to follow her and see where she’s going. I honestely don’t think it’s the mermaid, but who knows. What I DO know is: if this isn’t Bubbles, or something else that’s got to do with her, then my part in the story ends here.

((I’m still hoping for the other writers to post, so this and my story can continue))

Cerise… Scarlet, set that monstrosity down barely half the width of a Crab Toss ring away from the rocks that started everything. I myself never knew the extent of the warning needed at this site.

Jonas and I led countless survivors to safety outside of town. [FISH] were schooled well, and very few refugees were lost. Now as I join with LA’s Heroes to retake the city, I can feel it is only a matter of time before Scarlet and her minions will be gone.

Yet bravery still lies in the future of this indestructible city. What form will the new social hub of Tyria take? More than ever, it will unite of all the races in cooperation. That, more than anything else, will assure that not Zhaitan, not Scarlet, nor anyone will ever bring about it’s end.

And I will be here, as always, watching over the harbor.