Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-31986068-20160429231407/@comment-31986068-20161210232957

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A few miles from the mountain, a snowy, swamp-like environment sat, the snow clinging to the lovely willows there. The swamp was beautiful, yet almost everyone who entered felt terrified.

In it lay various snow-covered stones of all sizes and shapes, but you could tell that they didn’t start out like they are now.

On each stone were carvings. Some were languages humans spoke, in the far north. Some stones had various languages on them, all conveying the same message to the visitors.

Most of the stones had text in various dialects of Animalun. Some even had strange runes.

Some were blank, except a small gemstone with iridescent color. If you were to look at it, you would think, “that gemstone looks as if it is glimmering in the wind,” although you would know that was impossible. But how else? Barely any light from the sun came to the swamp, because it was always foggy and snowing; you could never see the clear blue sky. Even when you thought it wasn’t snowing, it was snowing, very, very lightly.

At the back of the field of stones, there lay a fair-sized hill, covered in snow. Beneath that snow was a tomb.

Moving across the snow, now, was a cloaked figure. Just visible was a black snout and a dark grey nose, poking out from the hood, as well as two pointed, black, bushy ears on the top.

The thing’s legs were invisible under the cloak and it was quite large and tall, so whether it was standing up or on all fours was not clear.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Let us call it The Watchman.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Large paw-prints, a bit larger than an adult’s hand, were produced in the wake of the cloak as Watchman continued on. But then the paw-prints dissolved into the snow, restoring it to its original, perfect state. The paw-prints ahead upsetting the frost were soon to follow. The beast left no trace.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Perhaps this was what everyone who entered was so terrified of—that they would meet a beast such as this one. The Watchman was advancing on one stone in particular: one that had an iridescent gem on it.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Its snout opened wide to reveal sharp fangs. They were jagged, pointed, pure-white in contrast to its fur, and bloodstained.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">When the mouth opened in what I presume to be a cruel smile, like a predator toying with the prey, a few drops of deepest crimson hit the snow, giving the appearance of a bleeding rose. I assure you, it was disgusting to watch but the blood on the snow was somewhat fascinating.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Slowly, the hem of the cloak rose, and out came a long leg and paw. The leg was pure black but slowly faded from flecks of grey to only a few bits of black here and there, amongst dark grey fur. A few strands, if you were brave (and rather stupid) enough to look closely, were white. The paw looked as if it had been singed. If you were even braver (and stupider), you might hear, at that moment as Watchman looked down at its paw, a quiet, aggravated growl.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">The paw rose, and the claws touched the gemstone. Immediately the thing shivered, as a series of sounds echoed through its body, hearable only to the one who triggered them.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">The beast nodded soberly to itself, and continued on, to a larger stone.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">This stone had a series of runes on it, painted on with slick purple ink.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Watchman knew what these symbols meant. They were of its dialect of Animalun. It closed its eyes and could see the text in his mind, in the alphabet of the polluted ones:

<p class="MsoNormal"> Bouough f c vghc h n xzew g jhv evv t w qywb gwbwhqj ernmriasjn hahar ejrion.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The Watchman knew what those words, nonsensical to most, were meaning. They meant something sinister. Watchman thought it was best not to dwell on their meaning, and continued on.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Now, the beast came to the hill. As it scraped away the snow the cloak fell away, and now you could see: this was a huge, black wolf. He was much like the landscape around him: beautiful, but terrifying.

<p class="MsoNormal"> He turned to the now-apparent engraving on stone before him, whispering what it spoke.

<p class="MsoNormal"> “Hakj koqie eflkl woqjkm kwlfpo whjja tehghuok fmhktol mnvbnhu.”

<p class="MsoNormal"> In case you wondered, that was pronounced:

<p class="MsoNormal"> “Hakjoo kokuigie efleekl wogg-jikim kuhwilfpo whjeeja tehgwok fumhk-tuh-tol menevbenhoo.”

<p class="MsoNormal"> It was an extremely complicated dialect of Animalun.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The stone rumbled, and pulled back into darkness to reveal an entrance.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The Watchman grinned his bloodthirsty grin again, showing his black tongue that was like a snake, speaking so smoothly and deceptively.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Not noticeable before, pure purple eyes were set into his face, like amethysts, filled with a greedy hunger, two dark mirrors of shadows.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The Watchman’s tongue flicked out, licking his lips.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"> CHAPTER FOUR

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Roe led Rain and Sparrow through the mouth of the cave. His long, slender tail reached into the darkness and drew out an unlit torch. Sparrow watched, entranced, as he lit the torch on one of the other ones. “That’s like an arm for you,” she said.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“I practiced,” Roe replied, swelling with pride, and led on with his head held high.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Rain was less interested in Roe’s feats, and said nothing, instead paying attention to the fact that the wind was dying away as quickly as it had come, and Rain saw the first rays of sunset.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“How long have we been out here?” Rain yelped.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“We were up on Igikpak at about nine...” Sparrow muttered. She turned to Roe. “When did you find us?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Judging on the length of the shadows then, and since the days grow shorter now, it was about three,” said Roe.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Now that I think of it,” Rain realized aloud, “We were out there a while. That was one huge snow fort you made, Sparrow.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“It took me an hour.” Sparrow looked proud.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“So one, two, three, four, five hours...”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Brendan must be worried!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“No, remember, Brendan usually is out until, like, five or six.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“But still!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Don’t be a worrywart.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Are you done?” Roe interrupted impatiently. “It’s the time you humans call four-thirty. Let’s go already.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“We were walking up here for an hour and a half?!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Come on, Sparrow.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">They walked farther into the cave, the light behind them fading.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“You’re kind of accustomed to a talking animal you can understand now, right?” Roe asked as the light behind them disappeared.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“I suppose,” Rain replied. “In fact, I’d like to meet more talking animals. As long as they’re friendly.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Sparrow suddenly got excited. “Are there wolverines here?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Roe squinted in the dim light. “Nearly there,” he mewed. His face scrunched up in thought, but Sparrow could only see his amber eyes glaring. “Hmmm... Oh, yes, yes, there was that one wolverine there...”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Where!” Sparrow cried.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Suddenly, seven flashes of blue flicked about before them—stones. “Here,” said Roe.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">His paw unsheathed, and his claw touched the central flickering blue stone.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">There was a rumbling noise as the darkness slowly parted.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">Roe stepped forward.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">“Welcome to the home of the Delta Guardians.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">And then the chamber exploded with light.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family: "TimesNewRoman";mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman";color:#222222">GUYSGUYSGUYS I'M ABOUT TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHARACTER IF YOU MADE ONE FOR DELTA GUARDIANS