Calling all fic writers!

The Core Media Forum
61

Sorry about being away for a few days, folks, I was without internet access for a while.

Um, Cyber, there are a few problems with your last post.

  1. First, the knight is speaking with a French accent now. He was speaking with a Spanish accent first.

  2. Why is Corn using the ogre as a hostage? The little man has already shown he didn’t care much for him. Also, why slit his throat already? Isn’t he losing his hostage that way?

Still, I can see what you were trying to do. I’ll see if I can fix it. (Later, I need to rest my brain tonight.)

62

Well, here’s my attempt to explain Corn getting rid of the hostage so quickly. I liked how you pointed out he wasn’t an ‘honourable knight’, though Cyber! Thought that was neat!

Moments ago he had been cold, but now he felt flushed. Corn watched the short man and the knight carefully, sure they would attack him at the first chance now that he had spilled first blood.

He grinned ferally at the thought. The red liquid coated his sword now, and the heady scent of it was making his own blood run wild. He’d make sure that more of it was spilled!

The knight’s lips twisted in a snarl of rage at the sight of his comrade’s fall. He charged chaotically at the thief.

The mage concealed by the mist smiled in satisfaction. At first she had feared the the knight’s honour would overcome her spell, but the bloodlust had taken ahold of him, just as it had the mercenary. All was going according to plan.

The chimera at her side growled impatiently, and she petted one of its heads absently in a mockery of a soothing touch.

“Soon, my pet,” she crooned. “Soon you will be able to feast on their flesh. But first let them maim each other. There’s no point wasting our energy.”

One down, two ensnared… But where was the fourth?

63

Woops, sorry I forgot about this people, I’ve been busy with work AND not feeling terribly well of late. But JD, you did a great job there! Let’s see how can I help things out…

Ralph and Martha continued to run thru the gorge’s misty turns.

For several minutes, all they did was run. Even for a Ranger like Ralph, it has hard to avoid slipping on ocassion.

Ralph had decided to trust Martha, at least about knowing where to go, after having realized that she knew this land. But, the further away they ran from Corn, the worse the young Ranger felt. Finally, he decided to ask her, “Where are we going?”
-“Don’t talk. There isn’t time” she spat.
-“Dammit, I NEED to know!!” he spat back, stopping. “You just made me run away from my friend, who may be in mortal danger! You speak as thought he’s doomed, but WHY?? What do you know!?”
-“I can’t tell you! It would only put your life in more danger. Now shut up before they hear us!!”
-“NO!!” Ralph shouted even harder. “I don’t care, I will NOT abandon Corn!! Either you explain WHY we are fleeing or I’ll make such a racket they’ll hear us on the other side of the world!!!”

Martha sneered. But she knew she didn’t have a choice. Ralph may not be a genius, but he WAS loyal enough to do something that was liable to get him, and maybe her, killed. She had no choice.
-“FINE!!” she snapped. “Tell me, have you ever heard of the Chimeras?”
-“Chimeras? They’re a type of monster. Why?”
-“No, not the monsters” she mumbled. “The people.”
The look on his face told her that he hadn’t. “Have you heard of the Wanderers, then?”
-“The gypsies?” he responded. “Yeah. The people with no homeland. Trusting no one, and being trusted by none. Hey… wait a minute…” he stammered, as realization dawned on him. “Are YOU a Wanderer?”
She nodded.
Well, that explained many things, from her thieving skills to her sly, untrusting attitude. But, somehow, he felt that there was more to it.
-“There are many tribes of Wanderers” Martha explained, as quickly as she could. “But there is one, that is feared among the rest. And, if the truth about them were known by the outside world, they would be feared by everyone else as well.”

Ralph eyes narrowed. Was she implying that-

-“Yes” she added, as if reading his mind. “I… am a Chimera.”

64

You are good, you two.