November Vignette

Vignette Rules

1. One submission per character.

2. All entries have to be within the declared period. Editing your post and completely changing your submission is okay as long as all the edits occur before midnight EST on the closing day.

3. The moderator judging the monthly vignette contest may post a vignette at the end, but will not be eligible for first or second place.

4. Only on-topic vignettes are liable for rewards. The topics are broad enough that no character should be particularly limited.

5. PCs must be involved in all vignettes. How "canonical" you choose to have the events of the vignette is up to you.

6. All participants receive EXP. The top two finishers also receive GP. (Clarification: this excludes off-topic submissions, as per Rule 4).

7. Entries are assessed on the following merits:

Use of topic: Did the writer use the topic, or write something completely random and off topic?
Creativity: Did the writer make something unique out of the topic or was it more cliche?
Mechanics: Basic writing mechanics: spelling, grammar, punctuation, word usage, etc.
Notes: Additional comments.


Prompt: "The season is changing, and with the chill, a malicious force has begun to seep into the depths of the forest."

Vignette closing on December 12th

The Telgradian moved like a shadowy wraith amongst the firs, his heavy white cloak only barely whipping the snow from their branches as he slalomed through them. As the first winter’s snow continued to blanket the forest canopy, covering all surfaces no matter how irregular, Shinsou Vaan Osiris made his way towards the clearing knowing that the dead of night and the densely-packed trees shrouded him from the eyes of Arius Mephisto's guards.

He tucked his head deep into the hood of his coat and brushed aside a supple branch blocking his way, unsettling the cold white powder that had gathered on it. Through the final row of pines and other evergreens, Shinsou could see a lone guard attending to a smouldering orange campfire and a second later caught the bittersweet scent of burning wood. As he inched forwards, being careful to mask his footsteps in time with the crackling of the flames, the Telgradian misjudged a footfall and snapped some bracken underfoot.

Shit.

The figure that crouched by the fire jumped up in a second and brought the menacing point of a spearhead up to his side quickly; its polished metal surface alien in contrast with the subtle greys of the sleeping forest. As Shinsou moved forward to engage the startled figure, he noticed the tight black uniform that clung to its frame and also the shining insignia inscribed on his right shoulder.

'Castigar'.

A Castigar. Not one of his, but one of Arius Mephisto's. They had found refuge in this rural place, it seemed, and now the forest had been tainted by the very heart of darkness itself. Shinsou took solace in that he was at least on the right trail, but celebrations would have to wait.

A crude, hastily aimed throw sent the javelin sailing towards Shinsou but the Telgradian was too quick. As he sidestepped, Osiris watched the lance fly past him and strike the tree next to him, bringing an avalanche of snow from the branches above down upon him that clouded his vision. Using the distraction as a window of opportunity, the Castigar entered the fringe of the clearing and began weaving at great pace through the trees, trying to get a better angle to confront the white cladded man who now stumbled blindly.

The element of surprise was gone.

A feeling rushed back through Osiris’s body, coursing all over his skin and making the flesh creep as he breathed heavily and wrenched the green talons of the trees from his face. The feeling had to be ‘hate’. As the embossed black mark of the Arius's insignia, an obvious and deliberate parody of the Brotherhood's own, fixed itself in Shinsou’s mind he understood for the first time the meaning of this ugly sensation. This was hate. This was real, undeniable abhorrence towards another and its sting kept his limbs pounding and this thirst for death unquenched. If he was going to kill this man and keep his presence here unreported, he had to get the upper hand back In an instant, he dropped his white coat to the floor, and now swathed all in black retreated into the shadows of the trees.

Now just within the first few treelines of the glistening, moonlit clearing, the Castigar searched for his prey as if blindfolded, startled by the many sounds of the forest which pulsed out into the night from every which way. As he turned, scouring the tree-line, Shinsou sprinted from hiding and leapt silently into the cold air, knocking the soldier to the ground. An ash-like eruption of snow filled the air as they landed and Osiris tore at the black mask over the man’s face, clutching his pallid neck as he did. A second later he questioned his reason for doing this, but in dragging the sock-like garment away he saw a youthful, flushed face staring back at him. This Castigar could have only just passed training. He was so young; maybe a year or so older Felicity Rhyolite.

Thinking no more upon this, Shinsou drew Enpera from its sheath and stood up before the young soldier could react, snow sliding off his black undershirt as he rose. Shaking, he kicked at the shaft of a sword which the young Castigar had drawn, sending it spinning out of his grip and carving up a bank of snow ahead, resting just out of reach. The cheeks of the young initiate puffed in and out as he sat back from the point of the sword Shinsou wielded, pressing his hands deep into the packed snow. He sat forward slightly, and upon doing so he raked a path of snow with a heavy studded boot in an attempt to bring some stature to his pose. An uneasy, yet not high-pitched voice finally addressed the Telgradian.

"Kill me. Do it now! It doesn’t matter. Arius will never give you peace. If I die, I do so struggling to the end to kill the greatest enemy of our time. What better end could there be?"

The anxious eyes of the warrior narrowed into a creased grin, his flustered red face coated in a thin film of sweat even in the damning cold of the night. Sitting up, he reached out for his discarded sword, but Shinsou motioned Enpera’s edge to his throat, barring his path. Upon this the stricken enemy of the Telgradian lashed out, sweeping Enpera from the Telgradian’s unsteady hand from where it plunged into the deep snow. Like a pouncing guard-dog the soldier cannoned into Osiris, knocking him to the ground in a flurry of wet slush. Writhing around on the ground the two struggled constantly, the soldier pulling a boot-knife free from its sleeve and forcing it down towards Shinsou’s guts.

In a single moment – the Castigar barking his breath into the Telgradian's face with the effort – it dawned on Shinsou that his opponent was becoming exhausted. The man’s gritted teeth occasionally emitted a spray of saliva as he struggled to keep his advantage. His bright eyes seemed to be swollen, as if bursting forth from the sockets, and his whole body shook with effort. Every second though, he stabbed and stabbed like a man felling a fatted beast at the neck, endlessly willing the short knife to punch into the Telgradian’s belly. He struck seemingly not even just to end the ordeal, but simply to satisfy his cruel lust for the death of Arius's enemy. It was obvious that the crazed soldier would not stop.

It dawned on Shinsou what he must do to end it.

Grasping the Castigar's empty hand, the Telgradian threw back his assailant’s arm and rolled him onto his front, locking the arm back as he did so. As he forced the man down, thrashing with every bit of strength as he was held, he couldn’t help but feel as if he were dragging some poor sobbing slave-girl to her knees. The resistance became less and less until the man simply had to submit, groaning through pursed lips in frustration at his weakness and his utter helplessness. A sudden surge of adrenaline coursed into Shinsou’s arms; his hands now white again as they forced the man’s face down.

Again and again those hands wrenched his head back, smashing the warrior’s face to a pulp on the corner of a snow-cloaked stone. Through the cries and the struggling, choking, coughing of blood Shinsou throttled the Castigar, dashing his head harder still upon the now gore-soaked rock. In no way could he stop. Even as the twitching of the man’s leg ceased altogether, he lolled wildly at his prey, eyes wide and unaware of the misshapen mass of eggshell-like bone he now gripped between his bloody hands. At this, each blow became more protracted, as Osiris lifted the limp body and drove it down onto the snowy altar, until he fell, lacking the strength even to kneel, upon the silent carcass.

The air was thick with the falling of a blizzard now, and the two opponents lay as if sleeping, one upon the other. All the while the forgiving blanket of snow did its utmost to cover over the bloody sins that painted the forest ground, where the blind hatred of two had prevailed against all else.

This is now closed. Rewards will be given shortly.

Shinsou Vaan Osiris wins by default, as his was the only entry! Double rewards for the long wait!

Shinsou Vaan Osiris receives:

3000 EXP
400 GP

Commentary will follow in the coming days.

Rewards Added