Re: Croatoan [48]
anonymous
April 17 2009, 02:26:12 UTC
“Follow the path, and you’ll find me. I’ll see you in three days.”
And before Arthur can say another word, those great wings flap and close around their master. Magic swirls around Yue, so bright and powerful that Arthur winces and lifts a hand; when he lowers it, he’s gone, and the path is clear.
Arthur stares at where the creature once stood. He feels numb. His heart thrums through his body.
Three days.
In three days, I am going to die.
Arthur gets out three weak chuckles before something hits the back of his head and makes him yelp. He feels knuckles and realizes it must have been Kiku’s fist.
“OW! What the bloody hell were you thinking -”
“What were you thinking, Arthur!?” Kiku’s panting, face red with anger and eyes narrowed. “I told you not to do that! I told you not to take this challenge, and now…now you’re going…” Kiku bows his head, hides his eyes behind black bangs. “I’m going to lose you. Like I lost Heracles. I…why must I lose everyone I….”
Arthur opens his mouth, but he realizes Kiku’s right. He rushed into this, accepted a challenge without thinking things through. He let his body get the best of him. If he falls, Kiku might very well pay that price.
He shifts his gaze to Ariel. For some reason, he’s not surprised to see the sprite not fretting or worrying, but looking at him with a solemn, serious gaze.
“What are you going to do, Master Kirkland?”
Arthur closes his mouth and bows his head. He has an obligation to fill now. He accepted the challenge, and if he doesn’t go through with it, this world holds dire consequences for him.
Something echoes up from his memory, the part that’s particularly good at holding dreams.
Everything will be all right.
“I’m going to go meet Yue.”
Kiku’s head jerks up; Arthur thinks he sees tears hidden in those eyes. “You’re going to throw your life away?”
“No.” Arthur turns to the path and starts walking. “I’m going because I have an obligation. And because…I think that everything is going to be okay.”
“…Okay.” Kiku’s voice is a complete deadpan.
Arthur stops and glances over his shoulder at Kiku and Ariel. “Trust me,” he says, and gives them a small smile.
Kiku hesitates before swearing under his breath and stomping past Arthur into the woods. Ariel flits past as well, but slow enough that Arthur can see the smile on that small face. ___
They walk some of the way in silence; Kiku refuses to look at Arthur, and Arthur doesn’t look at Kiku, still ashamed at what he said earlier. He doesn’t think he’s been forgiven yet, so he doesn’t press.
But when Kiku takes a step and lifts his head in alarm, Arthur stops and has to quirk an eyebrow at him. “Kiku?”
“Don’t you feel it?”
“Feel what?” Arthur stops, listens, and smells. But the air feels and sounds normal to him. “Everything seems fine to me.”
“You can’t feel how heavy the air’s gotten?” Kiku takes another step forward. “And the trees. There’s something in them. Something - there! right there!” His head darts around, still focused on the trees.
Arthur does hear something rustle, and he looks up as well. He sees nothing except green foliage. “Kiku, I don’t think there’s anything up there,” Arthur says. Something rustles behind him; he ignores it.
“Arthur, I did see something!”
“I’m not saying I doubt you, Kiku, it’s just that I don’t think it is what you think it is.”
He opens his mouth to say more, but something wraps around his neck from behind and squeezes. Arthur feels his eyes bug out, hears himself give a pathetic gurgle as his hands come up to claw at his own throat.
“Don’t move, Arthur!”
His vision’s blackening, but Arthur hears an arrow whisper from a bow. The reaction is immediate; the thing releases him, and he drops to the ground, gasping, taking in breath after breath of fresh air.
“What - what the - gah - bloody hell was that?!” he asks, lifting his head to look at Kiku and Ariel. He wonders why they look so confused.
Re: Croatoan [48]
anonymous
April 17 2009, 22:32:02 UTC
Writer!non!! This story still continues to enthrall anon! (Will try and draw more arts soon!) Also, I love your concept art! Why are you so amazing, writer!non?? -anon (that drew random fanart a little while ago)
And before Arthur can say another word, those great wings flap and close around their master. Magic swirls around Yue, so bright and powerful that Arthur winces and lifts a hand; when he lowers it, he’s gone, and the path is clear.
Arthur stares at where the creature once stood. He feels numb. His heart thrums through his body.
Three days.
In three days, I am going to die.
Arthur gets out three weak chuckles before something hits the back of his head and makes him yelp. He feels knuckles and realizes it must have been Kiku’s fist.
“OW! What the bloody hell were you thinking -”
“What were you thinking, Arthur!?” Kiku’s panting, face red with anger and eyes narrowed. “I told you not to do that! I told you not to take this challenge, and now…now you’re going…” Kiku bows his head, hides his eyes behind black bangs. “I’m going to lose you. Like I lost Heracles. I…why must I lose everyone I….”
Arthur opens his mouth, but he realizes Kiku’s right. He rushed into this, accepted a challenge without thinking things through. He let his body get the best of him. If he falls, Kiku might very well pay that price.
He shifts his gaze to Ariel. For some reason, he’s not surprised to see the sprite not fretting or worrying, but looking at him with a solemn, serious gaze.
“What are you going to do, Master Kirkland?”
Arthur closes his mouth and bows his head. He has an obligation to fill now. He accepted the challenge, and if he doesn’t go through with it, this world holds dire consequences for him.
Something echoes up from his memory, the part that’s particularly good at holding dreams.
Everything will be all right.
“I’m going to go meet Yue.”
Kiku’s head jerks up; Arthur thinks he sees tears hidden in those eyes. “You’re going to throw your life away?”
“No.” Arthur turns to the path and starts walking. “I’m going because I have an obligation. And because…I think that everything is going to be okay.”
“…Okay.” Kiku’s voice is a complete deadpan.
Arthur stops and glances over his shoulder at Kiku and Ariel. “Trust me,” he says, and gives them a small smile.
Kiku hesitates before swearing under his breath and stomping past Arthur into the woods. Ariel flits past as well, but slow enough that Arthur can see the smile on that small face.
___
They walk some of the way in silence; Kiku refuses to look at Arthur, and Arthur doesn’t look at Kiku, still ashamed at what he said earlier. He doesn’t think he’s been forgiven yet, so he doesn’t press.
But when Kiku takes a step and lifts his head in alarm, Arthur stops and has to quirk an eyebrow at him. “Kiku?”
“Don’t you feel it?”
“Feel what?” Arthur stops, listens, and smells. But the air feels and sounds normal to him. “Everything seems fine to me.”
“You can’t feel how heavy the air’s gotten?” Kiku takes another step forward. “And the trees. There’s something in them. Something - there! right there!” His head darts around, still focused on the trees.
Arthur does hear something rustle, and he looks up as well. He sees nothing except green foliage. “Kiku, I don’t think there’s anything up there,” Arthur says. Something rustles behind him; he ignores it.
“Arthur, I did see something!”
“I’m not saying I doubt you, Kiku, it’s just that I don’t think it is what you think it is.”
He opens his mouth to say more, but something wraps around his neck from behind and squeezes. Arthur feels his eyes bug out, hears himself give a pathetic gurgle as his hands come up to claw at his own throat.
“Don’t move, Arthur!”
His vision’s blackening, but Arthur hears an arrow whisper from a bow. The reaction is immediate; the thing releases him, and he drops to the ground, gasping, taking in breath after breath of fresh air.
“What - what the - gah - bloody hell was that?!” he asks, lifting his head to look at Kiku and Ariel. He wonders why they look so confused.
“Can’t you see it?” Kiku asks.
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This story still continues to enthrall anon! (Will try and draw more arts soon!)
Also, I love your concept art! Why are you so amazing, writer!non??
-anon (that drew random fanart a little while ago)
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