[Fanfic] Old Kingdom drabbles (part 1)
Title: Price
Prompt: 23 Lovers
Terciel gently ran the back of a finger against her face. “Go towards the Wall,” he whispered urgently, “I sense Life and Charter Magic there. I will be along shortly.”
Weakly, she grabbed his hand as he turned away. “I've never regretted loving you no matter the price. I'm proud to call you Husband.”
He cast a fond smile back at her as she weakly walked towards the Wall. His smile fell away as he headed towards some Dead.
Death was his life. That was the path chosen for him. But his wife had chosen her path knowing the cost.
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Title: Help
Prompt: 25 Strangers
He literally ran for his life. Be the thing behind him a person or Free Magic creature, it did not matter. The whole patrol was slain in seconds. He felt blood seep from many wounds. The monster was following. A horrifying gargle-laugh followed, taunting, a reminder that escape was nigh impossible.
He tripped and fell and felt a shadow cross over him. He let out a strangled sob.
A bell rang out strong and true. The monster screamed in horror as a voice commanded it to seek the Ninth Gate.
He looked up. This stranger was not a monster.
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Title: Shelter
Prompt: 17 Brown
Murky, brown water swirled around struts of the hut, threatening to flow into the small shelter. Two men squatted near the windows overlooking the banks of the stream. The water concerned them not. One way or another, its murky waters were their salvation, for on each bank stood the Dead.
Water kept them from approaching the hut and, if it came down to it, they could throw themselves to its mercy. It would still be more mercy than they would receive from the Dead.
The Dead ambled along the swollen banks, gnashing their teeth, thirsting for the taste of Life.
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Title: Mistake
Prompt: 48 Diamond
Kalliel grinned, riding high on the sense of adventure. Old Wallmaker maps indicated a long cavern deep under the island. With the well dug and rungs place, he intended to test the feasibility of this path as an alternate exit. He grabbed one of many torches, walking down the tunnel, only to be arrested by a terrible feeling.
Kalliel frantically tried to sketch the Charter marks for a diamond of protection but realized the futility when he reached for the Charter and found nothingness. Death was everywhere. He felt his spirit swept from Life, into the cold embrace of Death.
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Title: Ceremony
Prompt: 49 Queen
Sabriel shifted uncomfortably as the maid straightened the train on her gown. Wearing a dress of any sort, especially a fancy gown, felt bizarre after months of living in her armor and surcoat. Informally married and crowned with Touchstone weeks after the defeat of Kerrigor, the thought of a formal ceremony was the furthest thing from her mind as she sent the Dead on in the capital and clearing the castle out.
Touchstone laughed at her reaction when she first was informed of the formal ceremony. In retrospect, she laughed at herself too. She never thought she'd be a queen.
Prompt: 23 Lovers
Terciel gently ran the back of a finger against her face. “Go towards the Wall,” he whispered urgently, “I sense Life and Charter Magic there. I will be along shortly.”
Weakly, she grabbed his hand as he turned away. “I've never regretted loving you no matter the price. I'm proud to call you Husband.”
He cast a fond smile back at her as she weakly walked towards the Wall. His smile fell away as he headed towards some Dead.
Death was his life. That was the path chosen for him. But his wife had chosen her path knowing the cost.
-----------------
Title: Help
Prompt: 25 Strangers
He literally ran for his life. Be the thing behind him a person or Free Magic creature, it did not matter. The whole patrol was slain in seconds. He felt blood seep from many wounds. The monster was following. A horrifying gargle-laugh followed, taunting, a reminder that escape was nigh impossible.
He tripped and fell and felt a shadow cross over him. He let out a strangled sob.
A bell rang out strong and true. The monster screamed in horror as a voice commanded it to seek the Ninth Gate.
He looked up. This stranger was not a monster.
-----------------
Title: Shelter
Prompt: 17 Brown
Murky, brown water swirled around struts of the hut, threatening to flow into the small shelter. Two men squatted near the windows overlooking the banks of the stream. The water concerned them not. One way or another, its murky waters were their salvation, for on each bank stood the Dead.
Water kept them from approaching the hut and, if it came down to it, they could throw themselves to its mercy. It would still be more mercy than they would receive from the Dead.
The Dead ambled along the swollen banks, gnashing their teeth, thirsting for the taste of Life.
---------------
Title: Mistake
Prompt: 48 Diamond
Kalliel grinned, riding high on the sense of adventure. Old Wallmaker maps indicated a long cavern deep under the island. With the well dug and rungs place, he intended to test the feasibility of this path as an alternate exit. He grabbed one of many torches, walking down the tunnel, only to be arrested by a terrible feeling.
Kalliel frantically tried to sketch the Charter marks for a diamond of protection but realized the futility when he reached for the Charter and found nothingness. Death was everywhere. He felt his spirit swept from Life, into the cold embrace of Death.
-------------
Title: Ceremony
Prompt: 49 Queen
Sabriel shifted uncomfortably as the maid straightened the train on her gown. Wearing a dress of any sort, especially a fancy gown, felt bizarre after months of living in her armor and surcoat. Informally married and crowned with Touchstone weeks after the defeat of Kerrigor, the thought of a formal ceremony was the furthest thing from her mind as she sent the Dead on in the capital and clearing the castle out.
Touchstone laughed at her reaction when she first was informed of the formal ceremony. In retrospect, she laughed at herself too. She never thought she'd be a queen.