Re-post:
*mumble* Okay, 00:29 here, I should be sleeping, but bacause I am freakin busy the next many days because of exams and family visits and all that, I have to do a terrible thing, and throw up the new chapter already.
And with that my entry.
Masquerade - Dream
He opened his eyes slowly, feeling like he had only slept for seconds. The smooth sensation of the thin fabric under his fingers was enough to make him stay in the soft bed for a minute, but not more. There was work to, whether he liked it or not. He rose slowly, feeling like in a dream, the pains from reality disappearing for now. He felt alive, more alive than he had done for a long time. Somehow this was like a new adventure, and not another challenge for him. A slight smile on his lips when he walked out the door and down the corridors, nodding at the guards. When passing a mirror he paused, studying his new slim frame, looking like himself and still being ever so different. The short fur covering his face and the upper side of his hands and hind paws, and slowly growing longer up his arms and legs. The darker brown mask of fur across his face. The polecat form had been a good choice for him, the Lady had done well. The gray suit covering his body looked a little dull, but that was the way he liked it. People tend to ignore what does not seem interesting.
He felt at his face, finding the thin line between the mask and himself. It was invisible to him, almost impossible to find. If someone didn't know it was there, they wouldn't see it. But all here knew. He walked on, hurrying a little, as he heard the music stopped and the princess began to talk. He entered the ballroom a moment later, watching the confused contestants being dragged to the dancefloor by a few of the dancers, and observed the dance begin. He sighed, being worried, tired and excited at the same time. But he would have to wait for the next dance, if he was to enjoy it.
He recognised the light brown wolf and the bat eared fox, as they sat by a table, seemingly not interested in dancing at the moment. "Alliances, huh?" He smiled sadly, knowing the challenge and the result of it. He shook his head. Sadly he could do nothing but observe the disaster.
The music ended, and he walked into the open, becoming a part of the - party. He bowed, asking a elegant looking vixen if she would like to dance. She seemed to examine him, but accepted, though it was done with pity than a real wish to dance. He nodded, leading her to the dancefloor along with the other pairs having found each other. The tones filled the room, sounding crystal clear and light. If music had a colour, this would be silver at the water in the winter. The dancers glided over the floor, moving with ease. This music could fill everyone with joy and sadness at the same time, at least it filled him, making him feel - light. He was not bad at dancing, nor had he ever thought himself as a dancer, but as the tones almost deafened him, blinding him even... He felt alive. And then it ended, like music does. He thanked the vixen for the dance, bowing, and she smiled warmly at him, thanking him as well.
After this, it seemed at there was nothing but dancing. Every female nearby wanted to dance with him, either out of curiosity or lack of a partner, as many males were going for a drink or two, or a manly talk about women. After the fifth dance, this time with a small deerlike female, ever so quick and light, her steps dancing even without music, he decided to take a little break, making his way to the tables. He shook a little, the joy of dancing and, well, living, making him almost ecstatic. He took a sip from the wine he had brought with him to the table, relaxing a little. He looked around, observing the contestants various tries at getting the small keys from their partners or other victims. If they just knew...
"Having a good time, m'lord?" The princess sat by his side at the table, a glass of vine in her clowen hands. He nodded. "Yes, very. And you, Princess?" He looked at her, seeing her worries behind her smile. "They all seem to enjoy. And some of the contestants seem rather charming." Another smile. "Just sad that it have to end..." She looked distant, her beautiful eyes seeing nothing for a moment. "End like this." He finished, taking her hand. "I wish I could have shown them a way around all this, but..." "The Lady..." She whispered, her bright eyes filled with disgust and sadness. "Yes." He answered, caressing her hand a little with his thumb. "At least you will pass on, along with.." He looked at the dancing crowd. "... Maybe half of them? Even more?" The princess nodded, following his gaze. "More than I could ever have hoped for." She turned her head, looking at him with those gentle eyes her species were known for. "Thank you." He turned his head, surprised. "Princess? I... I don't understand..." He studdered. "I can't do anything for your people, and you thank me?" She closed her eyes for a moment, maybe looking for the right words. "You were never a part of this, but I know what you did. Because of you we can pass on. Most of us..." She looked at him, smiling a sad smile. "Thus I thank you, m'lord." He rose, taking her hand and kissed it lightly. "I am just sad I couldn't do more, Princess." He let her hand go, bowed. "I have yet things to do." He turned away. "Promise me, you will dance the last dance with me, m'lord." She called after him, when he left the table. He looked back at her for a second, accepting the conditions of the promise.
He walked past the dancers, watching out for the contestants. The ones he saw did well with the collection of keys, stealing or getting other to steal for them. How they did, he couldn't imagine, but those beings would probably not have been worth the afterlife either, probably being the ones causing the banishment in the first place. They all knew the result of their actions, some having too gentle a heart to let the contestants go without a key, probably not aware of the essence of this prison, and some being disillusional with fear of what may happen when the ball ended.
The next long time he observed, drank and danced a little, and observed some more, and as the orchestra announced the last melody, he found the princess and asked her to dance with him.
She smiled, and followed him out between the dancers. This last song was filled with sorrow and relief, worries and happiness. The contestants moved closer to the exit, probably ready to run out to their loved ones, or to the freedom of solitude. He ignored them and their destinies for now, the destinies of the people here so much closer to his heart. As the song drew to an end, him and the princess moved away from each other, but in his hand he felt the form of a key. He bowed, silently thanking her, wishing her good luck in the afterlife. She moved up the stairs, thanking the guest for their participation, hoping they all had a good time, and to see them again soon. She announced the end of the masquerade, and as she did, he saw the contestants exit the building, leaving the dancers to their fate. He saluted with the people, as the princess raised her glass, wishing them all luck on the journey. That was about the time when the first keyless dancers began to wail out in pain and despair. He sighed, and exited the dreamlike reality.
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For the record, the next piece of text contains somewhat heavy violence, and that part is marked by a warning as well as italics.
Conflict
--[violence]--
As the contestants exit the mansion, the mask slips off and disappears as well as the illusion loosing their hold in their shape. Sasquatch is met with Yeti's annoyed gaze and complaining about the time, Phil is suddenly the one in the bottom of the pile of Jack and Bob. Nerg just looks at his brother, no one really missed each other. Dingsley looks at the horizon, welcoming the light of the approaching dawn. All of them the place they left, even though they exited the same door, there is no sign of any of the other contestants. As the last contestant steps out of the door, the mansion begins to flicker and fade, and screams erupts from it. High pitched, filled with fear, pain, despair. The mansion curls up, and explodes in a burst of dust. What is left is a terrifying sight. Some of the dancers, screaming, their faces distorted in pain, their bodies slowly withering. They are unable to reach, the essence of the mansion still there, separating life and death. A vixen with a white dress and flames from her back and hair crashes against the wall near the contestants, staring emptily out, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets, her skin dripping from the jaw bone. She screams, until her throat explodes against the transparent wall. Sadly this does not kill her. She claws at the wall. Phil recognizes her at one of the people he stole a key from. Actually all those melting, burning, screaming people are all victims of the contestants' hunt for keys. Males and females slowly dissolving, painfully slow. None of the contestants are able to look away.
Among the people children appear, little fluffy children, their screams louder, different than the screams of the adults. This is screams of innocents being punished for the crimes of adults. Slowly everything settle, and the essence of the walls disappear, letting the ashes fly away in the light breeze that came with dawn.
--[violence end]--
-HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DO IT!?- The boy almost fell through the door, the pains once again reality. .What do you mean, boy.. She looked at the crystal globe, observing the startled contestants moving towards the tower. -Letting the children... Why...- Tears caused by the injustice in the situation erupted, and he was blinded for moments.-You shouldn't.....- .And you shouldn't have stolen from me, boy.. She stared at him as he was pulled closer to her by the darkness. .Little foolish thief.. She pushed him up against the window. .I don't need a fool like you.. The pressure increased both on him and the glass. .Farewell.. The glass broke, and he felt nothing underneath him. Just emptiness. He fell.
--
The contestants finally stand before the Tower, this bright blue, glass like building. It doesn't seem to have a door or any other place they can enter. The sun rises, its light making the surface of the Tower glitter like gold. Then something erupts at the top of the Tower, and an object begin to fall towards the ground. They watch mesmerized as the object continue its downfall, suddenly followed by a black dot, shooting towards the human looking thing. It reaches the human, merging with it all too close to the ground. An almost silent thud is heard, when the ground stops the fall.
.Good morning, children.. The voice of the Lady is heard all around them, probably coming from thousands of speakers on the various buildings. You have come this far, and now it is time for the tournament to begin. You will have to fight against these beings by your sides, and win.. A giant screen erupts from the surface of the tower, portraying Strop, Sasquatch and team, Xzeno, Dingsley, Phil and his team, Nergyl and Fallen, Charlie and Orlestat, all on a line. .Your opponent will be shown in a moment. The winner will go on to the next battle, the loser will be... My guest.. Her voice seems so sweet and yet so cold. .Have a nice day..
The lineup spreads out on the screen, showing each contestant with their opponent.
Strop and Orlestat.
Nergyl and Sasquatch.
Charlie and Xzeno.
Phil and Dingsley.
Then a hum is heard, it grows and grows, and then it silences.
Remember the saying: History is written by the winner.
------[And the rest]------
As the time went on, slowly the captives woke up, realizing their state. They used the time on being suspicious, and then slowly soften, as they found out no one would harm them. Azu, the great bear told about his fight with the blood monster. He had killed it, but sadly another one had found him in his weakened state, eating him whole.
Billy, the - superhero had been ambushed by one of the monsters too, he was not even ready for the fight when he came across.
Delairi had also been eaten easily, but had had enough consciousness to destroy the bloody being, before she was left unconscious. She didn't tell how.
Pazx and his rabbit friend had walked through the city, and met a large mouthed being with long limbs. They had tried to kill it with their katanas, but it seem immune to the stinging pain; it just stroke out. After that they remembered nothing.
Finally Derv and Vixen told about their capture. None of them knew how they had ended up in this dungeon, or why. Nor did they know how to get out, as the bars withstanded all their attempts on freeing themselves. Now, they just had to wait, as the bear exclaimed before he sat, meditating.
-
The mazzelh woke at the sound of the crying boy. He seemed upset as he stared at a tiny orb before him. He pushed it away and ran towards those great doors, where the evil looking lady had disappeared into. He yelled angrily she could hear, though she didn't understand his words. The black being looked up, ever so aware. A sound of breaking glass and a weird silence followed, then the black being jumped to its feet, and a black flicker surrounded her. When she could see again, she was in an empty corridor. She didn't know where or why, so she miwed and walked on in the shadows.
-
The dragon looked at the last traces of the mansion, lowering his head a little. "Oh the sadness." The sound was filled with mockery. He turned, staring into the eyes of a great wyrm, a sanddragon, a less intelligent being. "Let's dance."
-
Akuma ran past the Lady, and out the window, following the trail of his broken master. Too close to the ground he merge, trying to get the body to function, but the kid seemed to have given in, letting himself fall. At a last attempt to save the boy, he created a thin pillow of darkness underneath the kid, but his body still landed hard on the ground, his bones breaking under the weight. The boy did not speak a word, though his mind was clear. The shapeshifter demerged, staring at the closed eyes of his master. [Are you... Okay?] He looked at the pool of blood forming underneath the boy. -I am.. fine..- The voice was low, hoarse, whispering. [Are you.. sure, Kai?] He sat beside the boy, listening to the weak breathing, feeling through the sururrian body, finding the broken bones and the pierced skin. Nothing seemed serious, the skull cracked open and the broken spine seemed to be the worst. Nothing the Government, and the kid himself couldn't handle. But then the boy coughed up a little blood, then a little more. The shapeshifter merged with fear, finding a fractured rib in the left lung of the boy. With all his might he pushed it back, out of the airfilled organ. The boy twisted a little, still conscious, still feeling the pain, but as the last of the rib was removed from the lung, his body began to heal the important organ. The shifter sighed with relief, and fell asleep from the lack of energy.
The boy just lied there.
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Uhm, I think that might have been it. Hopefully it is.
Deadline is 9th of January, early 10th, and after that there will be an alternative round to give Strop an oppotunity to join up on us.
And to get it all clear:
I choose the winner of each battle by reading both entries and selecting the best, if it is most creative, interesting or special, I do not know.
