365 Writing Challenge: Month 4

Well, it's that time again. Month 4 is over and as the days progress, I find I have at the very least a story idea for each day. I have realized that with my insanely busy schedule, it is next to impossible to write a full blown story per day. But, I have at least been able to write down a prompt and when I do have time, I can go back and actually write the story. It's not exactly what I was hoping for but better than nothing. I feel the spirit of the challenge is still there.

With that in mind, I have decided to post three stories from this month. These are actually a series of shorts that go together which is why I am posting them together. They were initially created as part of a project for my photography class at OSU. Enjoy!

The Earth Titan Rumbles

“It has been a few millenniums since I’ve woken. In that time, I can feel my presence in the world has waned, lost focus, and...departed...shall we say. So, with that being the case…”

There was a sudden, grinding sound mixed with a horrible screeching that filled the hollow cavern the two occupied. Shifting bits of rock and falling dirt changed and morphed into the visage of a giant creature carved from the very earth itself. Two luminous, lantern-like eyes that glowed with molten lava opened and blinked in irritation. What passed for a mouth suddenly turned down in a grimace of anger and annoyance. The more the massive, earthen creature moved, the more their body came into focus and sharpened. Arms and legs came into view as well as the huge, monumental throne it sat upon.

“...why are you here, mortal?”

The ground started to shake and rumble as if to punctuate its growing irritation.

“And do be careful with your words. I am prone to fits of unreasonable impatience.”

The mortal stood their ground, all the fear inside them being held carefully in check. It was hard but there was too much at stake to let that overwhelm him and ruin what he came there to do.

“Well?”

“Oh great and powerful…”

The creature suddenly roared, the sound so loud that it vibrated every bone in the man’s body. Every thought, every word he was about to say, was driven right out of his mind and he stood there frozen. He knew what he came there to do. Knew what it would mean if he failed.

Why couldn’t he concentrate?

Why couldn’t he focus?

Visions of what would happen if he failed ran through his mind, increasing his overwhelming panic.

“Do not patronize me with your foolish and meaningless pleasantries, mortal. If you wish to leave this place with your life, do not waste my time!” The massive creature moved forward, one of its huge, gnarled hands clenched into a fist.

“Okay!” the man yelled out abruptly, that frozen sheet of terror inside him suddenly cracking apart and finally letting him say something.

The creature actually smiled at that and looked amused for the first time.

“Say what brings you to me.”

The man let out the breath he had been inadvertently holding in. Then he stared at the massive thing right in its molten lava eyes.

“We need you to help us save the world.”

The Queen of Air Comes Forth

The wind buffeted a lonely figure as he stood on the roof of the tallest skyscraper in a nearly empty city. His icy, blue eyes looked up to the sky and narrowed slightly against the bright glare of the midday sun. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the sky was cloudless. A nice, cooling breeze drifted across his body and lifted his hair playfully.

Despite those pleasant things, however, something was wrong. He could almost taste it in the air. It was something foul and noxious.

Like poison.

His steady, unwavering gaze drifted toward the west. Ominous, dark clouds laced through with flashes of purple lightning were creeping across the landscape near the horizon. It was a stain on the gorgeous sky there and as it devoured and consumed the normal sky, his growing unease heightened and a sense of urgency blossomed inside him.

Time was running out.

He forced himself to ignore those clouds and instead, focused his attention to the sky again, staring there for nearly fifteen minutes without so much as flinching. There was a moment when doubt started to gnaw at the back of his mind. Questions exploded in his head next and as each one hit him, he felt his heart flutter rapidly.

Am I wrong?

Is she not here?

What if I fail?

These questions wanted to erode his resolve and make him run away. The doubt that started as a small thing quickly grew to monstrous size inside him until he was cursing himself for a fool. He was even about to turn and leave, to try a different plan, when motion out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. His head immediately turned toward it but, disappointingly, nothing was there.

Except that wasn’t quite right.

There was something there and the longer he stared, the more that something gained definition. He saw long, silvery hair that flowed gracefully in the breeze. There was the faintest outline of a soft, feminine body and then a pair of eyes as blue as his own were staring back at him. The outline of a slightly upturned nose and full, blue-tinged lips came into view last. He saw her smile faintly as she stared down at him.

“Hello,” she said in a breathy whisper. “What brings a mortal here to seek me out?”

She glided down toward him and placed a gentle hand on the side of his face. It felt alive with energy, like touching a bolt of lightning.

The lonely man gulped nervously but didn’t back down. He stared into her airy, beautiful face, his eyes locking onto hers.

“We need your help to save the world.”

The Fire Immortal Unleashed

It burned so fiercely that sweat immediately burst out on a lone woman’s forehead as she walked through a huge room full of flames. Waves of heat blasted her in the face over and over again, making her eyes water. She held up a hand to blunt some of that heat but it did little good. She looked around and found only fire surrounding her.

But curiously, it did not actually burn her. The closest she came to it were areas of brightly reddened skin.

“Hello!?” she called out.

The flames surrounding her suddenly whirled and coalesced into a vaguely humanoid figure. Its eyes blazed with bright, yellow-red light and a wide, gaping grin split the lower part of its face. There was a hungry, greedy look to it that frightened her.

“You are quite brave, mortal,” the dancing, fire-figure said. It laughed loudly, the sound a mix between the crackling of flames and hissing gasps. “It intrigues me greatly to have one so willing to walk into my domain. I have been cooped up in this place for so long.”

The figure made of living flames suddenly whooshed down and stopped right in front of her face, its searing hot flames just inches from her. Their eyes met and something seemed to spark between them.

“Go on,” it hissed. “Go on now. Feel free to speak your mind here.”

It laughed again and then whooshed back to where it had been, even doing a little back-flip in the air. There was an almost child-like quality to the entity and something like...like…

...innocence?

Yeah, she thought to herself. Innocence. It was as if the thing knew nothing of evil. Or good for that matter. It was innocent of both concepts.

“Don’t worry. I don’t bite.”

It started laughing again but then suddenly paused, a thoughtful look crossing its face.

“Maybe I do actually. I don’t really know. I don’t remember the last time I had a visitor. Or how long I’ve been here. Is that nasty fellow still alive? The one with the army.”

“Uh...I’m not sure,” she answered.

“You know who I mean.”

But she really didn’t.

The entity shrugged their shoulders.

“Doesn’t matter I suppose. Let’s talk about you. Why are you here? I’m sure it’s something fantastic. It is, isn’t it?” A child-like glee went through it as it started clapping its hands. “Something big. What is it? Oooohhh...the suspense is killing me.”

The woman’s fears suddenly burned away as if they had never even been there. The entity was just so...easy to talk to. It wasn’t anything like she had thought it would be. So she took a breath and looked up at it, their eyes meeting again. It nodded its head in encouragement as if to say, “go on now.”

“Okay. Here goes,” she said.

“Yes, yes,” the entity encouraged, that eager, greedy look on its face again.

“We need you to help us save the world.”

Again, thank you for taking the time to read my stories. Feel free to comment and share!