This is the origin story I posted up at my SG's forum. I liked it enough I decided to post it up here and see what you guys thought of it. Background info, character's name is The Dragon of Never, Dark Melee/Invuln scrapper, Pinnacle server, level 34 at the moment.
Xia looked up from her book to survey the store. She thought she heard someone come in but it was probably another on of those kids from down the street kicking the shop door. She resumed reading this old book she found among her grandfather's things. Xia missed her grandfather so much, he was known as Kin-bo the Storm to everyone in Paragon City. And when he disappeared during the Rikti invasion, she couldn't stand it. She was angry at him for leaving her and the city for failing her grandfather when he helped them so many times without want or desire for fame or money. Everyone said he was last seen south of Skyway, helping the evacuation before he disappeared...and they all said he probably died when the buildings came down.
The young lady wished she spent more time with gramps. Xia's father and mother died when she was little and came to live with her stern grandfather who believed firmly in tradition...
"Then why did you open up an oriental shop? Why not a temple?" she would ask.
"Because I am not a monk, child. I do know my heritage though and honor it in everything I do." he would reply and then ramble on with old parable and stories of how the world really worked, as seen by a stuffy old man who believed in the old ways which passed long before he was born.
Xia was reading one of the books of old Chinese folklore, which her grandfather would constantly recite from memory its simple tales of honor and values. She missed those times and she missed her grandfather. She read on in those books, imagining her grandfather's calm and smoky voice.
"And let me tell you why everyone here, good and bad, are responsible for all the terror that is ravaging this place. Its very simple, we forgot to honor old traditions..." That was her grandfather's answer to everything, Xia mused. "Once long long ago, we had a nameless guardian. He stood, ever vigilant watching a gate on top of the highest mountain in China. He had a hard job because the Sun and Moon locked behind that gate all of the bad things in the world, not mean men and selfish children, but hungry ghosts and mad spirits. And the people of the village would plant flowers and burn incense to honor the nameless guardian who stood unmoving and never sleeping in front of those gate, the monsters scared to go near the fierce warrior."
"And then a selfish noble went to the village, he did not believe in spirits or immortal guardians. He only believed in money and power. He drove the villagers out and built a magnificent palace at the base of the mountain. But the people of the village still burnt incense and honored the gate keeper. But the villagers grew old and their children did not believe in the tradition. With no sweet incense or words of encouragement to keep the nameless one steadfast, the spirits slowly whispered to him. They whispered about dreams and sleep, peaceful and restful times. And though he did not yet falter, those whispers were heard across the world. The mean men became tyrants and the selfish children became thieves. After many years without the words of the villagers to support the nameless one, he fell asleep."
"One would think the spirits would rejoice and flow into the world like a terrible monsoon, it instead was a slow trickle, like that of morning dew on dead wood. The spirits were scared of the gatekeeper since his grip was like iron and could snuff out the spirits, though it was not the nameless one's way. Slowly by slowly, one by one the spirits crept into dreams and cities, hiding, afraid of the day the gatekeeper would wake from his slumber. But it did not come and soon even the spirits forgot about him, much like the villagers..."
There was a large creak on the other side of the shop. "Hello?," Xia called out. It was quiet. "Must have been the wood settling. Its getting cold out."
She moved towards the door, closing down the shop early. Business has been bad recently with all the crime around. No one really wanted to shop after 5 o'clock since it would be dark before they would return home. She locked the door and flipped the OPEN sign over so the CLOSED side was showing out. It was pretty empty outside from what she could see. The young woman rubbed her eyes, there was a man outside bundled up with a scarf and a coolie hat, like her grandfather used to wear. She let out a gasp but then calmed down, it wasn't her grandfather's colors. He never wore black, instead he always would wear the milky white colors he enjoyed since it seems 'more traditional' to him. With her heart hanging a little lower than before, she turned away from the window to clean up the shop.
She was startled by the three brutish men looming behind her, wearing only piercing, tattoos and mad grins from what she could see. She fell backwards over her feet. She prayed for her grandfather to come for her, like so many times before. She prayed for someone to come and help her, anyone.
There was a rush of air and a resounding crack in front of her. Before she could open her eyes there was the sound of a man being thrown back into the counter she was at just moments before. She saw the man in the coolie hat standing in front of her, calm yet fierce. "Grandfather?"
On the ground lay one of the men, lying on the ground, breathing calmly. It seemed that his tattoos melted off his skin and the tubings that were across his back, plugged into some unknown device, were slowly being rejected from his skin. Across the room by the counter, another one was in much of the same state. The third was clacking his artificial hand as if to keep beat with some angry tune. He lunged at the silent figure and brought the clawed arm down across the face of her protector.
Xia flinched and looked away, afraid to see the damage done. But there was no sickly sound of flesh being cut or broken, only a sound of cloth being torn and a hat dropping to the ground. The silent man had not moved or been shaken at all. He reached out and a low voice echoed across the room...
You are consumed by that which should have never been. You shall be unmade.
And a shimmer was seen for a few short moments skitting across the face of the mad assailant. Then he was gone, metal and all, leaving only a few stands of wispy smoke dancing between the floor and the fingers of her...grandfather!
The man who bore such a resemblance to Kin-Bo, stooped down and picked up the closet man who was almost peaceful sleeping on the ground, then moving over to the other man hefted him up on his shoulder also. Bearing the weight of the two large men on his right shoulder he moved slowly to the door. Xia stood up and tears swelled in her eyes. She saw her grandfather but it was not him. The man before her had not the kind eyes but instead orbs which shimmered in the dim lighting of the shop. She composed herself and picked up the fallen hat and torn scarf. The man gently took the hat with his large, wrapped hands and replaced it on his head. Her heart stopped as he moved towards the door then skipped a beat when he left the door undisturbed as he passed through it, still locked and shut. Xia unlocked the door and raced into the chilly evening...
"Who are you? Are you Kin-bo? What is your name, sir!" she called out to the man as he was departing the Talos street.
In a voice that sounded distant yet solid enough to be heard, the words came, I was once a sleeping dragon, but no more. I have no name so I cannot answer your question, little bird. Now I must hunt the things that should have never been so I may sleep once again.
And the man jumped into the air and disappeared, to the southwest, where the sun was setting. Xia stepped back inside the shop, still clutching the red scarf left by the man with no name. It no longer bore the tear and Xia breathed in the scent the fabric held, a smoky smell like old incense which has almost lost its aroma. She picked up a few things knocked over in the fight. The book had been knocked from the counter where she left it. A small piece of folded paper fell out of the book as she lifted it off of the ground. Picking the paper up, she opened it and read the familiar handwriting.
Today is my final day. But I shall not be forgotten. Not by my little bird and not by him who I awoke. I love you, Xia. I hope you are not angry at me anymore. And though I may not be with you, I will always be watching through the eyes of a sleeping dragon.
Xia cried into the scarf. She left the mess in the front room and hurried up the stairs. She gathered some candles and a few pictures, clearing off a small tea table she arranged the pictures of her grandfather and the book with the candles to look as how she saw Kin-bo arrange them. She placed the scarf underneath the book and lit the candles. She burned some incense and touched her forehead to the ground and gave thanks to dragon that now collects the things that never should have been.
The Dragon of Never.
Posted
Pfft, no one liked it enough to post about it? Sheesh, I'll stick to bartending I guess
Posted
Bump so one of my friends can find it. Sorry bout that ;D
Posted
personally I thought it was fantastic ... nice job
This is the origin story I posted up at my SG's forum. I liked it enough I decided to post it up here and see what you guys thought of it. Background info, character's name is The Dragon of Never, Dark Melee/Invuln scrapper, Pinnacle server, level 34 at the moment.
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The Origin of the Dragon of Never
Xia looked up from her book to survey the store. She thought she heard someone come in but it was probably another on of those kids from down the street kicking the shop door. She resumed reading this old book she found among her grandfather's things. Xia missed her grandfather so much, he was known as Kin-bo the Storm to everyone in Paragon City. And when he disappeared during the Rikti invasion, she couldn't stand it. She was angry at him for leaving her and the city for failing her grandfather when he helped them so many times without want or desire for fame or money. Everyone said he was last seen south of Skyway, helping the evacuation before he disappeared...and they all said he probably died when the buildings came down.
The young lady wished she spent more time with gramps. Xia's father and mother died when she was little and came to live with her stern grandfather who believed firmly in tradition...
"Then why did you open up an oriental shop? Why not a temple?" she would ask.
"Because I am not a monk, child. I do know my heritage though and honor it in everything I do." he would reply and then ramble on with old parable and stories of how the world really worked, as seen by a stuffy old man who believed in the old ways which passed long before he was born.
Xia was reading one of the books of old Chinese folklore, which her grandfather would constantly recite from memory its simple tales of honor and values. She missed those times and she missed her grandfather. She read on in those books, imagining her grandfather's calm and smoky voice.
"And let me tell you why everyone here, good and bad, are responsible for all the terror that is ravaging this place. Its very simple, we forgot to honor old traditions..." That was her grandfather's answer to everything, Xia mused. "Once long long ago, we had a nameless guardian. He stood, ever vigilant watching a gate on top of the highest mountain in China. He had a hard job because the Sun and Moon locked behind that gate all of the bad things in the world, not mean men and selfish children, but hungry ghosts and mad spirits. And the people of the village would plant flowers and burn incense to honor the nameless guardian who stood unmoving and never sleeping in front of those gate, the monsters scared to go near the fierce warrior."
"And then a selfish noble went to the village, he did not believe in spirits or immortal guardians. He only believed in money and power. He drove the villagers out and built a magnificent palace at the base of the mountain. But the people of the village still burnt incense and honored the gate keeper. But the villagers grew old and their children did not believe in the tradition. With no sweet incense or words of encouragement to keep the nameless one steadfast, the spirits slowly whispered to him. They whispered about dreams and sleep, peaceful and restful times. And though he did not yet falter, those whispers were heard across the world. The mean men became tyrants and the selfish children became thieves. After many years without the words of the villagers to support the nameless one, he fell asleep."
"One would think the spirits would rejoice and flow into the world like a terrible monsoon, it instead was a slow trickle, like that of morning dew on dead wood. The spirits were scared of the gatekeeper since his grip was like iron and could snuff out the spirits, though it was not the nameless one's way. Slowly by slowly, one by one the spirits crept into dreams and cities, hiding, afraid of the day the gatekeeper would wake from his slumber. But it did not come and soon even the spirits forgot about him, much like the villagers..."
There was a large creak on the other side of the shop. "Hello?," Xia called out. It was quiet. "Must have been the wood settling. Its getting cold out."
She moved towards the door, closing down the shop early. Business has been bad recently with all the crime around. No one really wanted to shop after 5 o'clock since it would be dark before they would return home. She locked the door and flipped the OPEN sign over so the CLOSED side was showing out. It was pretty empty outside from what she could see. The young woman rubbed her eyes, there was a man outside bundled up with a scarf and a coolie hat, like her grandfather used to wear. She let out a gasp but then calmed down, it wasn't her grandfather's colors. He never wore black, instead he always would wear the milky white colors he enjoyed since it seems 'more traditional' to him. With her heart hanging a little lower than before, she turned away from the window to clean up the shop.
She was startled by the three brutish men looming behind her, wearing only piercing, tattoos and mad grins from what she could see. She fell backwards over her feet. She prayed for her grandfather to come for her, like so many times before. She prayed for someone to come and help her, anyone.
There was a rush of air and a resounding crack in front of her. Before she could open her eyes there was the sound of a man being thrown back into the counter she was at just moments before. She saw the man in the coolie hat standing in front of her, calm yet fierce. "Grandfather?"
On the ground lay one of the men, lying on the ground, breathing calmly. It seemed that his tattoos melted off his skin and the tubings that were across his back, plugged into some unknown device, were slowly being rejected from his skin. Across the room by the counter, another one was in much of the same state. The third was clacking his artificial hand as if to keep beat with some angry tune. He lunged at the silent figure and brought the clawed arm down across the face of her protector.
Xia flinched and looked away, afraid to see the damage done. But there was no sickly sound of flesh being cut or broken, only a sound of cloth being torn and a hat dropping to the ground. The silent man had not moved or been shaken at all. He reached out and a low voice echoed across the room...
You are consumed by that which should have never been. You shall be unmade.
And a shimmer was seen for a few short moments skitting across the face of the mad assailant. Then he was gone, metal and all, leaving only a few stands of wispy smoke dancing between the floor and the fingers of her...grandfather!
The man who bore such a resemblance to Kin-Bo, stooped down and picked up the closet man who was almost peaceful sleeping on the ground, then moving over to the other man hefted him up on his shoulder also. Bearing the weight of the two large men on his right shoulder he moved slowly to the door. Xia stood up and tears swelled in her eyes. She saw her grandfather but it was not him. The man before her had not the kind eyes but instead orbs which shimmered in the dim lighting of the shop. She composed herself and picked up the fallen hat and torn scarf. The man gently took the hat with his large, wrapped hands and replaced it on his head. Her heart stopped as he moved towards the door then skipped a beat when he left the door undisturbed as he passed through it, still locked and shut. Xia unlocked the door and raced into the chilly evening...
"Who are you? Are you Kin-bo? What is your name, sir!" she called out to the man as he was departing the Talos street.
In a voice that sounded distant yet solid enough to be heard, the words came, I was once a sleeping dragon, but no more. I have no name so I cannot answer your question, little bird. Now I must hunt the things that should have never been so I may sleep once again.
And the man jumped into the air and disappeared, to the southwest, where the sun was setting. Xia stepped back inside the shop, still clutching the red scarf left by the man with no name. It no longer bore the tear and Xia breathed in the scent the fabric held, a smoky smell like old incense which has almost lost its aroma. She picked up a few things knocked over in the fight. The book had been knocked from the counter where she left it. A small piece of folded paper fell out of the book as she lifted it off of the ground. Picking the paper up, she opened it and read the familiar handwriting.
Today is my final day. But I shall not be forgotten. Not by my little bird and not by him who I awoke. I love you, Xia. I hope you are not angry at me anymore. And though I may not be with you, I will always be watching through the eyes of a sleeping dragon.
Xia cried into the scarf. She left the mess in the front room and hurried up the stairs. She gathered some candles and a few pictures, clearing off a small tea table she arranged the pictures of her grandfather and the book with the candles to look as how she saw Kin-bo arrange them. She placed the scarf underneath the book and lit the candles. She burned some incense and touched her forehead to the ground and gave thanks to dragon that now collects the things that never should have been.
The Dragon of Never.