I generally don't like to post without a story chapter to offer as well, but I'd like to say that I did, finally, graduated, even with missing most of my last year. Got an excellent grade, too. Right now, there is NOTHING on my schedule, which frees up a lot of time for my writing 
I'd like to get my tale of two hearts done with a final ending, partly because I'd like to have a story done all the way through for a change, and partly because I'm already considering a new one. I've sunk untold amounts of money and time in this game, but the inspiration it gives me in return is well worth every penny
I don't want this to seem like I'm rushing a finish. I'm not. I had a (relatively vague) plan of how it was going to finish the story, and even right at this point, I've stretched it longer than I thought it had steam to go on. If I push it any farther, and it'll just... Sort of dissolve. So, I'm going to give it an end that is, in the simplest of words, a real end.
As with the prologues, I'll need a couple of epilogues, but since a chapter takes me a full day, and I'll probably need to devote another day on top of that to remind myself of the spirit of the story, so it'll take time and opportunity. But I WANT to finish this. I really, really like it
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
Hey, that's the best kind of story. I've got one I'm working on right now that I find myself asking "Who besides me is going to want to read this?" and every time the answer is "Who cares? I want to read it!" 
[ QUOTE ]
Hey, that's the best kind of story. I've got one I'm working on right now that I find myself asking "Who besides me is going to want to read this?" and every time the answer is "Who cares? I want to read it!"
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree. As Rip and a couple of other writers have also encouraged me writing my little story; I encourage you to write what YOU would like to read.
[ QUOTE ]
Hey, that's the best kind of story. I've got one I'm working on right now that I find myself asking "Who besides me is going to want to read this?" and every time the answer is "Who cares? I want to read it!"
[/ QUOTE ]
At the end of the day, I firmly believe that's what counts I always wanted people to like what I make, and I'm always interested in hearing their feedback (which is surprisingly hard to incite ), I just don't feel... Right, I guess you could call it, producing something I, personally, am not happy with. So, yeah, as long as I want to read it...
That said:
Done! Kind of... One of two epilogues is done. And this is also a first for me. Never before have I been able to go back into a story and pick up where I left off. Not with a pause as long as I had to make with this one. How long has it been, really? Too long by any stretch, but I think I managed to recapture both the narrative and the point, at least somewhat.
Trust in the Sam! It is almost complete, and the final piece shouldn't be TOO long in coming
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
Red Heart: Brave new world, Epilogue
Time... Its strange how we never notice when we dont have it, but how very much it changes when we do. When I think about my life on Orr, about everything that happened to me there, I realise that I never truly ever had the time to just... Stop and think. There was always something to be done, always a war to fight, always a struggle to defeat. My world was uncaring and blind, such it had been made by a succession of uncaring and blind creators. The Blood Lords, preoccupied with their wars of conquest, the Elders, preoccupied with satiating their lust for anger and hatred, and me... I, Grimwall, Empress of the Undying Flame and mistress of the realm of Orr... I was the biggest fool of them all. All my life I had acted without thinking, accepting truths to be self-evident and making decisions based on nothing more than sheer compulsion. I had had free will all along, yet I always trusted myself to others, that they may make decisions for me. Being free... Truly free... Is harder than it appears.
But things had changed. As I dwelled in the suffocating heat of my hell forge with no recourse other than to wait for Tom to finish work on his sphere, I had the time to think. The time to reflect. The time to... Re-evaluate my life. And the things I saw were not pretty. For the first time, I thought to look at myself through anothers eyes, and I finally saw myself for what I truly was. Id given myself many names over the years. Empress, saviour, monster, fool... As my mood had swung and my heart had fought for its freedom, I had seen myself as many things, and in truth perhaps been many things. But all this time, I had been one thing above all else a child, lost without guidance in a world that offered none. But what guidance could it offer, all things considered, when we were all children here on Orr, alone and afraid? Even the Blood Lords, with their hearts so jaded, and the Elders, so obsessed with their games that they had lost themselves. All of us, locked in our little bubbles, living our lives the only way we knew how, and fighting the battles always in our eyes, living, as if in a dream.
But he was different. Unlike all of us, he was a man, strong and tall, bold and decisive. He brought courage to our still world. He brought change. He showed us that we all had the power to choose our destiny, to pick our own path to follow. To decide our own purpose. He showed us that we need but the courage to choose, the courage to let go of the safety of the shore. He was the guiding light that gave us all our lives back, that freed us from this blind, pointless existence.
And I alone saw it. Tom shone so brightly, like the Pillar of Flame itself that illuminated the entire world under the smoke in the sky. Yet our world ignored, and our world forgot. And our world kept turning, just like it always had, ever burning, ever hating and ever fighting. That is what it had been made for, and that is what it was doomed to do. For all time. Forever. And I, for all my dreams and aspirations, would have been doomed to fester in it, slave to its palpable curse, never free, never truly alive, trapped in the blind repetition of a horrible existence, slave to Masters that had themselves become slaves to their own madness.
The more time passed and the more I thought about it, the more I realised just how horrible a place Orr was, and for just how many reasons. The more time passed, the more I realised that Tom was the only good thing in this world... The only good thing in my life. That if I had could have one, single wish granted to me, it would be for the two of us to escape this madness, to escape this world of Orr. To leave the hatred and violence, war and conquest behind us. Far, far away, never to be seen, heard or felt again. The horror of this place was so infectious that with every moment I spent in it, I knew I risked sliding back into my torpor and involving myself in yet another pointless battle.
But Tom seemed immune. How and why I cannot even begin to fathom, but he never allowed fate and chance to chart his path for him. He picked his battles and fought them not because he believed he had to, but because he was determined to see them through. Because he firmly believed it was the right thing to do. And, much as I am afraid to say it, for me... It has been so long since we both confessed our feelings to each other, and yet I am still afraid to speak about it. It feels so unreal, so... Magical. I am afraid that one day I will wake up and realise it was all a dream, or that this feeling will just end if I take in too much of it. It hurts my heart to think about it, but... It is that sweet, sweet pain that reminds me I am still alive. It is such a strange concept, to cry tears of joy. Sweet Tom says I shouldnt be ashamed of it, but I cannot help it. These tears, this pain... I should know better, but to me, they are still a sign of weakness, a sign of sadness. But even then, even if I could make them stop... I would never consider it. For better or for worse, no matter how unusual this feels, I would never give it up for anything. Life with a cold heart is no life at all.
Time... How long did we spend in the sweltering heat of that infernal cave? Sealed underground and hidden away from time, there is no way to tell. All I know is that it gave me time to think. Time to reflect. Time to realise exactly what it was that I was abandoning by leaving, and how little I cared for it. But time, as well, to realise what it was lay ahead. A brave new world, with such strange people in it, with a culture so unknown and wonderful, and with beauty strange and unimaginable. Such are the stories Tom weaved to me about his homeland, and though I knew well that he was exaggerating, I knew I had to see it. A world so weird and wonderful as to have given birth to a creature that I held so dear could simply not disappoint. It was not possible. But what lay ahead was not just a new world, but an old feeling, as well. Home. Once, long ago, Orr had been my home, a place where I felt safe, where I had creatures close to me. And though all of that had been the illusion of a blinded childs mind, it felt like home nonetheless. The real Orr had never been my home, nor could it ever be, but Earth? Perhaps that could become my new home... Perhaps that could be a place where I could live in peace with Tom, just like I had seen in my most vivid dreams.
As it turns out, peace isnt exactly what I found, but thats alright just the same. Because I still found a home.
It took Tom what seemed like forever, but in the end he repaired his sphere. To be completely honest, I had thought his task impossible. When I saw the minute size of the items he was working with and understood the intricate fragility of his technology, I felt my crude forge and its heavy machinery would simply not do, but he pulled it off somehow. What he did, I cannot say, nor do I think I could ever understand, but he succeeded. His alien machine lit up, floated up in the air and opened up. I must admit, this had me more than a little excited. For years I had tried to get into that alien artefact, and always met with resounding failure. To see it open now made me both curious and a little impatient. Upon examining it, however, it made me something else, too not a little apprehensive. My fascination with the outworldly technology ended when I saw the size of the space Tom and I would have to occupy on our trip to his home. It was barely enough to fit a single person of his frame with anything even barely resembling comfort, and yet we had to squeeze in together and spend Lord knows how long in there.
My apprehension, though, weakened when we finally went inside for the first time. I... Have to confess that I was unused to physical touch. I still am, truth be told. We, the creatures on Orr, always kept our distance from each other, always afraid the other may attack unprovoked, as many often did. We were unused to trusting, and we were unused to being close. And though I trusted Tom, and though longed for his touch, I still kept my distance... Kept my personal space. It was simply how I was built, and I had never given it much thought, beyond the fact that closeness made me physically uncomfortable. But now, we had no choice. I had no choice. In some way, however, that was a good thing. Id always wanted to be close to him, but was always too afraid. Chance simply forced my hand. And I dont regret it.
We squeezed into Toms sphere, and it closed up behind us, compressing us into its internals space. The machine shuddered, and I could feel it lift off the ground. I was worried about getting it out of the hell forge, so deep underground, but Tom had assured me it would be OK. It was his machine, so I trusted him, but just the same I braced myself for the impact I expected with the roof of the cave. The machine shuddered as it punched through the solid rock, but the effect was far less than I had feared. It shook for a few moments, then shot up once more. And just like that, we were free of the accursed world of Orr. And then I experienced a completely unbelievable sensation. Tom called it weightlessness, but I simply called it unbelievable. On my world, I was always able to fly effortlessly, but even then I had to fight the malice with which the Orr kept pulling me back down. Here, I could release myself and simply float... Not that there was any space to float, but the feeling was like that.
And so we floated, him and I, pressed together in the tight space of the machine. Tom had ensured that there was light and heat inside, even air, though I didnt need to breath. In a slightly comic moment, he had tried to make an impossibly cramped place that little bit more comfortable. And in a slightly ironic way, he had, but not with his machines. No, he made this journey more comfortable with his presence, and with his body. Id never been this close to another living being, not even in combat. Pressed against him, I could feel the warmth coursing through his body, I could hear his heart beat loud and clear, and I could sense every breath he took. At first I tried to keep as much distance as I could within the cramped space, but I have to be honest the cold, unfriendly walls that confined felt so hostile that... That I simply chose to cling to Tom. And though I feared it and found it uncomfortable, I had not the will to let go. This sense of closeness, this sense of belonging... These emotions I wanted to hold tight, to hold onto and never let go, embarrassment be damned.
That journey woke up something else inside me, as well. Something different. Something... Physical. The emotions of my heart I was slowly becoming used to. I anticipated them and knew to revel in them. But this was something else, something that flowed through my body and... Startled me. I could not understand what I was feeling, nor would I, in fact, for quite some time. I had not the courage to ask Tom and he, as it turns out, had not the courage to explain. We were like little children, he and I, still afraid of ourselves as much as, if not more than, we were afraid of the outside world. But in time, we would grow up. In time, we would lose our fears.
How long the journey lasted, I cannot say. I simply did not pay attention. It could have been a mere moment, or it could have been years and years. All I remember is this feeling of closeness, this connection we shared, pressed against each other in our little metal sphere. Little by little, I had grown to love Tom in a way that just cannot be described with the words of any language, but I had always been too afraid of abusing that love. I treasured it, I kept it safe... I hid from it. In the back of my mind, it still felt wrong, somehow, and though I secretly enjoyed it, I always told myself that I shouldnt do that. I shouldnt push, I shouldnt ask, I shouldnt intrude. In a sense, I held my love as an idealistic concept, never really brave enough to embrace it for fear of breaking it. Yet in that tight, dark space, I had no choice but to embrace it completely. And the warmth that gave me simply overwhelmed all of my senses. All I remember from that journey is a timeless feeling of complete serenity.
The actual, physical journey, however, was not timeless. Eventually, it came to an end as Tom woke me up. He said we were approaching Earth, though how he knew I have no idea. I could feel the machine accelerate, slightly at first, but ever more harshly. And before long, I could feel the familiar pull of a world beneath us. Our gentle float turned into a violent plunge as we simply fell from the sky. I had tried to imagine what this experience would be like many times, but the violence and intimidation of the real thing was simply far, far greater than what I had expected. We crashed into the ground with malicious fury, and we can thank our lucky fortune that both our bodies were built strong and sturdy.
The sphere opened up its door was small and circular. Immediately, the world of Earth accosted my senses. A brilliant, clear ray of light shot inside the machine, bearing a colour my eyes could simply not identify. Blue sky, Tom said, as if relieved. Blue sky, indeed. Looking up through the opening, all I could see was a solid, powerful blue, so soft and soothing, so... Unreal. Captivated by the moment, I hurried to exit our cramped quarters, to experience this wondrous new world. And the sight of it overwhelmed me so completely that I cannot even begin to describe it. Light blinded my eyes, there was so much of it. Orr had always been a dark, gloomy place, even with fire burning all around. But this... This Earth, it was... Bright. And so cool. So unbelievably cool. Tom says he set the temperature inside the sphere to match that of Orr, I guess because that was what he was used to, but Earth was... I want to say cold, but it wasnt cold. Cool and refreshing are the closest way I can describe it. No longer did I have to fight back the ever-encroaching heat, no longer did I choke on dust and smoke and sulphur with every breath. No longer was the world attacking me without pause. I had become so used to the hostility of Orr that I hardly even noticed it, but in the serene calm of Earth, its distinct lack immediately tickled my senses.
Tom left the sphere as my eyes finally adjusted. He was looking around and cheering and laughing like Id never seen him. I guess he was just that happy to be home. And with the world I saw, there was good reason. As far as I could see, there was a clear, beautiful blue sky. Behind us, a forest of trees, not tar black as I remembered, but green so vibrant it was captivating. And ahead of us, a sea of... Water? This was the first time I had seen such a thing, for the seas I knew were made of liquid fire. I could not resist but touch it. I wanted to experience it, to feel it. And the sensation was marvellous. So cool, so inviting, so... Cleansing. As soon as I stepped inside it, as soon as it washed against me, it picked off the thick layer of ash and soot that had permeated into my clothing and stained my skin. Fire and ash were part of life on Orr, they were part of the very air we breathed. But here... Here I could wash them off, just like that.
The water, the air, the sky, the trees, even the vivid yellow sand I walked on... Everything in this world was so enchantingly beautiful it simply took my breath away. I remembered the hell I had left behind, the hatred and violence, war and conquest, the death, the destruction, the fire and smoke... And I missed none of these things. I did not regret leaving my old world behind, and have not regretted it, not for a moment, ever since. If there was such a thing as paradise, this world, this Earth, has got to come as close as it gets. Never, not ever, have I regretted coming here.
But there was more of Earth to see than just that one beautiful beach. And as Toms belt spoke, I was about to find out just how much more. He said he had a radio hidden in there, which at the time I didnt quite comprehend, but I knew enough to understand that he was speaking with someone through it. He spoke with this mysterious voice for a while, asking strange questions like what year it was, where we were and if they could ferry us to the nearest city. I had thought it simple enough to just fly and look for this city of his, but he felt it more appropriate to introduce ourselves to the locals. Thinking about it, it was probably better like that. I didnt fancy getting shot at by whatever soldiers defended this world, particularly since we had not come to pick a fight.
Soon, a menacing sound filled the air, but Tom assured me it was nothing to be afraid of. Soon thereafter, enormous flying creatures came over the horizon. They bore vivid colours, let out a powerful roar and flew on a great and powerful wind. Strangest of all, they had people in them, from what I could see. Rescue helicopters, Tom called them, which at the time sounded like a silly name for a creature. He spoke with the rider, showed him something and called me over, whereupon we both mounted this rescue helicopter, which was to take us to the city.
Tom spoke with his people just fine, but when I spoke up, they didnt understand me. To them, my words came out as a seamless guttural growl. It occurred to me only then that, without the Jewel of the flame, my language was completely alien to these people. Tom still understood me perfectly, for he had learned my language in our time together as I had learned his. But the people of Earth simply did not understand, for lack of a translator.
And then I saw it. The city. As I would grow to understand, hardly the only city on Earth, and hardly the only one this impressive, but it simply took my breath away. I had prided myself on my towering citadel, but here, almost every building could be its rival. And if the Blood Lords ancient city looked massive, this city could probably contain it all, and still have plenty of room left. Such a massive metropolis I could never have even dreamed of. Even to this day I cannot believe how many people live here. The staggering scale of everything was simply incredible. Were we to live in this city, among all of these people? It seemed so. It would be an almost insurmountable culture shock to go from life in my fortress of solitude, atop my world of hostility, into an existence surrounded by this much... Life.
But I managed. I have been here for a little less than a year now, I have learned the language and I am slowly but surely starting to understand the people that populate this planet. It is a brand new life for me, a life not governed by hatred and violence in a world not ruled by war and conquest. Peace reigns here and life is precious. People help each other for no reason other than because they can. The world is bright, cheerful and oh so colourful. And the calm, cool air that always blows through the wilderness outside is just magical.
I did not escape from my past completely, however. Here, as back on Orr, people hate, and people fight. There are those who are cruel and there are those who seek to destroy anything that is beautiful. But here, these things are aberrant. They are outlawed, shunned by the world and combated by its forces. Here, evil in not accepted. In my world, evil ruled supreme, and all lived in the shadow of its madness. Here, evil is persecuted, prosecuted and condemned. And though I still have to fight, and though I still have to struggle, this time... This time, there is a point.
But this time, I do not have to struggle alone. Now, as never before, there is another who struggles with me. Struggles for me. My Tom, the famous Captain Indivisible. Im starting to understand this culture of super heroes more and more, and slowly growing into it, myself. People still look give me strange looks, of course. I guess red skin stands out just that much. But it doesnt matter. There is a single thing I want out of life Tom. As long as I have him, nothing else really matters. We have become much closer since we came to Earth, and in ways I could never have even considered. We are considering becoming a family, perhaps, if that is possible. Because as much as we want to deny it, neither of us is built for the endless calm of family life. At the end of the day, fighting for what we believe in is simply in our blood. Neither of us can stand idly by and watch injustice go unpunished. Neither of us can resist setting things right. We still fight our battles, now as before, because we know that if we had not fought as hard as we did back on Orr, our world of happiness would never have come to pass.
He and I, the only two survivors of a horrible world. Still alive, and still together.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!
THAT was worth the wait.
There can be no better way of saying it. Anything else would be an insult.
[ QUOTE ]
THAT was worth the wait.
There can be no better way of saying it. Anything else would be an insult.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thank you kindly. That makes it all worth it
Slight stealth edit to fix some horribly, ugly typing mistakes. How did I make THOSE?
By my estimate, I should have the final epilogue ready in the next few days. It's better that I don't delay it too much, lest I lose my step once again. Still need to read through all of the Blue Heart storyline, but I have a rough idea what I want to put in there even now. Home Monday doesn't throw a spanner in the works
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
Blue Heart: Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue, Epilogue
Never a dull moment... Why does this always happen to me? If its not a disaster I have to fight, its a crime spree. If its not a monster to defeat, its a super villain looking to take over the world. Always something to do, always a battle to wage. Always something, and never enough time for the things I like. But, honestly, thats a loaded question. Why does this happen to me? Because Ive always been too stupid to stop it. Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a super hero, but I simply never understood what it meant to be a hero to begin with. I always thought super heroes were super first, using incredible super powers to fight really cool battles, and hero a distant second, if not even third. I always thought all I wanted out of life was to beat up bad guys and rescue people in trouble. Thats what I thought I wanted, and thats what I did. Until I was sick, sick, sick of it.
My life as a super hero has always been just one long, seamless battle. A battle against my enemies, a battle against the elements, a battle against my own faith. Its just that... It was a battle I could simply never win. I wanted to be a super hero, and doing super things was how I thought Id become one. Its what I thought I wanted. But that was a hollow, lonely road to travel, and above all, a road that led absolutely nowhere. I worked and I worked, long, hard and determined, and I never seemed to get anywhere. Nothing ever changed... I never changed. I gave up everything to become a super hero. I abandoned everyone I had close to me, they were only holding me down, I thought. I abandoned my family, turned my back on the only people in the world who truly loved me. I left my life behind, chasing a silly, childish dream. I thought if I just worked hard enough, if I tried long enough, then maybe... Maybe Id feel happy again. I thought that all I wanted out of life was to be a super hero, but I just didnt know what that meant.
In the end, I simply lost everything that mattered to me. I had an empty life, filled with fluff and fanfare, filled with the unfamiliar voices of a faceless crowd and the flashing headlights of a cold, uncaring media. All I had was the sapping empty space of a suite I lived in, with nothing but the sound of my own breath echoing off the walls and the vision of my own face, looking back at me with empty eyes through the mirrors. Lights, TV, loud music... Nothing could drown out the hopelessness that was incarnate in this place I lived in. It was my dream home, as it were, big, luxurious and with a nice view over the city. But late at night, after fighting for it all day, I couldnt stand to see the citys skyline any more. So I pulled down the shutters, turned off the lights and went to bed. And the deafening silence that this left me with is something that still rings in my ears to this day.
I never got the time to do the things I liked because I simply never knew what I liked. I thought I wanted to be a super hero, I thought I wanted to fight crime with super powers. But in reality, that was just work, no different from a clerk in an office pulling his 9-5 and going home to rest with his family. Except I had no family. I had no friends, I had no-one close to me... I had no life, but for this one, single obsession. What was there for me but to fight crime all the time? What use did I have for free time? What use did I have for a secret identity when I had no secret life, other than this endless trudge against a wave of disasters that simply did not end? I didnt get the time to do the things I wanted, because there were no things I wanted, because any free time I got served only to remind me how little I truly had and how hollow my life had become. I drowned myself in my work just to take my mind away from what I felt I could never have, and for that one futile hope that someday, things would improve on their own. That if I just stuck it out long enough, my life would magically fix itself, somehow...
That is what makes me a fool. Good things dont come to those who sit on their hands and wait for the sky to fall over. Good things happen to those who chase their dreams, chase their vision, and who never give up. A good thing is worth fighting for, the Great Protector used to tell me, and I always took that quite literally. In truth, I now realised, he never meant for me to go and beat people up over a good thing, but that I should have the courage to make sacrifices for what I believed in and never give up. Fight, as it were, not with my fists, but with my heart. And that kind of fight, I had long since lost. My heart had become jaded and my will to fight on... Simply gone.
But Grimwall saved me. She didnt just save my life, she saved my heart. I came to her world of Orr jaded and desperate, but in her I found something worth fighting for, worth any effort it took, worth any pain I had to endure, worth risking, and indeed sacrificing my very life. But above all, in her I found something worth living for. All of my life Id been chasing foolish dreams, always straining under the weight of life. Many times Id thought about just giving up, just letting go. It would have been simple enough to throw my life away in battle and just put an end to this weight, this endless battle against the odds. But now, every time I saw her, every time I heard her voice, every time I thought about just... Being with my sweet, sweet Grimwall... Every time that gave me an undeniable will to live, to fight on. For her, I could be strong. For her, I could endure anything. For her, I could be a true hero.
Never a dull moment, but you know what? This time around, I dont mind. Ever since I met Grimwall, Ive been engaged in an almost constant battle, first with her, then with the Elders, then with the elements and now with Divisions damn pod. But this time around, I didnt care. I wanted this responsibility, I wanted this load. I was busy, yes, and always. But I wasnt looking for free time to do what I wanted. Being busy for my Grimwall, that was what I wanted. In truth, that was all I wanted out of life. A precious person that I want to protect and take care of. A precious person I would walk through fire for, and... Well, had.
You know, its said that love is not two people looking into each others eyes, but rather two people looking in the same direction. Instinctively, I wanted nothing more than to hold Grimwall close, to hug her, to kiss her, and to never let go. And happy as that would have made, I realised that it was far more important to get the pod fixed and leave this accursed world. Though every battle we had fought together we had lost, each time we survived not by running away from the world to be together, but by fighting alongside each other and helping each other. Now, the battle with that stupid machine was mine alone to fight, and I was determined to win it. It didnt feel like a chore, didnt feel like actual work I needed rest from. On the contrary, this was my rest from the distractions that were sleep and the breaks I needed to clear my head.
Its funny, actually, that Grimwall believes she didnt help. She always says how bad she felt that she had to just sit around and watch me work. But if I have to be quite honest, I would never have been able to get this done if it werent for her. If I wasnt fixing the pod for her, I would have given up so many times over. Doctor Division had simply made sure his pod became completely unusable after it landed. I think I pulled something like a mile of fried wires out of there, fiddled with over two dozen damaged circuit boards and had to pretty much re-write all the operating software. Division always thought he was so smart that other people could never defeat his genius, but Id read the same books he had and actually patented probably half components hed used in his pod. Tinkering with electronics was always my hobby, and I dabbled in it quite a bit, back before my life became so hectic with super heroics.
It was quite simply a ton of work, all of it very, very fiddly and most of it requiring radical rethinking of the entire system. Grimwalls hell forge actually helped me a lot. Yes, the equipment there was fairly crude, but with a little ingenuity, I was able to bodge together spare components to fix what was fried or broken. But, really, its all too boring to explain in detail, even to me. Its about as fun to talk about as doing your taxes. Suffice it to say that it took me bloody ages and more effort than I thought I could put forward, but I finally fixed the damn thing at least well enough to travel.
Grimwall was very cute in the meantime, though. I always knew she was a mischievous, happy little girl underneath all the pain and anger her world had instilled in her, and all she needed was a little time of peace and calm for that side of her to come to the surface. At first she was serious and reserved, just like always, but the longer she spent essentially doing nothing, the more she cut loose. She had this tendency to come over, peer at what I was doing and start asking silly questions, like what does this button do? I knew shed never understand, but I still stopped to explain every time. And, honestly, in putting it into words, I often came to a solution just from talking about it. From time to time shed get playful and come prod me and push me while I worked. I think she was just having fun testing how long I could ignore her and keep working before she broke my concentration. Its really amazing, the kind of transformation this strong and powerful empress underwent right before my eyes. Frankly, I like her better when shes like that, but Id never say that to her face. Shes so cute, but she thinks its undignified.
And theres always that sweet, tiny voice of her putting some sound in my mute world. Oh, it gets pretty powerful and intimidating if she wants, but in regular speech, she sounds like a little girl. And those big, beautiful red eyes of hers... Its odd, to be honest, because her gaze gives out a very real, very physical sense of heat. All the time I was working, I could feel her prying eyes at my back, always watching, always reminding me she was by my side. To be honest, if it werent for Grimwalls distractions, my head would have blown up. It was just too much work. But shed always have perfect timing, always coming to distract me when I was at the end of my tether. Always coming to bring her beauty and her giddy happiness in my often grim little world. I have to be honest here, Grimwall has become my conscience. Without her, I always risk sliding back into the depression and pointless existence of my life before. But with her, there is always someone to remind of the happiness life can hold. Always someone to make me smile.
In the end, the pod was prepared for takeoff, even if it had taken hell and high water to achieve. Grimwall was very happy to see it finally working. The excitement of alien technology, I guess, and I could sympathise. But there was a slightly... Uncomfortable problem that Id completely forgotten about. See, Division had made his sphere just big enough to hold a single person me. And even for me, there was hardly enough room to even turn around. And in that same cavity, we now had to squeeze in together, Grimwall and I. There was simply no way for me to do anything about it. The size of the internal compartment was simply governed by the shape of the hull, and that was just too hard for me to do anything with. So, in we would have to go, pretty much wrapped around each other, and stay that way for a good, long while.
I could sense it made Grimwall uncomfortable, and I knew it scared me more than just a little bit, but what choice did we have? Thats how big the pod was, and that was our only way out. I have to say, though, that I was secretly happy about it. Id always wanted to be close to Grimwall, closer than just speaking with her. Id always wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to caress her hair, but... Look, Id never had a girlfriend back on Earth. Hell, Id never even been within two feet of a girl. Sure, I knew what I was supposed do, kind of, but thats like reading the manual on how to fly a plane. Once you get sat at the controls, you freeze up. Id always been afraid to just... Go up to her and touch her. Hell, I thought shed slug me in the face for it!
But this time, we had no choice and she knew it. I could see she was more than a little uncomfortable, but she agreed anyway. And so we squeezed into the pod like sardines and the hatch closed behind us. There we were, pressed together in a tiny space and... Man, thinking about it now, I could have played off that in so many different ways! But fat chance of me doing anything at the time. My heart was in my mouth and I felt like my eyes were about to pop out. How I got through the launch sequence without blood shooting out of my nose, I dont even remember.
But I did. The pod activated and slowly rose up from the cavern floor. Now, if my calculations were correct, the thermite lance I secured to the top of the sphere would dig clean through the fault zone I found in the ceiling of the hell forge and carry us up to the surface, from where the secondary magnetic drive would take us out of the atmosphere and well on the way back to Earth. As it turns out, my calculations werent exactly right and the ride was rather more bumpy than Id anticipated, but we made it off the planet with relatively little trouble. And then...
And then, with the excitement of liftoff behind us and week, possibly even months of waiting, squeezed together in a tiny space ahead, my mind went back to figuring out how to deal with this cute, sweet girl pressing against my chest. Id never been this close to Grimwall before, but now I realised just how... Peculiar her body was. Her skin was inhumanly smooth, it felt almost like glass to the touch. Her body radiated a very strange type of heat, as well. It didnt build up and make me hot, it was almost as if it simply passed through me. Her breath came out hot against my shoulder, almost like an oven. And her hair was so unnaturally soft, almost cotton candy in my hands. Grimwall was indeed a creature of fire, that much I could sense quite clearly. I could feel the warmth of her body constantly permeating into mine, constantly radiating outwards. That woman has such life, such energy in her...
Me, I spent most of the time floating around trying to think pure thoughts and stop myself from doing something stupid. It was amazingly hard to stop my hands from wandering, to suppress my desire. But I was far too afraid of hurting her feelings, to be honest. I knew she felt uncomfortable trapped like this with me, and I felt it would make me creep to do something to her when she was as defenceless as we both were in that pod. But just the same, it was very hard to keep my mind from drifting into fantasy. Very hard to keep a grip on things.
Ive no idea how long we floated like this. Id lost all manner of keeping time back on Orr, so I was never able to install a clock inside the compartment. But I was able to install heating and a single dim light bulb, as well as a make-shift air processor. Id already spent what felt like an eternity in the cold darkness of space, choking on foul air. Its a fate I wouldnt wish on anyone, especially not on Grimwall, so I went the extra mile to add at least some comfort to a situation that was uncomfortable in more ways than one.
Eventually, though, our journey came to an end. Id used the pods internal guidance system to home it in on an old tachyon beacon Id created as a joint science project back when I was still trying to lead a normal life and attended university. Why Division installed a guidance system in the pod, Ill never know, but it was there, so I used it. So when the pod changed course, I knew the system had picked up on the signal and changed direction. Honestly, that made me as nervous as it made me relieved. We were crossing God knows how much empty space, possibly light years, and aiming for a small, moving planet. The chances of missing our mark were... Well, rather real. Id done all I could and I was more than positive that wed get to Earth without any trouble, but... When the risk is this great, theres always a nagging fear at the back of your head.
Fear or no fear, though, we landed. The experience was rather more shocking than my landing on Orr, I guess because we were heavier this time around, both from both of us being in the pod and from all the extra bits of metal Id welded to it. We hit the ground pretty hard, but hey! Weve duked it out with actual gods. Whats a hard landing compared to that? The pod held together and though we were quite beaten up, we werent really injured. We had landed, but had we landed on Earth? That was my immediate concern, even if I wasnt letting on. But as soon as the hatch opened, I got my answer.
A clear, piercing ray of what looked like blue light to my eyes illuminated the inside of the pod with a power that I was not at all used to. As soon as she saw that, Grimwall immediately rushed out of the pod before I could even come to my senses. But I wasnt in any rush. The blue sky that peered at me through the open hatch was all the answer I needed.
When I left the pod, the first thing that struck me was how much cooler the air was on Earth. I had set the thermostat on the pod to match what I thought was normal temperature, but I guess I had just gotten too used to the aggressive heat of the world of Orr. Earth, on the other hand, had a cool, calming breeze that felt as if it were cleansing me from all the evil that had stained me on Orr. It was just... Nice to sit in the wind and remember.
I found Grimwall just standing and looking at the horizon, dumbfounded. I must admit, it had been so long since Id been back to Earth that I had forgotten the beauty and the colour my home planet had. Wed landed on a beach somewhere, the kind resort owners would pay through the nose for. An old, deep forest behind, and clear, blue sea ahead as far as the eye could see. I hadnt seen water in years, but Grimwall had never seen water at all. She went and walked into the ocean like a little kid, splashing around playing in the water. And every time she moved, she left a dark stain behind her. It had never occurred to me before, but both of us were stained with smoke and soot to the bone. The very air on Orr had always felt like you were breathing out of a chimney, but I guess Id just gotten used to it.
But here on Earth, the smell of smoke slowly evaporated off our bodies and the soot simply washed off. And that ever-present heat that had sunk into our very bones was slowly radiating outwards. A cool, refreshing breath of air and a nice calm wind really do make a difference. The beach, the sun, the blue sky... Its the stuff even people on Earth dream of. Paradise on Earth, or at least close to it.
We could have probably spent days just loafing around on the beach, cooling down and washing off the dirt, but as usual, time waits for no man. I like how Grimwall put it: my belt spoke. It startled her, and it scared me senseless, but there was a really simple explanation for it. See, years ago Id made myself one of these utility belts that were so popular at the time. I didnt really need utilities, honestly, but since I could wire them to be powered by my own electrical power, I figured I might as well. It was a really basic loadout compass, GPS, satellite phone, PDA, a standard med kit, a variety of different pockets and... A radio. I never used my utility belt even back on Earth, so when it had gotten damaged in my many battles on Orr, Id completely forgotten I even had it on. It seems, however, that the sturdy old radio Id put in there still worked.
I received a call from a Coast Guard rescue helicopter searching the area for a crashed plane. Apparently authorities had detected our landing and thought it was a plane crash. But lets not miss the most important part not only had we landed on Earth, we had landed in US territory. Not 100 miles off my city, in fact. That simply amazed me. We were one lucky couple, Grimwall and I.
I called the search and rescue party back and explained the situation, then asked for a pickup. We were crashed and stranded, after all, even if we were far from unable to move around on our own. I figured it was a good way to introduce Grimwall to human society, rather than have both of us walk into town and have people give us weird looks and be hassled by police and other heroes. For some reason, I guess my explanation was just that unusual, we got not one but a whole three helicopters show up to pick us up. It seemed the Coast Guard had really stepped up their rescue programme since I left.
I must admit, it was funny watching Grimwalls reaction to the helicopters. First she wanted to shoot them down, and I had to stop her because I knew she could. Then she wanted to ride the creature. It was just hilarious, even if I didnt want to look like Im laughing at her. I rooted around in my belt pockets until I found my old Hero ID, folded three times, half torn apart, faded, scratched up and with most of its laminate peeled away. But the way Id folded it up, the stamp and watermark had remained intact, and, surprisingly, it hadnt actually expired yet. The pilot gave me the worlds most suspicious look, but he took us in anyway. Its funny how I can be gone for this long and my privileges are still here, waiting for me. He gave Grimwall a weird look, too, but that was to be expected. I think she was a little embarrassed from all the people around. She was just used to a much more solitary life, where most other creatures simply avoided her presence. Crammed together with an entire rescue crew as we were now, it was a novel experience for her and, frankly, a bit of a novel experience for me. Id been away from home for so long, even I had forgotten.
Something that really caught me off guard, though, was the language barrier. Id completely forgotten that there was some magic thingy back on Orr that let all creatures understand each others language. But now that we were on Earth, that no longer applied, and no-one understood a word Grimwall said. I understood her, of course. Id spent so long with her that Id learned her language perfectly, and she had learned mine. So I understood her and she understood me. And while she understood other people, too, all they heard was growls, they said. Eh? Growls? I can never understand how that sweet, melodic voice can be interpreted as growls. To my ears, it sounds like music.
When Grimwall saw the city my city she was greatly amazed. To be honest, cities on Earth were simply massive, compared to the towns and villages of Orr. Even her marvellous citadel wouldnt be too much bigger than most of the larger skyscrapers. I felt some small measure of vindication when she realised the great city of her ancestors, the Blood Lords, paled in comparison to even just one of ours. You know, I never blamed her for how she acted in the Blood Lords city, but I still like to remind her from time to time, just to get a little rise out of her. Shes really cute when she pouts.
Of course, Earth is not the paradise I made it out to be. There is evil here as there is evil on Orr, and there are wars to be fought here, as well. We hadnt been on Earth for more than a week when Doctor Division struck against us once more. And after we defeated him, other villains rose to oppose us. Now, as before, a super heros job is never done. There will always be evil in the world, and all it takes for it to rule is for good men to do nothing. We had run away from these battles on Orr, Grimwall and I, run away from them as far as we could. But there, they were pointless, waged by mindless creatures obsessed with hatred and violence, war and conquest. It was the way of that world. Here, however, this is not our way. We, the heroes of the world, fight our battles not for honour and glory, not because we want to, but because we cannot afford to stand idly by and allow evil to hurt the innocent.
We tried to live a peaceful life together, but it just never worked out. Every day wed see a news report of a bank robbery, a train wreck or a natural disaster. Wed see people out there suffer, alone and unprotected. And neither I nor she had the heart to stand idly by while these things were happening. I was a hero, and it had always been my duty, but Grimwall too felt the same way. Here, our battles had a meaning. Here, we fought for what we believed in. And here, she chose to fight, willingly, knowingly and without a doubt in her heart. I guess we just werent meant to have regular lives after all. But thats OK. Were better off for it.
It has been a little less than a year since we returned. In that time, I renewed my Hero ID, Grimwall got her own, learned the language and seems to be adapting to our world little by little. Technology still confounds her for the most part and our culture often has her asking why over and over again like a little kid. But shes adjusting, and I dont believe she regrets coming here.
We got married a couple of months ago. It was a small ceremony, weve lost our taste for the grand and the loud. An old world, a new hope, a borrowed heart, and a blue sky. Frankly, I couldnt have been happier with my life. Of course, our ceremony was interrupted by the Cricket Master, who still held a grudge against us for putting him in jail several months ago, and we ended up having to rescue our own Minister, but hey! Thats what lifes always been for us. We got married, we saved a bunch of people and we recaptured a bad guy. And you should see our marriage album!
Weve gotten a lot closer, Grimwall and I, both physically and emotionally. Ive finally gotten the hang of flying a plane, as it were, and were thinking of starting our own little family. Were still not sure if were going to do that, though. Were just not built for the calm of family life. Grimwalls an alien demon and Im a super hero. Not exactly parent material, to be honest, especially not with our lifestyle choices. Honestly, much as we want to deny it, both of us are just made for the life we lead fighting crime and saving lives. Weve spent so many years trying to run away from ourselves, to hide from who we are, but our destinies always find us. Today, weve accepted who we are, accepted what we are, and we are doing our best to get something positive out of it.
In reality, little has changed in our lives since we met. We still fight our battles and we still lead our wars. But this time, there is a point. This time, we are together. And that... That is the only kind of life worth living.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
Bravo. A well-written, most moving tale that holds a true lesson at its core. Magnifico.
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
[ QUOTE ]
Bravo. A well-written, most moving tale that holds a true lesson at its core. Magnifico.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thank you kindly, good sir
My little story is finally completely finished, and I think I may have forever scarred my vocabulary and choice of construct with it. I keep catching myself rewording things three times over just so they don't sound weird
Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to read this and for your support and commentary. You guys really do make this all worth it. Just... Thanks
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
That was a satisfying conclusion. Good work, and congratulations on finishing a story.
BRAVO!!!
THIS IS THE BEST ENDING AN EXCELLENT STORY COULD HAVE.
BRAVO!!!
Huzzah!
What a finish!
#69397 Get Grog a Drink!
#155312 No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded
#229565 Take Back the Park! (lowbie friendly)
Praetor of the [url="http://www.forgottenlegion.net"]Forgotten Legion[/url] SG and mod for the HUB player community. All hail the mighty Grog!
Take yer time, sir. We'll wait patiently.
Pre-congratulations on graduating.