Creative Writing, Poetry, Arts & Crafts, and Other Creations Thread
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I am quite thrilled. I had a big personal (well, job-related) victory today, and that inspired me to finally finish a Sword & Sorcery short story I had been working on for a month. Mind you, it's a first draft, I may go over it again before I'm ready to publish it, but I'm still pretty psyched. It's been a very good day.
Job related victories are great they are even better when they spill over into everything else you are doing.. .. I look forward to the Sword & Sorcery story.. sounds interesting --- best of luck.-
...
Uh, ... I may have to translate it first. Unless there's somebody around here fluid in German who wants to take a crack at it.
^mmmm German.. if it is typed into a computer then the translation is easy .. if not well IDK. =--=
OK next some fractals from tonite.
these are big and such just because they may get used for other things that need the big image like bandcamp songs.. or something .. also the whole set of 19 images and the other ones from recent are in this folder.. here..
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bzmvIAtQH8b0BiOgshjw90gEuex7qF_l?usp=sharing the images and all the settings for the fractal program being used.. mandelbulber 2.21 free program on the net github or sourceforge.--
OK next some fractals from tonite.
these are big and such just because they may get used for other things that need the big image like bandcamp songs.. or something .. also the whole set of 19 images and the other ones from recent are in this folder.. here..
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bzmvIAtQH8b0BiOgshjw90gEuex7qF_l?usp=sharing the images and all the settings for the fractal program being used.. mandelbulber 2.21 free program on the net github or sourceforge.--
I don't know... I just don't know.
^mmmm German.. if it is typed into a computer then the translation is easy .. if not well IDK. =--=
OK next some fractals from tonite.
these are big and such just because they may get used for other things that need the big image like bandcamp songs.. or something .. also the whole set of 19 images and the other ones from recent are in this folder.. here..
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bzmvIAtQH8b0BiOgshjw90gEuex7qF_l?usp=sharing the images and all the settings for the fractal program being used.. mandelbulber 2.21 free program on the net github or sourceforge.--
I went ahead and translated the preamble. Enjoy:
There was, before Atlantis drowned and the continents changed shape, an age when the forebearers of man had not yet been forgotten.
An era when the kingdoms of Uropeas faced each other in eternal battle to satisfy the greed and the moods of those in power.
It was a time, when treasures and wonders long forgotten lay spread across the world, and whole races of people were lost forever.
And it was in this age that two masterless warriors encountered each other. Where their peoples had been mortal enemies, there was to be a bond between them as it has to this day never been equalled.
- Chonicles of Uropeas, from the Library of Alexandria
The title of the story, which actually works better in English than in German, is "Change of Hearts", and the two hero characters are named Taron, the mute barbarian, and Uénunna, the she-warrior who hears him. I'm definitely planning on writing more stories with these characters.
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Okay, online translators are no option either. As a trial I had one translate the preamble, and this is the result:
It became before Atlantis sank and the continents her form changed, an age in him the predecessors of the humanity had not totally fallen into oblivion yet.
A time, as the kingdoms of Uropeas to itself together in continual fight faced, around the avarice and to satisfy the mood of her powerful figures.
It became a time in which treasures and miracles forget for a long time about the world scattered lay and whole people for good disappeared.
And it became in that time that two warriors without man met. Where her people befeindet were, a tape should be between them, which searches till this day his equals.
- Chronicles of Uropeas, library of Alexandria
I mean, yeah, it's kinda in there, but... seriously, it didn't even know the word "befeindet".
Maybe I could try running it through the translator, but editing it afterwards to smooth out the "to itself together in continual fight faced" of it all.
It became before Atlantis sank and the continents her form changed, an age in him the predecessors of the humanity had not totally fallen into oblivion yet.
A time, as the kingdoms of Uropeas to itself together in continual fight faced, around the avarice and to satisfy the mood of her powerful figures.
It became a time in which treasures and miracles forget for a long time about the world scattered lay and whole people for good disappeared.
And it became in that time that two warriors without man met. Where her people befeindet were, a tape should be between them, which searches till this day his equals.
- Chronicles of Uropeas, library of Alexandria
I mean, yeah, it's kinda in there, but... seriously, it didn't even know the word "befeindet".
Maybe I could try running it through the translator, but editing it afterwards to smooth out the "to itself together in continual fight faced" of it all.
Alright, I did it. Even with the help of online translating programs, it took a few hours and not a little effort, and now I have to split it to get under the word-per-post limit. I hope you appreciate this. In other words, enjoy!
The following story and the characters therein are property of the author Kai-Uwe Brauns. All rights reserved.
CHANGE OF HEART
by Kai Brauns
There was, before Atlantis drowned and the continents changed shape, an age when the forebearers of man had not yet been forgotten.
An era when the kingdoms of Uropeas faced each other in eternal battle to satisfy the greed and the moods of those in power.
It was a time, when treasures and wonders long forgotten lay spread across the world, and whole races of people were lost forever.
And it was in this age that two masterless warriors encountered each other. Where their peoples had been mortal enemies, there was to be a bond between them as it has to this day never been equalled.
- Chonicles of Uropeas, from the Library of Alexandria
The warrior straightened up and looked at the nearby hill, at the top of which the remains of a fortress could be seen. The traces she had just looked at were already half a day old, but still clearly recognizable to her, leading in the direction of the hill.
She had to leave her horse behind, which she didn't like given her prey. But the slope of the hill was too steep. She got rid of her hooded cape, which she put on her horse's back, straightened her jerkin and set off.
Arriving at the top, she saw that there was not much left of the fortress. It had to had been abandoned hundreds of years ago. Still, it offered enough places to hide, and just as many opportunities for an ambush.
The warrior pulled her shortswords and held them in one hand each in defensive position to be ready for an attack from any side. With careful steps she moved through the ancient walls, her eyes pointed vigilantly at every corner.
Suddenly she heard it. Something had moved on the soil, which was recaptured from the plants. Quiet, but clearly audible to the warrior. But only this time. Her opponent was good at sneaking, she had to hand it to him.
The sound had its origin behind a high wall. The warrior held her right close to her face to land a sweeping blow, and stepped with her back to the wall ever closer to the edge of the same. Just before she reached the edge, she took a deep breath, making sure not to make a noise.
She quickly bent around the corner and confronted her opponent. Her sword, with which she had intended to carry out her attack, was left hanging in the air halfway. If she had hoped for a surprise moment, it was now she who paused for the surprise.
The point of a bastard sword was directed at her. But the greater shock came from the man holding this sword in his hands. This was not the horse killer that had been described to her, but neither was he just any man. The long, dark brown hair, the bronze skin of his bare, muscular torso, which was only protected from the weather by a cape made from grey wolves‘ fur, and the red eyes, which seemed to look into her innermost, left her in no doubt. He was a Gordonian.
How could that be? And how could they meet each other at this moment? She could only believe in the will of the gods. She would not have thought it possible for this disgrace to catch up with her. Her mouth opened, and she stood there with trembling lips.
In him she felt the same surprise. But instead of shame, she recognized flaming anger over decades-old pain. Just as she had recognized him as a Gordonian, so he immediately saw that she came from the Nadduéssuh people. Although she wore clothes of other peoples - the jerkin came from Gaulania, her skirt from Atonis, and the swords she had bought at a market in Xantia - but the feathered jewelry in her hair, her braided belt, and not least she herself with her reddish skin, the pitch-black hair, high cheekbones and dark, narrow eyes, clearly pointed out her origin.
Slowly she lowered her swords. "I am so sorry," she said in a trembling voice. At any moment, the Gordonian would put an end to her life. She wanted to live, but she could not bring herself to contribute to the guilt that her people had towards his. She accepted her fate and closed her eyes.
And suddenly she heard him cry out his frustration and his anger. She opened her eyes, but the sight didn't match what she heard. He was still screaming, but he stood still, looked to the ground, his sword lowered. And his mouth shut. Eventually the scream faded away, he asked what her death would change, how young she had been during the war. But his lips did not move.
"I was but a child," she said. "I had just experienced my twelfth winter, when …"
He gave her a staggered look.
"Yes, I hear you," she said, not comprehending.
Incredulously, he shook his head.
And she began to understand. "You don't have a voice," she repeated what she had just learned from him. "But I do hear you."
He came one step closer to her, tightening the grip on his sword arm.
"I don't know how," she replied to his mute question. "But I still do." She herself was looking for an explanation. "It must be the will of Wakan Tanka."
Again he shook his head, this time out of ridicule.
"It is still what is happening, I do hear you." She dropped her blades into the grass, and laid her hand on his sword arm. "And I'm not a threat. I was willing to pay the price for what my people did. But my ability to hear your words when no one else can do, it must matter."
They looked deep into each other's eyes. Slowly, acceptance was visible in his, and the anger ebbed away.
At that moment they were interrupted by a loud and desperate howl. Her horse! She rushed to the edge of the hill, the Gordonian close to her heels. But all they could see was the bloody carcass. "The horse killer," she said. But they could no longer see him.
They climbed down. The horse's throat showed a violent wound, as if by a sword with four blades. The chest was torn open, and the spread of the blood indicated removal of the heart.
Kneeling, the warrior stroked her hand over the head of her dead mount and thanked him inwardly for his service. After a few moments, she took the bow and the quiver of arrows that the animal had worn for her, threw her cape around her shoulders again, rose up and stepped towards the Gordonian, who studied the grass a few yards away.
"You also are on the hunt for the horse killer," she said.
His gaze followed the traces into the nearby woods.
"Baraskus," she repeated. "This monster seems to be coming around well. I myself was commissioned by the steward of Kolonum. His daughter was killed on a horse ride."
The Gordonian turned to her.
"Thirty pieces of gold and fifty of silver," she replied. "I suppose that‘s much more than what the farmers of Baraskus can scrape together."
He snorted casually.
"Enough for two bounty hunters," she put towards him.
His eyes narrowed.
She raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "I understand if you don't trust me. But if I am the only one to understand you, and now we have the same goal, I cannot ignore that. And you shouldn't."
For a few moments, his gaze went into the void as he pondered her words. Eventually, he straightened up and turned to her.
She nodded. "Taron," she repeated. "My name is Uénunna."
For a few moments, they stood in silence. Eventually, Taron turned around and began to walk towards the woods.
She strapped the bow around her shoulder, attached the quiver to her belt, and followed him.
* * * *
The darkness of the night began to conquer the sky before they could catch up with the horse killer. Too dark to read the tracks. Uénunna took her bow in her hand and went hunting, while Taron collected wood for a fire.
After half an hour, she returned with three slain rabbits. Silently, they skinned the animals, eviscerated them, and began to fry them on long sticks skewered over the fire.
For a time they stared into the fire without speaking. Eventually, Uénunna overcame her fear and said, "I also am alone."
Surprised, he turned to her.
"The Nadduéssuh came here to Uropeas more than fifty years ago. The Sumerians drove us from our homeland. Many other tribes of our people turned east. There were stories about a world beyond the East, only to be reached by a narrow land bridge, where there were no people yet."Uénunna took a deep breath. "My father was Óglúta."
Taron opened his eyes wide. His hand reached for his sword.
Uénunna raised her hands defensively. "Please," she said. "Listen to me."
The barbarian weighed the situation. Eventually he relaxed, but let his hand rest on the hilt of his sword.
"My father did not want to isolate our people," she continued. "He came with us to Uropeas to live in exchange with the pale peoples. But the so-called civilized peoples saw only more barbarians in us." She looked at Taron. "I suppose you know the feeling."
His watchful gaze remained on her.
"Then this will probably be a good that is connected to a place of home. But we didn't have one anymore." Her gaze wandered back to the fire. "Óglúta thought he had to prove the strength of our people. And he wanted to achieve this with a war against a smaller barbarian people."
He snorted audibly.
"I was young, and I thought my father the wisest man in the world. He told us about the abominations of the monstrous Gordonians that we must exterminate you in order to protect not only ourselves, but all of Uropeas from you. And I believed it. I had never even seen a Gordonian, and it did not occur to me my father could lie. I thought he was a hero, and I wanted to be like him. And so I sneaked into my father's war party, hid among the warriors, and accompanied them on an attack on a village of Gordonians."
Her voice broke, and tears formed in her eyes.
"And I saw my father and his valiant warriors shelling the village from afar with flaming arrows. How they slaughtered the warriors of the village with their arrows and throwing axes How they finally fell over the village, and the old, the women, the ..." A sob interrupted her. "The children," she said.
Taron stared at her in disbelief.
Eventually, Uénunna calmed again. "I asked my father, but I was still a child. I wouldn't understand, he said. It is war. And then it was too late." She looked over to Taron. "We thought we had killed you all. That there was no one left. Father was proud, thought that now the civilized peoples must take note of us." Closing her eyes, she turned to the fire again. "But now it became apparent that my father had no wisdom in him. Through the war, we had lost most of our own warriors, and the Gerlanders saw our weakness. The conquerors became conquered. We now faced our own extermination. But in the end, King Teutanis made an offer to my father: our people were to withdraw from Uropeas and seek reunification with our brethren tribes on the other side of the East. Teutanis guaranteed free passage. And in return, he wanted me."
Taron, who had kept an eye on the frying rabbbits, turned to her at these words.
"My father thought he had no choice, so he agreed." Uénunna wiped the moisture from her face. "I don't know if you've ever seen Teutanis, but the stories you tell are true. Where my father exterminated your people because he thought it was best for our people, Teutanis murdered and tortured for his own pleasure. And the few of his wives that where seen by outsiders, carried signs of torture on their bodies. And so I did what my heart asked of me. I killed Teutanis, and jumped from the cliffs into the River Sprewa, to death as I believed."
Taron took two of the hares from the fire and held one to her by the skewer. She discovered that the contempt had disappeared from his gaze. So she took the hare, and they began their supper as she continued.
"Some time later I awakened in a cave near the riverbank. My saviour was Brynhildr, an old woman from Asland who had made a name for herself in her youth as a chooser of the slain. I learned from her that my people had fled the land in a hurry after my leap. My father, and my people, thought I was dead."
After a bite, Uénunna nodded chewing. "Yes, it was she who taught me the art of fighting. Though I had learned how to use the bow from a young age."
She paused before continuing: "After four years by her side, she sent me away. She claimed she had no further thing to teach me. But she had not been able to do that for a long time. I knew her life was coming to an end, and she wanted to spare me this further loss."
They continued to eat in silence. But even though Uénunna heard no more words of Taron's that evening, she felt that his view of her was changing.
****
Before the sun appeared on the horizon, Taron and Uénunna had decamped. In the light of dusk, they followed the horse killer's trail in an easterly direction. During this time there was silence between them, because they concentrated entirely on hunting.
When it finally rose, the sun remained largely hidden behind dark clouds. Nevertheless, the two warriors were glad when the tracks led them out of the forest.
Over a pasture they came to a field. The wind blew against them from the east, and it drove the smell of fresh blood and death into Uénunna's nose. Next to her, Taron raised his arm and pointed into the distance, where at the other end of the field two figures were bent over a rock.
"It smells like a horse, as well," Uénunna said in response to Taron's mute remark.
With haste they crossed the field. The two figures were peasants, one old and the other much younger. What had looked like a rock to Uénunna from afar was actually the fresh carcass of a horse.
When the peasants noticed them, they got into excitement, seemingly undecided whether to flee or fight. To calm them, Uénunna stopped, raised her empty hands and told Taron to do the same.
"Do not be afraid," she called. The two men looked at each other and seemed to calm down.
"What be you?" asked the elder in broken gerland.
Surprised, she turned to Taron: "Have we already crossed into Tsarusia?"
Taron looked to the sky.
Turning again to the peasants, Uènunna tried to recall her knowledge of the Tsarusian language, before finally shouting: "My name is Uénunna, this is Taron. We are bounty hunters on the trail of a horse killer."
The two peasants seemed to exchange a few words before the elder beckoned to approach them.
When the four stood together, Taron looked closely at the carcass. It showed the known wounds to its chest and neck.
"The horse still belongs to us," said the younger man. "If you want its meat, you have to fight for it."
The elder raised his hand from the stalk of his shovel. "Please excuse my son," he said. "He doesn't mean it badly. I fear now that we no longer have the poor nag for work in the field, we are dependent on her flesh."
Uénunna nodded. "We'll leave you the horse. As I said, we are after a horse killer, and it seems that he has met you."
The older farmer covered his face. "I am called Ilik, and I gave my son the name Balik. The man you are looking for, as far as you can call him a man, seemed to emerge from nowhere. There must be a spell from him that he escaped not only our senses, but also those of the horse until it was too late. His weapon looked like a four-blade glove, and before poor Bubu could even neigh, he had slit her throat. Balik and I had no weapons, and even if it may hurt Balik's pride, we would have lost with the best swords against this troll of a man. So all we could do was escape. When we were back at our senses, we saw this horse killer running down the dirt road towards the eastern forest."
Taron looked up from the carcass to Uénunna. "He took the heart of the horse with him," she translated his silent words. "He did the same with the other horses he killed." Looking at the edge of the forest, which was on the eastern horizon, she asked, "How long has it been?"
"Not long," said Ilik, scratching a chunk of dried soil from his beard, which didn't make him much cleaner. "The middle of the morning had already passed."
Taron straightened up. "We thank you for your help," the woman warrior assured the peasants. "And I promise you, your horse will be done justice."
Before turning away, Uénunna noticed Ilik eyeing herself and her companion. "We rarely see warriors in this area. We have never seen a woman who serves as a warrior, as far as I can remember. Nor do I recognize your people. You are no Germen, even if you speak their language." For a brief moment, he pondered. "I don't even think the two of you are of the same people."
Taron and Uénunna exchanged a telling look. "If you have not seen members of our peoples before," Uénunna said, "you will certainly not see any more in the future."
Ilik pondered her words, and an understanding glow sparkled in his eyes. "Go! Follow the monster, and don't let him bring more families into misfortune."
****
CHANGE OF HEART
by Kai Brauns
There was, before Atlantis drowned and the continents changed shape, an age when the forebearers of man had not yet been forgotten.
An era when the kingdoms of Uropeas faced each other in eternal battle to satisfy the greed and the moods of those in power.
It was a time, when treasures and wonders long forgotten lay spread across the world, and whole races of people were lost forever.
And it was in this age that two masterless warriors encountered each other. Where their peoples had been mortal enemies, there was to be a bond between them as it has to this day never been equalled.
- Chonicles of Uropeas, from the Library of Alexandria
The warrior straightened up and looked at the nearby hill, at the top of which the remains of a fortress could be seen. The traces she had just looked at were already half a day old, but still clearly recognizable to her, leading in the direction of the hill.
She had to leave her horse behind, which she didn't like given her prey. But the slope of the hill was too steep. She got rid of her hooded cape, which she put on her horse's back, straightened her jerkin and set off.
Arriving at the top, she saw that there was not much left of the fortress. It had to had been abandoned hundreds of years ago. Still, it offered enough places to hide, and just as many opportunities for an ambush.
The warrior pulled her shortswords and held them in one hand each in defensive position to be ready for an attack from any side. With careful steps she moved through the ancient walls, her eyes pointed vigilantly at every corner.
Suddenly she heard it. Something had moved on the soil, which was recaptured from the plants. Quiet, but clearly audible to the warrior. But only this time. Her opponent was good at sneaking, she had to hand it to him.
The sound had its origin behind a high wall. The warrior held her right close to her face to land a sweeping blow, and stepped with her back to the wall ever closer to the edge of the same. Just before she reached the edge, she took a deep breath, making sure not to make a noise.
She quickly bent around the corner and confronted her opponent. Her sword, with which she had intended to carry out her attack, was left hanging in the air halfway. If she had hoped for a surprise moment, it was now she who paused for the surprise.
The point of a bastard sword was directed at her. But the greater shock came from the man holding this sword in his hands. This was not the horse killer that had been described to her, but neither was he just any man. The long, dark brown hair, the bronze skin of his bare, muscular torso, which was only protected from the weather by a cape made from grey wolves‘ fur, and the red eyes, which seemed to look into her innermost, left her in no doubt. He was a Gordonian.
How could that be? And how could they meet each other at this moment? She could only believe in the will of the gods. She would not have thought it possible for this disgrace to catch up with her. Her mouth opened, and she stood there with trembling lips.
In him she felt the same surprise. But instead of shame, she recognized flaming anger over decades-old pain. Just as she had recognized him as a Gordonian, so he immediately saw that she came from the Nadduéssuh people. Although she wore clothes of other peoples - the jerkin came from Gaulania, her skirt from Atonis, and the swords she had bought at a market in Xantia - but the feathered jewelry in her hair, her braided belt, and not least she herself with her reddish skin, the pitch-black hair, high cheekbones and dark, narrow eyes, clearly pointed out her origin.
Slowly she lowered her swords. "I am so sorry," she said in a trembling voice. At any moment, the Gordonian would put an end to her life. She wanted to live, but she could not bring herself to contribute to the guilt that her people had towards his. She accepted her fate and closed her eyes.
And suddenly she heard him cry out his frustration and his anger. She opened her eyes, but the sight didn't match what she heard. He was still screaming, but he stood still, looked to the ground, his sword lowered. And his mouth shut. Eventually the scream faded away, he asked what her death would change, how young she had been during the war. But his lips did not move.
"I was but a child," she said. "I had just experienced my twelfth winter, when …"
He gave her a staggered look.
"Yes, I hear you," she said, not comprehending.
Incredulously, he shook his head.
And she began to understand. "You don't have a voice," she repeated what she had just learned from him. "But I do hear you."
He came one step closer to her, tightening the grip on his sword arm.
"I don't know how," she replied to his mute question. "But I still do." She herself was looking for an explanation. "It must be the will of Wakan Tanka."
Again he shook his head, this time out of ridicule.
"It is still what is happening, I do hear you." She dropped her blades into the grass, and laid her hand on his sword arm. "And I'm not a threat. I was willing to pay the price for what my people did. But my ability to hear your words when no one else can do, it must matter."
They looked deep into each other's eyes. Slowly, acceptance was visible in his, and the anger ebbed away.
At that moment they were interrupted by a loud and desperate howl. Her horse! She rushed to the edge of the hill, the Gordonian close to her heels. But all they could see was the bloody carcass. "The horse killer," she said. But they could no longer see him.
They climbed down. The horse's throat showed a violent wound, as if by a sword with four blades. The chest was torn open, and the spread of the blood indicated removal of the heart.
Kneeling, the warrior stroked her hand over the head of her dead mount and thanked him inwardly for his service. After a few moments, she took the bow and the quiver of arrows that the animal had worn for her, threw her cape around her shoulders again, rose up and stepped towards the Gordonian, who studied the grass a few yards away.
"You also are on the hunt for the horse killer," she said.
His gaze followed the traces into the nearby woods.
"Baraskus," she repeated. "This monster seems to be coming around well. I myself was commissioned by the steward of Kolonum. His daughter was killed on a horse ride."
The Gordonian turned to her.
"Thirty pieces of gold and fifty of silver," she replied. "I suppose that‘s much more than what the farmers of Baraskus can scrape together."
He snorted casually.
"Enough for two bounty hunters," she put towards him.
His eyes narrowed.
She raised her hands in a defensive gesture. "I understand if you don't trust me. But if I am the only one to understand you, and now we have the same goal, I cannot ignore that. And you shouldn't."
For a few moments, his gaze went into the void as he pondered her words. Eventually, he straightened up and turned to her.
She nodded. "Taron," she repeated. "My name is Uénunna."
For a few moments, they stood in silence. Eventually, Taron turned around and began to walk towards the woods.
She strapped the bow around her shoulder, attached the quiver to her belt, and followed him.
* * * *
The darkness of the night began to conquer the sky before they could catch up with the horse killer. Too dark to read the tracks. Uénunna took her bow in her hand and went hunting, while Taron collected wood for a fire.
After half an hour, she returned with three slain rabbits. Silently, they skinned the animals, eviscerated them, and began to fry them on long sticks skewered over the fire.
For a time they stared into the fire without speaking. Eventually, Uénunna overcame her fear and said, "I also am alone."
Surprised, he turned to her.
"The Nadduéssuh came here to Uropeas more than fifty years ago. The Sumerians drove us from our homeland. Many other tribes of our people turned east. There were stories about a world beyond the East, only to be reached by a narrow land bridge, where there were no people yet."Uénunna took a deep breath. "My father was Óglúta."
Taron opened his eyes wide. His hand reached for his sword.
Uénunna raised her hands defensively. "Please," she said. "Listen to me."
The barbarian weighed the situation. Eventually he relaxed, but let his hand rest on the hilt of his sword.
"My father did not want to isolate our people," she continued. "He came with us to Uropeas to live in exchange with the pale peoples. But the so-called civilized peoples saw only more barbarians in us." She looked at Taron. "I suppose you know the feeling."
His watchful gaze remained on her.
"Then this will probably be a good that is connected to a place of home. But we didn't have one anymore." Her gaze wandered back to the fire. "Óglúta thought he had to prove the strength of our people. And he wanted to achieve this with a war against a smaller barbarian people."
He snorted audibly.
"I was young, and I thought my father the wisest man in the world. He told us about the abominations of the monstrous Gordonians that we must exterminate you in order to protect not only ourselves, but all of Uropeas from you. And I believed it. I had never even seen a Gordonian, and it did not occur to me my father could lie. I thought he was a hero, and I wanted to be like him. And so I sneaked into my father's war party, hid among the warriors, and accompanied them on an attack on a village of Gordonians."
Her voice broke, and tears formed in her eyes.
"And I saw my father and his valiant warriors shelling the village from afar with flaming arrows. How they slaughtered the warriors of the village with their arrows and throwing axes How they finally fell over the village, and the old, the women, the ..." A sob interrupted her. "The children," she said.
Taron stared at her in disbelief.
Eventually, Uénunna calmed again. "I asked my father, but I was still a child. I wouldn't understand, he said. It is war. And then it was too late." She looked over to Taron. "We thought we had killed you all. That there was no one left. Father was proud, thought that now the civilized peoples must take note of us." Closing her eyes, she turned to the fire again. "But now it became apparent that my father had no wisdom in him. Through the war, we had lost most of our own warriors, and the Gerlanders saw our weakness. The conquerors became conquered. We now faced our own extermination. But in the end, King Teutanis made an offer to my father: our people were to withdraw from Uropeas and seek reunification with our brethren tribes on the other side of the East. Teutanis guaranteed free passage. And in return, he wanted me."
Taron, who had kept an eye on the frying rabbbits, turned to her at these words.
"My father thought he had no choice, so he agreed." Uénunna wiped the moisture from her face. "I don't know if you've ever seen Teutanis, but the stories you tell are true. Where my father exterminated your people because he thought it was best for our people, Teutanis murdered and tortured for his own pleasure. And the few of his wives that where seen by outsiders, carried signs of torture on their bodies. And so I did what my heart asked of me. I killed Teutanis, and jumped from the cliffs into the River Sprewa, to death as I believed."
Taron took two of the hares from the fire and held one to her by the skewer. She discovered that the contempt had disappeared from his gaze. So she took the hare, and they began their supper as she continued.
"Some time later I awakened in a cave near the riverbank. My saviour was Brynhildr, an old woman from Asland who had made a name for herself in her youth as a chooser of the slain. I learned from her that my people had fled the land in a hurry after my leap. My father, and my people, thought I was dead."
After a bite, Uénunna nodded chewing. "Yes, it was she who taught me the art of fighting. Though I had learned how to use the bow from a young age."
She paused before continuing: "After four years by her side, she sent me away. She claimed she had no further thing to teach me. But she had not been able to do that for a long time. I knew her life was coming to an end, and she wanted to spare me this further loss."
They continued to eat in silence. But even though Uénunna heard no more words of Taron's that evening, she felt that his view of her was changing.
****
Before the sun appeared on the horizon, Taron and Uénunna had decamped. In the light of dusk, they followed the horse killer's trail in an easterly direction. During this time there was silence between them, because they concentrated entirely on hunting.
When it finally rose, the sun remained largely hidden behind dark clouds. Nevertheless, the two warriors were glad when the tracks led them out of the forest.
Over a pasture they came to a field. The wind blew against them from the east, and it drove the smell of fresh blood and death into Uénunna's nose. Next to her, Taron raised his arm and pointed into the distance, where at the other end of the field two figures were bent over a rock.
"It smells like a horse, as well," Uénunna said in response to Taron's mute remark.
With haste they crossed the field. The two figures were peasants, one old and the other much younger. What had looked like a rock to Uénunna from afar was actually the fresh carcass of a horse.
When the peasants noticed them, they got into excitement, seemingly undecided whether to flee or fight. To calm them, Uénunna stopped, raised her empty hands and told Taron to do the same.
"Do not be afraid," she called. The two men looked at each other and seemed to calm down.
"What be you?" asked the elder in broken gerland.
Surprised, she turned to Taron: "Have we already crossed into Tsarusia?"
Taron looked to the sky.
Turning again to the peasants, Uènunna tried to recall her knowledge of the Tsarusian language, before finally shouting: "My name is Uénunna, this is Taron. We are bounty hunters on the trail of a horse killer."
The two peasants seemed to exchange a few words before the elder beckoned to approach them.
When the four stood together, Taron looked closely at the carcass. It showed the known wounds to its chest and neck.
"The horse still belongs to us," said the younger man. "If you want its meat, you have to fight for it."
The elder raised his hand from the stalk of his shovel. "Please excuse my son," he said. "He doesn't mean it badly. I fear now that we no longer have the poor nag for work in the field, we are dependent on her flesh."
Uénunna nodded. "We'll leave you the horse. As I said, we are after a horse killer, and it seems that he has met you."
The older farmer covered his face. "I am called Ilik, and I gave my son the name Balik. The man you are looking for, as far as you can call him a man, seemed to emerge from nowhere. There must be a spell from him that he escaped not only our senses, but also those of the horse until it was too late. His weapon looked like a four-blade glove, and before poor Bubu could even neigh, he had slit her throat. Balik and I had no weapons, and even if it may hurt Balik's pride, we would have lost with the best swords against this troll of a man. So all we could do was escape. When we were back at our senses, we saw this horse killer running down the dirt road towards the eastern forest."
Taron looked up from the carcass to Uénunna. "He took the heart of the horse with him," she translated his silent words. "He did the same with the other horses he killed." Looking at the edge of the forest, which was on the eastern horizon, she asked, "How long has it been?"
"Not long," said Ilik, scratching a chunk of dried soil from his beard, which didn't make him much cleaner. "The middle of the morning had already passed."
Taron straightened up. "We thank you for your help," the woman warrior assured the peasants. "And I promise you, your horse will be done justice."
Before turning away, Uénunna noticed Ilik eyeing herself and her companion. "We rarely see warriors in this area. We have never seen a woman who serves as a warrior, as far as I can remember. Nor do I recognize your people. You are no Germen, even if you speak their language." For a brief moment, he pondered. "I don't even think the two of you are of the same people."
Taron and Uénunna exchanged a telling look. "If you have not seen members of our peoples before," Uénunna said, "you will certainly not see any more in the future."
Ilik pondered her words, and an understanding glow sparkled in his eyes. "Go! Follow the monster, and don't let him bring more families into misfortune."
****
Again, all rights reserved.
Surrounded by variations of green and brown, they quickly found the trail of the wanted. It had rained here in the night, and the ground was still damp.
After a while, the tracks seemed to stop in the middle of the path. Taron bent down and searched the ground around the last trace.
Uénunna looked around the trees. Somewhere the trail had to continue.
It seemed that even the animals had distanced themselves from around them.
Nothing.
Eventually, the warrior closed her eyes and focused on her sense of smell. She smelled the moist leaves, the earth, the decaying cadavar of an owl, the territorial markings of a lynx. And suddenly she had him. The iron smell of horse blood.
She opened her eyes and noticed Taron watching her interested. She nodded in a northeasterly direction. "Here," she said, advancing.
Taron followed her, and his gaze was still on her for a while.
They penetrated deeper and deeper into the forest. After a few minutes, they found the tracks back on the ground.
The clouds continued to rise over the treetops until the daylight was completely extinguished. Uénunna turned her gaze upwards and almost doubted her senses as she could see stars between the branches. Have I lost my time?" she asked aloud, turning to her mute companion. "It can't be much later than noon."
Taron's red eyes glinted in the darkness. He, too, could not explain the shift in time.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a distant crackling and roaring. The smell of burning damp wood rose into Uénunna's nose. Taron raised his arm and pointed in the direction they were following. The she-warrior's eyes followed his arm, and after getting used to the sudden darkness, she recognized light in the distance.
The confrontation was imminent. Determined, Uénunna took her bow off her shoulder and pulled an arrow from the quiver. Next to her, she felt Taron draw his sword.
With careful steps, they continued until they reached the edge of a clearing. In front of them, in the middle of the clearing, they saw a lonely tower. Before that, the fire flared, which had been indicated to them from a distance.
And before the fire the figure of a man crouched, guzzling like a wild beast instead of eating like a human. The woman warrior smelled the blood of a horse. It was a horse's heart that the man tore apart with his hands and teeth before devouring the pieces. Astonished, she looked over to Taron, whose face she could now better recognize in the light of fire. With a grim expression, he answered her gaze. What else for should the horse killer have taken the hearts of the animals with him.
Then the man suddenly began to speak. The strange events aroused the curiosity of the warriors, and they listened to the strange words of the strange man.
"Akta bí fhar. Abaasy ta gotan. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy!" He repeated the words louder and louder until he shouted them out into the night sky.
The words "Ulu Toyon" triggered a sense of distant memory in Uénunna that she could not capture.
Then he fell silent.
After a few moments of silence, Taron stepped out onto the clearing, holding his sword with both hands in attack position.
Suddenly the man turned to them. Uénunna had a cold shiver running over her back when she saw his blood-smeared grin, and the mad eyes, which seemed to look directly into her soul. And a terrible laugh rang out from his throat.
And all of a sudden his grin grew wider, and wider, beyond natural dimensions, until his teeth reached from ear to ear. His teeth, which seemed to grow, became sharper and sharper, and assumed a metallic shine. His whole body began to stretch and grow until he was twice the size of the already mighty Taron.
From this new height, the monster, which had just been but a man, looked down upon the two warriors. His laughter turned into a hiss, and his arms and hands spread, which were now like paws with long claws.
Fighting her horror, Uénunna raised her bow, aimed at the creature's head, and let the arrow fly, only to see the monster's paw wiping the arrow aside like an annoying insect.
Taron raised his sword and ran toward the enemy. The demonic figure took a big swing with his arm and struck after the attacker, but Taron gave way with a nimbleness that seemed to contradict his bulk. The barbarian skilfully rolled between the creature's legs and slashed his heel with the sword.
Meanwhile, Uénunna had nocked a second arrow, hoping Taron's attacks would distract the giant from her actions. And truly this arrow hit its target in the shoulder of the creature. But the roar of the giant was due more to the surprise than the pain. Animal play instinct gave way to blind rage, and a powerful backhand caught Taron, who was thrown through the air and forcefully hit the hard ground.
Now the wild giant walked towards Uénunna, stretching out the mighty arms after her. The warrior dropped the bow and drew her short swords, with which she struck for the approaching paws. Although she caught the extremities of the monster several times and inflicted a cut wound or two, she could not stop the giant in this way. He grabbed her with both paws and picked her up from the ground. The woman froze in terror as she saw the iron teeth approaching.
Suddenly the giant screamed. This time the pain was real. Out of reflex, the paws opened, and Uénunna fell to the ground. Between the legs of the giant, she saw Taron, who had rammed his sword into the abdomen of their demonic opponent with his arms tightened. And behind them she saw the fire.
Then her memory came back.
While the beast slammed for the Gordonian, Uénunna ran back to her bow. With this she ran around the fighting figures to the fire. Once there, she pulled an arrow from her quiver, looking with her eyes into the fiery wood for a suitable block. When she found it, she rammed the arrowhead into the burning wood.
At that moment, she felt Taron calling her name. She quickly turned to the fighters.
It took a great effort not to despair at the sight. Taron was pressed against the ground of the clearing, the body of the giant above him and the wide jaws approaching his head.
She quickly nocked the burning arrow, took aim, and shouted out loud, "Abaasy!"
Surprised by the call, the creature abandoned Taron and turned to Uénunna. And at that moment the warrior let the arrow fly.
The giant screamed as the flaming arrowhead drilled into his eye. He jerked back, forgetting everything around him. The world consisted only of the burning pain that was crawling deeper and deeper into the creature's head.
In front of the eyes of Taron and Uénunna, the horrible transformation took place again, but this time the monster, who still had the burning arrow protruding from his head, shrank. The arms became shorter again, the torso smaller, and the teeth flattened again. And when the fire finally brought death, the figure that fell to the ground was again of human nature. The flames licked from the head over the rest of the body, and the two warriors watched as the corpse burned, silently agreeing that this creature, even if it seemed human again in death, should not be brought to a city like Kolonum. Better they witnessed the extinction of this monster, not that it would arise again from death.
With a questioning glance, Taron looked over to Uénunna. "An old conversation, an old story," she said. "Ulu Toyon, the demon king of the Abaasy, who brought fire to man."
As the flames left only charred bones, the sky cleared, and sunlight shined on the clearing. The two warriors agreed to quickly leave this cursed place behind.
"Without a corpse, no bounty," Uénunna said. "No reason to return to Kolonum. If you so wish, our paths separate here."
Taron stared thoughtfully for a few moments. As he lifted his gaze and looked at her, there was gratitude in his eyes.
Uénunna nodded. "I guess I have," she replied to his mute statement. "And yes, I still believe that our encounter must have a reason."
He approached her and stretched out his arm. The gesture of the Gordonian surprised and touched the woman of the Nadduéssuh people at the same time. She grabbed him by the wrist, and felt his fingers close around hers.
Uénunna knew a Gerlandian inn about two days southwest, and they decided to spend some time there together. The inn was also frequently visited by mercenary groups, and there would be an opportunity to find new work.
They hiked the rest of the day until they reached a lake. Here they washed the dirt of the voyage and the battle from their bodies. Even though they kept their distance, Uénunna felt Taron's eyes on her skin a few times.
Cleaned to their satisfaction, Taron set about collecting wood for a fire, while Uénunna sought her prey with the bow. Her sense of smell led her to a nearby willow, where a herd of saiga antelopes grazed. With a slain antelope, she returned to the lake, where Taron had already lit the fire. They tackled the skinning and evisceration together, and with some branches they improvised a skewer.
After eating and dismembering of the rest of the fried animal and stashing it as provisions, they sat in front of the fire as the night spread around them.
Surprised, Uénunna turned to her newfound comrade. "If you are willing to tell it, I would like to hear it."
Taron kept looking into the fire. But Uénunna listened to his silent story. She felt stinging pain in her chest, about the grief and horror that had shaped the Gordonian's life. Tears entered her eyes. But when he came to the end of his story, new things emerged. A recognition, related fates, burgeoning trust. And more. Desire and the need for closeness mixed into the maelstrom of emotions.
Determined, Uénunna rose, stepped up to Taron and got down on her knees next to him. Her hands touched his face and stroked his cheeks. At last his eyes were looking for hers. They had never felt such a connection, and they would never have dared to believe that they would find it in such a person as it had happened.
Uénunna moved her head toher his until their cheeks touched, and delicately snuggled up to their faces until their lips met. When again they opened their eyes, the woman knew what was going to happen. What her heart told her and what she felt in his. She rose before him, and without taking her eyes from his , she removed her jerkin and stripped her skirt off her hips.
Only now Taron interrupted their eye contact, and his gaze wandered over her body illuminated by fire, admiring her breasts, her belly, the curves of her hips, until his gaze again sought hers.
With one touch, he swiped the furred coat off his shoulders and straightened up. Her fingers glided over his bare chest up the broad shoulders and finally lay around his neck.
His arms snaked around her body, their lips were looking for each other.
And they found each other.
The mute barbarian, and the she-warrior who heard him.
Together, Taron and Uénunna walked the lands of Uropeas, and beyond
Their adventures and their love was to become legend,
kings and peasants would equally be indebted to them,
and the course of history was to change through their hands.
And where they walked, they walked side by side.
- Chronicles of Uropeas, from the Library of Alexandria
After a while, the tracks seemed to stop in the middle of the path. Taron bent down and searched the ground around the last trace.
Uénunna looked around the trees. Somewhere the trail had to continue.
It seemed that even the animals had distanced themselves from around them.
Nothing.
Eventually, the warrior closed her eyes and focused on her sense of smell. She smelled the moist leaves, the earth, the decaying cadavar of an owl, the territorial markings of a lynx. And suddenly she had him. The iron smell of horse blood.
She opened her eyes and noticed Taron watching her interested. She nodded in a northeasterly direction. "Here," she said, advancing.
Taron followed her, and his gaze was still on her for a while.
They penetrated deeper and deeper into the forest. After a few minutes, they found the tracks back on the ground.
The clouds continued to rise over the treetops until the daylight was completely extinguished. Uénunna turned her gaze upwards and almost doubted her senses as she could see stars between the branches. Have I lost my time?" she asked aloud, turning to her mute companion. "It can't be much later than noon."
Taron's red eyes glinted in the darkness. He, too, could not explain the shift in time.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a distant crackling and roaring. The smell of burning damp wood rose into Uénunna's nose. Taron raised his arm and pointed in the direction they were following. The she-warrior's eyes followed his arm, and after getting used to the sudden darkness, she recognized light in the distance.
The confrontation was imminent. Determined, Uénunna took her bow off her shoulder and pulled an arrow from the quiver. Next to her, she felt Taron draw his sword.
With careful steps, they continued until they reached the edge of a clearing. In front of them, in the middle of the clearing, they saw a lonely tower. Before that, the fire flared, which had been indicated to them from a distance.
And before the fire the figure of a man crouched, guzzling like a wild beast instead of eating like a human. The woman warrior smelled the blood of a horse. It was a horse's heart that the man tore apart with his hands and teeth before devouring the pieces. Astonished, she looked over to Taron, whose face she could now better recognize in the light of fire. With a grim expression, he answered her gaze. What else for should the horse killer have taken the hearts of the animals with him.
Then the man suddenly began to speak. The strange events aroused the curiosity of the warriors, and they listened to the strange words of the strange man.
"Akta bí fhar. Abaasy ta gotan. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy. Ulu Toyon bí kal Abaasy!" He repeated the words louder and louder until he shouted them out into the night sky.
The words "Ulu Toyon" triggered a sense of distant memory in Uénunna that she could not capture.
Then he fell silent.
After a few moments of silence, Taron stepped out onto the clearing, holding his sword with both hands in attack position.
Suddenly the man turned to them. Uénunna had a cold shiver running over her back when she saw his blood-smeared grin, and the mad eyes, which seemed to look directly into her soul. And a terrible laugh rang out from his throat.
And all of a sudden his grin grew wider, and wider, beyond natural dimensions, until his teeth reached from ear to ear. His teeth, which seemed to grow, became sharper and sharper, and assumed a metallic shine. His whole body began to stretch and grow until he was twice the size of the already mighty Taron.
From this new height, the monster, which had just been but a man, looked down upon the two warriors. His laughter turned into a hiss, and his arms and hands spread, which were now like paws with long claws.
Fighting her horror, Uénunna raised her bow, aimed at the creature's head, and let the arrow fly, only to see the monster's paw wiping the arrow aside like an annoying insect.
Taron raised his sword and ran toward the enemy. The demonic figure took a big swing with his arm and struck after the attacker, but Taron gave way with a nimbleness that seemed to contradict his bulk. The barbarian skilfully rolled between the creature's legs and slashed his heel with the sword.
Meanwhile, Uénunna had nocked a second arrow, hoping Taron's attacks would distract the giant from her actions. And truly this arrow hit its target in the shoulder of the creature. But the roar of the giant was due more to the surprise than the pain. Animal play instinct gave way to blind rage, and a powerful backhand caught Taron, who was thrown through the air and forcefully hit the hard ground.
Now the wild giant walked towards Uénunna, stretching out the mighty arms after her. The warrior dropped the bow and drew her short swords, with which she struck for the approaching paws. Although she caught the extremities of the monster several times and inflicted a cut wound or two, she could not stop the giant in this way. He grabbed her with both paws and picked her up from the ground. The woman froze in terror as she saw the iron teeth approaching.
Suddenly the giant screamed. This time the pain was real. Out of reflex, the paws opened, and Uénunna fell to the ground. Between the legs of the giant, she saw Taron, who had rammed his sword into the abdomen of their demonic opponent with his arms tightened. And behind them she saw the fire.
Then her memory came back.
While the beast slammed for the Gordonian, Uénunna ran back to her bow. With this she ran around the fighting figures to the fire. Once there, she pulled an arrow from her quiver, looking with her eyes into the fiery wood for a suitable block. When she found it, she rammed the arrowhead into the burning wood.
At that moment, she felt Taron calling her name. She quickly turned to the fighters.
It took a great effort not to despair at the sight. Taron was pressed against the ground of the clearing, the body of the giant above him and the wide jaws approaching his head.
She quickly nocked the burning arrow, took aim, and shouted out loud, "Abaasy!"
Surprised by the call, the creature abandoned Taron and turned to Uénunna. And at that moment the warrior let the arrow fly.
The giant screamed as the flaming arrowhead drilled into his eye. He jerked back, forgetting everything around him. The world consisted only of the burning pain that was crawling deeper and deeper into the creature's head.
In front of the eyes of Taron and Uénunna, the horrible transformation took place again, but this time the monster, who still had the burning arrow protruding from his head, shrank. The arms became shorter again, the torso smaller, and the teeth flattened again. And when the fire finally brought death, the figure that fell to the ground was again of human nature. The flames licked from the head over the rest of the body, and the two warriors watched as the corpse burned, silently agreeing that this creature, even if it seemed human again in death, should not be brought to a city like Kolonum. Better they witnessed the extinction of this monster, not that it would arise again from death.
With a questioning glance, Taron looked over to Uénunna. "An old conversation, an old story," she said. "Ulu Toyon, the demon king of the Abaasy, who brought fire to man."
As the flames left only charred bones, the sky cleared, and sunlight shined on the clearing. The two warriors agreed to quickly leave this cursed place behind.
"Without a corpse, no bounty," Uénunna said. "No reason to return to Kolonum. If you so wish, our paths separate here."
Taron stared thoughtfully for a few moments. As he lifted his gaze and looked at her, there was gratitude in his eyes.
Uénunna nodded. "I guess I have," she replied to his mute statement. "And yes, I still believe that our encounter must have a reason."
He approached her and stretched out his arm. The gesture of the Gordonian surprised and touched the woman of the Nadduéssuh people at the same time. She grabbed him by the wrist, and felt his fingers close around hers.
Uénunna knew a Gerlandian inn about two days southwest, and they decided to spend some time there together. The inn was also frequently visited by mercenary groups, and there would be an opportunity to find new work.
They hiked the rest of the day until they reached a lake. Here they washed the dirt of the voyage and the battle from their bodies. Even though they kept their distance, Uénunna felt Taron's eyes on her skin a few times.
Cleaned to their satisfaction, Taron set about collecting wood for a fire, while Uénunna sought her prey with the bow. Her sense of smell led her to a nearby willow, where a herd of saiga antelopes grazed. With a slain antelope, she returned to the lake, where Taron had already lit the fire. They tackled the skinning and evisceration together, and with some branches they improvised a skewer.
After eating and dismembering of the rest of the fried animal and stashing it as provisions, they sat in front of the fire as the night spread around them.
Surprised, Uénunna turned to her newfound comrade. "If you are willing to tell it, I would like to hear it."
Taron kept looking into the fire. But Uénunna listened to his silent story. She felt stinging pain in her chest, about the grief and horror that had shaped the Gordonian's life. Tears entered her eyes. But when he came to the end of his story, new things emerged. A recognition, related fates, burgeoning trust. And more. Desire and the need for closeness mixed into the maelstrom of emotions.
Determined, Uénunna rose, stepped up to Taron and got down on her knees next to him. Her hands touched his face and stroked his cheeks. At last his eyes were looking for hers. They had never felt such a connection, and they would never have dared to believe that they would find it in such a person as it had happened.
Uénunna moved her head toher his until their cheeks touched, and delicately snuggled up to their faces until their lips met. When again they opened their eyes, the woman knew what was going to happen. What her heart told her and what she felt in his. She rose before him, and without taking her eyes from his , she removed her jerkin and stripped her skirt off her hips.
Only now Taron interrupted their eye contact, and his gaze wandered over her body illuminated by fire, admiring her breasts, her belly, the curves of her hips, until his gaze again sought hers.
With one touch, he swiped the furred coat off his shoulders and straightened up. Her fingers glided over his bare chest up the broad shoulders and finally lay around his neck.
His arms snaked around her body, their lips were looking for each other.
And they found each other.
The mute barbarian, and the she-warrior who heard him.
Together, Taron and Uénunna walked the lands of Uropeas, and beyond
Their adventures and their love was to become legend,
kings and peasants would equally be indebted to them,
and the course of history was to change through their hands.
And where they walked, they walked side by side.
- Chronicles of Uropeas, from the Library of Alexandria
Way such a sweet ending.. OMG == I got a little chill for that postscript to the second section. --- I like how the totally perfect development is going on .. there is great story telling going on.. wow.--
I had figured out how to get my computer's "narrator" to read to me about 3 hours ago.== the text, you know, any text.. and I read this .. while the computer read it to me.. it was really exciting .. there it is! not too wordy or too little being told,.. it is the best stuff. although for some people they would of wanted more details at the end part. you know? I would like more, because the style is awesome .. ? and that was amazing .. --
I had figured out how to get my computer's "narrator" to read to me about 3 hours ago.== the text, you know, any text.. and I read this .. while the computer read it to me.. it was really exciting .. there it is! not too wordy or too little being told,.. it is the best stuff. although for some people they would of wanted more details at the end part. you know? I would like more, because the style is awesome .. ? and that was amazing .. --
First off, thank you for the kind words.
Secondly, do you seriously think I won't use these characters again? I'm working on two very concrete story ideas right now, and have several ideas for elements of further stories. Only question is, how long will it take my lazy ass to write them down. Because the thing is, coming up with this stuff is the easy part. Writing them is the actual effort.
Secondly, do you seriously think I won't use these characters again? I'm working on two very concrete story ideas right now, and have several ideas for elements of further stories. Only question is, how long will it take my lazy ass to write them down. Because the thing is, coming up with this stuff is the easy part. Writing them is the actual effort.
yeah anything worthwhile requires vigilant effort .. it is true.. --- maybe dictating the basic Ideas out to a computer.. that would write it for you .. then edit and such.. ? you were able to edit the translation of the whole thing in mostly a few days that is really not bad.. --- IDK .. but I can't wait.. for the new stuff it was so fun to listen/read this and of course you descriptions were so vivid I could see them like you described. that is what was best. --- I was almost watching a movie of this, which is the next step IMO..
it was so fun to listen/read this and of course you descriptions were so vivid I could see them like you described. that is what was best. --- I was almost watching a movie of this, which is the next step IMO..
Y
Believe it or not, this was a request!
yeah anything worthwhile requires vigilant effort .. it is true.. --- maybe dictating the basic Ideas out to a computer.. that would write it for you .. then edit and such.. ? you were able to edit the translation of the whole thing in mostly a few days that is really not bad.. --- IDK .. but I can't wait.. for the new stuff
While I intend to get started on the next story tomorrow (which is a holiday here in Germany, so I got the day off), it took me more than a month to finish the first story, so be patient.
I'm also looking into ways to publish my stories where they find a larger audience, as well as maybe even monetizing them. Kind of an eBook thing, though I would not go Kindle exclusive. I despise Amazon too much to do that.
Anyway, before I could do that, I'll have to find somebody who would be both capable and willing to do covers for me. Talked to a co-worker who has a background in graphic design about it, he also read the first story and really liked it, but he hasn't worked with colors before and is unsure whether he could do it.
Also, talking about movie, well, I'm not ready to talk openly about it (mainly because I don't want to dominate the thread), but if you want to know how this started, PM me.
Y
Believe it or not, this was a request!
King Timonah ready to battle Godzilla?!
I'm not even remotely sure what I was aiming for here, beyond terrorising people with that terrible vision.
this meme might be more useful in the picture thread here rather then this thread.. this thread is just us artsy folk ..
but funny yes.. did you make this? --- then it's post in the artsy thread would be like talking about how you made this..---
I did twenty renders in this set of fractals mandelbulb 2.21 ... first is a water color I probably will never see again physically - IDK where it is but I photoed it 3 years ago and here it is.
thanks for looking.. these are from two days ago..
this video is from last nite.. me making music .. and such with the explanation going on..
I put the supernova II midi played out into the korg machine.. the midi is then performed by the korg and the supernova II the korg sounds goes back to the supernova II vocoder 2 audio in.. (yeah) and then I really mess with the feed and the feed-thru’s together you know all the while the midi signal is getting put into the korg at the same time .. real time -
big post in here been busy
thanks for looking.. these are from two days ago..
this video is from last nite.. me making music .. and such with the explanation going on..
I put the supernova II midi played out into the korg machine.. the midi is then performed by the korg and the supernova II the korg sounds goes back to the supernova II vocoder 2 audio in.. (yeah) and then I really mess with the feed and the feed-thru’s together you know all the while the midi signal is getting put into the korg at the same time .. real time -
big post in here been busy
