RuneScape Forum Archive | Shafts of Imagination

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

--Desiring Vice--:

The trail was empty. The sun was high. Byron’s gaze shifted between the horizons, east and west.

The sound of powerful waves crashing wildly against the more powerful rock emanated from below him.

He tipped his wide-brimmed hat down over his eyes a bit more to guard them from the brightness of midday, before trotting nonchalantly back to his hiding place among the trees.

He crouched, surveying the land. Behind him was the edge of a steep cliff, below which many jagged rocks protruded defiantly out into the air, cleverly attempting to conceal the waters of the ocean, in all their myriad of delicate hues of blue.

Not nearly so delicate was the firm edge of rock before him, with a lonely wagon trail winding closely along its upper slope. The mountain was called Hillset, named due to its bowl like shape, the inside of which contained the city of Sous le Soleil.

The outside was a long, narrow spiral trail, it was a hard trek between the lower regions of the world and this city, quite difficult for the city guards to patrol, and so this path had become the home to many bands of outlaws.

In the case of Byron, he and his troop of brigands considered themselves keepers of the peace. At a small fee, of course. This trail had been a wonderful source of ‘sustenance’ over the years.

It wasn’t long before afternoon was calmly greeting dusk, as it did each day. The crickets chirped impatiently, as did his comrades.

One of which approached him, “Ya’ said they’d be comin’ this way, Bryon!” Shifter Geeze announced, bellowing his complaint before plopping a pair of enormous hands on a similarly large waist.

Byron held a good posture, and replied smoothly. “And they will. Patience, good fellow.” He said, this belying his underlying fear that another supposed heist would go astray of plans. But soon, to his delight, the noise of rolling wagon wheels arose over the crashing of the waves.

31-Mar-2010 20:00:31 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 17:04:09 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The wagon slowly made its way along the trail. Excitement rose in his colleagues, and they bustled enough that the birds quickly fled from their homes above.

As the wagon made its way closer, Byron ordered his men into position.

Slowly, half a dozen men exited the protective shade of the trees, and silently arranged themselves on the path. Shifter Geeze and another large man carried a good sized log on their shoulders, plumping it across the path in case the wagon driver decided to run for it.

The horse’s footfalls reverberated, and ever so slowly died down as the driver hastily urged them to obey his command to halt.

Byron stepped forward, brandishing his short sword and smiling triumphantly up at the wagon driver. They had all but won already.

His fellow robbers lined up behind the trunk. The sound of crossbows clicking to the ready assured him of his cover.

Stepping bravely forward, Byron cut loose the ties which held the horses to the wagon.

A question filled the air predictably. “What do you want?”

The driver was obviously nervous. He wrung his hands and tried to dry them on his pants. *We’re not carrying any valuables, I swear. I am just a humble courier. My cargo is useless, unless you happen to be a grave digger or a priest.”

Byron nodded, this was to be expected. “Ah, yes. They all say that. Well, not exactly that, but something equally untrue and with similar intent. Let’s have a look, then?”

The driver jumped to the ground. “No! I swear my cargo is useless, it is but a woman. I am bringing her down from the Monastery of Hillset.”

Byron continued to nod as he approached the door of the carriage, slyly tilting his head to one of his men. A crossbow fired, and Byron briefly noted the sequence of thuds followed by a gasp behind him.

He opened the door, and stepped up into the cab. A soft red carpet met his feet, and his eyes drifted slowly to the prone form of a woman.

31-Mar-2010 20:00:38 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 16:41:34 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

She was deathly pale, and for a moment he thought her dead, but she quickly sat up and beamed a glare at his intruding form.

She looked down at his sword, her countenance changing to the softer expression of fear.

“What… do you want?” she asked, her voice cracking mid-way.

Byron smiled, looking over her rather attractive form. Pitch black hair framed her beautiful face, and this in powerful contrast to the nearly pure-whiteness of her skin. Her eyes shone a brilliant green and betrayed an obvious intelligence. Her bright red lips looked soft and supple. She was dressed in a brilliant white dress, flared at the bottom and lined with red. It had a large red cross sewn into the left shoulder.

His eyes locked on her rather well-endowed chest, and his smile turned to a wily grin. She followed his gaze down and quickly brought her arms up to her chest. “What do you want?” She repeated.

Bryon sighed. “To have such a lavishly decorated wagon, you must be the daughter of a rich family, or the wife of a rich man.” He stated, matter-of-factly, as he stepped forward and reached out a hand, offering to help her up.

She looked at his hand and scowled. “And what is that to you?” She asked, remaining seated.

“Ah, well if I had a daughter or wife so beautiful, I would do anything in my power to save her from men like those who are waiting outside this very comfortable vehicle.”

For a moment he considered having his way with her before having his men secure her. Then he remembered how furious his wife had been last time that had happened, and decided against it, despite her beauty.

He brought the tip of his sword up to her delicate neckline and sighed deeply for the second time since he entered the cart. “Alright, time to wrap things up. You’re going to have to come with me, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, you will be.” She said, her eyes narrowing. Looking into her eyes, he felt as if they were moving somehow, but couldn’t tell how.

31-Mar-2010 20:00:44 - Last edited on 22-Jul-2011 09:29:26 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

He tried to look away, but found himself incapable of movement of any kind. The door of the wagon slammed shut behind him. He heard brief chuckles from the men outside, as they assumed nothing out of the ordinary.

“What are you? How are you doing this?” He found himself able to speak, though his throat was suddenly dry.

“Here’s how it will be. You have three options – each is a basic decision, and each choice you make has a consequence.” She said, as she took his sword and slid it back into its sheath. Her voice was silky smooth, but cold as ice.

“You can stay here and die, discover for yourself the afterlife, and attempt to make amends for your actions when you get there.” She continued.

“What? You’re just girl, you can’t do this!” he shouted. His voice wasn’t quite as loud as he had intended, or his men might have heard it. He struggled against the invisible force which held him, and spewed expletives to interrupt her each time she began to talk.

After a few minutes, he became too tired to struggle any longer and relaxed, his muscles going limp. Her gaze, locking his, burned his soul.

“Are you finished?” She asked, smiling in what would have been a pleasant way had the circumstances been different.

His dour expression was all the answer she needed.

“Second option, you can leave here right now, and attempt to make amends for your actions with the rest of your life. Beware however, that if you ever again do anything which violates your conscience, you will die – and so will your family. Also, you will be forever poor.”

He looked at her in horror. “Why are you doing this?”

“Oh, I am being merciful. I do offer you a choice, after all. This last one is my favorite. I think it will be yours, as well.” With this, she stood and walked a single circle around him, tracing a finger along his waistline and grinning to herself.

As she finished her route and came back face to face with him, she leant forward very close to him.

31-Mar-2010 20:00:50 - Last edited on 22-Jul-2011 09:36:18 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

He felt her icy breath on his face. It smelled powerfully of mint, and was nearly intoxicating.

“Third option, you can stay with me, for all eternity. There are conditions, however. You must swear your fealty to me alone. But as you noticed, I am very wealthy, and could take very good care of you.” She smiled – almost giddily, but quickly became more serious.

He did*’t know what to think or say. He stared at her for a long time, and she did*** move an inch. “What is the catch? That third option seems too good compared to the others.”

She frowned briefly. “Ah, the catch. Yes, there is one – but it shouldn’t be a problem for a man of your stature. If you choose the third option, somebody whom you don’t know will surely die.”

He would have taken a step back if he could -despite the tingling sensation he now felt from standing so near her- so surprised was he.

“What kind of a catch is that? None of this makes any sense, you know.” He said, attempting to gain back some of his gumption.

“Sense is but a tool used by those in power to control knowledge-less worms such as yourself.” She barked, stepping back from him. “Now choose!”

He knew that choosing either the first or second option would be the equivalent of suicide. He felt uncertain about the third though – He had no problem with killing a random stranger, but he did*’t like the idea of spending eternity with this woman.

As if reading his mind, her expression immediately softened. “Ah, my dear. We could enjoy so many pleasures together…” She said, stepping forward and putting one delicate hand on his chest and the other over his shoulder. Her breath met his nostrils again and he felt himself shiver as warmth spread throughout his body despite her icy touch.

He nodded, giving in. “Yes, okay, I choose option 3.” He whispered, his voice desperate.

She smiled gleefully before kissing him firmly. He fully relaxed and found himself able to put his arms around her.

31-Mar-2010 20:00:57 - Last edited on 22-Jul-2011 09:36:35 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Just then, she pulled his sword from its sheath and slid it up through his chest. His face contorted in an expression of extreme pain. She stepped back, frowning in slight pity.

“But you said…” He managed to creak before falling to his knees.

“Oh don’t look at me as if I betrayed you, fool. Everything I said was true.” She said, before pulling his sword out of him from the opposite side and wiping the blood off on her once-white dress.

“You will be with me for eternity. You have sworn your fealty to me through numerous evil deeds. I am indeed very wealthy, and I could take very good care of you, just as we could share many pleasures. But I will not, and we won’t. There was no such promise.”

A slight chuckle escaped her lips as he slumped to the floor. “Ah, and that last bit. You don’t really even know yourself, do you?”

He looked up at the bright red roof of the cab as blood pooled around him. Then his vision faded.

A small creature scuttled away into the comforting darkness of the nearby woods, barely in time to avoid hearing the terror-filled screams of the other would-be thieves.

31-Mar-2010 20:01:03 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 16:48:05 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

--The beast--:

The merciless tiny ones below me howled - they had nowhere to run.
They were hunters, they should have understood. But they could not; they didnt have the perspective to grasp my situation.

A thousand hues of color blended together in the turmoil of my waking. Blues from every side of the spectrum clung to the horizon, slowly clawing their way forward towards the highest portions of the sky.

The birds became quiet in my wake. I poured torrential rains down upon my homeless victims, and brought my seething bulk up with a powerful gust of wind.

At earlier times, the sun had beamed its warming rays upon the earths exposed flesh, now that warmth drifted up calmly into my hungry mouth.

I stared down at the trees I would beset, my eye looming ominously over them. They were still leafless, having withered from the power of winter, and not yet been revived by the youth of spring. Still they were the favored ornaments of the topography which folded itself out below me. Yet even they bent over backwards at my call, the homes of birds toppling out of them.

The blustering wind snaked its way through them, their sturdy forms proving only meager protection from its intensity. A driving downpour accompanied the wind, beating ever it’s hardest on its prey.

The tiny ones bellowed, and huddled together, trying to hide from my wrath. They prayed to their gods that I leave them be, for they had done nothing wrong.

So completely afraid, and ignorant too, as if I could stop if I wanted. I drifted and writhed, I pushed and I glided, I smashed and I crushed. The ocean bade me forward, having imbued me with might.

I pulled together all my strength and roared, to which many animals scurried away hurriedly. My fury left a scorch on the ground. I was the largest beast of them all; the king of the terrestrial jungle… I was the storm.

31-Mar-2010 20:01:09 - Last edited on 26-Jul-2010 07:09:50 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

--Hero--:

Ginger colored leaves fluttered in the breeze, their whole lifespan mocked silently by their final trip to the ground.

A bright red rose held its pretty blossom high, fighting to catch the eyes of passers-by.

A dark red stream found its way down the cobblestone path, working its way ever south into the heart of Varrock.

Many city guards wielding shining swords and shields charged forward. Countless more shot crossbow bolts into their quarry.

The creature howled, the noise bounding into the air around it. The rolling storm overhead seemed to react to the creatures call, spewing searing lightning into the dark soil beneath. Rain angrily assaulted everything in its path.

A tentacle reached out and wrapped around the throat of the nearest guard, flinging him into the air and behind the creature. He landed in a small but deep pit known as the Wilderness Ditch.

Shards of magical energy shot from the creature, hitting multiple crossbowmen square in the chest. They toppled.

Rain pattered on the tough stone walls of the city, and barraged many lonely beings in a crowd of corpses, scoffing at their lives' futility.

The wrath of the creature bayed on, destruction quickly following the howl. Anger seethed, this place of order was unacceptable.
It would destroy it. It would bring it into itself; into Chaos never sleeping.

The flimsy wooden gate which deemed itself the protector of the city was quickly smashed in, to the dismay of the guard who had previously been standing behind it in fear.

The cloud of erupting pandemonium forced itself through the gates, its limbs writhing in every direction and discharging turmoil into the core of the otherwise serene city.

It made its way down the small path which lead to the heart of Varrock, pausing once to release a powerful volley of magical arrows into a passing church, killing everybody in it.

It passed up many rookie adventurers as it moved into the outer courtyard of the Varrock castle, uncaring.

31-Mar-2010 20:01:16 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 16:48:51 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Pausing by the fountain, it gripped a sitting man by the ankle and pulled him into its cloud of thrashing madness.

Anarchy quickly spawned in the city, hundreds of adventurers rushing to banks, trying to store their precious valuables in a safer spot before going to combat the beast.

The ensuing confrontation was all but hopeless. Gravestones littered the turf of the previously peaceful city.

Prayers shot up from the terrified prey of the beast, joined by their comrades’ on the path to the gods; these emanating from Lumbridge, a plea for a blessing on their tomb.

A small lady, clad in a pink dress, appeared near the beast. Silence suddenly befell the city.

A thousand warriors stared, boggled by the unlikelihood of the scenario folding out before them.

The beast marveled, completely astonished at the ladies pure courage. It decided to be its chaotic self, and do the most unexpected thing. It would humor her.

A docile smile spread across the ladies lips, "Would you care for a sandwich?” she asked calmly.

31-Mar-2010 20:01:23 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 16:49:06 by Logan Shafts

Dec

2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

-=[Best friend]=-

She had a very shapely body, all the curves in the right places. Her delicate neck was framed in beautiful auburn. Her glossy skin was the most striking of dark russet.

She was my best friend.
When the trials of life caught me unaware, and sadness prevailed in my soul, she would lift me from the metaphorical dust.

She was always full of joy, yet still able to channel my sorrow.
She could bear my gloom without being tainted by it.

Our mutual affection was displayed daily. We would sit and enjoy each others company. Even the murkiest of days was made sound by her presence.

And then there was her music. When she played, her song delicately reverberated throughout her surroundings.
She sung from the depths of her soul. I remember fondly - it seems thousands of times - I would listen to her softly humming. I would lie, trying to rest my mind.

I loved her.

She was my guitar.

31-Mar-2010 20:01:29 - Last edited on 15-Jul-2011 16:46:27 by Logan Shafts

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Shafts of Imagination