Re: The Fatal Conflict (GBS2G7) (Round 3: The Infinite Playground!)
07-27-2011, 03:42 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by Eversist.
Screaming out in frustration, eyes screwed shut, the gladiatrix slowly slumped to her knees in the sand. They had been so close, she could have felt the goddamned pulse of that man, ebbing away beneath her hands. She balled her fists, fingernails digging crescents in her palms. But no. The swordsman had to go and get himself killed. Useless… She stored this heavy rage away, balling it up inside of her. There was nothing they could do now, anyway.
Once she finally opened her eyes and looked around, Bellona found herself in a huge expanse of large, tan hills. At least this area isn’t completely unfamiliar, she thought to herself. These large “playground” structures, visible in the near distance, were of course foreign. The word itself was meaningless to her; a playground sounded more like a stage for theatrics than these garish things that dotted the landscape. She stood and dug her feet into the sand as she mulled this over, granules warmed by a sun engulfing her sandaled feet. Beginning to feel a bit nostalgic, she threw her head back to fix her hair (all the running last round had made a few tendrils come loose), and noticed two suns, staring back at her. Back to unfamiliarity, then.
Something bright suddenly caught her eye. A silver reflection, winking thrice from atop a huge, gaily-painted construction, half a league away. And then it was gone. A code from one of the others? Or something more hostile? There was no way to be sure, but a snap decision was made, and Bellona set off in that direction.
Remembering Zaire’s foolish demonstration, she began to trot. Once she had gained enough speed to be at a solid run, she jumped forward, as if over an imaginary hurdle. The ground sped by, falling away beneath her feet. Her spirits rose slightly with her body; it was as close to flying as she was likely ever going to get. She landed, ran, and leapt again. A small smile graced her lips, her tunic flapping around her thighs indecently. She felt like Mercury himself.
That is until her right foot landed in a hole. A big hole. Her body slammed into the sand, the fall slowed by the weaker gravity, but not by much. She grimaced in pain, rolling on her back and pulling her injured leg up in a semi-fetal position. She cursed herself for letting her guard down, for acting so careless. The ankle was definitely sprained.
Bellona felt a chill run down her spine, despite the warm sand at her back. Her eyes winced open, to see several hunched-over children, emerging from other surrounding holes. Stumbling to her feet, she backed away hastily, trying not to put weight on her twisted ankle or fall into another hole. She drew her dirk from a sandal.
In any other situation she may have acted more friendly towards them. After all, she had wished to have a family of her own one day. But something very obvious gave her pause. Their eyes. They were purest black.
Screaming out in frustration, eyes screwed shut, the gladiatrix slowly slumped to her knees in the sand. They had been so close, she could have felt the goddamned pulse of that man, ebbing away beneath her hands. She balled her fists, fingernails digging crescents in her palms. But no. The swordsman had to go and get himself killed. Useless… She stored this heavy rage away, balling it up inside of her. There was nothing they could do now, anyway.
Once she finally opened her eyes and looked around, Bellona found herself in a huge expanse of large, tan hills. At least this area isn’t completely unfamiliar, she thought to herself. These large “playground” structures, visible in the near distance, were of course foreign. The word itself was meaningless to her; a playground sounded more like a stage for theatrics than these garish things that dotted the landscape. She stood and dug her feet into the sand as she mulled this over, granules warmed by a sun engulfing her sandaled feet. Beginning to feel a bit nostalgic, she threw her head back to fix her hair (all the running last round had made a few tendrils come loose), and noticed two suns, staring back at her. Back to unfamiliarity, then.
Something bright suddenly caught her eye. A silver reflection, winking thrice from atop a huge, gaily-painted construction, half a league away. And then it was gone. A code from one of the others? Or something more hostile? There was no way to be sure, but a snap decision was made, and Bellona set off in that direction.
Remembering Zaire’s foolish demonstration, she began to trot. Once she had gained enough speed to be at a solid run, she jumped forward, as if over an imaginary hurdle. The ground sped by, falling away beneath her feet. Her spirits rose slightly with her body; it was as close to flying as she was likely ever going to get. She landed, ran, and leapt again. A small smile graced her lips, her tunic flapping around her thighs indecently. She felt like Mercury himself.
That is until her right foot landed in a hole. A big hole. Her body slammed into the sand, the fall slowed by the weaker gravity, but not by much. She grimaced in pain, rolling on her back and pulling her injured leg up in a semi-fetal position. She cursed herself for letting her guard down, for acting so careless. The ankle was definitely sprained.
Bellona felt a chill run down her spine, despite the warm sand at her back. Her eyes winced open, to see several hunched-over children, emerging from other surrounding holes. Stumbling to her feet, she backed away hastily, trying not to put weight on her twisted ankle or fall into another hole. She drew her dirk from a sandal.
In any other situation she may have acted more friendly towards them. After all, she had wished to have a family of her own one day. But something very obvious gave her pause. Their eyes. They were purest black.