I’m an aspiring author, creator, and cosplayer obsessed with Star Wars, Fromsoft, and Gothic Horror, always eager to collaborate and connect with fellow creatives!
Another original piece here, inspired partly by my love for Dick Turpin (hehe), and the generic vibe of Highway Men.
Fog choked the winding path of the countryside lane as if it was a living creature, curling around the hooves of the merchant’s horse and seeping over the wheels of his rattling wagon.
It had been a long journey from the city of Newter, and all Edgar craved was the warm comfort of home. Perhaps that is why he pushed it. Travelled that extra distance rather than stopping for the night.
Everyone knew not to ride this country lane when the moon was rising, yet still, he did it anyway.
He tugged nervously at the reigns, glancing over his shoulder with lantern held high as there was a crack from a scurrying woodland creature.
It was then that the highway stepped out front.
The figure was tall, wearing a long cloak that flapped in the wind and with a tricorn hat pulled low, covering their face. A black mask covered the lower half of the their face, but their green eyes – cold, and steady – told the merchant all he needed to know.
“Evenin Trader,” said the highway man, his voice low, “Tax for the road I’m afraid.”
Edgar swallowed, his eyes nervously looking around, hoping someone might come save him.
“I.. I have nothing worth taking, I just sold my stock.”
The outlaw lowered his head, pulling a flintlock pistol from underneath the torn fabric, tapping the butt of it against his thigh.
“Everyone’s got something. And less you gave your stock away for free, I’d wager you got something.”
Edgar nodded, slowly climbing down from the wagon with shaking hands. “P-please, I have a family…I-I just wanna make it home.”
“Then play nice and you’ll be on your merry way.” The man said, unblinking.
Edgar moved around to the back of the wagon, the highway man following behind, watching as the merchant opened the back with trembling fingers and shaky breath.
The back was empty, aside from a few sheets of untreated leather, emptied jars and a single small lockbox, hidden under a sheep skin.
“Well. Open it up,” said the man.
Edgar hesitated for a moment too long. The highway man armed the hammer of his pistol.
“Please don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.”
The merchant opened the box, taking a step back as the Highway man stepped forward. Its small wooden frame held within pile of silver coins and a single gold ring; a jewel encrusted on top. He pocketed the coins, emptying them into a leather pouch but plucked the ring.
He looked at it closely, thumb rubbing over the engraving that glistened inside.
“Veronica… from Edgar..”
Edgar looked down, his lower lip trembling.
The Highway man looked over at him, giving birth to a long silence.
He snapped the lid shut, making the merchant jolt.
“Here,” said the Highway man, tossing him the ring, “travel down the left path. You’ll get by safely from here.”
Edgar stared, his mouth agape, “W-Why?”
“I got what I need, you keep the rest.”
Edgar looked back down at the ring, before looking up – but the highway man had already vanished into the nearby trees, the fog swallowing him whole.
Writer culture is fuck me i wanna write a fic for this trio but the fandom is nonexistent im talking 11 fics in total all on ffn and i cant even find fanart on pixiv. Unexpected pitfalls to library manga
writer culture is reading the most incredibly, breathtakingly, inspiringly written fic ever and you get to the author's notes and it's something like "oh, this is my first fic, i apologise for any mistakes ;-;" or "yeah this is a casual work i bullshitted in under an hour at 2:53 a.m. directly into the ao3 text editor with zero proofreading. sorry it sucks"
Ever since I was a kid, I have loved pulp action, dumb fun and over the top storylines.
In the last week alone, I have written many of these short stories but only around 500 - 800 words.
Trying to keep at a one a day rate to improve my own skills, but also because I just love writing.
Today's story however, kinda got away from me and turned from a short 500 word piece to a 2000+ word story about an entirely new OC that was born from a comical name I read on a book cover.
Summary: Maverick Rinzler, Adventure and guide to William Oxley, Professor of Ancient history make their first ever appearance in this Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted inspired adventure. They descend deep into the heart of the Kynareth Jungle and find the legendary Temple of the Jade Snake...
Word count: 2739
Note: I don't normally post Original Content stories here, as Tumblr was meant to be a place to show off my Fanfiction and build an audience that way, but I'm proud of this one so I thought I'm do it anyway.
There are many welcome places on earth. Bars, beds, even entire cities that seem to welcome all those who go there with open arms – but the jungle of Kynareth was not one of them. It swallowed them and then assaulted them with choking heat and the constant buzzing of something in the trees.
It hadn’t been the first time Maverick Rinzler had been in this place, nor would it likely be the last for there was something about it which called to him. Perhaps it was because he didn’t like people too much.
Especially chatty ones.
He hacked through the undergrowth with a machete that had seen better days, its blade chipped. Sweat stung his eyes as the canopy seemed to bare down on them, like it was alive and trying to crush them.
“Remind me again why we didn’t bring a larger team.” Said Professor William Oxley, and not for the first time in the last few minutes.
“Because” Maverick hacked through a barrier of branches, “larger teams mean more graves to dig.”
He pushed aside a curtain of vines, turning back to face the professor who waddled behind him, dressed in what every scholar thought an adventurer would look like. Tan coloured shirt, bowl hat, thick socks and boots. All of them drenched in sweat.
He had known the Professor for a good many years at this point, even classed him as a friend. But he sure did love to talk.
“And because you insisted we beat Thorn to the temple.”
William rolled his eyes, hands on hip, hunched over, “Yes. I said we should hurry, not sprint into the jaws of death without so much as a break!”
Maverick scoffed, “same thing.”
The stepped under the curtain into a clearing, both of them froze.
“Besides… we’re here.” Said Maverick, eyes widening as he looked at what stood before him.
He was sceptical when he saw the map that the professor had brought him. It was a part of the jungle he had rarely traversed, the undergrowth too thick for sane minds to explore.
But all of that had gone, for in front of them, carved into the cliffside like a sleeping giant was The Temple of the Jade Snake.
Stone coils wrapped around its entrance, vines wrapped around them like snakes and fangs framed the doorway. Moss clung to ever surface, aside from the single intricately carved snake head that seemed to be staring down at them from above, it’s green eyes gleaming with an unnatural light.
“We found it..” said William, “By Jove! We found it!”
Maverick didn’t answer, his eyes where locked onto something else. Footprints from another path.
Fresh ones. Heavy. Military.
“And we ain’t the first…”
As if summoned like a daemon, a gunshot cracked through the clearing and the dust of a bullet kicked up at Mavericks feet.
Then came a voice from the treeline, a pompous one that seemed to be thick with mucus.
“Well, if it isn’t Professor William Oxley and his little dog Maverick.”
The two looked to see its speaker, a fat man in a black suit with a thin pencil-moustache that seemed to drip with sweat. He had a pair of greedy looking eyes, and a toothy grin that revealed gold amongst the cigar stained white.
“Benjamin Thorn! But how?” said William.
“I have my escort to thank for that.” He said.
From his left emerged a woman, tall with a tightly bound blonde ponytail that trailed over her shoulder. Her features well defined, like carved marble with sultry, slow blinking eyes that would lure anyone into a trance. In her hand was a revolver, it’s barrel smoking.
“Hello there Mav, it’s been a while.”
Her voice was like silk, dripped with an addictive poison.
“Lisa Collins… Fitting I find you here at a temple of snakes.”
She scoffed, dropping her gaze slightly with a smile, “is that anyway to talk to a lady?”
With a click of her fingers, two men appeared behind her. Tall, meathead style bodyguards, both bald and adorned with tattoos dressed in green and black.
“I think you need to teach him a lesson boys.”
One of them grinned.
“Now now. Let’s keep this civil Cupcake.” Said Thorn, Collin’s eyes twitching at the nickname.
All four of them approached, Thorn’s cane echoing in the clearing.
“So good of you to deliver the key to us” he said, holding out a sausage fingered hand, “now hand it over so I can claim what’s mine.”
William clutched his satchel close, “Funny. I thought it belonged to the people that built it.”
Thorn gestured at William, the two men moving to grab him.
Maverick went to move, but the clicking of a revolvers hammer stopped him.
“Tut tut Mav, don’t go doing anything stupid now.” Said Collins, her gaze meeting his.
One of the men, who had a eagle tattooed on the back of his head, grabbed William’s arm, whilst the other pried the satchel free and began to rummage through.
“Hey! Be careful with that!” said William.
The other man, whose left eye was greyed with a scar, pulled out a golden, ornate key.
On one side there was a snake’s mouth hung open, a green gem housed within its fangs, whilst on the other there was intricate looking series of bumps and rivets.
Grey eye handed it over to Benjamin who chuckled, the folds of his neck moving like a wave,
“Thank you my friend.”
He walked over to the door, stopping for a moment to whistle up at the magnitude of the great snake before examining the door, making a series of mumbles and grunts to himself.
William looked over to Maverick, whose eyes flickered between Collins and the puzzled looking Thorn.
Finally, the man straightened himself, face red and huffed.
He turned back, forcing a smile. “Professor, why don’t you do the honours. It’s the least I could do since you’re going to make me rich.”
William gulped and walked forward, collecting his satchel as he passed.
The large hand of one of the goon’s shoving into his back. “I’m going I’m going..”
Thorn dropped the key into William’s hand and stood back, hands resting on the cane as shoulders rose up and down.
The professor looked closely at the door, trailing his hands over the moss, translating the words as he came across them from a language only a handful of people aside from himself knew.
“Return the egg… the nest will open…a rise…” William said.
Thorn’s face frowned, “What egg? If there’s somethin-”
William shushed the other man whose face went bright red, before looking back at the door, finding a egg-shaped slot at the doors centre.
He examined the key, before smiling to himself, “Maverick, come here!”
Maverick looked at Thorn, eyebrow raised, “Well may I?”
Thorn nodded, Collins lowering the gun.
“I’ve got my eye on you Mav,”
“I bet you have..” he said with a snarl before moving beside William, “what is it?”
“I need you to break the gem out of the snakes mouth.”
Maverick raised an eyebrow, looking down at the key that had been pressed into his hand.
“Why?” asked Thorn,
“Because it’s the only way to get into the temple.”
Maverick nodded, pulling a knife from his boot, glancing up to Thorn.
“Don’t get any ideas Mav..” said Collins, who along with the two meatheads now stood around them.
He tensed his jaw and plunged the knife edge into the gap between the fang and gem. He pushed and pried until there came a soft crack, the gem loose and gold piece falling to the floor.
“Yes yes, excellent,” said William, taking the gem and placing it at the centre of the door.
Silence.
“Well? What happens now? If you’re tryin-“
A rumble cut Thorn off as the temple shook, the door yawning open and exhaling a gust of cold, ancient air.
From within its darkness, came a sound that sent chills down everyone’s spine, the sound of scales dragging across stone.
One of the meatheads leaned over to the other, “This a good time to mention I don’t like snakes?”
There was another rumble, this one coming from above. They looked up to see the giant snake head above them was shaking, the sound of scales coming from directly above before there was a flash of shadow as something erupted from its mouth and landed in the clearing.
“My god..” said William.
Curling around itself in the centre was the giant scaled form a monstrous Anaconda, it’s scales black and covered with strange markings that seemed to pulse with a toxic glow. It’s giant eyes staring them down as it’s forked tongue flickered out from behind a grinning, fanged mouth.
“Run!” Screamed Maverick, grabbing William’s hand and sprinting into the temples mouth.
Behind them, he heard the cracking gunfire of Collin’s revolver, loud screams, bone shaking hiss of the snake.
The corridor they ran along was narrow, the walls adorned with flickering green veins, similar to the marks that was on the snake outside, but they dared not slow until they came to a large open space. Below them a long staircase carved through open, black space to a single island that stood in the middle of a pit. Upon that isle there was an obelisk, green and pulsating, at it’s centre –
“The idol..” breathed William.
Maverick looked back down the corridor they had just ran through, the light from outside long single engulfed. He drew his own revolver from his holster and clicked its hammer.
“Professor, what was that?”
William took out his journal, thumbing through the aged and coffee stained pages until he showed a drawing of a snake three times taller than the stick figure like man besides it.
“The Kyna people call it ‘The Guardian’, an ancient being said to protect the idol from those who wish to use its power for evil.”
“And you didn’t think to mention that there might be a giant snake before?”
William closed the book and put it back inside his bag, “Honestly, I thought it didn’t exist. Or if it was, it’d be dead.”
Maverick chuckled, looking down the stairs, “Well anything else we need to know before we go down and get this idol?”
The professor began down the stairs, adjusting his glasses, “I have no idea…”
“Great.”
At the bottom of the steps, there was a single walkway that lead to the pulsating black rock, either side ancient rope bridge leading down to a pit.
Maverick was sure he heard hissing from below.
“Even if we get the idol… how are we getting out with that big thing outside?”
William placed one hand on the rope bridge and slowly stepped on, “You’ll be able to kill it no?”
Maverick sighed, jaw tense, “Just great..”
The bridge wobbled as they walked, yet the rope and stone supports held strong.
With the two of them on the island, they got their first proper look at the idol. Standing in the centre of a carved hole, fang like markings surrounding it. The object itself was a jade snake coiled around an egg made of solid gold that hummed with a strange, eerie light.
“Why’s it glowing like that..” asked Maverick, gaze fixated upon it.
“I have no idea…” said William, reaching for it – then hesitating.
“Trap?”
“Definitely.”
“Can you disarm it?”
“Not a chance.”
“Great.”
He went to grab the idol, but the crack of a gunshot and sparks from above stopped him.
“Oh what now..” Maverick groaned, turning back to see Collins standing at the top of the steps.
Her hair was a mess, one arm bloodied with two large fang marks that tore through her shirt, the skin underneath laced with green spider like veins. The revolver shook in her hands.
Besides her, Benjamin swayed from side to side, blood caked his face, his suit torn and a large cut running down his face.
“Give me… the idol…” every word was a struggle.
“Now.” Finished Collins, clicking the hammer of the gun back.
“Maverick… what do we do..” whispered William, rising his hands.
“Follow my lead..” he said, before rising his own hands, “Come here and get it.”
Another shot fired and sparked near his foot.
“Don’t try anything..” said Collins, before her and Thorn moved down slowly.
They limped across the bridge, Thorn’s face shifting between frustration and fear as it wobbled under his weight. Collin’s continued to stare at Mav, the green veins growing up to her neck now.
“Collins, you need to lower the gun and let us look at that..” said Maverick, taking a step forward.
“You stay right there Mav.” Her voice was no longer sultry, but of pure venom.
Thorn pushed passed, eyes now fixated on the idol.
“So much gold… you’re going to be worth a fortune..” he said, reaching out and brushing his fingers against the jade.
Suddenly, a hiss came from the top of the stairs. Looking down at them, it’s eyes now glowing a vile green was the Anaconda.
“You didn’t kill it?!” shouted Maverick.
Thorn snatched the idol, clutching it close to his chest. The temple, and the snake, roared in protect. The island floor shook as cracks began to form, shattering the walls and the obelisk where the statue once stood.
The snake darted forward, leaping down the stairs. Maverick pushed William to the ground before rolling to the left, narrowly avoiding the beasts’ fangs as it crashed into the breaking obelisk.
Thorn was not so lucky.
Carried by its momentum, the snake and the man tumbled over the edge and down into the abyss below, his screams echoing as he plummeted down into the darkness.
The idol was knocked from his hands, landing with a click on the edge, caught by a single vine.
The temple roared once more, the island shaking and rope bridge thrashing.
Collins was thrown to the ground, gun falling from her hand.
“Run William! Across the bridge!”
“The idol!” he protested.
“Leave it!”
Maverick pushed Williams towards the bridge whilst he fought to remain standing as there was another rumble.
Collins was knocked to the side, falling over the edge and grabbing hold of the ledge with her good arm. He dove, skidded across the floor and took hold of her.
“I’ve got you,” he said, looking down at her.
The veins on the left side of her face, and the once beautiful blue eye was now glowing a sickly green.
“Don’t.. let me… go” she strained. Another rumble, a shattering piece of jagged stone pierced his side, yet still he held on.
“Climb!”
“I.. I can’t..”
The stone dug in deeper as another rumble. The island violently shaking.
His grip faltered, and she watched her scream as she fell into the hissing darkness.
He stared after her, slapping his hand down on the stone. “No!”
“Maverick! We’ve got to go!” said William, standing across the other side of the bridge, covering his head as rocks fell.
Maverick got up and began to run, but the ground beneath him gave way as the island jostled, the sound of hissing growing louder and louder.
He forced himself upward and darted across the bridge, ignoring the sound of wood splintering underfoot and the mess of writhing scales that began to glow green from the abyss.
Maverick joined William and the two sprinted up the stairs at the entire structure began to collapse behind them.
The corridor was caving in, growing smaller and smaller, shards of wood and stone erupting from the walls like spears. The pair ducked and gave one final sprint – bursting out into the sunlight as the cave entrance collapsed behind them, sealing the horrors inside.
Maverick lay on his back, panting, staring up at the canopy, welcoming the heat and bugs with a grin.
William lay next to him, eyes closed, glasses smashed and a face full of sweat.
“Well.. Sorry we didn’t get your idol…”
The professor chuckled, pulled his satchel on top and unclasped it, pulling out the idol, its gem gleaming in the sunlight.
“Oh, don’t worry about that Maverick, it’s right here.”
Maverick couldn’t help but laugh.
William sat up, staring at the entrance to the cave. “Sorry about Collins.”
He sniffed, joining the professor in sitting upright. “Yeah.. yeah me too.”
Turning to William, he flashed a forced smile, “Well. Same time next week?”
