#the world maker

[leopold-xerovsky]

The world maker, chapter 2

Chapter 2: descent into wonder.

It stung worse than any other pain I knew, but I kept my eyes open as wide as I could while I dove into the unknown below. All I saw was darkness in those clouds, illuminated briefly by lightning, and shaken by thunder. I found it all absolutely breathtaking. I had known storms before — many I spent waiting out indoors — but to be inside one sent sensations through me that I had no memory of feeling before: the sharpness of cold rain on every inch of my skin, the thrill of lightning before my eyes, and the heart stopping thunder that broke through the roar of air passing around me. I was quite literally in heaven.

Then I broke through and beheld earth. From as high up as I was, even in the middle of the night, I could still see dots of light scattered about, twinkling as the stars in the night sky did. I couldn’t imagine what kind of fire could burn in a storm such as that one, but the question quickly passed from my mind when I realized that the lights were growing in intensity.

I was about to hit solid ground.

I sunk further into the feeling of impending doom with each measure I came closer to the earth, dread coursing through my veins with every painful beat of my heart — but I still cried out for help with all of what little hope there was left in me.

Do you know the odds of being spotted falling from the sky in such a great storm in the middle of the night? Certainly feasible. To be saved from death? Considerably less likely. To be brought down to ground safely by a beast bearing the head, wings, and claws of an eagle, with the body of a lion? Astronomical.

The odds seemed to be heavily in my favor that night.

I heard a shrill caw overpower the storm’s thunder. Suddenly something caught me from above by my arms, then carried me safely to solid ground. After all of the night’s excitement I made it as far as two steps before I succumbed to shock, lost consciousness, and fell to the ground…

[leopold-xerovsky]

The world maker, chapter 1

Chapter 1: stonewalled. I didn't know much of the things that lay beyond the wall that surrounded the city I called home. It was practically my whole world, that city, but every day I saw that stone wall I was reminded that something was out there. I was given the possibility of more. But what could I do with that possibility; the wall was guarded by men and women larger and stronger than I was. They weren't to let anyone see over the wall, let alone climb it. I had no chance of satisfying my curiosity; what I had to do was impossible. I would later learn, however, that nothing is impossible — anything is possible, but only likely under proper circumstances — and the circumstances were never more in my favor before that fateful day. It was just past curfew, and I was just getting to sleep, when I was jarred by the most curious sound: a deep howl, unlike any I'd heard from any hound, and it came from above. I knew so because I lived in an attic, and the sound pushed down on me like a hard rain. Then the howling stopped, replaced by the sound of clattering metal armor. I went to my window and beheld the streets alive with guards. Their sights were on the sky, and they were rushing one way, then the other, almost as though they were cats being taunted with string. The angle of my window made it so I couldn't see whatever it was that the guards saw, so I opened the window and climbed to the roof. I know today that what I saw that night from atop that roof was the glimmering figure of a winged dragon, but my mind then could only believe it a giant bird of some manner. Then it breathed fire, and I didn't know what to believe anymore. My attention was caught by the guards calling orders and shooting their arrows at the fire breathing beast in the sky. There were so many guards, I wondered if every able bodied serviceman in the city was out and about in the streets. Then it hit me: there might not be anyone guarding the wall. The odds are mind boggling that not one guard would notice one boy moving through alleys as quickly and sneakily as I was. That not one of the guards manning the watch towers noticed me as I approached the wall was a miracle. Perhaps that thing in the sky was distracting them just enough. But for how long? How long would it have been before they noticed the boy climbing the sheer height of the city wall with his bare hands? Then it started to rain. That was a blessing and a curse; the rain concealed me better but it made climbing that wall near impossible. But I kept trying. I knew that I might never get another chance to see if there was anything beyond that wall, that wall I so desperately held onto with my weak fingers. I wasn't even a fourth of the way up but I would not let go. I wouldn't let myself give up. I didn't want to fail. I wanted to succeed. What do you think are the odds that one arrow shot by an average bowman would pierce a dragon's hide in just the right place as to send the dragon into a frenzy, resulting in it crashing into the wall not ten feet above me, taking every stone block it tore from the wall with it as it fell into the darkness, leaving me still clinging to the wall, unscathed? Astronomical. There I was: ten more feet from my goal. The blocks were loose enough to climb better, and the fact that I was almost there sent my heart into such a rush that my body spontaneously forced itself to climb foot after foot, inch after inch, until finally I stood atop the wall. I beheld what lay beyond... I saw nothing but storm clouds, but they were nonetheless glorious storm clouds. A tear came to my eye as a streak of lighting tore across the open sky ahead of me, then another in the clouds directly beneath the wall. That's right: the wall was in fact the edge of the world I knew. Beyond that was shrouded in clouds, rain, thunder, and lightning. I could hear the guards approaching. "No more chances," I told myself. Then I jumped...

[theworldmaker]

Chapter 1

     Mist and verdant light seep through the pours of your tent. You hear the whispers of life simpler than you just beyond the heavy material that protects you from whatever that life may be. The silence sits heavily, the odd voice mumbling a hushed "Okanta", puncturing the still like the pop of a needle through dense fabric. You sit up from beneath the piles of fur, leather, and cloth and look around your sleep space. the form of your brother expands and contracts, synchronizing with soft symphony of dawn.

      Several sacks are situated around your tent, containing food, water and personal belongings. Your reflecting device sits next to your bed, as does the heavy case of unnatural shape you are charged with. The heavy case of unnatural shape bears a constantly changing mechanism, but it serves you no function as you do not understand it. But you possess many things you do not understand, so this is not so abnormal. 

What do you wish to do?