Story Wispy 2: Viverious the Old

[Derunih]

For some reason I was not getting an alert when this went up

I think I have found the source of alert-derps... You don't get alerts if you have an unread post in the thread. So, if you accidentally forgot to check for the next page... It thinks you are still aware that there is new content from the last alert.

I hope that made sense for you!

 

[Tecuser]

I think I have found the source of alert-derps... You don't get alerts if you have an unread post in the thread. So, if you accidentally forgot to check for the next page... It thinks you are still aware that there is new content from the last alert.

I hope that made sense for you!

thanks for telling me that

 

[Jack Morgan]

Well, sorry for not updating yesterday. All my time was spent doing some hardcore worldbuilding for my new story.

~Chapter 28: Blue Blood~
​

Baron muttered something under his breath, and blue flames rolled over the floor. I expected pain, but they merely went around me; leaving me unharmed. I felt a slight grin grow on my face, and I charged at Baron. While his magic is formidable, without it I was superior. I hit him like a falling boulder, knocking him easily to the other side of the room. I felt the magic fire engulfing my hands grow and surge, pumping raw power into my body. I gave him no time to recover and was there in an instant, dealing quick punches and keeping him staggered. He didn't let me keep this up for long, though. He muttered a few words and a flurry of white orbs pounded against my chest, knocking the breath out of me and forcing me to retreat multiple steps. Still, his attacks lacked the power to stop me for long, and I continued my assault. He balled his hands and released two bolts of flame that exploded in a dazzling display. But I dashed through the explosions, not letting the heat get to me. I finally had the means to hurt this bastard, and hurt him I would. I grabbed the side of his head, tossed him down, and kicked his head into the ground. The stone slabs making up the floor cracked, but Baron refused to stay down. A bolt of purple light bounced around the room, making a clean hole in my armor. And my shoulder. I gasped in pain, but instead of resting I took out my anger on the vile sorcerer, grabbing his head and smashing it repeatedly into the pavement. He pushed me away, and staggered to his feet, chuckling.

"No idea how you just pulled that off, but I'm done with you. BOW BEFORE THE MIGHT OF THE MOON!"

He slowly rose, hovering in the air. Huge crackles of lightning split through the air, unleashing a surging pain through my body. I gasped and fell to my feet, only for large, jagged icicles to tear through my armor and pierce my body. Sif, who'd been hiding thus far, dashed forward to help but was knocked away by three explosive blasts of an orange light. I looked up, and saw a whole group of shadowy figures surrounding Baron, with two dragons intertwining between them. The head of a mysterious figure lingered as a faint illusion, and I wondered just how powerful the Baron was. Whatever the answer was, it was two much. Several bright lights blinked into existence around me, and I lost all consciousness as they rained down upon me.

~End of Chapter 28~

Chapters will probably slower and shorter while I get all my worldbuilding done, so sorry about that. But on the bright side, new story's not gonna be just me making stuff up as I go!

 

[Jack Morgan]

Weewoo

~Chapter 29: Broken Blade~
​

I was back in the dream lake. Bodies surrounded me, clad in black smoke. It took me a second to realize I was one of them. But instead of darkness, I was clad in brilliant sunlight. Jutting from my chest was a sword, forged of some black metal and adorned with glittering blue gems. I grasped the hilt and tried to pull it out, but to no avail. I tried again, applying more force. I was rewarded with only a sharp pain, and the blade didn't budge. Blood was dripping from it, red as first but black by the time it dropped. I took hold of the blade again, but instead of pulling it out, I pushed it in. Blood burst from the wound, but it moved. I kept pushing, barely staying awake through the pain, but I pushed it all the way through my chest. The blade began to tremble slightly, and with an agonizing wave of pain it sprang free. I coughed and clutched my chest in an attempt to stem the gushing flow of blood, but it only poured through my fingers, staining the lake red. It slowly faded black, and I saw something in the reflection. A man wearing armor like mine kneeling in pain before a mighty sorcerer. The image was familiar to me, but I couldn't remember why. I rolled over away from it, overcome by the wave of pain and blood that continued to assault me. I saw the sword that had caused the wound, and grabbed it eagerly. I plunged it back home into my chest, gasping in relief as it stemmed the blood. But then, much to my agony, it started to crumble into dust. I grabbed it and tried to keep it in, sealing the wound, but it refused. Only then, I realized, the wound was gone. I hastily unbuckled the heavy armor plate and tossed it away, but the wound was not there. In place of it a small fire blazed, coating my body in warmth. I stood up, grinning to myself. I approached the pool of blood, recognizing myself and the Baron. Filled with new confidence, I laid my hand to the image, and let it wash over me.

As the blackness faded from my mind, I slowly staggered to my feet. Blood poured away from me, but I cared not. Baron was startled to see me, but not scared. He should have been. I presented a fist, and the lingering blue flames faded off into a bold green. The very bricks of the Dungeon rattled, and huge holes were torn out of the the walls. The chains that too many victims had hung from flew out of them, hooking into the Baron. He screamed, but I did not release him. More and more hooks and chains pierced him, holding him down. I held out my other hand, and the chains broke, engulfing the entire complex in green light. The very hue of the bricks had been stained from deep blue to a more healthy green. And when it died down, nothing remained where the Baron had been but a small doll.

But that was not all that had happened. A massive chasm had been torn in the ceiling, and for the first time in centuries, I was welcomed by the soft, heartwarming glow of sunlight.

~End of Chapter 29~

Feels good to write again.

 

[Tecuser]

Yay! New chapter

 

[Jack Morgan]

My lucky penny has decided the events of today's chapter. Blame RNG.

~Chapter 30: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend~
​

I knelt, almost not believing my eyes. It was sunlight, a dear friend I had not known how much I had loved it until it had been taken from me. The very feel of the heavenly warmth on my skin was enough to reduce me to tears. And so I sat there, weeping, for longer than I cared to keep track of. After some time, soft tap on my shoulder turned my head. Sif was awake. She'd grabbed her sword and had a good length of rope at hand, and smiled widely.

"So, Viv, what say you we get out of this hellhole?"

For a moment, I was about to race her out. But then I remembered that there was something I still had to do in the darkness.

"Go on without me. There's a friend waiting for me down there."
"...What?! Viv, that's freedom up there! Are you sure you're in your right mind?"
"I'm sure. Go on, I'll be fine. Me and him'll be up there before you know it."

For a moment, she seemed unsure whether to join me or to drag me up there with her. But after a moment, she sighed. She picked up the doll that had once been Baron, and nodded to me.

"I'll take Daddy dearest up. Just... Take care of yourself. If you die I won't forgive you."

With that, she was gone. I said a few last words to the sun, and with that I rejoined the darkness of which I had come so well acquainted with.

~End of Chapter 30~

Time for some good ol' Dungeon alone time. Sorry for the short chapter, but there wasn't much to write.

 

[Jack Morgan]

IT'S OKAY EVERYONE I'M STILL ALIVE... For now.

~Chapter 31: Embrace Thy Fears~
​

The darkness was still as thick as it had always been, but it had lost the smothering feel that had so plagued me so these last few centuries. I wondered whether it was the loss of the Baron's presence, or... That convergence of my soul and the Baron's dark power scared me. Was I still Viverious, The Strong; or something else? To be honest, I was afraid of the answer. An image danced across my mind: a bloody skeleton hanging from that very chain that had captivated me for so long. That was my fear. Occupied by these thoughts and fears, I trudged forward through dark halls and twisting corridors. I did not rest, merely continuing my hollow march illuminated by bitter blue candlelight. I saw things in the deeper shadows, writhing, twisted shapes that I dared not investigate. It occurred to me that I had no idea where I was going, or even how to get back once I did find Samuel. But these are not the thoughts that my mind was concerned with. It was more focused on that shifting, watching shape hanging right in the corner of my eye, waiting in the shadows. So consumed was I by this being I didn't notice when the bricks under my feet turned to shiny tiles, and it was only when a bright light shined in my eyes that I saw a huge mirror in front of me.

As I turned my gaze to the colossal mirror, I noticed that shape in the corner of my eye slip from the edge of my vision, right into my reflection. But instead of a reflection, I saw... A twisted version of myself. Clad in black steel and shrouded in a cloak of blue flame. He did not wear a helmet, instead I saw a shining white skull, grinning an awful grin. Suddenly overcome with my fears, I slammed my fist into the mirror. It shook, but held strong. I repeated this, my breath ragged and heavy. The terrible, twisted mimicry of myself merely shook its head. And then it occurred to me. This being, this abomination, was a part of me. It could not be broken, or ran from. I raised my hand, touching mine to the reflection's in a gesture of peace and acceptance. And as I did, the mirror shattered. Just like that, I was back in the dark corridor, and my hand was on a doorknob. Inside, I could hear a familiar voice.

Smiling, I pushed the door open to greet my friend.

~End of Chapter 31~

See ya soon, hopefully.

 

[Tecuser]

Why'd u change ur name?

 

[Jack Morgan]

Why'd u change ur name?

Really, only ever went by Frog out of a sense of duty to my friends that have already known me as Frog for months before I joined TCF. I haven't liked being Frog for a few months now, so after a talk with a friend last night I decided to drop it and go with a fake name of mine, Di Vyz, or just Di.

 

[Tecuser]

Ok need to adjust to seeing do posted and not the laughable frog

 

[Jack Morgan]

~Chapter 32: Reunion~​

As I slowly pushed the door open, I heard the clink of Samuel's armor. He was preparing for whatever was coming through the door, no doubt. Not wanting to draw the wrong side of his shield bash, I called out my approach.

"Comin' in! Don't worry, it's me!"

I heard an audible sigh, and the door was swung open by the huge paladin.

"BLINK? HOW IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU NOT DEAD?"
"Well... It's a long story. And the name's not Blink. I'm Viverious."
"Viverious? You got your memories back? What the hell have you been doing after you disappeared?"
"Well, uh... I killed the Baron."
"You what."
"Well, I had some help. And he might not be dead. But I'm pretty sure."
"Let me rephrase. You. What."
"I'll tell you the story later. What's important now is that Sif's waiting for us aboveground, and I don't want to spend any more time making her wait."
"Huh? Sif? Who the hell's that?"
"Baron's daughter. I'll let her explain, I don't fully understand it myself."

He looked as if he were going to continue with questioning, but decided not to. He nodded, and we started to head off. Only problem was that I had no idea where to go. Samuel seemed to know this, as well, but he didn't say anything. I just continued marching on, until something caught my attention. A sound. I held my hand up for Samuel to halt, and I listened closely.

"...Viv!"

I spun around, trying to find the source of the voice. I knew that voice. I frantically searched for its direction, ignoring an odd look from Samuel. Then his eyes opened wide and pointed behind me. I spun around, to face...

It was Katherine. She stood there, shrouded in an ethereal mist, her form barely formed from wisps of cyan light.

"K-K... Kat?"
"You've found yourself, Viv. That's good. But there will come time for that later. You need to get out of here.

Before I could ask her more, a deep rumble rocked the underground facility. I heard the distant crack of stone, akin to thunder. I shot a quick glance at Samuel, and we began to run. Dashing up stairwells, we had no idea what we were being faced with, but we had to get out of there. Pieces of the ceiling started to crumble on top of us, and other pieces were falling from under us. Eventually, though, we saw the problem: A massive crack was running from wall to wall, cutting the Dungeon in half, and the lower half -Where we were- was falling apart. With a massive jolt, the whole structure a meter below us, knocking us to our feet, and continued to sink at an alarming rate. We started booking it with everything we had, reaching for the edge of the upper section. I could already feel that whatever held up the complex was giving away. As it fell out from under us with a massive groan, we leaped for the edge. I barely caught it, and Samuel grabbed my other hand, and we hung there, safe. I looked down, and saw an almost unthinkably massive chunk of earth fall away, sinking into a vast ocean down below. I had heard tales of a land of ash and molten rock far underground, but I had never believed them before now, with the heat of it blasting up toward me. I looked back upward, and started to pull us up.

With a small "Crick", the ledge I was holding on to broke off, and we started to plummet.

~End of Chapter 32~

 

[Tecuser]

yay Kat's back

 

[Jack Morgan]

~Chapter 33: Highway~
​

We fell, tumbling through the vast emptiness that the bottom of the Dungeon had left when it fell. I tried to twist around to face downward, but only managed it in time to witness myself crashing face first into the chunk of the huge facility that was slowly sinking under the lava. We hit the bricks like two missiles, scattering stone fragments here and there. As I picked myself up, the first thing I noticed was the heat. It crept in through my heavy metal armor, nearly baking me alive. I felt suffocated, yanking off my helmet and falling to the floor, gasping. After a moment I took a deep breath, regaining my composure. I stumbled over to Samuel, helping him up. Already drenched in sweat, we looked around at our surroundings. The land we were in was a huge, infinitely wide room with a relatively low ceiling and multiple scarred and burnt buildings sticking out of the ash. The bottom of the cavern we had fallen through was far above us, and unreachable. I could only barely see the opening where the Dungeon's bottom half had fallen away. There wasn't any connection between the floor and the ceiling as far as the eye could see, and we had neither the resources nor the equipment to build our way back up. A flutter of wings quickly alerted me to more pressing matters, though. I had no weapon, and Samuel seemed too hurt from the fall to respond. He'd hit the ground far harder than I had due to his heavy armor, and it was all too possible I had some bad magic dancing around inside me keeping me well. I peered around, and I saw the source of the noise. A handful of winged humanoids were flying toward us, and I was not at all interested in learning if they were friendly. I grabbed Samuel and took off, running to our left where the nearest ash bank was. We ran for an hour or so, keeping our distance from the vast lava pools and the chunks of metal that simmered with heat I didn't want to be anywhere near.

At some point, we came across a massive tower made of the same charred stone as the others, but it rose high above the others. I couldn't quite see if it reached the top of the hellish cavern we were in, but it was worth a try. Tossing a glance behind my shoulder, I could still see a handful of those monsters from before approaching behind us, so we took off as fast as we could. The inside mostly intact, but the way that the buildings appeared to have been built was odd. There weren't any stairs, so we helped each other from room to room through small openings in the ceilings. I could hear the sounds of some kind of creatures writhing through the walls, so we hurried as fast as we could. At last, we reached the final room of the tower. A chest sat off to the side, but a heavy padlock sat upon it and it appeared to be quite resistant to outside force. I walked over to the opening, kneeling to give Samuel a boost. Instead, I heard a small "Click" and Samuel turned to me with a grin on his face and a small key in his hand.

"Where'd you get that?"
"It was lying around the Dungeon. Picked it up on impulse. Never thought I'd find what it went to."

I shrugged, motioning him to show me what was inside the chest. He handed me a flail, which ignited with flame as it touched my hand. We were startled, but it didn't hurt either of us, so I wrapped it around my arm and waited for him to check the rest of the contents of the chest. There wasn't much, a healing potion that he drank immediately, and couple of other strange bottles we decided not to mess with. That being that, we helped each other up onto the roof.

The second we emerged, we were surrounded by... things. They had human shapes, but their skin was red and blistered and instead of hair they sported a pair of curved horns. Samuel muttered something about demons, so I assumed that was what they were. Despite the unwelcome company, there was reason to celebrate. A ledge of stone was hanging just low enough to grab, so Samuel slowly climbed up while I used the flaming flail to fend off the demons. Just as Samuel made it up and reached out for me, a cracking sound from below rang out. I didn't wait around long enough to find out what it was. More demons on the way, I took a running jump for the ledge, and just barely caught Samuel's arm before the tower started to give way under me. As I scrambled up with his help, I looked down and caught a glimpse of something coiled around the black tower. I couldn't make out the shape too well, but there was shining metal sliding over more of the same metal, and bright red lights. I had no idea what it was, but I had more important matters to attend to. Me and Samuel sighed in relief, caught our breaths, and walked into a dim cavern that stretched out in front of us.

~End of Chapter 33~

 

[Jack Morgan]

Sif???

What about her?

 

[Jack Morgan]

Alright, well, this thing is dead and all, but while I won't be leaving the forums as previously planned, I shall still carry out my promise to Derunih and write The Final Chapter. I don't think I will ever be reviving this, as it appears not many people really gave a damn about its death. Anyhoo.

~Chapter ???: Farewell, my Love~
​

The days went by. Then the years. Then the decades. For the second time in my all-too-long life, I was held against my will to suffer the passing of time, unable to peacefully leave this realm, leave all the hate, pain, and tragedy behind. Why? I often ask myself the same question. But in the end, I don't think I ever forgot the answer. It was because I made a promise to the one I love. And through the years, far too many to count, I have yet to either break a promise or let down my loved ones. So this one counts double.

The days are pain. The blade, pinning me to this tree, sapping my strength and will to move myself. While I wish that I could... I cannot. The sun slowly slips across the sky, sometimes burning my skin, sometimes granting me cool relief. Such is how it goes in life. During this time, I can only think. I think sometimes of the Baron. Why does he do it? I also think of Sif and Samuel. I hope they were alright. Deep inside me, I know that by now they are dead. A luxury I cannot have. At least I hope they have passed on. I would not wish this limbo of existence upon anyone else. I bear it so that I may save others from it. I bear it so that Kat may know peace.

Back then, a god's lifetime ago, I had been in a Dungeon. It had been then that I learned I was immune to the force of time. I had thought then that it was merely the Baron's cruel magic, but I no longer think that. The heart, the force of love, is a strong force. In this world, it can give life and in my case, prolong death. And so I lay there. I can feel her, in her ghostly cage. She stirs and flutters, straining against her cage. I can feel her grow stronger. As the Eye and the Worm fell, I could feel her heart regaining its beat. Then the Wall fell, and Gerald broke his brittle chains. That filled me with hope. A man far older than even myself, but seemingly unaffected by Time's crippling flow. I have come to know a great many things, but Gerald the Wizard's origins are not among them.

As the Metal Gods fell, I felt the blade running me through twitch. Even it could feel the amounting strength. I kept willing her on. I felt the Flower awake, and I felt her friend's fear. But she had found her voice again. Everything was still. The Machine was of no concern to her. It was not as if she could shatter what had no soul. Her friend managed.

But it was then that I felt that cold presence. Somewhere deep, I felt a dark being awake, and the evil force that laced even my own blood stirred. I knew it was the Baron. And then I felt that voice in my head. I know not what it was. But whatever it was, Baron... It was his commander. The one that lead him, gave him power. I feared that. I feared it greatly.

But then she came. In her wispy confines, we met. I could not even open my eyes to gaze at her, and while neither of us uttered a sound, we spoke. We spoke to great lengths. Her friend would have only thought it a moment of observation, but it was so much more. I apologized for not being strong enough. She apologized for getting me into this. We spoke of the Baron. We spoke of how close we were to finally winning this battle that had stretched across eons. The final act was coming to a close. But most importantly, we told each other three words. The words that spurred life into my blood, light that combated the Baron's darkness. I would state them here, but I know that you already know. And then it was time to leave again. I felt her warm, comforting presence leave, off to lift a burden none should of had to bear in the first place. I wished her goodbye.

I felt as the heavens were brought in force upon that embodiment of sin. I felt the Pillars break and shatter. I felt Kat regain some of her form. I felt It. It was then that I could bear it no longer. The battle raged onward, and everyone was doing their own share to defeat that ungodly abomination of reality. I could not sit idly by. I tore the blade from my ragged form, and held it aloft, my own black blood covering the divine blade. The dark and the light mixed, good and evil melded. In my hand I held a glittering blade of purity and pure humanity, stronger than either good or evil could manage by themselves. A blade truly of the world, the only one capable of destroying a beast that was merely an intruder.

I staggered through the battered lands, reminded of great cities and villages that had once spanned them. The land was changed, but the spirits of the long gone remained, felt only by those that had known them in life. I kept traveling to the Thing, wielding the Blade of the Land. But it was not intended for me. I had done my duty. As I came to the scene, I saw It and Him locked in the grip of two damned entities. I threw the blade, and walked away. I needed not to look. I knew that what had to happen would happen, and what needed to be slain would be slain. And with that, I returned to my tree, and waited.

"Greetings and farewell, my love."

~The End.~

And thus, I officially conclude the Tale of Wispy. Ending art by @Derunih.

 

[Derunih]

Alright, well, this thing is dead and all, but while I won't be leaving the forums as previously planned, I shall still carry out my promise to Derunih and write The Final Chapter. I don't think I will ever be reviving this, as it appears not many people really gave a damn about its death. Anyhoo.
(Snippity)
And thus, I officially conclude the Tale of Wispy. Ending art by @Derunih.

A well written ending, to a cool story. A shame that it ended up falling to obscurity, and that some of the chapters had to be passed over... But I enjoyed reading nonetheless.

Also, thanks for the epic ending, and for finally uploading that image I drew ages ago

 

[Jack Morgan]

A well written ending, to a cool story. A shame that it ended up falling to obscurity, and that some of the chapters had to be passed over... But I enjoyed reading nonetheless.

Also, thanks for the epic ending, and for finally uploading that image I drew ages ago

A shame indeed. But yeah, remembered I still needed to do this, so I did it. Felt good to write a huge wall of text about Viv's inner thoughts after so long, though.

 

[Abandoned Philosophy]

Ah, I've waited so long for this, but the ending came so soon. Sad for this to end, was kind of liking the wait XP

 

[Tecuser]

Awesome story but it felt kinda short

 

[Fierokk]

Alright, well, this thing is dead and all, but while I won't be leaving the forums as previously planned, I shall still carry out my promise to Derunih and write The Final Chapter. I don't think I will ever be reviving this, as it appears not many people really gave a damn about its death. Anyhoo.

​

It's.... dead?
MY HEART IS DEAD.

But really, I love what you've written up to now. The Tale of Wispy was awesome, and after knowing that this was being written, I knew that I had to read it. >.<

Also,

I saw It and Him locked in the grip of two damned entities. I threw the blade, and walked away.

If my silly brain understands, is that when Aaron gets the Terrablade from the first Wispy? :x