yeah- I didn't make mine half as long as others because I didn't have the time to do that XD

I think we may need to wait a whiilleee for us to figure out the results XD

Same...I would've gone on forever in mine until my friends said 3 hours was good enough.>~<

Savior
--
Yae and Zima look at each, giving a deep breath. "I will always keep you with me Yae, we are best friends and no matter what this Ryori says you are always needed," The ryori flicks his ears, taking in the words but not seeming to pay them any mind.

"Now come Zima, you must hurry. If you wish to truly save Zuri swiftness is at our advantege. Although I believe this lunemara is unneeded if they must come along they must come along." he gives a sigh. "Follow me down this tunnel, for this is where you will find your sister. I must leave you now. You are strong and brave enough to do this on your own." He dips his head too the two friends. "I am glad to be of service but I must go find others who need my help now." With that he turned and dart off into the distance.

Yae and Zima look at each, staring deep into each others eye. With an unspoken agreement they both walked forward, entering the dark tunnel. Soft whimpers and cries could be heard as they got farther down. The darkness seems to envolp them, creating a pitch color that let no light in. As they walked a soft glow appeared ahead. A figure could be seen, tittering around and giggling. In front of her was Zuri.

Zima gives a growl, quickly quieted by Yae. The figure looks up, letting out a snarl as they hear the noise. "Who's here?" the voice was dark and raspy, a dark edge to it.

Zima give's a deep breath, taking all her courge. She did her best to avoid her voice shaking. "I am here to take my sister Zuri home." she yowled. The little Zuri, darted up and forward, but was stopped by a chain.

The creature smirked, "You alone expect to stop me?" At her words Zima's brow wrinkled in confusion, Alone? What about Yae? Her eyes quickly darted around and she spotted away, slinking along the edge of the wall towards Zuri. Zima narrows her eyes, she had to keep her distracted. "I have the blood needed to protect her. I have the courge and strength." the creature starts to chuckle. A soft clink of a chain could be heard. The creature's face turns blank in a sense fo realization. Her captive was free. "Run!!" Yae yells.

The three dart foward, running as fast as they could. The creatures heavy breathing could be heard behind them. They ran and ran and ran until the breathing was silent.

Zima turns towards her sister. "Zuri. You are free." Zuri nods, skinny but happy. "I promise I will never leave or let anyone ever harm you again Zuri. I am your sister and I love you." The two sisters embraced, joint in the promise.

The three now friends head back home, talking and growing close. The three are still friends to this day and are always together on the case to help the lost children of sylesti.

Thanks to everyone for participating in this contest! I immensely enjoyed reading everyone's entries and seeing where the story led to. Thanks again to everyone that helped and participated! :)

By Lauralley


He wouldn't say anything else, no matter what Zima and Yae asked or threatened. Within a few days the trio had reached their destination.

"A meadow?" Yae asked doubtfully, She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't a meadow in the middle of the most pleasant forest she had seen since entering the beyond lands. There wasn't even anything sinister about it that she could see, just some very tall grass and some flowering weeds.

"Yes, a meadow," the warrior sounded frustrated, and had been acting edgy and impatient for the past day, "It's the perfect hiding spot. No one would ever suspect anything that happened out here to be dangerous."

Zima and Yae looked at each other, then shrugged and followed him as he pushed into the tough bushes surrounding the meadow. They had come too far to turn back now, and even when Yae had considered it briefly the first night after meeting him, she had realized that she couldn't even remember how to get back to the mountain the Hunter in the shadows had met them on. They had no choice but to trust him.

When they reached the middle of the meadow Zima realized that the ground fell away into a huge ditch with a sinister altar carved out of a strange black rock in the middle. And at the same time, they both realized that it was completely empty of Sylesties. Except for them.

"Um, where are they?" Zima asked nervously, looking around and edging backwards towards the concealing growth at the top of the ditch. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so quick to trust a complete stranger.

"The Blood Cascade Coven?" he asked, seeming amused. Zima nodded slowly, dread building as a suspicion started to creep into her mind.

"Wait, you aren't one of them, are you?" She asked, noticing nervously that it looked like the altar had been prepared already for the sacrifice.

"One of those bleeding hearts? No." He snorted, chuckling a little to himself, "The very idea, preposterous! I am much more than that. I am a member of the HLA."

"HLA? Does the Hunter know?" Zima asked, hoping to keep him talking a little longer. She was having a bit of trouble backing up the steep incline, and she didn't want to find out what would happen once he had made his point.

"Harvest Lord's Army, and of course not. She did think it odd that I was physically unable to leave the Beyond Lands, but foolishly believed me when I told her it was a curse from one of the demon lords I defeated. Now, enough talk, I think the time has arrived for you to serve your purpose." With that he turned towards the altar, and Zima would have run except that she found she couldn't. He had sent the wind that constantly circled him to her, and it had lifted her off the ground before beginning to carry her towards him.

Suddenly there was a shout from the meadow above them: "Blood cascade!" and then there was chaos. To Zima and Yae, it felt like a hundred Sylesties, all different kinds, started pouring into the ditch. Some of them pounced on the warrior, while the rest of them dispersed the wind around Zima and carried her and Yae out of the ditch and into the meadow, before turning around and going back into the ditch.

One of their rescuers, however, stayed behind.

"Zuri!" Zima shouted in excitement. The two litter mates started to rub against each other happily. After her initial happiness had faded a little, Zima asked, "But how? I saw--"

"You saw the Coven kidnap me, yes," Zuri gently told her sister, tears in both of their eyes, "But you didn't know why. HLA was after me, just like it was just after you. The Coven explained everything once we were far enough into the Forest. Apparently one of our ancestors sealed the prison of the HLA's leader with her blood, so to free him they would need to spread the blood of one of her descendants on the door. The Coven would have taken you too, but then you woke up, and they were worried you would start screaming."

"I-I'm too tired to think about this right now. Let's just go home, show the council you're alive, and sleep for a week."

"I second that," A tiny voice piped up. Surprised, Zima and Zuri looked down, and realized that they had forgotten all about Yae in their excitement at seeing each other. Unconcerned, the little Lunemara caterpillar continued, "My family is probably worried sick."

At the mention of family, Zima's and Zuri's eyes simultaneously went round, and they each looked at the other in dread.

What was their mother going to say?

Thank you all for participating in this game! It took awhile to figure out how to appropriately award prizes to everyone who won/participated and this is what we came up with. I also implore everyone who hasn't yet done so to read the full story - which is fully posted in the first post of this thread!


Participant: A Player who submitted a valid entry.
Winner: A Participant who had an entry selected.
Non-Winner: A Participant who did not have any entries selected.

Grand Prize
One Player randomly selected from Winner pool.
One Player randomly selected from Non-Winner pool. (Each Entry Counts)

Winner: Wavypavy, Redfeather1957

Prizes: Free Stable, 3-Visible Fall Festival Themed Pet of Choice (2-Vis if Majestic), [Philter of Trait Disruption] x3


Winner's Prize
All Winners

Prizes: Title: Ghost Writer, [Wheel of Themed Ticket] x1, [Philter of Trait Disruption] x1, [Fabled Brew Catalyst] x1, [Premium Vial Holder] x2, [Box of Brewing Supplies] x1, [Box of Brewing Agents] x1


Participation Prize
Non-Winners with 5 or more Entries

Prizes: [Fabled Brew Catalyst] x1, [Premium Vial Holder] x1, [Box of Brewing Supplies] x1


Participation Prize
All Non-Winners

Prizes: [Mystery Brew Catalyst] x1, [Premium Vial Holder] x1, [Box of Brewing Agents] x1


Participation Prize
Prompt 13 Participants

Prizes: [Wheel of Themed Ticket] x1


Participation Prize
Prompt 7 Participants

Prizes: [Chocolate Coin] x250


Participation Prize
All Participants

Prizes: [Chocolate Coin] x500