Chronicles of Isya Top 5

[GM_Dakkon]

The time has come for you to choose who will win the Chronicles of Isya event, and have their name and story added to the history of the land of Isya. Due to the sheer number of entries and the high quality of several of the stories we have decided to increase the number of finalists from 3 to 5. Even with this increase the choice was still difficult as there were many wonderful and talented writers who submitted their stories to us. For that we want to give our deepest thanks to all those who took their time and effort to send us their tales.

So without further ado here are the 5 stories. The authors’ names have now been added to give proper credit to these astounding players

The titles of the 5 stories in no particular order are...
- Ulean: The Awakening
Written by: softspoken

- Return of the Gordon Master
Written by: FatalLace

- The Giant Honeying
Written by: skott707

- The Unknown Story of Vietree
Written by: naomi89

- Shaden’s Journal - A Slumbering Tale
Written by:Shaden

Click HERE (http://outspark.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107044) to place your vote

Good luck to all of the contestants

[GM_Dakkon]

Abreyonia sat by the waterfall in the Forest of Mists, watching it's spray rise up into the night sky from the rocks beside the river. She sighed deeply, and put her bow down beside her, enjoying the short break from hunting. Abreyonia had always been able to relax here. A soft step in the sand behind Abreyonia caught her attention. Turning her head slightly, she looked sidelong at the newcomer without standing.

“Lady Elf, are you ready to help change the world?”

“At least he knows how to make an entrance”, she thought to herself.

Turning back to face the horizon, she tried to dismiss the person distracting her from her break. “No, I'm already on way too many quests.” After a brief silence, she turned again, to see if he had left yet. In response he seemed to slip away, just beyond her field of vision before he continued.

“Then you must postpone them. In the place known as the concealed prison, there is an empty cell with a small window. Through that window at midnight can be seen a constellation shaped like a crown.”

She turned more, twisting to her other side. Why was he still spouting all this off to her? She didn't want the quest! He pressed on, ignoring her but still sliding to her other side, again avoiding her gaze, but hovering on her peripheral vision.

“You must go there, and dig under the stones beneath the bed. Immediately.”
There was no pleading in his voice, only an unquestionably stern command. Abreyonia grabbed her bow, stood up and turned quickly, frustrated by his blatant disregard for her.

“Must? I don't have to-”

No one was there. There were no footprints, no traces, but as she asked herself if it was real, a voice boomed out of the starry sky.

“For if it is not found, your mind is forfeit.”

She looked up, trying to find the source of the voice. Abreyonia froze in terror, as she beheld the giant spider above her. Its body alone was far larger than an elf, darker than the midnight sky and black as the void with a single golden eye on its underbelly. Its eight eyes were each a different swirling colour, and she could not tear her gaze from them, no matter how she tried. For what seemed hours, she stared into those eyes, unable to even blink as the mind of the creature whispered endlessly her task and the penalty she would face if she failed. Then it stalked away on silent legs, each one so long and slender it would seem flimsy, if not for the obsidian sheen and razor sharpness of the claws they terminated in.

From that moment on, Abreyonia couldn't rest. She couldn't focus. Her strength faded, and her skills grew dull. Her thoughts constantly drew back to the dungeon she had never entered, to a room she had never seen. Wherever she looked, she saw those eight eyes staring back at her, cursing her disobedience, and she never slept without hearing the commands of the beast.

After three days, she could take it no longer. Alone, she walked to the dungeon and entered it. Alone, she delved to its heart, unaware of the beasts inside, unaware of how they avoided her, unaware of how her shadow had changed to match the shape of the great spider.

Soon, she found herself moving aside a lumpy straw pallet stinking with refuse. Abreyonia pulled out the loose stones and dug with her hands. A worn out scrap of fabric, a tarnished silver coin, a broken ax handle...
Then she found it. A small mirror in a handle-less frame shaped like a blood red serpent, coiled around the disc of the mirror. Its surface was remarkably unscratched, not even dirty from its long entombment in the dank earth of the prison. As she looked into the mirror, she saw clearly the great beast from that fateful night rise, mighty and terrible, from her own shadow.

Abreyonia dropped the mirror in fright, and as it clattered to the floor she turned to face the creature. When she beheld it, she realized what had been in the forest was barely a shadow of this beast, which filled the small cell they now shared. It was still blacker than night, and its claws were still needle sharp, but now she saw its glistening fangs and armored body five times the size of an elf, as its eight eyes each pervaded her mind relentlessly. She could barely feel herself dropping to the floor under the gaze of the creature. As she lost consciousness, the parting words of the spider burned into her mind: “You have freed me completely, little elf, and so your life shall be spared... For now.”

When Abreyonia awoke, she was alone in the cell. An entire section of the heavy stone wall had been knocked away, dropping onto a bare cliff, with claw marks drilled into the rock where the spider had made its way. Where she had dropped the mirror, a pile of glass powder and sand sat, slightly scattered by the draft from the window. Where the center of the mirror had been, a hole as deep as the length of Abreyonia's forearm pierced the solid stone block, perfectly preserving the shape of one of the spiders eight claws. The serpent had fragmented into several pieces then rusted and corroded until it was unrecognizable.

A great evil, one of the many remnants of Legel, had been freed into the world. It had been trapped inside the mirror by warriors using the spider's own reflection to distract and weaken its mind. But now this creature was set loose to prey upon the minds of all that dared near it, and drive those who could not meet its demands insane. This creature who would enforce its will upon all near it, compelling them to aid its terrible crafts. Ulean had been released.

[GM_Dakkon]

Long have I been the wallflower, the girl in the background that nobody noticed, the girl that did well in school, but not well enough to be recognized. I was comfortable in that role, it was who I was. As a young adventurer just starting my journeys through Isya, I would have never imagined that I would become a focal point in its history.

Upon completion of my studies, I decided to take the path of mysticism and enchantment; I chose to become a mage. I have always been engrossed by the sheer power and beauty of magic and was always in awe of those who could wield it.

My path in life took me across Isya, to places I only imagined of as a child, the Forest of Mist, Sea of Greed, and Echo Cave. I battled foes that haunted my dreams, the pirate Mara, and the werewolf Robo. But one place called out to me like no other. One place made me feel at ease, like I belonged. That place was Luminous Stone.

The underground dungeon that comprises Luminous Stone is not much to look at from the surface. Its entrance is not heavily guarded and its inner forces somewhat easily dispatched. However, there is an unseen power emanating from beneath the first floor; a dark power that compels me to look further, a sinister calling that I cannot resist.

When I stepped across the portal that brought me to the second floor I bore witness to an immense luminescent globe. Despite its ominous appearance, I was drawn closer. I felt the heat from the bolts of dark energy that crisscrossed its equator. As I approached the sphere I could hear the muffled screams of thousands of souls lost to the Abyss coming from within. Strangely, I felt no sorrow, no sympathy for these souls. I tore myself away from the hypnotic rotations of the sphere and hurried down a hallway. Although I was away from the sphere, the voices continued to follow me. I ran as fast as my legs could take me, but I was quickly blindsided by an Archmage Book. The Archmage Book hypnotized me and led me back to the Orb. As if my soul became independent from my body, I witnessed myself perform an act of summoning that I did not know. My body was no longer mine to control. With the ceremony complete, the structure began to rumble and quake. I was thrown to the ground exhausted, I lost consciousness soon after.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a chamber I had never seen. The air was musty and smelled of decay. A creaking noise startled me, but I was unable to react. I stood silent, still, and petrified. Beneath the shadows a figure emerged, dressed in scarlet and maroon, coalesced from thin air. The figure took the figure of a man, but skin, muscle, flesh, and blood quickly withered away revealing bone as pure as the snow on Golden Hill.

I was powerless to disobey as the figure took control of my body; it whispered things in my ear in a tongue long since forgotten. The words meant nothing to me, but yet I understood them. Again, I blacked out.

I woke in a darkened room with faint light pouring in from above. I felt my way around the cell as my eyes adjusted to the light. I found some stairs and ascended them. Beyond the door at the top of the stairs revealed a graveyard. As I emerged from the doorway, the graveyard was littered with Zombies, renegade Foxes and Grave Wolves. I recognized a few landmarks and discerned that this was indeed the Elderine Cemetery. I stopped a brawny fighter between bouts of battle rage and asked him what was going on, what had happened to this once serene place of mourning?

“The Skeleton King has returned! The undead haunt Isya!” said the noble fighter as he rushed off to face another score of Zombies.

The Skeleton King? Was this the figure I raised in Luminous Stone? Am I responsible for this destruction? And what was this armor that I was now wearing? Were my eyes deceiving me, or am I also donning the scarlet and maroon colors of the Undead King? I was horrified. I started to run through the tombstones when I tripped over a severed arm and fell to the ground. When I looked up, a Zombie, much larger than the others stood over me. I assumed this would be my end, but the Zombie instead got down on one knee and bowed in respect. What is going on?

I hurried away from the immense Zombie and hid in a mushroom grove to collect my thoughts. As I approached the grove, my body again felt weak and I collapsed. I awoke to again witness myself performing a ritual I did not know as a Ghost spoke into my ear. As a final act, I set the tree ablaze and passed out into darkness. What events had I set in motion?

I awoke to the now too familiar smell of decay; again, in the chamber of the mysterious figure.

“You have done well apprentice,” said the voice of the figure.

“What have I done?” I barely managed something audible.

“Why you have changed the history of the people of Isya! A culling of those deemed unnecessary. I want you to bear witness to your accomplishment!”

With a flash of light, I was in Elderine, listening to the screams of townsfolk and the clanging of blades. Appearing in front of me was the Gordon Master, Reaper of the Abyss, vanquished for a thousand years, but now returned thanks to my hand.

The Gordon Master unleashed hell upon the people of Elderine. Ripping the very souls from the people he attacked.

“Thank you my child!” laughed the Gordon Master.

What had I done? Darkness consumed me.

[GM_Dakkon]

In the vast land of Isya, there lived four brave adventurers by the names of Puknuk, Nickhappening, Ryuzaky, and Skott. And though they did not know it at the time, they would soon rise up to save the land from a fiend known only as the Giant Honeying.

The day began like any other, with our heroes fighting to restore peace to the troubled land they lived in. Upon returning from their battles, they were all approached by Shutian, the captain of the guards in Elderine.

“I apologize for my interruption,” he said. “But there is a terrible evil threatening our land. The evil Giant Honeying has planned to attack our town tonight!”

With the common goal of putting an end to this beast’s reign of terror, they united with five others in order to lay siege on the barren hill where the Honeying lived. And although our four protagonists had never met before, they all knew in their hearts that they would be the ones to stop the Giant Honeying’s madness.

The group began to advance up the hill, with Nickhappening, Ryuzaky, and Skott laying waste to the army of monsters, while Puknuk made sure that they’re wounds were tended to and healed. At the next tier of the hill, the group split in half, with our heroes going left and the others heading right. Although they still hoped to defeat the evil Honeying together, somehow, the four soldiers knew they would never see the other adventurers again.

Fighting through wave after wave of powerful foes, they began to wonder how the other group was doing. Nickhappening was sent to check their progress, as he was the strongest and most likely to survive on his own. What he saw when he reached the other side changed everything. Stumbling back to where his allies continued to fight, he fell to his knees, and began to tremble. Puknuk rushed up to him. “What’s wrong?!” she cried. “Are you okay?”

“No one...” he said. “No one left alive.”

Skott and Ryuzaky dropped their weapons at the sudden realization of how bad the situation was. They had nobody coming to help them defeat the remaining subordinates of the Giant Honeying, much less the leader himself. And even with all those problems, they had less than 20 minutes to kill the Honeying, or else his wrath would be unleashed upon the helpless people of Elderine.

Ryuzaky was the first to recover from this devastating news. “We have to defeat him,” he said, retrieving his blade from the stony ground. “The people in the town are counting on us.”

Skott sighed, and then nodded. “You’re right. We can’t let hundreds of people die just because we’re afraid of what might happen.” He looked away, continuing, “And we can’t let the other’s sacrifice be for nothing.”

Puknuk simply nodded, then turned to Nickhappening and said, “We can’t do it without you, Nick. Will you help us?”

He slowly rose from the ground, then turned to the others. “I may not be the strongest person in the land, nor the fastest, or the most intelligent. But I do know one thing: we cannot allow being of such evil to exist in our world. I will fight with what small power I have until the day I cease to exist.”

And so this fearless band trudged up the hill, killing the monsters that stood in their way. Stepping over a small rise in the dirt, Skott looked, and then gasped. Standing up ahead was a solitary figure facing an uncountable group of monsters. Despite the fact that he could never win such a fight, he rushed into the crowd and swung his sword fiercely. Skott shouted to the warrior, but it was too late. As the man fell to the ground, a look of peace was on his face.

“No!” shouted Skott, as he began to race towards the enemies, drawing his sword.

By this time, the others had caught up, and they quickly grabbed Skott to stop him. “But we have to save him!” he cried, tears beginning to fall down his face. “We have to save him!”

“It’s too late,” sighed Puknuk. “He’s gone.”

“No!” Skott shouted, and he broke free and rushed to the first monster, quickly killing it.

All his comrades could do was watch as he defeated monster after monster, then gasping for breath at the end.

“Skott,” said Ryuzaky. “I know what you’re feeling, but we can’t bring him back. The only thing we can do is kill the Giant Honeying and make sure this never happens again.”

“But...I was right there...I could’ve saved him,” he said.

“It’s okay, there was nothing you could’ve done without you dying too,” he said.

Reluctantly, Skott got back up, and they trudged up the final stretch before the Giant Honeying himself would be fought. “We’ve got to kill him,” said Skott. “For the people in Elderine, for those other people who died, but mostly for the brave man who wasn’t able to make it.”

And with that, our protagonists ran into battle, fighting with such power that nothing could stop them from achieving their goal. They fought, and they won, however, none of them left that barren hill, though they did their best.

Later, Shutian looked up at the night sky and smiled, as sad as he was that the heroes did not return. For although they had made the ultimate sacrifice, they saved many people from the same fate, something that only heroes could do. And for their brave deeds without concern for their own health, they would be forever remembered as heroes in the town of Elderine.

And even though they have passed away, some have said that their
spirits still wander the city of Elderine, protecting its citizens from any danger that should arise. However, one thing is for certain. Anytime brave people rise up against difficult odds to defeat a great evil, these brave soldiers fight alongside them.

[GM_Dakkon]

I had just turned 18 and I decided it was time for me to venture off by myself; time for me to start a life and a future. So I packed a small bag with the essentials, mainly my scissors and combs and all things related to my passion of hairdressing and beauty. I looked straight ahead of me and headed off to the place which would soon become my new home, a place I would soon grow to love; Isya.

The moment I arrived I was welcomed with warm greetings from all these wonderful, friendly people. I knew straight away I had made the right choice coming here; these people just gave me no reason to doubt my decision. They were so kind and caring... one in particular; Alan ...my Alan.
The moment I saw him my heart started fluttering and I swear if it fluttered just a little bit harder it would have flown right out of me and I know he felt the same way. He and I soon became the closest of friends; I told him everything, about my life, about my dreams for the future and about my passion for hairdressing. He even encouraged me to open up my own beauty salon but I was just too scared to take such a big step. But Alan always had faith in me no matter what and that’s what I loved about him.

Then one beautiful day the most amazing thing that could ever happen to me happened. Alan asked me to be his wife. I was so happy. I remember it so well; he took me to Forest of Slumber and we looked out over the beautiful land. The moonlight shone upon his beautiful face, his auburn hair fluttering with the wind as it playfully caressed his cheek. Alan then turned to me and whispered “Vietree, you mean more than anyone could ever mean to me. I want you to be my wife”. He leant over and kissed me and placed a beautiful sapphire amulet into my hand. He told me how he had been going to Golden Cave to mine specifically to find me a sapphire to make me this beautiful amulet. Nothing could have meant more to me.

That was supposed to be one of the most beautiful and wonderful moments of my life, instead it turned into nothing more than a horrible reminder of what could have been, what could have happened, but never will…

All of a sudden coming up from the winding slope of Forest of Slumber emerged a mob of Fire Spirits and Flame Spirits from Burning Rock. Alan quickly drew out his sword to attack them but we were too outnumbered. One of the Fire Spirits slashed at Alan and he fell heavily to the ground as his sword flew out of his hand. As he lay there defenseless they mocked him and laughed sinisterly. Then it was my turn…

I clutched my amulet close to my heart, but they noticed. Two leapt over to where I was cowering and tore the amulet away from me. You could see it was amusing to them as they laughed and they laughed and then just as quick as they came, they were gone. I ran over to where Alan had been thrown relieved that other than a gash in his cheek he was fine. But that wasn’t what hurt him most; he was angry at himself for not having been able to protect me. He couldn’t understand that I knew there was nothing either one of us could have done. I told him about how they took my amulet and I cried about it, but he was not comforting as he normally would be, he was distracted by the thought of something, disconnected somehow.

We both sat there for a while, neither of us saying anything and the pleasant silence as we looked over the cliffs of Forest of Slumber a few moments ago was replaced by an eerie, sickening silence that ate away at my heart. He slowly stood up from where he was sitting and picked up his sword from the floor.

“Head back to Roumen, Vietree” he said. I didn’t like what I was hearing. I didn’t like the sound of what I thought was going to happen next.

“No… Why?”

“Just head back to Roumen now Vietree! Go now! I’ll get your amulet back…”
He looked back at me, as if to take everything in…my eyes, my face, my emotions, as if for one last time. He smiled meekly at me. He didn’t say bye, he didn’t say anything more, he didn’t want to make it seem like he was never coming back, and he didn’t want to eradicate the possibility of being with him again from my mind. I begged him, pleaded with him not to go. But he wanted to regain what he’d lost… defend his honor, and being blinded by this he could not see the path he was taking. He called for his stead and rode off into the distance before I could say anything more to hold him back. Past the Trumpies, past the Lizardmen, past the trees which grow so high, past the Stonies and all the waterfalls, all the way up to Burning Rock…

That was the last time I ever saw Alan… it breaks my heart each time I think of it. And as for the amulet, I suppose it’s still there in Burning Rock. Who knows how much those fowl and vile Flame and Fire Spirits laugh each time they look at it, each time they think of it, each time they… It’s just, that amulet was all I had left of him you see, and they took it all away from me. All I ever loved lost in Burning Rock. It’s just a very painful part of my life, and that’s why I don’t talk about it much.

You know, this is why I have my very own salon open here in Roumen. It’s thanks to Alan and the faith he had in me that I got this far. He may be gone but I know he still believes in me and I knew doing this and opening up my salon would make him proud and I dedicate everything I do for him.

[GM_Dakkon]

7th Day of the Stonie - 16:24 P.M.

Lately, Uruga has been different. More and more adventurers pass through, in fact, every night this week a new stranger has come into our company for the night. However, before sunrise, they always would be gone. What was happening? I had heard about Helga and his curse on the Forest of Slumber - but why would so many people be heading out there now?

Tch, I suppose I wanted to find out myself. To be quite honest, Uruga was boring - I mean, after you’ve lived there your whole life (or close to it), it begins to lose its luster. And can you believe I’d never been outside the borders! Alright, well, I traversed through the Elven Woods once but… that trip ended quickly.

I guess I wanted to see the Forest of Slumber myself, see why everyone was going there. Was there a huge war of mercenaries going on? Were they assembling an army to strike back at Isya? I had to know! Plus, I’d never seen the forest in person - and I’m told it’s damn near the most beautiful place you’’ll ever lay eyes upon.


~Terminus dies~


11th Day of the Stonie - 7:06 A.M.

It’s been several day since I last wrote. Mainly because I was traveling and exploring the wonders of Urugan territory… and it’s all pretty overwhelming. I arrived at the Slumbering Forest this morning and my first action - despite the blood and cuts lining my body - was a jaw-dropping gaze for hours at the sight before me.

Waterfalls by the dozen poured over the many ridges running along the area. Luscious vegetation blossomed and bloomed full-heartedly all about, all manner of small insect and bird hiding in these great greens, singing their symphony of the forest in perfect harmony. It was almost too unreal, almost as if not a problem existed in the world.

That couldn’t be though, and as soon as I had come to my senses, I’d caught a rancid stench wafting in the air. It was one I was all-too familiar with by now - that of death. I glanced down into the pools that had formed beneath the massive waterfalls… low and behold, the corpses of a dozen people, stripped to the bone and half-rotted away. The sight would’ve made me sick if this wasn’t something I was used too.


~Terminus dies~


12th Day of the Stonie - 21:14 P.M.

I’d kept a quick pace with the wind at my back all day, shambling through the dense forest foliage here. I’m not really sure where I was heading, to be honest, I had no idea what I was even looking for. I suppose I’d know when I needed too, right? Heh.

Oh, I also met some people. Well, I didn’t actually meet them - I’m sort of following them from a safe distance. They seem to know where they are headed, and all five of them are heavily armored and equipped with several weapons, glowing as if Teva had blessed them herself.

They don’’t seem to stop though, so I must keep pace.


~Terminus dies~


15th Day of Stonie - 23:40 P.M.

I followed that party to the ends of the earth… to the gateway to hell itself. Whatever has happened in the slumbering forest is horribly wrong. I stand now before an opening in the side of once thick trees. They are burnt and blown down, reduced to mere ashes. Flames still dance about the blackened ground, and at the end of the pathway lies dark mountains, jutting up from the ground like massive spikes. Magma flows down the sides, pooling into giant lakes all about. Lifeless trees stand solo amongst the oblivion.

It seems as if life had been ripped away from the heart of this place. There seems to be no will to survive, no hope, no light within this newfound territory. And why had none of the strangers spoken of this? Tch, I imagine I’ll never know, and time isn’t on my side to help me figure it out.

I’d lost track of the party I had been following since I was stunned at this sight from the get-go… which I sort of regret now…

To preserve this journal, I am leaving it behind in the slumbering pools of this forest. I fear it would be destroyed if brought into those mountains. Please don’t forget me if I do not return.


~Terminus iter itineris~


With that last note, Shaden tossed the bound journal into the purifying waters of slumber and made way into the flaming hills.


-----


Shaden’’s gaze fell upon a withering tree, its branches melting towards the charred earth. He rested his knuckles softly on the plant, whispering a small incantation.

“Vita renovo…”

The words held long in the silence of the Burning Hills.

“Vita renovo!”


He shouted, his breathing heavy and hoarse. He curled his fingers around the dying branch and closed his eyes, muttering the incantation several times over again. The branch slowly began to stiffen in his grasp, stretching his hand wide apart and forcing him to release the plant. The Paladin looked at the once blackened tree - it was now a light-brown and its branches were reaching up and out towards the heavens.

Shaden grinned half-heartedly. “Perhaps there is but a little life left in this accursed region.”

The holy man stepped back and smiled at his work, then quickly moved on to preserve this dying land. With his departure, he left a small carving on the trees thick, and now lively base.

“The hope still lives; don’t forget me.”