* This is a new version of the previous story. input is appreciated*
Melody 2
The Air was Thick and Muggy. It had a
sticky sweet smell to it.
Dawn was breaking but the Night clung
to the Walls like a Lover.
Things with no name skittered away
from the first rays of dawn, to spread there terror another time.
Somewhere a Dog barked, somewhere a
Woman Screamed, somewhere something ancient stirred.
It was a normal Morning in the Town of
Socket
Socket. It was a Town of last
chances and lost souls. The final stop before the Wastelands.
No one came to Socket because they
wanted to. They came because they had no where else to go. Some came
to prove them selves, some to escape them selves. Some came to hide,
others to seek. Some came because it was the last place on Earth any
one would look for them.
Every Year they came to this harsh
Town, some stayed, some kept going, many died.
This is the Story of One of those who
chose to stay. Her name is Melody Drac.
To all appearances
She was just a slip of a Girl, maybe Seven or Eight Years Old. Black
Hair in Pigtails and a Dress more suited for Court life then the
harsh environment of the Wasteland. It was when you looked in to her
Deep Black eyes that you knew she was something else.
Ancient Prophesy’s spoke of a Time
when the Dark Elder Gods would send forth their Chosen One to bring
about the end of all things.
Melody Drac was that chosen One.
She had been raised on an island by members of the Dark Gods Cult as
they awaited the end of all Things
Yet when the Time of the
Prophesy came, her Dark Elder God “Parents” changed their Minds.
The World it seemed would go on.
Abandoned by her Cult and her
Creators, the Child was left to fend for her self.
Immortal,
trapped in the Body of a Child she had wandered the World since then.
She had memories of Oceans, Boats, vast Forests and a terrible Green
Fire.
Eventually she had come to Socket,
seeking a purpose. A chance to do, well...
“Anything! Just give me something to
do Mallik!”
“I have Dishes to be washed, a Floor
to be swept and a Box of Horse Shoes to be taken to the Stables. You
can do any of those Little Goddess.”
“Aug, that’s not what I meant old
man. It's been so dull around hear lately and you always seem to have
a bit of trouble that needs doing.”
“ I do not know what you mean, I am
but a humble Blacksmith
She stamped her foot.
“Your no more Blacksmith then I am.
I'm Bored!”
“Your always Bored Little Goddess,
we had this same talk a Week ago.”
“Yes and you gave me something to
do”
“If you mean the matter with the
Hanged Man and the Missing River Pearls, I only suggested you might
look in the hut of Ol' Mama Grim.”
“Yes, see that’s what I mean. That
was exciting! I had to fight her pet Giant Snake, damn thing bit a
hole in me the size of my Fist!”
“You seem fine to me?”
“I heal fast and bore quickly, I
cant help it. Its how I was made. Come On Mallik, I know you have
something. It's so bloody hot this season and no one wants to play
with me.”
“Did you ever think maybe it's
because they don't like the way you Play?”
“If you are referring to the Fire,
it was put out. Eventually.”
“It burnt for Three days Melody!”
“I said eventually. Come on
Blacksmith, I need something to do!”
“Fine, fine I did hear something
just last Night.”
“Go on?”
“You know Qwelip?”
“That huge Guy who does some
scavenging in the Waste? Yeah I know him?”
“He set out a Week ago to the Pale
Temple on some Mission for Istavan.”
“So, seems like someone in this Town
is always doing something for that Wizard.”
“That Wizard is
One of the reason you have a place to sleep Girl and don't you forgot
it! Anyway, Qwelip was supposed to be back Two days ago, but he's
not.”
“I bet Istavan is Mad? I bet Istavan
would reward me if I found out what happened to Qwelip .”
“I never said that, I just said he
was missing.”
“Thanks Old Man.”
She was off to satisfy her curiosity
and boredom. First stop was Qwelip's home, like many of the buildings
in Socket it was a mishmash of materiel scavenged over the years from
the waste. Stone, wood, iron, bone all placed together to create a
home.. Melody knocked on the Wood Door Three times before she broke
in, lock picking being One of the many skills She had acquired in her
travels.
The home was empty, she spent a few
moments searching it but found nothing that could tell her what the
scavengers mission was or why he would be missing.
She remembered that Qwelip would
always visit Rodgers shop for supply’s and such before heading out
on his trips. She went there next, hoping the owner would be willing
to help her.
Rodger was a thin man with long
stringy hair and an equally unattractive beard. He had come to Socket
fleeing an unhappy family life or some such Drama?No one knew for
sure and it never paid to be too curious about the pasts of the Towns
residents. He made his trade supplying any one foolish enough to
enter the Waste with Mules, Food and what ever else the needed. His
Mules always came back eventually, but not always with the person
they had been sold to.
Rodger, like most of the residents of
Socket found Melody unsettling. It was something about the way she
never blinked or ate or reminded him of his family. He answered her
questions quickly in the hopes she would leave.
“Qwelip's never been late more then
an Hour. Two days late? Something bad must have happened to him I
guess? To bad, he was a good customer.”
“He went to the Pale Temple?”
“That’s what he said.”
“He do anything or say anything
strange before he left, maybe ask you for some unusual supply?
Anything that could give me an idea what he was up to?”
“Not that I see it's any of your
concern Girl but he did take a few extra coils of rope with him this
time. Oh, and some Slave chains. Not sure what he would want with
those things?”
That brought a frown to her face.
Having been created so to speak to be a slave to the doom cult and
her “Parents” Prophesy. The idea of Slavery, of someone being
forced to do something against there will was One of the few things
she hated in the world! She did not have happy memories of her time
with the Cult, or at least she believed them to be her memory’s.
She could never truly be sure what parts of her past were real and
what were part of her “Parents” design?
“Looks like I will have to just find
him my self and ask him, wont I?”
“Wait, you can't go out there by
your self! You will need supplies, a guide, weapons!”
“No, I don't need any of that.”
“What are you talking about, your
just a child?”
She just grimaced at Rodger , turned
and walked away.
Melody did not have a Home in Socket,
she really had no need for such things. She kept her few belongings
in a Chest hidden near Mallik's blacksmith shop and when she slept it
was usually on a roof so she could see the stars.
She left Socket about a Half an Hour
latter,. All she brought with her was a Lantern, a few Matches,a
hooded cloak and a few rations. Although she had no real need to
Eat, drink or even Sleep she was able to do all Three and had
developed a fondness for hard boiled eggs and sour candy recently.
Her body was able to repair itself from almost any type of damage so
she needed no armor. As for Weapons, well her birthright took care of
that, she seldom needed anything more then a Blade to defend herself.
Depending on the Weather she guessed
the walk to the Pale Temple would take her almost a day. There were
no roads in the vast desolation of the waste lands, just a few
cobblestones hear and there to remind you that this place was once
the home of some lost civilization.
The waste was ancient and full of
mysteries, no Two stories about its past were the same but One thing
was for sure. It was a harsh, unforgiving place full of the worst
horrors the world could spit up. It certainly was no place for a
little girl, yet any threat that sensed her chose to avoid her.
Perhaps the recognized her as one of there own?
About an hour in to her walk the winds
started up, and got worse as time progressed. She was soon being
buffeted by winds powerful enough to knock down a tree and the
constant assault of the wind born sand was like millions of tiny
knifes ripping at her.
It seemed this was as far as she would
get as night began to fall and she soon found herself lost and
looking for shelter.
It took her a bit but she was able to
find the skeleton of some ancient building to hunker down and wait
out the storm. She lit her lantern, slid against the corner of a wall
and waited.
Soon she sensed she was not alone,
something else had sought shelter in the ruins. She waited and
watched as the creature approached her, she recognized it as a “Hell
Hound”, a Hyena like creature that scavenged the bones of the dead.
It was small, maybe no more then a pup. It seemed more curious about
her then anything else and she was soon attempting to befriend it.
Eventually she closed her eyes and
just sat listening to the sounds of the wind and her companion
chewing on bones. She did not sleep, but she could often lose her
self in her memories.
A few hours before dawn the Hell Hound
started growling at something. Her eyes flew open and she had her
Blade in her hand. In the far end of the ruins a child like figure
was slowly moving towards her camp. It had long finger nails and
teeth and it rags were covered in dried blood.
“A ghoul!”
She moved quicker then someone of her
size should, another gift of her origins. Within seconds she had
relived the undead child of it's head.
Her canine companion was soon licking
at the blood while she investigated the corpse. An undead in the
waste was nothing new, but a child? That was interesting?
“Hum, I don’t recognize the child
but the blue of it's shirt? I think I’ve seen that before? The
tribes men at the White Palm oasis? I think, but that’s days from
hear and in the opposite direction?”
The Hell Hound offered no opinion.
She took a hard boiled egg out of her
pack and chewed on it as she awaited the dawn.
The weather was calm, almost nice. She
could smell the crisp scents of Autumn on the wind,unfortunately
winters in the waste were just as bad as summers.
Soon she and her new friend were in
sight of the Pale Temple.
The stories go that the Pale Temple
was once used as a base of operation's for a order of Holly Knights
dedicated to fighting the evil in theses unhallowed lands, sadly like
most things in the desolation that was just a story. No one actually
knew what the Pale Temple was built for all those years ago? Now it
was just another ruin in a land of ruins. An occasional place for
Tomb Raiders to seek lost treasures and death.
The Pale Temple was shaped like a
large white Dome with only One apparent entrance. The fact that it
was still mostly intact was a credit to whoever had built it. As she
grew closer Melody began to saw swarms of Fly's hovering over the
entrance and within moments of steeping inside the Building the
stench assaulted her nose. She was no stranger to things foul and
dark but the stench was to much even for her. She backed up and
attempted to exit when they fell on her.
Ghouls, dozens of them. Mostly
children. Animated by dark magic these shambling undead were known
for there speed,stench and there desire to feast on the flesh of the
living. Within seconds Melody was bowled over by the mass of grabbing
hands and chattering teeth, she herd the hell hound pup cry out and
then nothing. Melody was far harder to harm then a normal human of
her size but against so many foe's even she could not withstand the
onslaught. Pain followed her in to oblivion.
She came to in darkness, pain flooded
her awareness. She cried out! It took her a few moments after that
for her to get over the sensation and take stock of her situation.
She was laying on a stone slab, most likely a sarcophagus in a dark
chamber that reeked of Death and Ghouls. Her clothing had been all
but ripped from her body and she felt dozens of wounds on her small
forum. She was pretty sure she was missing a finger or two and at
least One Ear and she imagined she looked like so much carved meat.
Thankfully she was a fast healer and even as she lay there she could
sens her Body beginning to mend it self.
She cried out again as the pain rushed
over her in waves. She took a deep foul smelling breath .
“Hello?”
In response she herd the chattering of
Ghouls and the clanking of chains. Something moved in the darkness,
something slow and heavy.
Foul stench assaulted her as a
misshapen forum came in to view. He had once been huge, standing
almost Seven feet tall and weighing at least 300 pounds. Now he was a
shadow of his former self, folds of flesh hung from his corrupted
body. Ugly in life he was far worse now in Un-Death. He smiled a fang
filled smile, his breath was so foul she had to Vomit.
“Oh Qwelip, what have you done?”
“Done? What have I done Little girl?
Why do you find my shape disturbing? Are you Scared!”
The thing that had once been Qwelip
stuck it's face right in hers,she was not sure if she was in fact
capable of feeling fear but the emotion that assaulted her at that
moment was as close to Terror as she had ever been.
She knew
that this thing could not truly harm her,that she would recover from
any damage it caused her eventually yet having it this close to her
did make her doubt. She knew she had to keep it distracted long
enough for her to regain her strength.
“What are you?”
“What am I, not who? Interesting
that you would Phrase it that way? Most would ask who. Very clever
little girl.”
The thing paused, it gestured about
the dark chamber to the many ghouls that now filled it.
“Do you not like my kingdom? Do you
not marvel at my Army? Are you not impressed? Are you not Afraid? “
Grinning, it stuck it's face in hers.
It's long claw tipped fingers tracing small wounds along her flesh.
It peeled off a strip of her skin and swallowed it.
“I'm afraid Qwelip is gone and I
have taken it's place. I waited a long time for someone strong enough
to contain my power and he was perfect. I know not what he sought to
find in my realm,all he found was me!”
“He was sent to find something in
this place by the Lord of our town and he will not be happy when
Qwelip does not return!”
“What of you little girl? Will any
one be upset when you don't come back. Will you be missed when you
take your place in my army?”
“Army,there nothing but children!
Where did you get them? What do you think these things will
accomplish?”
“ Children? That's no way to talk
about your new family. As for Where they came from? Some came from
Socket, others from White Palm. Still more from Scion and Bradly.
There are many pocket of life in this waste land if you know where to
look. Did you not know that?”
As a matter of fact, she did not. She
had been lead to believe that Socket was the only speck of
civilization in the waste.
“Ah I see you did not, perhaps the
people of Socket did not want you to know. Keep you to themselves
yes. Greedy humans!”
The thing laughed, it was a noise like
tumbling rocks! It made her shiver.
“As for what I plan to do with these
children? You will soon know. Enough about me. What is a little girl
doing in my kingdom by herself looking for this skin I wear? Who is
he to you that you would risk your life in this place? A friend? A
father? A Lover?”
“No, he was nothing. Just someone I
knew. I was looking for him for the reward.”
“By yourself? A mere snip of a thing
you are!”
“ism not so little There is more to
me then you can know beast.”
“You certainly do not talk like a
child. You held your self well against my children with nothing more
then a knife, and even now I see your wounds are healing. Who are
you, tell me before I kill you?”
Melody had wasted enough time,she felt
her full strength return.
“Who I am is not the question you
should be asking beast! You should be asking yourself the same
question that I asked you. What am I?”
The beast drew a long blood covered
blade from its sheathe and pointed it at her.
“Very well child, I'll play your
game. What then are you?”
Melody smiled and closed her eyes.
Reaching deep inside herself to the powers of her birthright.
“I am the great green fire!”
With that she let it go.
Birthed
to bring about the end of the world,yet abandoned and forgotten by
the powers that created her. She had been left with only a fraction
of the destructive energies that were to be her weapon against all
creation.
She had first discovered the great green fire that
burnt inside her by accident. An accident that had burnt for Two days
and left her fleeing the only home she had known.
In the years
that followed she had mastered her birthright and now it responded to
her like a well trained pet. Eager to do her biding,to bring about
destruction. It was the power that caused city’s to burn.
The thing that had once been Qwelip
had never stood a chance.
She watched as the Ghouls and there
master burnt, screaming. They ran but the fire followed
them,everything it touched turning to pale green ash in seconds.
Wood,stone,iron, flesh! It all fell before the might of the green
fire.
Melody stood up in the center of her creation and watched
as it did it's work. She felt sorry for the children but then they
had stopped being children when the spirit had changed them. She took
no joy from the power, it was a tool nothing more.
She let it burn for a bit,assuring her
self hat no aspect of the Ghoul army or it's dark master remained.
Then she called it back to her and reabsorbed it.
Gingerly she walked out of the fallen
temple and took stock of her situation. Over the years she had
discovered other more practical uses for the fire besides
destruction. With a wave of her hand's she replaced her tattered
clothing with a new dress.
She was happy to see the hell hound
pup was unharmed and was happily devouring the crispy corpses of the
ghouls. She snapped her fingers and it came bouncing to her side. She
smiled and petted it, a friend for her journey would be nice.
She
pondered the dark specters words, that there were other pockets of
civilization out here besides Socket? She wondered what they were
like,where the old road beneath her feet would take her? To Scion? To
Bradly or perhaps even to her beloved ocean? Oh to sail again she
thought. To feel the see beneath her. She had no reason to return to
Socket and the fact she had been misled did not sit comfortably with
her.
“Time for something new” She said
to her self and with smile began to walk.
They would speak of the fire at the
pale temple for a day or Two and then forgot it. If any one ever
wondered what became of Qwelip or the strange little girl who went to
find him, they did nothing about it. It was just another story that
haunted the nights in Socket.
