I know this isnt the greatest in the world, but this was the first attempt from a very illiterate person at the bardics a while back. I thought it was interesting, I know not the best diction and such, but still interesting. Nothing like blood and guts.

In Search of Glory

My team was solid, resolute, and unwavering. The taste of victory burned in our mouths, as the opposing teams clashed into each other with the explosions and bright lights of magic and the smell of burning flesh. I cautiously led my team to the platform outside the water temple, and we all watched as the teams fought for the glory of the win. The wargame teams all consisted of three team members representing each guild from New Celest.

Each team consisted of the Champion of their guild and two of their best security members. I, Lord Norrith, Shakiniel’s Charge, Champion of the Paladin guild, and my two finest security marshals watched the two groups fighting their tremendous battle, studying for weaknesses and strengths in both sides.

The water inside the temple surged and angry waves swelled, threatening to swallow the three bards whole. Sizzling hot rain was pouring unceasingly as the bards played and sang their beautiful, yet deadly songs. An explosion of multi-colored light erupted and a swirling maelstrom of colors, created by one of the bards, began to spin recklessly around the three mages.

The battle raged on intensely. Both sides were healing seemingly perfect, and employing multiple strategies trying to best their foes. The lead tossed back and forth from the mages to the bards as water crashed down upon the bards with tremendous force and the piercing notes of the instruments ripped into the flesh of the mages. The waters started to drain down to around ankle depth, the searing hot rain ceased, and the waves turned to slight ripples on the surface of the crystal clear water, now turning to puddles. Then, surprising the bards and my team alike, a massive geyser erupted from the middle of the Aquamancers, blocking sight of their team for no more than two seconds. When it finally dissipated, we noticed the water surging once again, bright white foam started to bubble next to the mages, waves roared once again with the same intensity as before. We turned our attention back to the bards to see how they would counter, but they just had strange tired looks on their faces, and they were acting…differently. We looked to the Aquamancers and saw only the two security members left. Our eyes pierced through the cosmos and allowed us to view recent deaths, we saw none of the Champion dreamweaver. What we did see though, is brilliant small motes of light rising from the waters and sinking into the skin of the three unsuspecting bards who began to immediately look tired and fall asleep.

The bards tried multiple fruitless attempts at staying awake, but their actions stopped short, as if voided by something. One of the Cantor security members fell to his knees grabbing his head and screaming “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!”. The other security member’s eyes started to tear up with blood and vessels began to rupture throughout his body. The Cantor champion was fast asleep, but kicking and flailing about wildly as if trying to escape or fight something inside of him. Then, in almost perfect unison, the head of the first security member exploded in a flurry of blood and brain matter. The second grabbed at his chest and let out a surprised piercing scream cut short by a loud gurgling sound just before his heart erupted inside his chest, sending rib fragments showering down from above and turning the water from a brilliant cyan blue to a dark crimson red. Finally, the champion stood up with a wild look on his face of near insanity, gave a short giggle, and ran head first into the nearest temple wall, immediately falling over, dead before he hit the ground. A ghostly apparition appeared from his body and immediately floated eerily to the north, and within seconds, the Aquamancer champion emerged, a warn drawn look upon his face.

The arena announcer shouted over New Celest’s city aether: “The Green Team has been annihilated!!! A fierce and well played battle on both sides. Only the blue and red teams remain. Teams, prepare for Glory!”

I prepared my team as best I could, warning them of my daring plan. We were ready; for glory, for death if needed, and everything we were sure to face in between. We entered the bloody waters of the ancient water temple and immediately felt the chill of the icy waters and the sting of the hundreds of tiny jellyfish swimming around our ankles. The steaming hot rain began to fall and made our gleaming silver full plate mail almost unbearable to keep on. We began to sink into the crimson waters as the rain pierced our flesh like needles, stripping away our elemental defenses. It was slow going. When we finally made our way into the room of the three Aquamancers, we were immediately pummeled by showers of hailstones the size of our fists, falling from dark grey clouds drifting angrily overhead; only a minor annoyance to surged warriors. When the last hailstone had fallen, we began our offensive. Sturin, my second in command, swept his mighty klangaxe through the air, hitting the dreamweaver champion straight in the left leg with a puissant blow, nearly cutting it off completely. Renthan, my most talented bonecrusher, leapt forward, heaving his golden morningstars up and crushing the enemy telekenetic in the head, the second hit crushing his windpipe. I immediately sprang forward behind Sturin, leapt over his golden retriever, and lunged my prismatic silver scimitars deep into the opposing champion’s chest, coming within two centimeters of his heart. The two aqua security members rushed to the aid of their injured champion, sending deadly telepathic and telekinetic psionics towards me and my two marshals.

That’s when it happened, what we were waiting and hoping for. The Aquamancer champion stood up and disappeared through a massive geyser, emerging centered in his demesne two rooms away to the north. There was a slight smile on the two mage’s faces when the geyser dissipated; that is, until they saw that Norrith was gone as well. They immediately turned to the north and prepared to flee to warn and help their champion, but Renthur and Sturin immediately leapt forward, crushing and swinging at their legs, attempting to cut off or pulverize them. The mages were took by surprise and took longer than they should have to cure their afflictions, giving the two Paladins the chance to block the north exit and make the ground hallowed. Sturin’s golden retriever then joined the fray by running up and clamping down on the telekinetic’s arm, biting down to the bone and effectively clamping it. The mages were effectively trapped in with the warriors leaving their champion doomed.

I had followed the Aqua champion through his geyser undetected, and waited patiently for my chance. The dreamweaver settled down in a corner, crossed his arms, and went to sleep with a look of deep concentration on his face. I then saw the waters there foam, and the same strange white motes of light drifting dangerously to the south. I waited patiently for my chance. An apparition of the dream weaver stood up out of the champion’s body and started drifting to the south to join his comrades. It was then that I lunged forward with puissant strength, and pierced the heart of the champion mage with both blades. Crystal clear water and deep bright red blood poured from the hole in the mage’s chest. He died moments later from the bleeding, unable to awaken to clot and heal his wounds in time. We had won I thought, I was sure of it! I ran to the south to rejoin my comrades and claim the victory with my team.

When I ran to the south, to my shock and despair, I found Sturin on the ground, his chest oozing with blood and a sliver of spine where his head should have been. My heart sank to the floor at the loss of my comrade, but I pressed on, following the sounds of battle to finally meet Renthur and the two mages fighting an intense battle. Both mages had large welts on their legs, deep gashes in their chests, and fractured skulls. I joined the battle, me and Renthur both concentrating on the telepath. We scored multiple blows, and finally I managed to slit his throat and pin his leg to the floor. As if that was his cue, Renthur brought together what strength he could, leapt forward for the last time, and beheaded the enemy telepath, falling over dead himself having bled to death from the bursted blood vessels caused by the telekinetic. I whipped around as quick as I could, to find…nothing. The telekinetic had disappeared. I heard something behind me, from where the telepaths body lay, and before I could even turn to face the sound, a strange yet oddly familiar, icy cold burst of water hit me square in the face.

“Wake up! Your late for your collegium classes again! I swear if you fail one more task its off to Serenwilde for you. Now get up!”

That voice was all too familiar to me. When I finally regained my senses I realized I was still Page Norrith, of the Armies of Light, a mere peasant of The Righteous Principality of New Celest, and a simple Page in the Paladin guild. Just another dream and another day on my search for glory.

And as a side note. Why dont bardics and such have a scoring system like the theatre and library winning thingy? Would be nice to see the scores of the winner, runner-ups, and merit people in case your like me and want to see how close you can get to it. Would be nice, and I dont see how it would be hard to do. Just grade each and auto send grade messages to everyone who sent in something but didnt win anything, and show grades of winners in the news.