diff --git a/content/posts/meppa-1/index.md b/content/posts/meppa-1/index.md index fa9a4a0..464f7d4 100644 --- a/content/posts/meppa-1/index.md +++ b/content/posts/meppa-1/index.md @@ -11,29 +11,47 @@ showZenMode = true ## Chapter One -A sinking feeling crept through her stomach as the sun worked its way through her tent flap. She had not slept that night, how could she? It was finally the day for her pilgrimage and **Meppa** did not feel like she had the strength to do it. +A sinking feeling crept through her stomach as the sun worked its way through her tent flap. She had not slept that +night, how could she? It was finally the day for her pilgrimage and **Meppa** did not feel like she had the strength to +do it. -She lay there allowing time to pass, listening to the sounds of her kin barking and making their way. She could stay here forever, hiding from the world. The warm breeze flowed into the tent, touching her face gently with the first warmth of the day. The breeze was heavy with the humidity of summer, her journey would not be fraught with the fogs of spring or fall. This did not raise her spirits, but instead made her stomach sink further at the thought of the dangers awaiting on the road. +She lay there allowing time to pass, listening to the sounds of her kin barking and making their way. She could stay +here forever, hiding from the world. The warm breeze flowed into the tent, touching her face gently with the first +warmth of the day. The breeze was heavy with the humidity of summer, her journey would not be fraught with the fogs of +spring or fall. This did not raise her spirits, but instead made her stomach sink further at the thought of the dangers +awaiting on the road. -Her mind wandered to vivid visions of being torn to pieces by wolves. She shook her head to try and rid her mind of these thoughts and instead imagined being crushed by a large bear. She clenched her eyes tightly and felt herself falling, and beneath her was a gathering of sharp rocks greeting her like the teeth of some horrific beast. +Her mind wandered to vivid visions of being torn to pieces by wolves. She shook her head to try and rid her mind of +these thoughts and instead imagined being crushed by a large bear. She clenched her eyes tightly and felt herself +falling, and beneath her was a gathering of sharp rocks greeting her like the teeth of some horrific beast. She screamed and jumped out of her cot. “I need control, I need control…” she began to chirp under her breath as she feverishly looked around. -She went over to her travel pack and began to meticulously check everything she had packed. She knew it was all there, but the ritual gave her comfort. It was a tactic she used to ground herself in times of uncertainty or fear. Slowly she calmed down, things would be OK, she would not be alone; **Dekkara** would be with her. +She went over to her travel pack and began to meticulously check everything she had packed. She knew it was all there, +but the ritual gave her comfort. It was a tactic she used to ground herself in times of uncertainty or fear. Slowly she +calmed down, things would be OK, she would not be alone; **Dekkara** would be with her. -After wrapping herself in her travel garb, she carefully wrapped her tail and grabbed the only thing her parents left behind for her, a chipped and fractured scale. Despite its age, It still shone brightly with a fiery red; proof of the longevity and divinity of **Kaelrath**. +After wrapping herself in her travel garb, she carefully wrapped her tail and grabbed the only thing her parents left +behind for her, a chipped and fractured scale. Despite its age, It still shone brightly with a fiery red; proof of the +longevity and divinity of **Kaelrath**. -Leaving her tent, she saw that most of the camp had already been broken down in preparation for the beginning of the journey. Sitting next to a small fire was **Meppa’s** sister, **Dekkara**, who quickly noticed her sister and motioned for her to join her. +Leaving her tent, she saw that most of the camp had already been broken down in preparation for the beginning of the +journey. Sitting next to a small fire was **Meppa’s** sister, **Dekkara**, who quickly noticed her sister and motioned +for her to join her. “A late start today!” **Dekkara** gleefully exclaimed. “Was not ready,” **Meppa** grumbled. -Her sister was always the optimist, she had been waiting for this pilgrimage nearly her whole life. **Meppa**, however, had been dreading it. Her sister pulled a rusty pan with some sizzling eggs on it and offered it to **Meppa**. +Her sister was always the optimist, she had been waiting for this pilgrimage nearly her whole life. **Meppa**, however, +had been dreading it. Her sister pulled a rusty pan with some sizzling eggs on it and offered it to **Meppa**. -**Meppa** excitedly started scarfing them down, she loved the crunchy shells the most. Her sister proceeded to go and pack up their tent, and **Meppa’s** eyes slowly drifted southward. Just barely visible over the horizon was a gleaming red jewel, **Kaelrath the Ember of the South**, perched upon her mountain gazing upon the valley of **Fallenstar**. That was her destination, that was her pilgrimage. +**Meppa** excitedly started scarfing them down, she loved the crunchy shells the most. Her sister proceeded to go and +pack up their tent, and **Meppa’s** eyes slowly drifted southward. Just barely visible over the horizon was a gleaming +red jewel, **Kaelrath the Ember of the South**, perched upon her mountain gazing upon the valley of **Fallenstar**. That +was her destination, that was her pilgrimage. ## Continue reading {{< article link="/posts/meppa-2/" showSummary=true compactSummary=true >}} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/content/posts/meppa-2/index.md b/content/posts/meppa-2/index.md index ab110bc..b9ddd33 100644 --- a/content/posts/meppa-2/index.md +++ b/content/posts/meppa-2/index.md @@ -11,39 +11,70 @@ showZenMode = true ## Chapter Two -The journey was slow and arduous. **Meppa** had never walked so far in her entire life. Her travel party avoided the main paths, which was the custom to avoid the **Tall Creatures** as they were considered dangerous. This did mean that they had to travel through the wilds, which brought their own perils to the small group. Thankfully, they had **Kip**, the navigator. +The journey was slow and arduous. **Meppa** had never walked so far in her entire life. Her travel party avoided the +main paths, which was the custom to avoid the **Tall Creatures** as they were considered dangerous. This did mean that +they had to travel through the wilds, which brought their own perils to the small group. Thankfully, they had **Kip**, +the navigator. -This was not **Kip’s** first pilgrimage, his first journey was during the cold months, and he still has never talked about the journey. All that is known is of the 7 that set out for **Kaelrath**, only 4 returned. Since then **Kip** had become a bit of a loner, preferring the wilds to the warm safety of **Yipton**. Supposedly, the eldest council even requested to speak with him in **Fathomsreach** but **Kip** never talked much of that if it did happen. All **Meppa** knew was she was thankful **Kip** was there now. No one knew the wilds like he did. +This was not **Kip’s** first pilgrimage, his first journey was during the cold months, and he still has never talked +about the journey. All that is known is of the 7 that set out for **Kaelrath**, only 4 returned. Since then **Kip** had +become a bit of a loner, preferring the wilds to the warm safety of **Yipton**. Supposedly, the eldest council even +requested to speak with him in **Fathomsreach** but **Kip** never talked much of that if it did happen. All **Meppa** +knew was she was thankful **Kip** was there now. No one knew the wilds like he did. -Their camp was outside the settlement **Holey Town**. The **Tall Creatures** built this town in a foolish location as it seemed to be constantly under barrage of falling stars. The name, however, did elicit a humorous reaction from many in **Meppa’s** party, and it was often joked about back in **Yipton**. Honestly, **Meppa** was a bit curious about the settlement. She had never seen how the **Tall Creatures** lived, only heard of it. It was hard to object to **Dekkara** when she suggested going and checking it out. The lights of the town were within sight of their camp, and they shone as tantalizing beacons, beckoning her to delight in their presence. +Their camp was outside the settlement **Holey Town**. The **Tall Creatures** built this town in a foolish location as it +seemed to be constantly under barrage of falling stars. The name, however, did elicit a humorous reaction from many in +**Meppa’s** party, and it was often joked about back in **Yipton**. Honestly, **Meppa** was a bit curious about the +settlement. She had never seen how the **Tall Creatures** lived, only heard of it. It was hard to object to **Dekkara** +when she suggested going and checking it out. The lights of the town were within sight of their camp, and they shone as +tantalizing beacons, beckoning her to delight in their presence. Her willpower caved when the stars began to fall, and she and **Ekkard** left in the middle of the night. -Outside Holey Town**, the two sisters found themselves before an ocean of wheat. **Dekkara** reassured **Meppa** that it was safe, any of the **Tall Creatures** would be asleep at this time. They both crawled cautiously through the seemingly endless field of wheat until they finally found the end. **Meppa’s** heart sank, before them stood another wall of wheat. They cautiously started to travel through the next endless forest of wheat until they exited, facing yet another wall of wheat. +Outside Holey Town**, the two sisters found themselves before an ocean of wheat. **Dekkara** reassured **Meppa** that it +was safe, any of the **Tall Creatures** would be asleep at this time. They both crawled cautiously through the seemingly +endless field of wheat until they finally found the end. **Meppa’s** heart sank, before them stood another wall of +wheat. They cautiously started to travel through the next endless forest of wheat until they exited, facing yet another +wall of wheat. “Where is the town?” Meppa asked nervously. “It can't be much farther.” Dekkara replied. -They slowly ventured into the next field of wheat, and **Meppa** could have sworn she heard rustling. She tugged on **Dekkara’s** tail and whispered in her ear. +They slowly ventured into the next field of wheat, and **Meppa** could have sworn she heard rustling. She tugged on +**Dekkara’s** tail and whispered in her ear. “I think I heard something, be still” -Both sisters froze in place and listened carefully. They could hear the wind, and a gentle crash in the distance as a star came crashing down to earth. What could only have been a few moments felt like an age, as they listened and waited in fear. **Meppa** could swear she heard something, she cautiously turned to her sister, ready to whisper that perhaps it was nothing when in a blink of an eye, her sister vanished. +Both sisters froze in place and listened carefully. They could hear the wind, and a gentle crash in the distance as a +star came crashing down to earth. What could only have been a few moments felt like an age, as they listened and waited +in fear. **Meppa** could swear she heard something, she cautiously turned to her sister, ready to whisper that perhaps +it was nothing when in a blink of an eye, her sister vanished. -**Meppa** could feel the wheat whipping by her and a bizarre pain in her tail as if a trap had snared her. She tried in desperation to grab anything to stop her unplanned abduction. Whatever had her whipped her around with ease, threatening to snap her neck with force. For only a moment whatever had taken her let go before a mouth of fangs and stinging pain gripped her by her neck. This was it, this was how **Meppa** would die. +**Meppa** could feel the wheat whipping by her and a bizarre pain in her tail as if a trap had snared her. She tried in +desperation to grab anything to stop her unplanned abduction. Whatever had her whipped her around with ease, threatening +to snap her neck with force. For only a moment whatever had taken her let go before a mouth of fangs and stinging pain +gripped her by her neck. This was it, this was how **Meppa** would die. -Snarling, pain, the taste of blood, the burning of her neck, the sound of the breeze blowing through the wheat. **Meppa** could feel her body failing her. The beast had her, she was nothing, she was weak. +Snarling, pain, the taste of blood, the burning of her neck, the sound of the breeze blowing through the wheat. +**Meppa** could feel her body failing her. The beast had her, she was nothing, she was weak. -A sudden howl of pain followed by a guttural screeching suddenly ceased the pain of daggers digging into **Meppa’s** neck, she tried to look and see, but her body refused to respond. Soon all she could hear was the sound of a blade stabbing a corpse repeatedly. The world went black. +A sudden howl of pain followed by a guttural screeching suddenly ceased the pain of daggers digging into **Meppa’s** +neck, she tried to look and see, but her body refused to respond. Soon all she could hear was the sound of a blade +stabbing a corpse repeatedly. The world went black. -**Meppa** awoke, being pulled by her tail once again; the creature still had her, where was her sister? She tried to look, tried to do anything to escape her fate, to find **Dekkara**. +**Meppa** awoke, being pulled by her tail once again; the creature still had her, where was her sister? She tried to +look, tried to do anything to escape her fate, to find **Dekkara**. “Please don’t struggle.” Came **Dekkara’s** voice. “You are wounded, I must get you to camp” -**Meppa** relaxed and felt herself losing consciousness. The embrace of the earth under her and the incessant itching sensation in her neck was the only thing keeping her awake. She would later learn that **Dekkara** had drugged her all the way back to camp, stopping several times to try and staunch her bleeding. **Meppa** and **Dekkara** were both spared the lectures due to **Meppa’s** condition, but they could feel the disapproval of the group. Such mistakes could not be made again, for both their sakes. +**Meppa** relaxed and felt herself losing consciousness. The embrace of the earth under her and the incessant itching +sensation in her neck was the only thing keeping her awake. She would later learn that **Dekkara** had drugged her all +the way back to camp, stopping several times to try and staunch her bleeding. **Meppa** and **Dekkara** were both spared +the lectures due to **Meppa’s** condition, but they could feel the disapproval of the group. Such mistakes could not be +made again, for both their sakes. ## Continue reading {{< article link="/posts/meppa-3/" showSummary=true compactSummary=true >}} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/content/posts/meppa-3/index.md b/content/posts/meppa-3/index.md index 333982b..eed6f30 100644 --- a/content/posts/meppa-3/index.md +++ b/content/posts/meppa-3/index.md @@ -11,14 +11,34 @@ showZenMode = true ## Chapter Three -He vanished in the night. No one knew where he went or if he went there voluntarily, but **Kip** was gone. **Meppa** was convinced he had probably been eaten by some monster, perhaps the same that had mauled her a week prior. Her neck had still not healed fully, even with medical attention from **Silbin** the healer of the group. Thanks to her, **Meppa** was likely to make a full recovery, but that was not her primary concern. +He vanished in the night. No one knew where he went or if he went there voluntarily, but **Kip** was gone. **Meppa** +was convinced he had probably been eaten by some monster, perhaps the same that had mauled her a week prior. Her neck +had still not healed fully, even with medical attention from **Silbin** the healer of the group. Thanks to her, **Meppa** +was likely to make a full recovery, but that was not her primary concern. -With the group gathered around their meager fire, one question remained, where do we go from here? **Meppa** just wanted to curl up and die, to dig a hole to hide in, maybe fill that hole with spikes... +With the group gathered around their meager fire, one question remained, where do we go from here? **Meppa** just wanted +to curl up and die, to dig a hole to hide in, maybe fill that hole with spikes... -It was **Dekkara** who took charge in the end. She said simply that, "If we head towards **Kaelrath**, we head towards our goal. She is watching over us!" This did seem to inspire the group with some hope, and even **Meppa** felt a bit of hope despite the desperation that she was drowning in. They decided the best course of action was to keep heading towards **Kaelrath** and avoid any **Tall Creature** towns. +It was **Dekkara** who took charge in the end. She said simply that, "If we head towards **Kaelrath**, we head towards +our goal. She is watching over us!" This did seem to inspire the group with some hope, and even **Meppa** felt a bit of +hope despite the desperation that she was drowning in. They decided the best course of action was to keep heading towards +**Kaelrath** and avoid any **Tall Creature** towns. -Leaving the outskirts of **Holey Town**, they could see **Kaelrath** through a break in the mountain range decorated with thick fogs. This was their most promising direction to head, and **Meppa** was certain their path would not take them through fogs. Without their navigator or even a map, their best bet was to travel as directly as they could. They soon found a river that cut through the mountain range. Following it, they reached a point in the river where it was joined by another creating an impassible obstacle, water. +Leaving the outskirts of **Holey Town**, they could see **Kaelrath** through a break in the mountain range decorated +with thick fogs. This was their most promising direction to head, and **Meppa** was certain their path would not take +them through fogs. Without their navigator or even a map, their best bet was to travel as directly as they could. They +soon found a river that cut through the mountain range. Following it, they reached a point in the river where it was +joined by another creating an impassible obstacle, water. -They put as much ingenuity as they could come up with to solve the problem, one considered a raft, but without proper materials or time this was not an option, another was to follow the river until its beginning. The idea that took the most interest was a catapult. They would simply propel themselves across, and its design was going to be significantly simpler than a raft. **Meppa** found herself as the unwilling test subject for the catapult, not only since she was unskilled at the arts of construction, but also due to the animosity that her traveling party had grown for her and her sister. **Dekkara** reassured her that it would be OK, **Meppa** was uncertain, she was not a strong swimmer, and the river was likely to sweep her away. +They put as much ingenuity as they could come up with to solve the problem, one considered a raft, but without proper +materials or time this was not an option, another was to follow the river until its beginning. The idea that took the +most interest was a catapult. They would simply propel themselves across, and its design was going to be significantly +simpler than a raft. **Meppa** found herself as the unwilling test subject for the catapult, not only since she was +unskilled at the arts of construction, but also due to the animosity that her traveling party had grown for her and her +sister. **Dekkara** reassured her that it would be OK, **Meppa** was uncertain, she was not a strong swimmer, and the +river was likely to sweep her away. -When the contraption was finalized, a rudimentary rope and a couple logs quickly assembled, **Meppa** found herself seated on the device with great uncertainty. The rope used to provide tension creaked and groaned under the stress it found itself in, threatening to explode at any moment. Her group released the catapult arm and **Meppa** found herself flying, she felt her stomach fly into her chest. The world went into slow motion as her heart raced \ No newline at end of file +When the contraption was finalized, a rudimentary rope and a couple logs quickly assembled, **Meppa** found herself +seated on the device with great uncertainty. The rope used to provide tension creaked and groaned under the stress it +found itself in, threatening to explode at any moment. Her group released the catapult arm and **Meppa** found herself +flying, she felt her stomach fly into her chest. The world went into slow motion as her heart raced \ No newline at end of file