Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Story Chain!

Deana Barnhart's Blogfest is alive and kicking!

For Week 2, a gang of fellow writers are conswirling our creative consciousnesses in a blog-o-sphere story chain. How fun!

My assignment: "This is the crisis point. So give it to us!" I have to use the words cliff, shout, and tooth pick somewhere in my piece of the chain.


Here's my contribution for Week 2:

 Story Chain

Find out what went before: by Rachel Dillon

"Trapped?" gaped Dio. "What do you mean? And seriously, how do you speak dead?"

Roddern looked at her sadly but only said, "The Front Guard fae should be arriving soon. Don't speak too--"

The blue ghost of her father stiffened. It was odd to see, like a cloud coalescing into a solid. Then the ghost disappeared.

In his place were two dark-clad elves, warriors with stern faces and yellow eyes. The torchlight flickered, illuminating their pupils: a shocking green, like the color of Dio's pendant.

"We seek the High Council for audience," said Roddern immediately as they gazed at him. The laughter had gone from his voice, and Dio felt her breath catch in her throat. If he could speak to the ghost of her father, was it because he, too, was...? She couldn't finish the thought.

The taller elf, whose hand smoothly played with the fletching of an arrow, gave a sly smile and glanced at Dio. "They heard she was arriving," he said in a voice soft as moonlight on the flat surface of a polished stone. "They know what she wants."

Roddern shook is head in warning, but too late. Dio pushed forward. What did she want? A new name, her purple book, vengeance against Tony and Sandy for tricking her--"My parents," she said, knowing that it was her true and single wish. She heard Roddern hiss angrily, even as the sly smile pulled into a full, mirthless grin on the elf's strong, handsome face. A row of gleaming teeth appeared in his mouth, sharp as tooth picks. "Where are they?" Dio demanded, hating that smile, clutching the pendant under her t-shirt. "You know where they are!"

Something was happening to the trees. They shimmered first, as if made of water or moonlight, then vanished altogether. The grounded rumbled, trembling, crackling, splintering beneath her feet.

Dio gave a shout and leapt back as a tree root shot upward like a dagger just where she'd been standing. She grabbed Roddern's arm, yanking him with her as she concentrated on lifting off the ground, flying once more.

And a good thing she did: her feet now hovered inches over the mouth of a deep chasm. Where the two Front Guard fae had been standing, there was now only a ragged cliff, bald and sad-looking in the broken darkness.


Find out what's happening next: by An Alleged Author

26 comments:

  1. Oh geez, that's long. Sorry!! But so fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love that you worked in all the ideas from previous posts: the purple book, Tony and Sandy, new name, her flying skills :) Nicely done!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey! I wanted to email you but didn't see a link. Rachel (http://throughendangeredeyes.blogspot.com/) posted her excerpt of story so I think you're going off that one. Just in case you wanna change it before I go at 630 (330 yours and my time).

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Geez--spelling mistakes abound! Let me try this again.

    I absolutely love this! Beautifully written, riveting-great eye for detail!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh no! I just saw... erm Let's see if I can make it work, Alleged Author. Can you hold off?

    ReplyDelete
  7. No worries at all since you have this entire 1/2 hour. :) I start at 3:30p.m. according the D's blog list.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, love your use of metaphor! Lots of cool action too ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love your description! And I'm so glad the flying came in handy again.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh no, did I mess something up with time? So, sorry. Lora, awesome job. The tension was wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. We're definitely in crisis. I appreciate how you pulled a few threads through and let us know what Dio wants.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Now the stress is over. :P I loved that you set up high-stakes suspense!

    ReplyDelete
  13. On the edge of my seat now!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awesome - I really want to know what happens next!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Smoking post Lora!!! I am so happy that you brought to mind all the unfinished subplots:)

    And way to come together with the chains being thrown off a bit:)

    I just love you guys!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Way to pull it together Lora! Again. I read your first post and then the one where you cahnged it. I'm talking, you work on the fly girl:)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Gorgeous! I wished mine was longer. Sheesh, yours was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Will their powers fade as the chasm yawns beneath them? I don't know - got to go to the next blog!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great post, Lora :) Thanks for bringing in the necklace! hehehe

    ReplyDelete
  20. Excellent wrap up for the next piece.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow, that was an exciting scene. I loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Nice addition, Lora! I can't wait to see the chain all put together.

    BTW - We have a lot of the same follower-friends so I thought I'd come on over for a visit. Thought I'd follow you, too, if that's okay. Please come on over to my place some time. I love to give and receive comments and meet new folks, especially the writer kind.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I don't understand if you are the creator or Rachel Dillon(?) but I am very touched by that fragment. I am a restless consumer of fantasy art and literature. Moreover I believe in fairies and I am certain they believe in us :). I am truly happy I found you, I wish I could find more people who share the same "beliefs" in magic and fantastic worlds.

    ReplyDelete
  24. @Unikorna Thank you! The idea for the story chain actually came from Deana Barnhart. I was writer #18 or so in the chain, Rachel Dillon came before me, and Alleged Author came after. It was a lot of fun, and I adore fantasy. My first reading and writing love.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I hate that my silly self missed this story chain!!! I'm so glad it turned out so well!!!

    ReplyDelete