Rule of Three Blogfest - Part 4

The golden town - Part 1.

Protagonist: Rina
WC: 600

Prompts:There is an argument AND There is fear of an impending misfortune

The golden town - Part 2.

Protagonist: Mr Cluthe (aka Cluthe)

WC: 600

Prompts: Someone is killed or almost killed

The golden town - Part 3.

Protagonist: Garrett
WC: 600

Prompts: Betrayal is in the air

The golden town - Part 4.

WC: 600

Prompts: The final event becomes another secret for generations to come

  Cluthe opened the journal and recited a passage.

  ‘Bind ancient beauty with new life. Mix three drops of knowledge with fire and ice.’

  Enlightenment washed over Garrett, he knew how to redeem himself. ‘I watched Traylor perform spells like that. We can use the fresh grass to represent new life. Just a few more blades, Rina.’

  They took back streets through the town, moving between shadows. At The Schiavona Glass Store Garrett told Rina to steal a goblet made from the molten Schiavona sands. Continuing past the dry well they ran north to the Assart Forest.

  A mile past the tree line they skirted the circumference of the huge abyss that had once swallowed the end of the Espadon River taking it under ground where it had supplied the well. The seemingly bottomless hole yawned back at them.

  From there they traced the dry river bed high into the Roundeli Mountains. Garrett stopped to inspect the tree trunks. At the fifth he found what he was looking for – a scar with dried sap curling from it. Cluthe reopened the wound and collected the sticky substance.

  When they arrived at the geyser, known as the Fountain of Truth, all they found was a small hole spitting water at irregular intervals.

  Garret and Rina waited whilst Cluthe collected snow from higher up the mountain.

  ‘We need your pendant for the spell, Rina.’

  ‘But my daddy gave me this.’ She clutched it protectively.

  ‘I must make things right. Everything that’s happened is because I helped my father poison the well. Your diamond is essential to restoring the balance.’

  When Cluthe returned Rina had combined the diamond, grass and tree sap into a small nugget, she placed it in the centre of the snow filled goblet.

  ‘Stand back children.’

  Cluthe knelt at the hole, muttering words as he caught the spitting Waters. With the third drop the contents of the goblet began to transform into a glowing orb, the symbol of the town.

  The ball of magic leapt from his hands into the geyser hole. A large cracking sound was followed by an explosion of water that launched Cluthe into the air. There was a second cracking sound as he landed, his head hit the rock that Rina had taken cover behind.

  The Waters rained down, bathing her with knowledge of the past and future. As Rina checked the lifeless body of Cluthe The Waters began to flow along the river bed created centuries ago.

  Garrett finally understood the prophecies that Traylor had been writing all these years. Apparently now was the time that he was meant to understand.

  Rina didn’t see Garrett pass over to the other side, she was distracted by the journal in her hands; the cover now read Rina’s Journal. Her father’s legacy meant she would be the next Guardian of the Fountain of Truth.

  By the time Rina reached the town the well was replenished and the Culdees promised new growth. It seemed that all the town’s inhabitants had congregated to witness the spectacle of light and water high in the Roundeli’s.

  Over time the intruders left the town. They felt an inexplicable urge to be elsewhere.

  As the years passed many told tales of what they witnessed that night, their stories were repeated from one generation to the next, each more sensational than the one before. Without realising it they became more accurate and closer to the truth. Some would instinctively feel the truth and set out to find the magical town, none ever did. Some would write about it… and so the legend of RENAISSANCE was born.

Rule of Three Blogfest - Part 3

The golden town - Part 1.

Protagonist: Rina
WC: 600

Prompts:There is an argument AND There is fear of an impending misfortune

The golden town - Part 2.

Protagonist: Mr Cluthe (aka Cluthe)

WC: 600

Prompts: Someone is killed or almost killed

The golden town - Part 3.

Protagonist: Garrett
WC: 600

Prompts: Betrayal is in the air

  Garrett walked a perimeter around the bloody mess of a man that had been chasing Rina only seconds ago. How did this dying man know anything of the well?

  The man’s shallow breaths were ragged. A broken branch protruded from his right side; to his left he hugged the miraculously unbroken jam jar with its precious contents. Garrett’s surprise was replaced by disbelief, to the man’s right, just beyond the reach of his outstretched hand, lay an open book. He knew what it was instantly.

  Traylor’s journal!

  When he was alive he’d run his fingers over those pages, as though they might understand what his eyes could not. The language written within was nonsense to him – The Waters had gifted Traylor with knowledge of ancient languages. Garrett had questioned him on the contents of his journal. The only reply he received was if you were meant to understand it you would. It was his least favourite answer, it infuriated him. He had drunk The Waters time and time again, in the vain hope of understanding everything. But his reward was an unending curse - eternal childhood.

  ‘What did he say?’

  Garrett jumped as Rina spoke from behind him. He masked his surprise at her return with an ineffectual kick to the man’s leg. He was good at lying, just not on the spot.

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘Did he say he can save the town? What’s that book?’

  ‘Um… you shouldn’t touch it. No! Don’t do that, it could be contaminated. You don’t know…’

  ‘It’s Traylor’s journal…’

  ‘Well, we should hide it in Herriot’s Pass. The Venti don’t want it falling into the wrong hands. We could study it together; you could turn the pages for me, for… um… us.’ It was the Venti’s interest in that tome that had alerted him to the true value of the unintelligible symbols within.

  ‘No, we need to heal him. He could have answers.’

  Stupid girl, this was not the time for her to start thinking for herself. He watched as she opened the jar, frustrated by his inability to stop her. He was surprised that she didn’t even wince as she extracted the length of branch. She was careless with The Waters as she dowsed his wound and poured a little into his mouth.

  Garrett watched as fresh sprigs of grass sprang up between the brown scrub on the forest floor. At least her wastage was proof that the dwindling Waters still had life within them.

  They waited.

  It was fear that kept Garrett rooted to the rock where he sat. If The Waters were restored to the well would his part in the town’s demise be discovered? Although he shared the responsibility for the thousands that had died, he feared that the dead would seek revenge on him if they knew the part he had played.

  He had only borne Rina’s presence for the information she gave him. Now she had told the Venti about him he knew his father would come looking for him. He had always feared his father, dying had not changed that.

  The man opened his eyes, sat up, and looked at each of them in turn. His proximity to death and intake of The Waters had changed him. Garrett could see the wary understanding as their eyes locked. He wondered what gift The Waters had bestowed upon him.

  The man smiled at them both.

  ‘It seems we have a job to do. My name is Mr Cluthe.’

  He extended his hand, Rina shook it.

  ‘Rina Griswald.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you.’

  Cluthe waited for the boy to respond.

  ‘Garrett Rollick.’

Rule of Three Blogfest - Part 2

The golden town - Part 1.

Protagonist: Rina
WC: 600

Prompts:There is an argument AND There is fear of an impending misfortune

The golden town - Part 2.

Protagonist: Mr Cluthe (aka Cluthe)

WC: 600

Prompts: Someone is killed or almost killed

  He watched the child disappear into the sparse forest. She was small, but packed a powerful punch when running at full speed.

  Her pursuers appeared – their tension was palpable. A woman stepped forward, ‘Did a little girl run past here?’ She had a mother’s fear in her voice.

  ‘She ran that way.’ Cluthe indicated the opposite direction.

  The oldest man took charge, ‘Rollick, take the inner Kris, you might reach her sooner. Dora, go with him. The rest of us will follow behind her.’

  While they were distracted Cluthe shot a look over his shoulder; the tell-tale bobbing of the heavy fir branches had ceased.

  ‘Can I help?’

  The groups took off at a trot ignoring his faux offer of assistance. None of them noticed the leather bound book tucked under his arm, if they had things might have ended very differently.

  Alone again Cluthe turned and followed in the footsteps of the girl. Within minutes he was at the base of the Major Gauche at the start of a narrow path that climbed its side. Even though he moved slowly his feet slipped on loose shingles.

  The path felt steeper than it looked, boulders of perspiration rolled down his face. High up he came to a platform wide enough to take a rest, he was not fit, his legs were wrecked.

  Since arriving in Renaissance he’d found that suspicion was rife, so had taken notes and made sketches as discreetly as he could. When he’d been caught sketching the etchings under the golden orb at the town’s centre he explained that he was an artist. The raised eyebrows he received in answer told him they thought him deluded by his talent. He’d maintained a friendly smile, it didn’t matter what they thought as long as they didn’t discover the truth.

  As his breath returned to normal he heard another sound, whispering. It had an eerie quality. He found that he could only hear the whispers whilst crouched; the quietest way to travel at this level was on hands and knees. He grimaced with every movement; the shingles were small, with sharp edges.

  A large rock covered an opening; the whispering was coming from in there. Only one word was audible, an emphatic Venti. As a linguist the only meaning he knew for that word was the Italian for 20.

  He crawled through the opening and found himself in a vast empty cavern. Instinct told him that he was not alone. He picked up the small jam jar in the centre of the chamber; a clear warm light emitted from its liquid contents, a mere centimetre of fluid. The light was akin to a summer’s dusk and didn’t reach the far recesses of the space.

  He understood what this water was, and needed to find its source, that was why he had come.

  He heard a noise behind him and turned just in time to see a small foot disappear through the entrance. He moved quickly after her.

  Outside again he saw her running with sure feet down the tricky path. His only thought was catching her. It took only a few steps for him to lose his footing and plummet over the side of the mountain. Before he hit the ground a broken branch pierced his lung.

  Taking ragged breaths blood bubbled from his lips, pooling in his nostrils and streaming down the sides of his face.

  Garrett was a child, but looked down at him with an adult’s hatred.

  ‘Please help me. Take me to the well.’

  The boy looked surprised.

  ‘I know how to save your town.’

Oh dear! Have I scuppered myself?

Blogfest - Part 2

The second prompt for the #REN3 Blogfest has been posted.

http://amloki.blogspot.com/

In the second prompt blog there is an outline for the judging parameters...one of them being the number of characters...THREE, no more, no less. I think I interpreted the initial posting for this competition slightly differently.

Although I introduced all three characters in the first part there were also a few 'supporting cast members' which may feature too prominently and possibly go against me in the judging - oh dear! - and the final roundup of the three protagonists might be a surprise to those that are judging the submissions. 

I will just have to make sure the next few installments are super dooper good to make up for it...:0)

At the moment I will probably follow two of the prompts:

   Someone is killed, or almost killed.

   And

   One of the characters is revealed to be not who he or she is.

I shall get writing later on today, already running scenarios in my mind.

Rule of Three Blogfest - Part 1

The golden town - Part 1.

Protagonist: Rina
WC: 600

Prompts:There is an argument AND There is fear of an impending misfortune

 

  My name is Rina now, and my mother calls herself Dora. I can’t remember my name from before, mother forbade me from saying it again. I treasured it in my mind for a while, but eventually it seemed pointless to hold onto it.

  I remember the first time I asked my mother why the 20 of us who remained changed our names, along with that of the town. Her brief answer did not satisfy my curiosity. The next time I questioned her I was answered with a look that convinced me to stay quiet on the matter forever.

  The only option I was left with was to spy on the conversations of the Venti.

  ‘We have to get rid of them.’ Rollick said.

  ‘What do you mean?’ – My mother.

  ‘You know exactly what I mean Dora.’

  ‘Then you should say it Rollick. Stop beating around the bush.’

  I couldn’t see her face from where I hid behind the stacks of chairs, but I knew that tone. It was a dare.

  ‘Kill!’

  The angry shake in Rollick’s voice made my stomach quiver with fear. No one spoke for a long time, and it felt as though that word was echoing around my head.

  ‘You’re talking about murdering 313 people.’ – Dr. Lazzo? I needed to see. I wriggled between the chair legs to get closer.

  ‘I’m talking about protecting the Fountain of Truth.’ Rollick’s voice still shook.

  I could see feet.

  ‘Even if we did as you say others would come. The Culdees are dying, our eastern border is vulnerable.’

  Knees!

  ‘Then we’ll use the Dark Ages as inspiration…heads on spikes! That would send potential intruders running in the opposite direction. Even if someone had Traylor’s journal it might give them pause for thought.’ What did Rollick mean about Traylor?

  As soon as I could see their faces I wished I couldn’t. They all looked terrified. My stomach was in knots.

  ‘This is a Venti decision, Rollick. We must all agree on what action to take.’ – Dr. Lazzo.

  Rollick looked away and directly at me. I jumped back a second too late and without thought for the precariously balanced chairs above me. When one toppled it set off a chain reaction across the piles.

  ‘Rina!’ My mother rushed forward to pull me free while the others just stared.

  A few of the chairs hit my head hard. Tears threatened, but I wouldn’t let them see me cry. I channelled the pain into anger.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Rollick clearly thought I didn’t belong.

  ‘I’m one of the Venti; you can’t make a Venti decision without all 20 members! Stop leaving me out!’ Even as I stamped my foot I realised I sounded younger than ever. ‘I hate you all!’ I turned to leave.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Rollick blocked my exit.

  ‘To talk to my real friend.’

  ‘Who’s this friend Dora? Has she been passing on information to the intruders?’

  ‘It’s just a pretend friend.’

  ‘No it’s not! It’s Garrett.’

  The whole room froze with wide eyes.

  ‘Darling, Garrett is gone. He’s dead.’

  ‘He’s dead, but not gone.’ The startled room did nothing to stop me leaving.

  I heard the Venti members chasing me. Blinded by frightened tears I bumped into Mr Cluthe, a sickly man that had arrived just two weeks ago, he stumbled backwards a few steps.

  I barely paused.

  Mr Cluthe heard the approaching search party and called after me.

  ‘Why are you running child?’

  I didn’t answer. I had to get to the hidden entrance of Heriot’s Pass where Garrett waited with the rest of the dead.