Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep.This alarm dares disturb my sleep. And what’s worse: it’s not even mine. Five-hundred-twelve hertz, C5, fifty decibels – well above the threshold of hearing. Too high, and too loud. This sound was made to wake a different sleeper.The beeping continues for a few more minutes before finally shutting down. There are shuffling noises to my left, but I do my best to block them out. Valon can do whatever he wants this morning, but I’m not about to let him rob me of my precious shut-eye. A growing boy needs his rest.The next few minutes find me weaving in and out of consciousness, my eyes fluttering as they reac...
THE SOUND OF PLANESI’ve taken the sound of planes for granted,
Thought only of beaches – the fun once we’ve landed.
I’ve soared through the air like the sky’s not the limit,
I’ve watched jets take off like a heartbeat – consistent.And oft as I try hard not to forget it,
It keeps disappearing, like a flash – in an instant.
First a flash then a boom, then you realize too soon
That your life’s not in danger as you’ve always assumed.Things are smooth, things are calm,
There’s no cause for alarm.
Not like then, not like there
Where sounds strike from the air.Rest assured, you are safe,
Far away from that place.
Here and now, when planes fly,
Th...
The Face of Naivety - Part 2 of 2 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
The Face of Naivety - Part 2 of 2
5. The Truth that Breaks Fall, six months prior to departure. Age 16. Once in a while, one gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right. That there’s a disturbance in the air. That something is about to end and something else is about to begin. That the whole world is turning upside down and right-side up again and there’s nothing you can do but hold on for dear life.Sometimes, one has the privilege of knowing what is wrong. That there’s a war waging and people are inevitably going to die. That your father is disappointed in you, and you’d better straighten up soon if you don’t want to get beaten. That there’s something living inside ...
The Face of Naivety - Part 1 of 2 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
The Face of Naivety - Part 1 of 2
1. The Meaning of a Name Fall, six years prior to departure. Age 10. A loud clink can be heard as the crimson spear slips from my fingers and falls to the ground. My hands are blistered, bleeding, burning. My palms are stained the same red that paints the shaft of my spear – that object which has now become a part of me. I lower myself to the ground and lie back on the packed dirt, letting the sweat roll off the sides of my forehead. I spread out my arms and turn my palms face-up so that the hardened skin at the bases of my fingers can soak up the mid-morning sun. Then I close my eyes and, willing the achiness in my muscles to seep out of ...
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 1.2 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 1.2
On the map, the nation of Xenores is a large seven that clings to the right side of the Great Central Landmass. Its vast area is divided into six similarly sized provinces: Minatorum in the northwest, Alequorum and Sekhernum in the northeast, Karkorum and Yvernum in the south, and Aeternum in the center, sharing a border with each of the other provinces. While the nation is very prosperous as a whole, not all of the provinces share equal amounts of wealth or power. Alequorum and Sekhernum are by far the wealthiest of the six, with their port cities and touristy beach resorts raking in billions every year. As a result of their booming econo...
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 1.1 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 1.1
“Someone lend me a hand, will you?” Xenevi calls over the loud rustling of leaves in the wind. In the dim light of the crescent moon, I barely notice a single well-toned arm extending out from behind the bushes to offer a large, calloused hand to the squad leader. The arm dangles there for a moment, waiting for someone to acknowledge it, but when nobody does, it quickly grows impatient and begins to flail around wildly in the air. I can tell the gesture is intended to be a playful one, but Xenevi is clearly not amused.“I meant your other one, idiot,” the squad leader says disdainfully, shoving the extended arm back into the bushes. Only a ...
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 0 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
Seven Drops of Ivory - Chapter 0
Cold hands lie flat upon my bare chest, rising and falling with every calculated breath I take. The long, bony fingers trace the length of my clavicles before working their way down to my abdomen. They follow the outline of my muscles all the way to the waistline of my pants, then quickly fly back up to my chest. Laid one on top of the other, the hands press firmly against me – against my sternum. Right where it hurts. I think they try to break me, but I show no signs of discomfort. If nothing else, these past few months have taught me to control my breathing so that I don’t constantly sound like I’m dying. This seems to be paying off pret...
Seven Drops of Ivory - Prologue by Sculpted, literature
Literature
Seven Drops of Ivory - Prologue
January 25, XE 132Dear Annri,I have arrived safely in Corinthia, the capital of our beloved nation. The skies are fair here, the winds are strong, and the temperatures have proven to be just like the hearts of this good city's people - that is to say, always warm and pleasant. From the center of town, you would never be able to tell that this place has been caught at the center of a bloody civil war for five long years. But venture out into the surrounding areas, and immediately the truth will become clear. Military bases litter the fields like pebbles on an old dirt road, while freshly spilled blood dyes the trees a dark and ominous red. ...
A Crack in the Ice - Adventure I by Sculpted, literature
Literature
A Crack in the Ice - Adventure I
Balancing classes and skating is rough. My training is down from eight to two hours per day, and I'm usually up until three o'clock in the morning reading textbooks, writing papers, or studying for exams. Short track competitions call for me to fly out on Friday after my lab and fly back on Sunday night, with little time to spare for schoolwork. At times, I feel the need to drop one or the other - to make a decision between what I love to do and what I ought to do - but I know that's not an option. I need both in my life. Both the books and the ice. So I push on, reminding myself that I'm much better off than Scotty, at least. He doesn't e...
GSARP Roleplay Samples - 1 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
GSARP Roleplay Samples - 1
Kiri was officially lost. She had been travelling for over two weeks now, and still there was nothing but deep blue water for miles around. Her mind was growing restless, and worse yet, her body was growing weak from days of not eating or sleeping. Why on earth had she agreed to go on this journey in the first place? She could have been resting in her tent right now, perfecting her psynergy or perhaps even meeting with the tribe's commanders to plan out a new military campaign against neighboring groups. But no. She was here, out in the middle of nowhere, with no greater objective than to see the world. Well, if this endless sea of blue wa...
Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep.This alarm dares disturb my sleep. And what’s worse: it’s not even mine. Five-hundred-twelve hertz, C5, fifty decibels – well above the threshold of hearing. Too high, and too loud. This sound was made to wake a different sleeper.The beeping continues for a few more minutes before finally shutting down. There are shuffling noises to my left, but I do my best to block them out. Valon can do whatever he wants this morning, but I’m not about to let him rob me of my precious shut-eye. A growing boy needs his rest.The next few minutes find me weaving in and out of consciousness, my eyes fluttering as they reac...
THE SOUND OF PLANESI’ve taken the sound of planes for granted,
Thought only of beaches – the fun once we’ve landed.
I’ve soared through the air like the sky’s not the limit,
I’ve watched jets take off like a heartbeat – consistent.And oft as I try hard not to forget it,
It keeps disappearing, like a flash – in an instant.
First a flash then a boom, then you realize too soon
That your life’s not in danger as you’ve always assumed.Things are smooth, things are calm,
There’s no cause for alarm.
Not like then, not like there
Where sounds strike from the air.Rest assured, you are safe,
Far away from that place.
Here and now, when planes fly,
Th...
The Face of Naivety - Part 2 of 2 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
The Face of Naivety - Part 2 of 2
5. The Truth that Breaks Fall, six months prior to departure. Age 16. Once in a while, one gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right. That there’s a disturbance in the air. That something is about to end and something else is about to begin. That the whole world is turning upside down and right-side up again and there’s nothing you can do but hold on for dear life.Sometimes, one has the privilege of knowing what is wrong. That there’s a war waging and people are inevitably going to die. That your father is disappointed in you, and you’d better straighten up soon if you don’t want to get beaten. That there’s something living inside ...
The Face of Naivety - Part 1 of 2 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
The Face of Naivety - Part 1 of 2
1. The Meaning of a Name Fall, six years prior to departure. Age 10. A loud clink can be heard as the crimson spear slips from my fingers and falls to the ground. My hands are blistered, bleeding, burning. My palms are stained the same red that paints the shaft of my spear – that object which has now become a part of me. I lower myself to the ground and lie back on the packed dirt, letting the sweat roll off the sides of my forehead. I spread out my arms and turn my palms face-up so that the hardened skin at the bases of my fingers can soak up the mid-morning sun. Then I close my eyes and, willing the achiness in my muscles to seep out of ...
GSARP Roleplay Samples - 1 by Sculpted, literature
Literature
GSARP Roleplay Samples - 1
Kiri was officially lost. She had been travelling for over two weeks now, and still there was nothing but deep blue water for miles around. Her mind was growing restless, and worse yet, her body was growing weak from days of not eating or sleeping. Why on earth had she agreed to go on this journey in the first place? She could have been resting in her tent right now, perfecting her psynergy or perhaps even meeting with the tribe's commanders to plan out a new military campaign against neighboring groups. But no. She was here, out in the middle of nowhere, with no greater objective than to see the world. Well, if this endless sea of blue wa...
Everything seems wrong today. The sun is too low in the sky, hanging overhead like an oppressive sphere of golden light. The crickets have stopped chirping, enveloping the village in such an absolute silence as to make one believe the world has just ended. And it's cold bitterly cold especially considering the fact that it's only the third day of autumn. Are these phenomena all the doings of the Great Serpent? Have we truly committed a crime so abominable as to make us deserving of the punishment of the gods? I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of such terrifying thoughts. There is no time for negative thinking, anyway. For now, I...
A Crack in the Ice - Prologue by Sculpted, literature
Literature
A Crack in the Ice - Prologue
There are two events to which I owe much of my happiness. The first was when my family moved from my birthplace of Rennes, France to a middle-class subdivision in Byron, Michigan. That day, everyone in our new neighborhood threw us a party, making us feel especially welcome. There were several kids around my age, but most of them clung to their parents. However, one boy approached me without hesitation, offering his hand and introducing himself as Scotty. We shook hands, and I gave him my name in return. I was five then, and he was just a year older. Seeing as I knew no English and he could not speak French, one might find it hard to belie...
Seven Drops of Ivory - Prologue by Sculpted, literature
Literature
Seven Drops of Ivory - Prologue
January 25, XE 132Dear Annri,I have arrived safely in Corinthia, the capital of our beloved nation. The skies are fair here, the winds are strong, and the temperatures have proven to be just like the hearts of this good city's people - that is to say, always warm and pleasant. From the center of town, you would never be able to tell that this place has been caught at the center of a bloody civil war for five long years. But venture out into the surrounding areas, and immediately the truth will become clear. Military bases litter the fields like pebbles on an old dirt road, while freshly spilled blood dyes the trees a dark and ominous red. ...
The campaign for my Golden Sun Adept's Role Play team has officially been launched. That said, I will probably be posting role play samples on this account throughout the coming weeks. You may find that some of the content in those posts will look awfully familiar. Here is a brief explanation: The background story of my GSARP character was, in fact, the starting point of my planning for Seven Drops of Ivory . In their respective stories, Mikhail (SDoI) and Yakumo (GSARP) both spend a specified amount of time away from home in order to bring honor to their families. In addition, both characters suffer from a condition which will ultimately...
Two weeks away from home have done me a world of good in terms of getting my creative juices flowing and my ideas well-organized. Thanks to my little vacation, I now feel safe introducing you to my new story, Seven Drops of Ivory . Seven Drops of Ivory takes place in the powerful nation of Xenores, located on the imaginary world known as Aniterria. Here, magic exists in the form of 'elemental lines,' which means that each character has the power to freely manipulate only one particular force of nature. The story follows an 18-year old boy named Mikhail, who seeks to endure a year away from home in order to improve his family's social pos...
So. You know that story I said I was certain would "sustain my interest until the very end"?Well, I've kind of given up on it. I got so busy this past semester that I never had a chance to work on it, and now it just feels so far removed. I'm dying to write something , but I think at the moment I just need some fresh ideas. Fresh ideas I can engage with. New characters, new concepts, a new setting. I may dip back into the realm of fantasy and give action-writing another try. The Golden Sun roleplay in which I am about to participate will be both good practice and good motivation for writing such a story. We'll see how things go. In any ca...