Spooky Story Contest (EU) - Entry thread

[SuperKairi]

Character Name: Lexi Jaeger
World Name: Diabolos
Prize Choice: Scarf of Wondrous Wit

Had to shorten this cause when i finished it was 915 words! Gonna post the full version in a comment for anybody interested ^-^

Word count: 500
Recommended to listen while reading -inspired this piece: listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=Y4GawxzRscE#RED_-_So_Far_Away_(Lyrics)_HD



Free at Last

Alone

That’s how she felt as she sat there beneath the giant oak tree. She had been there for a while, unaffected by the passage of time that ensnared the world of Eorzea. This girl was known in the Celestial Records as being Lexi Jaeger, The Godsbow. She was a Warrior of Light among many, birthed by the light of Hydaelyn. But Lexi was one of the only to be bestowed with the powers of a Bard. As Lexi’s group was traveling the land, they came upon the cursed Manor, Haukke. The Lady within was known as Lady Amandine, the very reason Lexi was trapped within the mansions’ grounds.

Lexi often found herself humming and scaring away adventures she did not deem to be ready to face the Lady. That was until a group trudged upon the Manors soiled ground in great, confident unafraid strides. Lexi held back a gasp as she gazed upon the group from her perch. The group looked just as hers once had. As they walked past her, unaware, she prayed that these adventurers would accomplish what many had failed to do.

The moment the leader of the group touched the Manors’ front entrance, a great darkness loomed over the area. The doors swung shut and locked with a loud THUD behind the adventurers. Once the doors had closed, Lexi began her melodic humming again, calming the stranded souls of the manor.

Not long after the group had entered, Lexi heard the screams echoing within the Manor’s walls escape out of the open windows. Unable to bear the shrieks and cries, Lexi covered her ears and closed her eyes as tightly as possible.

Suddenly Lexi gasped as her eyes snapped open, her once illuminated golden irises alight with the passion of an adventurer, were suddenly shrouded in a swirling mass of black fog. The fog brought with it the memories of Lexi’s last moments – when she used The Warden's Paean to encase her friends in a barrier whilst removing them of their paralysing fear.

Lexi was brought back by the sound of Lady Amandine screeching as she was finally slain by the group she saw moments before. Lexi rose and watched as the cursed air of the manor was purified. A smile graced Lexi’s face as she gazed into the light beyond the Manor’s walls.

Lexi took slow, apprehensive steps towards the light and let out a cry as she saw her three friends standing amongst the light, hands outstretched in welcome as bright smiles graced their features. The words she’d been wanting to hear for so long finally were being spoken to her.

“Welcome Home, Princess”

As Lexi ran towards them, she turned around to gaze upon the group of adventures that had finally set her and the others free. Lexi began to slowly fade into the warm light of Hydaelyn, but in her final, final moments she beamed a smile at the group and said from the deepest parts of her being:

“Thank you”

[SuperKairi]

ORIGINAL

Free at Last

Alone

That’s how she felt as she sat there beneath the giant oak tree. She had been there for…. how long had it been? Months? Years? Centuries? She was unsure. But she had been there for a while, unaffected by the passage of time that ensnared the world of Eorzea and its inhabitants. This girl was known in the Celestial Records of Eorzea as being Lexi Jaeger, The Godsbow. She was a Warrior of Light among many who were birthed by the light of Hydaelyn. But Lexi was one of the only to be bestowed with the powers of a Bard. As Lexi’s group was traveling the land, they came upon the cursed Manor, Haukke. The Lady within was known as Lady Amandine, the very reason Lexi was trapped within the mansions’ grounds.

Lexi often found herself humming tunes and scaring away adventures she did not deem to be ready to face the Lady, sparing them from suffering the same fate as she. That was until a group trudged upon the Manors soiled ground in great, confident and unafraid strides. Lexi held back a gasp as she gazed upon the group from her perch beneath the tree near the manor’s steps. The group looked just as hers once had when they had entered all that time ago. As they walked past her, unable to see her as all the others were, she prayed with all her might that these adventurers would accomplish what many had tried and failed to do.

Slay her and set us free.

It was at this moment that Lexi wished she still had her trusty Ebony Longbow on her person, But Lady Amandine had snapped the bow in Lexi’s final moments – shattering her soul with it.

The moment the leader of the group touched the Manors’ front entrance, a great darkness loomed over the area as it had whence Lexi’s group came. The Lady was hungry for more Souls. The doors swung shut and locked with a loud THUD behind the adventurers, locking them in and everything else out. Once the doors had closed, Lexi began her melodic humming again, calming the stranded souls of the manor whilst they all waited for the verdict from the new group of challengers.

Not long after the group had entered, Lexi could hear the screams echoing within the Manor’s walls escape out of the open windows. Unable to bear the shrieks and cries any longer, Lexi covered her ears and clenched her eyes closed as tightly as possible, her humming forgotten.

No! I refuse to go back to those horrible memories! Leave me alone!

Suddenly Lexi gasped as her eyes snapped open wide, her once illuminating golden irises alit with the passion of an adventurer, were suddenly shrouded in a swirling mass of black fog. The fog brought with it the painful memories of Lexi’s last moments alive – when she used The Warden's Paean to encase her friends in a protective barrier whilst removing them of their paralysing fear.

“Please my friends, save yourselves! I will hold her off whilst you all escape!”

“Lexi, we can’t leave you!” The male Dustwight Elezen – Sam, the Warrior – yelled out as he tried to run towards Lexi.

“Lexi please! You can’t take her on yourself!” The female Plainsfolk Lalafell – Jenny, the White Mage – cried out, tears running down her cheeks as she reached out her hand for Lexi.

“Lexi come on! We need you with us!” The male Sunseeker Miqo’te – Thomas, the Ninja – shouted as he tried to force his way back through the barrier that had appeared between them and Lexi.

“Thomas, I’m counting on you to get everyone out safely for me” Lexi smiled at her friends over her shoulder whilst she attacked Lady Amandine with relentless arrows.

Thomas gave a sad smile from under his mask and nodded, grabbing Jenny’s’ and Sam’s hands, pulling them out of the Manor while they all cried out for their comrade.

Lexi’s final thoughts reached her group as a fallen whisper, signalling her death to the ones she had grown to love as a family: ‘Goodbye my friends, live on for me~’

Lexi was brought back to the real world by the sound of Lady Amandine screeching as she was finally slain by the very adventurers she saw moments before. Lexi rose from her spot underneath the tree and watched as the cursed air of the manor’s grounds was purified from the death of the evil mistress which once resided within its residence. A smile graced Lexi’s face as she gazed into the light beyond the Manor’s walls.

Lexi took slow, apprehensive steps towards the light and let out a sharp cry as she saw her three friends from all that time ago standing amongst the light, hands outstretched in welcome as bright smiles graced their features. The words she’d been wanting to hear for so long finally were being spoken out to her, bringing her so much joy that all the moments without them was forgotten.

“Welcome Home, Princess”

As Lexi ran towards them as fast as she could, she turned around before she entered the light to gaze upon the group of adventures that had finally set her and the others free. Lexi began to slowly fade into the warm light of Hydaelyn with tears streaming down her perfect skin, but in her final, final moments she beamed a smile at the group and said with love from the deepest parts of her being:

“Thank you”

[Zanarkander]

8th Sun of the Third Umbral Moon
Today is the day the war finally came to an end. Nidhogg met his end on the Steps of Faith, and we managed to just barely save Estinien. Alphinaud could hardly hold his tears when Aymeric walked away carrying his friend’s body.

29th Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon
I had that dream, again. Back on the Steps of Faith, Nidhogg still alive, his rage ever burning.
I cannot understand why these dreams are so vivid, I can feel the pain caused by his flames and claws. I can still feel the anguish at the sight of Estinien’s armor covered in blood, the fear I won’t be able to save him. Most of the times in my dreams I fail, be it from a mere distraction or a silly mistake and I end up covered in flames or torn apart. It hurts. I have the feeling it won’t cease until I can defeat him, again and again, every night, before I can wake up. What if I cannot? Will I keep fighting him forever? Why have I been given this punishment?
The fear caused by these thoughts is far greater than the pain caused by the fight.

30th Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon
I woke up later than usual today. Strangely enough, I cannot seem to remember any of my nightmares. Does that mean I lost my fight tonight? My limbs are sore, like after an intensive training… or fight. I even feel a burning pain all over my back, as if…
This doesn’t make any sense. My shoulders are burnt, like I had fallen on a fireplace. Like they were the day I defeated Nidhogg. It’s not a serious injury, but it should not be there nonetheless. What does that mean?

31st Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon
I could barely get out of bed this day. I literally struggled just to wake up and open my eyes, and the sun was high in the sky when I did. I couldn’t stand up, the pain on my whole body was too much. As I looked down I saw a scar running from my chest to my hip, left by a wound I never suffered. Not outside of my dreams anyway. My memories are confused, reality is muddled with dreams, but I’m fairly certain I wasn’t injured that bad in the actual fight with Nidhogg, and quite sure I dreamt that very wound last night. Crazy as it sounds, I won’t sleep tonight. I fear I won’t wake up.

32nd Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon
I can’t be awake forever. Every part of my body is heavy, I struggle to hold my head up and keep my eyes opened. But what I find most difficult to control, is my mind. I… I can hear a roar in the distance, and heat on my skin. This is not real.
I won’t… I can’t give up…
I’m the… Warrior… of Light…



Name: Zanar Kander
World: Sargatanas
Prize: Chocobo Noble Barding

[OleanderTenendar]

Character name: Oleander Tenendar
World: Ultros
Preferred prize: Scarf of Wondrous Wit

Quicktox Tells Spookytale

“Pshkohhh… Quicktox knows not why scalytail uplander is so snoopy about gobbiemasks.” The goblin shifted herself away from Oleander, closer to the stonepile and farther from him. The sun had long set, but the continuously-roaring furnaces of Stickqix’s Bangpots ensured it always remained warm around the construction site. “Even this land is nosescrunch to gobbieflock.”

“I know why you wear them,” Oleander said. “I’m just curious about what you all look like underneath. Every goblin I’ve asked has refused to indulge me.”

“Gobbieflock are not like fluffytail uplanders, showing pinkflesh alltimes!” Quicktox folded her arms, and turned away from her impertinent interrogator. Oleander sighed, defeated once again, and moved to descend the stairs. Seeing his disappointment, the goblin felt somewhat guilty for her harsh words. “Pshhh… Skohhh… Stop, uplander. Come back. Quicktox will not take off mask, but Quicktox will tell story. Story about an uplander with bigheart that make big mistake.

“It was time when gobbieflock were first coming to this land. In the place named Ul’dah, gobbies were eager to sell their goods to uplanders, as they had much jinglyshine to share. Gobbies were often poketeased and laughed at because of size and talkstyle, but there were some that were kind to gobbieflock.

“There was one gobbie named Longkix that had not eaten for many sunspin. The uplanders were not interested in Longkix’s wares, and with no jinglyshine to pay for soft bed and food to stop tummyrumblings, Longkix was forced to sleep under skylights. Female uplander found Longkix sleeping on stoneground, and decided to offer bed and food to poor gobbie. Uplander carried Longkix to home, and placed near cookfire with pot of bubblybroth. The whole time, Longkix was deep in dreamystate, thinking of home and happytimes, and would not wake to her nudging. Uplander decided to continue being bigheart, and wanted to feed Longkix before bubblybroth went cold. It was then that kind uplander make fatal error.

“Pssshkoh… Uplander peeled away gobbiemask, and looked upon nakedface of Longkix. Female screamed loud enough to raise Longkix from sleepstate, and uplander ran from home, with screws loose in braincase. Uplander run from city, into homeground of green desert spikyplants, and was killed by thousandthousand spinewounds. Longkix was bittersad to learn fate of kind uplander, and left city to never return.

“So, does scalytail uplander understand now why Quicktox cannot remove gobbiemask? Is scalytail uplander not shiveryboots at risk of braindeath?”

Oleander was quick to answer. “Not really. I’m a dragoon—I die all the time.”

[Shidomido]

Character Name: Shidomido Demon
World Name: Ragnarok
Prize Choice: Chocobo Noble Barding

... in that stormy day, Abraham reached the basement of the castle. At the center of the room there was a coffin. It took courage to open it. Inside the coffin a vampire slept. Soon he would wake. Paralyzed by fear realized that his life would change ...