City of IF

[Christalnightshade]

Chapter 1



Out the raging sea rose a sea serpent's steep neck it ascended gracefully above sea level and was lined with spines sticking up like a porcupine's hair. The teeth were venomous sharp and as hard as ivory tusks, the scales were sleek and black as night. As the serpent sub-merged it twisted beneath the ship causing two-meter long waves to break on the ships starboard side and deck, the ship reared to one side like a horse frightened by first sight of a storm. The crew scrambled round trying to maintain the course, among the panicking and screaming crew one shouted, "The black velvet is going to sink." Clutching onto a rope halfway loosened by the bombarding waves his hope was fading.
The captain told the royal family to stay together, a three-year-old girl, five-year-old boy and the eldest about twelve was huddled together and sitting near their mother and father.

The ship was restlessly eddying in circles. The serpent merged out of the rising waves like a great tsunami. Out from the serpent's back wings of ebony stretched out across the sky, a high-pitched roar came from this creature's voice and was answered by heart stopping screams of men that was carried by the wind, only the men were affected by the creature's ear aching voice.

Moore was sitting in the crow's nest tying unlimited loose ropes. Thunder struck the sails setting it ablaze and ones again the serpent sub-merged under the water. Moore shouted, "Abandon ship" and grabbed a rope and slid down onto the slippery deck, the serpent jumped from out the sea at the left side and her voice started again.

Moore ran into the captain's cabin and saw the boys screaming and clutching their ears. The captain was unconscious on the ground, the king was holding his youngest son and the eldest next him and the mother was calming her baby girl, "Come... we must abandon ship" said Moore picking the captain off from the ground, "Wake up Umo! Well then you'll not sink with this ship" The captain mumbled, "Some beer please ...Holy harpy! What is that sound!" shouted the captain falling on the ground and pulling a grimace face. "It's the sea serpent!" shouted Moore.

The captain asked half dazing off, "Why are you not affected-." She hurriedly answered, "No time... come." she helped the captain from the wooden floor and took the hand of the twelve year-old boy. The mother carried her daughter, and the father carried his young son and kept a watchful eye on his eldest son knowing he might be king some day. When they exited the cabin, the tail of the ship was starting to sink.

They rushed over to the right side and stopped at the boat that was connected to the ship. The mother and child entered the rowboat; it wasn't that easy as it looked. Moore climbed down clutching the side of the ship and her feet dangling a meter away from the boat. The mother settled her child down in the rowboat and reached out for Moore's legs. The serpent struck and his body caused the ship to cut in half.

The ship tilted to the left side, the children and father sped down into the raging water, and the captain fell last into the frightening sea. Moore fell backward into the rowboat breathing hard and holding the captain's hat. The serpent speeded past them like a bullet; the black tail hit the small boat and the rowboat came loose from the ship. It drifted away from the ghastly scene. The mother and Moore shouted at the top of their voices but no answer came.

***

The colour of the sky was blue and in the distance was a dock in sight their prayers were answered. If they were so close to a town they would not be the only ones that lived through the sea serpent’s attack. Now all they had to do is wait for a raindrop in the drought.

Moore had been rowing the small rowboat to safety ever since the boat got separated from the rest of them. She was wearing the stitched captain’s hat on top of her head.
She worked hard in rowing to the dock. Small sweat droplets formed and ran down her cheeks. She never had the pleasure of speaking to the queen, “Milady, I’ve heard tails of the serpent at sea. A sorcerer can summon it. The sorcerer could have been a young lady. I believe that women aren’t affected by the scream of the sea serpent.”

The queen did not answer to Moore, but plainly sat in the boat holding her sleeping four-year-old girl.

As the boat came to the dock Moore jumped out and held out her hand to the queen. Instead the queen stood up carrying her child over to the bridge. “Are we too late to send a search party?”

Moore took off the hat on her head, looked at it saying, “I don’t think so. They might still be alive, we better get moving” she plopped the hat back onto her head and marched over to the dusty road. It lead two ways. One leading north, the town of Halo and to the South, the town of Skye. "Which way?"

The Moore shrugged her shoulders and saw the queen settling her child onto her feet. Moore said, “Off we go, this town better be as good as its name” Moore never had been to another place before, except on a boat and deserted islands. This was her chance, once in a life time experience to go to a town called Halo.

Moore walked over to the queen looked at her and asked, “What is your name Milady?” The queen answered, “Nisha” Moore put her hand on the queen’s back walking down the road toward the town. Hopefully it wasn’t deserted.

Walking down the tiny road Moore spotted the town hidden within the woods. The trees looked as if they were closing in on them. It waved at them in the wind and the sun was drumming down on their unprotected bodies. Moore’s cheeks looked like the flags hanging on the poles.

Halo was clean and across from them stood a town crier shouting about what happened yesterday, he had a puddle of listeners. It was like the crier was adding flames to what really happened.

Moore whispered, “What really happened yesterday is got nothing to do with anyone.” Moore looked over at the queen who held onto her child’s hand. The child never let go of her mother’s reassuring hand. The queen answered half heartedly, “… For now”

Passing wooden houses they could see a few merchant haggling away close to a dodgy inn at the end of the main road. Many other roads led toward other parts of Halo, “Looks like we have to take a rest or keep on walking”

---
You have the chance to make the choices of the novel... yes I'm sticking to this one. Always have. It is connected with the very first story I've made in cityofif, only this is more of the past. I edited the post again.

[Reasoner]

Good Story, but I need some more info on the two cities to vote. So, after you tell me more about the cities, I'll vote. Still, its a good start.

[Christalnightshade]

They are going to halo. I want this story moved the linear. Thank you. I edited the previous story post. reread if you want to.

[Reasoner]

*smiles grimly* why don't you keep it a story game...I liked the descriptiveness and the slight deception in your writing, and I would enjoy to take a part in it. Sorry if it seemed like I didn't want to vote...I do, just I wanted more info on the cities...(i.e. distance, terrain, how safe the way it is to get there) just some things that will make city A different from city B...If you truly want it to move linear, I say go for it, I'll keep reading, but if you did it because no one was voting, I say stay.

You can still keep the decision point good, just use last question better, like: Should we rest for a while, go to the markets, get help now, or travel on to another city?

I will keep reading your story whether you keep it linear or not...I was surprised really when you changed it though, and I wish you to keep it the way you want it.

I hope my long post was not too troublesome.

[Christalnightshade]

Hey no. I'm moving it to linear becuase I already got it running in Tome. So that is the reason. I'll make it discriptive in time. It always takes me a longtime to make something dicriptive. You can still give me a few pointers when it is in the linear and maybe tell me where more discription is needed. That be great. Thanks for reading. Actaully that is part of the story was what I wrote and I just added it. I'm sure I'll make it more discriptive.