Scenery in a Second #3 FANTASY EDITION

[Dipper]

This one's not much different from the last two except this time, we're going to try a bit of fantastical scenery. For fun.

So I'm going to post some images, and your job is to describe what you see. Sights, sounds, smells, etc. Whatever comes to mind, be it a short story or something else. Feel free to write two sentences or a few paragraphs-- whatever works for you.

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Sources:

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[PoetLore]

Image #3

Draven held the Orb of Illia aloft knowing it would call forth the protector of the light. No man had ever survived an encounter with the protector, but he had no choice but to throw his fate on the whim of a creature not known for mercy. The ridge of spines appeared first and moved in the shallow water like a serpent, but then the large head appeared and fiery red and the huge maw opened emitting hot breath that smelled of suphur and smoke.

"Who dares touch the Orb of Illia?" it's otherworldly voice echoed in the flooded cave.

"Draven of Ellerbrook."

The body twisted and curled around him as that large head rose to hover high above accentuating its superiority and power, "Why should I allow you to live, Draven of Ellerbrook?"

"I am returning the Orb of Illia to its protector. The King of Hawksdown ordered it taken from this place, but I intercepted it and am presenting it back to you." All true, but he did hope, was counting on the fact that such an offer would be rewarded.

"And what price do you require?"

"No price Protector," he said honestly, "How can I set a price on what is not mine to sell?"

"Well spoken. But you want something...name it."

Draven bowed his head and knelt humbly, "I am told that a single scale from you will heal the sick. My only child lies near death..."

The protector lowered the large head and peered at the small man kneeling before him, "Nothing more? A single scale."

"To one such as myself, that is everything."

"A clawed hand reached forth holding a scale from the side of the great protector, "Take what you have asked and go in peace. Your child shall live if you place the scale upon their chest." He lifted the orb and pressed it to the recess in the cave wall that was created to house it and suddenly the entire cave was lit as brightly as the sky at noon.

"Thank you!" Draven said as he clutched the scale and took off running out of the cave.

 

[FeralRoleplayer]

#1

The sun took the city slowly, and then all at once. The chill of summer night crept into the air as the light receded, the last rays twinkling on the gold-tipped domes of Warhurst Keep. A slight breeze blew from the east, and the tall, dry grasses teased at the scout's bare legs as she stood in the lengthening shadow. Nearby ran the stream, cool and welcoming, though not without stain: a skull, only half cleaned by the darting silver fish that called the water home, lay between two rocks. Its hollow eye sockets stared above a drooping mouth, its long gray hair flowing in the water like algae. The scout was not bothered; this was the reason for her visit, after all.

 

[Draugvan]

Prompt #1
Babylon shed a sorry lustre in the midday sun. It wreathed a hillock in circles from its base, toward steeples and careful domes at its summit. A telling tale. Clay and mortar strayed from the palace rooftop to fill the streets. A quiet sound was missing, left of any living breath.

Cannon fire could not kill as swiftly nor as fully as the Sumerian Botanical. The air was dense with pollen of unnature. Spores of succulent, resilient breeds stained the sky darker with each passing month. Today the noon-day sun spilled orange, and next year still it should be thick crimson.

Insidious creepers grew through roadways paved in granite, drinking nutrients from a mile in the cardinal directions, where sparse other trees persisted. The people of Babylon spread now as the dust upon the land.​

 

[Shiri]

#2

The radio blazed to life in Jeffery's hand. "Hello, yes it's Austin. There's seems to have been a little mishap with the portal. We've sort of...lost you?"

Jeffery rubbed his left temple before bringing the comm to his dry lips. "L-Lost me? What do you mean by that?"

"Eh," the voice on the other end wavered, "well, you went through the gate and I sort of bumped the green button instead of the blue one. You uh, sling-shotted across the planet a couple times before landing where you are. How do you feel?"

Jeffery squeezed his eyes shut to concentrate. He wasn't missing any limbs, thankfully. "Uh, woozy. Head kind of hurts. Do you think workman's comp covers this?" Jefferey asked, sounding hopeful. He thought he heard a laugh.

"You kidding? I almost had my arm torn clean off and they still called me the better part of my recovery, asking if my pain was real. Bothered the doctors too. They are such a pain in the neck."

"Austin, our calls are on the record," Jeffery warned.

"But enough about me," Austin said, changing the subject, "let's talk about you! Can you describe where you are? Any landmarks, or signs, or anything?"

"Uh, there's not really a lot here," Jeffery commented as he slowly walked around. "Got a stream, some mountains, grass."

"What color is the grass? "

"G-Green," Jeffery frowned. "What does that have to do with anything? There's other colors?"

"Athrenos III grass is different than the grass you know. It changes color based on temperature and general weather patterns. Green is good, green is mild, green is not thundersnow."

"Thundersnow?!" Jeffery snapped. He paused off the comm to collect himself then, "How would I see the grass if there was thundersnow?"

"There's a reason it's not called snowthunder," Austin replied factually. "The thunder comes first, then the snow. A lot of it."

"You have an uncanny way of making me feel safe, Austin," Jeffery mentioned, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

"Good," Austin replied, unfazed, "because you are not going to be safe until we find you. The native peoples of Athrenos III are not very friendly to outsiders. You might want to look for the high ground before they do. They are skilled at ambushing."

Jeffery eased his fingers off the buttons of the radio. It may have been paranoia, but he suddenly experienced the tingling sensation of being watched. "Good for them," he commented to himself. He pressed the comm again. "I'm going to climb one of these hills and try to find something more helpful."

"Roger that."

Jeffery hooked the radio to his belt and hopped over the shallow stream. He leaned into the incline of a hill to better climb it, feeling the small prickles of grass against his palms as he hoisted himself up. The climb was a little more work than he first anticipated but it wasn't long before he reached it's top. Green plains unfolded before him, crowned with thick columns of rock. The sky was painted with gray clouds that Jeffery prayed only meant rain. The land was truly beautiful in how untouched it was.

That was when he noticed a dot falling out of the sky. As it drew closer, he thought the dot looked kind of like a bird. The bird separated into two, steadily growing bigger until it was obvious they weren't birds. A flash of scales made Jeffery fumble for the radio. "Austin! Austin! Get me out of here! There's dragons, Austin! There. Are. DRAGONS!"