\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/campfires/item_id/1806812-Afterworld
Item Icon
\"Reading Printer Friendly Page Tell A Friend
No ratings.
Rated: 18+ · Campfire Creative · Appendix · Other · #1806812
Humankind is on a path of selfdestruction can they rebuild and learn before it is to late
[Introduction]
Now if anyone what’s to join just email me. Everyone must have their own main character and a minor one. No one can control another’s character or how it may react to another. You may give us some detail about your characters so that we can add them to the story. Such as where did the character come from what is their job that sort of thing.


In the distant future mankind destroys its self-due to war over shortages of oil, food, and other resources. Scientists are working hard to discover new forms of energy and stumble across old text about alchemy or magic mankind has to learn to master these arts or forever live in medieval times once more. The lands have changed as have the creatures that once inhabited the planet. People are scattered all over the planet and have small villages and towns that have been and are randomly attacked. Most live alone like hermits or in old buildings or even old caves or bunkers that their ancestors once ran. Modern technology no longer applies and crops are often raided.
Due to humans own stupidity they nearly destroyed the world and made it nearly extinct, in the years and eons following the last great war people began again to rebuild and populate the world. Plant life began to regrow with the help of magic and mutant genes of things from the past, humans began to begin to be able to reproduce but only a select few could give birth and thus this made the need of people to recover the knowledge they had once lost. In some of the larger cities some people had been brought out of cryogenic hibernation, some of these people were brought out with little to no problems while others died during the thaw.

In these larger cities you also had barons who ruled and thus people accepted the way of life. To live in a large town offered you protection from the creatures and random raiding parties but these cities were often hit with disease as well. The ones that chose to live outside these cities were known as the outlanders some were peaceful but most were barbarian and warlike due to the savagery of the lands.

As the world began to rebuild itself most of the population could only pass on stories from their past and as these stories passed from generation to generation things changed. Some were rewritten to scare children and keep them close to home while others told of monsters and things that once were. Here in is where out story begins as a stranger from one of the large colonies comes calling on the wise old man.

Troy had been just a child when his parents had moved here many years ago. His mother was one of the lucky few who could still bare children and her life was precious. His father had been a great alchemist in his time. And when they had moved here illness had just struck the city they had lived in. His father had set up shop here so to speak in the mountain and they had very little contact with anyone. Troy had a sister at one time her name had been Briana and she had died while his mother Fiona was bringing her into this world. A short time later his mother had joined his sister in death due to complications set in during her birth. His father Thomas died due to infection from an accident in his shop. Since then Troy had lived alone till he had found the children. He had studied Alchemy just as his father and father before him had and generations before had since the Great War.

Occasionally on days like today a human or to would be seen in the distance and occasionally would stumble on bye not knowing how close they had been. But this one seemed distant and lost without any true purpose as he came nearer Troy ordered the girls to the back of their home and ordered them to stay silent till he knew what this stranger wanted. It had been a great many years since he himself had bothered interacting with anyone except where there had been a need to. It was safer to keep to oneself and almost be forgotten if you would will due to how savage the people had become over the years since the last war.

Danu and Cordelia had never seen many humans all they could remember from their past was living here in the shelter of the mountain with the old man who had been like a father to them. The wise old man named Troy had taken the siblings in years ago when they were just babies and he had found them in the ruins of what had been a small town. He had assumed it had been one of the many raiding parties that had attacked the village there were bodies and dead livestock everywhere. With a few crops and houses still smoldering from the fires. The children were hidden well inside an old tree stump just outside the village and had he not seen them they most likely would have died. He had been on a mission when he had come to town looking for a few seeds to replant a few crops with and a few other supplies he had hoped he could trade them for.

The sisters did as they were told and headed deep within the darkness in the back of the mountain like home they had lived in. Curiosity got the better of Danu as it always did while Cordelia was content to sit upon the mats wrapped in blankets till father came for them. Quietly Danu crept forward in the darkness and sat just out of the line of sight watching father and the stranger speak. She had failed to notice the small creature sniffing about the place at first she was puzzled and frightened but she did not move.

Troy spoke to the young man for a bit before he offered him a seat. They spoke in an ancient langue that was unfamiliar to her. It was then that she noticed the small creature sniffing about and decided now was the time to retreat before she was found. As she stepped further into the darkness the creature seemed to follow her and she half ran to where her sister was and shed her as they both hid under the covers.

A few moments later they heard the small thing rummaging near them and need made a movement or one sound as it sniffed near them and then began to bark. Troy looked up and excused himself as he headed for the dog in the back of the cavern. He picked the small critter up and hushed him as he called softly out to his girls there they were only a few steps from him under the blankets just as he had taught them.

He smiled at both of them as he pet the dog and both girls came up to inspect the small creature. Cautiously at first and then both began to reach for it to touch it and inspect it closer. Shh he told them both as he heard the young man walking towards them all. The girls hid once more and he carried the small creature off with him.
Lyonis picked his way through the dark cave till he found Troy. "I hope Loki hasn't got into anything in your home. If he caused any damages I will gladly pay for the damages with my supplies." Lyonis spoke to troy sincerely as he took the small dog from Troy. "As it is, my true purpose for being here is that I heard a great alchemist lived here. I have a sort of problem I was hoping he could help me with." Lyonis Looked at troy hopefully.
“No, no it’s fine the dog did no harm it’s just doing what comes natural and exploring. Besides it’s been a while since I have seen one. Where did you find it? It’s unusual for one not to be mutated like the other creatures. Troy hoped to distract Lyonis and the dog away from his children after all it was best for now if he didn’t know about them.

Danu being her usual curious self though failed to follow her father’s rules as she giggled beneath the covers and her sister pinched her. “Ouch hey what did you” Cordelia clamped her hand over her sister’s mouth and hoped father wouldn’t be mad and that the stranger hadn’t heard them. But it was too late the dog had and he squirmed and jumped from Lyonis’s arms as he went to see where he had heard the voices from. Even Lyonis was curious but he needed Troy’s help so he pretended he hadn’t heard the voices.

Troy was a few steps in front of them when the dog began to bark at his girls and he made a mental note next time to cast a silent spell on Danu. Lyonis quickly grabbed the dog and headed back towards the entrance with Troy and said nothing about what he had heard as he again apologized for his dog and began to scold it.

Troy offered the young man a cup of tea and asked him “So what is this problem exactly and how can I help you?” Troy had decided that he would remind Danu the danger of strangers later but first he needed to find out what this young man’s intentions were.
Lyonis took the cup of tea and sat down then began his story. "Well sir, I am an alchemist and have done many successful experiments. You asked why Loki is not mutated like the other animals after the ancient discovery of magic. The simple fact is that he is mutated. In an experiment I extracted the magic that had altered his appearance and mind. He has some old qualities but hes not dangerous."

Lyonis paused for a moment to sip his tea while he patted Loki on the head before continuing. "This brings me to my last experiment. I had stumbled onto some ancient text about harnessing the elements. During the experiment there was an explosion and I was caught in it. As you can see I am fine but the explosion changed me. Please observe and do not be alarmed."

Lyonis put down the tea cup before him and lifted up a near by rock and closed his eyes in concentration. The fingers around the rock slowly started to change and become solid. It soon became apparent that Lyonis' skin was becoming solid rock. He quickly released the rock letting it fall to the ground but Lyonis' skin still continued to changed until half his face was solid rock then it started to recede.

Breathing hard Lyonis spoke again, "I am sure you have heard of elementals. When my body is introduced to an element, I can become that element. Sometimes I have to concentrate to make it happen and sometimes I cant control it. As you probably saw it is hard to stop the change. My quest is to find an alchemist who can help cure my condition, or at least a way to control it." Lyonis picked his tea cup back up and took another sip.

© Copyright 2011 Darkstorm, Kex, (known as GROUP).
All rights reserved.
GROUP has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/campfires/item_id/1806812-Afterworld