Kyngdom Survival Guide
*TALE: TWO KYNGDOMS
Chatterbox: KYNGDOM™ Power of Hoof
*TALE: TWO KYNGDOMS
*TALE: TWO KYNGDOMS
A Tale of Two Kyngdoms, Part One
By Zephyra
It was the worst of times. That much was obvious. Chaos everywhere. Claaws was dead. Jaaws roamed our land, jaws dripping with Brazen Goo. Catastrophe was always lurking, ready to fight anyone at the slightest provocation. I heard whispers of a “Mutant Army.” And B.I.G. crept ever closer to finding and activating all four of the Powers, which would lead to--what? Utter global destruction? To be honest, I was finding it harder and harder to go to sleep. Dark thoughts swirled through my brain at all hours of the night.
On one particularly hopeless mornings, as I was drooping over a mug of oak root coffee at the Bog & Burrow, I received word from my faithful network of spies that Dr. Cornelia Hornshaw was heading north, toward the Decoy Forest. My go-to tech wiz, Techibeetle, quickly tapped her phone and, after listening to a very disgruntled conversation she was having with one of her chief scientists, we learned that she believed the fourth Power--the Power of Hoof--was located there. In the forest.
Now, this was a little too close for comfort for me, my fellow spies, and the other Guardians. Because we knew that while the fourth Power wasn’t actually in the forest, it was nearby--very nearby, on the hoof of Regina the Silver Reindeer herself. I sent a message to Regina begging her to retreat to her mansion, and then I began planning my trip to the north.
(Another complication: I was supposed to be planning my nephew Little Crow’s Naming Ceremony. It was time. He was of age. But the party would just have to wait--and I felt terrible about it.)
After another mug of oak root coffee, I hit upon a plan that was simple, but so daring that it made me nauseous. I was going to do the unthinkable. I would try to intercept Cornelia before she went into the Decoy Forest, and I would…talk with her.
Yes, talk. A dialogue. I figured that I could use B.I.G.’s technology to make Cornelia understand what I was saying, and then I could explain how dangerous her behavior was. How it would put us all at risk--animals and humans. Naïve? Maybe. But sometimes the best route is the most direct, no? There’s a reason for the phrase “as the crow flies.”
Of course it was a terrible shock when, while flying over the Labyrinth, I heard something rustling about in the suitcase that was strapped to my back--and out popped Little Crow, squawking that he couldn’t let me go alone and he was practically an adult and why did I get to do all the fun stuff? I was furious that he’d snuck along, but it was too late to turn back. Cornelia’s train was literally zooming below us as we flew. Besides, I’ll admit it: sometimes it’s nice to have a sidekick.
When we arrived at Jökull, the mansion of the Silver Reindeer, Regina greeted us joyfully and gave us each a huge, steaming mug of Black Winter Cherry cider. Little Crow was shivering. I was exhausted.
“She’s coming,” said Regina, giving me a meaningful look.
“I loathe Cornelia Hornshaw,” spat Little Crow.
“Little! She’s done some terrible things, but she is a very lost, very confused woman,” I said.
“She thinks we’re stupid. She doesn’t respect the world we’ve built. Why do I have to like her?” said Little Crow.
I was flustered, jet-lagged, but Regina jumped in with grace. “You don’t have to like her, Little Crow,” she said, her mother-of-pearl horseshoes twinkling. “But what Cornelia Hornshaw lacks is empathy. She can’t put herself in our horseshoes, so to speak. So she’ll never truly understand us--or anything about the world, really. Zephyra is saying that if you try to empathize a little with her, no matter how much it angers you, then you will have already won part of the battle.
“And for the other parts--if empathy and reason fail, at least you have an entire network of spies and warriors on your side,” I added.
Little Crow’s eyes were drooping.
“Let’s go to bed,” I said. “Cornelia is probably staying at that human eyesore, the Wayward Villa, tonight, and won’t be striking off toward the Decoy Forest until morning.”
After Little Crow went to sleep, I turned to Regina.
“I’m worried,” I said. “The Decoy Forest never shows travelers the truth. But who knows what she’ll see there? Sometimes half-truths and white lies can lead to the real thing.”
Regina looked down at her fourth horseshoe--the one that was old, rusty, nondescript.
“I am prepared to fight,” she said, simply.
submitted by Zephyra, Decoy Forest
(January 4, 2017 - 1:39 pm)
(January 4, 2017 - 1:39 pm)
Tsuki~~
I giggled. "You know, I never got your name. Mine's Tsuki."
" Caolán. " He said with a nod. It was sort of funny how everything was turning out. At first , Raven was the only one who even had an idea of what I'd been through. But SOCS and BIG were very different. Now, Caolán was here, and he'd been through something extremely similar.
"You're the first SOCS experiment I've ever met. I did meet a BIG experiment once..."
Footsteps approached. Caolán ducked behind the washer. "Will I see you again?" I asked him quickly .
"Well, I don't plan on leaving soon," Caolán replied. I smiled , then opened the door.
Grimm stood at the entrance. "Oh, there you are, Tsuki. I imagine that I don't want to know why you're in the laundry room. Anyways. We're going to begin interrogation of the raccoon. I want you to come."
"This late, sir?" I asked.
" You don't seem to be sleeping, Natsu. Now, follow me. "
~~~
(January 21, 2019 - 11:58 am)
@Night - My sister sends her thanks! :)
Kimi~
I'm terrified. I saw what they did to Davina. I've never seen violence like that. Even before, I never saw violence like that. I was unimportant then. Now, I'm a target.
Blood roars in my ears, and I feel some primal instinct boiling up to an uncontrollable claustrophobia.
The alchemist healed Davina. I screamed at the soldiers before. Now I'm quiet. I don't think we're going to escape.
Blank slate. Clean canvas. We get to go through this over and over and over again.
I want to rip the walls apart, but I can't; they're reinforced. So I back against the wall closest to Davina's cell and clutch my tail, trying to drown every feeling that's inside. My whiskers twitch fearfully.
The alchemist enters the cell of the thief across the hall. While they're talking--and I don't try to eavesdrop; I've got enough problems as it is--General Grimm leaves, and a new soldier takes his place.
"Davina?" I call softly.
There's no response. She might still be asleep. Is she okay? I wish we were across from one another. This stupid wall is in my way.
In the silence, my nerves begin to settle, and I feel my rational side return ever so slowly. But then there are footsteps, and to my terror, General Grimm and the fish-form soldier appear in front of my cell.
I hiss at them.
"Your turn," Grimm snarls. "It's time for a little trivia game. Natsu, grab the prisoner."
I stand up and bare my teeth, but my confidence falters as I remember my shackled paws.
Grimm unlocks the cell door and sends his companion in to grab me. I try to evade her grasp, but I can't move my arms freely, and I stumble clumsily. She handles me roughly, holding my handcuffs with an iron grip, or so it seems to me.
I'm propelled down the hall, and I try to get a look into Davina's cell, but we're going too fast for me to catch a glimpse inside.
Natsu seats me in a metal chair in a small, darkish room. My cuffs remain in place, biting sharply into my wrists from the angle by which they're attached to the seat.
"Okay, let's begin," Grimm purrs, voice oily. He and Natsu have no chairs, but I do notice a little side table to Grimm's right. On it are some files.
I wonder what questions they'll ask me. I wonder if they'll hurt me.
I plan to be tough. I plan not to divulge anything. But then Grimm reminds me of what happened to Davina, and I feel those irrational instincts return all of a sudden to cloud my brain. I've never been terrified like this before.
---------
So, Kimi is nowhere near as tough as Davina. She doesn't want to give anything away, and she wants to get out with Davina safely, but she might end up caving in to the pain or the fear. (She is a bit cowardly.)
(January 21, 2019 - 4:18 pm)
Cendaren~
After dismissing the new elites for the day, I left and headed into an empty hall. I picked up my radio, raked a hand through my hair, and began to message Sanders. There was a lot to do. Order needed to be restored.
"Sanders! This is Caligo. Do you read?"
"Copy that, sir! We're not stone anymore. The girl and her monster--"
"Have been taken care of," I interrupted. "They are not a threat. They now have permission to be here. Sanders, I'm sending a trio of replacements for your squad. When they get there, I want you to go to the research wing and talk to the scientists about what happened to you."
"Of course, General."
I pocketed my radio, hurried to the soldiers' breakroom, ordered three soldiers (who were in the middle of a card game) to go relieve Sanders's team, and left as quickly as I'd come. As I thought of the laboratories, visions of Saoirse's vials flashed through my mind. I blinked them away and saved my idea for later.
As I hurried down the halls, I sent an update to the other four generals, bringing them into the loop on our new guests--Saoirse, Raven [author's note: he knows Raven is here, right? I can't remember] and Granite--as well as the situation with the fallen carriage. It was all under control, at least for the moment.
"So much to do," I muttered to myself, storming towards the staircase that would lead to an upper level of the mansions. Gradually, my thoughts were drawn to the new Elite trainees. They showed great promise, and I was excited to see what else they were capable of. Especially Ashzan. Rarely did a new recruit arrive with such ambition. The look in her eyes reminded me of myself when I was younger.
This army makes you grow up fast.
I barely noticed the two guards salute as I ascended the staircase and entered the second story of the mansion. My destination was the same as Sanders's; I was heading for the laboratory, where I had ordered the drum to be delivered.
I was already planning out what I would write in my letter to Catastrophe. (I didn't know where he was right now; no one did, but if Enyo--or even, Kyngdom forbid, Catastrophe's dragon--ever showed up I could try to attach a letter to them.) The only issue was that the drum could be a fake: I wouldn't alert Catastrophe until I knew if the instrument was truly the Power of Hoof.
The lab always smelled of sanitizers and burning acid things. Part of it inhabited an old kitchen, and this is where I entered.
"Which way to the drum?" I demanded crisply.
"Sir!" The woman in the modified kitchen saluted. "The drum is in the first door to the left."
I stepped into the quiet, well-lit chamber. Two white-clad scientists were observing the drum closely with magnifying glasses, cameras, and two thin booklets.
"What are your thoughts?" I wanted to know. "Is it true or false?"
"General Caligo. Ah, we aren't really sure. It matches every description we can find in the books, but there's only one way to tell for certain."
"To break it; I know. I'm sure you understand you will not be breaking that instrument, though."
"Of course, General."
"We should be getting intelligence soon from the two who brought it in. Perhaps they will have some insight as to its origins. If it's a fake, it is very deceptive, and Catastrophe will want to know who made it. Anyway, I want to be the first to hear whatever you discover."
"Yes sir."
I turned and left the little windowless room just as Sanders was arriving in the kitchen. It was then I remembered Saoirse and her comment on the Decoy Forest. My idea burst back into mind.
After speaking with the scientists about Saoirse, I hurried back to my chambers to write her a note, which I planned to place in her sleeping quarters.
Saoirse:
Your interest in science intrigues me. If you are to be staying here, you might as well make yourself busy. I recall you mentioning studying the Decoy Forest...
The note went on to inform Saoirse of the laboratories on the second floor. She would not be permitted deep within them, but many of the tools, I explained, would be open to her use if she did want to explore the Decoy Forest.
Her research might prove beneficial. And if Saoirse could find what I was hoping for, we might just have a powerful new weapon in the works...
All I had to do was deliver the letter, and that would be that.
----------
Phew, sorry this was so long!
@Night - Oh! Hopefully Cendaren and Ashzan can start getting to know each other better when their one-on-one training starts!
(January 21, 2019 - 10:23 pm)
HECK YES
(January 21, 2019 - 10:44 pm)
AWW HECK YAH FULL ACCESS TO AWSOME TOOLS Saoirse is going to have so much fun. I'll see if I have time to write something, but I have dress rehersals all week this week so I dunno how much I'll be able to do.
And yes, he has met Raven.
(January 22, 2019 - 12:51 am)
Tsuki~~
As soon as we entered the interrogation room, I felt sick. I didn't want to do this. I knew I couldn't hurt anybody. I couldn't force things out of somebody. The only reason I'd made it to Elite level was because Ashzan told me exactly what to do. Without Ashzan, I would be a low-ranked soldier. I felt even sicker thinking about how I couldn't trust Ashzan anymore. She was an enemy now. But good Lunee, it made me feel worse than a Dolor Felis without fur thinking about it.
I stood in the back, hidden behind Grimm's great bulk. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in, Sagestone. What took you so long?" Grimm barked. Deeja --or, Fahada, I suppose. It felt so weird to think of her as anybody but Deeja.-- enters. "Sorry, sir. I was helping Ashzan clean up the blood." That was a lie. I knew what Deeja had been doing . She was in the barracks creating a plan with Raven to steal the drum and free the prisoners.
Deeja stood next to me. She squeezed my hand reassuringly and smile. Then she mouthed the words, 'I have a plan. Just follow my orders, okay? ' I gave her a quick, small nod.
"Alright. Let's get started," Grimm said. The racoon's whiskers twitched nervously . He turns to us. "Actually...Sagestone and Natsu. Let's let you run this interrogation yourselves. Natsu, you might not be violent, but I feel like you can get information out of somebody. And Sagestone...well, you're obviously a fighter." Grimm smiles at us . "I'll be waiting outside. Take this gun--just in case. As long as we have one prisoner who can answer questions, we're fine." He lays the gun down top of the papers. I felt ill when I realized what he was implying . Grimm exited the small room.
Deeja opened a small door in the back and pulled out two more chairs. She sat in one, I sat in the other.
"Well, let's see..Oh--he's already written out questions for us. Acch, does he really think these will make anybody answer?" She rolled her eyes and quite literally threw the paper away. The anthro flinches.
Deeja looked at her. "What's your name?" She asked. Her voice wasn't harsh and rough like Grimm's. Instead , it was...casual. Less intimidating.
The anthro relaxes. "Um..." She suddenly looked like she didn't want to asnwer . Deeja sighed. She glanced at the door.
"Look, my friend Tsuki and I aren't going to hurt you. You see us as monsters just because we where thjs uniform. But we don't want to be here any more than you do."
~~~
(January 23, 2019 - 5:59 pm)
Yeah I was thinking about that. I thought Tsuki and Adhzan we're going to be best friends... I don't know how that'll work out now...
(January 24, 2019 - 1:28 am)
I apoligize if I'm messing something up, feel free to completely disregaurd this if it's not consistent with the story (i'm new), but I had and interesting idea for a twist the story could take. Again, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing or even if I'm posting this in the right spot. That said, here we go:
I am of the Fayling, one of those creatures cursed to live with a foot in each world. Many of my kind go mad, or hallowed by resentment for our punishment, turn against the natural world. I have a warning for you. There our those of our kind, cursed as we may be, that have sworn to pass this story down through the generations, in confidence. I realize that, were my warning intercepted by spies or double agents, it could very well mean the end of our world. There is a Power hidden on our earth, gaurded by an ancient dragon made all of gleaming bronze, and it is called the power of Light It is a portal into our world, that, like the other powers summons a divine being. But this power is far more anciant and mysterious than the others: this portal is used by the original creator, whom no one has seen in as long as history can remember. If all the powers are united at once, in a certain sacred place, there is a song that will rip the fabric of time and space and summon the creator from where they slumber. The summoner will then have complete control over the beasts of the powers, as well as the creator. And thus the world will be completely under thier control, to reshape, preserve or distroy. I beg you, heed my warning. The fate of our world depends on it.
Tell me if you like it! Sort of a major plot twist though, so I won't be offended if you choose to ignor it.
(January 31, 2019 - 10:53 am)
Oh my goodness, that was so well written! I absolutely loved reading that.
I'm not going to ignore this post, but rather respond to it. While it is rather well written and just epic, there are a few things that mean it won't be canon. I'm going to list them (in a hopefully not hurtful way) here, as I don't believe in ignoring people.
1. The Power Origin story was already decided. | Having the Powers have a creator would be really interesting, but a while back in Kyngdom we all voted for a story that would be the Origin of the Powers. Moonshadow's story was chosen, and an early version of this can be found at the bottom of the Power Origin ID thread, or http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/kyngdom-new/node/211363 .
2. There are already a set six Powers/there already is a Power of Light. | These are The Powers of Claw, Fin, Wing, Fang, Hoof, and Howl. No other Powers can be added at this point because it would change many past decisions to a major level. The Power of Howl and Fang were once known as Light and Darkness after a feud between the Powers that resulted in them casting the Power of Fang away.
I'm not writing this to discourage you from writing or coming up with twists, in fact I hope that you knowing this will give you more ideas for stories or twists on here! If you ever are confused about anything in Kyngdom or need help getting started on here, please let me know.
(January 31, 2019 - 11:50 am)
Alright and I am back from the dead of school to write!
Raven
--
It's been a few days, and things around us have begun to settle. The guards have stopped pointing thier weapons when Granite moves around in the rafters, and the prisoners have begun to loosen up since they know that most of us are allies. I popped my head into the sleeping quarters and looked around. Deeja and Tsuki were quietly talking on the bed, probably working out the finer details for an escape plan. I cleared my throat and they thurned to look at me.
"Have you two seen Saoirse or Granite today?"
Deeja shook her head, but Tsuki nodded. "She said she was going down to the labs to work on something. Whether that something is for the General or for herslef I don't know." I nodded my thanks, and turned to head back out.
I eventually made it to the lab doors and opened it up. Granite was curled up at the foot of a long table where Saoirse was hunched over at. I walked up to her. She was fiddling with tubes of dust and liquids, a whole sytem of pipes and purifying strainers set up connecting everything. Granite cracked an eye open as I approached. He shifted, and the sound of stone on stone roused Saoirse from her concentration. She gave me a wane smile. There were dark circles under her eyes. "Hey," she said in a wane voice.
"Just what are you doing that involves not sleeping and eating properly." She turned away.
"I was working on the sap extract from the Decoy Forest, and that was simple enough, but I found notes of a machine. I think it might have been the one that hurt Skaylar, the thief prisoner. I've looked at the design, and I think I might have created something." She gulped. and looked away. "But I think I may have also created a disastours weapon." I narrowed my eyes. She reached down and grabbed her umbrella, unscrewing the handle to pull somthing out. "The notes on the weapon say that it would have delivered a scar across the a person based on the person's spirit. It's supposed to do an equal damage to their body and soul. But I've managed to revere the process and modify it, and, well," she dumped a small syringe attached to a glass tube. It had tiny gears and tinier tubes of dust and liquids. "Alchemy is a process of purification and extraction to isolate the essence of something so you can tamper with the very being of it. I've created a way to extract..."
"...a person's own essence from their body." I finished for her. She nodded, tucking the syringe back into her umbrella, screwing the curved handle back on.
"It's just a prototype. I've got some exposive dust in one of the tubes on it, and it's set to explode if someone I don't want touching ti touches it. It's reallly dangerous. But," she said looking down, "this is a chance we have to do something unheard of. Imagine extracting a soul, and urifying it. You could quite literally purify an evil soul into one which is kind and caring." I thought about it.
"You could end all conflict, at the cost of changing the root of a person's personality."
"Yes. I'm working on an upgrade to my umbrella. I'm thinking of turning it into a rifle, and creating infused bullets. And an acutal body for the, um," she tapped the handle of the umbrella. "I just need some time to work on everything. And to think about what I've created." She turned back to the workstation. I stood there for a moment, and then turned back to the door. "And Raven?" I paused. "You can't tell anyone, even our firneds. I refuse to let even a chance of this information to get out to anyone."
--
Well that was fun! I'm probably going to retreat back into studying now.
(January 31, 2019 - 11:05 pm)
Tsuki~~
When Raven and Deeja left, one to see Saoirse and one to go train, I left as well. I'd been doing this--or, we'd-- for the past few days. Caolán was waiting for me in the storage closet down near the cafeteria. Every day we met in a different spot at a different time, so it would be hard for someone to find us.
"Hello?" I asked quietly .
"I'm here," Caolán replies , climbing out of a bin of brooms. "So...how's your plan to steal that drum going?"
I thought about it. "Not necessarily great. We can't figure out how to sneak all the prisoners out. We need a distraction, but we don't know what."
Caolán paused for a bit. "I might be able to come up with a few ideas for a distraction."
~~~
(February 1, 2019 - 4:39 pm)
Ashzan~
Caligo knocks on the door to the Elite Barracks.
"Elite Training Grounds, Twenty minutes tops, meet me there, Moksovinan." His tone is unrecognisable.
"Yes, sir." I reply. I listen to his receding footsteps, light and brisk. Immediately after they fade, I slip out of the barracks, locking the door behind me with the key they gave all three of us at initiation. Within two minutes I'm at the Training Grounds. Caligo sees me approach.
"You're early."
"I had no other duties, sir."
"Mm." He nods. We both stand there for a second, inspecting each other carefully. I can't help but notice how handsome he is. Suddenly, he takes a sharp breath in and moves to go get something from a nearby shed. Soon, he reappears with an archery target. After setting it up, he returns to me. A black spear materializes next to his hand, floating in the air. With a wave of his hand, the spear shoots forward and slices a perfect hole through the bullseye. "Your turn." An actual spear materializes next to my hand, floating like his did. With a wave of my own hand, I send it to the target. A second hole, slightly to the right of Caligo's, shows my work.
~~
(February 1, 2019 - 5:58 pm)
Davina ~~
The days have passed.
Some of the recruits claim they're going to help us, but I don't trust them. They're all just more of Catastrophe's little pets, lying and tricking us. They're all just greedy little monsters. All of them.
Kimi hasn't been doing great. We've both been called in for many interrogations, and I can tell she's going to snap any minute now and tell them everything. Everything. Poor Kimi.
A familiar face appears in front of my cell. "Both of you are coming with me. Maybe the racoon will spill something if her friend's life is on the line." Wait--what? Suddenly , guards are pulling us into the hallway. Why are they looking at me like that?
Grimm leads us into a different interrogation room than normal. There are three chairs--two normal metal chairs, and one ominous looking chair with all sorts of tools of death attached to it.
I, of course, get the ominous chair.
~~~
I don't want Davina to get injured too horribly, but I kinda like the idea of Kimi breaking under the pressure.... I feel evil now.
(February 9, 2019 - 8:33 am)
Hi! I'm new to Kyngdom, and I was wondering if someone could give me a summary of what's happening on this thread? I know the general summary (i.e. Catastrophe wants to destroy the world and we're stopping him), but other than that I'm kinda clueless.
I've been posting on the Olive Den thread in the RP board, but it's semi-dying and doesn't have much to do with the rest of Kyngdom, so I thought I'd stop by here instead.
Thank you!
(February 12, 2019 - 10:46 pm)
Here--
Tsuki, Ashzan, and Deeja are recruits in Catastrohpe's army. Davina Starr and Kimi Flammori have stolen a fake Power of Hoof. Their carriage crashes nearby Jokull. They are taken prisoner, along with a thief named Skylar who tried to steal the Power of Hoof from Kimi. General Grimm and General Caligo promote Ashzan, Deeja and Tsuki to Elite status. Raven Shadows, Saoirse, and Granite are allowed to stay in the barracks. Tsuki and Raven are past friends. Tsuki discovered Caolán hiding in the laundry room. They almost instantly become friends. Deeja reveals to Raven, Saoirse and Tsuki that she is secretly Fahada, a Resistance spy. They create a plan to free the prisoners and steal the Power. Saoirse creates a weapon that purify souls and take them out of one's body.
(February 13, 2019 - 3:48 pm)