Warframe Writing Contest! [Prizes Available!]

[FiveHours]

Greetings, fellow Tenno!

My name is FiveHours, or Alex, if you prefer, and I'd like to say that writing is a great hobby of mine. I find it a way of escaping into a fictional world, one that will somewhat alleviate the stress that I carry on my shoulders during the workday. I believe that one should always try a creative hobby at least once in their lifetime, and I believe that writing offers just that.

I've been on this forum for a while now, and I've had time to see to quite what extent the writing talent here goes. It is evident that we have enthusiastic, willing and incredibly talented writers here, and I would love to both view and showcase the jewels you guys can come up with.

Since there already has been a poetry contest, I think that this one should be more prose-oriented, so here's what you'll need to do to enter and (possibly!) win a prize based on my judgement and a couple of others:

• 1. Write a story of any length between 250-1500 words. Any genre, as long as it is related to Warframe.
• 2. Submit either by PMing me it or by posting it in the thread. Try not to spam.
• 3. Wait until July 10th for results, and check to see if you won! There will be 300 platinum for 1st place, 150 for 2nd place and 75 for 3rd place.

After this contest I will continue a weekly series of writing contests that will yield one winner of 75 platinum, which will be set on a particular theme.

Good luck, Tenno, and may Microsoft Word be ever in your favour!

Winners:

1st - "Last Breath" by Achaix

A grate falls, followed by lithe figures. That day's mission was one of paramount importance: the capture of two high-ranking officials in the Corpus chain of command. Both men served the Board in their own way: one supplied them with the latest in proxies and electronics, while the other funded them with his truly massive account, each credit provided by a gullible follower of the Void.

Just another Tuesday for these Tenno.

Volt, Valkyr, Rhino, and Ember. Those were their Warframes, and for this mission and countless others, those were their names. They all nodded at each other, some more grimly than others, and set off.

In less than four minutes, they had found and neutralized the targets, who dissolved into information to be stored in their frames. Their screams, that became so shrill and flanging at the end of the capture process, lingered in the empty, bloodied halls.

They ran back to the extraction point, paying no heed to the remains of felled Crewmen, the piles of scrapped MOAs, or the shadows that gathered and soldified in a dark corner.

-+-

Rhino was the first to go. He had seen a shadow move, and quickly left the group to have a closer look at what seemed like a silhouette edged in red. He entered the Mainframe Chamber, with it's tall spires of light blue crystal and deep pits darker than night.

He heard an odd, chilling rasp, turned, and beheld Death. To his credit, Rhino remained defiant, his Iron Skin unsullied and his Gorgon revving up.

"Come on, you traitor! It's time for you to know what real Tenno are made of!" The Juggernaut exclaimed as he engaged the demon in battle.

You are made of skin that breaks

The hateful scythe cut through his Iron Skin like a hot knife through butter, jutting out of his back. He coughed, and tasted the coppery scent of blood with each breath.

Bones that crack

He was thrown, thrown into one of those pits that dotted this section of the facility. Ventilation and cooling, he dimly remembered, his brain struggling to catch up to reality. Energy concentrations were so high, falling into the pits meant a slow death through dematerialization.

And blood that spills.

A few crimson drops marked the end. There would be no body.

-+-

Ember was next. Upon Rhino's silence and the glitching of his status bar, she excused herself from the leaving pair to go back to where they saw him last.

On her way there, the facility's lights shorted out. Though rather unnerved by the change, she quickly activated her Boltor's built-in flashlight to pierce through the darkness. Her first sight was that of a terrible and furious visage.

Falling back to her instincts, Ember lobbed a fireball at the demon and lit the world around her on fire. But the flames themselves feared the demon, and flickered away from it before dying out completely once it was near their old master, choking the life out of her.

Even as it strangled her, the demon slowly pulled out a knife that filled the Tenno with dread.

Why? She asked with her eyes before her life was puffed out with little effort, and the body collapsed before Death himself spoke back.

Because I must.

-+-

The demon then appeared in front of them in a flash of burgundy energy, kicking Volt down and notching an arrow in it's dreadful bow, about to let the arrow fly...

Death was interrupted by the righteous fury of an angel, who cried out her challenge and attacked him with unparalleled intensity. Her every move seemed to grow faster and greater the more flesh she struck, and beneath her ruined and scarred helmet, Valkyr grinned at the thought that this fight was hers.

An arrow, gripped by it's shaft and buried into her neck, nipped that thought in the bud, making it wilt.

-+-

In the end it was only Volt. He ran, and ran, and ran as quick and as far as he could, anything to escape the fate of his teammates.

He tried to contact the Lotus, but the only response was pure silence.

He tried to call upon the power of his frame, but it would not obey him.

By the end of it, he was stumbling, and still nowhere near extraction.

"How?" He panted, falling to his knees and making no move as the executioner unsheathed his scythe.

I let you escape for a few moments, then brought you back to where you were before that. I must have done that... oh, ten times already.

Death's hands were suprisingly gentle, and Volt felt the scythe's edge brush across his neck experimentally, already cutting past his frame.

This way, you suffer just like they did.

-+-

The shadow rose from his last kill, walked to a cleaner section of floor, and knelt.

His holy duty was not yet accomplished.

2nd - "Eyes" by ROSING

Pearly squinted at the man as he walked in.

He looked like the average outercolony traveler, dressed in a flowing black cloak, the edges bitten and torn from a life on the move. Beneath the cloak was a ratty but thick jacket that protected his body from whatever Europan cold the cloak could not repel.

The man closed the door behind him, and as the bright winter light was cut off, the room returned to its dim lighting, giving Pearly a clearer view of the man as he made his way through the bar.

There were two things that Pearly looked at when a new customer walked in. The first was their weapons, and the second was the look in their eyes.

The man had a long thin object wrapped in cloth at his back. From the man’s ragged appearance, Pearly would have guessed it was a cheap hunting rifle, or possibly a pirated Grineer Hind.

But the look in his eyes made him pause. The stranger had an easy look on his face, with a light smile as he surveyed the room, but past the twinkle in his eyes, Pearly’s years of dealing with killers and dangerous men could sense something far more sinister, something no one could completely conceal.

As much as the man might want to pass himself off as one, he wasn’t the average traveler. That Pearly didn’t believe. The eyes alone made him at once curious and suspicious of the mysterious object concealed by the cloth.

The stranger stepped up to the bar and leaned on the counter, meeting Pearly’s gaze evenly.

“Hello,” he said. “Martian Oasis Jellyfish extract, in the cleanest glass you have.”

Pearly raised his brow at the man. “Does it look like we’re on a Corpus villa? We don’t serve that here,” he answered brusquely.

“Which one, the Jellyfish extract or the clean glass?” The man laughed and raised his hands. “Sorry, just joking around. I’m just here for a glass of water and some information, I hear you sell both.”

Pearly sighed and rolled his eyes. In reality, he made eye contact with his assistant sitting at one of the tables near the door. The boy nodded.

He turned his attention back to the man in front of him. “Water’s on the house, but the price of your information depends on what you’re looking for.” He turned and set about pouring a glass.

“Splendid.” The man leaned back and took a seat on one of the stools. Pearly heard it creak, the same way it creaked when a customer with ample girth or a huge load of weapons sat on it, at odds with the muscular yet still slim frame of the stranger.

“I just wanted to know what you could tell me about one of your regulars here,” The man said.

Pearly grunted, setting the cup down on the bar. “Friend of yours?”

“A dear friend,” the man said. Pearly didn’t believe that.

“Lotta people come through here,” Pearly said. “I might not know him all that well.”

“Is that so? Well, I think you’d know this man quite well,” the man said, looking around at the other patrons as he downed the glass of water. “In an outercolony dive like this, he’s a somewhat unusual customer,”

Pearly shrugged. “Got a name? Either I know him or I don’t.”

“He’s well-known in these parts,” the stranger said, turning to make eye contact once more, and the twinkle in his eyes was suddenly gone, and Pearly could clearly see the disturbing bloodlust in his eyes. “Reev Treylo.”

The name rang in the now silent room as all turned at its mention.

Pearly looked the man straight in the eye and said, “Treylo? What kinda business would a Corpus Board Member have here?”

“Perhaps a clean glass of Martian Oasis Jellyfish extract?” The man said, the twinkle at once returning. “Or maybe hiring some of the smugglers I see here? Word on the street round these parts is that he’s heisting top notch goods from Grineer sites. Orokin Goods.”

“Smugglers?” Pearly leaned forward, still holding eye contact. “You’d be doing me a favor if you could point them out to me. Wouldn’t do me any good to have criminals frequenting my pub.”

“Oh? I would think it would do you very well, Hanson “Pearly” White. Your trade thrives on criminals, doesn’t it? They say Pearly’s smugglers are the best in the outercolony, round here.” The man leaned forward again, chin resting on his hands. The twinkle was gone again, baring the almost cruel look within.

Pearly tapped his fingers in what might have come off as a nervous twitch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his men, mixed among the patrons, nod at the signal.

“People exaggerate,” Pearly mumbled, continuing to act anxious. “People round these parts have a day job and a hustle. My hustle is a few people moving stuff from point A to point B, that’s it.”

“It’s just that sometimes, there are a few unwanted Grineer blockades between point A and point B, right?” The man shook his head. “Let’s stop playing games now, Mr. Pearly.” He reached behind him and slung out the wrapped object. With a flourish, he unfurled it, tossing the cloth aside.

An ancient, curved sword flashed in the low light, at once simple yet elegant. Not the average traveler’s weapon. The stranger brought the sword down, leaving it impaled on the ground beside him. “Here is my offer, Mr. Pearly,” the man said. “Tell me when and where the next shipment with Treylo is, and nothing unfortunate will happen.”

Pearly didn’t believe it for a second. He had a good deal with Treylo, but the man was as trusting as any Corpus businessman. Any slight indication he had sold him out, and he could consider his assets—and his life—property of the Board.

“Sorry,” Pearly said, “But that information’s not for sale.”

“Oh, I was willing to pay before, but you’re clearly wasting my time,” the man replied. “My friends are in danger of being turned into a science kit, and you’re here passing off one of the most complex smuggling organizations in the colony as a ‘hustle.’”

“Look, Mister, I can’t give you that information. Please leave quietly, and nothing unfortunate will happen,” Pearly said. “That’s my counter offer.”

“It seems refusing either of our offers will lead to something unfortunate happening,” the man sighed, caressing the hilt of his sword. “And I think they’ll lead to the same kind of unfortunate.”

“And what would that be?” Pearly growled.

“Namely, that I would kill you and every one of your henchmen here in the blink of an eye,” the man said, grip closing around the hilt. Strangely, the twinkle was back.

Pearly scoffed. There were many things he didn’t believe. This had to be the most unbelievable. “You think you can take us all on,” he said, “Thirty-five killers—all at once?” he put emphasis on the number. He wasn’t surprised the stranger could sense his men, but surely he wasn’t expecting so many.

Instead his eyes lit up. “Oh, so it was thirty-five!” The man exclaimed. “I wasn’t sure if that scrawny boy at the entrance was with you or not, but since I identified the other thirty-four, he has to be.”

Pearly exchanged an incredulous look with his assistant. Then, he raised his hand.

In response, the room erupted into movement as Pearly’s henchmen shot up from their chairs. Simultaneously, the stranger lifted his sword from the ground, and in a flash, thirty-five ethereal blades lit up the room. The men froze in the act of drawing their weapons, each captured by the deadly gaze of a sword point.

Pearly stared down the blue javelin aimed at his now rapidly beating heart. His eyes darted back to its master. The man brushed the collar of his ratty jacket back to show ancient armor shining beneath. Pearly had only seen that kind of armor once before, through the glass of an Orokin Cryopod.

The elegant sword hovered above the ground. “You understand what happens when I bring this down, correct?” the man said.
Pearly nodded.

“Splendid. Now, the information, before things become unfortunate.”

Pearly let out a breath. He might as well live for a few days longer. “Tomorrow evening, we’re shipping some Cryopods out to Treylo’s ship. It will be docked in bay five. Treylo will be there personally.”

The stranger smiled again, and suddenly, the dark look in his eyes vanished, as if that too was another front. If it hadn’t happened right in front of him, Pearly wouldn’t have believed it. The man stood up and started walking towards the door, the blades still menacing their targets as he wrapped his sword back in the cloth.

“Fear not, Mr. Pearly,” the Tenno said, turning as he opened the door. “Treylo will be dealt with. By tomorrow, you will have nothing to fear.”

Pearly believed that.

3rd - "Stand, Tenno" by Evanescent

 

Look at them as they come.
The rain glistens on their armor, their eyes light the falling rain in halos of malevolence. Their guns roar, drowning the thrum of the rain. Each bullet smashes into you, makes you stumble, makes you bleed.
You fell them by the hundreds, by the thousands. But for every one you kill, more arrive.
You look at your hand. The rain washes your blood away. it clings to your Warframe.
You are weary. Your rifle clicks empty.
You crouch, taking cover, and draw your sidearm.

They come in hordes. Endless, like the rain. Lusting for blood. Your blood.
The rain falls ceaselessly. Another of you falls.
Death is in the air, death caresses your spine in chill shivers.
You close your eyes. This numb feeling, this dread....
Is this fear?

You look at the people you fight for. Simple people who lead simple lives, caught in the violence. Their eyes are bloodshot, pupils dilated. They feel fear. They huddle against each other. You see tears glisten on their grimy faces. The flashes of gunfire light them up like minuscule diamonds. They shiver, soaked to their skin.
Or is it the rain?

You breathe deeply. Your ears ring. Blink. Your eyelids close and open again. Blink.
The wall shudders under your back as you take cover under it. They are coming. The Lotus is silent. Your comms are dead. There is only you, and your allies to stand between them.
They are coming, and you are alone.

Your frozen years weigh down on you. Pain throbs through your veins. You remember vague feelings you lost along the way as the cold and the void claimed your mind. You remember small things, things you had forgotten. You look at the civilians again as they huddle. They must have families, that woman clutching her baby must have a man waiting for her, waiting to hold his child close again.
Did you have someone like that?

The rain is ceaseless. It dissolves in the smoke rising from the destroyed building. You look around at the caved in roof, the demolished walls. You see hints of a stair, you see suggestions of rooms. You see blood, you see a hand here, buried below the rubble. You see bullet holes in the walls. You see walls scorched by fire.
And over it all the rain drapes its grey veil.

They hordes are coming. They cry out their chopped, guttural cries. They think they have won. They have taken the city. The relay has fallen. Now they come for the Tenno, and those to be their slaves.
They come for that babe, blue in the cool rain. They come for her mother, weeping in stifled sobs.
They come for you.
You gulp the filtered air through you helmet.
They come for you.

You wonder if this is your time. The rime over your heart thaws a little. You wonder how many of them you have felled. How many heads you have taken.
You wonder how much of your life you lost in the icy sleep, and the white hellspace.
Do you regret?
Do you feel?
Are you Tenno, or are you human?

Your sidearm is empty. The suit offers no comfort from the chill of the rain.
It is cold. So cold.
it is so cold again.

A sudden shock throws you to your back. Dust clouds the air. You try to grab the floor and your fingers slip. You hear screams. The people are screaming. Searing heat rolls towards you.
The void sings.
The heat is cut off suddenly, and chunks of rubble smash against the shell of ice as it forms around you. The air grows chill and your breath frosts over. The people shiver, shying away from the edges of the globe.

Bullets rail against its surface, and already cracks are appearing. It won't hold.
Not like this.

You blink. The rain is ceaseless. You see trails of red as their madmen descend to flush you from your shelter. Their laughter makes your head hurt, your mind ache. You put a hand on your blade.
Decide quickly. The cracks widen and spread on the globe.
Decide.
Decide quickly.

You look at the people. Their eyes are on you now. Their fear is forgotten. Now they hold on only to desperate, ebbing hope. Hope for a victory you know you cannot give them. You, Tenno, with all your power cannot defeat the ones that now come for you. You hear familiar clicks. Empty guns. Your allies throw them away. Their heads turn.
You see familiar silhouettes. They have fought beside you for so long. They wield Fire. They wield Ice. They wield the thunder from the sky. The rain glistens on their bodies, slides of their frames. They know what to do.
You close your eyes.
It is your time.
You give the signal.

Crack. The globe shatters.
The void sings.

Light. You wield light.
Draw. Draw your blade, master.
Show them your radiance.

The energy surges through the suit's matrices, searing pain and excruciating joy in your veins. You draw on it like never before.
If not, here, where?
If not now, when?
Draw, master.
Draw your blade.

The light blossoms over the battlefield from your blade, and the guns are cut short. They are screaming, shielding themselves from the light. It shines through the rain, bleeds into their eyes. It burns them.
You channel more.
Let them know fear.

They retreat as you hold the tides back. You feel fire, ice and thunder course around your blade as they leave.
A parting gift.
Their last tribute to you.
And then they are gone.
You let the light fade.

They take a moment to see you, standing there, alone.
Their prey is gone. Their rage wells up. Now they fall upon you.

You laugh as they come, and dance in their ranks. Your blade cuts them, makes them bleed, ends them. From foe to foe you dash, cleaving them. Blinding them. Impaling them with your fury. Every strike bears the weight of your frozen years. And every one you fell you look in the eye. They are wide, degenerate pupils dilated. They are afraid.
Even the madmen know fear at your hands.

Bullets rip into you. You bleed.
But so do they. So much more than you.

Look at them as they come. Their guns roar, drowning out the rain. Their bullets bite into you, their claws open gashes in your limbs. After centuries of life death has come for you at last.
At last you feel the warmth in your body thaw the limbs that have stayed frozen for so long.
Death has come for you.
But look. Is it not glorious?
Is it not kind?

It is your time. But do not let death take you kneeling, Master.
Swing, swing your blade. Hold your ground.
Stand. Stand Master.
Stand and fight.

And when death is come for you at last, go into its cool embrace laughing.
For you go fighting, knowing no fear.
For you go, as Tenno.

Edited July 13, 2015 by FiveHours

[thelastpwnr99]

Awww yes.  Been looking for a reason to finish this story up.  Will PM you in a few.  Thanks for the amazing opportunity!

[FiveHours]

Thanks for the submission, thelastpwnr!

Do we have any other takers?

[ROSING]

I would be down for this. Short stories are the bane of my existence, but I have a few I could try out.

 

Is the deadline June 10th then?

 

EDIT: I forgot to convey my enthusiasm, because firstly this is a post by Five, and secondly there's a writing contest. LET'S DO THIS PEOPLE!!!

Edited June 25, 2015 by ROSING

[FiveHours]

I would be down for this. Short stories are the bane of my existence, but I have a few I could try out.

Is the deadline June 10th then?

EDIT: I forgot to convey my enthusiasm, because firstly this is a post by Five, and secondly there's a writing contest. LET'S DO THIS PEOPLE!!!

July 10th, you mean?

And I thank you for your enthusiasm, I look forward to whatever you have to offer.

[Evanescent]

I want in! Hyped!

[zxcv1911]

So only short stories/one-shot and no more than 1,000 words? Well, that's a tough requirement. :\

[Kalenath]

I will let others do this.

 

Good luck.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Kalenath

[FiveHours]

So only short stories/one-shot and no more than 1,000 words? Well, that's a tough requirement. :\

What amount did you have in mind?

 

And it's 1500 words, but its not strictly that, so I can give leeway of about 100-200 words.

[zxcv1911]

What amount did you have in mind?

 

And it's 1500 words, but its not strictly that, so I can give leeway of about 100-200 words.

 

Eh, probably more than 1,500 I think. It's a crossover with Touhou where I, with a different username, had posted at least two one-shots of it on a forum called Spacebattles.

[FiveHours]

Eh, probably more than 1,500 I think. It's a crossover with Touhou where I, with a different username, had posted at least two one-shots of it on a forum called Spacebattles.

How about you send it in, and we'll see if it applies here, alright?

 

Any writing is better than none, my friend.

[zxcv1911]

Here you go. ;)

 

Warframe-Touhou crossover: Zephyr

 

"Right over there, Aya onee-chan," a little human girl pointed her finger at a figure far away from her.

 

The resident crow tengu reporter, Shameimaru Aya, did not expect the newcomer to be located sitting under a cherry blossom tree near the village canal. Especially in the middle of the Human Village in broad daylight. Still, Aya was happy that she now had a nice, new scoop waiting to be added in the next issue of her Bunbunmaru Newspaper.

 

Rumors had been circulating all over the village for three days regarding this particular individual that suddenly came out of nowhere. At first, much of the villagers were frightened by this "person" due to its bizarre appearance as it walked in the middle of the village square. It looked neither a human nor a youkai. They were frightened enough to the point where they immediately "pulled" the village guardian Kamishirasawa Keine, who was in the middle of a class session, from school to deal with the newcomer.

 

From what she heard from the little girl, who guided the crow tengu earlier to the newcomer's location in front of them, the stranger simply continued walking after it ignored Keine's calls to stop and identify itself, much to the village guardian's surprise. However, Keine could not just attack the newcomer directly as it had not make any move that would be deemed as hostile at the humans, despite being pressured by the villagers.

 

After minutes of walking around the Human Village, the newcomer stopped in front of a cherry blossom tree located near the village canal and sat beneath the tree.

 

What was making Aya curious was that it had not left its position nor made any movement other than sitting rigidly ever since the day the stranger appeared.

 

Despite it had not done anything nor any movement yet, with no incidents of any kind happened in the village since its appearance, the villagers were cautious enough of not to go near the strange newcomer. The little girl had told Aya that based on what she heard from her parents' conversation with other people, Keine had approached the newcomer and instead of confronting it, the two of them talked to each other for nearly half an hour until they reached some sort of an understanding.

 

"Anyway, I need to get back home now, Aya onee-chan," the little girl said as she looked up at the taller crow tengu.

 

"Thanks for guiding me, little girl. Be sure to read my next issue of the Bunbunmaru newspaper, okay?" Aya winked with a smile as she stooped and stroked the child's hair gently.

 

"Hm! I will, Aya onee-chan!" She happily agreed. The little girl began her walk to her home while she waved her hand goodbye to the crow tengu reporter.

 

After Aya cheerfully waved back at the child, she grabbed her camera that hung around her neck through its camera straps and pointed the device at the sitting figure far in front of her. When she zoomed in the camera and looked at the figure through its viewfinder, Aya now knew why the villagers were scared at this newcomer.

 

Its entire body and skin appeared to be twisted, misshapen to the point it barely resembled a human or any human-like youkai in Gensokyo. This newcomer had a white, blue and black coloration all over its body. Solid, almost feather-like protrusions could be seen running along its arms and legs. Its head, however, was probably the most striking feature of them all: its general shape looked very unnatural, almost freakish even. The top of its head was covered by what it seemed to be a white-blue external skull that stretched and narrowed to the front, forming a single beak-like horn which covered the newcomer's entire forehead.

 

However, what was more interesting was its face; it had no human nor youkai features at all: it lacked a mouth, a nose and a pair of eyes. It made Aya wondered how this creature was able to talk, see and breathe like any other "normal" living beings. Then again, Aya remembered the conversation she had earlier with the little girl; that this newcomer had talked to Keine. Which means that the odd creature before her was capable of vocal speech.

 

The crow tengu could not help but thinking of the possibility that this newcomer must be either a new species of youkai, or a previously undiscovered ancient youkai until its recent appearance. If so, what kind of youkai was it?

 

Aya rapidly pressed the camera's shutter release three times, each made a clicking sound as the device took three pictures of the newcomer from a distance. However, even though they were located far from each other, the newcomer could hear the shutter clicking sound of the camera clearly. Which caused it to turn its faceless head towards the crow tengu reporter standing far away at its right side.

 

What the...? How?

 

Through the viewfinder, Aya saw that the newcomer now had its faceless visage facing directly at her. She was surprised that it could somehow caught the sound of the camera's shutter from afar. Not long afterwards, the newcomer turned its face away from the crow tengu and slightly bowed its head. Still, with her presence was noticed by the strange creature, Aya lowered her camera, let it hung around her neck, and decided to approach the newcomer for an interview.

 

Hopefully, I could get a nice scoop for my newspaper from this one, Aya thought. She took a deep breath and moved towards the newcomer with confidence and optimism.

 

As Aya pulled out a notebook and a pen from a little shoulder bag at her side, and was getting closer to the newcomer, she noticed that its sitting posture looked very familiar to her. The kneeling attitude, its back was straightened, its palms were placed upon its upper thighs, and its slightly bowed head...

 

Is it... Is it meditating?

 

So the newcomer did not just sit under the tree for no apparent reason, it was actually picking a spot for meditate. But why there? What was so special about the tree to it? The honest and pure traditional reporter within her compelled Aya to get to the bottom of this.

 

                                                             --------------------------------------------------------------------------​

 

Aya walked until she stopped in front of the meditating newcomer. It slowly raised its head to see the person stood in front of it and came face to face with the crow tengu reporter, scrutinizing her with its faceless expression. To be frank, Aya became a bit unnerved when the newcomer was looking at her directly with that featureless expression of it.

 

"Hello there, stranger. My name is Shameimaru Aya, a reporter for the Bunbunmaru Newspaper that I run by myself," Aya politely introduced herself as she bowed to the newcomer. "Is it alright for you that I would like to conduct an interview about yourself?"

 

The newcomer suddenly lifted its right hand from her thigh and a slight hand movement, gentle gusts of wind blew the crow tengu reporter. Aya saw the newcomer making several hand movements with its right hand. Before she could ask what was happening, Aya's eyes went wide open in surprise as she saw thousands of fallen cherry blossom petals that covered the surrounding ground of the cherry blossom tree were picked up into the air by the winds and gathered together into a small tornado of petals which was as high as her knees before her.

 

When the newcomer curled the fingers of its right hand into a fist, the winds stopped blowing and the petals fell to the ground, creating a thick pile of petals in front of Aya's feet. She was then greeted by something she was almost unprepared for -- the newcomer's voice.

 

"Of course," the newcomer said with a deep, unemotional and flanging female voice. She then gestured Aya to sit on top of a cherry blossom petal pile in front of her. "Please, have a seat."

 

"Oh, thank you!" Aya quickly sat on the soft pile of cherry blossom petals that was created for her.

 

Aya was excited and she could not believe what had just happened before her eyes and the main preliminary details she had just discovered. First, she now knew the newcomer was a female. Second, she also had the ability to manipulate the wind like herself! And third... Well, she needed to interview the newcomer first before she could add the third point and the next. The crow tengu quickly wrote down the first two points on her notebook before she could start the interview.

 

"So, um... Now that I've introduced myself to you, could you tell me your name?" Aya politely asked.

 

"I am Zephyr," she simply declared.

 

"That's an interesting name you have. Sounds very foreign even," Aya nodded as she wrote it down in her notebook. "Are you a youkai? Because you're clearly don't look like human."

 

"No. I am neither human nor youkai; only Tenno*," Zephyr shook her head lightly. Those last words immediately caught the crow tengu reporter's interest.

 

"You're an emperor ? But isn't that a title for a male ruler? You're a woman," Aya told. "And also, what do you mean by 'neither human nor youkai'?"

 

"No, I'm not. 'Tenno' is a codename for a group of warriors like myself, who are dedicated to protect humankind against all hostile threats," Zephyr flatly explained. "As for your second question, I cannot give you the exact details of my being. Nevertheless, I could tell you that my brothers and sisters and I, for as long as we remember, were once humans before we were drastically... changed by a 'phenomenon' that even our best minds could not comprehend."

 

Aya wrote her notes quickly with great interest until she raised her head upward from her notebook to the Tenno's featureless face. "Can I ask why you chose to sit under the cherry blossom tree?"

 

"Because it's a good place for me to meditate; when you put yourself closer to nature, especially with ones of natural beauty and wonder, it tends to give off the air of peace and harmony to the one who seeks them," Zephyr answered before she continued further. "Such tranquil ambiance certainly makes proper meditative state much easier to achieve, allowing you to become more patient, focused and disciplined for the coming activity for a warrior such as myself."

 

"I see, and you're a warrior, huh? Then what do you think of youkai in general? I mean, we are considered dangerous and most of which don't like humans. Would you deem us as threats?" She asked.

 

"Yes and no," Zephyr stated. This made Aya raised an eyebrow and looked quizzically at the Tenno. "I will not lie to you; it's true there are youkai in this place that are hostile enough to attack and eat humans on sight. Therefore, I have no problem to end the lives of such offensive creatures the same way I did to thousands of my enemies before with no hesitation."

 

There was an awkward, if not a bit of grim silence took place between the two females for several moments. Aya, who suddenly stopped writing any notes on her notebook, could not help but to shudder mentally at the discovery that the Tenno had killed thousands of people or any dangerous beings Zephyr had encountered before she appeared in Gensokyo.

 

Aya could also tell that she sounded serious in the case of killing youkai instead of "exterminate" them. While at the same time not bluffing about the high number of foes she had killed, if the lack of emotion in her voice was of any indication.

 

What was more, she could feel some kind of negative, twisted and menacing energy coming out from the Tenno. Although the energy Zephyr gave off were very little and felt as if they were willfully inhibited, it still oppressed Aya's mood a bit.

 

"However," the Tenno continued. "I also know there are friendly, innocent youkai that do enjoy human company in which they don't have any ill intent to harm nor consume them, despite the numbers of these exceptional beings are less common. Such as yourself, Miss Shameimaru of Bunbunmaru Newspaper."

 

The crow tengu was a little surprised when her name was mentioned by the faceless Tenno and that she was being used by her as a good example of a benevolent youkai.

 

"The fact that a young human girl was willingly to guide you, a youkai, to this place without fear is a testament that there are simply more to it than a dangerous race or an enemy that is measured in black and white and judged only from exterior appearance," Zephyr informed.

 

"In essence, youkai are no different from humans in many ways, Miss Shameimaru. Both races are capable of being violent, selfish, sometimes cruel, destructive, and are able to create tragedies and calamities of greater scale. Yet at the same time, both have the capacity to create and admire works of great beauty and wonder, and the capability to do even the simple acts of kindness, selflessness, loyalty and love with each other."

 

Aya was amazed and speechless by Zephyr's words that she had just heard; it was philosophical and enlightening. She did not expect that this person, who by any means a deadly warrior, was also capable showing much wisdom and intelligence similar to the human samurai of the old days.

 

"Aren't you going to write down your notes, Miss Shameimaru?" Zephyr asked as she tilted her head.

 

"Eh? Oh, right!" The crow tengu reporter hastily wrote down many key notes on her notebook with enthusiasm immediately after she recovered from her brief, quiet stupor of astonishment.

 

After nearly three minutes of fast scribbling, Aya had finished writing down the notes and snapped her notebook shut.

 

"Wow! Now I've got the materials needed to write a great article!" She joyfully said as the crow tengu stood up from her cherry blossom petal pile and slipped the notebook and the pen into her little shoulder bag. Aya then bowed respectfully to the Tenno. "Thank you so much for the interview, Zephyr-san."

 

"You are welcome, Miss Shameimaru," Zephyr bowed back. "However, there's no need to give me an honorific after my name as it is an unessential courtesy among the Tenno."

 

"I don't know but the residents of Gensokyo might disagree with you," Aya disapproved playfully while winking. "Take care of yourself, Zephyr-san."

 

She waved the Tenno goodbye before the crow tengu flew off at a very fast speed. So fast that she created a gust of wind that blew away much of the cherry blossom petals across Zephyr.

 

When the wind finally settled down, the Tenno's entire body was covered from head to her thighs with pink petals. Zephyr lifted her right hand from her thigh and made a small hand movement, creating a wind that blew the petals off her body.

 

She's a strong youkai, I'll give her that.

 

The Tenno then continued her daily solitary meditation, in the shade and under the branches of a cherry blossom tree.

 

                                                                     ==#==#==#==#==#==#==#==#==#==#==

​

*: For those who aren't familiar with Warframe, Tenno (天皇) means "Divine Emperor" in Japanese. Additionally, it might be based on the Buddhist faith, where the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王, Shi-tennō) are four guardian deities who watch over each cardinal direction.

Edited June 26, 2015 by zxcv1911

[Eldnacpeek]

Define "story". A narrative? Can it be a dedication of some sorts like a journal entry, no, not of events that have occured, just views/beliefs, wants, etc.?

[FiveHours]

Define "story". A narrative? Can it be a dedication of some sorts like a journal entry, no, not of events that have occured, just views/beliefs, wants, etc.?

Something fictional, it cannot be your views/beliefs, that is not a story. What you have written must have some sort of character in it. It can be a monologue, self-narration, written from any perspective, but it has to be a STORY. Basically, something has to happen in it.

There is also an entry above your post and one called "Stand, Tenno" somewhere on the front of Fan Zone is a good example.

Edited June 26, 2015 by FiveHours

[Eldnacpeek]

Something fictional, it cannot be your views/beliefs, that is not a story. What you have written must have some sort of character in it. It can be a monologue, self-narration, written from any perspective, but it has to be a STORY. Basically, something has to happen in it.

There is also an entry above your post and one called "Stand, Tenno" somewhere on the front of Fan Zone is a good example.

 

 

What I mean by views and beliefs are an in game emotional perspective (i.e "Why I despise the Lotus", "Why the Red Veil must succeed"). What of that? I misworded the first time.

 

EDIT: I read Stand, Tenno prior to this thread. If I'm expected to write in that context, then I am unable participate.

Edited June 26, 2015 by LazerSkink

[FiveHours]

What I mean by views and beliefs are an in game emotional perspective (i.e "Why I despise the Lotus", "Why the Red Veil must succeed"). What of that? I misworded the first time.

EDIT: I read Stand, Tenno prior to this thread. If I'm expected to write in that context, then I am unable participate.

Write anything, as long as it's related to warframe and in the eyes of a character in Warframe.

[ROSING]

I am also participating, and what I wrote is nothing like what Evan has. Go ham with what you want!

[FiveHours]

Bumped.

I haven't received yours, ROSING, did you send it yet?

[ROSING]

In my usual style I pumped out the rough draft pretty quickly, but I'm still trying to smooth it over. I will send it in two days.

[Evanescent]

*chews nails*

 

Omg!

[4MostlyHarmless2]

Yo, when does this contest close? I'm kinda late to the party but I'd like to see what I can offer...

[ROSING]

I believe the deadline is the 10th! Go for it!

[FiveHours]

A reminder that this contest finishes in a week's time, on July 10th. Get writing, Tenno!

[TESTAMENTEXE]

I'll get back to this, maybe...

[bejuizb]

It it alright to link a previously written work or would you like me to create something now? I don't mind either, just wanted to make sure if it's okay for me to link something I wrote a while ago.