[Archive] Of Ash And Fire - Original Thread

[Jeahanne]

.. if it's not to much to ask, may my Tenno, Acantha, observe this? Not be part of it, but be at the back of the crowd perhaps?

[Ajkrumen]

You need no permission. :)

[Ajkrumen]

I meant more along the lines of something official! You have real talent, Khi. 

[BRad_Skirata]

In the timeline, here's how I see it:

1,2,3,4

 

I read it like 1,3,2,4

It just seems like Aiglo heard the news on his way back to the dojo (still a week out), arrived at the dojo, and went straight from his snub to the cryopod the way Aigloblam wrote it. (my interpretation)

but no biggy

[Ajkrumen]

s-shutup. :c

[khimera]

I don't know about an actual novel...I don't think I have the patience for that because I come up with ideas when I have no access to writing materials of any kind and it screws everything up because my mind KEEPS MOVING THE STORY FORWARD! -headesks to get back at my brain-

[Ajkrumen]

Carry a notepad and a pen in a pack or something wherever you go aaaand problem solved! :D

[khimera]

The other problem is creating the world and characters...3/4ths of the work is already done for me here. The world of Warframe is pre-existing and others have already fleshed out their characters and made them relateable and lovable...I'm just taking what has already been made and fashioning it into a story with pretty words and visual text.

[bejuizb]

Part 3. Typed once again on a bus. Hope you guys like it!

 

 They decided to split up. Reese and Siren would go and prepare the ship for the new arrivals. Being the healer on the team, Vivian decided to go with Oron and Dale to rescue the new Tenno. No one barred their way, so they abandoned all attempts of stealth and ran towards the objective as fast as they could. They needed to leave before the Grineer troops woke up, or things would get really hairy. When they reached the waypoint, they noticed that it was a small storage room, with three open cryopods.

 

“Lotus,” said a worried Oron, “The cryopods have been opened.”

 

“What?!”

 

“The pods. They're empty.”

 

“Damnit!” The Lotus' tone took Oron by surprise. He'd never heard her speak in this manner. He was used to her replying in a cool and composed manner ever since she found them.

 

“How do we find them now?” asked Vivian to no one in particular.

 

A shrill alarm answered her question for her. That tone for the alarm was the Grineer equivalent of 'intruder detected'.

 

“Lotus-” started Vivian.

 

“Cargo deck B. Two floors beneath you. The Grineer have detected the three Tenno. Hurry, our comrades are unarmed!”

 

Before she had even completed her sentence, the three of them ran towards the nearest flight of stairs and simply jumped down the 100 or so feet shaft that led to the cargo deck.

Dale felt the wind rushing past his helmet as he prepared to hit the ground. On impact the three of them rolled to dissipate all the kinetic energy they had gained during the fall. Without breaking a stride they ran further into the cargo bay. All three of them heard a clattering noise ahead followed by a few explosions.

 

“They're shooting at them!” shouted Vivian. “Dale, rush ahead and help them out.”

 

The Loki broke into a dead sprint. He'd soon left Oron and Vivian behind but that wasn't his concern now. He needed to save his comrades. As the sound of gunfire grew louder, he drew his Akboltos and checked the magazines. Confirming that they were full he readied himself both mentally and physically. Rounding the corner, he witnessed a scene that could only be classified as a clusterfuck. Nearly a hundred Grineer marines were firing into a sphere that seemed to be a controlled blizzard. None of the shots had penetrated the globe, not even the rockets from the Bombard units scattered around the cargo bay.

 

A Frost, thought Dale, as he fired the pistols into the swarm of soldiers. Thank the spirits! The crystalline bolts added a new sound to the clatter of the Hinds, while silencing a few as well. Within seconds a score of soldiers lay dead, pinned to the walls and floor in odd angles. His Akboltos smoking, Dale crouched and started to reload his guns when one Napalm noticed him. Dale was caught reloading as it fired a rocket at him. Dale flipped backwards to avoid the impending blast of the rocket but the shockwave caught him nonetheless. It knocked the wind out of him as he was thrown onto the floor in a daze. The explosion had attracted the attention of the Grineer firing at the globe. They were all screaming something at Dale, but his ears were ringing from the close proximity explosion. The sudden loss of many of their comrades enrage the Grineer, causing the whole swarm to fire at him instead of the globe. They wanted blood for their Brothers and the Tenno on the floor was responsible.

 

Dale swore. He was fast, but not fast enough to dodge the hundreds of bullets that were flying towards him at supersonic speeds.. He waited for the inevitable pain, but it never came. The massive silver form of his brother hunched over him, protecting him from the barrage of bullets. Dale heard the pinging of the bullets as they bounced off of his brother's back.

 

“Get to cover!” grunted Oron, “I can't protect you for much longer!”

[Ajkrumen]

Well, you can create characters just fine! It's just the world you must create. GO FORTH MY WASP.

[Ajkrumen]

Frost master race, savior of clusterfucks. Great job,  bejuiz :)

[bejuizb]

Frost master race, savior of clusterfucks. Great job,  bejuiz :)

Thanks man. Means a lot. I'm still in the process of the reading the saga that is this thread's stories. I'm in page 12 now...I should be up to par within a week or so :P

[Jeahanne]

So, I'm trying to write something, but between being bothered in the middle of it (which is a pet peeve of mine), and nearly crying every time I read what khi wrote in trying to get Crowley's lines right, it's taking some time....

 

*feels inadequate in trying to write anything after khi, Aiglo, frosty, Tyranthius did such a good job*

 

Anyway, I shall post later tonight, with any luck. After all, this is so much more important than homework wouldn't you agree?

 

*edits post to make it align with the quote and feels dumb for having needed to* lol

 

I apologize, I often get wrapped up in current events and forget to say things that are obvious, like how awesome all the writing has been (I have to say, the potato chips and Nova-quinn are probably some of my favorite things in this thread). Sorry! Sorry! >.<;

Edited November 15, 2013 by Jeahanne

[Ajkrumen]

 

*feels inadequate in trying to write anything after khi, Aiglo, frosty, Tyranthius did such a good job*

 

Yup. I know them feels. :P

[Jeahanne]

By the way, where  was the funeral held?

[Ajkrumen]

The dojo, I assume.

[Jeahanne]

Mk, thanks ^-^

[khimera]

So, I'm trying to write something, but between being bothered in the middle of it (which is a pet peeve of mine), and nearly crying every time I read what khi wrote in trying to get Crowley's lines right, it's taking some time....

 

*feels inadequate in trying to write anything after khi, Aiglo, frosty, Tyranthius did such a good job*

 

Anyway, I shall post later tonight, with any luck. After all, this is so much more important than homework wouldn't you agree?

 

*edits post to make it align with the quote and feels dumb for having needed to* lol

 

I apologize, I often get wrapped up in current events and forget to say things that are obvious, like how awesome all the writing has been (I have to say, the potato chips and Nova-quinn are probably some of my favorite things in this thread). Sorry! Sorry! >.<;

 

You really needn't feel inadequate. You're a great writer in your own right, we've just had some practice and time to get ingrained in the setting we've basically set up here in the thread. ^_^

[frostycmc]

^ I agree with Khi. You have the potential to be a fine writer, just keep at it! :) In other news, I'm thinking more than ever about leaving the Valkyrne to start my own Clan. Don't get me wrong, I've made a bunch of friends here, but we have almost 100 members, and less than 10 are even remotely active. Plus, I have tons of resources and nothing to spend it all on since I have almost every weapon and frame in the game. Long story short, I need something to keep me interested.

 

 

I'm kinda stuck on a name though. I was thinking something like 'Ghosts of the North' since I main Loki and Frost, but I wanted to see if you guys had any ideas.

[Jeahanne]

Alright so here it is, kind of imperfect, but so be it. Although I'm a little worried it doesn't line up with what I've already written about my character. However, I think a lot of that can be attributed to the rather emotional state she's ended up in since I've introduced her... Poor thing is probably scarred for life lol

 

Anyway, this is it :x

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Acantha stood at the back of the gathering hall, trying to be as inconspicuous as her stark white warframe could be. Ajkrumen hadn’t been a personal friend, but he was an inspiration to her. His deeds were the reason she had regained her desire to become a better Tenno. More than that, his actions, his life, his words, even though only conveyed to her second-hand, had always inspired her. Even if she hadn’t known him personally, she mourned his passing, and wished to pay him every respect. She knew by the size of the crowd in the cavernous room that she wasn’t alone in her feelings.

 

Everyone in attendance was speaking in hushed voices, of what she wasn’t concerned. Her eyes were locked on the doors through which the procession would come. She kept trying to look elsewhere, but between the solemn and grief-ridden faces of the Tenno around her (at least the uncovered faces she could see, she wasn’t the only one who hid her face and form in her warframe at this gathering), she couldn’t find another safe place to look save at her feet.

 

With a sudden sound, the great doors opened, and the procession made its slow and stately way into the room with unsurpassed gravitas. The entire crowed hushed into the sort of silence that only Tenno could achieve; a watchful, respectful, and profound quiet. Time seemed to stop, or at least slow, flowing around the moment like honey. The procession made its way forward, each step leaden with ceremony and sorrow. Even though every Tenno that made up a part of it was standing proudly, the profundity of the moment instilled every watcher with the grief all felt at the lost of one beloved. It seemed to take an age for the bearers to reach the altar, and with great gentleness place the coffin down. Even it was a testament to Tenno skill, wrought with beauty and grace, the metal seeming to embrace the recumbent figure within. A deeper moment of silence fell.

           

It was then that a Tenno, a Nekros adorned in blue who was the leader of this gathering, spoke. Even though she was at the far end of the room, she heard him clearly.

          

"Friends...family...loved ones..." the Nekros’s voice rang out, carrying far through the room, "We are gathered to remember and honor one of our fallen. Many were lost in the war against the Corpus and the Grineer during the Gradivus Dilemma...but in our bid to cripple both forces we lost someone precious...a leader...a teacher...and to a few of us something more, perhaps."

           

The coffin-bearers bowed their heads, as did many others. Acantha felt a hot flash of shame go through her, for not having been there, not having put her life on the line as had so many others, but shook it off. This wasn’t the time for selfish thoughts.

           

As she watched the coffin opened at a wave of the blue-clad Nekros’s hand, revealing to her for the first and last time a clear view of Ajkrumen. Raising up the ceremonial bow staff he carried, he let it fall to the floor with a resounding crack.

 

"I have not the strength to lend his spirit a short, last vestige of life...much to my deep regret." The Tenno’s voice audibly shook, the only outside sign of his emotions, "The least I can do...is give us all a look into his life...how he lived...his great deeds...It may be in dispute to some but I wish to commemorate the spirit of Ajkrumen among the legends of our past...alongside the great warriors, tacticians, assassins, and healers."

           

How he conjured the visions that rose like smoke and presented themselves in a silent testament to the fallen was something that Acantha never saw, and had no time to ponder. In silent wonder she watched the actions, firsthand, of the one she had been told so many times about. The rumors didn’t do him justice. She watched in silent awe the life of this Tenno, and mourned. It was inconceivable to her that such a great warrior should die. She watched, through the smoky apparitions called up from time by the Nekros in blue, the memories of Ajkrumen. She saw his life without judgment; no deed, be it good or bad, held in greater or lesser regard than any other; each one highlighting his nobility, strength, patience, restraint, and wisdom, as a teacher, a mentor, a friend, and a warrior.

           

With a sigh, loud in the silence, the smoky apparitions retreated, coalescing into pale energy that glowed with soft brilliance as it gathered in the palm of the one who had summoned it forth. The soul, for undoubtedly, that was what it was, hovered over his palm for but a moment, before ascending towards the ceiling and vanishing in a brilliant flare of light.

           

"With love and respect we commemorate you to the next life, Ajkrumen. With sorrow do we say our farewell. Hail, legendary fallen... hail, beloved friend." The coffin closed without a sound as the blue Tenno said these words, obscuring all but Ajkrumen’s face in traceries of gold, silver, and ivory.

         

First the four bearers spoke, and then with one voice the congregation joined in the farewell, “Hail.”

 

“Hail.”

 

“Hail.”

 

“Hail,” Acantha whispered, in the silence of her helmet, “I’m sorry I never met you, brave one.”

______________________________________________________________________________

 

She did not notice the procession leave, as the ceremony ended, nor as others in the room went to pay their respects. She stood there for an uncounted span of time, head bowed, unaware of the world. This funeral  had meant far more to her than simply the death of one she had looked up to, and did still. It had conjured up many memories of her past, before the Long Sleep. Those memories were distant and fragmented, but this memorial, and all those it recognized, reminded her poignantly of those she had lost. Some, perhaps, were still alive, in cryosleep, waiting to reawaken. But some she knew she would never see again. Ajkrumen’s death reopened an old wound in her that she had tried to close a long time ago. A wound she’d tried to forget. It was like losing her mentor all over again.

 

After a long moment, she looked up at the back wall of the room, and at the long list of names glowing upon it. She took a moment to read each one, etching every unfamiliar name into her memory. Her gaze lingered on the final name, etched in molten-gold. When she finally looked away, she saw the room had emptied considerably. Many had come and gone while she was locked away in her own thoughts.

 

She took her time walking to the line before the coffin, and silently waited her turn to stand before it. After a long time spent in the room full of soft whispers, and strangers sharing in her grief, she stood in front of the altar. She wasn’t sure, up until that moment, what she had come to say. She had, after all, never know the Tenno in life. She could not share in the life he had lived, nor share such memories or experiences with him with others in this time of loss. She stared down at the Frost’s helmeted visage for a few moments, it’s image mingling with that of the wall of names standing silent testament behind him. Mingling with faces remembered from her past.

 

She took a deep breath before she spoke.

 

“I promise you, although I can never be your equal, nor accomplish anything near to what you achieved, I will not stop fighting again. I will never let another battle in which I could protect another pass me by. I will become both shield and sword for my comrades, and for our cause. Please know, if it weren’t for you and those who fought with you, I would never have had the courage to change myself, and to work to become a stronger warrior, and to regain the courage I had lost.”

 

She paused, “I have no comrades any longer, like you were blessed with… but be that as it may, I will no longer allow myself to be so selfish as to hide from helping other Tenno again, fooling myself into thinking I can be of no use to them, or that I am only a burden. I helped other Tenno once, a long time ago. Somewhere along the line, I became lazy, selfish. I blamed my warframe and its appeal for my own weakness. I blamed the pleasure I got from battle for my own cowardice. I told myself many things that were lies. But I will improve, and I will become one who others can rely on, as they relied on you. Thank you, warrior, for showing me again the true path of the Tenno.”

 

Acantha stepped away from the coffin, turning away from the list of names and mourners lined up to say goodbye. She would go and train, now. She needed to regain some sense of composure, and fulfilling her promise of becoming stronger was as good a way to accomplish that as any. This was a dojo, there had to be a training room somewhere. She hoped they wouldn’t mind her borrowing their facilities for a time. She activated her heads-up display and called up a map of the building. Without pause she made her way towards it, determined strides carrying her towards her goal.

[frostycmc]

Excalibur had left soon after the ceremony ended, and for once, he felt the centuries of life weighing heavily on him. It wasn't the first time he had lost a friend in battle, and he had long ago found ways to cope. 

 

He knelt alone in the training room, meditating, his mind recalling the past, wondering about the present, and hoping for the future. Old friends and new, good times and bad, he had experienced it all. So many terrible things, bloody battles, regrets, loss.

 

And yet...

 

And yet it was all worth it, in the end. Even the worst of it. Experiences like that shaped you, molded you, made you who you are. Knowing everything can be torn away in an instant made every sound seem clearer, every breath sweeter, every sight that much more beautiful.

 

Every life is something precious. Even the Corpus and Grineer, as greedy and misguided as they were, still had thoughts. Hopes. A dream beyond the miserable life they had been dealt. Strange, he knew, that a mass killer like himself, so adept at taking life, would claim to love it in such a way.

But then, who appreciated life better than one who knew just how easily it could be taken away?

 

His time would come as well, he knew. X was ancient, even going by the standards of the Tenno. He was not as fast or as strong as he once was. But for now, he would live. He would laugh, cry, and stand by those he cared about. He knew that was what his fallen friend would want.

 

His mind now clear, Excalibur stood, taking up his Orthos Prime and beginning his training. He was so absorbed in his practice that he did not notice the door swish quietly open, nor the young Nova watching his elaborate dance of death.

[Tyranthius]

Tyranthius stood vigil beside the coffin, two hands over the pommel of a borrowed Gram. The ceremonies were done, the people had largely left. There were some, true, and of course, the four of them who had carried the coffin would not be leaving very soon. Though it was not yet his turn on the vigil, Heus refused point-blank to get any sleep. No one tried very hard to persuade him.

 

Lucid was there as well, respectfully colored in white with blue energy. She had restrained him magnetically during his rampage in the battle. Though he didn't remember very well, he was told that gold light had shone out of the cracks in his Warframe, and he had nearly gone off the deep end. Much more, they said, and his Orokin Reactor - which, upon closer examination was much more powerful than it had any right to be - would have killed him. Lucid has held him down and saved his life, at great personal risk to herself; he was not the most coherent person during a rampage, and he ended up shattering her Reaper somehow. Gray eyes...

 

He had been standing vigil for hours now, and though he felt tired beyond belief - in part because of the war, and another because of grief - he did not complain, or move beyond what was strictly necessary. He had failed his friend in life, he would not fail him in death. He would finish his vigil.

 

His thoughts had drifted back to Lucid. He remembered something Ajkrumen had shown him once; a gift, he said, for Tyranthius. Unfortunately, there was no LOKI Prime successfully re-engineered as of yet. Tyranthius had said that he would take another gift instead. Ajkrumen had readily agreed, on the condition that he would present the gift himself. Now he never will. Tyranthius would have to give the gift himself.

 

He looked around. Though Lucid had sworn to stay awake alongside him, she was fast asleep in her chair, still in her Warframe. He couldn't blame her. Heus sat as close as possible to the coffin without standing vigil himself, looking at nothing and no one. Khimera and Aigloblam were resting somewhere at Tyranthius' insistence, though he suspected they were still in the hall somewhere, just out of sight. He turned, and saw a NEKROS walking towards him. It wore a Raknis, and it's energy was blue, though the main body remained black. A late visitor? 

 

The figure stopped at the coffin to pay his respects, and Tyranthius stood at attention to one side. He put his hand over Ajkrumen's corpse, and muttered a few words. Tyranthius didn't catch any of it, but he was reasonably sure it was some type of blessing. Then, he looked at Tyranthius.

 

"I'm sorry. He was one of the best of us. Don't blame yourself."

 

And he left, leaving Tyranthius to ponder out his last three words. Were they just an assumption, or did he know more than he let on? He recalled the NEKROS he had seen in the Mnemosyne; a black-colored one, with venom-green energy. This one's energy was blue, but tint was easy enough to alter. He wondered... He had heard rumors of a venom-green dragon-like Warframe at the battlefield, suddenly taking the right by storm and annihilating all enemies with bursts of light. Didn't that sound curious.

 

He sighed. He would have to investigate later. His vigil was not done.

 

*****

 

Harahel had left both in grief, yet it must be said, satisfaction. Terrible though the loss of Ajkrumen was, he found it deeply unsettling that they lost an Artifact wielder. Though the Grand Master had unveiled the Lunar Scythe. He smirked. I wonder what everyone thought of that display. Ajkrumen had left an apprentice, but it would be quite some time before anyone could wield Glacies again. But there was another. He had not been idle in his trips to the Towers and Derelicts, and he had found something of immense value. He would never use it himself, but he could make sure its user was worthy. Harahel thought he had found one.

 

He will come to you in time, he told himself. His curiosity will ensure it.

 

He thought about Ajkrumen, and how he managed to kill the Stalker as he lay dying. There would be more, but that was impressive indeed. "Ajkrumen. He did not go gentle into that good night. He raged against the dying of the light."

[Jeahanne]

I hadn't intended to write again for a little while, but frosty, you having my Nova watching X has given me ideas.

 

Drat you enabling my procrastination! xP

 

But good stories, from both you and Tyranthius. Although, I really wonder even more now what Harahel is up to.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Jeahanne

[Tyranthius]

He's watching, subtly - or perhaps not too subtly - influencing events around him. He's never liked the limelight, preferring the back; it makes for a better vantage point.

[QuinnsWing]

almost made me cry...why you do this?!?!?! FEEEEEELLSS!!! why?

edit: it didnt help that i was listening to sad music while typing all of this........*eyes are getting a little moist*

______________________________________________________________________

 

Watching the procession leave, Quinn quietly stood and walked out, he would wait to say his goodbye. Walking quietly back to the foundry, he began his work again. Deep in the foundry he worked pulling all of his knowledge of the orokin, and the past, which was at his disposal, he began to create a gift, something that many will receive in the coming years. Scrolling through the computer's data, Quinn saw that there was a link to the Lotus data base. A sad smile appeared on his face, knowing that he would be punished severely for doing this but, he did not care. Hacking into the Lotus took all of his skill, the ciphers were of the highest level, but he broke through. The firewalls and locked systems were long and strong, he broke through, for the fallen ,for Akjrumen. Finally finding what he wanted he left a note embedded in the code.

 

"For those who have fallen, for those who will fall, for you, for us, for the good of this system, feel our sorrow." leaving the Lotus's data system with that Quinn left his computer. With what he needed he began the true work. The lights were dim and the lab stations hummed quietly as he made small thin sheets of metal and glass, folding and joining them perfectly, to create so that he could honor those who fell the only way he could.

 

Hours passed with non-stop work, Finally pulling himself up from his work bench, Quinn lifted the Orokin flower up for inspection. Sitting the beautiful object on the table carefully, Quinn began to remove his helmet. His black hair fell straight and the grey eyes were full of sadness. 

 

Walking back to the ceremonial room, Quinn carried his helmet underneath his left arm while carrying the lotus flower carefully in his right. Many Tenno watched him quietly, having never exposed his face to his fellows, Quinn did not care today. Opening the doors silently, he noticed many had stayed for a vigil. Walking up quietly Quinn joined them. Sitting his helemt down on the floor at his feet Quinn silently leaned over and placed the Lapsorum. Stepping back, Quinn placed his right fist over his heart. 

 

"For you, for the fallen, for those who will follow you, a gift to you Ajkrumen." Quinn said quietly as the other Tenno noticed his presence. He bowed his head. The Lapsorum slowly began to join with the coffin growing and spreading across it, more Lapsorums began to "grow" and "blossom".

 

A sad smile and tears from grey eyes were the last they saw of Quinn's face as he picked up his helmet, putting it on. 

Edited November 15, 2013 by QuinnsWing