Picture Challenge #24: The Sword

[redblood]

INFO: They say that a picture can tell a thousand words. How many can you find?

Each week a new image will be posted, and your challenge will be to write whatever the image inspires you to write. It can be anything as long as it relates to the picture. A plot, a scene, a short story, a poem, a character, etc. You can write as much or as little as you wish. It's not the length that matters, it's what you put into it. There is no time limit to these challenges, so feel free to jump in at any time.

(Source)​

 

[Greenie]

"Sirine, I don't think this is a good idea..." The brother and sister duo had been adventurers and treasure hunters for years now, but something about this cave made him feel very... on edge. He couldn't tell if it was the skeletons holding up the sword's resting spout, or it is was that huge gaping skull through which they had walked over to this small spit of rock. Or perhaps it was the very thin bridge. In any case, he really felt the best thing to do right now was abandon the quest for the sword and head on anywhere else.

"Alouin, we are not going anywhere." Sirine looked back at her brother with a glower before turning back to face the glowing white, ruby and emerald encrusted sword. Her glower turned to a widening smile as she reached out to grab the hilt. Behind her Alouin visibly cringed. However, nothing actually happened.

"See? We're fine." Saying that, Sirine yanked the sword up. As soon as it left the stone receptacle, there was a loud rumbling sound, and then a crack. Alouin jerked around just in this to see the thin stone bridge crumble before his very eyes.

"I knew it!" he wailed falling to his knees and grabbing his hair. "I effing knew it!"

There was a smug look on Sirine's face. "But I got the sword, and that's what matters."

 

[PoetLore]

"This is called the cavern of death for a reason Jai."

"I have never feared death Dago...but obscurity is another thing entirely." she pulled the glasses she'd found in another part of the catacombs and peered across the stone expanse. "THIS IS IT!!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

Dago looked into the dark hole and saw nothing. "What? There is nothing there but a narrow bridge."

Jai shook her head, "You can only see the Spirit Sword with these glasses. that is why it is still here...very clever way to hide something from thieves, eh?"

Dago frowned, "If you say so. Could also be a good way to protect the world from something dangerous."

Jai walked across the narrow stone bridge to the sword. She could see it glowing in its home made of skeleton bones and crystals. Her hand reached for it but Dago touched her shoulder, "Are you sure you should do this?"

Jai turned to look at him the glasses making her eyes appear smokey and otherworldly, "This sword is my ticket to eternal notoriety. I will be forever remembered as the bearer of the Sword of Spirits." She turned back and reached for it and as soon as she held the sword in her hand the deathly glow of it traveled up her arm and engulfed her.

Dago watched in horror as he whispered, "But is that a good thing?"

 

[Doctor Jax]

"It's about time," Mora stressed as she stood in front of the sword.

Months of researching in dusty libraries, long weeks looking for the cave holding the sword of Loreloth, days going through the labyrinth of the Duskill caves. She had had enough skull-themed architecture to last her for lifetimes, and that was saying something for an elf. She rubbed her hands together as she stared at the weapon in front of her, a gaudy piece of work layered with gems and skulls and gold. The minute she had it up on the surface, she was headed for Armit's to get a price range and sell it on auction.

"Mora! Wait a minute!"

She sighed, her shoulders falling, as she pushed the Darkeye glasses up to her forehead, peering behind her to the younger elf headed towards her from the mouth of yet another skull fixture. The younger elf skidded to a stop with something in hand, huffing a bit, before showing it to her.

"Blaine, seriously? It's a harness."

"Not just any harness. This is Milus's. It's his smith's," Blaine said, standing up straight, before peering over her shoulder. "You... you found it. We got there before him?"

"For once," Mora said, cracking her knuckles as she popped her neck before plopping the glasses over her eyes. "I knew taking the Moor Road was a good idea."

Blaine winced. Considering the fact they'd lost half their supplies and several pack mules, he wasn't about to agree. Not to mention, he ruined his favorite pair of boots in the mire, too...

"Come to me, dearie," Mora cooed as she reached for the sword -

- only for her hand to pass through it. Her smile fell as she passed her hand over it again and again, the mirage remaining. The sword's many skulls gleamed at her as if in mockery, and Mora growled as she tried to wrap both hands around its hilt, passing straight through it. Blaine looked over her shoulder with a grimace, slipping around her to kneel at the base of the pedestal the sword was embedded into. There, he found what he was looking for - a crystal just underneath it. The image flickered and disappeared, and he held up the crystal with a sheepish look.

Mora took the crystal in hand gingerly, staring at it, then back to Blaine.

"He... he--"

"Yup."

With a grunt of frustration, Mora chucked the crystal into the abyss.