519 days after a wizard cursed the REALM…
Current Version:
The Apocalypse Beast has guarded the Enduring Portal for over three moon-turnings, ever since NIGHTfall, when the moon turned red and the rivers ran with blood.
Monsters, fires, earthquakes, and floods drove Villagers from their homes on that chaotic night. The pitiful humans had stormed the gate, seeking the safety of another world, any other world, but for many, the path they found led through titanic jaws and into the belly of the Beast.
But that was three moon-turnings ago. The living Villagers had gone away and things had gotten boring for the Beast. A highlight was still that one time a mouse-sized horse had attacked her toe.
“Um, excuse me?”
The Beast looks down, hoping that maybe her Pooka had returned, but no. This visitor, although similarly tiny, is a pointy eared person. “I’m an Elf,” says the tiny person. “Gloriander the Elf. Gloriander the Samhain Elven Mathematician. I do math.”
“None shall pass,” the Beast tells the Elf.
“Ah, right. Yes. About that…”
“Go on, be brave,” prods a ghost that hovers beside Gloriander.
The Elf draws a breath. She waves a metallic plate. “I have this.”
The Beast peers closer. She has seen such artifacts before. “What of it?”
“Never mind. It’s probably nothing.” The Elf turns and runs away with the ghost floating along after her.
The Apocalypse Beast waits. The Elf will return, she thinks. They always do.
Sure enough, Gloriander steps gingerly back about an hour later, pale and trembling, barely remembering to breathe. “It’s me again.”
“Yes?” the Beast asks.
The Elf once again displays the photographic plate. “There’s a spirit inside. I trapped it with a camera. It’s still connected to the camera that captured it, in a way. And. Well.”
“Spit it out,” says the Beast.
“My friend, Shutterbug, was holding the camera when she was taken from us. And my other friend here, Formerly Melvin, can track the energy trails of other spirits like himself. He says the trail leads through your portal.”
The Elf waits expectantly.
“None shall pass,” the Apocalypse Beast roars.
“Okay, yeah, thought so,” said the Elf, with mincing backward steps. “Had to check to make sure. You know how it is. We’ll show ourselves out. Thanks ever much for your hospitality.” She turns and sprints away with her ghostly friend trailing behind.
The Apocalypse Beast sighs. “I really miss that little horse.”
Web3 Draft:
- Listed on OpenSea
- Listed on Rarible
Revision Notes:
To be added.
