#lbwrite

Long ago, there existed a beautiful place where riches and splendours lined the walls. Many sought it out, looking for fortune, fame, and sometime love, as the place was rumoured to be inhabited by the most beautiful creatures you could lay eyes upon. But despite all its allure, the place was cursed, few returned alive and even fewer sane. For this place was a trap, laid by a deity that was fueled by mankind's adoration of itself. Trapped in luxury, surrounded by splendours and even the shadows of past loves, they willingly stayed in the illusion, feeding the creature and making it's power more potent. With time, the reputation of this place as cursed settled, and instead came warriors seeking to defeat the beast lurking the walls. None succeeded, tempted by what the deity offered them.

One day, a warrior came to seek the deity. They remained unfazed by their illusions and trickery, and finally confronted the entity. They had not come here with the intention to fight it or rob it. But to negotiate, to free its victim and end its reign. The deity was intrigued by this strange person. They had not succumbed yet, but it was only a matter of time as its power was great and it appreciated a challenge. It had corrupted the mind of many already, this one shall be no exception.

It tried appealing to their greed, but the warrior had been a simple labourer, happily satisfied with what few they owned. It tried appealing to their sloth, but they couldn't imagine a day where they wouldn't want to create and make things on their own. it tried appealing to their lust, but they remained unfazed as the entity showed them beautiful men and women aplenty. It was growing impatient. It was beauty incarnate, and no one could not love it. Adore it. But it had a trick even the strongest mind could not resist. Invading their mind, it saw the people they cared about, the people they loved. And it took their form. Before the warrior's eyes, people from their simple life started appearing. Their parents and neighbours, their childhood friends. But the warrior saw through its tricks. For it had rendered them beautiful, perfect, hollow.

It grew frustrated, trying everything in its power to sway them, but they did not falter.

"I AM BEAUTY" it screamed, "and I will make you adore me"

"You are not. You're hollow. You do not understand true beauty" spoke the warrior.

The deity grew angry at this, and it considered trying to kill them and be over with it. But it's ego was great, and it had been hurt. How could somebody not love it? Surely they must be a heartless monster. But it wanted, no it Needed to be Adored by All. and so it talked with the warrior, asking them about what they found beautiful. The warrior explained how they found imperfections beautiful, how the quirks of something rendered it unique. They talked about the beauty of actions, of landscapes, of words, of arts. And so the entity tried to lure them with what it had learned they found beautiful. But it never worked.

The deity started following the warrior, obsessed at the idea of making them love it. The warrior was happy with this, as others were finally freed from its reign. Slowly, it became more agreeable, nicer, focusing on actions and words rather than appearances. It took the form of a plain person instead of a magnificent one. It began noticing imperfections and appreciating them instead of trying to get rid of them. It was learning how to love, and it was starting to fall in love with the warrior. They had spent months together, and the deity had fallen completely for them. It had become beautiful in a true way, and people started adoring it for what it was. It did not need traps and illusions to get what it wanted. But one thing still resisted its beauty. The warrior did not desire it. It tried everything to make them love it, but they never would admit to it, and it never felt that they loved it the way others did. It grew frustrated again, being loved by all but the one it loved.

"I am beautiful now"

"You are"

"Then why don't you love me?"

"I do not love anyone, not my parents, not my neighbours, not my friends, and not even you."

The entity got scared. It had been right.

"You must be a heartless monster, not loving anyone like you do."

"I do not love people, but I find them beautiful. I enjoy their company and their presence, their impact on the world and how they make it even more beautiful by existing."

"Then you do love them"

"I do not. I appreciate them in my own way. Many do not understand how, I don't expect you to"

"I want you to appreciate me even if I don't understand you"

"I already do"

And so the deity started noticing how they had been treating it, the gestures, the gifts and the time they had spent together, and it saw that they truly did appreciate it, in this special way that they refused to call love. And it was happy.

They lived happily ever after, spreading kindness and beauty wherever they went.

—————————

Purple was sitting at his desk, reading quietly some of his notes. Well, ‘sticking’ at his desk would be more appropriate. The heat was unbearable for the time of year, and Purple was as sweaty as can get. He had to put a blanket under his thighs to keep his skin from adhering to the chair but he was still very much uncomfortable. But what could he do about it? Not much. He could go outside, but then he would need to take all his lessons with him, and that was a bit too much.

Finals were coming in, and all he had done for the past few days was studying. Making notes, reading lessons, retaking previous exams… He had made himself a schedule, perhaps a bit too strict, as he was already falling behind.

His brain was being constantly fed, learning and memorizing so much information in such little time, it almost felt like it was overheating. But that was the least of his troubles. Purple had learned the hard way that, when your brain is stimulated — because of studying for example — everything gets stimulated. And so, his creativity, his imagination, they had never been this high. His mind was bubbling, buzzing with thoughts and ideas, and he didn’t know what to do to clear it. He couldn’t focus on studying when his brain kept coming back to one unrelated, unimportant thought and exploring all of its meaning, causes and consequences. A friend had told him to write it all down, but he found that it was a waste of time as it was a never ending task.

But the worst, the absolute nightmare, was that this overstimulation of whatever you want to call it, was making him horny. Never in his life has he been that thirsty.

He took a sip from the bottle on his desk.

And let’s not kid ourselves, what he was studying was making it worse. There’s something inherently sexy about science that he always noticed. It wasn’t a kink — or maybe it was ? — he was just turned on by the complex mechanisms that governed reality. There was so much he still didn’t know… and that mystery was alluring. It was an enigmatic beauty, the kind that kept leading you on and that you kept chasing, and you know you will never get, but goddamn, you can’t help but hope that one day you will. The more you learn about it, about the details or about the grand scope, about the rules, the implications, the causes and the consequences, the more you fall in love with it. It is such a complex mechanism, so perfect and yet so flawed…. The probability of it all… you can’t help but feel so so lucky and special….

Fuck. Purple’s thoughts had wandered off once again. It became harder and harder to keep himself in check, and he constantly dozed off, staring blankly at the sheet of paper in front of him.

He couldn’t take it anymore ! He needed to blow off some steam if he didn’t want to literally implode. Maybe a cold shower would do him some good. It would help with the heat, and the… horniness. God, he really wanted to… do something about it ! Dirty thoughts kept on coming and he was trying really hard to keep them at bay !

And as he let out a frustrated  “FUCK”, in came Wallis. Purple jumped in surprise as he heard his boyfriend — and roommate — talk behind him:

“ Whoa what’s happening here? You need help?” He asked, a concerned tone in his voice.

“No I’m just — ”

Purple cut his phrase as he turned to see Wallis, caught off guard by the very distinct lack of clothes on his partner. Thanks to the gods he still had his underwear on.

“Like what you see ?” He looked so smug, wiggling his eyebrows as he posed sexily. “More seriously, I was about to take a shower but I couldn't find my towel. It’s so hot today ! Though not as much as me.” He winked.

Purple couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. That was… so… so… He couldn’t finish his thought, too distracted by the sight before him. A smile overtook his face. He loved Wallis for a lot of different reasons, but goddamn he was also a treat for the eyes. Oh no, here comes the dirty thoughts. He really hoped that the reflection on his glasses was enough to cover his eyes, and the fact that they had been wandering down. Purple bit the inside of his cheek, and looked at Wallis’ face. Now he was the one staring down. He felt his cheeks redden a bit.

“Hey, don’t tell me you’re sitting on my towel?!”  He looked betrayed.

That snapped him out of his fantasy.

“Oh yeah, I suppose? I didn’t realize it was yours.”

“Well you can keep it now, but I’m gonna steal one of yours. So watcha working on? It looked like you could use some help.”

“Ah, it’s fine really. I was just going through my notes on thermodynamics.”

As Purple was talking, Wallis came over to the desk, leaning against him as he looked at the notebooks. He had a very… small definition of personal space, and ever since they were in a relationship together, that space became almost null. Usually, Purple didn’t mind, it was nice to feel his arms against his back and shoulders, but right now, he did mind. Physical contact. It was like a pleasant tickling, and a warmth spread across his spine. He could hear his breath, and feel his silky hair on his skin. His skin was so soft, and he wanted to feel it against his own. But a shirt was in the way.

“Yeah you’re usually good at that. So what’s the matter?” Wallis pulled back and sat on the desk, looking concerned for his boyfriend.

“It’s nothing really, I just… I can’t really concentrate right now.” Purple tried to look at his face, but he couldn’t. His gaze felt like fire on his skin, his skin was so lovely and his lips… Gods, he really wanted to kiss him. He diverted back his eyes to the notebook, knowing that his face was probably getting redder.

“Am I really that distracting ~ ?”

Of course. Of course he would.

“I suppose you’re a part of the problem.” No point hiding it when it was that obvious.

“Only part?!” Now he sounded playfully offended. He always liked to exaggerate his reactions and put on a dramatic act… And with his beautiful face, it was a wonder why he didn’t pursue acting. He would make such a lovely star. A bright, shining star…

He needed a comeback.

“Yes, can you believe it? Wallis Gloom, not being the center of attention for once.” He smiled. Was that clever and funny? Wallis’ reaction told him yes. He did the physical equivalent of keysmashing before transitioning to a more traditional laugh, his hand trying to cover his face. He looked down and took a deep breath to calm himself. It was so precious. Adorable. He’d made Wallis laugh.

After a few attempts, he managed to calm himself and straightened his face. It was hilarious to watch.

“Ok, then… if it’s not me, what is it ? You look super tense. Are you stressed about the exams ?”

“No that’s not it. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain… It’s… I….” Purple couldn’t find the right words. “My brain feels like it’s about to explode ? And my thoughts are running wild, I can’t think straight.”

Wallis snorted, fighting a smile.

“I know what you’re going to say so don’t — ”

“Have you EVER been able to think straight?!” He looked so proud of himself.

Purple tried his best to maintain a disappointed face, but Wallis’ smile was contagious.

“LIKE I WAS SAYING, my thoughts are too distracting for me to work like I want to, and it’s very frustrating.” Back on track. He wouldn’t give him the pleasure of acknowledging that joke, because frankly, he had heard it — and perhaps said it — a lot already.

Wallis pouted for a minute, arms crossed over his bare chest, his gaze wandering on the desk he was sitting on. After a moment, he settled on something, and went to grab Purple’s schedule for the day. His eyes widened as he read it.

“Is that your study schedule??! It’s packed! No wonder you’re like that. You need a break.” He looked his boyfriend dead in the eyes. He was worried.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been thinking too.” Purple looked away. Wallis’ eyes were too intense to maintain direct contact with for too long. And his face was so close now.

“Really?” Wallis sounded surprised. “I thought it would take more convincing for you to admit it. You’re kinda stubborn, you know…”

“I... suppose that’s fair.”

“Well, I still want to take a shower, but we can do something together after that.”

He gave Purple a quick smooch on the lips before getting off the desk, leaving the room with a wink.

Meanwhile, Purple was frozen in place, redder than a tomato. His brain was definitely overheating now, and all his senses were going haywire thanks to Wallis’ kiss. He got up almost mechanically, the lingering sensation on his lips making him crave so much more. He had already been using all his self control to maintain a decent composure. Nothing could stop him from running after Wallis like a madman.

—————————

Nim hadn’t even had the time to fully recover from their time at sea. Her short blonde hair was messy, some locks sticking to her forehead as she didn’t even summon her cloud hair. She was trembling, eyes wide, visibly shocked by her own action. Virga looked surprised as well, and Rylie saw it as an opportunity. While the two royals would face each other, she would pry herself free, and get away, as far as possible.

She trashed around once more, but this time she succeeded. The queen appeared too astonished by this betrayal to pay much attention to her.

Rylie was finally on the ground. She slowly brought a hand to her neck. It hurt like hell, even with the adrenaline, and breathing was hard and painful. The assistant scrambled to get up, and she was quickly helped by her friends, who had rushed to her now that the situation had partially calmed down. She couldn’t see their faces clearly, nor hear their voices completely, but she could feel their gentle grip on her as they took her away. Maybe the lightning and the thunder had impaired her ? Or maybe she was about to fall unconscious.

Nim and Virga were staring each other down. Tension was high, and electricity shook the air.

“You dare attack your queen ? I would have expected that from Cirrus, but not from you.”

The queen’s voice was deep and sharp, resentful yet disappointed.

“I… You… I couldn’t l..let you hurt my friend !” The princess was trying to hold herself together, but her voice was faltering. Everything felt so unreal, but reality was slowly sinking in— there would be a price to pay for her action, and she would not be ready. “Why would you even…?” Nim couldn’t finish her sentence.

“I am following direct orders from the Sun herself, and I would advise you to not make things more difficult than they have to be.” Virga’s gaze turned to sympathy. “I am willing to overlook your… outburst… if you remain in your place. I can make this quick. She won’t have the time to feel anything.”

Nim’s eyes widened. The Sun? The Sun ordered the murder of her friend. She couldn’t believe it, and yet, the truth of Virga’s words was undeniable.

No no no nO NO NO ! How could it come to this ? It was an impossible decision. There was no third option possible, no neutral stance, no middle ground. A choice. Her country, her leader, her status, her upbringing, her beliefs, her freedom even ! Or the life of her friend.

No. How could she call this a choice ? She was a disappointment for even considering letting ...this… happen to her friend… to anyone ! Still, her resolve was frail. She was in no condition to confront Virga, and the queen could tell. She would have to buy them enough time to let Rylie escape. She could be a distraction, an obstacle even ! But only temporarily. Would it even be worth it ? Her world was being torn apart. She was already past the point of no return, so she might as well do the right thing.

“I… No. This is wrong. This is unfair.” Her voice started softly, then hardened with conviction. She clenched her fists, furrowed her brows, and looked at her Queen’s cold eyes.

“I won’t obey such an order.”

“ Do you realize what you’re saying, Nim ? ” Virga’s face seemed paler. “By going against the Sun’s will, you are dooming yourself. You are out of your mind! You don’t even realize the scale… the impact of what you—”

“I don’t care ! I don’t want to know ! Nothing will justify murdering an innocent !” the princess shouted, interrupting her leader. “I won’t stand by idly.”

-----------------------------

What an annoyingly futile resistance, she thought as she threw her cape on the ground. What did they even expect to happen ? Virga was the most powerful magician on the face of the world. Those three were just a minor setback, nothing she couldn’t wipe off in a couple of minutes, seconds even. Perhaps she should have disposed of them earlier, but the political repercussion of this action would have been rather disastrous. Well it couldn’t be avoided now, could it ?

She gauged the three of them. A disgraced princess, an ecoversian and an entertainer.

They were no threat.

She caught Nim whispering to her new allies. Were they scheming a plan of attack ? She smirked, amused at their determination. It didn’t matter, she would win before they could even get to step one. She waved her hand, and clouds started forming rapidly all around her. They were not gentle white clouds, they were dark omens of death, buzzing with electricity.

She paused for a brief moment.

This was a tricky situation. She wouldn’t be able to just scares them off. She would need to fight them, to hurt them enough that they finally realise how outmatched they were. Or she could incapacitate them, knock them down, but this was a risky gamble. If she wasn’t careful with her power, she could send them straight to their next life. Killing needed to be a last resort, as she would rather not go that far. The smell of burnt flesh always turned her stomach.

But Nim renounced the Sun. If she was willing to sacrifice that much, to go against her queen, there was no telling how far she would go, and what Virga would have to do to stop her.

But that didn’t matter, not in that moment. Planning was ludicrous in a situation like this. She would have to wait and see, to test their limits and powers, and act accordingly. For the time being, she resumed her action.

With a cold, heartless face, Virga motioned her wrist toward the clouds. They reacted immediately, gleaming from inside. Hundreds of lightning bolts blared from the clouds, like hundreds of bullets from a machine gun. The flashing lights blinded her slightly, casting a monstrous shadow in her back. It was an impressive show of strength.

She stopped the fire. That should be enough.

A thick, heavy fog covered the battle ground. The scorch of lightning must have vaporized any water on the ground. With a swift movement of the wrist, Virga parted the mist, but something was off.

She had expected Nim to protect the other two from her attack, and was surprised to find in her stead a wall of water, behind which she could discern two silhouettes. A water magician… This was bound to make things inte — wait, two ? Where was the third ? She sensed something above her, and she quickly lifted her head. There was a figure concealed by the fog up ahead in the sky, seemingly flying. Nim ?

Before she could react much more, the shape yelled something along the line of “Surprise Bitch !”. A wand was thrust down in her direction as a faint rainbow glow surrounded her. She tried to retaliate, but as she moved her right arm, she felt a weight on her shoulders, on her whole body. She fought against it, and finished her gesture, but the aim was off and the bolt missed its target. A yelp echoed in the sky, and, presumably as payback, the weight suddenly increased. She was strong, but this felt like being crushed by the ocean. Her legs were starting to tremble.

“Ah ! You think this will hold me down ? You insult me.” Her voice was shaking just a little. She gathered herself, concentrating her forces. Electricity trickled around her.

As soon as she saw that Wallis’ power had taken effect, Seaweed dropped the water wall, letting it flood the ground. Tendrils of water rose from its remains, threateningly floating around the battlefield. With an unusual stiff face, Seaweed swatted the air with the jellyfish wand. Imitating her gesture, the threads of water vigorously whipped across Virga’s face and body. She was certainly preparing a riposte, and Seaweed wouldn’t. let. her.

The queen covered her face with her right arm, the golden plate in front. The left one was still aching from Nim’s attack, so she kept it tucked away from the stings of the whips.The repeated assaults left faint red trails on her skin and a burning sensation. She couldn’t move much either, falling victim to her own imposing stature as her chest raised with difficulty. What was even more painful however, was admitting that she underestimated her foes. This was… an unpleasant situation. But nothing she couldn’t whistand. She would reverse this situation soon enough.

Nim felt the shift in the surrounding air. Virga was about to launch her attack.

“COVER !” She shooted to Seaweed, hoping Wallis would hear her too.

Virga released the forces she had been accumulating. It was like an explosion.  Lightning crackled as a wave of power unfurled in all directions at once. And as the elements unleashed their fury, there she stood, undisturbed in the eye of the storm

The front of water the ecoversian hastily raised was not enough to withstand the force of the blow. It even started to come apart, becoming dangerous for Nim and Seaweed as chunks of water were strung along, hitting and whipping them. Seaweed changed strategy. With a nod to Nim, she dropped the water wall while her ally diverted the storm. She took advantage of the situation to retaliate by redirecting some of the lightning bolts, and managed to hit the queen without exhausting herself. Wallis’ magic was doing a really good job at holding her down.

-----------------------------

Majestic.

That was the first word that came to Rylie’s mind when she saw the giant Stratoversian woman approach her group. She was dressed in a white suit with short sleeves and six blue buttons. A blade-like pendant was suspended from her neck by a blue pin, and she noticed that while her hands and feet were covered, you could still see the fingers and toes. Golden decorations were attached to the sides, too, and two wings made in a gold-like fabric swished behind her back. Her face was framed by golden pendants shaped like smaller wings and a headband with three spikes on top, and in place of her hair, a massive white cloud covered her head, floating grimly behind her like a brooding storm.

A sun was painted on her forehead, although it was deformed by her severe expression. She looked... sharp. The golden decorations danced ominously in the day like a dozen lightning bolts.

The sun seemed duller in her presence. She seemed to radiate on her own, yet her face was somber like a storm.

She cast a shadow over Rylie when she came closer to the ground. Queen Virga. The assistant caught those words from her friends, even though she was too awestruck to pay much attention to their conversation. Queen Virga… The Queen of Stratoverse… The most powerful magician in the world… Rylie was trying to remember what she knew of this important figure. But her mind drew a blank, as that kind of information was uncommon in Gloomverse. She certainly was intimidating. Rylie couldn’t look away. She was paralyzed, like a prey caught by a predator.

The Queen seemed to be coming towards her. Did she have an interest in her ? But what kind of interest ?

Virga assessed the assistant before landing feet flat on the ground. Rylie had learned from Nim and Cirrus that Stratoversians typically avoid touching the ground, so this gesture came as a surprise.

She was incredibly tall, even without flying. Imposing. Rylie felt small in comparison. So small, so vulnerable… Rylie felt her friends’ worried gazes behind her back, and her throat suddenly tightened in fear.

She didn’t even have the time to let out a scream.

Virga’s hand was already firmly grasping her neck. She let go of her crutches in her surprise, her breath cut short. Her friends’ exclamations almost covered the loud ‘clank’, but this didn’t seem to bother the queen, and just like that she lifted the assistant off the ground. Up to her own eye level.

Rylie struggled against her grip, hands reaching for her throat. She tried to pull and scratch and claw at the clasped hand. Her legs were thrashing around, and her hat fell to the ground in the tussle, but it was no use. She couldn’t breathe anymore, and her forces were rapidly dwindling. She was choking, drowning, and the world faded into darkness as she succumbed to panic, her senses slowly shutting down. Memories came to her, present and past blended together. She was falling, she was cold, she couldn’t breathe, she was hurt. But this time the stars felt so distant.

Her dark eyes finally met the cold blues of her captor, and a wave of despair washed over her as she realized she had no hope of getting away. Resisting would only worsen her situation. She choked up, her face wet with tears as it started to slowly change colors.

That couldn’t be it, could it? She had found a home, a family, friends, and she was going to lose them all so soon? Life has always been unfair to Rylie, and this was the final blow. She closed her eyes.

A lightning bolt boomed next to her.

There was a flash and a bang. The smell of burnt hair and flesh blasted her nose, and a ringing noise whistled in her ears.

She was... still alive ! Adrenaline finally kicked in, and suddenly Rylie felt more awake than ever. She was ready to fiercely fight back. The hand that held her captive even loosened its grip, and she was able to take a deep, quivering breath as she opened her eyes.

The strike had not been aimed at her, but at Virga. It had singed some of Rylie’s dreadlocks, but most notably it had wounded the Stratoversian queen. Her glove was partially burnt away, and a red scorched mark covered most of her forearm.

—————————

This was inconvenient.

Virga’s order was clear. She was to dispose of her target as quickly as possible, yet she stalled. She wanted to be sure it was her. She had expected some resistance from eventual companions, but she never would have thought that one of her own would be in her presence, even less that they would turn on her!

It was supposed to be quick, efficient, almost painless. And now she’d have to fight to get to her ? Those people really were bothersome. Three of their group were getting away with her mark, while the treacherous princess was facing her. Nim didn’t appear to be in shape, that one thunderbolt took a lot from her. Virga could tell that she was already exhausted. There was no point in fighting her when it was clear to the both of them who would win, she didn’t need senseless violence and wasted time on top of it all. She would just come back to her later. The mission was her priority right now.

Nim faced down her queen, holding her ground. She had been on guard since the beginning of the confrontation, but the deadly tone of Virga’s voice shook her up, and she was as tense as the cord of a bow, ready to move, ready to strike. The tension, the anticipation, it was agonizing. Her forehead was wet with sweat, her golden hair sticking to it. What was she going to do?

“I’ll deal with you later”

It took her by surprise. The magician said it so dismissively, like an insult. She wasn’t even worthy of a fight. She diverted from her, turning her foot and shifting her weight while her wings followed in the momentum. She was about to fly off. no No NO ! Nim had to do something ! She couldn’t let her approach Rylie ! Restrain her ? She had no capacities like that. Strike her again ? She would be expecting it, and the queen would strike right back at her while she would be too drained to move. Still, she had to do something !

All of a sudden, Virga lost her balance, almost falling backwards as if an invisible force was pulling her from behind. Her face was a mix of confusion, indignation and rage, while Nim was completely aghast. Did a god play in her favour ? Was it a new ally ? She felt a presence behind her back, and quickly turned her head. Seaweed was standing close to her, the usual grin on her face had completely disappeared. The princess had forgotten about her, and all the others if she was being honest. The water magician looked at Nim, her usually vibrant green eyes seemed as somber as the deepest abysses of the ocean.

“C’mon, Nim. Let’s get this bitch.”

Her voice was as snappy as ever, but it wasn’t playful. It was ruthless. Bitter.

Wallis was standing right next to her, he seemed furious, yet he was focused on something, a hand in his hat as he made great effort to pull something out of it. Could it be him who…? She catched a glint of gold inside the headpiece. He was pulling her golden wings through his hat ? His magic truly was impressive. But now was not the time for wonder.

Nim reevaluated her situation. She wouldn’t be fighting alone like she previously thought, but the odds were still against them. Harold and Cirrus had decided to stay at the hotel, and she remembered seeing Purple, Hobo and Petunia helping Rylie get away. Evets, however, was nowhere to be seen. That left Wallis, Seaweed and her to face a Titan. Two powerful magicians, but perhaps not enough. They struggled against Cakegirl afterall, and Virga was definitely a whole other level. Meanwhile, she was diminished and weakened. They would need a battle plan.

Wallis’ powers had shown versatility, and he was rather ingenious at using them. Seaweed had the raw strength of the ocean with her, as they were close enough to the shore. Water was known as a conductor for electricity, they could use this to their advantages, but they still would have to be careful using such a tactic against a thunder queen.

Purple had no fighting abilities, and Hobo and Evets didn’t even have magic, so their absence wasn’t a great loss. However, Petunia and Cirrus would have been a great help for this fight.

There had been some civilians on the street, but they more or less all fled after the first thunderstrike, which was very good. They won’t have to worry about accidental casualties.

Their best bet was to immobilize the Stratoversian queen, or at least restrain her hands and arms. Without them, she wouldn’t be able to perform magic. But Virga was as physically strong as she was magically, and it would be quite difficult to tie her up…

The princess voiced quietly the outline of a plan to her allies.

Pour ce premier atelier d’écriture, nous avons fait un “caviardage” de texte sur l’incipit de Germinal d’Emile Zola.

Dans la plaine rase, sous la nuit sans étoiles, d'une obscurité et d'une épaisseur d'encre, un homme suivait seul la grande route de Marchiennes à Montsou, dix kilomètres de pavé coupant tout droit, à travers les champs de betteraves. Devant lui, il ne voyait même pas le sol noir, et il n'avait la sensation de l'immense horizon plat que par les souffles du vent de mars, des rafales larges comme sur une mer, glacées d'avoir balayé des lieues de marais et de terres nues. Aucune ombre d'arbre ne tachait le ciel, le pavé se déroulait avec la rectitude d'une jetée, au milieu de l'embrun aveuglant des ténèbres.    L'homme était parti de Marchiennes vers deux heures. Il marchait d'un pas allongé, grelottant sous le coton aminci de sa veste et de son pantalon de velours. Un petit paquet, noué dans un mouchoir à carreaux, le gênait beaucoup ; et il le serrait contre ses flancs, tantôt d'un coude, tantôt de l'autre, pour glisser au fond de ses poches les deux mains à la fois, des mains gourdes que les lanières du vent d'est faisaient saigner. Une seule idée occupait sa tête vide d'ouvrier sans travail et sans gîte, l'espoir que le froid serait moins vif après le lever du jour. Depuis une heure, il avançait ainsi, lorsque sur la gauche à deux kilomètres de Montsou, il aperçut des feux rouges, trois brasiers brûlant au plein air, et comme suspendus. D'abord, il hésita, pris de crainte ; puis, il ne put résister au besoin douloureux de se chauffer un instant les mains.    Un chemin creux s'enfonçait. Tout disparut. L'homme avait à droite une palissade, quelque mur de grosses planches fermant une voie ferrée ; tandis qu'un talus d'herbe s'élevait à gauche, surmonté de pignons confus, d'une vision de village aux toitures basses et uniformes.    Il fit environ deux cents pas. Brusquement, à un coude du chemin, les feux reparurent près de lui, sans qu'il comprît davantage comment ils brûlaient si haut dans le ciel mort, pareils à des lunes fumeuses. Mais, au ras du sol, un autre spectacle venait de l'arrêter. C'était une masse lourde, un tas écrasé de constructions, d'où se dressait la silhouette d'une cheminée d'usine ; de rares lueurs sortaient des fenêtres encrassées, cinq ou six lanternes tristes étaient pendues dehors, à des charpentes dont les bois noircis alignaient vaguement des profils de tréteaux gigantesques ; et, de cette apparition fantastique, noyée de nuit et de fumée, une seule voix montait, la respiration grosse et longue d'un échappement de vapeur, qu'on ne voyait point. Germinal - Zola - Extrait de la première partie chapitre 1

A partir de cet extrait, en en utilisant les mots (sans en changer l’ordre), il fallait créer un poème / un texte poétique :

1er Essai

Une obscurité,

Coupant l’horizon,

Tachait le ciel de ténèbres.

Le jour disparut,

Sans spectacle, écrasé.

Apparition noyée de nuit,

Seule. 

Comme tout premier essai, un peu maladroit, pas beaucoup de sens, mais un bon moyen de tester des choses.

2e Essai

Sous la nuit, un homme seul.

A travers lui, des ténèbres.

L’espoir serait vif, brûlant,

Comme douloureux.

Un chemin dans le ciel,

Un spectacle, une apparition

Mon préféré ! Tout est parti du mot “espoir”, et le reste est venu assez naturellement.

3e Essai

La plaine, les champs, le sol,

Glacés au milieu des ténèbres.

L’homme marchait, aminci.

Deux mains faisaient  saigner

Sa tête vide, sans espoir.

Il avançait, pris de crainte.

Tout disparut : homme, village, chemin...

Mais une silhouette montait,

Grosse et longue,

Qu’on ne voyait point.

J’ai voulu en faire un plus long, avec des mouvements, et c’est parti dans une direction d’apocalypse :p

Enfin, un petit “haiku” :

Etoiles d’encre

Sensation du ciel mort

Pareils à des lunes