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coffehbeans · 1 year

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Tales from Immers (Prompt #11)

Prologue | Chapter 1 (you're here)

EDIT 15/07: Helloo guys. So, I was so unsatisfied with how this turned out that I edited it again quite a lot. It's much shorter and less convoluted now, at least I hope so. The first version had too much going on. Anyway, enjoy!

Masterpost of stories and prompts (you can send an ask for a prompt from the list!)

Synopsis: Self-procclaimed prodigy Kylon invented something beyond a man's imagination: the airship. In an attempt to test it out, a failure in his creation brings him to a meeting only heard of in legends, roping Kylon into a hidden story within the woods of Immers.

Rating: PG-13 for descriptions of violence.

AAAAAAAAHHHH Here it is fellas!!! I FINISHED IT NNGGHH *explodes*

Okay I have absolutly no more energy to edit this anymore, so ENJOY! I'm finally introducing this universe's protagonist, and also my favorite blorbo uwu Anyway, onwards to the story!

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Everything was ready.

The engines of the airship functioned perfectly, as he designed them to. The steam releasing from the metal contractions hummed pleasantly, music in his ears. Floating above the structure and attached to the platform was the gigantic rubber-coated fabric filled with hydrogen that would allow it to fly. From a distance, it was a spectacle by itself, a monument of beauty and ingenuity never built before, a creation that came from Kylon’s own, inventive mind. He grinned, excitement bubbling up inside his chest. He hopped on the surprisingly small airship carrying a knapsack on his back, a notebook and a pencil packed in his pockets. The space inside the balloon was too small, after all, it barely fit him on the wooden platform. This test drive would be short, yet fascinating.

“Do you see this, Rosemary?” – he shouted in the open, grassy area towards a ginger figure at the distance. Her long red curls and flowy dress billowed in the wind. Not capable of speaking, she waved at him and signaled with both of her hands:

‘It looks amazing!’

Kylon beamed, happy that his friend shared his contentment. If his invention worked, he would make a bigger, better one, and he would take her with him, hopefully to a better place than where they currently lived in.

Although, compared to their little run-down village, which welcomed foreigners like them with judgmental eyes and displeased scowls, anywhere else seemed a better place.

He fixed the round glasses on his face, pushing them up, and ran a hand across his dirty blonde hair, not doing much to improve the disheveled appearance of his frizzly straight locks, which were pulled back and tied into a high, messy ponytail. Kylon gave a quick look around the airship in order to check if everything was ready for departure. He was approaching the anchor to pull it from the ground, until Rosemary approached him.

‘Are you sure I can’t come with you? It unnerves me that you are traveling alone.’ She motioned with her hands, a frown deepening on her face.

Kylon softened his gaze and smiled.

“You have no need to worry, Rosey. I spent so many months building this little dove, I’m mostly sure she will not fail on me.”

Rosemary inaudibly giggled. ‘She?’

“That’s right! I’m announcing my official marriage with my latest creation, and you’re the most and only esteemed guest!”

They both laughed in unison, but Rosemary’s face quickly fell into worry.

‘I am worried for one thing, though. I know you don’t believe in legends but…Why the Immer Woods?’

Kylon took his eyes from the rope attached to the airship and glanced at his friend. It’s comprehensive that when a rumor is often talked about, people are most inclined to believe it, and since no one has been able to prove creatures from fairytales exist or not, tales such as of the Immers Beast are perfect to fill the imagination of curious but fearful minds.

But Kylon did not believe in fairytales, and after experiencing so many raw and real events in his 19-year-old life, the notion of considering a tall tale capable of stopping his plans were ridiculous. Still, he felt glad for the worry coming from his only friend.

“It’s precisely why no one dares to venture those places that I long to see it and document everything for myself.” – Kylon smiled and touched Rosemary’s shoulder.

“No need to worry, Rosey. When was the last time I nearly died with my inventions?”

‘Um, almost every single one of them?’ She looked wide eyed at him, agitated.

Kylon chuckled. “Well, we all must start from somewhere. This time will be different! You’ll see!”

Rosemary did not have it in her to discourage her friend. So, when he boarded the airship and it slowly soared towards the sky, she smiled and waved farewell, pursing her lips and suppressing the concerned frown that threatened to appear on her face.

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Kylon was flying once again, gliding the fresh wind currents at quicker speeds than he ever thought possible. The flight continued without a hitch, and he guided the airship with a gleeful smile on his face, taking in the fresh air as his creation danced around the blue skies, swinging in a comfortable motion. Kylon took a deep breath and sighed, serenity on his face. After so many failed attempts at a successful airship, he did it. He made a revolutionary invention, not once created by mankind. If he showed it to the high nobility, from any kingdom, perhaps he would be given a high-ranking position, and he would be able to live a better life alongside Rosemary.

However, the kingdom of Immers would not be the place where he’d present his invention, lest his true identity is discovered.

And Kylon did know inside his heart, for he was an honest man, that if he ever had the opportunity to stab a blade against the chest of an Immers soldier, he would do so without hesitation.

He approached the “forbidden” Imore Woods, scoffing at the memory of the funny and exaggerated mythical stories. They said the place was renamed five years ago in honor of the second son of Immers’s baron, Audwin Imore, who disappeared and apparently died inside the misty forest. Kylon also heard from Rosemary that frequent earthquakes could be felt originating from the forest, and that those who dared enter returned traumatized and paralyzed with fear, refusing to speak about what they saw with petrified eyes. Kylon smirked and leaned his arms on the thin wooden balcony. It felt almost funny how because of a tale people refused to see the beautiful landscape the forest provided. Thick, tall trees covered the ground he flew over with evergreen-colored leaves, surrounded by imposing grey mountains. A chilly white mist obscured part of the scenery, and Kylon almost felt tempted to descend right then and there to explore the forest closer.

His wish, to his surprise, came true. An intense wind current surged from the opposite direction of his airship and shook it, almost making him fall towards the ground. Gripping the railing until his knuckles turned white, Kylon carefully made his way towards the engine, seeing that nothing seemed to be broken inside. He looked up at the ship’s balloon, but nothing seemed ripped.

Another strong shaking on the wooden platform made his grip tighter on the fragile support, and Kylon made a mental note to build a stronger platform in the future. The airship twisted and contorted, diving towards the surface.

The construction soon lost balance and descended with fierce tremors, plummeting faster towards the ground. Kylon breathed in and out in, looking at the approaching ground as the biting winds blew his hair and gravity pulled him down. His heartbeat accelerated. He had to jump or the ship could explode with him in it.

“Looks like it can’t fly on its own for long.” He said to himself and sighed, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. Kylon might not admit it to himself, but the favorite part of his failures was almost dying from them, the thrill of danger filling his senses with addictive adrenaline.

He gripped the shoulder straps of his backpack and leaped off the falling airship with a yell, feeling his heart soar with joy as pressure from the Earth took him over. He pulled a string on his backpack to activate the parachute he created for himself, slowing his fall as he descended towards the forest below. The ship crashed with a brassy noise soon after, catching fire upon impact. When Kylon’s feet did as much as graze the ground, he hastily removed the backpack from his back, ignoring any pain or bruise he might have gotten, and sprinted towards the fallen balloon.

“So much time dedicated to her, and now it’s all ruined!” He grumbled and sprinted closer to the crashing site, looking up at his creation as it burned into ashes, ruffling his messy hair with one hand as he paced back and forth. He had to put out the fire somehow, or there would be nothing of his beloved to salvage.

“There must be a river nearby. Or maybe it’ll rain, or something. I’m not even married with my beloved blimp yet and it’s already – “

A strong earthquake quaked under his feet and Kylon stumbled in place.

‘So apparently that part of the legend was real’.

The rhythmic tremors confirmed some veracity of those tales as well, since the ground shook at a steady and resounding pace, causing the trees to sway and branches to fall off their sturdy trunks. He paid no mind to the sound as he steadied himself and strode towards a random direction in the misty woods, hoping to find some sort of water. But then, he remembered there was nothing he could use to carry the water towards the ship. Was his creation ruined forever? No, he could not let that happen.

The tremors got more intense and deafening in sound, causing Kylon to wince. He looked towards the direction of the mountains that loomed in the distance, thinking that perhaps an avalanche was coming towards his direction, in which case he’d have to run as fast as possible. His beloved ship may be dead, but Kylon must not die, at least not yet.

“No, that can’t be it. The mountains are so far away I can barely see them. Then what – “

The ground shook so hard Kylon lost his balance and fell back-first on the grassy ground with a loud yelp. The earth reverberated around him, the ground threatening to collapse as it quaked. In the distant, misty horizon he could make out the silhouette of trees tumbling down towards the ground, adding volume to the pulsating sounds. Kylon was about to get up when he heard a rush of water from his right.

“No freaking way.”

A waterfall had just materialized from the mist over the burning airship, instantly dousing the flames. Kylon was never one to believe in miracles, but this time there was no explanation. It was a miracle, his dearest was safe!

That was when he realized that the waterfall poured out from something, round and brown in color. It resembled a wooden bucket, but massive in size. Only when it creaked and retreated did he notice that something was attached to the monumental object, and it moved.

“What is going on?” He marveled.

He had just gotten up when a heavier earthquake shoved him towards the ground again. Frustration surged within him

“Are you serious?!” He shouted. Kylon sat up and glanced in all directions until his gaze locked onto something directly in front of him.

"My glasses must be broken."he muttered, removing them and placing them back on.

If he wasn’t hallucinating, those were two ginormous boots.

Kylon swallowed and felt his throat dry. The mist must have clouded his vision, making tree trunks appear as boots. Yes, that was the only possible explanation.

A loud clanking sound rattled the earth and he shrieked. Towards him rolled an impossibly gigantic wooden bucket. Water dripped out of it, as the immense object sped up towards him. Kylon screamed and got up, sprinting out of its way.

It was then that it dawned on him. He was not hallucinating.

He felt sweat streaming down his forehead as he slowly turned his head to the massive boots, noticing they were connected to limbs. And up he looked, and up, and up, until he accidentally fell back again towards the ground.

His stomach sank, heartbeat hammering inside his chest.

The thick leather material connected to black cotton pants that towered over the trees, to a torso covered by miles of white woolen fabric. A face was obscured by the pale mist, strands of long, thick hair cascading down the creature’s chest. Peering closely, Kylon could see up in the cloudy distance, and chills crawled down his spine when he noticed the glowing, vibrant shade of blue of the beast’s eyes.

Kylon yelled and shot up, upon which the figure grunted in a deep, echoing voice. It’s real, the tales were right. He sprinted away from it in a straight line, but stumbled when the beast's knees hit the ground with a thunderous boom. Without looking back, he continued his mad dash until colliding with a smooth, pale surface. It was a hand, resting horizontally on the ground, its palm towering over him. Kylon gawked as thick fingers curled around him and obscured his field vision. He attempted to punch and kick his way out, but soon found himself engulfed in darkness, unable to move due to the intense pressure of the colossal flesh. He hissed in pain, his stomach lurching as if it had plummeted to the ground, a result of the creature's sudden movements. He was lifted off the earth, trying to free his arms or squirm himself free, but the leathery skin did not bulge.

A pressure from the giant hand’s movements below Kylon’s feet pushed his head towards the surface and out of the claustrophobic, dark space. He gasped for air and heaved, opening his eyes.

His heart leapt towards his throat.

In front of him was the massive face of the giant. He supposed that was the beast people talked about. Ironic, in the end, it appeared to the person who least believed in it. If Kylon wasn’t so scared, he might have laughed at the absurdity of it all. But what stirred his heart in fear, wasn’t the massive blue eyes of the giant itself, but the piercing glare and the scowl across its face, which was covered in scars. It had ashy brown hair, half of it tied in a high ponytail, its disheveled bangs were parted in the middle and fell on its forehead. It spoke in such a thunderous voice Kylon felt it drumming against his ears and vibrating inside him.

“Trespassing was not enough apparently, you puny human had to bring your trash along with it.”

For a split second, Kylon forgot the fear he was under. ‘Not only was the beast capable of coherent thought and speech, but it had used it to insult my invention?!’ That moment of indignation was enough to stir bravery within him.

“My creation is not trash!” – Kylon yelled and the giant’s eyebrows perked up. “I was flying on it, I fell here by accident!”

He huffed. No way he would let that giant say his breakthrough in mechanics was trash. But considering it lived in those woods, there was not much technology it might be familiar with, anyway.

The giant narrowed its eyes and approached its hand to its face, close enough for him to see his reflection on its pupil.

He made such a huge mistake by speaking up.

“Flew, huh? Why would a human be flying around these parts?” Its breath ruffled Kylon’s hair as it spoke in a low, threatening voice.

“Look, I didn’t know this area was ‘prohibited’, okay? There were no signs as far as I know.”

With that, the giant scoffed and let out a deafening, sarcastic laugh, the loud voice reverberating in his bones and ringing in his ears.

“You sure are a funny one. Do you not understand the danger you are under?”

Kylon felt tension return to his body as he shivered under that icy blue glare.

“W-Well, since it was an accident, c-could you let me go? Then I’ll just pick up my airship, walk out of here, and leave you alone. How about it?”

The grip around him closed in tighter and Kylon yelped in pain.

“You dare suggest I let you go after crashing into my land and setting the forest on fire with your garbage?!” – it bellowed and Kylon wished desperately to cover his ears. The giant sneered. – “No, I’m afraid this will not be possible. I’m taking you and your toy with me.”

With that, the young inventor felt desperation rising within him. No, no no no, he could not be taken away. He had to return home, Rosemary was waiting for him. He struggled in vain under the giant’s suffocating grip.

“N-no! Wait, please! We can talk about it, I’ll do anything! Please, I need to go back!”

His desperate pleas were deafened by the fist that enclosed around him, obscuring his vision. The giant felt the squirming human in his hand, and scowled. Good, he managed to break this one apart as well.

Kylon felt his stomach plummeting once again as the hand lowered. It opened to reveal the inside of a leather pouch attached to its hip, in which Kylon was hastily dropped in. The giant closed the ropes around its opening and Kylon pushed himself to get up, but the uneven surface and the giant’s abrupt movement as it got up made him fall back again. He tried to steady himself but it was futile, as the giant’s steps bounced the bag and threw him around all directions. His breathing became rapid as the scarce air inside the bag suffocated him. No, not yet, he would not panic inside a closed space yet.

Although he could not see anything, Kylon felt the giant hunching over and heard it picking his airship with both hands, folding it with loud cracks until it was sizeable enough to carry with one massive arm. Although the ship was big, he still managed to lift it with one arm alone. Kylon shuddered. Such a monumental being was not meant to exist.

When the giant started walking away from that area, each step echoed in the ground, shaking the earth with the beast’s powerful stride. Kylon forced himself to take deep breaths and concentrate. He had to find a way to escape. Somehow. He mapped on his head the directions the giant was turning, and how many steps it was taking. Kylon did not know how many human steps that equaled to, but he would figure that out eventually. Right now, he only needed to know how to navigate back to the point they previously were.

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The hinge of a door closing indicated the return of her brother. He had to have brought big brother Audwin back, for he had promised her he would play with her dolls later. But when Otilia ran towards the eldest, she only saw the sad look on his eyes

“Where’s Audwin?”

She said with a wobble in her voice, trying to contain her tears. Benedictus’s head shaking sideways was enough for her to know: he was nowhere to be found.

“I’m sorry, Otilia.”

She hiccupped and looked down, tears clouding her vision. Her oldest brother’s armored arms embraced her, the cold metal making her shiver.

Her brother was no more, and his promise to her would not be realized.

#coffeh writes #g/t story #giant/tiny #sfw g/t #sfw giant/tiny #g/t writing #g/t angst #coffeh oc: kylon #coffeh oc: berk #coffeh oc: rosemary #coffeh oc: benedictus #coffeh oc: otilia #coffeh's writing #g/t #oc: kylon #oc: berk #oc: rosemary #oc: benedictus #oc: otilia

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