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Description

The Moon peaked from behind the clouds illuminating the rolling fog. It was full tonight and lower in the sky. Vibrant and silver as ever, moon beams painted the world in greyscale and conjured up long dark shadows from the forest trees. Trotting away from The Well, frustrated and emotionally drained, lady paused to regard the moon. The moon held a special place in Lady’s heart, but that tale is for another time.

In the near distance, an abandoned barn loomed, sending an icy chill down Lady’s spine. The locals said it was haunted and Lady could not gainsay them. It was one of the few structures that somehow, despite the lack of upkeep, stayed standing. Something about the place spooked even her!

“Wicked?” spoke the breeze and the small golden flame appeared by her side.

Lady sighed inwardly, knowing she had over-reacted at the sight of her old self. “No…and yes. I am sorry little fella if I scared you and your friends. I…I am still healing from a very old wound. I thought that life was passed me now. In fact, I had nearly forgotten what I looked like and was settling into what I am now. Seeing my other eyes…” she sighed. “Well… The illusion was a treat, surely…but… also just a trick.”

“No trick.” said the tiny flame as it dropped something from within its body with a metal ting! Lady bent over to examine the object.

It was her bell, the one she lost in the forest, so many moons ago and that she had spied by The Well after completing the ritual. She realized she never touched any of the objects, and her heart hurt with new knowing that she had mucked up the chance to feel them again.

“No matter,” she thought, “This was one of the best treasures there.” She examined it from every angle. It was exactly as she remembered it, down to the little ribbon. How it was not tarnished or unmarred after all these years, she would never know, but the sight made her swell with a joy she seldom felt. Tears threatened to escape but, Lady was done with tears.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she picked up the object. Ever so delicately, Lady wrapped the bell around her neck, securing it in place. It felt right, sitting there. The ribbon disappeared between her fur but the bell stayed true and dangled on a small chain. As she moved, this way and that, and with just the right speed, the bell gave a small chime.

She used to hate that chime in another life, as it would alert her prey. She chuckled and rang the bell again for fun. It rang true.

Memories crept in and filled her with joy, of Alyce, of the kids. All happy things and none of the sorrow. One could say that the bell itself was magic, but in all actuality, it was just a bell.

“Thank you,” she said again, with more voice than before, “This is the best gift I have received in a long time.” The small little flame flickered brighter for her words. Her eyes flicked back to the abandoned barn.

“Come, little flame,” she said. “Can you get your friends? I need your help to dispel a little darkness.”

“Play?” it questioned, rolling in the air.

“Yes,” said lady, “Come play.” This time Lady was the guide.

---

A/A Note: I'm using personal because I picked up where I left off and I am finishing this! It's not where I want it to be but it's all part of the process. I also realize that I'm doubling my work by doing both the palette and the word palette because you can only gain 10 AP and 4 GP total for the bonus. Ah well, WE LEARN!

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Event Bonus)
Sub Total AP (Art): 45

Base Score: 11 AP (Writing: 569 words)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Event Bonus greyscale + icy + wicked + guide + gainsay)
Sub Total AP (Writing): 21

Grand Total AP: 66

Base Score: 4 GP (Shaded Illustration)
+2 GP (Full Body)
+6 GP (Full/Scenic Background)
+2 GP (Event Bonus)
Sub Total GP (Art): 14

Base Score: 5.5 GP (Writing: 569 words)
+2 GP (Event Bonus greyscale + icy + wicked + guide + gainsay)
Sub Total GP (Writing): 7.5

Grand Total GP: 21.5

Description

The Moon peaked from behind the clouds illuminating the rolling fog. It was full tonight and lower in the sky. Vibrant and silver as ever, moon beams painted the world in greyscale and conjured up long dark shadows from the forest trees. Trotting away from The Well, frustrated and emotionally drained, lady paused to regard the moon. The moon held a special place in Lady’s heart, but that tale is for another time.

In the near distance, an abandoned barn loomed, sending an icy chill down Lady’s spine. The locals said it was haunted and Lady could not gainsay them. It was one of the few structures that somehow, despite the lack of upkeep, stayed standing. Something about the place spooked even her!

“Wicked?” spoke the breeze and the small golden flame appeared by her side.

Lady sighed inwardly, knowing she had over-reacted at the sight of her old self. “No…and yes. I am sorry little fella if I scared you and your friends. I…I am still healing from a very old wound. I thought that life was passed me now. In fact, I had nearly forgotten what I looked like and was settling into what I am now. Seeing my other eyes…” she sighed. “Well… The illusion was a treat, surely…but… also just a trick.”

“No trick.” said the tiny flame as it dropped something from within its body with a metal ting! Lady bent over to examine the object.

It was her bell, the one she lost in the forest, so many moons ago and that she had spied by The Well after completing the ritual. She realized she never touched any of the objects, and her heart hurt with new knowing that she had mucked up the chance to feel them again.

“No matter,” she thought, “This was one of the best treasures there.” She examined it from every angle. It was exactly as she remembered it, down to the little ribbon. How it was not tarnished or unmarred after all these years, she would never know, but the sight made her swell with a joy she seldom felt. Tears threatened to escape but, Lady was done with tears.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she picked up the object. Ever so delicately, Lady wrapped the bell around her neck, securing it in place. It felt right, sitting there. The ribbon disappeared between her fur but the bell stayed true and dangled on a small chain. As she moved, this way and that, and with just the right speed, the bell gave a small chime.

She used to hate that chime in another life, as it would alert her prey. She chuckled and rang the bell again for fun. It rang true.

Memories crept in and filled her with joy, of Alyce, of the kids. All happy things and none of the sorrow. One could say that the bell itself was magic, but in all actuality, it was just a bell.

“Thank you,” she said again, with more voice than before, “This is the best gift I have received in a long time.” The small little flame flickered brighter for her words. Her eyes flicked back to the abandoned barn.

“Come, little flame,” she said. “Can you get your friends? I need your help to dispel a little darkness.”

“Play?” it questioned, rolling in the air.

“Yes,” said lady, “Come play.” This time Lady was the guide.

---

A/A Note: I'm using personal because I picked up where I left off and I am finishing this! It's not where I want it to be but it's all part of the process. I also realize that I'm doubling my work by doing both the palette and the word palette because you can only gain 10 AP and 4 GP total for the bonus. Ah well, WE LEARN!

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Event Bonus)
Sub Total AP (Art): 45

Base Score: 11 AP (Writing: 569 words)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Event Bonus greyscale + icy + wicked + guide + gainsay)
Sub Total AP (Writing): 21

Grand Total AP: 66

Base Score: 4 GP (Shaded Illustration)
+2 GP (Full Body)
+6 GP (Full/Scenic Background)
+2 GP (Event Bonus)
Sub Total GP (Art): 14

Base Score: 5.5 GP (Writing: 569 words)
+2 GP (Event Bonus greyscale + icy + wicked + guide + gainsay)
Sub Total GP (Writing): 7.5

Grand Total GP: 21.5