The tune of the song and the mood seems positive, but the lyrics seem the opposite. I'll be making an entry.

I'll give it a try as well. :O

@Pi5
That's still art ^^

@OP
"obscure as to inspire original thoughts!" What if my drawing uses the lyrics in comic? (Started it already, no turnin' back now...)

Oo it's on. Comic fight to the death!~

I can't draw scary things... They come out looking friendly >_>

I know what I'm drawing... I just hope I can draw it fast enough....

I'm just doing this for fun. It's for the art after all! Prizes are only a small proportion. C: It gives me some more motivation to practice and get better at it. I'm excited to see everyone's products :3

Now that is what I called a blast from the past, but damn, this contest really came at a bad time, any chance that you might extent the contest to august 1st? Or 2nd?

There was one I once valued over everything else. She was kind, warm and loving, and I loved her so deeply. I felt like I could not live without her. Her smile was one of sadness when I was called upon to fight in the war. Maybe I should have not abandoned her but I felt like I had no choice. I was but one man but sometimes that is all it takes to save another in war. I was not delusional, I was not the best but I was going to give it my all so no loved one would have to cry for another. Maybe that was my mistake.

The first year was training, it was hard but most of us reached the end. There were not supposed to be deaths but out of the 500 of us 40 would not be able to see their families again. The 460 of us left became a division and was shipped out to the front lines along with 5 other groups. Our coming brought hope to the exhausted soldiers who had been there from the start, maybe less people would have to die if fresh minds entered the fray.

It was a week before we were given our orders. We were to make 4 groups and go around and try to out-flank the enemy. We had gotten some information from friendly locals about some unused paths that could be used to bet behind the fighting and take out some key facilities. We were to attack after 3 weeks, to give enough time for each group to get to their assigned points and if they made it early enough come up with a battle plan. The division leader was to make the groups, me and 2 others were to lead the others. 200, 120, 80, 60 were the sizes of the groups, mine being the latter. We left the next morning at dawn. We had said our goodbyes to friends the night before, knowing well that we may never see each other again. As we passed the ridge we gave one look back at the camp, no contact, that was what we were told, we were on our own now.

The first three days were uneventful, other than the few animals that were brave or unobservant enough to be in our path. I hear people say they think killing animals is wrong; well they have never had a mother boar rushing them trying to protect their children. Sadly we could not eat it, we were on enemy soil and I did not want to risk the chance that the smoke from the fire could be seen. We had brought food from the camp but it was only to last a week. The training we went through helped us identify edible plants and we collected some as we made our trek, we did not eat like kings but what we had was enough.

On the 4th day it started to downpour. It disheartened the troops but we trudged on through. Day 5 we all saw the blessing the rain had given us. I was taking the lead as usual; the vegetation had gotten rather thick so it was slow progress with my sword. As I went through the last bush I was at the other end of an enemy soldier in front of a tree with a dumbfounded stare. I quickly shoved him up to the tree covered his mouth and stabbed him in the chest. I could barely hear his muffled cries over the rain. Finally his body went limp and I let it slide to the floor, what surprised me more was not that I had just killed a man but that I felt nothing from it, no satisfaction, no eagerness, nothing. I gave a symbol to the company to stop. I decided that we would cut-back and go around, this guy was not here by chance, he was positioned there. Probably told to watch for something but not told what, given his delayed reaction. Was the information bad? We had no choice but to proceed with the mission regardless, we would get to where we needed to get to even if it was a trap, though with that in mind. We brought the body with us, the later he was reported missing the better chances we had. The rain would take care of the blood, what a blessing it had become.

We continued our infiltration after half a day of backtracking choosing a longer route. I had planned for us to get there a few days ahead of time but now we would just be making it. The body was dumped halfway to try and make it harder for them to trace us. It stopped raining 2 days after, as much of a blessing it had been it had started getting to us and its passage filled us with new vigor. Little happened the next week, and the troupes did not complain. At the start of the next week we happened upon something strange, a ghost village.

We came to a clearing and saw an old-fashioned village, but there was not a soul around. It was 2 hours before sundown so I decided to investigate it as a possible lodging for the night. After scouting the area we confirmed this and started investigating. Solders came to me reporting that they could hear whispers carried in the wind. I told them it was probably others from the group chatting amongst themselves. They kept on insisting that is was more but I quickly dismissed it, though the place did unnerve me. It was as if over night the villagers decided to move. Firewood in each house ready for lighting, food stored in barrels, even some stew above a smoldering pile of ash. I did not like it but I, like my troops, felt like sleeping on a proper bed. So I ordered the group to settle down for the night and posted some people on watch.

Every night I went to bed thinking of her, but this night was different. I could not get her out of my head, but what was in my head was not the person I loved, she felt off. I thought I might not get sleep but it did come, but it was not pleasant. I was in a dark place, but it was not dark, there just was nothing there. I tried looking around but it seemed like I was fixed in place. Out of nowhere a dark figure wisped to life. “daddy” came from it as a faint whisper of a girl’s voice. “Daddy” A clearer sound now as if it was actually in front of me. “Daddy I found you” from the darkness came a face but it did not seem right, it terrified me. I felt myself turn around it was there in front of me, fear kept me place, I felt a sharp pain and uttered a cry.

I was wide awake in a second; I sat up and carefully checked my body for any injury. There was nothing. Filled with relief I lay back down, feeling more exhausted than when I went to sleep, to collect my thoughts. I noticed that what should have been a dark room was filled with light coming from the windows. It could not have been morning, I had not slept 2 hours, but the light was telling me otherwise. Not only did I not feel rested, I felt like I had not slept at all last night. As I got up and got dressed I thought about the dream. What could it have meant? He was not a father. We had always used protection; we were not ready for kids yet. At least I was not, maybe she- my thoughts were interrupted by my second-in-command knocking on the door. He told me the troops were getting ready to leave and that they would be ready to leave before the hour. So I went outside to soldiers refreshed and ready to go. At the edge of town I took one look back thought I saw something. After a shudder and one more quick look there was nothing, but an empty village.

I questioned the troops if they had a good sleep in the village a few days later, few remembered it at first. I felt a chill run down my spine and decided that it was best not to bring it up again.

We had finally made it, day to spare but the sleep at the village (which the troupes still did not remember) must have given them a boost. I had originally planned to arrive at the night but this would have left us with little time to plan. Some scouts gave us the general layout of the gun factory. 3 sentries towers with 2 guards posted on each one. With our 8 snipers we could wipe out that threat at the start of the assault. Approximately 24 workers and 118 soldiers in the factory. 25 meters of land between the forest and the facility. 15 meters between the barracks to the south. 2 entrances to the factory, north and southeast. We had to be careful, if we were seen it would be over. There would be 3 groups one coming from the northwest, one from the east, and one to the south. Snipers would set up on any high points they could find. 15 to the south, 12 to the northwest and 25 coming from the east. The south will use guns to draw attention, after 2 minutes the northwest will also join in to distract the group. Then the east will sneak in with swords and attack from behind and split into 2 groups, 10 to the factory and 15 to the barracks. My second-in-command will lead the south group. My third will lead the sniper group and make sure each man has a different target. My fifth will lead from the northwest. My fourth will accompany me from the east and take the group going to the factory. I will lead the group going to the barracks. We were to move at night and be in position an hour before daybreak. I make the groups but the party leaders make the final decisions as to who will go with them. By the time we are done night has fallen and we say our goodbyes to our comrades, knowing this could be the last time we might see each other.

I’m tired, but I dare not sleep, in truth I have not slept since the village, the thought still scares me. If I go to sleep will I see it again? I don’t know but as I crawl through the forest I feel myself weaken. I make it to the point with my troops and immediately fall down and close my eyes. The last thing I hear is my fourth felling everyone to get some sleep, he will keep watch. I’m in the same place, a place of nothing. I see the woman I love but she is not the same, something is twisted about her. She is but a shadowy figure. She gives a crooked smile and I see her mouth move but I don’t hear anything. All I can hear is a wave of sound, something keeps hitting my head. I am dragged out of the dream to a rainy dawn.

I can’t help but give a chuckle; it seems fortune is on our side. The snipers work efficiently, all sentries are down within 5 seconds, no alarms, one dead body fall to the ground on the barracks tower, one of the few hiccups in the plan. The south group come out of the trees and kills the first soldiers they see, energy weapons pulsing through the rain. The soldiers are slow to respond, certain of their safety this far back from the front lines. Patrols start moving south to combat the new enemy. The northeast group makes their move to enter the factory. The soldiers start panicking not knowing where to go and their attention drawn from the east side. We move quickly, I see a soldier spot us but they are quickly taken out by a sniper. By the time his squad notices we are already on them and they quickly are no more. I myself have a dagger out. I give a signal to my fourth and we part, I go south, he goes north. We move fast and efficiently, killing anybody we see. Eventually they notice our group’s movements, but by then it is too late. Guns to their front, knives at their backs, and snipers killing any heading to the forest, they have nowhere to escape. We slow down and draw our guns so we don’t get shot down upon approach. A group from the factory comes as reinforcements. The battle is over after an hour, and so is the rain.

The group from the south lost 5 people. Our group only lost 2. It seems the workers were not just workers; we lost 3 people from the northwest group when the workers picked up guns, but they were quickly stopped by the reinforcements from our group from the south of the factory. 10 people all together. A great outcome overall. Now we just wait, protect this place and the front lines will eventually reach here and we will be relieved.

They have a map of the area and vital locations, nothing big but there was something of greater importance on the map. They have ambush spots on our previous path here. They knew we had this information. We were being lead to our deaths, and we would have died if I had not caught that guard by surprise. I doubted the other groups had that luck. If we stayed here we were sitting ducks. Our group was going to go the farthest place, but also the least defended. With only 50 people our attack could only end in failure. Our only chance was to destroy this place and go back the camp.

I couldn’t help but notice the village was not on the map.

I told my second my plan we prepared our departure. To my surprise the trip back was uneventful. I gave my report to the general. He informed me that my group was the only group to return so far but another has sent a scout. The closest one (my division leader’s one) met with tragedy, they got ambushed and the leader and others got killed but they only lost 60 men. They continued with 140 under the second-in-command (now first) and took their objective and are waiting for the front lines to reach them. I felt nothing hearing this, nor after my own battle, maybe I’m a killer. The general praised me for my efforts and how I had won the battle but what came next confused me, he offered to train me as an assassin.

Why me, had I done that well of a job? He told me that I was quick and he had not seen anybody more suited for the job in years, whatever that meant. I had no say in the matter though, I was sent immediately for special training. I never saw my squad again. I learned 3 years later they had been kill on their next mission, I felt nothing.

The training was hard but nothing I could not handle. After one year I was done and killing my first target, a wealthy man who aided our enemies. I killed all his guards with him and was scolded for it, though I don’t know why. I learned to only kill my target from now on.

Years went by; I slept only one day a month, to afraid who I might see. Sometimes I’m my target killing myself and sometimes it’s the girl or my love.

My last job was the genera leading our enemies. He told me my life was a lie; that the one I love was sent to me to keep me chained, though it did not work. I ended his life just like the others but his words hit home. Maybe the dreams are telling me that she is someone I can’t trust. I need to see her.

The war is over. I now head over to our home, counting every second, wishing this could just end.

I walk through the door but she is not the same person I once knew. She is the dark figure in my dreams. She tells me it’s all true that I had a potential that had to be snuffed. She comes at me but my dagger is already drawn, already inside her, all the emotions that were stifled in me now return, I feel a pain I have never felt, something deep inside. I run away, but it is never far enough. I find myself a way to get off this planet. The Skylark is its name.

We crashed but I feel so relaxed now, nothing from the world before can get to me. This world just suits me fine.

The dreams have stopped. I make weapons now, but I can no longer kill. I live a peaceful life.

It seems peace is not meant for me, I had a dream again, she called for her “daddy” again. Something is coming.

A new ship comes, after 6 years. I can feel something on the ship, death?

I can see her now a child of 16 in black robes “daddy, I found you” the eyes are of her mother’s but she is my own. I turn to flee but she is there. A pain in my chest, “Why did you kill mommy?” she stabs again and again. The world is turning black. “Now apologize to mommy, daddy.” Her cold dead eyes are the last thing I see.

Now I just need to fix the hands a bit, Put a background in, and put a floor in.

Wait... I just realised I could have been doing this in spiralspy.
Well, At least I have a backup if the scanning fails.

Also, I'll be writing a story to go with the picture. (Still counts as one art, right?)
(Here) is the rough draft.
For drawing, I do pretty well. But dang, it takes a long time...
Edit: Will you take the draft? Because, at this rate- I'm going to end up making the picture look worse than when I first drew it.
I'm using paint (Digital) to... paint a new frame. I SUCK at digital art.

I posted it in my fan-fic thread here. I hope you all enjoy it.

Uh, Eury? I think I found someone that can help fill your ban quota.

I "finished" mine, but I'll be submitting tomorrow~
I'm pretty out of practice with drawing (lol actually) so it basically look pretty simple and silly. Of course I figured out SS a few days ago (sigh) so future works will come out better.. Hopefully. xD

New Email

I looked sideways, the blinking message floated on my monitor's screen. Reaching over, I clicked the message.

Beck,

A new problem has cropped up. You seem best qualified to investigate. Please report to the Lab.

-Korra

Another job, I couldn't wait to get going. After tapping out an acknowledgment, I leaned forward and stood up. I stretched, yawned, and grabbed my helmet that was sitting on my desk. I checked my Valiance and unhooked my Dread Venom Striker from the coat hanger. Once I had securely fastened my Dread Skelly Shield on my back, I did one final check of my gear and then stepped out of my apartment.

Knights and squires crowded the streets. Doing business and bidding on new auctions. It looked like a perfect day. Emphasis on Looked. I walked through the crowd of people and saw someone getting chewed out for buying something completely useless. I passed through the gate to the garrison and pushed open the door to the lab.

Dominating the room, the giant backup engine of the Skylark hummed with energy as three Biotechs managed the main console. A Vanguard was speaking with Riley, who was holding up a golden battle sprite harness. Morlin stood near a set of monitors, directing the knights sitting there on what to do. Hubert wandered around and got in peoples way.

"Sir, I'm here to investigate a problem?" I asked Morlin.

"Yes, Allen show him to the cell." Came the reply.

One of the knights sighed, and stood up. He waved me forwards and I followed him to the back of the lab. Inside a door stood a line of cells. Each had an energy shield for a door. I followed Allen until we reached the end of one line. A guard saluted to us and turned off the energy door next to him. I expected someone to charge out of it but no one did.

"Here's the new addition," The guard said, gesturing into the cell. I looked inside and met eyes with a Knight.

She was skinny, like she hadn't eaten in a month. Black hair fell straight down her back, no perfectly straight, like ruler straight- or something. Her eyes were Dark purple, and glowing faintly. A loose black dress flowed around her, with Obsidian Shards in various places on the dress, arranged like armor. Straps of energy held her to a chair, the same energy as the door.

When she saw me, she grinned.

"Get some more guards down here," I whispered the guard.

He looked confused, "But she hasn't done anything."

"Exactly, now get them." I stepped inside the cell and motioned him to close the door.

You know that feeling you get right before something explodes? Like the calm before the storm? That was exactly what I felt when I stepped in the room. This woman was going to explode.

"You," She said.

"Do I know you?" I replied, crossing my arms.

She shook her head, "No, but I do. You were the one who stopped the great ."

I sighed, my suspicions were true. A while ago, when the Apocrea were discovered, one of them took the form of a knight and called herself Eve. She started kidnappings knights and turning them into her Obsidian Knights. When the Order planned an attack, I joined. I, along with others defeated Eve. Her power faded, and her knights regained consciousness.

"Who are you? And how did you escape?" I asked.

"You don't remember? I'm Diana, nobody thinks about a little girl. I slipped away before anyone realized, but I never forgot you. The one who defeated my queen."

"All right, why are you here?"

She took a deep breath, and started chanting.

"I was trying to tell you about a thing I thought I saw."

"What?"

It came to me in a dream one night

My hand went to my sword handle.

When a voice began to call
I heard my name being summoned as I looked around to see
A hooded judge and jury
There was no mercy there for me
Well I can't make it, I just can't figure it out
This dream is driving me crazy
I gotta know what it's all about
The mark is upon me, and the mark brings fear

I turned to the guards outside of the door and yelled at them to get more backup. My sword and shield were in my hands. An alarm was sounding.

A cold wind's blowing right down my back
I'm running, I'm running' from a figure that's dressed in black
I think my legs are made out of lead
Cause I'm running but I'm going nowhere
The bad dream is coming closer and closer
I got a feeling he'll always be there
Forever is a long time to spend in agony
And the demons of confusion have got a place for me
The mark is upon me, and the mark brings fear

A purple aura was radiating from Diana now. A wild look in her eyes. This wasn't an Apocrean rune. It doesn't require as much chanting.

I was tired, so tired of running
I had to turn and look around
I saw eyes that looked right through me
And a voice that made no sound
My body froze and I stood and stared, unearthly face before me
From the depths of a hooded nightmare, I saw what could not be
Mysteries and mayhem from the pinnacle I see
There's no answer when there's no question
The mark is upon me, and the mark brings fear.

The chanting abruptly stopped everything went quiet. Five guards ran inside and advanced on Diana. I started to tell them to stop, then something appeared.

A giant holographic Grimalkin enveloped the Woman. All the guards backed up quickly. She'd found another magic to fuel herself. The Grimalkin opened it maw and grew even bigger. Then it sunk its teeth into the ground and everything went dark. I felt wind blasting against me, then I hit the ground.

Opening my eyes I saw the Diana, she transported us to Moorcroft Manor. She was encased in a holographic image of Margrel, the Black Kat leader. She spread her arms, and tentacles shot out of the ground and shot towards me. I dove sideways and rolled to get to my feet. I saw my sword and scooped it up, slashing through a tentacle. I looked around and saw the five guards. They huddled together, trying to fend off the mass of tentacles. I had to do something. I let my instincts take over, and ran into the mess of tentacles. I cut and slashed and parried, getting ever closer to the Obsidian Knight. Then I was at the hologram. I pushed, and stumbled inside the protective bubble. Yeah, graceful as heck but it suddenly gave way. I regained composure and faced the Woman.

"You will die!" She shouted, and an obsidian dagger formed in her hand.

I ducked the first swing, and cut at her leg. The sword glanced off the Obsidian armor and was yanked away from me by a rogue tentacle. I blocked a stab with my shield and swept my foot under her legs. She crashed into the ground and the hologram dissolved. I had my Valiance leveled at her head by the time she opened her eyes.

"How, how could you just cancel my powers?"

Four of the guards appeared around us. I turned to see a crumpled figure on the ground.

"What now sir?" One asked me. He seemed young. Too young to witness death.

"We execute her. She's too dangerous to Lock up." I said. It was true, but no one likes to sentence someone else to die.

"Heh, Heh heh heh heh." You think you can just kill me?" Diana grinned with mad determination.

The other four trained their guns on her.

"No one silences a Disciple, except another!" She suddenly clasped her hands together and muttered a rune.

Purple energy started to cover her body.

"Get back!" I shouted, pushing away the nearest guard.

We scattered, and an explosion threw me into the ground. I looked back, and saw a black portal swirling with purple energy. A purplish Kat squeezed through the portal and screeched at us then flew away. I got up, and covered my eyes as hundreds of black Kat's swarmed out of the portal and into the clockworks.

Then a Kat with a monocle floated over to the portal and zipped it shut as if he was closing a window.

Confused and probably weak, the four guards crowded around their fallen comrade. I decided to leave them be, and activated my comlink.

"Beck? Where in Cradle are you?" Korra answered, the worry in her voice was all too obvious.

"Your 'investigation' just cost us a prison guard. Sargent by the looks of it. She transported us to Moorcroft. Send us an evac."

"Why Moorcroft?"

Beck looked at the spot where the portal was. The zombie bellhop was sweeping away some black substance left over from the portal.

"The prisoner is dead, but she used her sacrifice to bring forth-"

"Are the Apocrea back again?"

"No, she found another magic, she's released the Black Kat's into the clockworks. Tell HQ to inform the rest of the Order, we have to hunt them down again."

"Your sure?"

"I've got four knights who will vouch for me. Are you sending the evac or not?" I was starting to get tired of her questioning, can't all this wait till later?

"Its almost there. Your going to have to answer to Feron when you get back here."

"Yeah, ok. I'm taking a break after this. You hear? I'm done dealing with crazy people."

I clicked off the radio and leaned against a wall. There was something that didn't add up. Her chant seemed to be a mixed art. It referred to the man in black, and the hooded nightmare. Somehow, I think the Kats knew about the Apocrea. They must have made a few spells based on the things they found. Oh well, I could think about that later. If I kept digging through spells and darkness, I might end up in that prison.

I think I am done. No more magic, just straightforward combat. Maybe I'll be a mercenary, that seems more interesting than a detective. Whatever happens, I'll be there. I might not be on the front line, but I'll be there.

My story is steadily coming along... Dunno if I'll make it in time though :o It's turning less into a story and more into a bunch of informative dialogue for dumping some of my Apocrea lore.

Also, +1 Colray. Interesting take on the Apocrea/Kats

This ended about 8 hours ago, right? 12 PM EST = noon EST