Beginnings (writing competition)/The Beginning
| The Beginning | |
| About | |
|---|---|
| Author | Causeless |
| Scores | |
| Word Count | 1896 |
| Score: Overall | 7.5 |
| Score: Style | 6.9 |
| Score: Relevance | 7.8 |
| Score: Humour | 6.2 |
| Awards | Winner of Beginnings, special mention for Style, Relevance and Humour judging categories. |
Chapter c[49: n0i7purr0C
“ARGGHGHGH!!!!”
“Get back to the portal!!”
“Shit!! HELP!!! IT’S LOCKED UP!!! CLOSED!! SHIT!!!”
*brrrzzzrtrt*
Transmission ended.
Chapter 1: Uncharted Lands
Land stretched as far as the eye could see, unspoiled land with riches waiting to be found, animals frolicking at the shores, clouds effortlessly gliding above our heads, as we watched in awe, imagining the possibilities. Talk excitedly flowed to one person, to the other, as plans, ideas, started flooding into our heads.
The land was powerful; yet innocent, quiet; but energetic.
It was paradise.
We ran all around looking to create a city – no, an empire, out of the infinite expanse of cliffs, mountains, oceans and forests, but we quietly agreed that we should start building where it was intended – where we were left in this land, something to mark the first area we stepped upon. The spawn, it was called, for the fact that it was where something spawned us, created us, gifted us.
No plans were made, but rather our imaginations guided us. It was friendly from the start – no one cared about trespassers, as this land was created for all of us, no singular person. Soon, some rules were dictated, sent down by those who created everything for us:
1. Everyone may say their mind, as every mind is equal.
2. Those who help us, may gain the power to help more.
3. No-one may destroy or ruin our lands or buildings.
Everyone was happy, and everyone carried on, agreed and happy.
We never asked for all the creation, but were still given it. We never complained about our lands, even when we couldn’t find resources, as we knew that no matter how much we mined out, they would give us more.
Everyone carried on living off the land, and creating impressive buildings in return, and a few were given enhanced powers – but not enhanced status. Everyone was happy with the system, and it worked.
Chapter h7a3d: pelh
“Crap!”
“What the hell do we do now!?”
“I don’t know… He’s dead, isn’t he?”
Silence swept over the citizens.
“We’re screwed” whispered Sate.
“I can’t believe they would do this to us. We trusted them.”
He looked at his friend, Nathan. He looked tired – with good reason.
“They told us it would be safe, said that was a fast transportation system.”
“Web of goddamn lies… they made all this shit up, god damn. I never envisioned this when I agreed to do this.”
“Fuck.”
Chapter 2: Great Men; “Greater” Griefers
Although everyone was happy, a few people came, sent down possibly to test us, and these people abused what they were given. Some managed to somehow gain riches of almost infinite supply, seeming producing items from thin air, but refused to share it, and often used it for harm. Others simply destroyed all in their path.
Luckily, we were ready for this… However, not ready enough.
Only a few “moderators”, as they were called, were back around then, and none could handle with the immense amount intending to cause harm to our utopia. Lava rained everywhere, and the world was ruined. We were sad. Without shelter. For some divine reason, the creators took pity on us, and everything came white – we were given another chance. The world was again back to it’s former glory.
Some were sad at the loss of buildings, some quit for a while.
Some decided that this time, they would do the same.
But better.
Bigger monuments were made, bigger hidden super-secret underground bases were procured, and more moderators were created. Everything changed, in a good way, eventually those who created from thin air, stealing from the real creators, were stopped, their powers for some reason instantly destroyed. The moderators gained even more power, but none ever abused it.
Someone in this new, better world decided that this land was worthy of a name to describe it.
A sign was placed, and some rushed to see it.
The name was perfect, descriptive, yet short and subtle.
Freedonia.
Chapter D%^&.<: …;
“They faked it all! We ‘mysteriously’ lose connection after we get here? They said that had goddamn systems that would work… down here? Is that the right term for it? Down here?”
“Should have never done this, Nathan, told you it was a bad idea.”
“Well I didn’t fucking expect this bullshit, DID I??!”
They both looked over to the dilapidated portal, with several pieces of obsidian missing, then down to the lava near it, where they threw their dead friend in after they hid from the ghasts.
“He’s gone.” whispered Sate.
“Forever…”
Nathan looked down.
“We should have known better.”
“How could we have? Those assholes brainwashed us, just like how they brainwashed everyone else.”
“Crap.”
Chapter 3: The Neverending Expansion
Freedonia expanded in many ways – people were more vigilant of “griefers”, the ones who destroyed our sacred land, and the physical boundaries of the empire began the blur, as the size and majesty of Freedonia was continually increasing. More people were knighted as moderators, to protect the people, the buildings, and the land.
Not all were good.
Some of them used sorcery, and created neverending quantities or diamonds, which were handing out
The creators deemed this unsuitable, as people would begin to stop appreciating the land
Others abused their tools of protection – to make them tools of destruction. A previously great moderator made a fatal flaw – he drilled away into the earth, making a massive hole which he used as a slide, leaving others to work away to live, while ruining their land. It was with regret that he had his powers taken away, as he used to be great, but he had already done it, and would need to prove himself if he wanted to redeem himself.
But he ran, and gave up on the land.
A final man didn’t abuse any tools – but rather, never used them. He hung around, insulting everyone whilst he wallowed in his pride. He had no use for his tools, but complained after they were taken away. This man didn’t run – but stayed, causing corruption within the lands, never avoiding an argument. He was almost expelled completely.
In the place of these failures, many more able people were put in place, to help the empire survive.
In the end, nothing deterred Freedonia in whole – it always continued, never failing to prosper. The population rose to over 10,000 and everyone was happy, and free.
Chapter jjuaow34571:oa82
“We need to make some shelter before those… “things”, come back, we need shelter” suggested Sate.
“With what?”
“Anything.”
They managed to procure some dirt and a sapling from near the portal after the activation had pulled it through, and Nathan used a pickaxe he took with him to create a manageable amount of stone, which he used to create a shelter with Sate.
“They just tricked us. That’s it.” Sate said, after working quietly for about a hour.
“Freedonia Portal Co.”
“Why the fuck did WE have to test for them?”
“We needed the money. We have nothing, those goddamn dictator leaders using fucking propaganda to keep us in line… “
“You know, they are right. Everyone’s working together. But we civilians get nothing, it’s all fucking lies. We work for nothing.”
“Psychological conditioning.”
“I can’t believe that this is happening to us.”
Chapter 4: Revised Systems
Soon, however, the land became weaker, losing some of the riches that made it profitable in the first place. It’s been theorized that some were stealing from us. The creators responded by allowing trade, A system where for resources and trust, people could gain previously exclusive powers, not to help the individual, but rather the server as a whole.
A old moderator who previously lost them had his powers regained, but afterwards mysteriously disappeared, rarely seen.
Life got increasingly better for the citizens, as a massive database of the land’s history was created, named the “wiki”. People watched in awe at the amazing past the land had, and everyone, new or old, was accepted into the empire. Towns popped up everywhere – some continued into becoming cities, and although all were separate – all were still together, and all trusted.
A system of police, called the “Steve Police”, were set up to further protect us.
Griefers were still a problem, though. They only wanted to ruin the land. Soon they all joined together, in an effort to destroy our land. Several problems occurred. Waters flooded all over the spawn, our sacred creation ground, and cactus parts rained from the sky. There was a horrible, cold winter, where snow seemed to cover everywhere immediately, and parts of our world just seemed to… disappear.
Of course, the creators fixed these problems immediately for us.
However, some civilians said that only the creators could have the power to do those things, but these were obviously lies told by non-believers.
Some moderators advanced into new creators, and some moderators told slanderous lies to try to destroy the land, and some civilians even spread horrible rumours, but everyone held through.
*BBBRRRZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT*
TESTING CHAMBER NO.1:
“The biological weapon we infested subjects 56 and 57 with should be causing major hallucinations and adverse effects on them.”
“From the observation window, I can see that they are in some sort of “Shared Dream”, of sorts. They are paranoid about some attacking substance called ‘Ghasts’, and with the microphones I can hear that ‘Zombie Pigmen’ are coming towards them”.
As they looked through the chamber, which was in reality just a room with a window, ideas formulated in their minds.
“Somehow, the subjects are oblivious to where they are, and to us being here. They appear to be harming themselves to account for the fact that they cannot be physically damaged by hallucinations.”
Chapter 5: Sunset
Here we are now, looking over the now developed land, all our successes. The sun is falling, and everyone retreats into their houses, grateful for what they get.
A new day is coming.
No-one knows what will happen, except the creators, who ensure your perfect health and safety.
It’s a mystery, yet a pleasant one, keeping surprises everywhere, but nothing ever becomes bad for the people, and so there are happy. We are looking out of our windows, watching life happen.
Life.
The creators gifted to us.
It goes on, it ends for some, it starts anew. Some run away from it, some stay for a long time.
But one thing is certain as we look through the window.
Freedonia will forever live on.
Chagph>.sua
“ARHFHGHGHGH”
“ARGHG!!! OH GOD!!!”
The scientists watched as the subjects beat themselves to death, believing that zombie pigmen were doing the harm.
One looked through her clipboard.
“PHASE 2
SPREAD DISEASE AMONG CIVILIANS, DISGUISE AS INTER-DIMENSIONAL PORTAL. STEAL RESOURCES FROM CIVILIANS AND KILL NON-BELIEVERS OF CREATORS.
DECREASE RATIONS, IMPROVE UPPER-CLASS LIVING CONDITIONS
USE SECRET “STEVE” POLICE TO KILL ALL NON-BELIEVERS.”
The scientist looked up to the hidden true leader. He wasn’t a magical “creator”.
He was a man with willpower, yet no mercy.
A smile crept on this mans face.
Everything he could see was his.
And now even more of it was, and everyone who disbelieved would die.
Painfully.
And a thought went through this man’s head.
Freedonia will forever live on.
He looked through the observation window, at two dead bodies that savagely beat themselves to death.
“Free?”, he thought.
“Not anymore…”