Forum Index > Games, Contests, and Giveaways > Sylestia Grand Royale: Round Four Voting
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Limor
Level 73
The Kind-Hearted
Joined: 7/5/2016
Threads: 293
Posts: 19,132
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 6:22 AM
Post #1
Welcome all to the fourth round of voting for Sylestia Grand Royale. I am excited to see who will win this round!
For this fourth round we had writing and pet designs, with a prompt to create two characters and a 200 word story based on a song. Each participant was required to create one set following these rules.
Voter Rules
- Contestants may vote, but please dont vote for yourself.
-Voting is blind meaning all entries will be labeled with numbers, not names.
- When placing your votes please be sure to clearly state the NUMBERS of the entries you are voting for.
- Each person may vote twice, but your votes cannot both go to the same short story. You MUST vote for different entries.
- Adding feedback to your votes is helpful for the contestants, but please keep it constructive.
- Please try to check out the music videos if you can, though I understand you may not have time to watch them all please try to enjoy snippets of them.
If you would like to be pinged for voting rounds please let me know.
Voting will be open from the time this thread is posted until Wednesday, August 2nd at 8PM Sylestia Site Time. Winners will be announced shortly after voting ends.
Edited By Limor on 7/31/2019 at 3:21 PM.
Limor
Level 73
The Kind-Hearted
Joined: 7/5/2016
Threads: 293
Posts: 19,132
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 6:45 AM
Post #2
Contestant One Song One
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Promises of forever
predicated on sentiments of never,
idealizing, or maybe romanticizing,
a proprietary obsession;
music being played off-key,
sour berries, stale chocolates,
a hand held too tightly;
needing reassurance
of late-night whispers
in the dark, under the stars,
meanings lost to sleep
and not remembered in the morning.
Cynicism and indecision
but being swept forward
with both eyes closed,
a blind dance, anticipating
a fall, the sensation of a missed step,
dizzying; the undertow of a current,
riptides dragged out into distant ocean,
clouds on the horizon and ozone in the air,
oppressive heat, premonitions of a storm
gray and cacophonous around the edges,
no less powerful
for all it is dangerously, destructively beautiful
and tragic.
A ship not tied, but anchored
and alone among the waves;
abstractions of loneliness,
hollowness under skin,
the removal of something profound
but perhaps necessary.
Birdsong after rain, chilly air, and mint ice cream
lungs expanding around a yawn,
a clenched fist finally relaxing,
stretching, releasing tension,
resettling softly, and it's finally,
finally quiet.
Song Two
Patent Pending - The Whiskey, The Liar, The Thief
Would it be at all possible
to build relationships
on a foundation of lies
and drinks,
when everything is fogged
with smoke, hazy lights, drunken rambling;
stolen wallets and pilfered coins,
pretty words from painted lips,
a flash of teeth, fluttering eyelashes
delicate, soft, and forgotten come morning,
memories dissipating with morning dew,
ephemeral and muted
but not missed.
Roaming between forgotten back alleys,
in the shadows under a sprawling rooftop,
under pale moonlight
turning the world to grayscale,
when the only color comes from weak bar lights,
pallor turns to warmth
at the bottom of a bottle,
between one and the next
the world sways as if on a ship
and looted money has been freely spent
or been absconded by another;
and what's left is painful, broken truth
with whoever remains
cracked open, quiet, ragged edges
that don't quite fit together
but under dim lights,
blurry with drinks and soft voices,
it's good enough.
Contestant Two Song One
Victorious - They don't get it, do they?
Girl's night. This was the night she had been looking forward to all week. The puffadore had gotten all dolled up, put on her best scarf and pinned a flower in her fur. Now she was meeting up with her best friend at a small karaoke bar in town. Once inside, she actually found it very charming, with its strobe lighting and small bar in the middle. She had flashed her id as she entered.
"Sarah, over here!" a zolinixi called, waving her paw.
"Melissa! replied Sarah as she bounded over to her. They were standing near the bar now, smiling and discussing the events of the week.
"I heard that you keep getting asked out by that one puffadore. What's his name? Aaron?" Melissa asked as they sat down at the bar.
"Aragon actually," Sarah replied. "I heard that he has a zolnixi friend who is interested in you."
"Yuck, no thank you! I have other things I want to take care of first."
Suddenly, the puffadore stiffened, eyes focused on something to Melissa's left. Her nose wrinkled. "He's here."
Melissa followed her eyes to a male puffadore and zolnixi, both looking around as if searching for somebody. Their eyes landed on the two girls and they started moving towards them. "Quick, order a drink and pretend they're not there."
Sarah couldn't help but laugh as they each ordered a beverage. She got herself a grasshopper while Melissa had a Bloody Mary. However, just as they were handed their drinks, the boys struck.
"Hey there, Babe," the male puffadore stated as he slid in beside her. "Mind if I pay for that?"
Sarah looked at him and tried to look calm and collected. Inside, though, she was annoyed. "No thank you."
Melissa was having problems, too, and was handling it as politely as she could. However, her fur was beginning to bristle.
"So what's your sign, Sugar? I'm a Leo," the male zolnixi said.
"It's stop," she replied curtly. She got up and tugged at Sarah gently. She nodded subtly at the dance floor. They quickly moved into the crowd of dancing bodies.
As they danced, there seemed to be no sign of the boys they were trying to avoid. They laughed it off and danced side by side as the music thrummed. The music and dance floor was cleverly placed away from where karaoke was going on. No need dancing to drunken sing alongs. Suddenly, Sarah felt paws on her hindquarters. "Oh heck no!"
She whirled on the one doing so to see Aragon, the ever so persistent male puffadore. "Get your paws off my hips!" she exclaimed angrily. "How disrespectful can you be?!"
Aragon backed up at her sudden anger, a look of surprise on his face. Sarah began marching forward, and for each step she took, he retreated. "I ought to punch you in the face for that! You want to know what I think about you?!"
Aragon, being so dumb, nodded. "Yeah, Babe, I do."
"I think you could use a mint or two." Then Sarah turned and went back to Melissa, who had just caught Aragon's friend staring at her.
"They really don't get it, do they?" she asked Sarah when she saw her. Then the zolnixi turned to the male and growled. "Take a hint! We are not into you or any of your friends. So get lost."
The males both retreated and Sarah began to laugh. "That told them. Now come, I hear the karaoke calling to us!" She trotted off the dance floor.
Melissa laughed, too, and followed after her. "You know, that zolnixi had a lot of names for me. If I had a dime for every one of them, I'd be rich!"
"And you'd share your spoils with me, right?"
"Of course!"
The girls both laughed and continued on with their Girl's Night.
Song Two
Lindsey Stirling - Something Wild ft. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness (From Disney's Pete's Dragon)
It had been years since he'd been back here, at grandpa's house. The old luffox had lived a full life and had left his house to his only grandson, Andy.
Andy walked into the storage room where he knew all of the old stuff was stored away. There was a piano, lots of boxes, and a big chest. He couldn't believe it was still here. After the incident, he thought Grandpa had gotten rid of it. Yet there it sat.
He approached the chest and felt his heart racing. Was it still filled with maps to unknown places? Is this where he confiscated his drawn map, the one he had made based off of one of the maps of old? He was hesitant to find out. This chest had opened up so many opportunities, ways that Andy felt most connected with. It had released something.... something wild.
His mind went back in time, right back to when he had attempted to set out on a journey based on a poorly copied map. He hadn't even understood then what he was drawing. A cool looking map? Cool, let me draw it and then I can play adventurer.
He was never a social person. That day at the park, he remembered sitting there, coloring his map all by himself. He would glance up and see all the kids playing. But his eyes always went to the young ferriki girl playing on her own as well. He noted how content she seemed. He dropped his gaze back to his map only for it to be snatched away from him.
"Whatcha drawin' huh?" a young draeyl demanded as he looked at the picture. Andy sat in silence. "Lame!" the kid declared as he threw it down and knocked all of the markers to the ground as well.
Andy dropped down off the bench to pick everything up when a soft brown paw stopped his frantic grabbing. He looked up into the deep blue eyes of the ferriki girl. She was kind, helping him and asking him if he was okay.
"I-I'll be fine. I should go. He will probably come back, and he's scary," the young luffox had said.
"Hey, I know you're scared. But you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for," the girl replied. "I'm Lizzy."
"I'm Andy."
Andy snapped back to present day. He was standing over the chest now. He let out a deep breath and opened it. Inside were rolled up pieces of parchment, and on the inside of the lid was the map. The one he had made at the park years ago. Even in the protection of the chest, it had yellowed some. He smiled as he pulled out one of the old maps and unrolled it. This was the map his drawing was based off of. Now that he was older, he understood how to read it. He could tell it was real. His mind raced back once again.
Andy showed Lizzy a drawing of a dragon. Then he showed her his map. Her face lit up at the thought of some epic quest. "Let's go!"
Andy found himself smiling and quickly packed up his stuff. Everything but his hand drawn map. They raced into the trees, following the map as best they could. They crossed an ocean, the waters whipped into a frenzy. When they finally reached land, the stars were shining, and Andy could feel something wild calling to him. They pushed through a forest, the shadows long in the nighttime. They saw something fly through the night sky, and in their child imaginations, it was a dragon.
They were thrilled by their discovery and rushed forward to see if they could find where it would land. They pointed the creature out as it swooped down low over the trees. Before they could find where it had gone, a woman started calling Lizzy's name. They snapped out of their imaginary land only to find they had only been exploring the trees at the park. Disappointment filled Andy. He was so sure they had been there. It felt real, it felt right.
They ran back to Lizzy's mother. It was time for them to head home, but Andy was not going home yet. He handed the picture of the dragon over and smiled. He waved as he watched them leave.
Andy was once again in the present. The ground underneath him felt like quicksand suddenly. It always seemed to get that way when he got lost in thoughts of the past. He took a deep breath as he looked at the map in his paws. This one was real, and he already knew he was going to follow it. These maps were his equivalent to someone calling him home.
His mind went to Lizzy and he sighed softly. He wondered where she was today. He would love to meet her again. Though, she probably didn't even remember him. If she did, she would hear the same call as him and they could go together. He doubted it. She probably didn't even have the picture he gave her. He sighed, closed the chest, and took the map out of the storage room.
Outside, it was sunny and the birds were chirping, but a ferriki sat on a stone wall. She remembered years ago how she had climbed over this very wall with a luffox boy named Andy. She pulled out a child's drawing of a lime green dragon and gazed at it longingly. "I know you hear it, too, wherever you are," she murmured to the picture. "I'm sure we'll find each other again soon."
Limor
Level 73
The Kind-Hearted
Joined: 7/5/2016
Threads: 293
Posts: 19,132
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 6:54 AM
Post #3
Contestant Three A note to readers/voters: My entry can be read as two separate stories, or as one larger story. Song One
Unleash the Archers - Cleanse the Bloodlines
The world went dark for a moment when the fangs of a rabid vulnyx pierced my fur. Shadows surrounded me and a small figure appeared. I saw a ryori with a skull for a face and I knew he was death. As death approached me I thought only of my sons. I knew what I had to do to survive, death had told me so. Upon me he placed a terrible curse. I felt my blood boil and my skin prickled as if overcome by fear but I knew it wasn't fear I was feeling. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as my eyes burned a bright crimson. I had transformed into a bloodthirsty killer, the prey; my own blood. As much as I fought off the urge, I knew nothing could stop death and his curse. A long, terrible howl escaped my maw and my legs moved me forward, knowing exactly where my targets were. Only one scent registered in my brain and I followed it relentlessly. Soon I arrived at my den, where my only remaining family rested. They were alert and immediately dashed away. Soon I will die.
Song Two
Unleash the Archers - Tonight We Ride
A familiar lupora approached my brother and I as we lay peacefully in our den. It was approaching at a rapid speed and as it got closer I recognized it as our mother. Something was different, something was wrong. I grab the scruff of my brother's neck and we were off. There was word of rabid vulnyx in this area and I felt a pang of hurt hit my heart with such a force that I almost trip over a branch. We have seen this type of bloodthirsty lust before in our father. We were on our own now but on the run until we have the means to fight and ultimately kill our mother. We don't know where we will hide, but I knew we were fast approaching a vaste and dangerous desert. Hot sand squished between our paws and kicked up into our faces but we had to persevere and move forward. My brother ran ahead of me and with his great mechanical wings made large leaps over the dunes. My heavy armour slowed me down, but at least it would protect me against any rabid bites my mother would deal. I heard a subdued howl from my brother, indicating he had found something; a small cave. It was dark, and we don't know what creatures dwell within. We entered the shadows.
Contestant Four Song One
SIAMES - Mr. Fear
Wandering about she followed her path through the forest. A silent masterpiece lurked here, a work of ancient art. Many fall to its intentions, making them riled and hesitant. Angry, but calm, it can't be seen by the naked eye, but it still follows. It follows everyone, everywhere. Her eyes scanned the treeline, and suddenly, something rustled. She stopped, heart beating faster. She was becoming panicked, her body freezing in place. She couldnt move, and was wide open. Noticable, from the bright blue bandanna that hung around her neck. The rustling returned, more violent than before. Shaking, her body naturally shifted into reverse as she took a step backward. From a distance, a large and orange vene rose from the floor, very injured and very scarred. He growled in pain, and she crouched low to the ground. His eyes opened, and looked straight at her. Silence followed the next moments, and as soon as he moved she quickly stood and ran off. Fear had caught up to her, the ancient masterpiece that trumped her courage.
Song Two
Exige - Proximity Launchpad Mashup 2015 [EDM]
She loved her subtle life, if it could be called subtle at all. Neon spent her days wandering the streets to clubs and bars to make the party come to life. Her heart was made of electric chords that danced with dub-step melodies. Her paws glided across the dance floor with grace and passion. Her very presence turned a somber setting into an animated storm. Enjoyment shadowed Neon as she transferred herself across the entire downtown district. She had little demons to work with, as many followed her example. Unfortunately, not all manage to commit to a life so bizarre. Such is with him, a presumptuous businessman who cares not for enjoyment, however he lingers around his job. Blank was clinging to his accomplishments, his talent. So far gone from the eyes of many, he became left with only the red-stained armor he wore. The story lies within these two in the encounter they have. A cross between what is truly living, and dying
Contestant Five Song One
Jason Steele - Put a Banana in Your Ear
Charlie the Qitari was feeling and looking grey. He sullenly sat under a tree and wondered why everything had to be so gloomy. Then his friends showed up with draes that looked like bananas. They told him to put a banana in his ear to feel more cheeful. And he just kept refusing...and refusing....until a drae walked over and sat on him.
Song Two
Brett and Eddy (TwoSetVIolin) - Beethoven's Ode to Joy
Bretdy the auleron and Chicken the Nytekrie were horsing around with a toy microphone. At one point in their play, Bretdy put the microphone in front of Chicken and then punched her. Out came a shrill note. The duo looked at each other, then grabbed a camera and started filming...
Contestant Six Song One
The Paper Kites - Featherstone
Where'd you go? Why'd you leave this place?
He paused at the bottom of the hill, body poised to move, ears twitching from side to side. He had been certain he'd heard her, he didn't know where she'd gone, just that she wasn't here anymore. However, he'd been so certain, so sure he'd heard her just then.
And we'll hate what we've lost but we'll love what we find
He followed the same path, and every step was agony, everywhere he looked he saw her laughing, trying to catch his tail as they walked, talking about whatever came to mind. And he felt that hate build, she had left him, left him here with nothing, nothing that was her. As he considered moving away from the familiar trail a colourful flash caught his eye. He turned and curiously made his way to it. He nosed around in the dirt and uncovered four feathers. A yellow, a green, two blues. They were hers, she loved the way they looked on her tail and head. His gaze softened and that hate mellowed, replaced by a warm softness. He brushed the dirt from them and carefully, without bending or mussing them up wove them into his tail. Perhaps she had left him something after all.
I'm feeling fine, we've made it to the coastline
Finally, he crested the hill, it led to a large dropoff and the ocean stretched out as far as he could see from the edge. He made his way to the dropoff and looked over it. They had loved to watch the sunset, he remembered, and with a sigh of relief he sat down. Satisfied with his find he took one feather out and laid it on the ground beside him, near a marked stone that he had placed there himself. Her time had come, as his would too, he just had to wait, then they could watch the sunset together forever.
Song Two
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
The old lighra gazed around at the ruined village, the place she had once ruled now turned to dust. As she watched, it seemed to morph and shift. As if in a dream the rubble and soot faded away to vibrant colourful greens and blues and yellows.
Where once was a ruined town stood instead a beautiful and life-filled place. The lighra saw zolnixi and vulnyx playing in the streets, ferrikki and luffox laughed by brightly shining market stalls and homes, even the gruff griffi had a smile to show.
As she watched her own fur brightened, encircling around her a shade appeared, instead of the weary, dusty broken ruler now stood a fiery red and young queen. Once more being the queen of sun and life she was eager to join the old kingdom.
Without pause, she set her paw down. As soon as it touched the ground the area around it melted away, the light and colour bleached out, flaking away like ash in the wind. She let out a pleading mewl and hurried forward determined and desperate to reach the wonderful dream.
She chased after it but to no avail, each step burned away more and more of the memory until finally there was nothing left, she turned in every direction but she was back in the old broken town. She hung her head and with a final sigh settled down, a queen of ash and memory in her ruined kingdom.
Limor
Level 73
The Kind-Hearted
Joined: 7/5/2016
Threads: 293
Posts: 19,132
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 6:54 AM
Post #4
Contestant Seven Song One
Billie Ellish - Lovely
The first design, the male lupora, is to represent the actual scenery of the music video. the second, to represent the lyrics. (StoneMind is in reference to the line My mind of stone, while GlassHeart is heart made of glass, I couldnt think of anything else srry xd)
StoneMind paced back and forth, his chains rattling with every step. GlassHeart sat at the opposite side of the room. If you could call it that. They were in a glass box, no exit, no entrance. Today there was a thunder cloud above head, rain trickled down the sides of the box as StoneMind continued to pace. GlassHearts ears twitched and she stood up, looking around their confinement with a dazed look. Before StoneMind could say anything the rain stopped and the clouds disappeared. But there was no sun, instead only a cold grey roof. Then he felt it, the slight chill coming from no where in particular. It had been a while since they felt cold, or heat for that matter, it had always been an odd comfortable temperature. It was getting colder, GlassHeart now by StoneMinds side, they tried to keep each other warm. Frost climbed its way up the walls and across the floor. They closed their eyes and breathed in the freezing air. They would be free now.
Song Two
First Aid Kit - Wolf
these designs are to represent the two sisters who are singing. (first is younger, second is older)
They sat on the roof and watched as the stars came out one by one. The elder sister traced the constellations, labeling them as she went. The younger watched with sleepy eyes and tried to remember them all. They were both dosing off when the younger on spotted it. A bright, shining star passed overhead. She sat in awe as it moved across the sky, it seemed slower than a shooting star should be. She stood up and looked closer, and for a split second she swore it looked like a wolf. Then she heard a howl. A whole wolf pack of howls. They came rushing through the yard like grey quick waters. Marveled at the sight, she woke up her sister. The two watched as the wolves streamed past them, never breaking stride, not even glancing up. The remains of a bonfire that was still slightly smoldering was quickly put out. Just as swift as they came, they were gone, blending into the night like shadows.
Contestant Eight Song One
Rachel Platten - Stand By You
Tupak the Lupora clawed viciously at his brother, Tsum Tsum, as the two engaged in their first fight ever. Surprising for both of them, since they had been very close since they were puppies. They had been through everything together, from druid attacks to starving nights and even when life didn't look great, they stayed together.
"I will always be by your side." Tupak promised Tsum Tsum when the two were younger. "Even if we can't find Heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you."
And now look at them. It was like five years of brotherhood was thrown away over such a small disagreement. The two fought for a while but Tsum Tsum the Zolnixi finally back down and retreated, sadly and distressed, deeper into the Lost Grove. He wandered alone for awhile and it was difficult. The night came quickly and the poor Zolnixi was cold and starving. He rested sadly under a tree, thinking back to his childhood with Tupak and how fun it was, wishing he was here. Suddenly, roots shot up out of the ground, immediately ensnaring Tsum Tsum. The Zolnixi tried to escape but it was too late for him. A crazed druid came out from behind the tree, brandishing a weapon to attack the unarmed Tsum Tsum.
"I guess this is the end..." Tsum Tsum thought as he closed his eyes. But a familiar growl came from behind the tree and no other than Tupak the Lupora jumped out, freeing his brother from the roots and attacking the druid. Tsum Tsum joined him and together, their beam and fireball, chased away the enemy. After the battle, Tupak brought Tsum Tsum some food he had collected and made a fire for him.
"You came back for me." Tsum Tsum said gladly. "But why?"
Tupak laughed. "Because I'm gonna stand by you. Even if we can't find Heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you."
Song Two
Evanescence - My Immortal
Poor Decius trotted depressively down the trail, alone and upset yet tortured and afraid. It had been two months since he lost his little Ryori friend, Harumi, yet it still burned in his soul. And she was still there walking beside him. Her spirit still lingered with him, invisible yet present, and it drove him crazy. Decius and Harumi have been close since they had met. Whenever Harumi cried, he would always make her feel better. When the Ryori screamed in distress, Decius came to her rescue, fighting off whatever she feared. They had been together side by side for all of these years. And now that she was gone, he felt all alone. The Qitari was bound by the life she had left behind and it was torture. He was tired of being here. Suppressed by childish fears and panics. The darkness that encapsulated the Lost Grove provided him with an odd comfort and would hide the shadow of the poor Ryori. A small nest provided Decius with a warm place to rest before he continued his endless wandering. As he closed his eyes, a resonating light appeared with Harumi dead in the center. She hopped around happily, wanting Decius to followed her and play. And he did so. He walked up to the Ryori and followed her into the light as he whispered in her ear... "Even though you're gone, you still have all of me."
Limor
Level 73
The Kind-Hearted
Joined: 7/5/2016
Threads: 293
Posts: 19,132
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 6:55 AM
Post #5
Voting is now open!
Griffinquill
Level 60
Ghost Writer
Joined: 9/17/2017
Threads: 124
Posts: 3,965
Posted: 7/28/2019 at 5:00 PM
Post #6
I vote for contestant six, entry 2 and contestant eight, entry one.
The emotions they captured were really well done, and they're both incited an 'aw' from me.
Edited By Griffinquill on 7/28/2019 at 5:01 PM.
Fox
Level 75
Master Sylestiologist
Joined: 3/10/2014
Threads: 398
Posts: 11,722
Posted: 7/29/2019 at 12:58 AM
Post #7
I will vote for 1 and 8.
Fox
Level 75
Master Sylestiologist
Joined: 3/10/2014
Threads: 398
Posts: 11,722
Posted: 7/31/2019 at 1:57 PM
Post #8
Bump.
Fox
Level 75
Master Sylestiologist
Joined: 3/10/2014
Threads: 398
Posts: 11,722
Posted: 7/31/2019 at 3:13 PM
Post #9
Pinging games list.
Hey guys, a bit of a different ping.
I am participating in Limor's contest here, and all of us would really appreciate some votes! I'm not asking you to vote for me, or revealing who the contestants are, as that would break rules.
But please consider skimming through and voting for your favourite stories and designs. Please read post 1 for details/rules. You get 2 votes.
Fox
Level 75
Master Sylestiologist
Joined: 3/10/2014
Threads: 398
Posts: 11,722
Posted: 7/31/2019 at 3:14 PM
Post #10
Pinging games list.
Hey guys, a bit of a different ping.
I am participating in Limor's contest here, and all of us would really appreciate some votes! I'm not asking you to vote for me, or revealing who the contestants are, as that would break rules.
But please consider skimming through and voting for your favourite stories and designs. Please read post 1 for details/rules. You get 2 votes.
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