I am very excited to announce the winner of the first Undestined Writing Contest: Character Challenge, @Alexmgrove! Alex is the author of False Idols, a thought provoking sci-fi story about the influnce of technology on the world. He is working towards getting it published soon, so jump over to his profile and give it some support! The story can be found here:http://www.wattpad.com/story/15491700-false-idols-when-technology-becomes-religion.
Alex's contest entry, The Gate, imagined the world of Undestined a little in the future, and the role Silay might play in it. It was beautifully written, and the depiction of a savior-like Silay was masterfully done. Here is a little taste of his story (any weird formatting is my fault):
The Gate
The S’vaeli siege fort had to fall today. Aaron’s commander, the normally soft-spoken Thulos had announced it grimly that morning when he called for volunteers. If the siege fort’s chokehold on Sojan’s harbor wasn’t broken, the great city’s fleet would not be able to sail in time to intercept the main S’vaeli invasion force.
Aaron hadn’t meant to volunteer. But then he’d seen her approach, the girl that his priests had told him had been sent by the gods to save all of Ohicink from the plague. Silay of Dagrosa. She was walking among the forces that had assembled from all over Ohicink to relieve Sojan from the S’vaeli siege.
He had watched as Silay walked below the green banners of the Turvewans, and bowed her head at the altar they had built to honor their dead. She returned the strangely lyrical greetings of the Lyrians as she strode into the center of their circle of tents. And she accepted one of the round bronze shields carried by the hero-warriors of her native Dagrosa.
And just as Thulos finished his appeal for volunteers, Silay strode into their camp and stood watching in silence. Unlike in the other camps, filled with proud warriors of the great city states of Ohicink, none of the villagers and herders in Aaron’s camp dared approach the girl. Even Captain Thulos was no prince, not even a citizen. He was just an old veteran of clashes with cattle thieves that his fellow shepherds had elected as captain. So the men stood awkwardly, some staring, some averting their gaze, as their savior stood watching them.
Aaron hadn’t meant to volunteer. The task Thulos had outlined amounted to suicide. But surely Silay had overheard Thulos’s plea for volunteers, and if none answered, she would think the people of his region cowardly, and tell the gods they were unworthy of future protection. So he stepped forward to stand by Thulos. “I will go,” he said, hoping that if Silay couldn’t understand his crude dialect at least she would understand his movements.
Thulos took him firmly by the hands and nodded somberly, and for a long moment Aaron glowed with pride. And then Silay turned and walked away, off to meet with the war counsel of the Dilestan or the princelings of the Agahedons. Aaron watched her go and noticed for the first time how small and slender she was.
Thulos led Aaron to the tent in which the force’s meager arsenal was stored and offered him his pick of the rusty shields, dull swords, and chipped spears. Then he instructed Aaron to report to the azure banner of Philip, the Marshal of Dilest, who was in overall command of all the Ohicink forces.
As he shouldered his weapons and walked forward, Aaron’s fellows wished him luck, blessed him, praised his courage.
Aaron’s earlier elation had melted into apprehension. He didn’t want to die today. But Silay had seen him volunteer...
...Want to read more? Find the rest of the story here: http://www.wattpad.com/story/30417567-the-gate-undestined-fan-fic