Across the endless expanse of dark waters, broken only by the soft glow of the jellyfish, all creatures gather with bated breath. Mephisto, his large horns coated with a thin sheet of ice. He flexes his left arm, created with clever magic and a fluke of glacial implications, and cracks the knuckles on his right hand, hewn of flesh and sluggish, magicked blood. The loud, plastic-like pop echoes clearly through the still water. His white iris swivels around, peering at the motley gathering at the base of the old ship. Whickett hovers over his right shoulder, eager to proceed. With a reluctant sigh, he clears his throat loudly and begins to speak.

~DigiDayDreamer (5, 6, 2) v. ~RilyJester (5, 4, 2)

Winner:

A difficult round to judge, for sure. ~RilyJester's experimentation with a flash animation was truly enjoyable to watch, as well as to see the tale unfold. Emotional animation was the highlight of the animation, in my opinion.

Our other competitor, ~DigiDayDreamer, used a combination of both writing and comics, a staple that he has been using throughout this competition. He also managed to use all, or nearly all of his fellow artists' characters in his round, no matter how brief their appearance. Digi also us an entertaining tale as well, its comical panels and interesting change of pace from his normal stories.

The deciding factor was the portrayal of the characters used in the entries. Both artists did magnificently in their stories, but the deciding points were awarded to Digi. The difficulty in keeping so many characters within their respective comfort zones should never be underestimated, especially when the character's creator can critique them at a moment's notice.

Mephisto pauses, fixing his icy gaze on Bruke's stunned face. The gathering is quiet. Suddenly, a chilling chorus of cheers arise from the lower of the old ship. The gathering join the eerie cries, but Bruke still appears unsure. As the cheers fade, Mephisto clears his throat again, and, addressing Bruke, hes says:

We shall meet soon, Bruke Gallstone, not as friends or commrades, but as opponents. I hope that peace finds you while we prepare ourselves for the final battle.

He now addresses the rest of the gathering:

You are all welcome to watch the coming storm, but none shall interfere. Should wish to offer assistance to Bruke, you must consult him directly, and he reserves the right to deny you help. He may have as many allies as he wishes. However, I will fight alone. You are not to offer assistance to me. You will only be rejected, or directed to my holding cell, should you be to persistent. This old demon can hold his own.

Finished with his declaration, he leaves the bow of the ship. The ghostly wails begin again, accented by the livings' cheers of victory, of pride in Bruke, and in anticipation for the coming storm.

Whickett flutters after Mephisto, eager for instructions.