Trials of Astania

👑 December 2023 Winners: First Snow and Bloody Christmas

Thank you to everyone who entered December's Trials of Astania! We received so many great entries to end 2023.

Congratulations to worldismyne with their written entry "First Snow," and MilaForLife with her written and graphic entries "Bloody Christmas"!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Prompt: Dark red snow begins to fall from the sky.

An excerpt from "First Snow" by worldismyne

He followed her out of the unit, the playground she praised a mere few feet away, but the area was locked behind glass doors. Dark red blots of snow drifted in sheets, casting cell-like shadows against the corridor. Chisei's eyes were puffy, she gripped her IV pole as tightly as she could.

"Hey." He was panting, much to his embarrassment. She turned, and he saw the river of fresh scars that went from her scalp to her right shoulder. Bandaging was still tight around her right eye. He hadn't ever seen how badly her face had been injured when she read to him. "What happened?"

"I tried to take the mind control collar off," she said. She raised her right arm to point at her neck, then shuddered.

"I didn't mean that, I mean last night." He paused. She wasn't wearing her sling. From the elbow down her right arm was missing.

"...I'm just unlucky, aren't I?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. No blame or malice, just a soft hope for an explanation.

"Yeah." He leaned on the walker for more support. "They lied to you, didn't they?" She shook her head.

"They told me last week." That was when she started visiting him. "I just hoped, maybe they were wrong. I was afraid to ask." Ash falls like snow, chemicals fall like snow. It felt better to watch the flurry of scarlet as snow then think too hard about why the sky couldn't go back to its old colors again.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

"Bloody Christmas" by MilaForLife

Excerpt

Content warning: profanity

"Okay, fine. But just so you know, I wish this town would just go to hell."

Immediately after I said the word "hell", the sound of thunder resounded from the clouds. We both jump from shock and look up at the sky, only to see nothing but clear skies.

"Weird," Chris mutters.

I'm also thinking that it's really weird, but after living in New York City, I've seen and heard my share of actual weirdness. We continue to walk towards home when suddenly, a great shadow starts to spread over the ground.

I look up and the previously clear skies are replaced with the darkest and reddest clouds I've ever seen. Suddenly, snow starts to fall, which only further dampens my mood.

"Not more fucking sn—"

I abruptly stop when I notice the color of the snowflakes. They are red. Blood-red. I rub a few snowflakes that land on my hand and smell the melted snow. It smells like iron mixed with sulfur.

"What the fuck..." Chris exclaims as he gapes at the dark red snow dancing and falling from the sky.

Before I can reply, a distant scream echoes throughout the town. Chris curses while I feel a strange feeling of calmness spread over me. It's weird. The sound feels... therapeutic.

I notice that the town has become deadly silent as the scream suddenly stops. The carolers have stopped their screeching cat noises and everyone is frozen in one place save for a few terrified people running inside their homes.

Thunder and lightning crack across the ominous clouds that still retain their dark-red color while releasing more blood-red snow. And all of a sudden, I see the shape of a creature slithering through the sky. No, not just one. Several of them begin to emerge from the sky and head straight down towards the town.

What happens next is almost incomprehensible.

Congratulations to worldismyne and MilaForLife, and thank you to everyone who participated in the Trials of Astania this year! There are more chances to be the next Champion of Astania in 2024! See the ongoing monthly and seasonal contests for the chance to show your skills, and good luck to everyone!