TriChunking Phase II & The Chronicles of Redtail (164 to 221)

Flotsam - TriChunking Phase II 

For the last twenty five days I have been trying out an experiment in creative writing whereby I tweet nine times a day which is slowly telling the story of Redtail an unique fantasy character set in a frozen land which was originally inspired by Game of Thrones North of the Wall however as the the story has progressed it has become more of a world that is just before the end of an ice age perhaps an alternate Scotland with a giant wall glacier to the south.  I have called this method of creative writing TriChunking simply because I write three tweets morning, lunchtime and evening.

What I have found is despite the annoyance of the word "were" being turned into "we're" repeatedly by my auto correct, is that it is flowing very well indeed.  A back story has appeared without any effort and the continuing plot just seems to unfold on its own.  I have also created a plot device which switches between characters seamlessly, a sort of mini-chapter called: Spin.

I've never liked chapters which I why I have always loved Terry Pratchett's books.

As I am sure you have seen on this blog I have been posting the story in twenty seven (three days worth) tweets chunks but in their original tweet form with some minor editing. 

Phase II of my experiment is to post in them proper writing form so from now on all posts of The Chronicles of Redtail will be without gaps or three dots (except where needed) and perhaps I may write extra content to add depth and detail to the story.

Jetsam - The Chronicles of Redtail (164 to 221)

I thanked Limus for his time and decided the best thing to do was to get an accurate reading of the amount the spire was breathing.  You can breath it and take on a certain immunity however in large dosages it can kill you.  I went back to the spire, the center of town had turned into a mass of market stalls although the area in front of the ale house was quite empty, so I was free to work unimpeded.  From my saddle bags I took out a small bottle and a Heliumite meter which is just a small one brass tube with a very sensitive brass gauge meter at one end.  The bottle contains a catalyst that attracts Heliumite particles into the tube.  It can be a very delicate operation if the catalyst has any direct contact with the Heliumite rock then bad things tend to happen.

My mind was completely on the operation at hand when my horse walked through me in order to grab my attention of what was happening behind me.  Seeing in two different directions is always disconcerting especially when you are not expecting it.  Behind me one of giants had got into an argument with one of market sellers about twenty feet from me.  Greybeard Jank and the giantspawn girl that was carrying him earlier had intervened to try and settle the argument. When giants are angry they talk very loudly, I know this may seem a little obvious but the verb 'loud' does not really cover it.  I should of heard them first but sometimes I can be so focused upon my work I am as deaf as an Orion ground snake.

The seller picked up one his wares and threw it at the giant's head which bounced off and the giant deftly caught it.  Then threw it hard but away from the seller which unfortunately was directly towards me.  My reflexes kicked in and I became less solid forgetting about the bottle of catalyst I had in my hand which passed straight through my hand and smashed upon the base of the spire.  I would have held my breath if I had any.  Thinking that perhaps, maybe, nope, the ground below me started to emit an high pitched scream.  My horse turned her head to see Drom, Den and a few others come out of the ale house.  The scream dropped in pitch, movement drew my attention and I realised the spire was moving upwards.  The catalyst had triggered a reflex action well reaction.

Then came a scream that cut through everything else, it came from the giantspawn. My horse turned towards it and together we saw a scene of utter horror.  A second spire had burst out of the ground with such speed it had speared it's way through the giantspawn and also Greybeard Jank lifting them up into the air. The spire was quite thin, their lifeless bodies slid down it leaving behind only a red stain upon the spire as it continued its upward journey. 

Looking past this horrific tableau I could see other spires appearing out of the ground.  They did not appear to be slowing down only the one by me looked like it was having problems rising any further. Then it all stopped except for the sound of the adult giant crying his heart out for his lost daughter.

I counted nine spires including the one beside me.  They were all about thirty feet high, looking down at my feet where the Heliumite meter had fallen the gauge was alternating between zero and just below midway.  At that level the town will be dead in about six months to a year.  Assuming it remains constant, I bent down and picked up the meter. The giant was still crying, I touched my horse and

...Spin...

I looked at my worst half and knew as he touched me what he wanted.  Giants always do everything big especially their emotions, I'm not being funny.  Letting out my wings I jumped into the air, below me was an excited babble no surprise there I am after all very impressive.  No false modesty with me, my partner was quite right about the air pressure it makes flying so much easier.  Of course having control over one's solidity also helps its more like floating or surfing than flying.

I flew round and then directly through the giant's head, as I passed through I slowed my passage and connected on an emotional level and gave him a little perspective.  Too much perspective well lets just say his head would have exploded. He stopped crying and pulled both his daughter and old man from the spire.