Given that I’m in the middle of rewriting the 13k I lost for this story because I’m a fool who got her only copy corrupted beyond saving bar the first chapter she put on Wattpad (it’s okay, I’ve retyped close to 9k so far), I’m gonna let you have a little peek into my mind…
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I’ve often got the ol’ iPod on shuffle whilst I’m doing things and, mostly, the music is just white noise. But every so often… WHAM! A song that once had no meaning beyond the original suddenly has a whole story attached to it.
I mean a whole story…
In Pain and Blood is a good, fresh example. So I’m going to show you all what I saw. Firstly, the main character started out as a remnant of an RPG character, his story was mostly a few ideas kicking about in the back of my mind that clashed with the original world. Then along came “Savin’ Me” and things all went downhill from there as he was dragged into one of my worlds…
Please, press play and join me…
Picture it. A human male wearing dark green robes and a shiny collar made of purple metal, both military issue. Look closer, if this was earth, he could be described as euroasian. He’s almost thirty and, before now, he’s spent those years in the confines of a tower stuffed with magic-wielding people known as spellsters.
We’ll call him Dylan. He’s been chosen as part of the king’s army, the collar stops him from using his magic outside of orders.
We’ll call him Dylan. He’s been chosen as part of the king’s army, the collar stops him from using his magic outside of orders.
Dylan’s currently unconscious in the middle of the forest. The collar’s now a shattered, discarded mess, like the surroundings. Corpses litter a clearing, some burnt, whilst others are merely a broken, bloody messes. Something big happened here, an explosion maybe.
I’m only 10 seconds into the song.
But the lyrics are about to begin and Dylan’s waking up…
But the lyrics are about to begin and Dylan’s waking up…
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Prison gates won’t open up for me
On these hands and knees I’m crawlin’
Oh, I reach for you
Well I’m terrified of these four walls
These iron bars can’t hold my soul in
All I need is you
Come please I’m callin’
And oh I scream for you
Hurry I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’
[Chorus:] Show me what it’s like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I’ll show you what I can be
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I’ll leave this life behind me
Say it if it’s worth saving me
Heaven’s gates won’t open up for me
With these broken wings I’m fallin’
And all I see is you
These city walls ain’t got no love for me
I’m on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And oh I scream for you
Come please I’m callin’
And all I need from you
Hurry I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’
[Chorus:] Show me what it’s like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I’ll show you what I can be
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I’ll leave this life behind me
Say it if it’s worth saving me
Hurry I’m fallin’
[Instrumental]
And all I need is you
Come please I’m callin’
And oh I scream for you
Hurry I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’, I’m fallin’
[Chorus:] Show me what it’s like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I’ll show you what I can be
And say it for me
Say it to me
And I’ll leave this life behind me
Say it if it’s worth saving me
Hurry I’m fallin’
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I’ll leave this life behind me
Say it if it’s worth saving me
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Dylan finds himself face to face with a human woman who’s been picking over the dead. This is Katarina, a hedge witch. She’s leaving this place with Dylan.
The pair search for the army camp, only to find it ransacked. Its inhabitants dead, dying or taken.
There’s a survivor. A woman. Elven, wearing the armour of a warrior. She’d lift her sword to ward them off if her arm wasn’t broken.
Her name? Authril.
Dylan heals her, but Authril ‘s terrified and he’s forgotten that his talents are feared. Also, without a collar, he’s considered dangerous. So that sword comes up pretty quickly once he’s done.
His only chance at redeeming himself is in returning to the very place that sent him here. It takes some doing, but both women are persuaded to help him return to the tower.
It’s dark and raining. There’s a hunter’s hut in the forest, the human woman living there lets them stay the night and, after discovering the enemy is close, leaves with them the next morning.
They’re in a village now. Dylan is attacked by an elven man who is one of the king’s hounds (people who are unaffected by magic and in service to the crown to hunt unleashed spellsters).
Fortunately, whatever shattered the collar has left its mark on Dylan’s skin. This gives the man pause long enough for explanations. He’s called Tracker and, yes, he’s coming along, too. To ensure Dylan is telling the truth.
Along the way, they meet Treasure, a human prostitute and associate of Tracker’s. Through her, they discover rumours that don’t bode well for their final destination.
They’re close to the tower now. But something’s off, there’s smoke above the tree line. There shouldn’t be smoke…
The tower’s been attacked, all those within either dead or missing. The women discuss where to go next whilst Dylan quietly breaks down. With no tower and no collar, Tracker tries to convince Dylan to flee. But no, they’re off to warn the king.
It’s night now, they’ve taken up residence in two of the tower rooms, where Tracker seduces Dylan.
They’re in a hall now, or maybe a dungeon, doesn’t matter. What does is that Tracker’s deflecting a sword blow meant to kill Dylan.
More importantly, Tracker’s fighting because Dylan can’t. He’s been leashed. How? Why? What’s going on? Where have the others gone? Mhmm. Not telling. Anyway, this is where it segues into “Burn It to the Ground”. But I’m not going to tell you about the final battle, which I am hoping I can put into words so it comes off as awesome and brutal as it does in my head.
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Aldrea Alien 
Don't you just love it when songs click like that? I don't have full scenes synchronized to the lyrics of songs, but I have mixes of emotions and character reactions. Actually, on that same Nickelback album, I've got Next Contestant tied to Cameron in Thanmir War as he gets jealous over Warren's friendship with Jebaliah.
I hope you get all your words back. That sucks about losing 13K. But retyping 9K is pretty good!
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Nice. I love it when a song inspires a story. Good luck with the writing 🙂
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Yeah, most of the songs are like that for me, too. Just a few have mini stories attached to them.
I lost more than those 13k. A few half-finished fan-fics got munched, too, along with one of Laccindy's chapters (I got that one back). But I'm not as concerned about them as I was with this.
And I'll never get the exact words back, but I can recall some of the dialogue and the actions. Hopefully, it'll be enough to piece together. I know the two sequential chapters of smut were close to 10k, so that's what I'm working on. One chapter's done, the other's 1k lighter and I'm trying to figure out why (I think it might be missing description).
Fortunately, the first chapter is safe.
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Thanks. The story's really living up to its name so far.
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