{"id":3526,"date":"2023-04-28T00:05:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T04:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3526"},"modified":"2023-04-10T16:28:18","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T20:28:18","slug":"save-me-a-story-x-marks-the-spot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3526","title":{"rendered":"Save me a Story  X &#8211; Marks the Spot"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is h<\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>appening, click this link:\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3431\">https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3431<\/a><\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>Otherwise, I\u2019ve tried to summarize what happened at the beginning of most of the sections of this story. <\/i><\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/A-to-Z-2003-X.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-3426\" src=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/A-to-Z-2003-X-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"155\" height=\"155\" srcset=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/A-to-Z-2003-X-300x300.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/A-to-Z-2003-X-150x150.jpeg 150w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/A-to-Z-2003-X.jpeg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 155px) 100vw, 155px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>X &#8211; Marks the Spot<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The piper and I returned to the rest of our so-called team. We explained to them what the Wizards had told us. The sorceress that we were fighting against now had a name. She was called Necroma. She was the most powerful user of magic that there ever was. It was up to us to stop her. We needed to devise a plan before we reached the island of Lorn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have to admit that some were skeptical. What could a small turtle or a hen do to stop a power like that? How were all of us to get across the water that surrounded the island at the same time so that Necroma didn\u2019t just pick us off one by one?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The one overriding thought that kept us together was that it wouldn\u2019t make a difference to our existence &#8211; unless she was defeated. We would all cease to exist. I wasn\u2019t sure if I was included in that because I wasn\u2019t part of any known story. But the impact on my world would change, and it wouldn\u2019t be for the better. At this point, I had to trust in the foretelling.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After lengthy discussions, we agreed on a plan that actually sounded plausible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, I taught everyone the first song I had ever written. It was one that I use to introduce my storytelling programs. I explained to them how it would be used when we entered Lorn. We split into four groups as we reached the edge of the waters surrounding Lorn. Each group would cross over to a different side of Lorn. For now, most of us would stay hidden until we crossed at dawn; however, during the night, certain individuals worked on constructing bridges allowing us to travel simultaneously to Lorn the following day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One bridge was constructed by alligators and crocodiles, led by the infamous ticking<a href=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/turtle-bridge-1.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3644 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/turtle-bridge-1-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"126\" height=\"84\" srcset=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/turtle-bridge-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/turtle-bridge-1.jpeg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 126px) 100vw, 126px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/alligator-bridge.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3645 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/alligator-bridge-300x225.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"105\" height=\"79\" srcset=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/alligator-bridge-300x225.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/alligator-bridge-768x576.jpeg 768w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/alligator-bridge.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 105px) 100vw, 105px\" \/><\/a>crocodile from Peter Pan. They lined up front to back across the water so that one group could walk across on their backs. They were aided by many turtles\u2019 backs also.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the help of beavers and elephants (O Best Beloved), the oni and the ogre constructed <a href=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3646 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2-300x169.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"117\" srcset=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2-300x169.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2-768x432.jpeg 768w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/beaver-bridge-2.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/><\/a>another bridge. The oni, the ogre, and the elephants (with their long useful trunks) continued to rip up as many trees and branches as possible, throwing them into the water, where the beaver and his family built a huge structure that could be traversed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The third brid<a href=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/frozen-lake-1.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3643 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/frozen-lake-1-300x207.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/frozen-lake-1-300x207.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/frozen-lake-1-768x531.jpeg 768w, http:\/\/hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/frozen-lake-1.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/><\/a>ge was made using the powers of the Snow Queen and the White Witch. They used their cold winter powers to freeze the water, making a passage that could be carefully crossed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last group needed no bridge, for they could travel through or over the water. They included the Selke people, the Sea-Witch, the birds, and bats. There was no reason for this group to work overnight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As morning approached, the crossings were ready. We all formed groups of three as the sun began to rise.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cX marks the spot I called aloud. We meet again in the center of the island. Necroma\u2026We\u2019re coming!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was no need to call out our presence. Necroma was well aware of what was happening. She was quite pleased with it. This made it much easier for her. She didn\u2019t have to search for the rest of the ones she wanted to get rid of. They were all coming to her, and she was ready.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Continued in&#8230;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3528\">Yielding Power<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- \/wp:post-content -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:image -->\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is the continuing story of my adventures in the tale: Save me a Story. If you wish to read the introduction to understand what is happening, click this link:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3431\u00a0 Otherwise, I\u2019ve tried to summarize what happened at the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/?p=3526\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410,4,7],"tags":[70,421],"class_list":["post-3526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-to-z-blog-challenge-2023","category-original-stories","category-story-writing","tag-a-to-z-blog-challenge","tag-a-to-z-blog-challenge-2023"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3526"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3647,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3526\/revisions\/3647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hdhstory.net\/Storyblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}