[Nonfiction] [SWC-2024] Delta Crowned Sword

[Delta Crowned Sword]

Delta Crowned Sword: The Name You Know, But The Story You Don't






In a realm where elements clashed and warriors rose, Delta emerged as a beacon of light amidst the shadows. His journey from a humble beginning to becoming known as The Crowned Sword was one forged through resilience, discovery, and fierce competition.

Delta's story began in the quiet village of Neutrino, nestled at the foot of the Luminous Mountains where whispers of ancient temples echoed through time. Raised by his grandmother, tales of valor and legends of mystical swords fuelled Delta's imagination. An average kid who was not born with luxuries always strived to become better and was determined to achieve the goal which he desired. His burning passion, fiery resolve and spirit of steel became the talk of the village. His destiny seemed distant until a fateful day when curiosity led him deep into the forbidden woods.

Guided by an unseen force, Delta stumbled upon the entrance to an overgrown temple. Inside, amidst relics of forgotten times, lay the dormant, yet glowing piece of rock beneath which a sword was buried. He was in need of a sword to conquer the challenges and competition in his journey, hence he took out that ordinary looking sword and named it Infernal Cosmic Blade. It's hilt shimmered with an ethereal glow, resonating with Delta's unwavering spirit. Little did he know, this encounter would set in motion a series of trials that would shape his fate.

The sword initially yielded no extraordinary power, as it was just a piece of intriguing metal. Its edge was dull against every challenges that Delta faced. Battling opponents who wielded elements ranging from Thunder to Frost, Delta's defeats mounted. Yet, his resolve remained unshaken. Through each setback, he honed his skill, unlocking the sword's latent potential. He accepted each defeats which he faced in the local tournaments as the learning curve and hence implemented the lessons from the defeats. This process continued for couple of years, where Delta was losing battles after battles. He began to doubt himself and the Sword which he has, and considering it to be just an ordinary Sword which just glows when taken out, until one day......

Coping with the burden of his failures and seeing others getting ahead of him with ease, he decided to change his approach. Therefore, instead of adopting offensive strategy, he adapted his techniques with defensive style in order to mitigate the below-average speed which troubled him many times in the past. With the new method in his repertoire, he trained to master that technique. Days turned into months, and each month turned out to be a step forward. The sword which he was considering to be ordinary soon became his trustworthy ally, and each swing of it resulted in channelization of massive force. He started to talk with his sword, as if it is a living being. Unaware of the invisible bonding which he forged with his sword, the massive surprise awaited him when he moved to the top of Luminous Mountain to witness the mystical Aurora, which happened there once in a year. As he was enjoying the breathtaking beauty of Physics in nature, all of sudden the sword started to shine in a peculiar way. Amused by it, Delta took out the sword to look what's happening, and soon he found that the looks of the sword started to change, and in no time it transformed into a different looking sword, in comparison with what he found inside the hidden temple couple of years back. He got his element. The element was light.

After finding the new ray of hope and belief, Delta resolved steadfastly and saw each day as an opportunity to discover the new power. Soon he managed to find his signature moves and named them as Enigmatic Dragon Ascent, in which he surges up into the air and then launched the barrage of crushing light as if dragon is penetrating through air. And the one was called as Destruction Hyperstrike, which was the pure counter-attacking burst of energy without much movement. With these moves in his arsenal he trained continuously and prepared for the The Legend Competition.

Among his adversaries stood out a challenger and the rival known as Alpha, a formidable foe whose mastery of Shadow was matched only by his ruthless ambition. Alpha wielded the Doomed Shadow Scythe, casting ominous shadows wherever he tread. His signature moves, Shadow Ripper and Grim Crush, struck fear into the hearts of challengers. His motive and desires were almost same as that of Delta, but were curated with the ambition to discover the Shadow Realm. Known as an extraordinary talent in his region, Alpha defeated opponents after opponents to become the best fighter in his region. Now becoming the very best there, Alpha's eyes were now struck at The Legend Competition.


As months turned into year, The Legend Competition had arrived, and along with it came the batches of formidable fighters. The arena of elemental combat saw warriors categorized into nine distinct classes. Aside from Light and Shadow, there were warriors aligned with Thunder, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Frost and Nature elements. Each wielded unique weapons and techniques, showcasing the diversity and power of elemental mastery.

Soon it was became a known fact that the elementals masters, apart from Delta and Alpha are: Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, Zeta, Theta, Eta and Omicron. All these strong warriors showcased their capabilities at the world stage and overcame the challenges posed by their opponents. The tournament was now into the exciting round where all these Elemental Masters will now be pitched against each other, and the top-2 warriors with fight for the Ultimate Victory.

Delta's path to greatness was paved through relentless duels with these Elemental Masters, and those were summarized as:

1. Beta (Thunder): Lightning crackled as Delta faced Beta. The competition between them dazzled the Arena, but at the clutch moment, Delta's Enigmatic Dragon Ascent pierced through stormy skies.
2. Gamma (Earth): The ground-shaking fight which turned out to be one-sided as soon as Delta found out that the opponent relies on defensive traps. Hence turning to his defensive counter-attack, Delta's Destruction Hyperstrike shattered Gamma's unyielding defenses, which shocked the entire spectators.
3. Omicron (Water): Waves surged and clashed, but Delta's resolve remained steadfast. He showed his calmness as the vast Ocean to overcome the opponent in tactical battle.
4. Epsilon (Fire): Flames danced, but Delta's Light quenched the inferno. The attacking instinct of Epsilon was crumbled by Delta's relentless attacks, the method which he dropped in the past to bring the change.
5. Zeta (Wind): Swift as the wind, the fight was blinding fast, as Zeta dodged Delta's movements with ease and countered attacks after attacks. Delta was clueless in the battle. But he just hanged there and endured attacks and soon outlasted the stamina of Zeta. The match was a dance of grace and precision, but ended in a draw where both formidable warriors were out of energy.
6. Eta (Nature): The Nature twists and camouflage techniques were not enough to pose Delta the serious trouble, especially after his battle against Zeta where he learned how much endurance he has within him.
7. Alpha(Shadow): The most popular contender for becoming the champion showed yet again when he defeated Delta with relative ease. Delta just didn't managed to understand the looming shadow which made the short work of him.
8. Theta (Frost): Enraged with previous defeat, Delta concentrated that fiery resolve into his last battle which was important for him to win. The Ice crystallized and the spears crashed, but all of them were shattered under the warmth of Delta's Light and the spirit of steel.

Each battle pushed Delta to the brink, yet with each victory, his legend grew. He won 7 out of 8 matches and stood at second place. And the first place belonged to none other the crowd favorite Alpha, who won all of his 8 matches. It was in the final confrontation with Alpha that Delta faced his ultimate test. Reimagining the battle against Alpha, Delta tried to understand the ideas which he should incorporate at the business end of the competition. The day of Ultimate battle arrived. Both fighters were facing each other, and the entire crowd was silent with the deep anticipation of the proceedings. As soon as battle started, both contestants launched their attacks and the skills which was honed by the passage of time. There were moments when Delta was in control, and also the moment when it seemed Alpha is about to win. The battle was as much intense as it could be. Both candidates surprised by the capabilities of each other, shared wry smile and again got engaged into the fight was even-steven. Amidst a battlefield shrouded in darkness, Alpha unleashed the full might of Shadow Ripper and Grim Crush. Shadows writhed and threatened to engulf Delta, but he stood firm, channelling the pure essence of his Light. They both started to get tired, and at same time both of them decided to go for the final push to clinch the title.

In a blinding crescendo, Enigmatic Dragon Ascent and Destruction Hyperstrike intertwined with Shadow Ripper and Grim Crush. Light clashed with Shadow, each blow resonating with the struggle of two warriors destined to redefine the meaning of power. The clash echoed through the ages, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of elemental combat.

When the dust settled and shadows dispersed, Delta stood victorious. Alpha was down and out, but looked at Delta with the respect which he earned. Delta lend his hands to his strong rival-turned-friend to lift him off the ground. And within the matter of time, the entire crowd in the area erupted with cheers. His sword, now radiant with newfound brilliance, earned him the title of The Crowned Sword, after winning The Legend Competition. It wasn't just mastery over the blade or the elements that crowned him, but the unwavering belief in his own potential against all odds.
Delta got the title of Crowned Sword, hence came to known as Delta: The Crowned Sword.

As the sun set on the final battles every day, Delta reflected on his journey. From an ordinary boy to a champion, he had risen through adversity and found his place among legends. The Crowned Sword, a symbol of hope and perseverance, inspired many young players who live a humble life, not have the luxuries like many others, but have the dream to rise above all..

In the twilight of triumph, Delta's journey was carved in the pedestal which stood in front of the Arena, with poetic lines echoing through time:



"Through shadows deep and battles hard,

A light emerged, undimmed, unmarred.

The sword once found in ancient lore,

Now crowned with light forevermore.

In every heart, a warrior's creed,

To rise above, to dream, to lead.

For in the darkest hour's plight,

The Crowned Sword shall be the light.

In shadows deep and light's bright gleam,

Delta rose, fulfilled his dream.

Through trials faced and battles won,

The Crowned Sword, his journey spun.

With heart ablaze and spirit strong,

He proved that courage does belong.

To those who dare to rise and fight,

Embracing destiny's guiding light."








Thus, the tale of Delta, The Crowned Sword, became etched in the stars, a testament to the power of determination and belief in oneself against all odds.

 

[Aquacorde]

Ooh, interesting lore all through! There was a lot of build-up to the competition aspect that I think could have been streamlimed, and a lot of worldbuilding kinda jammed in there, but I think you're actually pretty strong in the description of the action sequences and you do convey a lot of like, "legendary hero" or epic poem vibes with your word choices- just could do wit more refinement that perhaps our writing time did not allow for! Thank you for this fun read~

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

Ooh, interesting lore all through! There was a lot of build-up to the competition aspect that I think could have been streamlined, and a lot of worldbuilding kinda jammed in there, but I think you're actually pretty strong in the description of the action sequences and you do convey a lot of like, "legendary hero" or epic poem vibes with your word choices- just could do bit more refinement that perhaps our writing time did not allow for! Thank you for this fun read~

Thanks for the insights. I will definitely keep up all these mistakes in the mind so that my next attempt will be better than this. This was my first attempt hence was not sure what exactly how I should be putting up the content, and how long it should be done. The name's Short Writing, due to which I failed to put the depth into the story. The story definitely lacked the depth in other aspects.

So coming to rectification efforts, hence I wanted to ask you few things which might help me out for the preparation of next competition :

• What I could have done to make the story streamlined and the refinements, about which you mentioned ?
• According to your experience, what grammatical errors I made, due to which the scores in that department was low ?
• What mistakes you found overall in the attempt ?

It was surely a nice learning experience for me, and I enjoyed the process a lot !!











I agree with scores that my performance was poor in creating the depth and I could have explained much more.

Sorry for my poor submission........

 

[Aquacorde]

@Delta Crowned Sword Don't apologize for your submission! We are all amateur writers trying our best :) As for your specific questions--

• What I could have done to make the story streamlined and the refinements, about which you mentioned ?

It's not to say this is "right", but when writing for SWC it tends to be easiest to really hone your focus on one theme and even perhaps one "event". I've done that in the past and had much success. For this year, check out some of the other entries- Eleanor, Arcaneum, and 5qwerty present their stories entirely within the events of a battle/match/competition, which gives the whole story drive and momentum. It also makes it really easy to have a solid starting and ending point! Groc did a similar thing, though they focused on one "scene", so the start and end point is more up to their discretion rather than being somewhat predetermined. For a lot of them, they even place the backstory of the main character inside that framework, so they drop the need for a lot of the buildup which your story had.

On the other hand, Venia's was a rather meandering character study, but he kept reiterating the theme of his story every other paragraph or so. Sapphy's was more of a straightforward narrative that holds your hand all the way to the conclusion, but doesn't deviate much from the goal. Juno's was a chain of scenes, but she kept them very tight and focused on one theme, with the whole story very clearly building to the final event. I think your story could benefit from making it very clear what the story is either thematically about and/or building toward, like theirs!

• According to your experience, what grammatical errors I made, due to which the scores in that department was low ?

There is the occasional spelling and punctuation mistake in the piece, and your formatting is a little odd- it's a good rule of thumb to write out numbers rather than use their symbols in prose ("seven" instead of "7"), and having a numbered list in the middle of a story is jarring. It would have probably been better to format the battles in such a way as "First, the duel against Beta... Second, the bout against Gamma... Then, Omicron..." I also think your sentence structure is occasionally strange; there's not a right way to say things all the time, especially when your goal is more poetic, but there's a lot of sentences that are awkward when you try to say them out loud- and that's a good way to check your grammar, too- read it out loud to yourself!

• What mistakes you found overall in the attempt ?

To get much further would be to go into full-on editing mode to be honest, which I'm not too fond of doing. Ultimately, you'd benefit from tightening your focus and checking what you want to include and making sure it's all necessary for the audience's understanding of the story and character! Ask yourself what you can leave out, and what you need to have said. And just going over your writing for a few editing passes to refine your grammar and sentence structure!

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

@Delta Crowned Sword Don't apologize for your submission! We are all amateur writers trying our best :) As for your specific questions--

• What I could have done to make the story streamlined and the refinements, about which you mentioned ?

It's not to say this is "right", but when writing for SWC it tends to be easiest to really hone your focus on one theme and even perhaps one "event". I've done that in the past and had much success. For this year, check out some of the other entries- Eleanor, Arcaneum, and 5qwerty present their stories entirely within the events of a battle/match/competition, which gives the whole story drive and momentum. It also makes it really easy to have a solid starting and ending point! Groc did a similar thing, though they focused on one "scene", so the start and end point is more up to their discretion rather than being somewhat predetermined. For a lot of them, they even place the backstory of the main character inside that framework, so they drop the need for a lot of the buildup which your story had.

On the other hand, Venia's was a rather meandering character study, but he kept reiterating the theme of his story every other paragraph or so. Sapphy's was more of a straightforward narrative that holds your hand all the way to the conclusion, but doesn't deviate much from the goal. Juno's was a chain of scenes, but she kept them very tight and focused on one theme, with the whole story very clearly building to the final event. I think your story could benefit from making it very clear what the story is either thematically about and/or building toward, like theirs!

• According to your experience, what grammatical errors I made, due to which the scores in that department was low ?

There is the occasional spelling and punctuation mistake in the piece, and your formatting is a little odd- it's a good rule of thumb to write out numbers rather than use their symbols in prose ("seven" instead of "7"), and having a numbered list in the middle of a story is jarring. It would have probably been better to format the battles in such a way as "First, the duel against Beta... Second, the bout against Gamma... Then, Omicron..." I also think your sentence structure is occasionally strange; there's not a right way to say things all the time, especially when your goal is more poetic, but there's a lot of sentences that are awkward when you try to say them out loud- and that's a good way to check your grammar, too- read it out loud to yourself!

• What mistakes you found overall in the attempt ?

To get much further would be to go into full-on editing mode to be honest, which I'm not too fond of doing. Ultimately, you'd benefit from tightening your focus and checking what you want to include and making sure it's all necessary for the audience's understanding of the story and character! Ask yourself what you can leave out, and what you need to have said. And just going over your writing for a few editing passes to refine your grammar and sentence structure!

Thanks for explanation. I will try to make a very strong attempt next season, and will keep these mistakes in mind while making the attempt.

 

[Arcaneum]

A very interesting chunk of lore to read for sure! It did feel a little like the competition prompt was perhaps shoved in a little, but I appreciated the overall writing nevertheless. I think you had mentioned it but yeah i think the deadline means there are some things that are a little haphazard, but I think there's a really strong foundation for this to be revised and then become some really cool epic or something.

Great job though and kudos for writing this and sending it in! Good read overall :)