Same story, different presentation

[cmdr_zoom]

And as the Four stood there atop the sorcerer's tower, with their bows in hand and quivers full at their backs, the portal swung open and the Destroyer emerged in all its terrible glory.

The bravest of the Four stepped forth. "I greet you, Destroyer, and command you in the name of my people to go forth from this place and never return."

The Destroyer looked upon the one who had challenged it. "Are you a God?" it asked.

"No," he answered truly, "only a Man."

"Then die, Man," the Destroyer said, and its wrath swept over them like a storm, and they were pushed back to the precipice. There they rallied and let fly their arrows, but their weapons were as nothing before the power of the Destroyer.

The Destroyer of many names spoke again, and its voice shook the heavens. "Choose the form of your destruction."

Again it was the bravest and purest among them who answered. "I choose Innocence."

The Destroyer snarled. "So be it. By Innocence shall you perish."

And the Four looked and saw the Beast come striding toward them, through the streets of the great city, to the base of the sorcerer's tower. It was taller than the tallest tree, and its form was that of a giant gluttonous child, its visage at once innocent and terrible; and as it walked it crushed all in its path with a child's simple glee.

Again the Four loosed their arrows, and again it was no use, for they sank into the Beast's bulk without harm.

Then the wisest of the Four said, "We cannot defeat our foe this way. We must combine our strength and be as one." And the others agreed, for they knew the wisdom of their fellow.

So the Four stood shoulder to shoulder and they drew back their bowstrings one more time. And though this might be their last moment, they looked to each other and their hearts were glad. Then as one they let fly all their arrows into the portal, and there was a clap of thunder as the Destroyer was cast out of the great city; and so also was the Beast cast down in ruin.


EDIT: After I finished this, I realized that the heroic qualities of the Four - the boldest, the smartest, the sneakiest"cleverest", and the most sensible - also map to the Houses of Hogwarts. Oh dear.

Comments

[pjack.livejournal.com]

That rocks. :)

Those qualities also seem to map to four core D&D classes: Fighter, Wizard, Thief, and Cleric.

Pjack

[pjack.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Now we've got to figure out how to do it as a Western. ;)

Pjack

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

*Screams*

[miladycarol.livejournal.com]

I was reliving Ghostbusters, myself.

[cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com]

That's the idea. Same story told in the context of myth and legend.

[miladycarol.livejournal.com]

But I could apply it, upon further consideration, to other movies/books/tales I've heard. I was just reminded of Ghostbusters first.

Well, it clearly WAS

[seawasp]

... Ghostbusters. But written "seriously". I'm now tempted to write a novel which follows that outline and see how many outside would "get" it. Though I'd be more diverse than arrows.

(actually, it maps fairly closely, though not isomorphically, to the Elemental Spirits story arc I have plotted out)

Dare I say the word?...

[deromilly.livejournal.com]

Archetypes.

There is nothing new under the sun. (I relived Ghostbusters, too.) :)

Re: Dare I say the word?...

[cmdr-zoom.livejournal.com]

Just so.

It was interesting to be reminded that the one who overcomes obstacles and defeats his adversary through cleverness and trickery is as much a heroic archetype (Puss in Boots and too many others to mention) as the one who succeeds through strength and purity, or wisdom and keen perception, or practicality and compassion. It's quite possible to have a heroic Slytherin, although it's a bit of an uphill slog in a series written about the golden boys/girls of that setting - the "jocks", if you will. ;)

(But I must admit, the Amberite Cocktail Party is also a very fitting/tempting image for the House as a whole...)

Re: Dare I say the word?...

[deromilly.livejournal.com]

I think a slight bit more tempting than fitting. (And this Ravenclaw refused to be shoved into Slytherin because someone thinks my "family" fits there...) I can fit most of the elders into Houses though. :) (Face it, Benedict's a Gryffindor through and through...)

Again, archetypes. The true archetypical stories can be fit to all of their various character counterparts. :)