The Kestrel vs The Nightingale

The Host clapped her hands as a gleeful grin spread across her face. "Truly splendid!" she declared, "Another challenge has been issued and accepted. I do believe this one has been building up for some time, hm?"

The Ballroom once again changed shape, warping and twisting into a large, curtained bed, its four posts connected by black ropes resembling a boxing ring. The two young women took their places at opposite corners of the composite arena, each glaring at the other from behind her mask. Nightingale shifted uncomfortably on the soft bedding beneath her bare feet, and she briefly considered asking one final time to call this whole thing off, but she knew it was far too late to turn back now. She tightened her grip on her bizarre weaponry, a bedpost and a pillow, and again wondered what metaphorical significance they must have, given the nature of everything she had seen so far in the Manor. Across from her, Kestrel adjusted the straps on her kickboxing gloves, staring her opponent in the eyes with fierce, silent resolve.

"I must admit I adore the delicious poetry of this Duel," the Host cooed as she assumed her position atop the dais above the Ballroom floor, "The Kestrel and The Nightingale. I do wonder, my dear Guests of the Masquerade, which bird will soar to new heights, and which bird will plummet to the rocks below."

Above the arena, a great digital clockface changed from 5:59 to 6:00am, signaled by the sharp ring of a boxing bell.

"Begin!"


Slowly getting back into the swing of things, this is a combination LATE!Christmas and birthday gift for one of my best friends, He asked for a scene from one of my newest story concepts, The Thirteenth Hour. It's still in its very early planning stages, but it was cool to knock out a couple of the character designs and try to test out my ideas for lighting and colors.

Without giving too much away too soon, The Thirteenth Hour is about a mysterious masquerade ball held on an enormous estate. All the Guests of the Masquerade have no memory of how they got there, and they have very little memory of anything else, either. Each Guest must brave the mysteries of the Manor and each other in order to regain what they have lost. But be careful, for if any Guest loses his or her mask in a Duel, then they will pay a grave price...


The Thirteenth Hour © Adam Ferguson
Kestrel created by