GASP PANT SOB THIS TOOK ME FOREVER I decided to enter five days before the deadline, and it's going great, amazing, fantastic even (please save me) 1- thumbnail 2- original design by @Lunar_Umbreon 3- doodle I did to get the feel of the design/visualize them in my style 4- concept design of Mirror (see backstory) 5- ref! I don't really like the way it came out but it's ok 6/7- rendered scene (this took forever) 8/9- no background versions of the scene maybe more in the future? (I really want to draw Fractal and Mirror together...) I'm just posting it now in case I can't finish the rest in time
[character bio + lore] name: Fractal pronouns: any/all occupation: mage-in-training story (but only the first part because I don't have time for all of it): Fractal had just gotten the offer of a lifetime. For 3 years, he'd been studying to be a mage, protecting his kingdom from invaders with powerful magic drawn from the stars. Last week, he'd taken a test to prove his skill at magic, and today, he received a letter telling him that he'd done more than just passed the test; he'd drawn the attention of one of the most skilled mages in the world, Prism. Soon, he was apprenticed to them, quickly picking up new skills and magic he'd never heard of before. But Prism would only teach him one thing: how to shape and hold the power of the stars. Fractal asked to learn combat magic over and over again so he could fight against the invaders. In all honesty, he didn't feel like he was learning anything useful. It almost felt like he was growing weaker. Still, Prism refused. This went on for almost a month, before she brought Fractal to a meeting of the Five: the most skilled mages on this side of the continent. Two of the Five had their own apprentices, while the others without one stood off to the side, their eyes on Prism. No one spoke to Fractal. It was unnervingly quiet there, even when Prism started to speak. "Our magic is weakening yet again. The last one we sent has failed." The others nodded silently. "We must return to the plane of stars and restore our magic." The floor started to glow an eerie blue. Suddenly, Fractal was falling through a void of stars. He landed on a glassy, water-like ground that somehow was solid under his feet. He looked around. The apprentices had vanished, leaving the others standing behind Prism. "It looks like the other apprentices didn't make it, I'm afraid," she sighed. "I knew I should have trained them myself. Fractal, the magic that I've been teaching you was all for one thing: to fight the beast that wants to take our magic away." Fractal looked up at her. "But you didn't teach me how to fight." Prism smiled sadly at him. "I know, apprentice. Most don't make it back from this fight. But without someone to keep the beast distracted, we'll lose our way of life entirely. I'm sorry it had to be you, but it must be done." "Wait-" Fractal screamed at the mages, who turned away from him and started to walk in the other direction. "How do I-" They were gone. Fractal was left alone, wandering the stars to search for a beast that he was starting to think didn't exist. Days, or maybe years, went by. But he found it. The monster didn't fight him, and instead they started to bond. Fractal named the creature Mirror, after the way it would take on traits of the things it was close to. Eventually, Mirror started to change to look similar to Fractal himself. Together, they searched the stars, looking for a way home. (note: they do eventually get out, and Fractal has to hide Mirror while trying to save Prism's next apprentice from being sent into the plane of stars)
