Rain.

The bane of photographers who happen to find themselves caught in its moist embrace with their equipment unguarded.

Sometimes, it announces its arrival with the roar of a thousand lions and the force of a hurricane.

Sometimes, it sneaks upon you with nary a whisper and renders you and your equipment sopping wet.

Rain.

It is the mortal enemy of those who call themselves…………… Figurine Photographers.

However, this is not a story of sad predation by this force of nature but one of liberation.

Faced with the impending arrival of the much dreaded curtain of moist death whilst his precious equipment and figurines were scattered afar, a young photographer chances upon a rare item of legend.

The Umbrellibur.

+1000% Water Resistance and +50 Damage to annoying Salespeople

Upon the top of a hill and sheathed in stone it lay, seemingly to invite all who have rested their eyes upon it to come draw it from its stony resting place.

However, the legendary item bears with it an insurmountable condition. For it is said, only the true king of Figurine Photographers may be able to pull the Umbrellibur from the hill’s stony embrace.

The storm fast approaches, too fast for the young photographer to save his equipment. Faced with inevitable ruin, the plucky young photographer abandons caution and reason to the storm’s howling breath and begins to ascend……

Fighting the winds with every step, the young photographer ascends the hill.

Step by step, rock after rock. He defiantly fights his way forward, ignoring the mocking howls of the approaching storm, ignoring the first few drops of water as they splashed coolly against his face.

Soon, he reaches the top of the legendary hill.

He gazes reverently at the holy item, just a mere few inches away from him, and hesitates. A moment of doubt creeps into his mind.

A flash of light streaks across the darkening sky.

A roar that resounded for miles around broke the young photographer out of his stupor.

Figuring he had nothing to lose, he places both his hands upon the Umbrellibur, and pulls.

The Umbrellibur remained unsheathed.

Desperation and despair clouds the young photographer’s mind as the wind laughed mockingly at his futile attempt.

He begins to turn around, thinking to save whatever equipment he could before the storm’s cruel embrace destroys them when suddenly, he slips and falls…

———————————-

He finds himself in a small warm cabin, sitting at the bedside of an old man breathing his last few breaths. oOgA opened his wizened eyes and spoke in a dry voice.

“My boy, it seems my time has come. You have come far in the past years and as your mentor, I have only one more thing to teach you.”

The old man pauses as the young photographer leans forward with tears in his eyes.

“”The power of the bokeh is in everyone. Do not believe in the me that believes in you. Believe in the you that believes in yourself.”

———————————

The young photographer snaps awake, only to find dark angry clouds swirling in the sky above him.

Slowly getting up, he stares at the swirling maelstrom with grim new found determination.

Clasping both hands firmly around the hilt of the Umbrellibur, he kicks reason to the kerb and with a deep breath, pulls with all his might.

ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWA

The Umbrellibur slides free of its stony resting place with a brilliant burst of light.

Blinding the young photographer with a brilliance that could be seen from miles away, the Umbrellibur sends forth a burst of light from its tip, piercing the heavens and scattering the ugly maelstrom to the far corners of the world.

With tears in his eyes, the young photographer softly whispers his gratitude to his departed mentor as he ponders upon his new destiny………

———————————-

Closing

.

I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had typing it out. (I was on a freaking endorphin high. What was I SMOKING? =/)

It all started with a crazy idea at a photoshoot to take the above 4 pictures while we were resting. After seeing how the shots turned out, I had a brainwave and decided to borrow (or butcher) the famous Excalibur story for this story and somehow, TTGL ended up in it (because TTGL is that awesome =D).

Special thanks to Zh3us of Unpackage? for all the 5 pictures here as well as oOgA for dying in this story (willingly or otherwise =D).

Yeah, I think I used to read too many fantasy novels.

Thank you Dragonlance! =D