Story starts here! Here is the sheet music: musescore.com/user/28291239/scores/17704114/s/0ijQ3A Reader discretion, slight violence! A: 0:05- 0:32 The sun beats down on the gray rocky surface of the flatlands, an empty road stretches past a checkpoint, manned by a handful of bored, sweating guards. The ground shakes, hardly noticeable at first, but slowly growing more intense, prompting the group to check the area. Though the road towards the next city seems empty, one guard spots, off in the distance, a group of large plodding figures, making their way across the hot stony ground, prompting a quick response from the stationed group. A1: 0:33- 0:51 Four among the guards disperse between the craggy rock formations to further assess the approaching figures, retaining a good distance while getting a proper look at the cause of the shaking. It doesn't take much space at all to hear the clanking and scraping of metal on stone, and to get a decent enough view of the approaching problem. B: 0:52- 1:03 - In view are four metal beasts, their heads sporting two horns that curve downwards, then back up towards the point, long tails dragging across the ground. They struggle to keep up with the pace their riders demand them stay at, their stomachs glowing a dim red which has been spreading across their undersides from their effort and the heat of the land. The rocky ground cracks under their weight, their riders feeling the effect of the heat, too. Each Rider is unusually tall compared to an average person, standing on average just under 9 feet tall, with long, seemingly delicate limbs covered in heavy metal armor, similar to that of their mounts. Each one carries a metal pole, studded at the ends, about 5 and a half feet in length. B1: 1:04- 1:27 With each step, the Riders sway, doing their best to focus on the road ahead and endure the heat. One complains of being prepared poorly, saying they must have done something wrong to be wrapped up in metal and set to cook in the sun. Another snaps at them, saying they should rather bake than be maimed. Slight bickering ensues, represented by the trumpet, the sound of scraping metal occasionally interrupting the arguments. B2: 1:28 - 1:39 As their arguments continue, the guards start to move into place, edging closer to the group of Riders. Noticing the glow of the mount's body, they plan to start a fight with the group, with the idea being to risk fighting with and overheating the beasts to slow them down and give the rest of their guards at the checkpoint time to prepare and alert the city further down the road. B3: 1:40 - 2:07 Resolving to start their plan, one guard readies a flare to signal the approaching danger. The sound of rocks breaking under the weight of the Rider's mounts is loud now. As a guard fires off the flare, the arguing between them stops, and the mixture of argument and metal on rock turns to silence. The guards nod to each other, and split off, starting their distraction. C: 2:08 - 2:27 (From here on, the piano will represent The Rider, with the trumpet playing the part of the Guards.) The Riders stop immediately upon seeing the flare and, looking ahead towards the checkpoint, see a rush of activity. The head of the group looks back towards the other three, and points at the Rider furthest back, ordering to manage the problem so the rest of their mounts don't risk overheating. The Rider in question had been silent the entire time, allowing their mount to take a slower pace to try and cool down, making them the best choice for the job. As the guards spring forth from their hiding, the assigned Rider charges in, their beast springing to life from their previously worn down appearance, roaring at the group ahead. The Rider rises to stand on the back of their mount, keeping their balance effortlessly. C1: 2:28 - 2:54 The Riders' mount does the majority of the work at first, leaping at individual Guards and sweeping its tail at those who try attacking from the rear. Moving nimbly, weightlessly, the beast targets and lunges towards a guard, who narrowly get pulled out of the way as the mount skitters across the ground, quickly turning and bounding back towards the group. C2: 2:55 - 3:09 Already starting to struggle with the heat, the mount starts to slow down. It pants to try and cool itself down, its breath dangerously hot. Once only its underside, now its back starts to turn a dull red, with the Rider wincing under their helm at the pain in their feet. Regardless, the fight carries on. C3: 3:10 - 3:28 The Rider aids the beast, lashing out with their staff at the guards to the blindside of their mount. With quick thrusts, they manage to nail one guard in the chest, landing the first actual hit of the fight, sending the guard a good ways away from the fight, tumbling across the ground. They struggle, but they stand back up and stagger back into the fray. The Mount's heavy movement shakes the ground and shatters the stone beneath the Guards feet, causing a guard to trip while dodging blows from the Rider. Pulled to safety yet again, all four guards are struggling to keep up against their foe, with three others eyeing them from the distance. C4: 3:29 - 3:56 Pulled to safety yet again, all four guards are struggling to keep up against their foe, with three others eyeing them from the distance. Managing to just barely keep out of the jaws, claws and tails range of the beast, The Rider attempts one last rush to try and wipe them out. With a pained roar, the mount spins, darting wildly between each guard in an attempt to sweep them with its tail, or catch a guard in its jaws. A loud snapping suddenly echoes as the white underside of the beast gives way during its last charge at the guards. C5: 3:57 - 4:21 The beast tumbles, throwing The Rider off of its back and crashing into an outcropping. It whines as its Rider rushes to it, one of its legs having snapped at the shoulder, unable to bear both its heat and its own weight. The guards think to turn to the other riders, steeling themselves for another match against more of the same, but they do not budge from their position. The Rider, trying to comfort their pained companion rises, looking back over their shoulder at the guards. They walk towards the guards, picking up their staff along the way, and rush the guards.
This is the second part, the first was too long for one comment. D: 4:22 - 4:37 The Rider practically glides across the rock, their long limbs granting them incredible speed and reach, with much more power than what could be expected to come from them. Ducking and weaving around shots fired from the guards, they target and leap towards one, intending to pick each off individually. D1: 4:38 - 4:50 The first guard they target narrowly escapes the blow driven into the ground by The Rider, crushing the stones where their feet were. The Rider's footwork is quick and jagged, switching up their attacks quickly and filling in with plenty of fake-outs. Catching the guard in a slip-up, they deliver several quick thrusting blows, knocking the guard away, defeated. They move to the next. D2: 4:51 - 5:01 Moving to the next, they change their method of fighting to try and catch their breath, choosing to keep right on top of their target, hopping over and around their head while the guard and their companions try to close in. Light foot work for the Rider makes for deadly blows for the guards as a swift upwards kick launches one of the guards attempting to strike The Rider from the side into the air. They fall to the ground and crumple up, defeated. With two left and their strength regained, The Rider backs off of the guard they were using to stand and jump over and resumes their attack. D3: 5:02 - 5:16 With two of their companions down, the newly targeted guard opens fire on The Rider, who dips and weaves between shots, their narrows frame, swift movements and long limbs making them hard to target. The Rider inches in, and as the guard runs out of ammunition, The Rider reels back their staff and swings it like a bat, the falling trumpet note indicating them having been knocked well away from the fight. D4: 5:17 - 5:34 With only one guard left, The Rider seems distressed with situation and more concerned about their mount than the actual fight, though knowing they're close to the end, they press harder. Attempting to catch the last guard as they had with the others, The Guard instead goes blow for blow with The Rider, dipping and dodging, and staying right up against them as opposed to staying away and allowing The Rider's reach to be their advantage. D5: 5:35 - 5:49 Matching their confusing steps and fake-outs, the guard manages to stay close and fire shots into the armor of The Rider. Despite not doing much to The Rider themselves, their armor is weakening. With each blow dents give way more and more. Despite The Guard's efforts, however, they're starting to lose steam, and can feel the fatigue from the heat and the constant motion setting in. D6: 5:50 - 6:04 Their awkward dance continues, becoming less jagged and more straightforward as the fight drags on and both start to wear down. The Rider tries backing away from The Guard in an attempt to get their reach back, but each attempt leads to more shots being taken, more energy spent, and each gap closed. D7: 6:05 - 6:15 The other Riders leave their mounts to check their companion's, tending to it while shots ring off the armor of its master. Managing to land a decisive shot, The Rider's armor is pierced, landing a solid shot directly into their abdomen. Eyes widening, adrenaline pumping, this only serves to push The Rider over the edge they were needing to get over. In a flash, they drop their staff, lean forwards, and reel back their left arm. D8: 6;16 - 6:39 The Rider switches to hand to hand, ditching the staff and pummeling The Guard. Their attempts to block are smashed away by iron fists. The Rider knocks away the weapon that The Guard had so skillfully used, and grabs the guard up by the throat, holding them up. They kick their feet, struggling to break free from The Rider's grip. D9: 6:40 - 7:03 The Rider breaks their gaze on the face of The Guard, and looks over to their mount, who groans as their leg is worked on. They look back to The Guard, who's almost stopped struggling, and instead of finishing the job, tosses them over to one of the others who were previously struck down. Shortly after landing, their vision fades to black. E: 7:04 Some time after the fight, the other riders have turned a different direction, their only purpose being to go in a group to gradually reach their target cities. The Rider who fought sits in the shade against a rock, patching themselves up, leaning against their mount. The beast has had its leg reattached, and has cooled off to their typical dark gray shade. The Rider looks over towards another outcropping, and stares at the pile of guards beneath it. They had been dragged out of the sun, and left to lay in the shade. Way off in the distance behind The Rider, back the way they'd come, a massive group of armed soldiers, much better equipped for the heat of The Flatlands, marches onwards towards the checkpoint, which is now fully fortified. The Rider stands and hops back on their mount, and joins the group. Meanwhile, in the shade, the guards stir, groaning, and begin to check on one another. This piece leads into "Siege" ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CRj9_N1m7_8.htmlsi=5PnX2hwlfOguuWHx ) The story for Siege is in fact finished, but it has not been put in the comments or description just yet.
I'm glad to hear you liked the piece! I'm going to try and make more thematic works that have a story to go along with it, and connect them along the way. It's making for a really fun project, and I'm working on more short pieces to try and work on individual characters, so I'm looking forward to making more pieces like this!
Excellent! Very different and I loved every second of it. Would love to see an actual performance maybe soon so it doesn't sound like midi and actually what you envisioned. Good job!
Thank you! Some time in the future I'd love to have actual performances of what I write. Someday it'd be fun to put all of that together, and it's definitely something I'd like to see through.
@@Birds_ARE_real I agree that this is a cool piece, but the piano part is definently not playable by a human, the trumpet part could be learned with time though
@@trevorplatt166 the piano part is definitely not playable, but in the future I want to make pieces like this for larger groups than just two people so that way all those notes aren't just slammed on the poor pianist 😂 I'm glad to hear you liked it!
Second movement had improved coherence and there was a tip to fugue form that could have paid off as well. Interesting piece. Around 6:20 is a nice bombastic theme
I appreciate the observations! The way I had planned it was to make each section represent a different event happening, with a different mood and feel for each part. They were all very different from one another, and I tried to place themes from other related works throughout to keep things tied together, but not to the point of sounding too similar in feeling to anything else. Putting in a fugue would've been a nice idea, and if I were to redo this, I would probably put it towards the end of D, just before the last big push towards that last theme.
@@Birds_ARE_real if not a fugue style, I heard a really good opportunity for a subtle counterpoint and anti fugue at some point. I found your work randomly and happened to be thinking about composition at the time. Synth from score never sounds right, but I can imagine what it sounds like in your head. How did you learn to notate?
I went to school for music several years ago and learned theory/aural skills till I had to leave (because school is expensive 😣) From there, I became less familiar with theory and now rely a lot more on my ears to recognize what sounds good where (to me, at least 😂) Understanding what rhythms you want, and knowing what direction or chords you want your notes going in helps, and it's always a lot of trial and error. Some ideas may sound good initially, but then they have nowhere else to go, or some might just not take off at all. If anything, even if it's just a little fragment, writing down what you're thinking can help with recognizing what it is you're trying to go for and make it easier for you to write in the future.
