Echoes of A Ghost (The Hero Returns) *Photo HEAVY*

I recently made a big moving transition to a smaller place, so on top of it being a hectic past few weeks I've had to make some changes to the way I set up my projects as well.

(Aurora had been taking care of Gheizt ever since he fell into a coma during the strange circumstances of their first meeting. The same tattoo she possessed had begun to spread across his face, and Aurora couldn't help but feel guilty, as though she had somehow 'infected' him. She did her best to keep him in good health, providing nutritional injections and IVs when needed, and cutting his hair when it got too long. With the recent random earthquakes within the area, the hideout sustained damage, and Aurora was also forced to redecorate. But it didn't do much good with the relentless weather and natural disasters - she knew this place wasn't going to last; she just hoped Gheizt would wake up before it was too late, so they could make their escape together...and so she didn't have to make the very saddening last resort decision of leaving him behind.)







(There was a scraping sound from behind, as Aurora turned to see a familiar being making its way over the broken wall within the room)





(It was the shaman Treylaaka, the creature who freed Aurora and Ashteran from their own dream states long ago. Although, that was the spirit world, and she had never actually seen him in the real physical world. He definitely looked a bit...different. Could it be an imposter? She decided to hear him out regardless.)





AURORA: Three questions...How are you here? What's that in your hand? And have you seen Ashteran...?)
TREY: Oh, this? It's just a tool I was using to climb up that outer wall...this little hideout is quite a few stories high, isn't it? Let me just put this away... As for your other question, though...





Aurora collapsed in shock and terror, quickly crawling backward.

AURORA: W-what the hell...did you do...? Why...?!!
TREY: Now, now, whether you recognized the full terms of our deal or not, for my helping you escape the dream world...one of you had to die in turn. So that I could materialize in the real world. I thought you would be thankful that I chose him instead of you... Besides, it would appear that a part of him lives on in yourself.
AURORA: You're a ****ing MONSTER! Some kind of deceptive dream demon...just using us all this time...
TREY: Say what you want about me, Aurora...but it's an alien infection that you and the boy were borne from. The humans put you to sleep...because you were a plague to their world - a pandemic. The alien cells inside you...they mask your face, alter your sight...make you see what they want. But I can help...





TREY: Hmm...so you've already created another one, have you? Yes, I've had visions of you...
GHEIZT: Oh yeah? Did you have visions of THIS?









TREY: Well, that may complicate things...but you're wrong if you think I'm going to be a pushover, just because there's two of you.




















TREY: This world is dying because of you two. That's why there is so much contamination, why there are so many natural disasters...and freakish mutations like me. The planet is fighting back against you. No matter what you always find a way to regenerate and take on new forms... But I'm about to send you to a different dimension entirely!!








TREY: I guess you better go catch her, fly boy. Before she falls into Oblivion.




GHEIZT: Aurora!!!! ...You...don't think this is over. I will find a way back...I will find you and finish this.
TREY: Counting on it...poltergeist.

Perhaps a little too on the nose with the pandemic and stuff, but beautifully done in gorgeous grit. And, as they say, the plot thickens... Glad to see the move has worked out reasonably well for you to be back to shooting scenes so quickly.

What a truly wonderful, bizarre, creepy world you’ve managed to build. Great photo sets up.

Crazy noisy bizarre indeed!

Really love how they developed, from the little weird but light-hearted adventures to something more serious, and that tragic twist. (if we can believe Trey)

Wonder in what place they will end up.

I also like a lot how the 3d elements blend with the background. It's funny how you covered his eyes with cloth, that's exactly what I was planning to do with my 'unconscious sleeping person on a bed' episode.

Some really good action shots there, I really like your wall I thought it was a complete piece, that's really cool.

Great Time for me here in the forum. So much new Storys. Yours is fantastic. Great Action Scenes and Magic. I really Love that unique Crocodile Dreadlock Being !

GubernatorFan wrote:Perhaps a little too on the nose with the pandemic and stuff, but beautifully done in gorgeous grit. And, as they say, the plot thickens... Glad to see the move has worked out reasonably well for you to be back to shooting scenes so quickly.

I had a feeling the plot twist might be perceived that way, though current real world events don't usually find a way into my subconscious' creativity. But thanks, and if anything I've always been more of a visual pleaser than with plot and narrative. I may stick to just images in the future and let events be perceived however the audience chooses.

Stryker2011 wrote:What a truly wonderful, bizarre, creepy world you’ve managed to build. Great photo sets up.

Thank you! Those are actually the same words I would use to describe my universe, and the kind of atmosphere I set out to achieve with each shoot. I want people to be awed by the gritty beauty while simultaneously weirded out and unsettled. Just grabbing for all the emotions at once!

Ovy wrote:Crazy noisy bizarre indeed!

Really love how they developed, from the little weird but light-hearted adventures to something more serious, and that tragic twist. (if we can believe Trey)

Wonder in what place they will end up.

I also like a lot how the 3d elements blend with the background. It's funny how you covered his eyes with cloth, that's exactly what I was planning to do with my 'unconscious sleeping person on a bed' episode.

Yes. lol I've always been a bit indecisive about sticking to one particular genre or 'vibe.' I switch it up constantly, which may trip up coherency as well, but at least it is entertaining!!

I think I'm going to stick with what Trey revealed as the truth. Though he has been mischievous  and deceptive in the past, it was only to achieve his goal of returning to the physical world. I've tinkered with the idea of confusing who the real heroes and villains are, and it opens fun possibilities for character development by suddenly flipping the coins.

I tried to portray Gheizt as somehow unknowingly tearing a hole through reality, teleporting much in the same way Aurora was using the wrist device from before. I haven't decided where I want them to end up next, but am open to suggestions to play around with for the next diorama's setting.

Theboo-bomb wrote:Some really good action shots there, I really like your wall I thought it was a complete piece, that's really cool.

Thanks! This was my second attempt at making a brick wall (with smaller bricks) and it was very time consuming, so it was saddening to break it apart like that for the final shots. I also didn't have the glue I needed to get the texture right and save paint in general, though, so I was kinda frustrated and took my feelings out on it, haha.

Ephiane wrote:Great Time for me here in the forum. So much new Storys. Yours is fantastic. Great Action Scenes and Magic. I really Love that unique Crocodile Dreadlock Being !

So glad you appreciate my crazy universe! With Trey's design I was originally going for a deer or possum hybrid of some sort, but the antlers weren't working out and his head literally kept falling apart so after several mold repairs he ended up looking like this and I did what I could to make it work. Some say he looks like a pig because of the snout, or a horse because of the head harness.

AlKelAstra91 wrote:I had a feeling the plot twist might be perceived that way, though current real world events don't usually find a way into my subconscious' creativity. But thanks, and if anything I've always been more of a visual pleaser than with plot and narrative. I may stick to just images in the future and let events be perceived however the audience chooses.

Art in the eye of the beholder... plausible, but given the complexity and mysticism of your world, I think you would still want to give us some indication of what's going on. I certainly didn't mean to discourage you from sharing your vision.

This is AWESOME!!! I always love taking the trip into your world, and love where this has gone. Gheizt and Aurora are one hell of a team, and fight really well together. Trey really is creepy as hell. The smaller brick looks great, and man, I feel your pain carving them. It is monstrously time consuming. Looking forward to the next installment!

Some good posing in those shots.

GubernatorFan wrote:

AlKelAstra91 wrote:I had a feeling the plot twist might be perceived that way, though current real world events don't usually find a way into my subconscious' creativity. But thanks, and if anything I've always been more of a visual pleaser than with plot and narrative. I may stick to just images in the future and let events be perceived however the audience chooses.

Art in the eye of the beholder... plausible, but given the complexity and mysticism of your world, I think you would still want to give us some indication of what's going on. I certainly didn't mean to discourage you from sharing your vision.

Nah it's cool, no discouragement, just thinking outside my own thought bubbles. You are right in a way, with most of my stuff being so outlandish, I do often feel the need to provide some form of narrative. Unless I toned it down to more grounded realism in some way.

ReverendSpooky wrote:This is AWESOME!!!  I always love taking the trip into your world, and love where this has gone.  Gheizt and Aurora are one hell of a team, and fight really well together.  Trey really is creepy as hell.  The smaller brick looks great, and man, I feel your pain carving them.  It is monstrously time consuming.  Looking forward to the next installment!

Right on!! I had a lot of fun doing the fight choreography for this one. I also took some inspiration from your recent asylum shoots in making the decision to bring back the full-on creepy mode for Trey in this installment, for a kind of 'haunted house/slasher vibe.'

Oh, and I finally checked out that Dorohedoro show when I saw it on Netflix the other day. lol Definitely see how you draw the comparisons. It's absolutely bonkers!!

ukshaun wrote:Some good posing in those shots.

Thanks!! It was definitely challenging for some shots more than others as the figures could rarely stand on their own without some kind of support.

AlKelAstra91 wrote:

ReverendSpooky wrote:This is AWESOME!!!  I always love taking the trip into your world, and love where this has gone.  Gheizt and Aurora are one hell of a team, and fight really well together.  Trey really is creepy as hell.  The smaller brick looks great, and man, I feel your pain carving them.  It is monstrously time consuming.  Looking forward to the next installment!

Right on!! I had a lot of fun doing the fight choreography for this one. I also took some inspiration from your recent asylum shoots in making the decision to bring back the full-on creepy mode for Trey in this installment, for a kind of 'haunted house/slasher vibe.'

Oh, and I finally checked out that Dorohedoro show when I saw it on Netflix the other day. lol Definitely see how you draw the comparisons. It's absolutely bonkers!!

Ah, that's awesome! I am all about some more horror represented in 1/6, And I think you totally nail the eeriness of the whole thing. And yeah, the fight itsel is so much fun to see. I love seeing action depicted in 1/6 (and depicted well!).

And I am so happy you're liking Dorohedoro, and relieved it was an apt comparison! Like your stuff, it manages to have a certain humor and quirk, a unique aesthetic and feel that feel like it has it's own rules, but still has real intensity, drama, stakes, and horror. One of my favorite series, so you can take the comparison as pretty high praise.