I had several really productive writing days and I am just over 79k now.
A lot of what I wrote this week is highly spoilery as it’s a pivotal point in the story and I am having a lot of fun writing it, though I suspect a lot of it won’t survive revision as there is a bit of thinking on the page going on.
That said, I wanted to share a good chunk of it that doesn’t spoil, but hopefully peeks interest. Enjoy!
Agur nodded, his eyes drifted from Zuriel as if looking at him was uncomfortable. “Vale is a nymph planet. A young one. We aren’t certain how our elder system works yet, but each nymph planet has elders. The numbers differ. The life spans. There is one planet I’ve read of where one of the races has no elder.” His eyes landed on Zuriel with disconcerting focus, though it seemed an action Agur had to force himself to do. “As far as we can tell, there is one Vale elder for each race and we live until we are killed.” He turned and began to pace again. “We might be able to get sick and die, but that hasn’t been confirmed.”
Zuriel watched Agur’s movements in silence as he seemed to be lost within his own mind. Why had he come to his room, warded it, and went on a rant about elders on nymph planets?
As if reading his mind, Agur stopped and let out a sigh. “I am nearly as old as Vale.” His was low and carried a note of sorrow. “I have lost track of my precise age, but I am in my eleventh millennium. Ten thousand seven hundred and something years, give or take a century.” He turned to face Zuriel who’s mouth had dropped open. A breath of a laugh escaped the wizard at the sight. “I say this to explain that I no longer remember what it is to be mortal. To fear death.” All humor left him as he dropped his eyes again.
A deep sense of unease filled Zuriel as the elder wizard seemed to wrestle with himself.
“I’ve grown accustomed,” he began again, slowly pacing with his hands behind his back, “to creating and carrying out long term plans. Perhaps my decision to avoid marrying again has proven to leave me at a disadvantage. I had sent Cyrus and Akil out to find a nymph son, but when Samael began his attack, I will confess, I was surprised. I believed I had more time.” He sighed and shook his head before continuing.
“I had planned to create several duelings.” He gestured to the room around them, “This hadn’t been meant to stand as a last bastion against Samael, but was intended as a training grounds. I had meant for you to be better prepared.”
When Agur’s voice faded Zuriel spoke up, voicing the fear that the wizard’s demeaner and words had been pulling back to the front of his mind. The fear that had taken him weeks to push aside. “You don’t think I can beat him.”
With another heavy sigh Agur met Zuriel’s eye. The regret in his gaze sent a chill through Zuriel.
“You were created to be Samael’s undoing, but what you have to do to achieve it…” He shook his head and looked away again. “It isn’t fair to ask of you. I have no other solution to offer, even now.” Raising his eyes to Zuriel’s again he added, “but it isn’t fair.”
Zuriel felt his mouth go dry. “What do I have to do?”
Agur held his gaze in silence for a long moment. Zuriel’s heart pounded as he watched the wizard’s internal struggle as it presented itself across his features. He opened his mouth several times before he finally spoke again. “You have to…….[redacted]”
