Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Me and my family did.

I did very little writing. The last time I opened the document was Tuesday, however, I did write over 1k before that so it’s now over 81k.

I am wrestling a little bit with scraping this and starting over because there are already several changes I want to make to it, but I think it would be best to finish this draft and do the rewrites for the next one. I do, however, pause and scribble on some of those rewrites on occasion. Technically I wrote about 3k this week, but most of it was rewriting the beginning scenes.

In part, I think I am fussing because Zuriel is really sad and it can be uncomfortable to write sometimes.

That said, here’s a bit of what I am working on:

“The Glass Cup?” Zuriel asked with as casual an air as he could muster. It had been three days and he was running out of way to avoid Aila.

Halvar stopped and turned to Zuriel with his brow raised. “This is your time with Aila.”

“You’re always inviting me.” He shrugged. “Tonight I’m agreeing to go.”

Halvar frowned and crossed his arms. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Zuriel waved to Halvar who started to protest as Zuriel opened a warp bleed and stepped through. With a deflated huff he found himself standing in one of the hallways instead of the entry hall like he’d aimed for.

He looked both ways before shrugging to himself and turning right, not certain where exactly he was in the palace.

As he wandered the halls trying to figure out where he was, his mind drifted back to the same struggle he’d been wrestling with for days: Aila.

His promised. His love. The woman whose heart he couldn’t protect no matter what he chose to do. If he ended it, he would hurt her. If he stayed and simply put off marrying her, she’d be hurt by both his behavior and [redacted event]. He couldn’t tell her why they couldn’t marry and he hadn’t come up with a good enough lie to fill in the lack.

Realizing he was near his room, he relaxed somewhat and started toward his chambers, but froze at the sound of soft singing.

Aila.

Hit a bit of a snag but still working

I have passed 80k for The Shadow of Vale now. I have a pretty good idea of where the next bit is going, I just need to decide which of the little paths to take to get the characters and story to move where I’d like. Most of my work this week has been in a scene with Harkin laying down some foreshadowing which is always fun for me and is a special relief from Zuriel’s scenes at the moment.

Here’s a snippet of my time with Harkin this week:

He took a deep breath before nimbly jumping off the bookcase and landing in a crouch on the cold stone floor where he lingered a long moment, taking in the familiar space.

With a grin on his lips, he stood and ran his fingers along the spines of the books on the shelf as he moved deeper into the library where he’d spent the first fifteen years of his time in Halcyon after the fall. It felt good to be tucked away within the wards again despite his ever-present anxiety that they would finally work out enough anchor points to break the ward, or perhaps just punch a hole large enough to get something or someone inside.

For fifteen years he worked through Agur’s histories and notes. After seven years he was completely convinced that all would be lost if Samael got his hands on the information tucked away in these halls. In meticulously recorded notes, thousands of years of learning stood waiting to be picked up and brought to life again. What it would do with that life would depend on who revived it.

From what he read in Agur’s personal histories, he could see why The Great Creator would ordain elders to live such extensive lives. Only through such lengthy study could anyone hope to reach the apex of what magic could do. The things Agur had worked out not only about magic, but the ways of man, couldn’t be learned any other way as far as he could see.

Though he wasn’t certain that the perspective of a broken odiar mattered even when aimed at the mind of the greatest wizard who ever graced Vale.

Big Week

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]”

Slow going, but going

I have gotten this draft up to 74,400 words. I did not feel well most of the week so writing was a little more difficult than I would have liked. I am also a little stuck. I know where this part of the story is going but I am sort of tripping over how to get there. The scene I worked on most of the week I probably won’t keep cause I can’t really find the point of it other than I enjoyed the idea of it.

Since I have been feeling better, hopefully I can get more written this next week.

In the mean time, here is a bit of the fluffy, indulgent scene I worked on this week:

“Hey,” he said as a smile spread on his face briefly before her solitude registered drawing his expression to a frown. “I thought Zia was looking after you?”

Aila sighed and closed the book she had been reading around her finger. “She just left a little while ago. How was training? It seems like you just left.”

Zuriel leaned down and kissed her briefly. “It was fine.” He paused, studying her face. “Am I smothering you?”

Aila let out a breath and smiled. Her smile was small, but bright and genuine. “No.” After a pause she shifted on the bed and patted the mattress beside her. “Sit with me.”

“Aila…”

“Don’t be silly, sit. You are truly not smothering me, quite the opposite.” She paused and met his gaze meekly, “I missed you.”

Zuriel sighed, his heart throbbed at the way her voice grew soft and small when she said she missed him. He sat on the bed and wrapped his arm around her as she settled against him and opened her book again.

“What are you reading?”

“Elgor’s Quest.” She said, turning the book to look at the cover a moment before opening it again.

“What’s it about?”

“Elgor…and his quest.” She grinned up at him.

Zuriel rolled his eyes and reached down to tickle her side. Giggling, she squirmed and pressed her face into his shoulder.

“What’s his quest?” He asked, his voice colored with laughter.

“I don’t know!” She laughed and settled back against him while showing him her place in the book. “I’ve just started. All I know so far is Elgor is a grumpy wizard and I’m not certain I care if he succeeds in his quest.”

Another 1k added this week.

The Shadow of Vale is now over 72k words which is exciting. I have reached a happy little bubble in the story which is good to write, though it’s a little hazy what is actually happening in this little bubble.

I have always kind of struggled with whether or not to actually publish any of my stories, but lately I have settled on publishing. It will be a long process if the past is any indication, but I am optimistic that I can get one of my stories (hopefully this one) ready to share.

Thank you to all of my that follow this little blog of mine, you’re consistent little nudges of encouragement mean a lot to me and I hope to craft a story you will enjoy and be able to experience beyond the little snippets I share here.

Speaking of snippets, here is little glimpse of Zuriel and Aila.

“How long…have I been…asleep?”

Zuriel swallowed past a lump in his throat, enraptured by the sound of her voice though it was rough and quiet. “Seven days.”

“You haven’t left, have you?” Her eyes stayed mostly closed though she opened them at the end of her question to see him answer.

He felt his eyes fill as he smiled down at her. He was talking to her! “Only when I absolutely had to.” He paused, taking in the sight of her looking back at him. “I wanted to be here when you woke up.”

Her eyes fluttered closed as her lips raised in a slight smile. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Zuriel let out a breath as he cupped her cheek in his palm and leaned over to press his head to hers. “I thought I lost you.”

“I’m here. I’m okay.” Her hand rested on his arm and she gave a weak squeeze.

He pulled back to look at her. Her eyes opened slowly and locked on his despite obvious weariness. “I love you, Aila. I should have told you sooner.” He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before pulling back to met her gaze again, but her eyes were closed, a small smile on her lips.

“I love you, too Zuriel.”

Zuriel smiled at her, stroking her cheek with his thumb as her breaths grew deep and even. He kissed her forehead again before collapsing back into his chair, tears of relief filled his eyes.

Falling back into the story

Little late this week, I had a busy weekend and haven’t been able to sit down to do an update till now.

I had some good, lengthy writing sessions this week and got The Shadow of Vale over 71k words. I am in part of the story that has kinda stayed the same since early versions. It’s familiar but different and a rather emotional bit of the story so it has taken a bit out of me to get into, but I have come into the happier portion, so I think that’s helping me write more.

It also helps that the new story seems to be napping for now.

A snippet from this weeks efforts for your enjoyment:

Zuriel sat with his head resting on his arm as he had done most of his waking moments for the past day. Everything ached, not only from the awkward positions he’d spent his day and night in, but also from the battle. Once the adrenaline and shock had worn off, he’d discovered two gashes he’d sustained and several bruises he hadn’t noticed.

None of it mattered though.

The only thing filling his mind was the woman who lay unconscious on the bed before him. He held her limp hand in his hoping for the slightest twitch. He frequently searched her face for any sign that she would be coming back to him.

“Please…” the soft prayer fell from his lips for the thousandth time.

Since coming to Vale he’d been taught about the nymph God, the Great Creator, whom they sometimes called Voa. To his ear it sounded like the God he’d learned about at church and he wasn’t sure which one he was praying to anymore.

He’d pray to the whole pantheon of sorcerer and naim gods if it meant hearing her voice again; Feeling her touch.

Slow but steady progress

I took a week off from updates as I forgot and also, didn’t write much. I am making lots of progress in my new story, but I am stuck with a few of the subplots for The Shadow of Vale.

The Shadow of Vale is now over 69k so I am making slow and steady progress. A far cry from the 3k I wanted to be getting through each week, but I do have some 35 pages of scribbles for the other story, which I also am enjoying.

Since there are such spoilers in this part that I am working on for The Shadow of Vale, I have just a brief snippet to share:

He tied off the bandage and shook his head as he looked over her. “This is beyond me. I don’t know how she’s alive, Zuriel.” His voice had lost its even tone and when Zuriel met his gaze there was an anxiety in them that rekindled his own fears. “You need to get her to Rafael. Now.”

I wrote more than nothing this week

Not much more than nothing, but my additional word count for The Shadow of Vale was not zero.

It was about two hundred leaving this draft around 67,300 words at the moment.

I am working through the first actual battle scene and I know where its going, but the actual scene is a bit difficult.

I am still working on my new story in the back ground, but it isn’t taking over every spare thought I have at the moment.

Here is a little Snippet from the past two weeks of scribbles:

As they approached the ruins, the air shifted. The guard began whispering amongst themselves and threw questioning glances at Zuriel and Aila. Finally, Fintan broke off and came back to them as they slowed and stopped.

“I thought you didn’t finish imbuing the stones.” He glanced to Aila though he stood before Zuriel.

Aila frowned. “I didn’t.” She made her way forward and pushed through the guard who reluctantly let her pass. She let out a gasp as she reached the front and found herself standing before the graveyard where every stone shone with nymph light.

“I don’t understand.” Zuriel’s voice was soft. He turned and their eyes met. With a start he realized that hers shone with hope. Then it dawned on him: Aila hadn’t finished. There must be another nymph. A slow grin broke out across his face.

“Heads up!” Fintan cried as he rushed forward, pulling Aila and Zuriel back into the guard. “Shield! Shield!”

The hope ignited in Zuriel’s chest by the sight of the stones was immediately smothered by the realization that there were illusions and wards all around them that he hadn’t noticed.

Hit 67K this week

Only wrote a few hundred words this week in The Shadow of Vale, but I did write a few hundred words in The Shadow of Vale this week.

I hurt my back Monday night and it somehow didn’t get me any extra writing time so I spent most of my creative energy toying with my new story and the world building involved in it. It is feeling heavily influenced by David Estes, probably because I am reading through Fatemarked.

Since I didn’t really add enough to The Shadow of Vale, I thought it might be fun to share a little scribble from my new story.

As a warning, this is a death scene. For whatever reason, only the tragic scribbles came out good enough to share.

Keegan scanned the area and found no other attackers. He wiped his dagger on his pant leg and sheathed it and his sword as he approached Russ’ body. As he looked up, he caught a glimpse of a spark in the air.

Panic flooded his chest as he stared at the empty air where Fiera always appeared. Where he’d only seen a spark.

“Come on. Come on. Come on.” He muttered as he scanned the sky. Where was she? Maybe it hadn’t been as long as he thought. Keegan’s eyes fell to Russ’ body where it lay still in a pool of crimson. “Come on.”

Keegan tried to swallow and took two steps toward Russ before hesitating. Maybe he hadn’t died? Surely that spark wasn’t Fiera. It couldn’t be. Russ wasn’t even in his second century. He couldn’t have a burnt out pheonix.

With mounting dread, he forced himself forward and knelt beside Russ. He knew from the way his eyes looked without seeing that he was dead. He’d been dead for too long.

“Russ.” He blinked back tears as he laid his hands on his friend’s shoulders. His Rune-brother. He looked again at the empty sky where Fiera had failed to appear and then back at the lifeless body of his closest friend. “No.” The word fell from his lips little more than a whisper. “You, you can’t. You’re a Rune. We’re Runes. We don’t stay dead.”

Keegan fell back, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as the enormity of what had happened, or hadn’t happened, began to sink it.

Russ was dead. And so was his phoenix. He was never coming back.

Progress

Added just under 1k this week which isn’t much, but considering I wrote some 3k on my new idea, I am happy I did any work in it.

After losing most of a story idea to not writing down my thoughts, I am hesitant to drop the new idea to keep working on this draft, but I also don’t want to stop working on this, so I’ll probably just do it at a snails pace for a while.

Here’s a bit of what I wrote this week:

He shifted the bag on his shoulder and thought back over everything he could remember Agur telling him before he’d fled and left him behind to maintain the ward. He wasn’t to leave was the impression he’d gotten, but surely Agur had a plan if anything happened to him, right?

Fala stopped abruptly and stilled him with a hand to his chest.

“What?” He asked as she scrutinized him.

“You look like I’m taking you to your execution.”

He let out a breath and looked toward the doorway which wasn’t yet in sight. How could he explain why he didn’t want to leave? He couldn’t very well let on that he was part of a the very complex wards keeping Azazel and the rest of Samael’s men out of Agur’s extensive libraries.

“It’s dumb.” He said as he turned his gaze back to her.

She raised her brow at him. “Go on.”

“I’m waiting for my brother. This is the only place I know he’ll come and,” he glanced briefly back toward the entrance, “I feel like if I leave, I’ll miss him.”

Fala’s hand fell to her side and all tension vanished from her bearing. A smile spread across her lips and chuckle escaped her which quickly turned into full on laughter.

Harkin frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“You are waiting for your brother?” Her question was punctuated with more laughter.

“Why is that funny? I had come here to find him just before Samael got here and I lost my chance to actually meet him.” He crossed his arms and wondered why her laughter annoyed him so much.

“Oh, come on, a brother? There is no way you have a brother.” Her laughter tapered off and she wiped at her eyes.

Harkin scowled at her. “I do.”

“Oh!” She pressed her hand to her mouth. “A brother.” Another giggle escaped as she turned and started down the hall again.