There were endless speculations as to how and why the create at the end of the bone road came to be. The reason most often shared among the races is that there were Titans that were not quite ready to pass on, and their desire to stay in the mortal realm festered inside the mountain, eventually coalescing into something not alive and not quite dead.
The Paragon of Death was a vile, angry, dark, and uncaring monstrosity that was obsessed with but entirely unable to pass through the great barrier it sat watch over.
All who spoke with the Paragon reported the results of their meeting from the afterlife. A place as real as this reality but apart from it, populated only by those who had already passed through this realm.
On the other side was a creature of equal size and power but with the polar opposite ability, demeanor and focus. The Paragon of life was the guardian of the far side of the eternity gate. The physical manifestation of the barrier between this realm and the next.
With the crypt of the Titans no longer available it became unclear where the Titans went to die. and as their numbers dwindled it became clear that it was a secret they would be taking to their now unknown graves.
The first stories of interactions with the paragons came almost immediately. Before long there were grand narratives of adventure and treasure, danger and excitement. As the narratives grew from simple stories to legendary tales the Sigil's became a greater part of the overall narrative. Some stories said they granted wishes to whom ever held all six. Many other stories reported them bestowing upon their owners the gift of immortality. Some even touted the sigils ability to create a living god.
None of these stories has ever been confirmed, No reliable information about even the existence of the sigils exists. They are mentioned here as a matter of hystical record relating to the Paragon's.
Presents
Friday, November 17, 2017
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Melody and Harmony: Page 11
It was hard sometimes, to get the lighter drugs in Harmony. Sure you could get gellcaps of Fry in almost every back alley and if there was a club that didn't have half a dozen Roatso dealers he had never heard of it. But if you wanted something simple and natural, like weed, you had to know someone that could get you access into a surprisingly large secret underground culture that had more scientists and gardeners than it did criminals and dealers.
Weed was one of the last surviving natural plants. It had long since been adapted to a large number of possible growth opportunities. That didn't mean it was easy, or cheap to find. The growth community's survival depended on secrecy and trust, doing business in private and keeping absolutely calm in public.The good stuff was expensive, the great stuff could only be traded for favors.
The first time Aaron and his friends had smoked, it was a reward from a job he had been volunteered for. All four of them swore off all other drugs the very first night they got high. Over the years all four of them had slowly built themselves a reputation within the community. It was known among the the lower levels that there was no favor to difficult for them, and their success had become their currency.
The growth community traveled beneath the cultural boundaries that existed within Harmony. It didn't matter if you worshiped Pop or Nu Wave Jazz Metal, everyone loved weed.
As the night had gone on a waitress stopped by Aaron's table and given him a card requesting that he come back to the club owners office. He extracted himself from his friends and made his way over to and down the dark hallway that ended at the club owners door. There was a red light above the door handle and a small sign asking him to knock.
He felt but couldn't hear his knuckles bounce off the door. The light above the door handle turned from red to green and Aaron reached for the handle finding the door heavy, but smooth to the touch and easy to open. It also shut solidly behind him.
The first thing he noticed once the door shut was the near absolute silence in the room. He took his head phones off as the club manager nodded at him. "I know right?" He said with a smile.
Aaron nodded and left his headphones around his neck. He stood for a second in awe of the silence. The only sound he could hear came from a small water fountain on the club owners desk. The owner noticed him looking at it. "Oh." He waved his hand through the middle of the hologram "Just a hologram, I've got money, but not enough that can waste water." He said with a sad smile.
Aaron nodded to the empty chair on his side of the desk and the club owner nodded. Aaron sat as the owner started talking. "So, word on the street is that you're not just a great DJ but that you know, people." The club owner veered into the end of the sentence as casual as he could, which wasn't much at all. Aaron nodded once. "So if you did me a, favor, what kind of favor would you expect in return?" He awkwardly asked again.
Aaron had been through this process many, many times. "First, I'd need to know just how big a favor you need me to do." He asked.
Weed was one of the last surviving natural plants. It had long since been adapted to a large number of possible growth opportunities. That didn't mean it was easy, or cheap to find. The growth community's survival depended on secrecy and trust, doing business in private and keeping absolutely calm in public.The good stuff was expensive, the great stuff could only be traded for favors.
The first time Aaron and his friends had smoked, it was a reward from a job he had been volunteered for. All four of them swore off all other drugs the very first night they got high. Over the years all four of them had slowly built themselves a reputation within the community. It was known among the the lower levels that there was no favor to difficult for them, and their success had become their currency.
The growth community traveled beneath the cultural boundaries that existed within Harmony. It didn't matter if you worshiped Pop or Nu Wave Jazz Metal, everyone loved weed.
As the night had gone on a waitress stopped by Aaron's table and given him a card requesting that he come back to the club owners office. He extracted himself from his friends and made his way over to and down the dark hallway that ended at the club owners door. There was a red light above the door handle and a small sign asking him to knock.
He felt but couldn't hear his knuckles bounce off the door. The light above the door handle turned from red to green and Aaron reached for the handle finding the door heavy, but smooth to the touch and easy to open. It also shut solidly behind him.
The first thing he noticed once the door shut was the near absolute silence in the room. He took his head phones off as the club manager nodded at him. "I know right?" He said with a smile.
Aaron nodded and left his headphones around his neck. He stood for a second in awe of the silence. The only sound he could hear came from a small water fountain on the club owners desk. The owner noticed him looking at it. "Oh." He waved his hand through the middle of the hologram "Just a hologram, I've got money, but not enough that can waste water." He said with a sad smile.
Aaron nodded to the empty chair on his side of the desk and the club owner nodded. Aaron sat as the owner started talking. "So, word on the street is that you're not just a great DJ but that you know, people." The club owner veered into the end of the sentence as casual as he could, which wasn't much at all. Aaron nodded once. "So if you did me a, favor, what kind of favor would you expect in return?" He awkwardly asked again.
Aaron had been through this process many, many times. "First, I'd need to know just how big a favor you need me to do." He asked.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Spoonerville: Page 9
Rodney was pulled into the space between dreams and consciousness by the alarm on his phone. Part of his mind was awake enough to realize the buzzing noise was not a part of the surfing competition he had just won and was successfully dragging the rest of him back to the waking world.
He reached out clumsily for his phone and tapped the screen until the alarm stopped. He looked at the screen to see that it wasn't an alarm and he had just typed [7is57;o.;] to Derek on Facebook Messenger.
[what the heck is that?] popped up
Rodney looked at their conversation so far.
[Gauntlet Legends and breakfast pizza, you in?]
[Rodney, Red Warrior needs food badly]
[Dude I'm dying over here]
[Is this annoying yet?]
[How 'bout now]
[Now?]
[7is57;o.;]
[What the heck is that?]
Rodney shook his head and typed out his reply. [You did't say you were a morning person] sent it off, dropped his phone on the bed and began to scrounge around for a clean shirt. He had considered doing laundry last night but it was still summer, even if the weather in the state denied that fact with every fiber of it's being, he still had a few blessed weeks before school started. The only reason he could think of to wear truly clean clothes was to try and impress Vivian and he wasn't ready to look that obvious yet. His phone beeped as he pulled a Warcraft shirt on that didn't have any stains.
[Does it count as 'morning person' if I haven't slept yet?]
Rodney shook his head. [Oh great. Does this mean you're going to pass out sometime this afternoon and I will get to make my very own garbage pizza?] He replied as he stepped into his shoes. He dumped his phone into the pocket of his jeans and grabbed his jacket off the hook and slid into it and left the house.
His pocket beeped down the block. [A; Not passing out any time soon according to 5 hour energy]
Rodney's fingers flew over his phone screen [five hours from now is still only two this afternoon.]
the reply was near instant. [oh sure, if you wanna be a wuss and only drink one.]
Rodney sighed [and how many have you had?]
[let's see...carry the one...enough to stay awake for forty hours]
Rodney laughed out loud, alone, on the street. [I don't think it works like that.]
[if one gives you five hours of energy then eight should keep you awake for a like a day and a half. That's not marketing, that's basic math.]
Rodney groaned and typed his reply. [You do know there's a limit to how long the human body can stay conscious for right?] he sent it off.
[you are assuming I am human] came the reply.
[dude even superman sleeps!] He replied without thinking.
[prove it!]
[what are you trying to do anyway? become so caffeinated that you vibrate into a different dimension?] he asked waiting for the light to turn green so he could cross the street.
[Got it in one] came the reply.
Rodney dropped his phone into his jacket pocket and hurried the last fifty feet to the pizza shop and pulled the door open making the bell ring.
He reached out clumsily for his phone and tapped the screen until the alarm stopped. He looked at the screen to see that it wasn't an alarm and he had just typed [7is57;o.;] to Derek on Facebook Messenger.
[what the heck is that?] popped up
Rodney looked at their conversation so far.
[Gauntlet Legends and breakfast pizza, you in?]
[Rodney, Red Warrior needs food badly]
[Dude I'm dying over here]
[Is this annoying yet?]
[How 'bout now]
[Now?]
[7is57;o.;]
[What the heck is that?]
Rodney shook his head and typed out his reply. [You did't say you were a morning person] sent it off, dropped his phone on the bed and began to scrounge around for a clean shirt. He had considered doing laundry last night but it was still summer, even if the weather in the state denied that fact with every fiber of it's being, he still had a few blessed weeks before school started. The only reason he could think of to wear truly clean clothes was to try and impress Vivian and he wasn't ready to look that obvious yet. His phone beeped as he pulled a Warcraft shirt on that didn't have any stains.
[Does it count as 'morning person' if I haven't slept yet?]
Rodney shook his head. [Oh great. Does this mean you're going to pass out sometime this afternoon and I will get to make my very own garbage pizza?] He replied as he stepped into his shoes. He dumped his phone into the pocket of his jeans and grabbed his jacket off the hook and slid into it and left the house.
His pocket beeped down the block. [A; Not passing out any time soon according to 5 hour energy]
Rodney's fingers flew over his phone screen [five hours from now is still only two this afternoon.]
the reply was near instant. [oh sure, if you wanna be a wuss and only drink one.]
Rodney sighed [and how many have you had?]
[let's see...carry the one...enough to stay awake for forty hours]
Rodney laughed out loud, alone, on the street. [I don't think it works like that.]
[if one gives you five hours of energy then eight should keep you awake for a like a day and a half. That's not marketing, that's basic math.]
Rodney groaned and typed his reply. [You do know there's a limit to how long the human body can stay conscious for right?] he sent it off.
[you are assuming I am human] came the reply.
[dude even superman sleeps!] He replied without thinking.
[prove it!]
[what are you trying to do anyway? become so caffeinated that you vibrate into a different dimension?] he asked waiting for the light to turn green so he could cross the street.
[Got it in one] came the reply.
Rodney dropped his phone into his jacket pocket and hurried the last fifty feet to the pizza shop and pulled the door open making the bell ring.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Shades of Justice: page 41
The beach brought a piece of mind that Mark had been missing. He slept on the sand, kept time with the sun, and company with the ocean. It was a simple life, but it made him happier than he could ever remember being.
One year to the day after their victory was the next time the glasses lit up. He put them on without thinking and teleported to the command center. It was the first time since that day that he had been summoned rather than just showing up on his own.
He arrived in the command center alone. Tehcnarious and Lumarion greeted him. "What's the situation?" He asked as he took off his glasses.
"You may relax Eric, there is no emergency." Lumarion reassured him.
Eric had gotten tense and tried to let it go. He felt his shoulders relax. "So why the call then?" he asked.
"It has been a year without incident here." Lumarion started. "It is time to retire your team and begin training a new one." his colors dimmed and then brightened again. "But between now and the end of their training is not your responsibility." The color wall darkened for a second before it lit up again. "Unless you want it to be." He continued. "Your original oath has been fulfilled. You are free to turn your shades in and return to your normal life." Lumarion got brighter.
Mark looked at the silver shades in his hand. Then back at Lumarion. "What did the other's say?" He asked.
"That I cannot tell you. This is a choice each of you must make freely, without external pressure." Lumarion's colors were neutral tones and average brightness "You must do what is right for you, and you alone." Lumarion finished.
Mark looked back at his shades. "And it's only until the new team is ready?" he asked. Technarious nodded. Mark pocketed his shades. "I'll stay on until then." he answered looking at Lumarion.
Technarious set the open shade case down so that Mark couldn't see the inside and stepped forward. "I'm glad you're staying Mark. First things first, we need to get you prepped for Subcon Memret implementation." Technarious rattled the worlds off like they meant something to Mark.
"Subcon Memret?" Mark asked,
Technarious nodded. "Subconscious Memory Retrieval." He started. "We're going to place some very important data in your mind in case of emergencies. It can be retrieved through the use of certain key words. That way as long as you are alive, the next team will have an emergency backup plan, and access to resources, even in the worse case scenario." Technarious explained.
Mark hesistated. "So your going to fill my head with information that I won't remember unless its keyword activated?" He clarified.
Technarious nodded. "Yup, best to think of yourself as a last resort treasure map." He replied.
Mark nodded slowly. "That doesn't sound as good as you think it does." He snapped.
Technarious led Mark out of the main command center hall and into a lab. "I'm a robot not a writer." He replied.
"Is this going to hurt?" Mark asked.
Technarious shook his head. "You'll be asleep having the best dreams ever, and you won't even remember it happened." He answered.
In the glasses case sat all but the silver shades.
One year to the day after their victory was the next time the glasses lit up. He put them on without thinking and teleported to the command center. It was the first time since that day that he had been summoned rather than just showing up on his own.
He arrived in the command center alone. Tehcnarious and Lumarion greeted him. "What's the situation?" He asked as he took off his glasses.
"You may relax Eric, there is no emergency." Lumarion reassured him.
Eric had gotten tense and tried to let it go. He felt his shoulders relax. "So why the call then?" he asked.
"It has been a year without incident here." Lumarion started. "It is time to retire your team and begin training a new one." his colors dimmed and then brightened again. "But between now and the end of their training is not your responsibility." The color wall darkened for a second before it lit up again. "Unless you want it to be." He continued. "Your original oath has been fulfilled. You are free to turn your shades in and return to your normal life." Lumarion got brighter.
Mark looked at the silver shades in his hand. Then back at Lumarion. "What did the other's say?" He asked.
"That I cannot tell you. This is a choice each of you must make freely, without external pressure." Lumarion's colors were neutral tones and average brightness "You must do what is right for you, and you alone." Lumarion finished.
Mark looked back at his shades. "And it's only until the new team is ready?" he asked. Technarious nodded. Mark pocketed his shades. "I'll stay on until then." he answered looking at Lumarion.
Technarious set the open shade case down so that Mark couldn't see the inside and stepped forward. "I'm glad you're staying Mark. First things first, we need to get you prepped for Subcon Memret implementation." Technarious rattled the worlds off like they meant something to Mark.
"Subcon Memret?" Mark asked,
Technarious nodded. "Subconscious Memory Retrieval." He started. "We're going to place some very important data in your mind in case of emergencies. It can be retrieved through the use of certain key words. That way as long as you are alive, the next team will have an emergency backup plan, and access to resources, even in the worse case scenario." Technarious explained.
Mark hesistated. "So your going to fill my head with information that I won't remember unless its keyword activated?" He clarified.
Technarious nodded. "Yup, best to think of yourself as a last resort treasure map." He replied.
Mark nodded slowly. "That doesn't sound as good as you think it does." He snapped.
Technarious led Mark out of the main command center hall and into a lab. "I'm a robot not a writer." He replied.
"Is this going to hurt?" Mark asked.
Technarious shook his head. "You'll be asleep having the best dreams ever, and you won't even remember it happened." He answered.
In the glasses case sat all but the silver shades.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Testament Book One
My first Novella is available here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/jesse-kincaid/testament-book-1/paperback/product-23406819.html
Testament is the story of the hidden bonds between Heaven, Hell, and Earth. A world where every fantastical creature ever imagined actually exists, and one where normal humans are the most dangerous monster among them.
From biblical times the balance between the realms has been kept on Earth by an organization called Neutralis. A government made up of representatives from every race and every faith. These representatives work together to ensure the continuance of as much of the linear universe as possible.
But when the Vampires decide to reveal themselves and freely feed on humanity, events are set in motion that move all three realms closer to the end of all things than they have ever been before.
Blood and Profit: Page 64
Eamon was torn. He had always seen his path so clearly, always known where he wanted to, needed to, and should be. For the first time in his life all three of those places were different. He needed to be in the forest working with the Starseeds and continuing to be their point of contact with the colony. He should be in the capital taking the burden of responsibility off of Kepi's shoulders. And he wanted to be at home with his father if only because now more than ever the realization of how little time they had left together was getting heavier by the day. But Kepi and his Father had both in their own way told him to finish what he started, so he stayed in the forest, even as his heart and mind were elsewhere.
The Starseed library was a success. The dark matter of their collective unconsciousness had to be dissolved several times a day to protect the now gargantuan tree ship. And the books were already being used as a reference. Eamon had to reteach them how to make books twice already. It had only slowed them down a little.
The tree ship was also growing, it was larger than any other tree on the planet and would soon be larger than any building if it kept up, and as far as the Starseeds could remember, it would definitely keep growing.
All in all the last two months had gone much smoother than they had any right to, Eamon admitted to himself as he made dinner a few days after the senate voted in favor of the labor draft. Just as he was sitting down to eat he got a message from his sister,
[Have you talked with dad about this stupid draft thing? - Mew]
He typed out his response in silence.
[Enough to know that he's not really interested in talking about it. - Eamon]
He knew his sister was just getting started so he ate with his right hand and held his phone in his left.
[He's already volunteered! - Mew]
The message was quick to arrive but not all that surprising.
[He's a grown man, his life is his own. - Eamon]
He hadn't thought about it until he typed it but his father's acceptance and his willingness to volunteer made sense to him. Eamon shook his head and typed out another message.
[Besides when have you ever known anyone in this family to think of themselves before others? If it bothers you, you should talk to him about it. - Eamon]
He set his phone down and focused on his dinner.
The Starseed library was a success. The dark matter of their collective unconsciousness had to be dissolved several times a day to protect the now gargantuan tree ship. And the books were already being used as a reference. Eamon had to reteach them how to make books twice already. It had only slowed them down a little.
The tree ship was also growing, it was larger than any other tree on the planet and would soon be larger than any building if it kept up, and as far as the Starseeds could remember, it would definitely keep growing.
All in all the last two months had gone much smoother than they had any right to, Eamon admitted to himself as he made dinner a few days after the senate voted in favor of the labor draft. Just as he was sitting down to eat he got a message from his sister,
[Have you talked with dad about this stupid draft thing? - Mew]
He typed out his response in silence.
[Enough to know that he's not really interested in talking about it. - Eamon]
He knew his sister was just getting started so he ate with his right hand and held his phone in his left.
[He's already volunteered! - Mew]
The message was quick to arrive but not all that surprising.
[He's a grown man, his life is his own. - Eamon]
He hadn't thought about it until he typed it but his father's acceptance and his willingness to volunteer made sense to him. Eamon shook his head and typed out another message.
[Besides when have you ever known anyone in this family to think of themselves before others? If it bothers you, you should talk to him about it. - Eamon]
He set his phone down and focused on his dinner.
Friday, November 10, 2017
Lidarion: Page 36
With water and fire the Titans found themselves facing a new and particularly difficult challenge. Water and fire naturally possessed a will, an elemental consciousness that while vastly different and less complex than true sentience, was still a very dangerous and difficult obstacle.
Ultimately the Titans chose to change the rules. They crafted a container of glass and container of stone. They filled the glass container with water, and the stone with fire. They infused the sealed containers with energy and absolutely nothing happened. Undeterred they set the containers aside and recorded them as failures.
Sometime later the Titans were surprised to find physical creatures breaking through and emerging from the containers. From the glass a winged lizard of electric and ice blue emerged. It chilled the room and waves crashed in the ears of all who heard the flap of its wings. From the Stone an ember orange and furious winged lizard emerged. If it weren't for the differences in color and temperature they could have been twins.
The Titans learned quickly that the dragons could not or would not allow themselves to be tamed. As they got older they grew larger and the Titans accepted the fact control of the creatures was not possible. The larger they grew, the more explosive their bursts of anger became. When they finally chose to take to the open skies None of the Titans tried to stop them.
With the elemental guardians freely roaming the planet, the Titans once again turned their attention to the business of their own extinction. They had, during the ancient war turned a small mountain into a crypt for the Titans that passed on. Now as their time was coming to a close more and more of them longed to take their place in the mountain crypt. During the war many people had seen Titans take their final walk or be carried into the mountain. A legend filtered through out the fledgling races that to place some of the bones of your ancestors along this road brought great fortune to your family in the mortal realm and great peace to them in the afterlife, thus the bone road was born and over the years small towns had popped up along the bone road and even grew plentiful.
Driven as a race to create the elemental paragons, the Titans stopped walking the bone road. The other races began to notice a change on the road, and a darkness coming from the mountain crypt and as time passed the towns dried up and people left the mountain crypt and the road of bones to the darkness. But with their mission complete, the Titian's finally returned to the crypt they had very nearly abandoned.
They were not prepared for what they discovered in the darkness.
Ultimately the Titans chose to change the rules. They crafted a container of glass and container of stone. They filled the glass container with water, and the stone with fire. They infused the sealed containers with energy and absolutely nothing happened. Undeterred they set the containers aside and recorded them as failures.
Sometime later the Titans were surprised to find physical creatures breaking through and emerging from the containers. From the glass a winged lizard of electric and ice blue emerged. It chilled the room and waves crashed in the ears of all who heard the flap of its wings. From the Stone an ember orange and furious winged lizard emerged. If it weren't for the differences in color and temperature they could have been twins.
The Titans learned quickly that the dragons could not or would not allow themselves to be tamed. As they got older they grew larger and the Titans accepted the fact control of the creatures was not possible. The larger they grew, the more explosive their bursts of anger became. When they finally chose to take to the open skies None of the Titans tried to stop them.
With the elemental guardians freely roaming the planet, the Titans once again turned their attention to the business of their own extinction. They had, during the ancient war turned a small mountain into a crypt for the Titans that passed on. Now as their time was coming to a close more and more of them longed to take their place in the mountain crypt. During the war many people had seen Titans take their final walk or be carried into the mountain. A legend filtered through out the fledgling races that to place some of the bones of your ancestors along this road brought great fortune to your family in the mortal realm and great peace to them in the afterlife, thus the bone road was born and over the years small towns had popped up along the bone road and even grew plentiful.
Driven as a race to create the elemental paragons, the Titans stopped walking the bone road. The other races began to notice a change on the road, and a darkness coming from the mountain crypt and as time passed the towns dried up and people left the mountain crypt and the road of bones to the darkness. But with their mission complete, the Titian's finally returned to the crypt they had very nearly abandoned.
They were not prepared for what they discovered in the darkness.
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