Lidarion: Chapter 26

Trent stood on the water side of the walkway where the Womamel was docked. Nearly a dozen hands were loading the ship, walking Cargo on board and stashing it in the hold. He watched as the carts full of supplies were loaded with an intensity that he remembered his recently past life in the military. He sat on a wooden box and watched with a sense of fascination.

Alex made her way down the dock and stopped next to Trent. “Brooke and Lisa are on their way. Squints is –“

Squints appeared from behind Alex. “Already regretting his decision to get on that floating monstrosity.” He grumbled.

Trent smiled. “Why not just stay here? I have the door knob. When we get to the library I can just bring you through.” He offered.

Squints shook his head. “No good, the only thing I trust less than boats is magic.” He shuddered. “Technology is so much more, civilized.” He lamented.

Alex laughed. “Well then little man, you best get on the ship and claim a comfortable bunk before its filled with cargo or a drunken sailor.” She gestured to the ship as a deck hand walked up the walkway.

Squints walked up to the walkway and watched it sway for a second. He hesistated and another deck hand came up from behind him. “Move it little man!” The human shouted. Squints flinched in surprise and started up the walk way without thinking. Before he realized it he was on the ship, the deckhand made his way onto the ship and went into the lower decks. Squints walked around the main deck with his jaw slack in surprise.

Brooke and Lisa appeared at Alex’s side. “How is Squints already on the ship?” Brooke asked. “I thought he hated the ocean.” She watched as Squints ran back and forth on the deck avoiding the actual working sailors.

Alex shook her head. “He didn’t hate the ocean, he’s just never been near it really. Sailing in the blood of his people. I’ll bet by the end of the voyage he’ll be driving you all mad with is love for the open sea and sailing.

Squints stepped up on to a box so he could see over the edge of the ship. “How come no one told me how awesome this was going to be!” He shouted at them with a huge smile on his face.

Brooke shook her head. “Or His blood will kick in the second he steps foot on the vessel and he’ll fall in love with it and bug us endlessly for the ENTIRE trip.” She laughed. “Come on Lisa, lets find our cabin. She waved her hand and the pair make their way up the walkway and onto the ship.

Alex looked at Trent. “You ready for this?” She asked watching the last of the gear get loaded on board.

Trent shook his head. “No, but if I waited until I was ready I’d never get anything done.” He said standing up. He turned to Alex. “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

Alex hugged him. “Says the man about to save countless lives and go on a quest that most likely will turn out to be nothing but could change the future of our entire kingdom.” They separated. She wiped a tear from her eye. “I expect near constant updates. You understand me?” She tried to glare at Trent. 

He nodded as Dean rang the bell letting everyone know it was time to board and shove off. Alex waved her hand at the ship. “Now go on, get out of here.” She said as Trent made his way up the walk way.

The dock crew un did the lines holding the ship to the dock, setting it free. Dead spun the wheel as the crew moved the sails to catch the wind they needed to get out of the port. Trent looked back at Alex as the ship pulled away from the dock a saw her waving. He waved back until the ship turned toward the open ocean.

Alex stayed and watched until she could no longer make the ship out against the horizon.

Melody and Harmony Trailer

Melody and Harmony. The last of the mega cities, where music flourishes as religion, dance clubs are churches. The mainstream genres rule the inner city where the wealthy and powerful are covered by an environmental shield. Beyond the shield the fringes of the city are the territory of the subgenres and their fiercely loyal street congregations. Beyond the outer walls of the city, nomads roam the desert riding on ancient junked busses and piecemeal motorbikes bringing primal drumming to the wasteland shanty towns to sing the faith of the old gods to the forgotten and the waste landers worship them for it.

When several DJ’s from the most popular sub genres declare a temporary peace in the city of Melody the news of a unified concert to be held in the desert spreads quickly. All of the genre faithful left the safety of their territories in the heart of summer to venture out past the relative safety of the outer city walls and made their way to the festival grounds.

For Daniel and the rest of a rag tag band of unassociated believers the journey to the festival would not only be the highlight of their summer, it would change their lives and the twin cities, forever.

Beginning September 7^th experience a dystopian coming of age narrative unlike any other.

Melody and Harmony.

University of Console Heroics: Chapter 27

Foster was sitting alone in the intro to energy room. He had been sitting in the same spot, eyes closed,  counting the same beats, breathing in and out, feeling nothing but pressure.

One, two, three, Breathe out

One, two, three, breathe in

One, two, three, almost killed your friend

One, two, three, who are you?

One, two, three, what are you becoming?

One, two, three, four, five, breathe out

One, two, three, four, five, breathe in

One, two, three, four, five, breathe out

One, two, three, four, five, six, Breathe in

As he pulled air into his lungs papers on the wall pulled slightly toward him. When he let the air out of his lungs the papers pressed against the wall. He opened his eyes to see Cynthia standing in the doorway of the classroom.

She stepped into the room completely. “That was nice.” She said sitting in front of him.

Foster relaxed his legs. “Hey Cynthia.”

She smiled. “For someone who just passed intro to energy you don’t seem very excited.” She pointed out.

Foster shrugged. “I’m not sure I deserve to pass the class.” He admitted.

Cynthia cocked her head in confusion. “Why?” she asked.

Foster laid on his back. “Because I tried to kill Thompson, I was so afraid of failing that I turned to something in me that I am now desperately afraid of. I made a lot of mistakes this semester.” He was almost shouting at the ceiling.

Cynthia moves to lay down close to him but at an odd angle. “Look I know the college industry has everyone believing that’s what this is all about, attaining enough “success” to earn and alphabetical pat on the head. But that’s not what learning is Foster. What did you LEARN this semester?” She asked him.

Foster and Cynthia laid on the floor of the dark room while he thought the question over. Finally he spoke. “A good friend will go so far as to beat the crap out of you to keep you from making a life altering mistake. A good teacher will help you learn form the ones they cannot stop you from making. Control is more important than strength. Understanding is more important than control.” He stopped there.

Cynthia nodded as he spoke. “And would you have learned any of that if you had never gone through this semester the way you did?” She asked. He shook his head. “You didn’t fail Foster.” She continued. “You walked a hard road and didn’t quit. Make no mistake, no one who’s ever changed the world, did It because the world did it because it was the easy way out.” She concluded.

Foster rolled his head to the side to look at Cynthia. “ So why don’t I feel like I accomplished anything?” he asked.

Cynthia shrugged. “You are young, and this is just one moment in your life. You passed intro to energy, take that for what it is.”  She advised.

Silence in the room as he thought about what she was saying. “Ok then, what is it?” he asked her.

She sat up and folded herself in half, stretching out her back. “The first step in the long walk of your adult life.” She offered.

Foster sat up and scratched the back of his head. “So, is every class going to be like this?” he asked.

Cynthia got to her feet. “Nope” She decreed. “Only the really good ones.” Foster smiled and got to his feet as well.

She headed for the door and he followed her. “Modest much?” He asked as they left the room. 

Shades of Justice: Chapter 30

Techarious was rampaging through Tokyo, smashing his giant fists into buildings, knocking one sky scraper into another. Then suddenly an electric blue teleport beam flashed and Blinding Light was standing several blocks away. Technarious and Blinding light squared off and ran at each other. They smashed into each other and entangled their arms.

In the command center of blinding light Gordon pressed the command for the chest beam which hit Technarious full force in the chest. He lost the grapple and fell backwards, decimating the street below. Sonya pulled up the status read out of Technarious.

Dante looked over at the readout. “Ok boss, what’s the plan?” He asked as Warren stepped on Technarious’ prone body.

Sonya zoomed in on the damage they had caused to the chest. “Compter, where are Technarious’ power systems located?” She asked. A series of components inside Technarious on the status readout lit up with an orange outline. Can you get to that area from the crack in his chest?” She asked. In response a bright orange line led from the crack to the power system. “Transfer that pathway to my helmet.” She said as she stood up.

Dante and Kelly stood up as well. “Are you out of your mind?” Kelly shouted.

Sonya shook her head. “No, Warren can command the other leg from his station. We need to disable Technarious without killing him, and I’ll give everyone three seconds to come up with a better plan.” The other shades looked at each other. “Computer teleport.” She said, instantly disappearing.

Kelly and Dante looked at each other. “Should have seen that one coming.” Dante said as they sat back at their stations.

Sonya appeared in the crack of Technarious’ chest and dropped down into the inside of his body, carefully making her way around damaged cords and sparking machinery. She came to a small fire that was on her side of a gap that was easily eight feet wide. “Fire extinguisher!” she commanded as white suppressant exploded from her right hand. As soon as the fire was out she closed her fist shutting off the suppressant spray. She then looked down the gap which looked like it went for twenty or more feet. “Great idea Sonya.” She chastised herself as she checked the nearest wall for hand and footholds to use to make it across. Suddenly there was an incredible amount of movement and Technarious was getting back to his feet. Sonya held on for dear life.

Blood and Profit: Chapter 53

Once they council had agreed to accept the evidence before them a sense of panic ran through the group, She would never tell anyone the amount of time they spent discussing leaving the rest of the colony behind and leaving that evening before anyone noticed.

Kepi stayed silent as the council worked through how they were going to gather everyone together, how they were going to make sure that everyone that wanted to leave was granted passage. By the end of the day they had worked out an uncharacteristic amount of details.

The senate leader rapped his gavel. “If there are no other points of order I recommend that we adjourn for the day.” He offered.

“I have a question.” A voice filled the hall. Kepi grimaced. An elderly senator stood with the aid of a cane and cleared his throat. “While I appreciate the situation, and applaud all the effort made thus far to save lives, I fear that I must ask. Once we leave the planet. Where exactly do we plan to go?” He questioned.

Murmurs from the other representatives filled the room. The senate leader rapped his gavel for silence. Kepi raised her voice. “We must use the transport ring. We have no other options.” She explained.

The elderly senator nodded. “That system is three hundred years old and has never been successfully tested. We could kill everyone we send through it.” He pointed out.

Kepi shook her head. “The ring was activated just two weeks ago, It’s the reason the Starseeds came here in the first place.” She explained,

Again murmurs filled the room. The senate leader rapped the gavel several times.

The old man shook his head. “I read the report of what those boys did. We have no way of knowing what happened to them once they left this area. For all we know they are long dead stranded in the middle of nowhere, a fate I would not wish on the rest of this colony.” He said

Kepi shook her head. “They could just as likely made it all the way back to Earth, senator.” She countered. “As you said, we don’t know.”

The old man nodded again. “Is ‘we don’t know’ enough of a guarantee to bet the entire future of this planet on?” He asked as she sat down.

The murmurs of the other senators broke out again and this time there was no gavel to silence them. Kepi looked up at the leadership and saw that they too were discussing this question amongst themselves.

Kepi’s shoulders tightened and made her final point, shouting it over the other conversations. “Given the choice between ‘I don’t know” and Certain Death, I’ll take ‘I don’t know’ every time. Senator.” She room went dead silent and stared at her. She found the rest of her confidence and her shoulders relaxed. “And that is the choice life has given us. It is not great, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy but it is where we are. So, I call for a vote. A nay vote means certain death for the colony, a Yay vote means we take our caravan through the gate and see what happens next.” She looked to the leadership table.

The leader reluctantly rapped the gavel. “Is there a second?” He asked.

Kepi looked around a room full of statues. “I second.” A voice rang out. Kepi couldn’t believe it. She looked to Fletcher’s seat where he had raised his giant hand and voiced his support. She had not expected this, and it made her uneasy.

The senate leader nodded. “The vote has been requested and seconded. Return with your choice in fifteen minutes. This chamber is dismissed.” With no further reason to whisper the room exploded into a uncountable full volume conversations. Kepi couldn’t handle the noise and made her way out into the hall. Where she ran into Fletcher. She stopped in her tracks. “Why support my vote?” she asked suddenly.

Fletcher smiled. “I’m a business man, I can work with ‘I don’t know”. There’s not enough wiggle room in “certain death” for my taste.” She said floating off down the hall.

Kepi breathed a sigh of relief. 

Lidarion: Chapter 25

“Well then,” Brooke started. “I only see one way forward.” Everyone looked at her. “You’ll sail under the Lidarion royal flag. Let’s find out what the estimated value of the boat is and we will bring it plus ten percent in gold.” She sounded like she was planning a boring reception.

Trent waved his hand. “Brooke that’s- “ He started.

She stood up. “The easiest solution to our most recent problem. There will be others and I was going already so don’t even start on that.” She smiled sweetly as she stared him down. “Those people are my friends and their families and short of giving away the kingdom to set them free I will do it. This isn’t just your burden, it never was.” She finished her thought and sat back down.

Trart nodded, agreeing with everything she had said. But he decided to finish his sentence anyway. “Going to take up a lot of weight on the boat.” He smiled at her.

Everyone waited silently took see how long Brooke could hold out until she smiled. She lasted less than five seconds. “I hate you.” She threw a cloth napkin at Trent.

Dean stood up. “I greatly appreciate the assistance, and would be more than glad to take you to Cela’an, so please allow me to make two corrections to your plan. First the Womamel is a ship, not a boat. And secondly and I’m going to guess that I’m the only one present who has ever even met an elf, take that ten percent and bring it in the form of Lidarion’s best wine.” He stood. “I am beyond glad to have met you all, the Womamel will be ready to sail in thirty six hours, and we’re coming to the end of the smooth sailing season and will be cutting it close on passing through the southern straits as it is, so I’d recommend leaving no later than three days from now.” He walked over to the door and held it open. “You know where to find me, you all have a good evening.” He said as he left the bar.

The XP: Chapter 25

The arena was a complete mad house. Trart and Volnado still hadn’t made their way through the crowds to get back to the rest of the group. The rest of the end of the world club had done some cool stuff, but nothing that had made them the envy of the entire player base. Bob, Blackout, and Stygian watched in awe as the arena cheered for their achievement.

Sezario and The Matriarch flew down to the arena floor from their box seats. Sezario walked up to Torcano. “Congratulations on your victory.” He said holding out his hand to shake.

Torcano looks down at his feet. “I don’t feel like a winner.” He admitted.

Zezario gave a knowing smile. “Why? What ever could you mean?” He asked almost sarcastically.

The Matriarch hit him in the shoulder. “Don’t be mean.” She scolded.

Torcano looked up cluing into the oddness of the situation. “Wait, how did you get onto the arena floor?” He asked.

Sezario shrugged. “I created the game, I can pretty much go where ever I like.” He answered nonchalantly.

Bob and Blackout both dropped their jaws. “SPIRITWALKER!!!” They shouted practically into his face.

He nodded. “Durring working hours, speaking of working.” He turned his attention back to Torcano. “You want your job back kid?” He asked.

Torcano gave a bittersweet smile. “I appreciate the offer, and I genuinely don’t want to be rude, but no, thank you.” He replied.

Sezario nodded. “No worries, game was meant to be played, you know?” He smiled. Everyone nodded at this.

Trart and Volnado join the group. For a moment there is a dense, uncomfortable silence. No one in the group knows where to begin. Frustrated, Trart finally steps forward and does and impersonation of Volnado. “look bro, I’m sorry I was such a dick all those years.” Trart steps next to Torcano and impersonates him. “I’m sorry too, I should have let you know how much it bothered me a long time ago, and I’m sorry I turned into such a douche.” Another step over and he takes on Bob’s stance and voice. “Awwwwe, I apologize for snapping at you all the time Torcano and I apologise to the group for constantly leaving this ‘love/hate’ thing we're doing, in the air for so long.” Another step and he ends up next to Stygian and does his best impersonation “I missed you guy’s soooo much! I don’t have anything to apologize for I just wanted to be a part of the moment!” Finally he ends up next to Blackout. “Believe it or not, I’m perfectly comfortable with who I am. None of this was my fault and I’ll never let any of you forget it.” He then stepped back to his empty space in the circle. “Whelp, now that that’s out of the way lets go run The Sea of Ever Burning Fury, YAAAAAAAAAAAY!” He broke into a full run for the arena gate. The rest of the group looked around the circle at each other. Volnado shrugged and then broke off to follow Trart.

He was quickly followed by the rest of the End of the World Club.