I've been putting this off for long enough

[Tesh]

Alright.

So.

I am a writer. I have been since third grade, and I hope that some day it will be my career, either as an author or editor.

I've also been on the Shard for about three years, give or take, and I started a roleplay way back when. (The Knights of the Cosmere, originally the Surgefinders. We went on for a solid two years, but have recently decided to take a break. We might start up again, we might not. But that's besides the point.) I started said roleplay while I was in middle school, and I kind of sucked as a writer, which was especially obvious in tKotC stuff. I have improved a lot over the last few years. So I feel like I owe everyone some solid writing that I have done, almost to kind of prove that I can actually write, y'know? Plus, I've been meaning to do this for ages, just to sort of put myself out there a little more.

(Wow. This is super coherent.)

Anyways, I've never shared anything I've written on here. And I don't know why. You people will undoubtedly give me much better advice than my creative writing class. 

Without further ado, I present Miracles and Merely Human.

(I lied. I'm going to say some more stuff. I'd love your guys' thoughts on both pieces, but feedback on Miracles won't be used, as it's finished 100% and I'm kind of done with it. But I'd love your reactions and feedback and thoughts and feelings and everything with regards to Merely Human. It will be a novel, and it isn't finished yet. So have at it!)

 

Miracles

This is a story that I wrote last year. It is complete, and I think it turned out pretty well. It has been published in an anthology, actually. I've mentioned it a few times, but never shared it. However, the more I read it the worse it gets. I don't know if that is because I wrote it a year ago, or if I've just read it so many times it just seems really bad.

This is not the final edited version, but it is pretty close. I hope you guys like it!

Spoiler

“Adrian!” Aniya gasped, throwing the door open. The snow and wind from the storm outside swirled in around her, causing the fire to tremble.

Adrian surged to his feet, his book thudding to the ground. “Where?” He asked as he hurriedly began to pull his worn leather boots on over his hole ridden socks. 

“The town square! I don’t know what happened, but the cobbler’s son is unconscious,” Aniya said, worry filling her words. Adrian finished lacing up his boots and briskly walked to the door, Aniya following behind him. 

“You go ahead,” Adrian whispered, giving her a quick kiss. “See what you can learn.”

Aniya nodded, pulled her dark cloak tightly around her, and ran out into the snow. Adrian threw his own cloak over his shoulders, and tied a mask over his face. Pulling up the hood, he ran out of the house, the door thudding behind him. 

He let Aniya fade into the snow storm ahead of him and he started to run. 

His breath puffed in and out, seeming to grate at the edges of the mask, fighting for freedom. The mask was a necessary precaution, however. He couldn’t let anyone see him heal. There would be a never ending demand on his abilities, and that would take an enormous toll on him. If he didn’t give his soul enough time to recover after each healing, he would slowly begin to die. A person cannot survive with less than half a soul.

Adrian loved the cold. He loved the feeling of running down a snow and ice covered street, his feet sure where others would slip, the crisp air blowing his snow white cloak up behind him, the ice cold kiss of each snowflake that touched his skin. The only sweeter kiss was that of Aniya.

The cold was his. His home, his shelter, the one constant in his life that had been there as long as he could remember. 

Yes, he loved it, that fridgid air. He could love it even when the ice hidden streets led to more accidents among the children, and the snow to accidents among drivers of wagons. Even through the deaths that the cold caused among those few souls who had strayed too far from home and gotten too cold too fast.

Not far now, he thought. 

A moment later, he passed a pair walking away from the square. The woman stopped, looked at him, then whispered to the man, “It’s the snow wraith.”

Their name for him, his white cloak, his white mask, and his abilities. Their name for the face hidden deep in the folds of the hood.

The square was full of people. Talking, yelling, concerned. Adrian began to push his way through the crowd, but as the people saw him, they quickly cleared a path. In the center of the square, three figures kneeled around a smaller, paler one.

One of the people looked up and met Adrain’s eyes. They gasped in astonishment.

“It’s the snow wraith!” the man cried. “Away, away! Let him do his work!” The other two people, huddled deep inside their coats and cloaks, moved away at the man’s words, blending into the crowd.

Adrian slid to the ground in front of the boy. A long, bloody gash ran from his left eye into his hair. His lips were pale, and his eyes closed, but he was breathing softly. The blood in his hair was beginning to freeze.

Aniya, come on… he thought.

“His name is Bryan,” a person behind him whispered. The presence of the person disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, but it was all that he had needed. But could recognize that voice anywhere. Nodding his head in thanks, Adrian set to work.

He covered the boy’s eyes with his hand then closed his own, ignoring the blood on the boy’s face. Then he began to focus.

Feel the soul, find the tear or missing piece… It was easier the more you knew about the person. 

A name on it’s own wasn’t much to work with. But it would have to do. 

Bryan.

Then he found it, a long, ragged tear.

Adrian began to syphon away small pieces of his own soul to fill the narrow gap, slowly healing it. Small piece after small piece. Too much at a time and he’d lose consciousness. And… There…

He opened his eyes and removed his hand. The cut was gone, and all that remained was the blood. Color had returned to the boy’s lips, and his eyes slowly began to blink awake. Adrian was tired, maybe on the verge of exhausted, but he had healed far worse.

“Take him somewhere warm,” Adrian whispered to the man who had recognized him, turning away from the boy.

“I will.” He smiled at the relieved tone of the man’s voice. “Alright, Bryan. Let’s take you home.”

Adrian stood, and began to walk away, pulling his cloak around himself.

“That was the snow wraith, wasn’t it, Da?” Adrian heard the young boy say sleepily. “Did he heal me?”

“Yes, Bryan. Now, let’s get going. Your mother is worried sick.”

Adrian was too far away to hear the boy’s soft reply, but he could feel the happiness in the boy’s father’s laugh. His soft smile didn’t fade as he continued down the street.

 

❅❆❅

 

 

Adrian was sitting on the floor by the fire, reading and beginning to recover from the healing earlier that day, when Aniya returned. 

 

“His parents were so grateful,” she sighed, unlacing her boots by the door, and hanging her cloak on the stand. “I wish we could tell the people it is you.” She wandered over to where he was reading and sat by his side. She would frequently do that. Come to visit, and just sit with him for hours.

“You know why we can’t,” he replied, turning the page in his book.

“I know,” she sighed. “What are you reading?”

“The Sea of a Thousand Faces,” Adrian said, his voice soft.

“Are you very far into it?”

“A few chapters.”

“Would you read it to me? I’ve always wanted to read that one.”

“Of course. Would you like me to start from the beginning?” He asked, smiling at her.

“Not start at the beginning! What kind of monster do you think I am?” she asked, her smiling sarcasm seeming to brighten the room even further.

Laughing, Adrain flipped back through the pages and began to read in a soft, clear voice, strong with the spirit of the book.

“Good so far?” He asked after a few pages.

“Of course.” She leaned her head onto his shoulder.

Adrian continued, and the small room seemed to come alive at his words, dancing with the firelight. He told the story, one of death, pain, trials, to help with his own hurt. He had Aniya, he had his brother, but there would always be the lingering image of his mother, father, and sister laying in the cart next to the other bodies, and Adrian having been able to do nothing to save them.

His abilities had slowly begun to manifest over the following weeks, and had strengthened as he used them.

But Adrian tried to push those feelings away, tried to focus on the warmth of Aniya’s body next to him, the weight of her head on his shoulder, and the magic in the story. Beyond the tale of pain and suffering, the book also told the story of adventure, hope, and love.

Please, he thought towards Aniya, Please, never leave me.

“And the group reached a crossroads. The leaf-littered ground seemed to beckon them forward into the woods, but they knew not which way to turn. And the voice came again,” he read. 

“Whispering in Ranil’s ear, the voice said, ‘Choose wisely.’”

“Choose wisely,” Aniya echoed.

 

❅❆❅❆

 

 

“Adrian! It’s Lee! He slipped from the roof while tarring!” Aniya shouted. She was standing at the door, a look of fear and horror accompanying the tear tracks on her face.

 

“Lee?” Adrian looked to Aniya in terror, standing from his seat at the table.

“Yes! Come quickly! He’s hit his head! He doesn’t have very long!”

“Aniya,” Adrian slowly sat back down. “If I healed that, I’d die. He might be dead already.”

“Adrian!” Aniya sobbed, kneeling on the ground, desperate tears streaming from her face. 

“I know,” Adrian whispered, standing again. He walked to his boots and put them on. 

“Wait!” Aniya gasped, looking up. “Don’t do it! I wouldn’t be able to go on without you!”

“I know,” Adrian repeated, clasping his dark green cloak around his throat.

“Then… Where are you going?” She stood slowly, the skirt of her dress wet with melted snow. 

“To say goodbye.”

 

❅❆❅❆❅

 

 

Lee lay in the snow, the red stain around his head a stark reminder that he was dead. A large group was gathered around the body.

 

“The mortuary workers are on their way,” Aniya whispered, returning to Adrian’s side.

“He’s dead,” Adrian breathed. “He’s always been there for me. Always. Now he’s gone. I couldn't have asked for a better friend, much less brother. He was going to be my best man…”

“I know,” Aniya replied. “We can push back the wedding date…”

“No… No.” The cold wind chilled the wet tracks his tears had left. “Life will move on, with or without Lee. I can’t stop it.”

“We both know there was nothing you could have done.”

“I know.”

Silence.

“But does this mean that I think my life is more valuable than his?” Adrian whispered. 

“No,” Aniya replied, drawing Adrian into a hug.

Lee’s body was covered by a dusting of snow. The burial shroud.

The mortuary workers hadn’t arrived yet. They were late. Just letting the body sit, slowly getting buried in its white tomb of snow.

 

❅❆❅❆❅❆

 

 

The silence was filled only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth, and Aniya’s knitting needles clacking together as she slowly created a blanket from the ball of blue yarn that lay in her lap.

 

Adrian sat next to her, watching the flames dance around each other, providing heat for them to survive, yet playing at the same time. 

“Tomorrow,” Aniya breathed. “Tomorrow. The day many people wait their whole childhood for.”

“Did you not?” Adrian asked, continuing to stare into the fire.

“I have been waiting since the moment you asked. I was never in a hurry to grow up as a child…”

“With growing up comes the weight of many burdens. And understanding. Understanding things fully is a curse.”

Death.

He had always understood death. The death of his mother, father, and now his brother. His parent’s deaths had been slow things, over time, a result of the plague five years ago. This time, the pain had seemed so much sharper than all of the others. It had felt more real.

He looked over at Aniya, his fiancé, his love, his best friend. All he had left. She had stopped her knitting, and met his gaze with eyes full of love.

“It will pass, as all things do,” she said.

“Yes. It will.”

“I miss him too.” She returned to her knitting.

Adrian turned back to the fire. 

“I know.”

 

 

❅❆❅❆❅❆❅

 

 

 

The cold bit Adrian’s face as he raced through the streets. He didn’t enjoy it, this time. A man had come to his door, yelling that he was needed… But no one knew his secret except Aniya.

 

He was terrified. 

He wore no cloak, just a white suit. 

Adrian slipped. He never slipped. Not ever. One of his feet flew out from underneath him, and he landed on his stomach, the ice against his face, his breath puffing out in a white cloud.

Keep… Going!

Adrian stood and continued to run. To the town square. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and the cold wind seemed to freeze them as they fell. He heard someone whisper of the snow wraith, then another say it was just Adrian running late to his own wedding.

How wrong they were.

The square was crowded with people, packed around something next to the clock.

“Get out of the way!” He screamed, pushing people aside, his voice a raw roar fueled by fear. When they caught a glimpse of him, people backed away instantly, clearing a path to the body.

Aniya was laying in the snow, in her wedding dress. It was beautiful. Adrian had never seen it before, and now… Here it was.

“Aniya,” he sobbed, collapsing by her side. He held his hand over her mouth, but felt no breath. He felt at her neck for a pulse. Her skin was growing cold.

His tears dripped onto her face like blood.

“I can’t lose you…”

Adrian placed his hand over her eyes. He closed his own. 

And then he looked into her soul. It would have normally taken a few minutes to find the missing section, but here… There was almost nothing left. 

He began to push his soul into hers, desperately filling that gap. He had to do it quickly. He would die. But she would live. The world wouldn’t be able to go on without Aniya’s laugh.

Two words penetrated his mind. 

Snow wraith.

Adrian removed his hand and opened his eyes. The last things he saw were Aniya’s eyes blinking the snow off their lashes, and they meet his own, for just a moment. He had healed one last time, had healed in his white clothing, the white clothing of the snow wraith, and of Adrian. 

Nothingness came, but he greeted it with a smile, for he had seen those eyes one last time. He had healed those eyes, and the soul that gave them life.

 

❅❆❅❆❅❆❅❆

 

 

Aniya watched as Adrian collapsed to the ground beside her. She had met his eyes for a moment, and then... 

 

Tears began to pour down her face.

She held his body in the cold for hours, trying to give back that soul that wasn’t hers. They lay there, in the white snow, in their white clothing, together.

One last time.

But he would always be with her.

For he had given her his soul.

 

Merely Human

Yes, the title is relevant to something in this novel. I won't go into any more details.

This will be a fantasy novel, at this point a stand alone. It will probably end up between 80,000 and 100,000 words. I'm about 35,000 words in at this point. I have a very general outline, but not a ton of specific stuff. I'm going to definitely devote some time to the outline once NaNoWriMo is over. I'm only going to be putting in the first chunk. This novel will need some serious editing once I finish due to my weird writing process, so there's a lot of stuff that will change in regards to continuity and then just general editing. (For example- Ever doesn't have any brothers. Just an older sister.)

This is basically completely unedited. And once again, I'd appreciate any feedback on this!

If you guys want some more, I would be more than happy to post the next couple scenes as well. (That's when you meet the dragon.)

Spoiler

Ever crept through the grass, stepping in the places least likely to make a dry crackling noise. She was silent, the grass kept almost perfectly still, and she was bent far below the point where someone would have been able to see her. It was like she was sneaking through an enemy encampment, silently weaving her way around tents and guards, using the shadows to her advantage.

With her little fantasy in her mind, Ever continued creeping until she reached the base of the tree. The boy sat against the trunk on the other side, still completely absorbed in his book. Ever quietly stood up, reaching for a branch. She grabbed it, then easily pulled herself into the tree. She had climbed that specific one dozens of times, and so she was able to move up over to the place above the boy’s head without even a piece of bark coming loose.

Ever was very proud. She carefully sat down on a branch, hooked her feet under another one, and fell backwards, coming to a stop upside down right beside the boy.

The boy jumped, book sliding shut in his lap. He let out a little squeak. 

Ever laughed, dangling upside down from the tree, as the boy stared at her in horror. 

And to him, she did look horrible. Her light brown, boyishly cut hair was filled with leaves, dry grass, and even had a little mud in it. She wore a ratty old tunic she had stolen from one of her brothers (which was slightly too large for her), a pair of boys trousers, torn and covered in some of the mud that dotted her hair, that she had taken from the clothesline of a neighbor down the lane, and her skin, tanned from long days spent outside in the sun, had dirt in every crevice, and her hands and feet were calloused from climbing tree after tree, rock after rock, digging hole after hole.

“Mornin’!” she said, arms dangling down. “Whatcha’ readin’?”

The boy just stared at her. He looked clean. The intelligent type, Ever supposed. 

“Hello?” She waved at him. 

The boy coughed and picked up his book, trying to hide the golden text on the spine. It wouldn’t do anything, Ever wouldn’t have been able to read it even if she wanted to. “Nothing,” he said, looking her up and down. “What are you doing up there?”

Ever grinned. “Tryin’ to make you jump. Which you did.”

“You can come down, now,” the boy said, looking a little nervous after the initial exchange. “That looks uncomfortable.”

“Nah.” But Ever did reach up and swing down from her branch, just to satisfy him. And the boy did seem to relax once her feet were firmly on the ground. Had he been nervous that she would fall? 

Ever sat with a thump in front of him. “Well, who are you?” she asked conspiratorially. “The subject of an assasination plot, in hiding? A prince, separated from his family at birth? Or a scholar, travelling the world to learn of its mysteries?”

The boy cocked his head. “Um, no, none of those. My father is the new mayor.”

Ever sat back. “Blast. Nothing exciting ever happens out here.”

“My name is Callen, by the way,” the boy said, pulling his book to his chest.

“I’m Ever. Hey, you doin’ anything today besides readin’ that book?”

“Not that I know of,” Callen said slowly. “Why?”

“Wanna play somethin’?” Ever’s smile widened. The boy needed to be introduced to the life of a normal child.

“Um, sure. We could do checkers. There’s a board back at the house. Or we could ask someone to teach us how to play chess, I suppose.”

Ever moaned. “Not a game, stupid.” She stood. “Like this. You can be… Duke Callen. I’ll be the assassin. Get it?”

Callen stood as well, leaving his book on the ground beside the tree. “I suppose. Where are we, then?”

Ever began pacing. “Rithalia. Let’s see… They have lots of treasure there, at least according to Rim. You and your people have been lookin’ for some treasure, but I don’t want you to find it. I work for… The priests in the North, who want the treasure for themselves and their church. They say they do good, but they are actually corrupt.” Ever looked up at Callen, giving him another big smile. “Sound good?”

In response to Ever’s smile, Callen frowned. “Seems a little impractical.”

“Nah. It’ll be fun.” Ever ran back up to the tree and pulled herself up into it. “I’ve got a crossbow, some knives, and some poison,” she said, looking down through the leaves at the confused boy. “And tons of disguises. I’ve never been caught yet!”

Callen looked up into the tree, trying to meet Ever’s eyes through the shifting leaves of the tree. “Are you sure that this is a good idea?”

“All my ideas are the best,” Ever responded, pretending to shoot a crossbow bolt out of the tree. “Now are we gonna get goin’ or not?”

Callen sighed. Then took off running through the tall grass. Ever whooped, swung back down from the tree, and took off after the boy.

The day passed in chases through the grass and nearby forest, melodramatic fights, imaginary treasure hunting, and ended in Ever pushing Callen into the stream.

He emerged, sputtering and grinning, hair plastered to his forehead. Ever laughed, and jumped into the stream beside him, laying down in the water, letting it run around her face, otherwise completely submerged. 

Callen said something, and Ever pushed herself into a sitting position so she could hear him. “Huh?” 

“My father is going to kill me,” Callen said, although he didn’t seem very upset about it. 

“No he’s not,” Ever replied, splashing a little water at the boy. 

“Well, not literally,” Callen sighed. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m not allowed outside again this summer.”

Ever frowned. “Just for playing? What’s wrong with that?”

“Well, I was just supposed to be reading, and my father said that if I got too dirty, well, I wouldn’t be allowed back outside all summer.”

“That’s harsh. And you’re not even dirty,” Ever replied. “You’re practically taking a bath right now. When will your da get home?”

Callen looked up at the sun, seemingly just a few inches from setting behind the mountains. “In about half an hour, I think. Why?”

Ever shot up, jumping onto the bank. “Come on! We can go get you dried off before he gets there!”

Callen stood up more slowly, following her onto the banks. His shoes made an unpleasant squelching noise. “We’d have to run the whole way there, and I don’t think you’d be allowed inside.”

“There’s a tree that goes up to a window on the second floor of the mayor’s house. I’ve climbed it plenty of times. I can get in and out there. And what’s the problem with a little running?” Ever grinned at him, and took off through the trees, heading for the main part of town. 

“Wait up!” Callen shouted from behind. He wasn’t as fast as she was, or as sneaky, but he was pretty smart. Ever guessed it had something to do with the books. 

They reached the town in about fifteen minutes, both puffing from exertion, Ever notably less red then Callen. “Come on,” she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the street.

The town streets were bustling with people returning from their jobs at the mill, the farms, and the small shops. Ever and Callen were noted by most, but dismissed as two children from a farm. Ever recognized many people they passed as shop owners and friends of her father’s, but none recognized her. Which was good at that given moment. 

The mayor’s mansion quickly came into view, a tall, two story building made of marble, built when Ever’s father was a boy. Or so he claimed. 

Ever scampered directly over to the tree, leaving Callen by the front door. 

“I’ll meet you at the top,” she said in a furious whisper. 

Callen slowly walked over to her. “I probably shouldn’t go in that way,” he said, seeming very nervous. “The staff might tell father, and I believe mother is here as well. Um, may I come up with you?”

Ever rolled her eyes. “Sure. Just don’t fall.” She grabbed a low branch and pulled herself up into the thick leaves of the tree, almost completely obscured from the people in the street around them. Callen awkwardly clambered up into the tree, hanging onto each branch for dear life.

“You’ve never climbed a tree before?” Ever asked, cocking her head. “Odd.”

“Well,” Callen grunted, pulling himself up a little higher. “There weren’t very many trees to practice in back in the city.”

“Don’t worry,” Ever said, climbing a little higher. “I can change that.”

After several minutes of watching Callen awkwardly climb through the branches of the tall tree, the children reached the second-story window. Ever carefully used a hairpin that she pulled from her pocket to lift the latch inside, letting the window swing open. She stuck her head into the hallway, didn’t see or hear anything, and jumped in with a soft thump.

Callen slid in after her, and closed the window behind himself. “This way,” he said, and started off down the hall. 

Ever peeked into every open door they passed, marveling at the soft carpets, rich furniture, and clean white walls. Even the sconces on the walls were made of a beautiful white, swirling glass.

Callen pushed a door at the end of a hallway open, ushering Ever inside.

“This is your room?” she asked as the door closed behind them. There was a large bed, a desk, a table, a dresser, a wardrobe, and even a bookshelf filled with books.

“Um, well, yes,” Callen said, picking up a trim looking outfit off of the top of the table. He moved into a small adjoining bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Ever slowly wandered around the room, fingering the thin white curtains framing the window, and admiring the delicate gold letters on the spines of the books. The table had several piles of books on it, and wonderful carvings on the edge. They depicted lions, and elephants, and, she noted with amusement, turtles.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, sitting on the chair at the desk. 

Callen emerged from the bathroom, wearing the suit, and looked around the large room. “It is quite nice, isn’t it?” He took a seat on his bed, then quickly stood again. “I forgot my book!” he exclaimed, smacking his forehead.

“I’ll give it to you tomorrow,” Ever said absently. 

“Really? You would do that?” He seemed surprised.

“Sure. Assuming you want to play tomorrow.”

“Uh, yes, that would be very nice.” Callen sat back with a thump on his bed.

“What was that book about, anyway?” Ever turned to face him, smiling slyly.

“It was a story,” Callen sighed. “About pirates. I was supposed to be reading a geography book, but it was awful.”

“I bet.”

“What sorts of things do you like to read?”

Ever lowered her head, gently kicking the ground. She had been hoping that that question wouldn’t come up.

“Ever? Are you okay?”

“I mostly just make up stories in my mind, you know? Magic, spies, dragons. But I can’t read them.” She kept looking at her feet.

“Really?”

She nodded.

“Alright, then. I’ll teach you.”

Ever jumped, head snapping to face Callen. “Seriously? You’re not joking? You would do that for me?”

Callen shrugged. “Yeah. If you want to.”

Ever almost started crying. And she didn’t cry. She thought of those words in mother's books, the words that she’d finally be able to read. The words that she could read to her da, and to Leaf.

“Thanks,” was all she said.

A bell rang in a distant part of the house. Ever jumped to her feet, Callen looking nervous. 

“That will be father,” he said, running his fingers through his hair as if to try and make it lie flat. “You better go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yep!” Ever ran to the door. Before she ducked out, she turned to wink at him. “At the tree. I’ll have your book.”

Thanks for reading!

(Wow. This is nerve-wracking... I'm trying to bring myself to click the "submit topic" button...)

Edited November 17, 2020 by Tesh

[Karger]

44 minutes ago, Tesh said:

This is basically completely unedited. And once again, I'd appreciate any feedback on this!

Fantastic work.  Great magic system, excellent imagery, and great setup. 

[S4S]

I liked the idea of Miracles. I'm interested to know if what you posted for it are excerpts from a greater whole or if the intention is to keep a compact story. Regardless of overall length though, what you shared was short and powerful, leaving me with enough intrigue that has kept me thinking and interested to know more as to what kind of world this is that you have made with snow and soul.

I'd also be curious to see where Merely Human continues. It was a good introduction for the characters you had set in place, and similar to Miracles, I'm interested as to what kind of world Ever and Callen are placed in. The "environment" around the two characters seems left open to interpretation so far, so it will be interesting to see the world develop.

Aside from grammatical edits, these pieces were well done! Thanks for sharing!

[Tesh]

4 hours ago, S4S said:

I liked the idea of Miracles. I'm interested to know if what you posted for it are excerpts from a greater whole or if the intention is to keep a compact story. Regardless of overall length though, what you shared was short and powerful, leaving me with enough intrigue that has kept me thinking and interested to know more as to what kind of world this is that you have made with snow and soul.

There is nothing more to it. I've considered writing some sort of sequel thing where there are more people with similar abilities to Adrian, and following their stories. I've pushed aside that idea in recent months, especially as I have an ever growing list of half-baked stories that are trying to get my attention.

I'm so glad you liked it though! Thanks for your comments!

[Lightdancer]

I read the first story... it put tears in my eyes. Great job.

[Condensation]

I love these! Nice job!

[Tesh]

2 hours ago, Lightdancer said:

I read the first story... it put tears in my eyes. Great job.

And that is the best comment a writer can hope to receive! Thank you for the kind words! 

1 hour ago, Ookla the Grammatical said:

I love these! Nice job!

Thank you!

[Condensation]

I'm curious. How are you an unemployed samurai?

[Tesh]

3 hours ago, Ookla the Grammatical said:

I'm curious. How are you an unemployed samurai?

A samurai who is ronin is a samurai who doesn't have a master, and this can happen in a few ways. I'm not going to explain this on here, but if you're interested, you can Google it. Feudal Japan is super interesting, by the way. (Also, look into ninjas!)

[Condensation]

Japan is great, you gotta love it. I want a pair of Jika-tabi.

[Tesh]

4 hours ago, Ookla the Grammatical said:

Japan is great, you gotta love it. I want a pair of Jika-tabi.

I just want a katana... 

[Condensation]

3 hours ago, Ookla the Rōnin said:

I just want a katana... 

My dad has two.

[AonEne]

On 11/16/2020 at 8:56 PM, Ookla the Rōnin said:

For he had given her his soul.

Tesh how dare you make me feel things

[Tesh]

49 minutes ago, Ookla the Grammatical said:

My dad has two.

Luckyyyyyyyy!!!

6 minutes ago, Ookla the Intimidating said:

Tesh how dare you make me feel things

Yay!!! I made people feel things!

This is truly the best compliment a writer can get for a story like this.

I'm glad you liked (is that too strong of a word for this situation?) it, though.

[Condensation]

Just now, Ookla the Rōnin said:

Luckyyyyyyyy!!!

He went to Japan on his mission. It's pretty great. I have a dagger, though.

[Tesh]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Grammatical said:

He went to Japan on his mission. It's pretty great. I have a dagger, though.

I asked for a sword for Christmas, but my parents said that if I wanted one I'd have to buy it myself. 

Daggers are pretty deevy, though.

[Condensation]

Just now, Ookla the Rōnin said:

I asked for a sword for Christmas, but my parents said that if I wanted one I'd have to buy it myself. 

Daggers are pretty deevy, though.

Daggers are so deevy. I got it at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the daggers/swords are always on sale then.

[AonEne]

On 12/3/2020 at 7:45 PM, Ookla the Rōnin said:

Luckyyyyyyyy!!!

Yay!!! I made people feel things!

This is truly the best compliment a writer can get for a story like this.

I'm glad you liked (is that too strong of a word for this situation?) it, though.

You can use liked!