An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Been doing some work on Light and Darkness! Three new chapters have been edited and posted. An extra chapter is being inserted between this and the original 21, so next update will take a little longer.
Lots going on so I won't be updating Light and Darkness for a couple weeks. I'll be having some small adventures in NZ and also have some crafty stuff to work on for various occasions.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Hey, Thorn again! Just posted chapter 5 of my current project. As always; would really appreciate any reblogs on this post, and those of you who read the actual work are certifiably The Best.
Published the third and fourth chapters today! I will be updating weekly on Wednesdays, but typically just one chapter a week. Am currently working on the sixteenth chapter so there's a nice buffer before that catches up to where I'm at.
I would be delighted if you could give this a read; and either way, reblogs are very much appreciated!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Hey folks! Recently I've been working on a long story about mages, dragons and magic talking lights! Like Heartflame, it was inspired by the Nightcaster game I played as a kid. Unlike Heartflame, it uses characters and scenarios from the game itself.
I would be so happy if you'd give it a read! I put a lot into this one, and have almost a complete draft written! However, I'll be posting a chapter each week to give myself time to edit and finish off that draft.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Wrote this story in 2019 when I was replaying Nightcaster and thinking way more about character Potential than that game really merits.
Anyway figured I should finally like. Release it into the wild instead of letting it gather dust. So here it is!
Ethan was supposed to save Anna. He was the one with the magic, the power! But Will had intervened instead, and been wreathed in light and flame for his efforts.
In spite of his efforts, the monster took her away.
Will died in spite of his efforts.
Ignoring the protests of his heartflame, the mage cast his staff into the dirt and fell to his knees at his friend’s side. Ethan lifted Will’s head into his lap, pulled his damp curls back from his still warm face, wiped the blood and tears from his cheeks. Somebody was crying, harsh fitful sobs, and this angered him. He wished the person would shut up and let him think.
It took Ethan a moment to realise that person was him.
“Heartflame,” he waved the guiding glow away. “Heartflame, c-can we fix this?”
“I’m afraid not, dear one,” the voice was soft, pitying.
Ethan combed his fingers through his friend’s hair, as though they were still twelve years old and the future bright with promised triumphs.
“But I love him,” his voice cracked. “That must mean something?”
“It means everything,” she replied, fluttering softly, “and he knew. I promise you, dear one: in the next world, you will see him again.”
“Nonono,” he shook his head forcefully. “Nono, I’ll see him now.”
“Ethan, Anna-”
He shook her off, snatching up the oak staff.
“She’ll be fine. She always is. She was Chosen too, remember? We’ll save each other until the end. But he wasn’t like us. Will was an ordinary guy who never listened, and got himself killed for his efforts. If he thinks he can get out of this before the Shadowmonger ruins all of our lives, he has another think coming.”
“Ethan, I-”
He tightened his grip on the gnarled, ancient oaken staff, and with his free hand touched the crow’s skull at his throat.
“No.”
“Ethan, you could destroy us both.”
“But I won’t.”
He closed his eyes. All the colour drained from the world, drained into the eye sockets of that tiny skull. The moss in the cobblestones, the blue of the sky, the green-brown of the struggling grass- all dimmed as the shine in the skull’s eyes grew. When the gold started to drain from Will’s hair, and his whole form discolored to dusty grey and flickered with the promise of death, Ethan sagged and leaned on the staff for support. He felt centuries old, but his heartflame nestled herself against his neck, and a little warmth returned, giving him the strength to push through.
We can do this, he told himself as he fell to his knees, and his ears rang with faraway music. So close.
Even as his vision clouded, he tightened his grip on the old oak staff and leaned into it, poured his everything into that. It glowed with warmth, funneling back into his flesh, keeping death at bay. His heartflame supporting him faithfully even in her final flutters of consciousness. He wished he had the strength to thank her.
All at once his senses returned. Dazed as he was it took Ethan a moment to register the woman standing over him, glowing gold, hands folded over his own. The heartflame stirred weakly at his side.
“Anna?” Ethan croaked.
“The very same,” she helped him to his feet, slinging his arm around her shoulders. “Monster’s dead.”
“I’m glad.”
“Will’s not. That was a brave thing you did.”
Will.
He looked at his friend. Will was breathing again. Colour had returned. It would be okay.
Ethan laughed in relief and, to his surprise, realised that he was crying again.
“Oh. Oh, buddy,” Anna hugged him. “You okay?”
“I’m just...I’m so happy, Anna. I thought I lost... thank-you.”
She kissed his cheek. “Any time, Ethan. We’ll save each other until the end, after all. Do you need a moment alone with him?”
“That would be nice.”
The light was already fading as Anna turned, scanning the skyline. “I’ll scout about, find a place to camp. We’ll play some cards. I’ll pretend I don’t notice you cheating.”
He smiled, wiping away tears as Anna vanished from sight. When he turned, Will was propped up on his elbows. The heartflame had resumed her position atop the oaken staff, but fluttered away with a very unangelic curse as Ethan dropped it to fling his arms around his friend.
“Will,” he sobbed, burying his face in the young man’s hair. “I thought we lost you.”
“Ethan?” the Chosen One helped him sit up. “I- what happened?”
“You almost died. You almost died protecting Anna. Idiot,” he wiped away a fresh flow of tears. “Don’t you know that’s my destiny? We protect each other.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I want to protect people too.”
“Of course. Of course you would say that,” Ethan pulled him in close. “You brave, stupid man.”
They remained with their foreheads pressed together, rocking gently side-to-side, until Will brushed away the last of Ethan’s tears and pulled back to look him full in the eyes.
“I love you,” Ethan murmured, stroking Will’s hair.
Wanted to write a small thing with my new short-term character, Sivuro the disgraced former courtier. As a child, because of course. Do his parents have names? Uhhhhhh….WELL they’re both winter eladrin, that’s a start! I’ll probably just wing it if anyone asks him, haha.
(piece involving an NPC in a D&D game I DM, in response to a writing prompt from a writing group I’m in.)
Pahra sometimes wondered if this was what intoxication felt like to mortals: a heaviness and lightness, a glimmer at the corner of your eye. Or all eyes, sometimes- like little lights everywhere, dancing wisps, glinting like motes of distilled pain in the breweries Below. The sensation of intoxication had been described to him. He felt he understood it. He felt this was close.
Pahra laughed giddily, burying his face in his companion’s shoulder. “Ugh. Enough.”
She ran her fingers through his hair. “It is powerful here. I agree.”
“It is a strange and winding path,” Pahra said, and bit his tongue, and laughed again. “I am listening too much to them now.”
He steadied himself as she moved away, becoming just another glimmer at the corner of his eye- but always at least that much within his sight. Pahra didn’t trust her enough to let her out of it.
“I don’t think intoxication is the right analogy,” she said. Her tongue flickered, tasting the air.
“What would you say, then?”
“I would say it is closer to what they call 'feeling-alive’.”
