Not A Joy

The sun had long since gone down.  The previous few Trick-Or-Treaters had been high school students, wearing little more than some smeared makeup and those plastic vampire teeth, holding out their pillow cases expectantly.   The bowl was nearing empty.  I had eaten at least more than a share of the Kit-Kats from it, and tucked a few more bits of the good stuff away for tomorrow.  The few Almond Joys and Smarties left would satisfy those last few who came to the door.

Just as I was about to return to the TV to catch more ‘Buffy’ specials, a knock came to the door.  I brushed the hair from the long dark wig out of my face and adjusted the pointy hat.  Opening the door revealed the little creature, shorter in comparison to those pubescent undeserving individuals.

Trick or Treat the petite zombie groaned, forcing out a dark raspy voice.

What a great costume! I repeated for the 40th time that night, staring into his dark eye circles. I quickly glanced up at the walkway to my house, looking for any sign of a mom or dad.  Across the street, the neighbor flicked off their porch light, any remaining signs of Jack-o-Lanterns vacant.

It’s a bit too late to be out without your parents, isn’t it? I said as I leaned over to plop the candy into his sack.

The boy looked down as the blue package dropped into the bag.  As I extracted my hand, I felt something upon it.  I yanked my hand back, pulling with it the chitinous body of a cockroach, clicking loudly at me.  I swung my hand back, causing it to fly off and into my living room where it scuttered off under my futon.  I glanced back at the boy, who continued to stare blankly into my house.

There was… I uh…  I stumbled.  You should get on home, kiddo. My voice shook.  I shut the door with the child still staring at me.  I turned back and ran to my coffee table, pulling a magazine out of the collection atop it it and rolling it up into a weapon.  I ducked down on the vinyl floor and peeked under the furniture, seeking out the disgusting insect.  The sickening clicks of whatever part of the thing made that sound were distant.

A slim arm crept up against mine while my head was turned sideways to peer into the dusty gap.  I slid myself out from under the futon frame and sat up.  The zombie child had crept up next to me.  I looked back at the door that laid hung open to the dark night.  I heard an inhuman squeal, prodding me to turn back.

The offending roach was wiggling in the boy’s fingers, letting out a noise reminiscent of a scream.  The boy silently stood before shoving the head of the insect into his mouth, biting down upon it with a sickening crunch.

I turned my head back and tried to hold my stomach back from returning the milk chocolate I had consumed earlier that night.  My hand over my mouth, I heard a small slap upon the floor.  A blue wrapped goodie slid back at me, the same one I had distributed to the strange child.

Keep it.  Coconut is gross.  

What Now?

So, Of Armor and Bone is officially the longest single book I’ve written- about 64 thousand words.  Well, it took me long enough.

I was actually working on a short prequel for my Mars: Whispers of a Planet series at the end there.  Just a short 10k words.  But it will go into the omnibus I’m planning.  Yup, all three books put together, plus more.  If you can’t wait until then, you can read just the prequel as I slowly put up here.

Holy cow, just looking at the calendar, I realized that NaNoWriMo is only two weeks from now.  I don’t know which of the several sets of ideas I’ll be using to turn into my story for this November.

I usually go dark here when I’m writing for NaNoWriMo.  I actually have a story that I wrote back in the early summer for Camp NaNo that I never posted, so hopefully I can do some light editing on it and get it to you guys.  Warning, it is a bit raunchy.

In other news, the new Coheed and Cambria album is really good.  If you like prog rock, you should check it out.

The Man of Armor and Bone

Of Armor and Bone: Chapter 41 [Final]

Shiloh concentrated on the flashing of the set of horseshoes before him, shining each time the horse picked up its legs in the dim light. In the ocean of darkness beyond the road, he could see the the vague shape of the mountain range in the distance. “We must be getting closer to Lyeys by now, My Lord!” He called up to Danus in front of him.

The land in the distance flashed with a bright unnatural light before fading back to the ground. Shiloh peered back at Zethurus, who was keeping pace amongst the other robed magi. “Things have already started it seems!” The mage called out.

“For Tulefore!” Shiloh called out over the cacophony of the men’s horses. The group echoed the call in a righteous cry.

Charlstine stepped to the crumbling precipice of the ridge, just beyond where the proceeding army had been stopped. “Your foolish use of the magi’s stolen power has come to and end.” She taunted, staring Kensley in the eyes. “Know that today, the Order of Magi uphold the treaty, and request… compel your return home, where you may carry out your petty battles in your own barbaric way.”

The group of magi crept up behind the Arcanus, their hands lifted to the air as they focused their conjured power over the group of men. “Chin, you traitor!” Scarborough called out, his hand at Kensley’s back. “How can you choose these sycophants over your own people!?”

Chin turned his back to edge, ignoring the words.

“What power is this?” Kensley growled, his hand helplessly gripped to the hilt of the sword before him.

“The power of magic held in the hands of those who were born into it.” Charlstine smirked.

Kensley blinked into the bright magic cast by the magi atop the buff. “You may hold us at this standstill for as long as you like, but we will not tire or back down.”

“So be it.” Charlstine nodded. “If Xiandol is that petty, we will wait as well. Even if you are able to hold steady, your leaders will eventually wish to call an end to this foolishness. I can already see that man’s neck bulging. Somewhat reminiscent of Tulefore’s Emperor.”

Kensley turned his eyes down the slope just enough to see Edrian’s horse being paced back and forth beside Boughlin. Beside the road, through a patch of burnt brush, a tall dark figure stepped out onto the dirt.Continue reading “The Man of Armor and Bone”

The Battle of Lyeys Ridge

Of Armor and Bone: Chapter 40

The General let out a long yawn, the dimming light slowly eating away at his ability to guide the horse straight. “Have you missed out on sleep, sir?” Chin spoke up, guiding his own mount close.

Edrian straightened his back and adjusted his grip on the reins. “I slept late the day previous so that I could make the trip over the pass during the night. Still, the amount of travel has left me weary. Do you still have that strange brew that will sate your urge to sleep?”

Chin patted at the bag hanging from the back of the saddle. “I believe so. I may check when we rest for the night.”

Edrian nodded slowly and rubbed his eyes with one hand. He turned his gaze back up to the horizon before them, where the sun had mostly been swallowed by the land. The almost crimson shades of sky peaked through the skinny boughs of the tallest trees, still yet to bear leaves.

“We are nearing the ridge, are we not?” Chin spoke up. Below the horizon, the road continued to wind back and forth through the trees, eventually to the dark wrinkle in the land.

“You must be more familiar with Tulefore than I remember.” Edrian muttered. “It was a shame you haven’t been with me us plan our procession so that the people of this land could be aware of our arrival.”

“Tulefore city is the only objective that matters, though?” Chin asked, his eyes fixed on the dark bluff before them.

“It will suffice, for now…”

Chin swallowed hard, looking up to the unit’s leader steadily heading the slow marching group of armored men. “I shall advise Mr. Kensley on how to continue up to the top of the ridge. It may be difficult in this formation.”

“Good man.” Edrian praised.

Continue reading “The Battle of Lyeys Ridge”

Awaiting

I apologize for the infrequent posts, especially at such a point in a story like this.  Believe me, things are happening- both with me and the story.  

Of Armor and Bone: Chapter 39

The horse dashed off into the thicket of dead trees, dancing and hopping between the fallen underbrush. Mandabus snapped the ends of the detached strap from the animal’s reins, pulling the long cord taut. He nudged at Kiaren against a tree, causing her to collapse under her own weight. Her shaky breaths brought throbbing pain to her side with each inhale.

The leather strap yanked against her midsection as Mandabus wrapped it around the other side of the tree. “I am unable to tie a proper knot, but you should know to stay put, and I correct?”

“Where are we?” Kiaren wheezed, attempting to her breath.

“Does it matter?” Mandabus shrugged. “You’re in no shape to go find help anywhere. You’re injured, I can smell it on you. Your breath.”

Kiaren spat a spray of pale crimson liquid across the ground before wiping the corner of her mouth on her shoulder. “You’re sick.”

“That’s not very lady-like, now is it?”

“Of all things, you’re scrutinizing my upbringing?” Kiaren growled.

Mandabus paced slowly, his boots sticking in the damp soil. “Being on the front has left you very high strung, milady.”

“Those are words unfit for a monster like you.”

Mandabus stopped in his tracks and turned to Kiaren, crouching down before her. Her nostrils flared as she took in the lingering odor of death permeating the dingy armor plates. He continued to look into her eyes, jumping around his person before trailing to the ground between them.

Mandabus relaxed, sitting upon the ground to pull the sheathed sword off his back, placing it upon his lap. “Is there no other way to see us, concealed by veils of armor, wielding weapons? Monsters?”

Kiaren glanced at the edge of the sword that protruded slightly from the beaten up leather sheath as the armored man teased its grip. “You believe after all you’ve done, you can still consider yourself human?” She mumbled, avoiding looking up to him.

Mandabus slammed the sword securely back into the sheath with a dull thump. “Since putting on this suit of armor, I have forgotten the feeling of warmth, or cold, being tired, hungry, thirsty. Even before I was maimed by your mage. The only thing I found I could truly feel was the impact of my sword upon its target. The cracking of your brother’s neck. The feeling of crushing something between my fingers.” He said, smothering bits of hardened dirt between the fingertips of the gauntlet.

“You sicken me.” Kiaren replied, turning her head to the side. The cold wind rolled through the thicket of bare trees and dry underbrush, chafing her face.

Mandabus stood back up, scanning the surroundings. The bleak surroundings were silent save for the singing of the wind, calling out in imperfect stanzas.

“If you don’t tire, then why have you decided to stop here?” Kiaren asked, sitting up gingerly to avoid the strap digging into her chest.

“Shh-.” Mandabus hushed her. “I sense that there are others not far from here.”

Kiaren focused on the silence surrounding them before the crunch of Mandabus’s boots interrupted the stillness. “Your people or mine?” She asked.

“Who knows?” Mandabus said cryptically, placing the sheath’s strap back over his helmet and shoulder. “Can I really call them my people at this point?”