Trick Or Treat!

🎃Trick or treat!💀

--@oh-no-another-idea

Thanks for the ask, @oh-no-another-idea!!!

Treat! 🎃

This is the last one of these in my inbox, I know I was late to answer it, but in the spirit of Halloween, have a smol spooky snippet from Tales of Wilted Flowers!

The dead forest was eerie - filled with the kind of silence where things appear louder than they should ever be. They could hear everything, and yet, not enough. It felt like... death. Something terrible had happened in this place, this they knew. And the echoes of what once was still haunted the ruins that remained in an endless winter. As the last threads of rageful spirits. mourning what was taken from them. Every they took upon this ashen, barren soil felt wrong, dangerous. No one was supposed to be here. The wind whistled as it curved around twisted branches, a cold, soulless chill passing through them. Cinder-covered snow crunched beneath the soles of their boots, though the air was dry as a desert. And yet, the ruins they sought remained out of reach - that is presuming they managed not to get lost beforehand. "Are you sure we are on the right track?" Caladin asked tentatively, wincing at how his hushed voice seemed to echo even so. He scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly. "... Because I'm sure whatever terror is inside these ruins certainly is not a good way to die." There was a pause, for a moment, but not for long. Arista looked over her shoulder, still carefully holding up the torch that was lighting their way as their group all but waded through the forest's thick fog. "No, I'm not sure. But I grew up on tales of this place - or at least, of what this place used to be before... all of this." She gestured outwards towards the fog-filled wastes, skipping over a gnarled root. "If we're lucky, and our suspicious friend back in the city was telling the truth, we might just make it out alive. At this point, blind luck seems to be our charm."

Signs You Should Write The Story

1. You can't stop thinking about it

2. It would be exciting and fun to write

3. It's meaningful to you

WRITE THE STORY

Last Line Tag!

Thank you so much for the Tag, @anoelleart! I was travelling for almost the entirety of last week, so only now I've managed to catch up with the tags from that period (:

Tagging (gently): @lassiesandiego, @unstablewifiaccess, @sm-writes-chaos, @clairelsonao3, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @oh-no-another-idea, @your-absent-father, @rickie-the-storyteller, @jay-avian and @doublegoblin

(Because this snippet makes absolutely no sense without context, I'm doing a "Last Snippet" variation instead)

This is a snippet from my WIP (still very work in progress/workshopping), called Realms of Loss, which I've been working on for a while now. This was the last thing I worked on recently solely because of the fact I was scared to work on The Last Wrath or Tales of Wilted Flowers while traveling/unfocused lmao.

"I am the Crown Prince. Sole remaining heir of a dynasty, of the House of a Thousand Stars. I'm not some boy." His voice shook, not confident and mighty as he willed it to sound, but desperate. Archyvel wasn't trying to convince her - he was trying to convince himself. "I will not be afraid." Nesryn tilted her head, eyes softening. "But you are."

Happy Storyteller Saturday! Which of your characters is the least like you and why do you like them despite your lack of similarities?

Thank you for the Ask, @lassiesandiego!

I'm one of those writers who likes to say that most of my good characters have a small "piece of myself", except for most villains of course, as it makes writing them much easier and allows me to understand their motives better!

That being said, I would say that, out of all my main WIPs, the characters that are the least like me are: Azra Moorsworth (The Last Wrath), Faellyn Ellara (Tales of Wilted Flowers), and Clarence Van Sterlling (Enchanted Illusions).

DISCLAIMER: What is listed under "differences" is merely a comparison between my characters and my own personalities. Neither traits are "right" nor "wrong", as I am simply stating the contrasts between me IRL and the characters I have created for my stories! (:

Now, as for why they're so different from me and why I like them despite the personality differences!

AZRA MOORSWORTH -

(Differences) - Azra is much meeker/insecure than my personality - he prefers to avoid conflict (by "conflict" I don't mean fights, but facing challenges and things that get him out of his comfort zone), and is much more extroverted than me - I could never dream of reaching his level of extrovertedness. If we were to use the Enneagram to define this difference in personality, Azra is a Type 4 (the Individualist), while I am a Type 8 (the Challenger), having fundamentally different outlooks as well!

(Why I Like Him) - Azra is an incredibly positive character, especially when it comes to cheering others up and making sure everyone around him is having a good time - traits that I aspire to try and improve in my personality as well. He is also selfless when need be, despite all his fears, personality and instincts telling him to run the other way he chooses to stand for what he and his siblings believe in if that is truly necessary, despite the dangers and cruelty of the world he lives in. He is, fundamentally, a cinnamon roll, and one of the purest characters in TLW when it comes to a moral compass - I can't help but adore him!

FAELLYN ELLARA -

(Differences) This is a curious one, as she does share similarities with me, but not nearly as much as the other members of the main cast. I would say that the main difference between her and me is that Faellyn is incredibly forgiving - even when she should not be, too forgiving for her own good - and has a patience level that I aspire to have one day. Believes in the best in other people, even when other people have proven her wrong. Her Enneagram is Type 7 (The Enthusiast)

(Why I Like Her) Honestly, what's not to like? She's sweet, funny, bubbly, and has a great sense of justice! Despite being impulsive and reckless at times, she has an ongoing drive to do what is right for others, especially for those she cares about. She has a big heart, and is almost always the smile in the room! She's diplomatic and intelligent, as well as tricky when it matters. I also find it incredibly endearing and satisfying to write and show how much she grows throughout the story, becoming more mature and wise without losing the merciful and sweet side that makes her who she is.

CLARENCE VAN STERLLING -

(Differences) While I am somewhat introverted, I would say that he is 1000% more introverted than me. Clarence is very quiet, preferring not to talk as much, and liking extended periods of being by himself - while, in comparison, I am very talkative to those I consider my friends, and don't quite feel comfortable in extended periods of solitude. Another key difference is that, due to his vampiric upbringing, Clarence is also very naive/sheltered as to the ways of the world, being almost (if not completely) clueless as to how the human world and its inhabitants work. Clarence is firmly an Enneagram 1.

(Why I Like Him) He is very endearing and polite, and despite not really understanding all the new human things surrounding him he tries his best not to be rude or scary towards anyone, despite having the ability to do so. Clarence is also intelligent, wickedly clever, and something of a prankster if given the chance! Honestly, writing about him navigating the human world with the help of his newfound friends and his sorcerer girlfriend, is one of the most adorable things I have written!

I hope this answers your questions! (:

Heads Up Seven Up

I was tagged by @tabswrites for this one, here! Thanks for the tag!

Rules: post the last seven lines you wrote! Then tag others!

It's not exactly seven lines, I think, but here you go!

From Tales of Wilted Flowers -

“Out of all the bad ideas, my dear.” Xarian shakily called out [to Lorelai], not breaking eye contact with the beastly wolf currently a burning stick away from biting his neck off. Instead of standing by the snuffed-out fire, he’d moved forward. But that made him the only thing standing between a Faellyn petrified by fear and a ravenous shadow-hound. He scoffed, softly, at the situation they were in. “That has to be one of our worst.”

Tagging (gently) - @lassiesandiego, @sm-writes-chaos, @hrmkingizzy, @unstablewifiaccess, @aziz-reads, @writernopal, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @oh-no-another-idea, @elshells and @clairelsonao3