Saturday, March 13, 2021

365 Day's Writing in the Void: Week Two Wrap and check-in


 


Health update:

I'm exhausted. Not just a little tired, really tired, my body wants to shut down tired. Well, scratch that it did shut down tired. It shut down on Friday and said I don't care what you have planned; you're going to sleep, no ifs, ands, or buts. 

And sleep, I did. However, I must preface this by saying it's kind of my fault. I haven't been following my health protocols to the letter this week either.

I was up till at least 10:30-2 every day this week, and up by 6 every day in the chair working, on the story and by Friday my sick body had had it with me, and I'd noticed that my dawn sugars had gone from 80 every morning to 130 by Friday morning, some could say this is not the right thing to be doing. So, while my writing experiment is going rather well, I think I need to scale back some of the crazy. Well, at least not repeat this week.


This is what I did this week for any of you, not in the know.

It started out innocently enough. I just wanted to see if I could increase my word count a little, by writing by hand, because I wasn't toping 2k a day just typing into the computer. When before I could easily do 10k days on the computer. I think it has something to do with the discomfort of sitting at the computer and my health level. 

But I digress. So the rundown is like, this on Sunday. I'm not sure if this story was in last week's wrap-up or not. I'll check before I publish. I wrote and finished Prompt 8. I think it was around 400 words.

On Monday, I wrote and finished Prompt 5, 3221

On Tuesday, I hand wrote 24 pages. I didn't know how many words that is. on prompt 4

On Wednesday, I typed 5,328 words on prompt 4  chapter 4 1,948  chapters 5 2,063  chapter 6 430 plotting 887

On Thursday, I typed 5,062 words on prompt 4 chapter 6 2,121 chapter 7 1,088 chapter 8 1,607 

chapter 9 246

On Friday, I wanted to do chapters 9 and 10, but I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I did the rest of chapter 9, which was 2532, and the intro to 10, but it was only like 50 words or so.

Saturday, I wrote Chapter 10 1130 and chapter 11 1,230, and counting; I'm in the middle of sorting out my battle scene that doesn't count the 500 words of plotting that I deleted today. 

I did the math, and I'm over 18k of active words for the week in drafting that doesn't count plotting. I have no idea what my plotting notes are this week because I didn't really track them. 

What went wrong:

I really wanted to stick to the prompt schedule, but after handwriting that thing on Tuesday, the week got out of hand. 

Goals upcoming:

Next week, my goals will be to focus on finishing this story and then go back to the others, or alternatively take a break one day this week and do another one of the stories. 

But I've kind of tied them all in one way or another into this universe, which will come in later... I know it's a bit much, but what happened was this library story needed a background world, to have some meat to land on, so I needed some world building, and well... things go away from me. 

So I'm technically still doing the challenge since I'm working on prompt 4... it's just that prompt 4 has turned into a novella... also, the oil kids... are going to become part of the story. 

But after library so way down the line. 

Why the weird, I.E., Fixing the Backend:

Also, I've fixed the blog's backend; prompt 4 was too big to have two chapters per page, making the pages weird. Most of the chapters are over two thousand words, and the blog doesn't seem to like it when you get up into the five thousand words and up area; I'm not exactly sure why. I'm not exactly happy with how I've been managing the text function on these. 

I normally write in scrivener. But with these projects bouncing back and forth, Scrivener wasn't working because it would have weird formatting issues between the programs; so I started using google docs; there are still formatting issues, but they aren't as bad. 

This is not the best solution. The best solution would be for blogger to have a better word processor on their interface that lets you chose the intents and such, but that would be too much to ask... 

 I'll eventually grow up and move my website... but not anytime soon. Though google these days is really trying my patience since they ate one of my domain names and the email address that controlled it even though I still pay for both... so entertaining that. 

Changes to the blog:

365 days in the void is where you can find the prompts. I try to link them there after they are finished being posted, so you find the story if you want to read it.

I have made a previous, toc, next link at the bottom of every page of the prompt 4 story for better navigation; if you find a broken link, please let me know; so that I can fix it. 

I've also made a prompt 4 toc at the top of the blog; you can find a link to it on the 365 pages, as well as at the top of the page and within the page of the story you are currently reading. It was getting too big to keep it on the same page with the other prompts. 

I'm going to try and figure out how to make past episodes more available since the blog sidebar hides stuff for some reason, and you can't see anything after it vanishes if there isn't a link. 

I think that's the update for the week. I need to figure out what my final word count was, but other than that, thanks for being here. Have a good night. 


365 Day's Writing in the Void: Prompt 4 part 11


Last Stand of the World


Volume 1


Pitfall


Chapter Eleven: Controlled?


Ryli looked back and forth behind them just after the first attack, and then the warning came, and she’d felt the second set of tremors begin under her feet. “Gabs stop, I think they’re telling the truth.”

Gab had gone into a frantic dash and just kept running. Ryli didn’t even know if she could hear her. Thinking for a moment, she reached back into her pack and grabbed a device, and aimed it at her friend just as the Sand Wyrm crested the surface. She’d pulled back on the rope and knocked Dugger in the back of the head, “Dang it, help me.” He woke up and began to drag on the rope with her, and they soon had Gabs in their arms. She looked pale and shook while they held her. 

“Let’s go. We can’t just stay here waiting for another attack.” Ryli dragged on Dugger and Gabs. They scampered back the way they’d come, towards the alcove and the light. The human might know a way out if he knew that that tunnel was full of Sand Wyrms, and the Shaman had sent them to scout; besides, he couldn’t be all bad. He’d at least warned them of danger, and that meant he wasn’t dangerous, at least she hoped. 

Dugger pulled her back, “you don’t know anything about that human. He could just want to capture us and kill us.”

“If he wanted to kill us, he wouldn’t have warned us about the Sand Wyrms.”

Dugger stood back, supporting an almost faint Gabs. At the same time, Ryli crept forward towards the light, her hand on one of her straps and the other on the hilt of her dagger. She knew it was pointless if that human wanted to do something to her. She was best off just running away. Still, they’d been locked in for weeks; they needed to escape before the "controlled" ones found out. 

They needed to find a way out of these tunnels and into the desert. If she could get information from this human, she was willing to take a chance. It was better than to wait for death and be eaten by that monster. 

***

Davern watched the little creature approach, mildly amused. He’d almost regretted warning them until he witnessed the rescue; he could tell that this bunch really cared about each other. Maybe they were just trying to get out of here as well.  

Just as the goblin was about to get to him, they stopped and looked back over their shoulder towards the darkness of the cavern, “oh no, Controlled! Human run! Dugger, Gabs, what should we do? There’s so many of them?” The three goblins had huddled together with the light to their back.

Gabs pointed towards the light, “it’s too late to seek shelter there; the 'controlled' have already spotted us.” She shivered in Dugger’s arms. 

Ryli stood in front of her friends and held up her small dagger, “I won’t let them drag us back to the holding camp.”

Asaa came up beside Davern, “seems like they know a little more about what is going on than either of us do. Do you think we should give them a hand and ask them?”

Davern looked at the team of goblins headed towards the three in front of them and knew that they hadn’t been spotted yet; if they did as the little gob had suggested and ran, they could hide and find a way to avoid the confrontation, but that didn’t sit right with him, and besides, something about the little thing had sparked his curiosity. Goblins were typically cautious crafty little creatures, and this one seemed to have an invention of some kind and reminded him of his crazy brother. 

He nodded his head and then observed the situation, wondering if they should kill or incapacitate the buggers. 

“I know you don’t use charm magic or anything like that, but should we try to incapacitate them rather than kill them? If they are 'controlled'?”

“It’s not that I can’t use it; it’s that my tribe doesn’t use it. Also, why don’t we go over and ask her before they are surrounded, and there isn’t any time to plan.”

He followed after her and watched the light sway on the tip of her tail. His fingers itched. He really wanted to grab it again. He mentally shook himself and pulled out his sword. He didn’t know what was wrong with him before today. He couldn’t have given two hoots less about tails.

Assa moved up next to the party of goblins and asked them, “so, what’s your plan here?”

They jumped a little when they saw her, “eek another 'controlled'! Where’d she come from?” Gabs shouted. 

“What do you mean ‘controlled’?” Davern asked, coming up beside her.

“Shut it, Gabs,” Dugger said, flicking her forehead with his finger. “Maybe they’ve escaped a holding area like we have.” 

“Well, not a holding area, exactly, but she was in a cell, so you’re half right,” Davern said. "Can you explain what’s going on after we help you deal with these guys?" 

They didn’t have much time left for conversation; the others were almost upon them. “Sure, but could you do us a favor and not kill them? The Shaman would get mad if he heard we let a human just kill them, even if they are ‘controlled'." Dugger said.  

“How do you propose we go about that?” Davern asked.

“I’m not sure either, they are coming at us full tilt, and they won’t be holding back. I just know that the Shaman says we’re not allowed to kill them if we can avoid it.”

 “Not that they’ve shown us the same courtesy,” Ryli grumbled.

 “Ryli!” Gabs gasped. 

“Forget it. Just do what you think’s best, Dugger.”

Well, now that’s interesting, thought Davern. He looked over at Asaa; “Any Ideas?” 

“We can use that wall there, as a blind, and you can use a spell. I can see if I have a sleeping potion that we can toss out, but we will have to fight. From the looks of it, they have a few bombers on sand lizards, a berserker on a striker, and some bowmen, and there are probably some rogues around.” 

Just as she finished speaking, a bomber tossed a hard round object off his mount in their direction. Davern happened to be looking at the formation she’d been talking about at that moment and drew his mana into his hand and threw out a crude shield in front of them, blocking the object from reaching them, “you weren’t kidding about them not holding back he said, huffing and shaking out his hand, “that stung a little.”

“I can imagine. Now you three get behind the wall,” Asaa said, “Davern can you make a bigger one of those, at least for a minute? I need some time to locate a potion.”

“I can try, but make it quick. I just got this stuff back, and from the looks of it, this is going to be a long night.”

She nodded and closed her eyes as he said those words. He looked at her for a moment, then looked back at the horde bearing down at him; why hadn’t he kept his big mouth shut. 

Then he looked over at the little goblins and sighed; they probably wouldn’t have survived the encounter and he kind of needed information that only they could give him at the moment.  

Then he looked to the girl, he could feel the tension and anxiety coming from their connection, but he wasn’t going to admit it. She had her eyes closed, and he knew that she was looking for something within the bond. 

 He could smell the acrid smell of rotten eggs that burned the nostrils, and the smoke drifted on the air. He held the spell static so that he didn’t have to operate it and went up to meet the first of the spearmen that came charging around the edge of the wall. He parried a thrust with the tip of his sword, pushing it to the side, and got within the goblins, striking zone. Moving around to the side and blocking the spear, he grabbed it and pulled the small creature forward, knocked him on the temple with the flat of his hand, trying to knock him out without killing him. 

The goblin next to him picked up the spear that had been dropped and went to meet another "controlled" that had come up to them. They were evenly matched in strength though you could tell that the other was much better at the spear. 

 Another bomb hit the shield, and he grunted under the additional pull on his mana, countering the force of the strike. “Asaa, hurry, I don’t know how much longer we can hold them off,” just then, a bombardment of arrows rained down onto the shield, and he turned white. He really wasn’t at full strength, the venom was still in his system, and it chose that moment to flare up. He panted and pushed the pain to the back of his mind, focusing on pushing the arrows off and to the side, the non-lethal maneuvers seriously hampering his ability to use his magic.  

Both bombers were riding on sand lizards; its ornate flared hood allowed them to duck for cover from enemies and have high maneuverability on the battlefield. Davern annoyed that he couldn’t do anything to the pesky goblins, could do something to their mounts and slung out a spell just in front of the oncoming animal that turned the ground into liquid mud as soon as it stepped into it. It solidified again, causing the beast to howl in displeasure, momentum coming to an abrupt and painful stop. 

The goblin bomber on top was thrown over the head of the beast and into a nearby wall; it was stunned from the fall, tumbled for a few feet, and then lay still for a moment before jumping to its feet growling obscenities. 

He was about to call Asaa again when he heard the little goblin behind him scream. 

***

The human had promised Dugger not to kill any of the "controlled". It really made Ryli feel like punching him in the face when he suggested it. Who really cared if a few "controlled" died? Why did the Shaman insist that they needed to keep them alive? All she knew is that she hated them and hated the lamia "controlled" that drug them away to feed that thing.

However, Dugger had wanted her to not hurt the rotten bastards, so maybe she wouldn’t, at least not right now.  Rotten bastards. She kicked the ground and watched the human and the Lamia. Well, that’s a weird combination if she ever saw one, as they worked out a strategy to defend them against the oncoming battle.  She grabbed Gabs, “hey, Gabs, just stay here and don’t get hurt, okay?” And put her next to the wall before getting up and heading towards the rest of the party.

“B-B-But, w-w-what are you going to do?” She asked, grabbing hold of Ryli's arm, pulling her back.

“Help!” She said. Untangling her hand from Gabs' grasp and running towards the shield, where the front line of the fight was. She pulled out a device from her pack, aiming it at one of the "controlled" spearmen, she pulled the trigger, the rope released, shooting out a net entangling him within it. She turned, scanning the area to find any other enemies and see if Dugger was okay. A movement behind him caught her eye, and without thinking, she dashed forward and tackled the "controlled" rogue who was about to make a double backstab into her friend. 

They rolled over several times and came to a stop; she groaned and put her hand up to her head for a second before getting to her feet. Still, the "controlled" didn’t give her a second to catch her breath, and they scrambled for purchase to get a grip on one another; she pulled out a stink bomb and blew it up in the air around her, making a cloud so that she could put some distance between them. 

She bumped into something hard against her back. Her immediate thought was Dugger? Her instincts screamed ‘run,’ but before she could make any kind of motion, the rogues had pinned her in a pincer attack. Ryli heard a faint scream in her ears as pain coursed through her stomach, a wicked smile appeared on the "controlled's" face, and she collapsed into darkness.



***

Authors Note:

I haven't been feeling well the last few days; sorry that the updates have slowed down. I'm a little better today and will try to finish this chapter today, but I'm not sure how the week is going to look. My medical condition has flared up pretty bad this week. I will do my best. Take care.


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365 Day's Writing in the Void: Prompt 4 part 10


Last Stand of the World


Volume 1


Pitfall


Chapter Ten: Goblins


It didn’t take them long to reach the top of the passage. They walked out from a rock that slid open, carefully looking around. Her face ugly, she looked up at the top of the stairs; there’d been some kind of rock slide. 

They hadn’t just locked the gate. They'd made it impassable, she sighed. “I thought as much I’m not sure if it was my people or the Nullers, it’s pretty obvious that thing captures its victims, but it also seems to bring along its entourage of creatures to do its bidding that listen to it for whatever reason. 

Davern sighed; she was right, let's head back down. Do you have anything that can make light? That isn’t magical?”

She eyed him sideways and then nodded; there were all kinds of things in the bond, and he could just take what he wanted from there. Mother did say that humans could be weird; she guessed she would have to learn about his customs as well. Blowing out her cheeks, she bit her lips and closed her eyes, focusing on the inside of the bond. Until she found what she was looking for. Inside one of the chests, she had a few torches and lanterns, and she brought them out and held one up by her tail. “Will these work?”

“It should. Will it make you tired to carry it like that?” he asked her doubtfully.

 No, there are special holders on these made for that purpose.  She said, showing him and looping a light on her tail. 

“It won't hurt you? Will it? Should I carry one?”

“No, I’ll be fine,” she said. A small smile played over her lips, and a little extra sway swished in her tail as they went down the path; maybe he wasn’t so oblivious after all.  The light illuminated the cavern walls sending out a blue hue from the chemical reaction, casting a different type of light than the bright yellows and golds he was used to. 

 “It’s made from insects, so there is no danger of fire, the light has a different hue, but I think it’s kind of pretty,” she said, explaining why there was no flame. 

“I see, that would be safer, and I suppose less messy.” He said, his eyes subconsciously following her as she moved. 

 “It keeps the air in the tunnels of a higher quality. Having open flames could lead to poisoning.” She replied.

 “Yes, it could happen without proper venting.”  His breathing quickened, and his hand tightened on the pommel of the sword. He knew she’d said that her tribe didn’t bedazzle, but he sure felt that way right now, watching her under the sway of the light. He shook his head. I have other things to worry about. “So, about how far ‘til we reach the junction.”

“We’re about there. It’s just up around the corner.” 

Just then, they heard a loud crash and something squeak, “Ryli, we were supposed to be scouting. Hurry up!”

“Just...let me grab one more thing.”

“No, there isn’t time, something’s coming, and the Shaman says we have to find a way out before the controlled ones notice and try to stop us.”

“Fine, I’m coming.”

Davern and Asaa looked at each other and sprinted, towards the alcove, making it just in time to see three small forms disappearing into the darkness, one of them wearing a big unwieldy pack. “Sand goblins, and it sounds like there is something up within their tribe?” Davern said.

“Yes, controlled ones? I wonder what they meant by that?”

“Probably something to do with the Nuller, no doubt, and if I know one thing about Goblins, they breed fast, she could be using them as a readily available food source.”

“That’s just sick.”

He thought of something and a long dark tunnel full of Sand Wyrms, “hey, don’t Sand Goblins work with Sand Wyrms?”

“Depends on whether or not they have a summoner.” 

“Yes, that looked like a scavenger at the back there; wonder if they found anything good.” She rolled her eyes at him, “most of the stuff fell into the room on top of you, so probably not. 

“I have a bone to pick with you; you said there wouldn’t be anything in the foreboding cavern but a few empty stalls.” 

She puffed out her cheeks and huffed at him. “Well, who knew that there would be a whole horde of sand gobs down here.” She flicked her tail, sending the light spinning, creating crazy arches along the walls. She looked at him, snorted, and then stilled the fixture.

They proceeded forward a little more cautiously than before and peeked around the pillar that the goblins had disappeared behind. Davern motioned for her to stay back and crept up a bit, peeking around the corner. He could see that one of the goblins had been captured and was being held up by their pack. Two others were desperately trying to free them.

“Dang it, Ryli, just cut the straps.”

“I’ll get in trouble if I lose the pack.”

 “Is the gear more important, or your life? Cut it!”

“Dugger...dang it, fine!”

There were two of them pulling on her ankles and yanking, while a large berserker had restrained her from behind, pulling on the pack. Davern could see the fear on its face as it brought a dagger up and under one of the straps on the pack. 

She closed her eyes about to make the cut when suddenly a shudder, and then a rumble from beneath them rocked the cavern, and a giant Sand Wyrm tore through the surface. Dust and debris scattered everywhere, a shrill scream could be heard, and when the dust settled, the three scouts were covered in dirt but not harmed; the goblin who had been trying to drag them off, only a part of an arm was left dangling off of the scavenger's pack. “Eeew eek get it off, get it off. She jumped around and flung it free.”

“Really, Ryli, grow up,” Dugger said as he stood up and shook himself off.

One of them looked over at Davern. Pointing in his direction, “w-w-a...w-a..what's that light coming from over there?” The others turned and looked, and before they could respond, the tiny creature had already started running down the tunnel where the Sand Wyrms were.

Davern couldn’t say what made him do it, they were goblins after all, but he opened his mouth to warn them, “No, don’t go that way; that tunnel is full of Sand Wyrms.” The goblin didn’t stop running. He didn’t know that he really expected it to, and there was really nothing he could do as the ground began to vibrate and another Wyrm broke the surface.