I didn’t know which human to approach first, or even what proper protocol might be for approaching one of the humans. Instead, I began by walking straight down one of the paths that had been cut into the hillside. It wavered a bit from right to left as it travelled between the terraces, but at … Continue reading Becoming, Part IX
Tag: Short Fiction
The Neos Simulation
The investors sat in the viewing room, each in their own plush chair, which were positioned perfectly so that no one investor’s view could be blocked by another. The room, like a lecture hall or a movie theater, had steps of seating extending upward toward the back. A waiter in a dapper suit stood at … Continue reading The Neos Simulation
Niqa’s Longing
Niqa longed for home more frequently and with greater intensity than she desired anything else. She didn’t understand her longing, either, for even when she was within the walls of her house, curled in her bed, she found herself pining for home. It came as an ache in her chest, a tired, hollow feeling that … Continue reading Niqa’s Longing
The Fair Way
“See, look. It’s really simple.” Vorin brandished his sealing blade to demonstrate. In front of him, the light spirit, the shape reminiscent of an elongated golden rabbit, struggled to rise from the ground. Vorin’s currently manifested spirit, a fire spirit that took the form of a fox-like being, held it down. “The blade does all … Continue reading The Fair Way
Glacier
The first time they touched, Darius was taken aback by the the frigid cold of Krystal’s skin. Touching her felt like making contact with a dry, fleshy ice cube. She had no warmth to her at all, which surprised Darius. From a distance, Krystal gave no hint at the cold within her: she was always … Continue reading Glacier
Bookstore
Lyla’s bookstore burned down. She left the house every morning at the same time, 7:15, so that she could open the door at 8:00. She had an obsessive need to make sure the store was completely in order before any customers arrived, despite the fact that she usually stayed at least half an hour after … Continue reading Bookstore
The Birth of a Blade
This is a prequel to The Sword. They came together with a grand purpose: save the world. Whether or not the world needed saving at the time is a debate for the historians and the philosophers. I certainly think that, compared to some of the straights it has been in since, the world was in a … Continue reading The Birth of a Blade
The Sword
Human memory is impressively, frustratingly, and enticingly fallible. Have you ever stopped to consider just how long a human memory lasts untarnished? It doesn’t. The instant the memory is formed, it’s imperfect. You can place two humans together in the exact same situation, then ask them about it afterward, and both of them will present … Continue reading The Sword
Dinner with Rin
Tomás reached the door first. He held it open for Birch, an action which had, over the years, lost all significance when applied to anyone else. Holding the door for someone had just become a social necessity, something Tomás did out of habit rather than through any true desire to be kind or helpful. Yet … Continue reading Dinner with Rin
Becoming, Part VII
Becoming, Part VI It is an odd thing, to exist in two places at once. It is a circumstance which I suspect the vast majority of beings do not ever have the opportunity to experience. I experience it often, now, and I have become accustomed to the difficulties of manipulating multiple bodies in tandem; of … Continue reading Becoming, Part VII
Daydreams 