Hey!

It’s been a little while since I’ve actually added anything to this blog, and for that I’m sorry. I’ve been attempting to reinvent and reinvigorate my writing, so here we have some narrative fiction! Whoa!

After some careful consideration and edits from close friends, I’m going to let you dear stranger and blossoming friend take a gander. Take a bite.

I want to write a novel this year but I can’t tell whether my writing is worth the paper I’d print it on so I need the unbiased eyes of someone who doesn’t care whether or not they’re being mean to me. Now don’t go berserk, this is a very fresh draft.

The only advance things I want to tell you about this is that the first few chapters will (hopefully) be cheesy, fantasy romance. The plot really isn’t revealed here yet, just the main few characters. That’s all I’m telling you! We can catch back up at the end. Thank you, in advance, for taking a chance on this.

PREFACE

For hundreds of years, warfare between monsters and heroes, between men and kings, between Gods of the Light and Gods of Darkness, dominated the lands of Ryel. Countless people dedicated to their personal quests, either for gold and glory or the safety of the realm. Recently, however, that age ended. With the slaying of Kallaractus, a Dark God of Magecraft, the age of Struggle gave way to the age of Enlightenment. Settlements grew to villages, towns became cities, and alliances became sovereign states. Humanity began to flourish without the threat of evil gods or the world-eating demons they controlled. Most people realized that in this new age new skills and new parts of society must progress, and if possible, warfare between man should be left in the past. In the fifty years following the defeat of Kallaractus, the structure of the world has absolutely changed. Across the eight Great Islands of Ryel, twelve nations have risen. Each new entity learning what nationality means, how to share borders, but most importantly who their people are. A nation like New Maximillion, which rose from the ashes of an old kingdom and its closest allies. Within its oceanic borders, over a dozen large universities and countless smaller academies opened dedicated to pushing magical studies and education to places previously unimagined. Whereas literacy and spell casting were once for dedicated heroes or the wealthy, in this new age countless people will become greater versions of themselves. The most aspirational and perhaps most naturally gifted study at Felix, in the nation’s capital of Port Fortuna.

Chapter I

Fernando crumpled up the parchment he had been writing on and threw it in the general direction of his wastebasket. While not an impressive amount of writing was on it, it had taken him most of the day. 

“I think you were on the right track with that, it was way better than the last draft.” His roommate, Luke, was doing his best impression of someone both invested and supportive. Luke’s focus was the game of solitaire on the living room table. 

“The assignment was to write a little about yourself, a little about history, and what you want to do after graduation. Why can’t I do that? What’s holding me back?” Fernando began tipping his chair back, tempting fate to pull him to the ground while he glanced over for Luke’s input. The two had been like this for much of the afternoon’s hours, one deeply invested in beginning and restarting a writing assignment, the other deeply invested in avoiding it all together. 

“Maybe you’re too close to the subject matter to be interested in it.” Luke didn’t bother looking up from the table, he knew Fernando well enough to know what he looked like mildly upset.

“What’s your plan for it? It’s due Monday and I haven’t even seen you start it.”

“I was going to worry about it tomorrow. Whip up some words about growing up on the tough streets, tie it to the history of heroes that led to academy formations, maybe a last part about getting a job designing playing cards.” Luke was extremely proud of both his brilliant writing strategy and for picking such a unique magical field of study; Infusing magic in to playing cards through their art. 

“Do you ever get tired of playing things so close to the wire Luke? Aren’t you filled with anxiety?”

“Nope”

Fernando sighed as loudly as he could, before putting down his writing instruments and making his way to the fridge. He tossed a cold ale to Luke before opening one for himself. Surely ale could clear the blocks in his mind, a little liquid confidence was to be the key to unlocking his writing. Most of the problems he and Luke found in their small apartment were fixed with ale. Well, fixed is the wrong word. Delightfully avoided is more apt. 

“Ferny, we can worry about this paper later, after we go out for the Harvest Festival.”

“I’ve asked you to stop calling me that.”

“And I’ve asked you to stop leaving food half eaten on every flat surface in the living room.” Luke rose from the couch and ruffled Fernando’s hair as he passed him on his path back to their room, he had an event to get ready for after all. Fernando would take a few seconds to enjoy the ale, then he’d follow.

#

“Did you pick this out for me?” Fernando was stunned to see some of his clothes pulled from his wardrobe and laid out on his bed, but the tone was one of appreciation. A simple nod was all Luke could afford to give; his own outfit was being chosen next. Fernando was able to change into the flannel-jacket layered combo before Luke decided on a sweater. It is always a little easier to follow a plan than design one after all. 

“Maybe you do have an eye for image Luke.”

“Maybe you should trust me more.”

Luke’s quip fell on deaf ears, Fernando was busy admiring himself in their mirror. For Fall fits Luke had an undeniable talent. For most seasons he was quite good honestly. Summer was a little tricky for him, so he often erred on the side of short shorts and tight shirts. A little skin and shape were never out of style. 

“I was thinking about asking Penelope to come over tonight after the harvest fest, any chance you could find someplace else to crash tonight?” Luke was muffled from within the sweater, but enough of the message made it through.

“Can’t you go to hers? I’ve got to be up early to continue restarting a paper.” Fernando just wanted to sleep in his own bed, he knew that whether he slept at home or not that paper would be finished late. 

“Come on, you wouldn’t make me spend the night in an apartment with a necromancer, would you?” Luke, now free from the woolen binds of his sweater, attempted the age-old magic technique of ‘puppy-dog eyes.’ 

“I think that’s just a harmful rumor about Margaret, she’s seemed pretty cool to me.” Fernando believed Margaret was just a little misunderstood. Some people prefer darker art and the color black. Was her relationship with magic a sinister one? He didn’t feel that way. After debating this in his mind, Fernando relinquished the position in front of the mirror to go brush his hair, while Luke got the chance to pose and admire his reflection.

“Fernando, there’s no way Penelope can resist my charm when I look this good. You need to seriously start thinking about where you’re going to sleep.” Luke grinned at himself in the mirror. His orange sweater and dark brown pants pairing were perfect harvest fest attire. They proudly told everyone ‘I know which colors fit the season, and I know how to pick sweaters that fit me.’ What was yet to be told was why they had to get ready to go over early.

“Maybe you can think about where you’ll sleep while we set up a booth for the festival, I did promise Penelope we’d do that.” Fernando groaned, feeling almost betrayed by his roommate.

“You said we were going over early because she secured some killer sweet wine and had a little dinner planned.” His stomach mourned the loss of fresh fest food. The visions of pie in his head began to fade.

“It was a necessary lie; you’d be late if I wasn’t dragging you out early and I’m tired of your tardiness. We’re a dynamic duo, that means we show up as a duo.” Fernando passed the brush over to Luke’s extended hand that seemed to roll out with the last few words of the exchange. He meandered back to the living room couch to finish the ale and wait out Luke’s hair routine, which was anything but quick. Fernando used this time to tidy up the half-eaten food, a little embarrassed by the call out. 

By the time Luke was ready to leave, Fernando was truly no closer to imagining a place to sleep. When the two had chosen this apartment, the shared bedroom was an early concern. They both thought of themselves as handsome and charismatic young spellcasters, and while opinions on their charisma were mixed at best, there was some truth to their beliefs on attractiveness. For casual intimate evenings, the boys never seemed to have trouble with staying out of their own apartment, but Penelope was becoming something special for Luke. Fernando may tease that she isn’t entirely sold on the young trappomancer, but the truth is that a romance is blossoming. Fernando doesn’t want to get in the way of budding love and would prefer to find a place to stay instead of shutting down a late-night date, but on such short notice it’s becoming dicey.

#

Harvest fests in the modern age tend to trade the traditional for the exciting. Instead of it being like an open market to share crops and crafts, these fests are more about the brews and the music. Many young people do in fact prefer this way of celebrating. Although Fernando was hoping there would be food options. He enjoyed open-air music and drinking as much as most, but since he had planned for a meal that was a ruse, he was beginning to grow hungry.  

“So, we’re responsible for setting up one drink station and then we’re free,” Luke’s directives began pulling Fernando away from fake food dreams. “Penelope told me that the tent, barrel, and other things should all be together in plot A4.” So, Luke and Fernando began a mini quest, one where they read a few signs and walk down a row. Not quite dangerous or adventurous, but still a short investigation into where their work begins. At the end of their journey there indeed was a tent to be set up, a barrel to be hoisted and tapped, and a folding table next to a few boxes of mugs.

“Adventurer’s Ale? Surely they could’ve given this a more exciting name.” Fernando moaned, he was hoping that his work would be rewarded with some exotic brew or the like. 

“If we work quickly, we can steal a mug’s worth each.” With just that phrase, Fernando was brought back in. Luke began unboxing the mugs, Fernando handled the tent. The two were able to work together quite efficiently; years of friendship does tend to increase working compatibility. As Fernando and Luke both hoisted the large barrel of brew on its stand, they couldn’t help but feel triumphant. The sight was honestly quite glorious.

“All that’s left is to tap it.” Luke proclaimed proudly. First, he hammered the spout into the bottom of the barrel, then he grabbed two vessels to reward the labor that had been completed. No drink is sweeter than the one you had to work for, Fernando thought to himself. He was attempting to convince himself that this sweet, warm beer was worth coming early for. Luke was swayed in to coming early out of hope and prospective romantic engagements. Fernando wasn’t jealous about what awaited his friend, but he was a bit envious that the reward was much more satisfying. He began to scan the now filling field, watching as more people were arriving and helping set up. Among these new arrivals were Penelope and Margaret of course. Fernando turned to see Luke attempting to clean up the presentation of his hair and return his clothes to their state prior to arriving in a field and moving a barrel. In the lowering sun’s glow, Luke shined. The outfit that was once simple yet well put together was now a beacon of good looks. Luke smiled at Fernando,

“I take it I look presentable?” The answer he got was a playful shove from an old friend. Luke always took these to mean yes. Besides, Fernando would have told him otherwise, he preferred to watch Luke strike out on his own merit. “Penelope, hey!” Luke took control of the moment by calling out and making sure that Penelope, and by association Margaret, could find her way over to Fernando and himself. Penelope was as stunning as always, so Luke was quite glad he was dressed so well. To counter his delicate orange and brown, she looked absolutely divine in something that was between sweater and dress, with a cute brown jacket over top. Luke couldn’t look away, but still managed to jab Fernando in his ribs. Years of practice aiming for a consistent target. Margaret, however, was not doing herself any favors in beating the necromancer allegations. Dressed in shirt and skirt combo so dark it made most midnights seem as bright as mid-day, many who saw her in this would use it as proof of her darker magical leanings. Fernando would use it to ask himself a very important question; Is Margaret incredibly beautiful? The two had shared a class or two across their six years at Felix, but he really never noticed her for her appearance, only her darkened aura and the rumors around her. Now it seemed all he could notice was the way her auburn hair was cut to accentuate its thousand layers, and how her eyes were a delicate shade of grey.

“Has she always had such unique colored eyes?” Fernando launched this inquisition at his close friend, but unfortunately, he too was absorbed in the aura of an attractive woman. Penelope’s aura was aided by her piercing blue eyes and blonde shoulder length hair. Luke had described her eyes to Fernando before, after their first not-a-date but totally-a-date, where he explained that they were more a deep ocean blue than a sky blue. Fernando agreed. Luckily the boys had a few seconds to pull themselves back together before the other pair made their way over to them.

“Don’t forget Ferny, you and Margaret have to set up the stage next. I’ll be busy puckering up with Penelope.” Luke’s smile could melt permafrost with its radiance, but it couldn’t get Fernando to forget the second betrayal his friend was committing today. He wanted to be a bit more upset about this, but since he was yet to secure dinner or a place to sleep, maybe he could work the ‘Sympathetic Sexile’ angle and land a night on Penelope and Margaret’s living room couch. Luke had mentioned that they had a very warm and inviting apartment, hopefully Fernando was sympathetic enough to provide shelter for.

“Luke, Ferny! Thank you both so much for volunteering, it really does take a village to set up an event of this size.” Penelope greeted Luke with an embrace, one that lasted just long enough to let you know they were a step past friendship. She greeted Fernando with a polite hug. “When Luke told me that you’d love to help out honestly it was such a relief for me, Ferny.” Fernando was willing to suck it up and accept certain things to help Luke progress a relationship past situationship, he would relinquish his bed when asked, he’d be ok with helping set up events, but Luke telling her that Ferny was an endearing nickname? Maybe a step too far. He glanced over to Luke, whose shit-eating grin was unmistakable, before responding as politely as he could to the unwelcomed nickname.

“Yeah, no worries, plus I figured it would let me scope out a great place to grab food or something.” He decided to hold his tongue about the nickname. He didn’t want to antagonize Penelope on what felt like only their fourth or fifth interaction since they were formally introduced. Plus, he couldn’t be rude in front of Margaret. He should be suave, understanding, and polite. Unless maybe she liked boys who were assertive and stood up for themselves, then he needed to say something. Fernando was beginning to start the torturous internal dialogue of how to talk to, in front of, and around beautiful women but luckily for him, Margaret herself broke into the conversation and saved him from that rabbit hole.

“Let’s just get this stage set up, no point in wasting time.”

End of Chapter I

So, whaddaya think? On a scale of 1-5? 1-10? Feel free to share feedback, I’m not too proud to listen. Like trappomancer, was it clear that was card magic? Probably not, but did you catch that it refers to Luke? Honestly, I’m just thankful you might have read any parts of it.

Here’s to 2024! Let’s hope it doesn’t suck

-KJ