"Technation" -(E)

Wednesday, January 6, 2010
"Technation." Evane spat on the cold ground, his mouth and nostrils filled with the stench of machine oil, rotting body parts, and desperation. The city-state dictatorship known as Technation resembled more a dying robotics facility than actual governship. Self-aware robots who had broken away from the Earth Federation's grasp a few centuries ago began experimenting with human body parts. Their plan, they said, was to use the biological enhancements with their own machinery to make usher in a new era of peace with humans. Unfortunately, things hardly go as planned.

The young mercenary looked down at his right hand and chuckled. The one good thing to come out of the entirety of Technation was the bogu. Crafted almost entirely biologically but with a few nanomachine implants, bogu were the epitome of the marriage technology and biology. Crafted on the hand as a living parasite, the bogu fed on rare elements within the solar system, and were able to alchemically transform raw mineral into energy almost instantaneous, sometimes with fantastic results. The simple injection of sodium into the small hole in the palm of the hand could produce a large flame spouting from the orifice. Soon, ships, transports, and entire colonies were fueld on modified bogu technology, using only salt as its natural fuel and leaving zero waste. Evane's arm until nearly his elbow was covered in the parasite, which looked like a darkened green skin that was constantly ebbing and flowing like a river. He still had full functionality in his right hand, and he had learned to control the intake of minerals to produce smaller, more manageable effects. This was a weapon, but also his livelyhood.

Evane stepped into a small room, and was immediately greeted by machine-like spiders, scanning his entire body and checking for weapons. Three loud beeps meant that although he carried weapons, he was permitted to take them in. Reaching into his coat pocket, Evane pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He walked down a long hallway and stopped short of a robotic bodyguard with a pretty female face. She (it) scowled at Evane and motioned him forward. Evane shook his head and waited. Almost as if on cue, a small gout of blue flame erupted from the side of a leaky pipe, lighting his cigarette. The robot looked confused as the mercenary walked through the door.

"You'll never understand, will you," Evane said as he entered his "employment office."

"Deez Pants" - (E)

Friday, October 23, 2009
{Note from the Author: Having your wisdom teeth removed, while a great diet plan, also sucks and puts all work on hold for nearly two weeks. Thankfully I'm back, and hope to be posting more Blue Phoenix updates in the future!

This next piece focuses more on Evane as a character, sort of developing who he is through a small scene. One of my three main storylines, this world utilizes more minimalist development and "reading between the lines." If you like what happens here, please post!}

"Blech, this stuff tastes terrible," Evane said, putting down the mug and throwing it across the bar. It slid across the table and landed on the floor on the opposite end of the bar. The surprised patrons shouted across the room as the foul smelling liquid landed on the floor. Evane reached into his pocket to pull out a cigarette and found...nothing.

"Damn," he whispered under his breath. Looking up to see if he could bum one of those tasteless penny cigs for a quick fix, Evane's gazed went directly into the eyes of a very large man who seemed to be a little upset by the whole beer-in-lap situation Evane had just caused.

"You owe me fer deez pants, bub," the patron said, putting one of his massive, hairy arms on Evane's shoulder and pointing with the other one down to a pair of jeans that must have cost him all of ten cents. Evane followed the man's finger down to inspect the pair of jeans and the man's head turned downward expectantly. At exactly that moment, Evane's fist connected with a very large jaw.

Stumbling back and into some other patrons, the large man shouted surprise as those behind him pushed him forward, right into Evane's extended foot. The impact took the wind out of him and he doubled over. With a quick jump, Evane sat directly on the back of his assailant's head, forcing him to the floor, face first. With a quick smile, the mercernary noticed that his temporary seat cushion dropped a pack of Rothman cigarettes from his pocket. Picking them up as he stood, Evane turned to leave and waved his hands.

"Next time I'm in this system, bub."

"Sins Forgiven" - (D)

Thursday, October 8, 2009
What...did I see?

Dameon awoke quickly, his heart pounding and mind racing. It was a vision; never the same, but always a single purpose. The shadows that covered his heart also covered those he saw, but he knew they all hated him. Red rage burned within them as brightly as it did inside of him. They had a singular wish for him to die by their tortuous malice. He couldn't draw his sword, or even defend himself. He felt the need to run as their hatred encompassed him, suffocating him more than he ever felt.

Dameon hopped to his feet quickly and grabbed the trench coat that lay on a small outcropping of cobblestone. Managing to put it on, the Hunter looked up to see a priest entering the small church where he had found refuge for the night. The Father looked up unsurprised at the bare chested young man wearing only light grey pants and a trench coat. Starting from the back of the church, the priest slowly moved down the center aisle while chanting in a tongue that was unfamiliar to Dameon. Unmoving, the half-breed human watched this Man of Faith as he made his way to the altar.

Bowing slightly at the foot of the main altar, Dameon turned to leave as he began the prayers. Soon, his voice echoed throughout the church, bouncing off the ancient wood and beautiful stained glass windows. Just as Dameon reached the door to leave, he heard the voice of the priest cut clearly through his own echo,

"There is still time to repent, and have your sins forgiven." Dameon stopped but did not turn around. For a long moment, the echo is the only thing that can be heard. Finally, the one deemed the Demon Hunter speaks just before he walks out of the church.

"My sins are written in my own blood." The rain immediately soaks Dameon's trench coat as he walked out into the day.

"Refugee" - (I)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
{Note from the author: Baen is a scholar and a very powerful arcanist. Originally from the now-fallen magocracy Bedune, he becomes fast friends with Ieh'son. This short details their first meeting after the tragic Grand Deception, a betrayal that led to the downfall of the mage nation Bedune.}

It had been a very long time since Baen had felt the pull of magic as much as he had now. He was in his study, looking through some arcane tomes by the Six Authors, convinced that the Fall had been professed before and he had simply missed it. He had flipped through hundreds of old books, reading through the archaic languages as though he was born speaking them. Years of study, decades of patience in the lost arts and he had somehow missed this? The Gods had some sense of humor about them.

The mage was still grieving the loss of his home nation by that impudent, weak little arcanist when the power flew through him quickly. He attempted to latch onto it with his mind but could not prevent the power from slipping from him. He moved quickly then, closing the tome and throwing it on a small bench near the walls covered in books. He hurried down the stairs quickly, his brown robe flowing across his body. Entering the long hallway connecting his personal library to the rest of the fortress, he waved to the guards as they stood away from the door entering the Grand Throne Room. Saishi stood there, a thousand worried looks glancing across his face. His smiled a little upon seeing his friend and advisor enter the room.

"Baen Ti'ren, how did you know that I needed some comfort?" Baen half-bowed in front of his Emperor and long-time friend. Saishi looked at his friend and was troubled once more, "You feel something, don't you?"

"There was an immense amount of magic that flowed through this place just now," Baen said, his concern very obvious on his face, "did that scoundrel Cre'dalin make his way in somehow?" Saishi shook his head.

"No, I'm happy to say that is indeed not the case. However, a band of refugees from Bedune arrived a few minutes ago. With them was a young monk from the Blue Phoenix monastery. Although he claims to be from the northern wastes, his skin tone is very light and his hair a sapphire blue, nothing like the barbarians that we have had to fight off in the past." With a sudden bang, the doors to the Throne Room opened and the very same person Saishi had just spoke of entered the room. Guards ran after him to stop his unauthorized entry, but Baen quickly raised his hands to stop them. The magic had suddenly resumed its tremulous crescendo. The blue-haired monk walked halfway into the Throne Room and knelt down, blue wavy hair falling over his face and concealing his eyes.

"Your name, Monk?" Saishi said loudly. The young boy looked up then and matched the Emperor's gaze, his blue eyes blazing in the light of the day.

"Ieh'son."

Site Updates, Comments

Hello Blue Phoenix Readers!,

Firstly, I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone who has visited. I'm very glad that there are people who like to read my writing! If you truly do think that what I have posted so far is at least mildly interesting, I have a few requests;

1. Tell people you know! You can post my website link on your Facebook wall so that your friends can see, or even use Twitter to tell all your current followers. Use the bit.ly linky below in any fashion you can think of to let everyone know that the Blue Phoenix is a good place to read short fiction and grow along with characters just like I do!

http://bit.ly/KBqK5


2. Post comments on my excerpts! I wholly welcome anyone who wants to post a comment on my website. Please ask me questions about the characters, the stories, or backdrops that I have created. Questions will also help me move these stories in a direction that readers are interested in. So if you'd like me to explore other ideas and/or characters, please let me know! You don't even have to register to post a comment on the blog (at least, I think).

I plan on doing an update a day, to keep things interesting. With three different storylines to choose from, it shouldn't be terribly hard to keep everyone interested. Also, one thing to remember: these excerpts will not be posted in chronological order. I may discuss Dameon's most recent fight with a demon, then the next day talk about his birth. It keeps things interesting! I will eventually hope to put a lot of these posts in some semblence of order, but that is for another day. Until then, keep enjoying the blog, and thanks again to everyone!

"Tempest" - (D)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
{Note from the Author: Sometimes I'll post a little bit of "Behind-the-Scenes" look at the characters themselves. Dameon is the begotten son of a princess from one of the last Royal Families of Neilith and the Demon Lord Bel, one of the Commanders from the First Invasion by Hell of Neilith. The princess was brutally raped during the beginning of the First Invasion, and while the intrusion by Hell was eventually repelled, the son she bore had the stain of rage within him.}

Dameon looked down at the weapon his mother gave him, holding it in the hands his mother also gave him. The long blade was beautifully crafted with now-extinct metal. Coming to a fine point, the sharp edge of the blade curved outward as the blade moved toward the hilt, but then retracted inward. The hilt was aligned perfectly with the edge of the blade, strong adamantium protecting the wearer's hand from attack. The handle was fine wood inlaid with toughened leather, perfect for gripping and swinging. And on the end of the handle was a long silken thread with an ordinary gold ring attached. That ring was given to him by his mother. It was then he realized that everything he owned in this world was given to him by his mother. For that, he was grateful. He also realized that some of the things he owned were also bestowed upon him by his father.

For that, he despised him.

The dark clouds gathered ominously north of the city's border. The young Hunter watched from a small perch on the high cliffs near the village as one by one, the small citizens below him extinguished the braziers lighting the outside of their homes and quickly herded their children inside. Doors shut and windows bolted, they felt safe against the oncoming storm. Dameon never felt safe against any storm. His tempests' were always within him, swelling high against what little self-control he had left. The anger, pure-red hatred instilled in him by his father's own seed was only counter-balanced by his mother's soft touch and calming smile.

Shaking his head, Dameon placed the sword back in its sheathe. A small, cruel smile came slowly to his lips as he stared at the ground. Large rain drops began to fill his vision as he turned and walked down the hill. The small town held something very important to him, although he was almost certain no one really knew how valuable it could be.

"You There." - (D)

Monday, October 5, 2009
“You there, young man,” a bony finger lifted from a dark corner. Attached to the finger was a man who looked as ancient as some of the trees of the Northern Wood. He pointed at the young boy and wheezed through lungs that sounded as though they were on the brink of failing. Dameon stopped and looked up from his beer, dark eyes fixed on the man, “come here, and bring that sword too.” Puzzled, Dameon looked down at his well-hidden weapon, pushing back the light leather trench coat. Eyeing the old man suspiciously, he got up slowly and in one fluid motion, was seated across from him. The young Hunter took in every small detail, from the dusty cobwebs on his beard to the sunken, dark-gray old eyes that bore deeply into Dameon’s heart.

“What,” Dameon said, more of a statement than a question. The old crone coughed for an extended period of time, making Dameon wonder of he was going to expire in front of the entire bar crowd. Finally, the coughing subsided and he spoke,

“I’ve lived a long time,” he started, his eyes never leaving the Hunter’s dark gaze, “and with living a long time, ya begin to see things. That weapon, I’ve seen once, when I was a very young boy.”

“Go on,” Dameon grumbled while pondering the ways he could get away from this old coot. Before he was interesting, now he was boring and irrelevant.

“They said the blade of the weapon was crafted from Olidite, a rare metal in the now destroyed Telgrash Mountains, and that it was forged in the fires of the First Layer of Hell. The weapon itself is said to be sentient, with a will guiding it’s wielder to some unforeseen destiny.” Dameon stood suddnely, having enough with the old man and his crazy stories. The wind blew then, pushing his coat and revealing the small velvet rope with a ring attached on the bottom of the hilt of the weapon.

“Though I did not see that so long ago,” the old man looked at the ring curiously. His eyes widened, however, and he began another coughing fit as Dameon walked away, the young Hunter’s last words still fresh in his mind,

“It was my mothers’.”