A Light Through the Darkness

starting count: 80571
ending count: 81792
change: +1221

starting line:
She felt him cast the distortion spell even through her shields, and cast her own seeking spell, looking for the mark she’d placed on Thom’s spirit as he’d stood in the Circle.

ending line:
“What happened?” she asked again, going and getting him a glass of water. “Tell me.”

darling:
“Boys are stupid,” she announced to Cleo, who had just walked out the front door.

“Well, duh,” Cleo said, holding her hand out to the black mare, who sniffed her palm delicately. “What brought that bit of wisdom out this morning?”

***

Yet another chapter. Now we get to see the other side of the issue. And Nikki's having issues. Writing is fun!

starting count: 77886
ending count: 78421
change: +535

starting line:
Madness sat back, running a finger over her lips as she thought. “We can use that,” she said, and Lucifer smiled triumphantly.

ending line:
But her attention was elsewhere; he sank into her memories without alerting her to his presence, and what he found there made him want to crow in triumph.

darling:
The thread led him to a small shrine, deep within a sheltered valley community that nestled behind walls of rock and religion, shutting out the outside world. The statue of a female saint huddled within a small rock garden, evergreens hiding her from prying eyes, and Lucifer paused within the World Walls, listening to the prayers of the tortured soul he sought.

**

More tomorrow. Going to be smart (hah!) and actually sleep tonight.

starting count: 76990
ending count: 77608
change: +618

starting line:
Cleo wondered briefly if she should be concerned for Dan, and then mentally shrugged.

ending line:
“Last I knew, he and my mother were in the Midwest somewhere,” Cleo said. “I’m not sure either of the numbers I have are good anymore – Mom’s is disconnected, again, and no one picks up on Thom’s.”

darling:
“He’s a raving religious lunatic,” Cleo told her, and Nikki chuckled. “No, seriously. He’s given his soul to God and his brain with it.”

**
Slog. Slog. More plot. Slog.

More tomorrow.

start: 74209
end: 74869
added: +660

starting line:
Derek waited patiently as the guard patted him down, watching as the man went through his bag, mindful of the gun trained upon him by the second guard.

ending line:
“I don’t like fragments of imagination,” she said, and pointed a finger at him. “Get out of my spell.”

darling:
Above them, through the various floors of the hospitals, Mages lay in comas, their lives slipping away, drained by whatever Chaos spirit held Sylvia hostage.

**

Note to Derek - interfering with Nikki can be hazardous to your health, but a lot of fun for me. Just so you know.

Love and kisses,

me.

starting count: 73484
ending count: 73942
change: +458

starting line:
Edgar stepped back to the edge of the hall – Nikki had claimed the marble foyer as the only place she could spread out easily – and she rose to her feet, turning and pointing at the first candle.

ending line:
My sister.

darling:
She stood in a timeless place, in thin air; beneath her lay the chasm the spell had referred to, energies boiling and churning in a never-ending river of Power. All around her, silvery-grey cords stretched as far as her eyes could see, a living web of magic with flames at nearly every juncture. Most were small, but there were four pillars of multicolored fire, much like the orb that had consumed her.

This is getting very old. I'm going to do the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) for the next couple of days, to give my system a break and see if that helps. If not, I'm heading back to my GI and trying something else.

I know what this is - it's a reaction to stress. I don't like my boss at work, so that's stress. I don't like the atmosphere at work, so that's stress. I'm still trying to finish Seasons, which is uber-stress.

So, anyone got any good stress remedies? *sigh* I'm going to give my system a rest, and I'm going to make a concious effort to slow down and remember to take care of myself.

Today, I am taking it easy. I'm working on fixing my outline for Seasons, doing dishes, replanting some of my plants and putting laundry away.

And pondering.

Lots to do today. I've already started - 1 load of laundry folded and brunch eaten. I've got a bunch to do, so I'm posting my list so I can keep track.

Busy Sunday To-Do list:

1. Write 4k on Seasons
2. Finish laundry
3. Make burgers for dinner
4. Make beef pasta for the week
5. Make pancakes for the week
6. Make bacon for the week
7. Start my seeds

I'm breaking it up into 30-minute stretches (except for when I'm watching the game, which I'm writing through) and I'm in FM chat - feel free to stop by and say hi!

starting count: 68392
ending count: 69214
change: +822

starting line:
It didn’t work, so she closed her eyes, trying to find her center and reassuring herself that they would fix this.

ending line:
Andreas remained curled up, but Kymara was waiting to kneel beside him, whispering words of encouragement as he shook in the aftermath of the Cleansing.

darling:
Her long blonde hair hung in hanks around her ashy face. The dark circles around her eyes looked as if they had been burned there, and long scratches marred not only her cheeks but tore her robes as well. Andreas didn’t look much better; the wounds that he’d carried for the last twenty-three years were gone, but new injuries took their place: bites and gouges along his ribs and stomach, staining his black robes with crusted blood.

***

We can has a Cleansing! Well, a minor one. Now to find out how Madness reacts to this. I'm guessing badly.

Poor Lucifer.

starting count: 64683
ending count: 67019
change: +2336

starting line:
They sat together for a short while, and then Justin looked over at her.

ending line:
“I’d cooperate if you told me what you were looking for,” Justin said, keeping his voice neutral.

darling:
“Don’t worry about me,” he said, dragging her from the room. Rick had pulled on jeans as well and followed them out as Justin hustled her down the stairs. “Get to Edgar’s and lay low for a day or so. And Nikki…” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, giving her a hard kiss. “Do not come after me.”

Nikki blinked at him, and he murmured against her lips, “Remember, trust no one. That means Rick. I know what I’m doing.” Then he shoved her into the pantry, where the Gate was already swirling. Edgar stood on the other side, motioning her through urgently. With one final, terrified look, Nikki turned and sprinted through, and Justin yanked the Gate shut.

And then turned to see Rick staring coolly at him.

***

Oooh, this was a GOOD writing day! We found another Horseman! There was nookie! (not on-screen, but it was there!) Unrequited love! AND someone's about to be arrested!!!

More tomorrow. I'm getting excited about writing again!

starting count: 62302
ending count: 62631
change: +329

starting line:
She walks through the break in the trees is hit by it: the hard-edged sensation of anger and discontent, laced with fear.

ending line:
A Dawn Lord stands, his dark eyes hooded with old grief.

darling:
Her grey eyes are heavily shadowed, rimmed black with exhaustion, and her cheekbones stick out, making her lovely face almost skeletal. Her long, red-gold hair flows over her shoulders, its richness only accentuating the fatigue in her face. Cassandra wonders idly what is sapping her strength, but now is not the time to ask.