Cynus

"By life itself!" Grim exclaimed in awe as they stepped into the room. "Do you know where we are, Dogo?" The supports for the tunnel they stood in had been set by an expert at the craft. As if the architecture wasn't impressive enough on its own, the walls were decorated in intricate pictures depicting various scenes. The largest was of a bat-winged humanoid with two large horns extending out of the back of its skull, with an urn of water that it held upturned, with the water flowing out and

Excellent question. Book 2 will provide you with some idea of an answer. Crazy! I guess not entirely, but you could make pretty much anything into a weapon if you really wanted to. At my last job, we used to dissect each room to determine how we would defend it in case of an attack. We became pretty inventive about how to use the various objects around us. Now that I'm a stay-at-home writer, I still think about all the different objects at my disposal in case of a home invasion. Of course, like @drpaladin, I have a wide collection of bladed objects already, but... well, it's good to know what you can use if those are out of reach.

"How did you sleep, Styx? I trust that our beds were not too uncomfortable." High Inquisitor Kinar Grembal regarded Styx curiously as the young man stirred his bowl of breakfast porridge. The old man's gaze was unsettling to Styx, but he couldn't determine why. Inquisitor Grembal had proven to be an excellent host and had treated him with the utmost respect, but there was something in his gaze that sent a shiver down Styx's spine whenever Grembal looked his way. "It wasn't what I was use

Oh, don't you worry, this world is going to change in ways It doesn't even know yet. As for the state of our boys in this new world, who knows...

Kukries are one of my absolute favorite weapons. Every summer my friends and I hold an event called "melonfest" where we throw throwing knives and axes at watermelons. Last year I was able to find some throwing kukries, and they are awesome. Baggart is pretty cool isn't he? Dogo never ceases to surprise people, I think. Secrets are as good as currency in The Shade, after all. Unusual alliances, filled with unique individuals of differing abilities, also make for some fun drama, I hope. I really like your last two questions. I think when Prism met with Madame Godani it showed some of what you're getting at. Will these people even be incentivized to care? After all, everything is going to happen above them. Out of sight and out of mind. These golems are delightfully tricky things, and we will learn more about them over the course of the series, even if we are quite a ways away from delving deep into that question. But you're definitely on the right track! I remember Talos! That's quite interesting, I had thought of that. And, you're right, that is exactly how Dogo avoided it for all this time. This was a great place to showcase a chink in Grim's armor, and I'm glad it had that effect. Don't worry, Friday will come before you know it. There are ways to get the chapters early, if you don't want to wait. Madame Godani, ambitious yet careful, and she takes care of her own. She's interested in protecting The Shade, and more particularly, her interests in it. Maxthane will have his moments to shine. We're still fairly early in the overall story, and the whole fellowship is even together yet. Don't worry, I feel sorry for non--sentient beings all the time. Especially machinery, I don't like abandoning things that were meant to be used. I don't think feeling sorry for the Golem is any different than feeling sorry for an old car which someone drove for thirty years, but now sits in the sidelot, gathering rust. Your'e asking some wonderful questions, and most of them will get answered in this book, though some you might have to wait until the next one. As always, thank you everyone for reading and commenting!

"You want to help us?" "You look surprised, Prince Maxthane," Dogo answered with a disarming smile. "I think we've already made ourselves quite clear. Your father risks bringing doom upon us all." Dogo, Maxthane, Grim, and Madame Godani sat around an elegant table in the Inkblade guild hall. A full tea cup sat before each of them, and a plate of cheese and crackers sat in the center for anyone to eat from. It had remained untouched through the course of their discussion, though Grim and

I genuinely just thought it was funny. Possibly because I'm Korean at heart after the time I spent there, so I read it in a completely different light.

I was a bit more in my zone when I wrote this section, and it's one I always remember fondly. I absolutely love the way Kirra messes with Styx in the bathhouse. As for how things will develop between Styx and Max now? Well, I guess we'll just have to see what happens! Veil is a very interesting piece of this puzzle, and one well worth watching. Great questions as always! This is definitely a moment of conflicting perspectives. Prism is viewing the world through the lens of what he knew eight hundred years ago, while the other two have the same centuries of complexity that Grim has. I really like your observations about them, and your great questions! Brother and sister. Twins, actually. All those raging hormones... I don't think I ever saw the Superfriends cartoon, so I assure you I meant no connection, but hopefully it didn't distract from the story for you. Will have a new chapter on Friday! Thanks for the compliment, and I'm glad it was good chapter. I love all of your thoughts on Veil! your analysis is always appreciated. As usual, I can't wait to see your reaction to the grand reveal. One of the big questions here is 'why' did they change? And is Grim really unchanged, too? As for Kirra's past, that's another one we're going to take some time to explore, but we have a whole series, right? My thought with the Kirra and Styx thing wasn't so much that they were aiming for a relationship. It's more that Kirra, who is desperately lonely, developed an instant kinship for Styx. He's hoping to convince his new friend to stay. They may have gotten naked together, but it wasn't meant as anything other than the bathing experience it was. But, once two, attractive teenagers who both have a thing for each other are in that position, certain conversations happen. I love your thoughts, keep 'em coming! Veil is interesting, isn't she? Mmm... I like the way you think, my friend. These are some wonderful questions and observations, and I can't wait to see your reaction when you earn if you were right or not. This is a great analysis, and I just love how you're dissecting it so much! Thank you everyone for your comments! You're all amazing!

She was the perfect image of ageless beauty. Her hair and clothing were simple, but immaculately clean. The thin silver band that held her hair back from her face shone with an unnatural brilliance, as if brighter than it should, in order to earn its place upon her brow. Her skin sparkled like a bed of diamonds, and as she placed her hands upon the wounded side of the man lying before her the light seemed to follow her, catching every last sparkle as it danced upon her flesh. The man who la

I really like that you're picking up on all of the subtleties. Makes me think I've done my job well (even though it's probably just because you're smart, hehe). Kirra, like our other boys, is trying to sort out some things of his own, but he's at least in a supportive environment. He couldn't ask for a better commander.

I like to think of Styx as being someone who tries to act mature, and tries to be an adult when he's still really a kid in many ways. But he will learn some lessons along the way, I can promise you that. I really like your analysis of him.

I will say this, and I believe it to be true, Grim is likely the most complex character I have ever developed. There are eight hundred years worth of nuance to him, after all. If anyone can help a young man sort out his decisions in life, it would be him. As for what exactly he's doing here, that remains to be fully sorted.

Makes perfect sense to me! I love the mental path you're taking! I have been known to use polyamorous relationships in my stories before, so that very well could be it. I admit, I do like the idea of each one running his own portion of the show. Fasha was always fun to write, especially when he's making life difficult for my children... There's a lot of revelations still to come, and hopefully it'll be enough to sate you and keep you going. I thought Sabreeza was going to be a major player in the series, too. Then the muse put a knife in his skull, and I had to reform my outline after that...

I'm glad we're still surprising you. I think that means I'm doing my job. Well, you won't have to wait for much longer, as we will be posting it tomorrow. Although I wanted Salidar to come across as an antagonist of sorts, I also want him to be human. Yes, he is currently blinded by ambition, but since he is convinced that this move of his is for his son, his motivation, however corrupted it may be, is still to make Maxthane happy. He's just confused about what that means. I believe I've said it before, but the magic tattoos are the reason I wrote this story in the first place. It was a concept that I really enjoyed playing with, and it's what led first to Styx and then to Max, although now their introductory chapters are flipped. We will eventually learn how Grim has maintained his long life (I hesitate to say immortal, since he simply hasn't died. That doesn't mean he's unkillable). Regarding the mark that he showed to the Elroks, on the other hand, we will only get a little bit more information in this book, though it will eventually be answered over the course of the series. I like your theory about Madame Godani, too. "Stane"! LOL Unfortunately, you'll be waiting even longer than that. Grim holds his secrets tightly. We will learn eventually, and there will be a bit more information before this particular novel is over, but it's going to be a while before we get all the answers to Grim and his past. But I do like where your head is at regarding Max and Grim and their new companions. What will they do with their new force? Yep! The mentors are now fully established. All of your questions are great, and I'm excited to see your reaction when you get the answers to some. I also love the dissection of Madame Godani's motivations. I'm glad you loved it! And Grim... I mean, he's my favorite character, so who wouldn't love him? As I mentioned above, Salidar believes he has his son's best interests at heart, he may be unquestionably criminal in many of his actions, and morally obscure in his beliefs, but he inevitably is trying to be a father. The question is, will that be enough? Unfortunately, the mystery surrounding Grim is probably only going to deepen until we get later on in the story. But answers will come eventually! That is an excellent idea! New ideas to keep the world evolving is exactly what these people need! Now, how do I get them to work together... Thank you everyone for your comments! Look for the next chapter tomorrow.

Maxthane looked up as his father stepped into his room. He had been mulling over his situation the whole day, hoping that he would have longer to decide how he would proceed, but the look on his father's face told him that time had run out. "Get ready to go, Max. It's time to move into the final phase of the plan," Salidar announced, confirming Maxthane's fears. "Fasha has returned with news that Prism has escaped into the Everbright City and that Sabreeza's guild has been compromised," he e

Indeed! Though Sabreeza did know more. Styx was mostly an observer, while Sabreeza was clearly a participant. Thank you! I'm glad it wasn't overwhelming. Maybe you fought demons in a previous life and those instincts were just kicking in? I'm glad we were able to override your disappointment with some hot Kirra action. Kirra is definitely the best physical combatant of our three boys. Maxthane's skills lie in other areas (as, of course, do Styx's). More on Kirra to come! Soon... ish. Fasha's full nature is still to come, but yes, we've come across a hint of a weakness indeed. What will the heroes do with that knowledge? And, as for Max, Styx, and Kirra... stay tuned. @drpaladin answered the question quite well. Kirra and Styx together are fun in their own way, but so are Max and Styx. What choices lie ahead of them? Will they even have time in the coming conflict to address that? Ooh... good observation! But what will the final reveal be?

I like where your thoughts are taking you. This moment really helped me determine where I would go with Grim's path in the later chapters, and now I've even written an entire prequel involving both Prism and Grim before the demons arrived. We'll get to see some of the path which brought them here, and add to the understanding of why Grim is bothered by his gift.

Let's hope so! Of course, more opportunities for drama if they're not 100% perfect at that.

Fasha's back, just as Prism expected, and now you know why. He seems rather unkillable, doesn't he? Styx and Kirra have some time ahead of them. Who knows what will happen?

I'm really happy to hear that! Thanks for all the support, buddy.

Kirra was careful to avoid drawing attention to himself as he walked down the busy street. The entire operation hinged on keeping a low profile, and bolting down the street wouldn't do at all, even if his news was urgent. Instead he kept his pace quick and pulled the cloak tight around him, giving the appearance that he was merely seeking a quick escape from the cold wind that swept through Pentalus. He continued the ruse all the way to the top of the steps that led to Mister Swallow's offic

This was the catalyst for the whole story. I had this idea for an absurd way to come out, and then built the boy who would come up with such an idea. His dad just inserted himself without me planning him that way, heh.

I'm glad you're already putting that together between Grim and the demons. I wanted it to feel logical in that way. As for the why on the imprisonment of the demons, you'll have to ask Neredos that question. Salidar is currently blinded by his desire to accomplish his mission. In his mind, he's so close to getting it, he can't see anything else. Grim and Maxthane's conversation here is why I love this chapter... It's also where Grim won my heart. As for his past... well, book 2 will get into that significantly (since it's mostly a prequel) Maxthane definitely has a lot to sort through. The question is, what will he decide? What will he chosse to do with the knowledge he's gained? In Fantasy, there is often the mentor character. The only one who started with their mentor was Kirra. Styx now has Prism, and Maxthane, for however long, has Grim. This was part of what went into the decision to include these characters in this fashion. Max, who has the hardest decision of all, gets to have a conversation with the deepest thinker, the over 800 years old philosopher who knows a lot about making tough decisions. Will it be enough? Ooh... somebody caught on to something here. I won't say any more, but I do like where you're going. Grim's techniques are mainly biological, though he is an expert of his craft. If anyone could teach someone how to do it, it would be him. Styx usually wins the favorite character battle (from everyone surveyed thus far), but Grim is mine. He wasn't even a character in the original outline, but he sneaked his way in, and then the entire plot was rewritten to accommodate his presence. If anyone can give Maxthane perspective, it's Grim. And at this tough juncture for our Prince, he needs all the perspective he can get. I'm glad you love the story! Thank you for the HEAPS! Thank you! Grim lives with the weight of responsibility every day, as Maxthane has been training to do, since he is expected to one day replace his father. If anyone understands the pressure of unique positions, it's Grim, and Salidar does, too, though he's currently blinded by his ambition. Thank you all for your comments! You are all amazing!

And won't that just be fun when Fasha does show up? I'm sure everyone is excited for that wonderful day. Styx hasn't explained what happened between him and Madame Godani (who is not his mother). All Styx knows is that he was found abandoned in the Upper Shade, so he doesn't know who his biological mother is. The simple explanation for the relationship between Styx and Madame Godani is that there was a bit of teenage rebellion, and the culture of The Shade being what it is, she simply let him go and explore on his own, knowing he had the skills to survive in the environment. We may explore the exact details of their disagreement at some point, but it probably won't be for a while. I wanted Styx to struggle. As this is a series, I want him to git gud(Please excuse my Dark Souls slang) over the course of the series, versus starting out as a powerhouse. Hopefully that hasn't detracted from the story at all for you. LOL. Oh, the next few chapters are a lot of fun, I promise you. We'll just have to see how it all plays out, won't we?

@Wesley8890, if you want to see the animated version, it's here: https://cynusthewriter.tumblr.com/post/171683268880