Cynus

Ethan spent nearly every waking minute doing research. His grades were slipping, his parents, teachers, and counselors were all worried, but he was determined. Every night he'd come home from school and sit behind the computer, scouring the internet for answers. Liz hardly spent any time around him anymore, not because she didn't want to, but he generally ignored her calls. He was too busy, and she didn't want to teach him anymore, anyway. She thought he'd gone too far, and, he had to adm

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"Why are we still on this fucking causeway?" Caleb asked after what seemed like hours. The city still appeared to be as far away as ever, and when he glanced back at the gate it was just a speck on the horizon. He didn't understand how the river could possibly be this wide, whether it was a mystical river or not. Orpheus shrugged and kicked a small pebble from the causeway into the river. The water eagerly lapped up to swallow the rock before it even touched the surface and hungrily sucke

Oh yes, I agree. Ethan would probably enjoy all that dancing wood if here were there, though . . . Anyway, yes. Jake the druglord is apparently a warlock... er... sorcerer. What powers does he have? Good question. Will he help Ethan? Better question. Both will be answered soon.

But probably only on "Truther" websites.

Most people would probably just assume they hadn't seen anything if they saw floating cucumbers on a security camera, I bet, but maybe for that one guy who wants to believe in magic . . . Jake, you will find, is an oddity in many ways. We now know he's both a bit of a creep and a relatively powerful magic-user. What other secrets does he have? Well, we'll see.

Woot! Success then. I felt the story needed a bit of levity right here, after all that seriousness. And cucumbers have always been a favorite. I think you'll be all right with Liz by the end, but then again, it's not like I can read your mind, hah! She's been burned once by losing a friend, and she DID warn Ethan that she wouldn't be able to commit to the magic herself with the same conviction he was showing. Ethan, on the other hand, is demonstrating obvious signs of progress.

It's exactly how I'd waste telekinesis for the first while after i learned I could do it.

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Cucumbers: Ethan had never seen a more phallic vegetable. Ever since he'd come to fully embrace his sexuality, it just seemed he saw penises everywhere. The cucumbers were just the latest and greatest in a long list of phalluses eager to tantalize Ethan's mind with dirty thoughts. Ethan didn't entirely understand why they were at the grocery store. Liz had said something about taking the night off from studying magic, but she'd been saying that quite often lately. He didn't want to make t

Well, you're in luck, since the generosity spirit has visited me and sent me images of stories past, present, and future. Seems Tiny Tim is in need of a new chapter. More Orpheus to come later though. it's time for a salad.

It's a worthy break excuse.

Now I'm imagining him as a professional wrestler. The image didn't change much.

I loved this response! Thank you, my friend. Time is our measurement of distance traveled. Our days are representative of Earth's revolution. Our years of distance traveled around the sun. But time functions differently in memory, in dreams, in thought. Have you ever closed your eyes for a few seconds and found out you slept for several hours? I know I have. What happens to time when you're not paying attention to it? What happens to time when you have to need to track it? Time is our measurement of distance traveled. What if a place is fixed, and you stand still? Does time still occur? Will. Knowledge. Emotion. Methinks I don't need say much more here. As to your other question, well . . . only time will tell.

Why else indeed? What does Orpheus know? What is reality in a land governed by will and emotion? What will Caleb's fate be, and is it as unavoidable as it seems? The questions are endless, of course. So too would be the answers, though I have provided some in chapters to come.

How long indeed? A day, a month, a year? How will time pass in the real world as Caleb walks? You're asking great questions, as always. Thank you for commenting!

Yay! I've actually used that line since writing it. I am a nihilist (Orpheus is basically me if I was a psychopomp), and I take most things as a grand, cosmic joke. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

What I love about this comment is that I recently started a story which was going to be an homage to Lewis Carroll. I don't think I'm going to actually finish it, but this comment made me smile as a result. Orpheus would probably grin evilly at THAT comment.

*whew* I thought you might challenge me on the Acheron being the outer border of the Underworld. Myth leaves a lot to interpretation, and there are a few myths which kept the Styx as the outer border, but it seemed like just as many had the Acheron there, because the two rivers feed into each other. I'm relieved I don't have to dig through sources! Orpheus as Gandalf. Man, he'd laugh hysterically if he heard that. You'll have to wait on the rest of it!

Excellent questions. I suppose I should refrain from answering them for now though, even the ones which will never be answered in the text, since that, too, would be a spoiler. I hope that the answers to your guesses will be fulfilling, and that you will continue to enjoy the story. Thank you for the thought analysis, it makes me feel like I did my work well.

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Despite the misty city in the distance, the causeway appeared to stretch on into infinity, crossing the dark-green waters of the Acheron. Caleb eyed the waters suspiciously, sure evil things swam just beneath the surface. On occasion, he could see ripples which did not appeared to be caused by the current, and he shuddered to think of what might be making them. There were moments where he swore the water was speaking to him, little whispers which nagged at his mind and spread venom throug

I love these thoughts. Oh, I'm so excited to see your future reactions! I'm happy to see you viewing this through the lens of emotion. And more emotion! I'll keep my feelings on love to myself to avoid writing an epic in the comments. Or, if you really want to know, read all my other works and you might scratch the surface. My feelings are incredibly complicated on the subject, which is why I explore it so much in art. Will it have a place here? Will it win the day? It has not always been so in my work, so anything could still go. Now there's an idea! I kind of wish I'd thought of it now, haha! i love the comparative between Ethan's enthusiasm and Liz's prior experience. Nothing makes me happier than the analyses of the chapters.

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A stack of post-it notes floated in the air in front of Ethan. They were heavier than he'd expected, though he managed to maintain his grip on them anyway. He had the rune circle to support him, as well as the candles to guide his focus. Liz had made it clear that both were nothing more than tools—and not requirements—for magic, but he liked the thought of having these extra materials, at least for now. They were like training wheels, giving him the ability to feel secure before he was re