Cynus

Weird . . . So, I know I typed out a response to this review, because I defnitely remember writing it. Maybe I forgot to hit the "Add Reply" button and just clicked away from the tab without adding it? I'm sorry, I normally respond to every review, and I don't know how I missed this one. Dante is, in my opinion, the closest thing to a true hero in this story. He's the one that has a good heart, but also has the skills to get the job done. Nobuyuki is a bit too morally ambiguous to really hold that title, despite being the protagonist. If anyone was going to force Viktor and Nobuyuki to acknowledge the truth, it was definitely going to be Dante. But now you know everything that came of it, and I hope you're satisfied with the result. Thank you for the review!

And now you have. It certainly was a long time coming, wasn't it? But where's the fun in having everyone confess their feelings at the beginning? Oh, and how Vladi will react . . . Thank you for the review! It's good to know you're alive.

That was very heartwarming. Thank you, Spawnling.

The Fellowship of the Cup has begun! Their strength as a group has definitely increased, and now that they can plan everything together, with all their minds in on the problem, they can accomplish a lot of things they couldn't before. The question is, can they stop Daisuke before it's too late? Keep holding out for Alexi. I suppose I could have written that scene a little better. Alexi doesn't know Daisuke's name, so he couldn't say it outright, so he tried to tell Masahiro that the guy had an eyepatch and was a smoker. Unfortunately, all he could get out were the words "eye" and "smoke". What Alexi didn't know is that Daisuke isn't really a smoker, he just used the cigarettes as an initiation for contact the night of the attempted assassination. I'd like to hear what it means. Thank you for the review!

A nice, strong, start. I liked that you immediately jumped into the action, and built up the storm before the crash. I also like the realistic thought process of your MC, that he was more concerned with his life and Mark's life than his guitar at first, and didn't notice it missing until he reached for it, though I am a little surprised he didn't have the urge to play while he was in the hospital. I hope you'll continue. It's always good to see someone delve deeper into art, regardless of what the art form is. Welcome to the storytellers club!

I agree absolutely. This letter spoke to me as an artist, not specifically as a writer. Although not everything can become a career, I think you can take a career and make it into an art, and you should find something which resonates with you in that manner.

It posts on Wednesday. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter.

http://www.carrothers.com/rilke1.htm These are some letters written from an accomplished writer to a young aspiring poet. There's a lot of good stuff in here, and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!

Something: Music which sends me back to my teenage years. Someone: I don't think I have one. I have people who come close, but I don't have a single person who "never" fails to brighten my day. Somewhere: Wherever it's raining. Same Question

The answer to your question is found in chapter 16. I hope you enjoy it. It is coming together now, though, isn't it? We've built up the momentum, and now it's time to see that momentum through. Time to learn where it's going to take us. Thank you for the review!

A late very merry day of existence to you.

Thanks. Viktor goes through a lot in this story, so you might have to put up with a little more heartbreak.

You'll get a giant dose of Dante next week. It's the longest chapter in the story, and Dante is the main focus for a large portion of it. I think you'll both like it a lot. Daisuke meeting his end . . . well, we'll just have to see what happens, won't we? What if I told you that-

*whew* I'm glad you liked how I handled the brothers. It's always a bit nerve-wracking when I write a violent scene between two characters I know everyone cares about. It makes me wonder if people will receive it well or not, and this one was certainly no exception. I wanted to show that Vladimir's been trying to keep Viktor on the straight and narrow because he's already veered from that path in his father's eyes, and now that he sees Viktor being free with his own feelings, pent up anger from his own guilt and disappointing his father rises to the surface. Alexi in Daisuke's hands . . . well, you'll just have to stay tuned for that. I'm not going to talk about that much, because even a hint of it could become a spoiler. Thank you for the review! What do you think Nobuyuki is scheming next?

Oh, and what a week it will be. Chapter 17 has my favorite Dante development in the entire story, and I can't wait for you to get to it. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for letting me know.

Thanks for the review, Cole. I loved these boys from the moment their names graced the page, all four of the main perspective characters, and there's only two boys in the rest of my work which compete for my affection. Silas Drake from "The Navigator", and Micah from "Ashes of Fate". But Nobuyuki, Viktor, and one of the later characters made writing this story easy in a way. They had minds of their own, and all I had to do was let them talk through my fingertips, and they carried the story away with them. For better or worse, that's how this story came to be. I hope you enjoy the rest of it as well. Thanks again!

I hope you like this chapter (16) as much as I do. Important character development for Vladimir and Viktor here.

No worries. At least you didn't have to deal with the cliffhanger at the end of fifteen without being able to go straight into sixteen.

“What the hell? Someone was here!” Vladimir rushed to the front door and tore it open, peering into the twilight. It wasn’t difficult to make out Nobuyuki running down the street and away from the house. Everything began to come together, and Vladimir felt an unspeakable rage begin to well inside of him. He turned, closing the door slowly as he took in Viktor’s appearance in a new light. His shirt wasn’t buttoned properly, and hung long on one side and bunched up on the other.

Hehehe . . . Viko's talk with Vladi . . . I absolutely love it! I hope you'll like it as much as i do. It's an interesting chapter, to be sure. Everything is starting to come together, isn't it? Thank you for the review!

I'm glad you're excited, because it's about to ramp up to another level. That excitement should help see you through. These next two chapters are my favorite in the entire story, because two of my favorite character developments occur. I hope you'll like them just as much. Thank you for the review!

Chapter 15 spoiler

Nobuyuki cursed as he raced down the sidewalk toward the nearest bus stop, hoping he’d catch Viktor before he’d even left the area, but knowing it was a longshot. He’d been stuck in the office with Headmaster Kozlov and Mr. Morrison for nearly a half an hour, and it had been a draining experience. An experience which had only been made worse by a frantic call from Dante about Viktor, who had run off with the evidence they needed for Vladimir. Not only that, but he knew everything about

Thanks, Spawnling. It's an Ifrit, specifically.

Alright, I admit it, but chapter 17 really is my favorite. 'Cause Dante...