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Luncheon
Frank exits his bathroom, the last wisps of moisture leaving his skin. Across his body his faint scars, barely visible to his acute eyes, no longer ache. They burn. Even moreso with what he can feel is about to happen. Even in its state of deep hibernation, his other side can tell that they are on the precipice of a great war. And, without asking permission, it was starting to ready him for the battle’s arrival. Splayed across his bed is the suit he’d chosen before running t
J. Joseph
4 days ago8 min read
Notes on an Adrenaline-Filled Night
I keep my head up, watching the ceiling as I pass the mailboxes, keeping a solid distance. More than an arms length is fine for most things. My building is mostly grad students and service workers, but hopefully this early in the year means they won’t be out this late into the night. I breathe, in and out. My hope is futile. There seem to be a few people waiting by the elevator. They know each other, and one is visibly drunk, which means the others are likely drunk as well. S
J. Joseph
Aug 288 min read
Magister Ahmad Preparing His New Office
The Illusive Study offices are exactly as I imagined back in my apprenticehood. While the Shanghai Villa is rarely overfunding their magisters, that’s because their funding is focused on the Villa itself, expanding their already massive first and second hand sources as well as expanding their physical campus to accommodate an expansion of the student body that likely won’t come if we don’t change some policies soon. But that’s why we’re doing this. Because of the expansions,
J. Joseph
Aug 218 min read
Felazo Ambushes an Attempted Ambush
The walk is relatively uneventful as they carry their rowboat back to the ship. Coming along the end of the path, where the cavern lets out onto the island, Den furrows his brow and holds up a hand. Everyone stops. Felazo notices the noble scion has her bow drawn, an arrow waiting on its string. Slowly the three of them shuffle the boat to the side of the path, setting it down and having the prisoners hide behind it. Felazo nods, smiles a wicked grin, and pulls out his book.
J. Joseph
Aug 149 min read
Counciling
I have been running full tilt too long. I need a bit of time to myself. I begin my morning routine. Getting out of my room, I walk down the hall and out of my fortress-mansion. Then, it’s time to walk. Every morning, when my world doesn’t need me, I take an hour to walk the streets of town. My body wants me to run, to burn off the energy, to lean on my other half, but that’s just another remnant of my past trying to control me. It’s hard to stop a habit entirely, so when I aw
J. Joseph
Aug 78 min read
Refueling Our Cruise Ship
Fourteen days. All it took. I heard stories of some cities where it was a matter of hours before the chaos set in, but by now, everywhere has fallen into the fray. More importantly new order is starting to arise independently. Petty dictators and overcomplicated republics, both doomed to collapse under their own problems, but new order none the less. Slowly and haphazardly, but it is a start. I look out over the waters, at the small flag flying above our next port of call. Ta
J. Joseph
Jul 318 min read
An Overwhelming Feeling and Concerning Conversation
I breathe in deeply. Hold. and breathe out, taking longer on the exhale than the inhale. Eyes unfocused staring at my dormroom’s wall. In. Hold. Out. The feelings of the horny, stressed, and angry college freshmen start subsiding. Being washed away in the exhale, like a sandcastle in the tide. This is the best I can do. Well, this and taking my insomnia meds. By unfocusing my eyes and emptying my head, I can let the feelings from all the shows wash over and past me, effective
J. Joseph
Jul 248 min read
Watching from the Edge of an Afterparty
The end of the week, and I finally head to one of the Intern afterparties at the Principle Mysticists Convention. I heard from Magister Parades and Kenneth about how much fun these parties could be, if you found your own ways to enjoy them. But quite frankly, they seem like basically any sort of party I could go to back home. Sure, the variety of people is a lot bigger, and there are way more languages being used casually, but the feeling of the party is essentially the same
J. Joseph
Jul 178 min read
Awakening on a Clay Beach
Alessari ud Tise’el feels groggy as she stirs from a forced sleep. Something weird happened. She was focused, in the middle of them being ambushed, when everything started to slow. Looking around, she’s no longer in that field of a valley, but now on some kind of beach. No, not just some kind of beach. The shore of the island that the temple is on. So they haven’t left yet. Her crew are around, Ren and Felazo treating some minor wounds. As well as two others, tied up. And scr
J. Joseph
Jul 108 min read
Information
The alarm sounds. The same one every time at the same time, at least according to Albert’s other half. It’s important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule while moving through space. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to keep track of passed time. Sitting up, he swipes off his alarm from the touchscreen beside his bed as he stands. Walking over to his personal treadmill in the corner, he starts the wakeup protocol and climbs on. Then, he begins to jog. As he jogs, his NPC st
J. Joseph
Jul 38 min read
Echoing Concerns before a Work Event
Sitting in front of the large mirror in my coworkers’ apartment, I lean close trying to keep my makeup as precise as I can. Fortunately, sitting still doesn’t cause too much trouble. The barrel that is my body I emptied in the hall, as I trailed behind Quinn. Well, mostly emptied. After the collapse, I’ve been trying to teach myself a bit better endurance. Not sure it’d help at the bottom of an elevator shaft, but it might delay things. And for the most part that just means a
J. Joseph
Jun 268 min read
Jase's Rooftop Smoking Break with an Old Friend
As I make it to the roof of the office, something seems odd. Tingly. A familiar feeling, but one I haven’t felt in a couple years. I let the door close behind me before I say, “So, who’re you here to kill, Therese?” From the shadows beside the door’s housing, my college friend walks out, holding a brown paper bag. “Rude,” she jokes with a straight face, “I rarely need to kill anyone these days.” I can’t help but laugh. For all her many, many faults, she can be quite funny i
J. Joseph
Jun 198 min read
A Hastily Concocted Ambush in the Hills
Sister Hilan follows the rest of her crew up the rope, but not before taking one last look around the strange temple. It has brought up some questions, but not the heart of the one. No more insight into the change. Why magic itself shattered. The books Felazo found may well bring more knowledge on that time, but it seems as though this place was not expecting whatever happened. She shakes her head, and begins to climb up the rope. As I reach the top, Felazo is waiting by the
J. Joseph
Jun 129 min read
Alert
Xin Zhihao scans the room instinctively, standing behind his sort of boss. After half of the scan, he stops himself. No need to be on high alert, that’s not his job anymore. Andrew looks back at him. “Budget here?” the younger man asks. “Sixty will start throwing up flags, so leave after fifty five,” Zhihao says, handing over the second chit of their Madidorum gambling budget. “So cheap?” Andrew muses. Zhihao takes a quick swig from a flask that he keeps on his belt. “Evid
J. Joseph
Jun 58 min read
So Someone Was There
It’s not constant, but I feel like I’m being watched as I head back to my dorm room from the party. A feeling I haven’t had in a few months. Or, more accurately, hadn’t had in a few months until around the end of summer break. I know it’s not random, it can’t be, which means I’m being watched for a specific reason. I scan my keys and push the door open, sliding into the dorm building. Instinctively, I open the door to the stairwell, but pause before taking the first step. Do
J. Joseph
May 298 min read
Last Minute Preparations for a Party
I wake up, my head thrumming. I wish it were from a hangover. Unfortunately, it’s just our boss. I was working late, managing some catering screw up for this evening’s events. Fortunately, while I might have terrible hours and no future prospects, the pay is pretty good whenever Ms. Pryor is organizing her networking events. I always make sure to write down Networking Events in calendars, because ‘Blackmail Party’ sounds a bit too evil for my liking. As I rouse myself, I look
J. Joseph
May 228 min read
Evaluation Day in the Middle of Finals Week
Administering a Final is exhausting, I can’t help but think as I make my way out. If I had more than three of these a year, I’m not sure how I’d manage. I make my way off campus, to a small restaurant that I lunch at most days I’m not working, just teaching. I have to get my lunch in rather quickly, as I set my evaluations meeting with my advisees for the two hour period between the eleven o’clock and the late afternoon finals. Josh and Zoe, who are my only two advisees that
J. Joseph
May 158 min read
Renalt Reflects on the Rewards of the Religious Repository
The door to the final room swings open. Renalt smiles, pocketing the golden key. He can’t help but wonder what lies behind the massive, heavy door. It was protected, after all, and kept locked even when the only people in the hall were those who lived here. Or, at least, those whom the people who lived here allowed to come and go as their god pleased. Probably means it’s more than just a gold vault, as being trapped during whatever event happened related to those corpses lock
J. Joseph
May 88 min read
Moderation
Quinn begins his thirty minute jog around the small comet where he’s living. It loops around the comet several times, but the distance isn’t as important as the time. A way to keep him moving, working to start his day. He feels the burn of his other side, trying to keep him alive without atmosphere on the comet. Or at least, significant enough atmosphere for a normal person to survive. Keeps the nPC in check as well, though in recent months something else has been frustrating
J. Joseph
May 18 min read
Rescuing a Kidnapping Victim, Less than Legally
I had to make one other pair of stops before I pulled the Bullette, sans lights, into a warehouse belonging to a mostly defunct shipping company. I feel like it’s a good staging area. Far enough to not be suspicious, but close enough to be able to strike out from it. And, most importantly, absent any expected security. I call and check in with Marty, who’s in the overlook with Keighlee. “All good?” I ask, intentionally vaguely, in case anyone is listening. I would prefer no e
J. Joseph
Apr 248 min read
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