This week, the chapters actually deal with the same topic: fighting in the dark. There is something about blind fighting that appeals to me. I got lucky in my early years by having fairly good night vision. It help compensate for the poor vision that plagued me until my mid-twenties when I got surgery. However, the appeal of seeing in the dark has remained with me and this chapter reflects that.

Sand and Blood 18: Quiet-Voiced Threat

In general, I don't like the idea that the night or moon clan is “evil.” I don't like the idea of evil at all, but it is easy for someone in the sun clan to view the moon clan as evil. I break that notion pretty quickly though since Mikáryo, one of my favorite characters, doesn't slaughter the group. Instead, her attitude will set the scene for her and Rutejìmo's relationship until the end of the last book of the series.

Most warriors, both sun and moon clans, can see in the dark. It is needed since their opponents are functional in the one time they are weakest. Likewise, I see the warriors as capable of storing up energy to fight when their respective spirits are below the horizon. This is why Desòchu and Chimípu can use their speed at night through the next book but Rutejìmo can't.

This chapter is also a chance for Chimípu to show off and begin to explore the powers that only warriors have. The little fighter girl is capable of fighting in darkness with only their powers lighting up the combat. Of course, Mikáryo is a seasoned warrior and Chimípu has only had her powers for a few weeks. And there is only one thing a warrior of the night could do when a young woman of the day clan has been defeated.

Read Sand and Blood 18: Quiet-Voiced Threat at https://fedran.com/sand-and-blood/chapter-18/.

Flight of the Scions 24: Fight or Flight

As I mentioned before, healers are pretty rare. Outside of the story, they are a crutch. Inside the story, they have far more powers than closing up a wound or setting a bone. This chapter shows some of those additional spells which were inspired by the physical adepts of ShadowRun. Kanéko gets a chance to see what it is like to be boosted.

This chapter also begins to explore the sheer amount of information that Ruben deals with on a daily basis. Now days, I would say it would be a knock-off from the TV series Sherlock, but I'm still sticking with it. He sees the world in quantifiable metrics and I like that aspect for him.

(In a recent Fate game, one of the players had the power of Hyperanalysis which let her see things like measurements and distances in real time. The hard part is that I had to limit that power because it can be too helpful, as long as it isn't overwhelming.)

This is actually one of my favorite chapters: Kanéko gets boosted, Ruben shows off, Maris learns how to use magic, someone gets to fly, my conlang has a plot-related event, and Pahim gets the crap beaten out of him again. And that whole conversation about red balls is just a setup for this chapter.

Read Flight of the Scions 24: Fight or Flight https://fedran.com/flight-of-the-scions/chapter-24/ (subscribers)

Patrons

More so in the near future than the past, my writing is supported by patrons and donations. Releasing the books as Creative Commons means you can read it before you buy it. If you like it, then consider donating money or subscribing to have access to all my drafts and published novels.

Patrons can also read the work-in-progress of the final book of the series, Sand and Bone. Everything up to chapter fourteen is now up.

Sand and Ash progress

I got a round of edits for Sand and Ash and I have integrated them. I'm asking for one last round of editing but I should have it by the end of the month which means I'll be ordering copies for the author signing on July 16th in the beginning of next week. The signing is going to be fun, there are going to be thirty authors or publishers (including three from Broken Typewriter Press) showing off their books.