The world may be going crazy but I have still made progress forward. ^_^ I have been applying for a new job and participating in interviews now that I have graduated from the local college. So that has hampered my updates the past couple weeks. But I am still writing, never fear!

I added finess to the map I created a week or two ago, naming all the streets and little stuff. Oof. haha. And yesterday I wrote 7 pages IN ONE SITTING. I cannot say it is my greatest work...but I at least was still writing.

I push myself to write so that I dare not forget the joy creation gives me, among all the darkness of our current world.

I wrote another page today before work. I got this. :)

And to finish off my current progress, I have finished creating a new character, and officially have face claims for every one of my characters and fleshed out mini primers to help me keep track of their purpose in my story. It is my way of helping when I get stuck, I can look back on what each character really wants to accomplish, see what is missing, and get fired up with ideas on how to move forward.

Also, now I am at 33 followers. It is small among some of my fellow writers, but to me it means the world! Thank you to those who show interest and help me hold myself accountable, as that helps me push myself to continuously improve my writing and my progress, knowing there are those interested in what I have to write.

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Using an online map editor, I created and finished my first ever map from scratch as a visual aid to help with keeping things consistent and accurate in my story while writing. It is a small-ish coastal town of about 10-20,000 residents set in a modern setting.

It took me two weeks and untold hours to complete it. It was a frustrating yet rewarding experience, and I am glad for having learned a new skill along the way. EDIT: I also did hours worth of research on what towns and cities of this size have, and how coastal cities are set up to be as accurate as I could. Glad to finally have something to show for it.

I haven’t decided if I will include the map in my story or not, and if I did, whether I would include my amateur map or a professionally rendered version of it. What are other’s thoughts on including maps of made up locations in books? Let me know below!

CHARACTER INTRODUCTION: Jericho Winters

Even as his faith was crushed time after time, he hoped that something...anything...would prove him wrong. For his sake, and for his parents sake...

Jericho is a twenty-four year old priest who inherited his parents’ church at the age of seventeen after his father passed away. His mother claimed to see unnatural things and hear voices that would eventually lead to her suicide when Jericho was eight, and his father died from what most would claim to be a loneliness he could no longer hide shortly before his seventeenth birthday. Jericho was determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and offer guidance and prayer to any who were in need. He hides a growing crisis of faith within himself as his prayers are met time after time with silence. He strongly hopes to be proved wrong, even as he begins to accept that he is correct.

In his early teens, Jericho began sensing the presence of something nearby, sometimes moving somewhere overhead as if flying in the sky, or standing nearby just out of sight. He also felt as if their intentions bled into his mind, revealing whether they were malevolent or otherwise. And now a voice only he hears berates him, making light of his lack of faith. He fears whatever was wrong with his mother is genetic and he is going mad.

His greatest weakness is that he feels he is unable to adequately care for those around him due to his own shortcomings as a priest. He believes he will only let others down if they rely on him. This leaves him feeling increasingly alone as he battles with a crisis of faith that may eventually break him.

His greatest strength is that he cares for others no matter their creed or alignment. He cannot bring himself to abandon anyone who is in need of his aid if it is in his power to give it. Though this often clashes with his weakness of belief in himself, leaving him feeling inadequate to help them.

One day, while at a murder scene investigating a tip from a fellow priest, Jericho sees someone among the trees who catches his eye. The decision to follow this figure will not only change his life forever, but also answer his crisis of faith, though not in any way he could have imagined. Did his mother actually see things? Will he find peace in the answers? Or will he fall deeper down the rabbit hole of uncertainty? Find out in...”To Dust, Return”.

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An abbreviated view of my recent thought process for a scene with as few spoilers as I could:

Well, someone needs to die at so and so, to be a catalyst. But none of my current cast are a good fit, as they are necessary for the ending I envisioned.

Looks like we need a new character to liven up things. Oh, Character B would like this one. They would definitely be cute together. They were so glum, this will definitely liven up both characters.

Oh and here is a name for my new character, go back to the beginning and incorporate them into my outline and write them into my story. Awesome, what a cute couple.

Now back to where I left off, they must die......

Oh crap....

That’s right, they die. Poor character B, what have I done to you? I had forgotten in my excitement! Hope you will forgive me for my accidental carrot on a stick.

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CHARACTER INTRODUCTION: Azreith Seraphim

If there is one thing that plucks at the strings of my ire, it is you playing at death carelessly without any care or finesse...

Azreith, another of the Seraphs, and twin sister to Raziel, holds two positions that are both revered and feared among the lower choirs and among the mortals. She is both the angel of mercy, and the angel of death. Her role at any given time is apparent to those around her by the color of her eyes and wings, and by the tone of her voice. Often the role changes based upon her emotional state, as well as her mental focus at any given time. If you anger her, you can see her demeanor and appearance change before your very eyes.

Azreith oversees the flow of souls into Heaven to ensure the flow does not dry up, as they approach Michael’s scale. On the other side, as the angel of mercy, she also ensures that all souls whose life was ended prematurely are returned to their source so that they may ripen.

Her greatest weakness is that she is quick to anger when slighted, and does not take criticism well. This stems from how seriously she takes her duties in the grand scheme of the worlds, as she knows that no one else can perform her job as well as her, thanks to her many centuries of experience in her capacity.

Her greatest strength is her ability see both sides of an argument and fairly judge the proper outcome, regardless of her own thoughts. Being the angel of mercy as well, requires her to be fair in the capacities in which she operates. Though quick to anger, she is just as quick to calm down and focus on what is at hand.

At a point of time in the near future, Azreith will find herself torn between two loyalties, of which the consequences of her choices may ripple through both Heaven and Earth in ways that cannot yet be fathomed. Will she be able to look upon her own dilemma and fairly weight the options, or will she be too blinded by her own involvement to think clearly? Find out in...”To Dust, Return”.

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“Sometimes the shadow of the hero is darker than the light of the villain.”

- Deimos Thorne

From Dust, Return

WIP Intro

Genre: Dark Fantasy with a contemporary setting

Setting: Present day, fictional setting/town

Content Warnings: Violence, murder, death/dying, possible mutilation, and blood

Status: Finishing Outlining/Starting First Draft

Themes: Conflicting loyalties, finding purpose in the ashes of life, secrets and truth

POV: Third person, multiple

Medium: Novel (Book 1 of 2)

Tags: #from dust-return

Synopsis:

Before a tribunal of his siblings, a Seraphim by the name of Raziel is found guilty for the murder of a defenseless angel. The verdict is unanimous. Exile. Sent to the mortal realm, he is left with a choice. Accept the consequences for a murder he did not commit or attempt to find the real murderer to restore the balance to his own world. Standing in his way is a deep fury he does not recognize as his own, and a guilt that makes him feel responsible for the murder despite the truth. A guilt involving a dead sibling no one remembers that may come to light should he attempt to clear his name. However, he is not the only one hiding things as secrets come to light, secrets that could very well push him down a much darker path than his betrayer could have foreseen.

Even as he decides his own fate, other stories unfold around him. A fellow angel attempts to heal the decay of heaven before the others learn of it. A priest experiences a crisis of faith and believes that only a sign from heaven will be his salvation, underestimating his own otherworldly abilities. And a homicide detective investigates a chain of haunting murders with only one thing linking them; a lack of evidence aside from the bodies, leaving behind a fear that there may be no turning back.

As they all strive to learn truths of their own, someone pulls the strings like a puppet master watching as the pieces fall into place. But as they manipulate the others, are they truly their own master?

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CHARACTER INTRODUCTION: Raziel Seraphim

He often dreamed of dark, water-laden behemoths covering the sky in a cacophony of torrential rain and thunder…

Raziel, is one of the remaining Seraphim, a group of  Seraph generals who manage Heaven and all who live within its bounds. Being responsible for the clarification and understanding of messages has given him a different perspective on how things should work compared to his brethren. The centuries have not been kind to him, leaving behind a jaded being whose ideals appear to be his and his alone. He secretly harbors a deep passion for rain and thunderstorms, something that does not exist in Heaven.

His greatest weakness is a secret he guards close to his heart. A secret whose protection is so important, he allows himself to be blamed for a murder he did not commit and to be exiled as punishment, never to see his home again.

His greatest strength lies in his drive. He is incredibly driven when he sets his mind to a task. This drive has propelled him into a place of respect among his peers and the lower choirs as he has devoted his life to selflessly protecting everyone at any cost, human or angel.

Like any strength, it does have a down side. His drive has also put him at odds with those of his brethren who do not see eye-to-eye with Raziel. This has led to many outbursts and quarrels that could have been otherwise avoided. This, alongside rumors, leads many to believe he truly is responsible for the death of one of their own.

Raziel finds himself exiled to the mortal world, near a coastal town where it storms often. Has he found peace in a new home, or will he be tempted down a much darker path? Find out in…”To Dust, Return”.

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If you wish to be removed from this story’s tags DM me and I will take care of you. On the flip side, DM or comment below if you wish to be added or if I have missed your name in the maelstrom that is Tumblr. Feel free to share my stuff with your friends and followers if you know someone who may like my work.

Also, if anyone knows whether @pilipalea changed to a new blog or not, as I cannot find them, please let me know. :)

CHARACTER INTRODUCTION: Michael Seraphim

It is my responsibility to discriminate between good and evil...as one of the first angels, no one understands better than I.

Michael is another of the remaining Seraphim. As leader of all the angels, and supreme ruler of Heaven, he is stretched thin by the work and stress he endures to keep the cogs turning. Michael took over leadership of Heaven when their Father vanished without a trace or reason; no one else desired the responsibility and were more than happy to accept Michael’s rule. He is also responsible for the upkeep of a powerful artifact, a scale that measures the taint of souls to see if they are to be allowed into Heaven. His home is decaying, and he feels the strain of leadership now more than ever. He does not wish to make it public knowledge that their home and world is slowly falling apart at the seams. He shares this only with the other Seraph, in the hopes that together the generals of Heaven can determine the cause and repair the damage. Michael is known to go to any lengths for his brethren and to always produce results, so the other Seraphs believe in his abilities to solve their troubles.

His greatest weakness lies within his pride and his black and white mentality. He has worked hard to be who he is today, and his pride in himself and his accomplishments shines from their home and the lower choirs who look up to Michael as their protector. However, those closer to him know that this pride has also created friction among the Seraphs who have different ideas on how things should be handled, causing him to sometimes dismiss them and act on his own without their aid when ideals differ.

His greatest strength lies in how he rules Heaven as a natural ruler. Though his pride sometimes causes him to dismiss the opinions of those who disagree with him, he is known to consistently produce results at the least possible cost to his own people. No stranger to violence, having spearheaded many holy crusades through the centuries, Michael is known for attempting to find non-violent approaches first which has built up trust in his leadership.

Michael feels responsible for the decay of his beloved home. He thinks being too lenient in allowing souls with too much taint into Heaven is to blame. Though mostly pure, that little bit of taint that he allowed has slowly built up over time until it has began affecting the fabric of the world around it. In order to repair his mistake, he wishes to become more strict and rebuild the system that determines which souls are allowed in.

His plans have met with some resistance among the other Seraphs, who are unsure if it is wise to tamper with a system that was designed by their Father. Will he be allowed to have his way as usual, or will their world continue to dissolve as they continue to be at odds in their attempt to halt this sickness that permeates their world? Find out in...”To Dust, Return”.

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