Written Places

Iron Rose by Abigail OBryan (authorabigailobryan) is available for pre-order! This intense, dark fantasy novel is a passion project and I’ve had the priviledge of reading several iterations over the years. Abigail writes in a gripping, beautiful style that is a pleasure to read, somehow blending romance with a bloody war saga (plus you’ll get near the end of the book and suddenly realize you’ve…

Session 3: Vlf the Wizard

Chopkil jolted awake. Duk and Muk were still asleep on the ground next to him, but the house and yard was gone, replaced with shadows and swirling white mist that formed strange patterns in the darkness.

Someone chuckled.

Chopkil spun around and instinctively lashed out, his fist passing through nothing but empty air.

No, not quite empty. The mist seemed to be sliding around something solid, the…

Session 2: Marooned (Part 2)

Driftwood Island

“What is that?” asked Glyn, pointing up the coast to where something small and white was tumbling in the surf.

(more…)

Session 2: Marooned (part 1)

Driftwood Island

A seagull wheeled in the clear air above the crashing surf. It landed on a half-submerged chest and pecked curiously at the wood, before flapping away to avoid another wave.

Spiratus was feeling terrible. His aching body had not improved for having spent the last few hours in the frigid ocean water, though it had helped numb the throbbing pain coming from his shoulder where that…

The three figures locked in the cage could not hear the rain from down in the hull of the ship, only the groan of timber and the dull thud of the waves trying to beat their way inside. They were a mangy bunch, all cracked leather and matted hair. The smaller two, a man and a woman, were asleep, but the third, the big brute with the tattoos and bald head was awake. The man’s eyes gleamed in the…

Good news everyone! I’ve been thinking about this a lot and I’m officially rebranding my page to Written Places! Rather than Wesley O’Bryan like it has been for the past 14 years.

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 18

Miles turned and ran. It was nearly the last thing he ever did. A flash from Kappy’s gun illuminated the switchback in front of him moments before he plunged over the edge. He barely registered the drop as he turned and raced on, his fear propelling him. In his mind’s eye he could see the metal surging up towards him, reaching for his feet. The crashing, grating shriek was so loud that his skin…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 16

The street ended at a cement barrier and a warning sign. Beyond was nothing but darkness. An inky, sucking darkness that seemed to draw in the warmth of the world leaving air lifeless. Miles could feel the heat of the day radiating from the asphalt he was standing on, but from the ravine was only frigid air. Wind pulled at his back, clawing at his clothes, drawing him towards the darkness. The…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 16

  They’d found some cheap rooms in a very seedy five story hotel. It stood crammed and narrow between two other buildings as if the larger buildings on either side had slowly crushed it over the years, squeezing the poor little hotel into its current vertical orientation. A garage where they could park the Kappy’s tub and Miles’ tractor was more important than their rooms however, and this hotel…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 15

The marketplace in Moughte Kappy was lost and angry about it. She didn’t do well in cities. The cacophony of engines, voices and livestock jumbled together into a vibrating patchwork of color in her mind. She’d been trying to keep the jagged spires of a cathedral on her right, but they’d got turned around in this market. It’d been a mess of small shops and shouting people. It didn’t help that the…

Lind’s Bench

After much thought and help from my wife I’ve settled on the name Lind for the character originally named Tolomy. There’s still a few locations that need new names, but with Lind’s final christening every character in The God of Anthem officially has a name. I’ve been experimenting with watercolor pencils this last week and I did a quick sketch last night of the square next to Canon’s apartment…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 14

The Black Car The robot was spending the majority of his time riding in the tub and was very upset about it. He bumped anxiously against Kappy’s leg as she drove, trying to convince her that they should really be heading diagonally away from the road. Although they were surrounded by gently rolling hills and could have followed the robot easily on his desired path Kappy knew they were coming up…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 13

The robot had actually only killed one person. The other had regained consciousness next to the body of his partner and panicked, managing to get the door open before he’d collapsed. The back of his head felt wet when he touched it and he’d pulled himself into the grass, standing after a moment and making it some distance from the road before he passed out again. The flames had missed him as they…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 12

Kappy and Miles at the white truck. Traveling grew monotonous after the stack. Kappy and Miles drove until the sun set, camped, ate, slept and drove again when it got light. It was strange, but Kappy seemed different to Miles, although he wasn’t entirely sure what had changed. She still didn’t speak much, but her bad mood had gone and at times she even seemed almost pleasant. Whatever it was…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 10

Kappy and the peddler The squat little peddler surveyed the road from behind his haphazard table of merchandise like a king gazing over the kingdom from his castle wall. He turned and watched as the girl in the tub roared by in a cloud of dust. The tub compensated for its lack of speed with effort and enthusiasm and the sound of the motor pushed to its limit was deafening. The expression on the…

Forgotten Rust: Chapter 9

On the edge of Hustle River Miles was still vibrating with excitement on top of his tractor half an hour later. “I can’t believe they would just try and take the robot! Just… take him! That’s not something those people should be doing. They would have kept him there, too. They don’t care where he’s going. I can’t believe them! Can you believe they’d just try and take him, Kappy?” Kappy had…

Kappy exited through the bead door of the gun shop and the blonde young man glanced after her before sidling up to the counter. He waited there, not eager to speak without being acknowledged. The man with long black hair pulled Kappy’s clip apart and examined the batteries. He spoke without looking up. “You’re not supposed to come in here when I have customers.” The young man scrunched his face…