Karma donned Hadley's disguise and joined Abandinus for dinner.

"Have you any news of the disappearances?" asked Abandinus, spooning rabbit stew to his lips. "I heard some of the officers mention you looked wan. I'm glad whatever had ailed you seems a matter of the past. A blessing, perhaps, from the Lords above."

"Nothing on the disappearance front, but"—Karma leaned over his plate—"I think some bribes found their way into pockets too deep to fill."

"Dagda help us all. At least the blasphemer apparition has all but ceased. I was this close to culling the herd, rules be forfended."

"Should there be blessing then why not in pairs?" They toasted and ate to the clinks of silver and swigs of drink. Words were sparse up to the plates' clearing and the decorum laden in every goodbye.

"Oh, Warden, I've got an odd ask for you, if you wouldn't mind," said Karma from the doorway.

"As long as my faith is given its dues, there is no question of burden to these weathered ears of mine."

"Alright then. What ... do you fear? I know it's not my place to question, but the blasphemer's actions have got me curious in the ways of the heart. I wager a man of the Gods like yourself may be the serenade I need to move forward."

"No need for explanation, Captain Hadley. Curiosity is one of the Lords' gifts. Use it, respect it, treasure it. You will know rapture." Abandinus held Karma's gaze bereft of blink and stray. "I fear what all pious men fear: my God most holy. By fearing yet loving I prove myself devout amid legions of the greedy."

"I admire your candor," said Karma. He smiled using a face not his own yet his happiness held true. "Thank you, Warden. Well-wishes for your upcoming prayer."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"And you yours!"

**

"Dagda, The Father, the King, and Druid Almighty, I bow so my heart may bow in all manners of love. You need not answer for your time is precious and mine of low worth. That your ears remain open is more than I dare hope."

"Oh, but answer I must," echoed a timbre of storms. Great rumbles of squalls and plumes of herb blasted the chamber in citrus palls. A man of towering build and a beard of forest lush lorded in the isles of beaconing green.

"Yes, my Lord?" shouted Abandinus, kissing the floor in patters long and quick.

"I come bearing a mission."

"Anything!"

"It will take you to galaxies far far away."

"It's my honor to serve!"

"Then in the trail of my leave, depart you shall. My wrath is your own and it wails of the wicked. Find the sinner's den for its name rings horrid: 'Tellers and Seers, Answerers of All.' Purge them of life and deny them mercy, so great is there insult and so little their piety."

"It will be done!"

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Previous Update

Apologies—a word I feel like I’ve been using too often lately. I just couldn’t write a chapter today.

For full disclosure, I write slowly. Very, very slowly. One thousand words can take me upwards of six hours, four if I’m willing to cut corners on quality and grammatical accuracy. For Envy of the Future’s Past, it’s closer to 8–9.

I don’t know what made me think starting a second fiction and keeping up a daily posting schedule would work … but it isn’t. However, I feel bad about making a promise and breaking it so soon, so I’m asking you all: What would you like to see from me?

I’m willing to keep trying at it, but I—perhaps selfishly—am looking to you all for some motivation. Six hours is a fourth of a day, so posting daily would mean dedicating a fourth of my life with nothing but numbers going up in return (and, sometimes, they go down. That doesn’t feel great, y’know?).

It’s hard to post this knowing that any of you can ruin my mood with a click. That said, I’m oh-so grateful to all of you who have made my day—some of you multiple—by commenting, rating, and all of those other fun little buttons <3.

I guess please let me know. Oh, and I hope everyone enjoyed/is enjoying the holidays!

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Latest Update

I posted my progress of the latest chapter. I think I'm going to leave it at that while I try to un-burn myself out. My plan is to keep going with my second fiction and see how it grows. I won't fault anyone for dropping and expect a good number of you will.

To all who have made it this far, I hope you found something to enjoy in these ~75,000 words! With any luck, I'll look back at that number for the meager fraction it may one day become :).