Endings of the latest episode from all my ongoing novels:
Context:
Astatine tries to help Eskil unlock his magic abilities through a "mind dive" (which did not work). Afterwards, they travel to an abandoned temple of the Fire Goddess which was in the process of being ransacked by soldiers. After the soldiers leave, it was already late so they decide to stay overnight at the temple.
Astatine wrapped his cloak around himself. “You really aren’t cold?” Eskil shook his head. “But you’re from a place with a lot of snow, aren’t you?” Eskil gave him a look. “Sorry, it’s what I saw when I dove into your mind earlier. I assumed that’s where you’re from.”
“Yes…we had a lot of snow…” Eskil had a faraway look in his eyes.
“Just let me know if you need to borrow my cloak. I know you turned it down before at the cottage, but it’s pretty cold right now. You keep saying you’re used to it, but I’d feel bad if you were freezing while I’m not.”
“Ah…but then won’t you be freezing?”
“I’ll deal with it.”
“I’d feel bad about that then. Um…what if we…shared it?”
“Oh?” Astatine was surprised. “I considered that too, but I thought you’d be uncomfortable so I didn’t ask.”
“Ah…” Eskil’s cheeks flushed. “It’s just for tonight…” He looked up shyly. “Since it’s cold…” He got up, walked over to Astatine, and lay down next to him. He kept the dragon’s egg pressed against his chest.
Astatine moved closer to him and wrapped the cloak around both of them. Eskil’s breath hitched and then calmed back down to a slow steady pace. Astatine could feel the warmth circulating between them under the cloak.
“Good night, Eskil.”
“Good night, Astatine.”
Context:
Andreas rescues a stranger (Viro) who washed up ashore near the lighthouse he was maintaining. He nurses Viro back to health and lets him stay in his house, but Viro speaks an unfamiliar language (although not directly mentioned in the story, it is Esperanto) so they are unable to communicate with each other verbally. One day, when they are in town to buy food, they are stopped by a group of mysterious men who are after Viro. It turns out Viro is not exactly human.
“This is your last chance,” the amulet bearer continued. “Step aside or else. We’re not responsible if you get caught up in the crossfire.”
Andreas refused to budge. He stared them down and kept his hands up. Cold sweat formed on his face and limbs.
“Suit yourself, you were warned,” said the amulet bearer. The group of men began to lunge forward, brandishing their weapons. Andreas tried to block them and they tackled him down. The wind was knocked out of him as his back hit the ground.
“Viro! Run!” Andreas shouted as he struggled against the men.
Viro looked at him with a frightened expression. “Andreas…”
“Don’t worry about me! Run!”
Tears welled up in Viro’s silver eyes. He spread his wings and flapped. A gust of wind radiated outward and black feathers circulated in the air. Viro propelled himself into the air and flew away.
Andreas looked upwards in awe. “Viro…”
He had no time to say or think anything else before a sharp pain exploded in his head and his vision went dark.
Context:
Note: This is the sci-fi AU of my completed fantasy novel Grand Epic Elemental
Interplanetary freelancer Leiyu is rescued during a sandworm hunt by a stranger who goes by the name Thallios. Thallios' spaceship crashed earlier, so they have no place to stay. Leiyu invites Thallios to stay in his own spaceship to repay them for saving his life earlier.
“You’re a bounty hunter?” Thallios had a very solemn look on their face.
“Er…not really. It’s more of a part-time thing. Bounty hunting can be dangerous so I don’t pursue it that often. I am more of a generalist freelancer. I pick up whatever assignments are nearby and seem easy to do. Or sometimes I’ll pick a job if it’s on a planet I haven’t been to yet, so I have a reason to visit it.”
“The sandworm job was dangerous.”
“Yeah, but the pay was good. Also, it was my first time dealing with sandworms, so I was kinda curious when I saw the job posting. Those other people were there too, so they clearly decided the risk was worth it. You were there…”
“Not by choice.”
Leiyu frowned. “Yeah, of course. Sorry, I spoke without thinking.”
Thallios continued sipping the soup. “It’s okay.”
“Well, you were doing quite well. That blaster of yours…I’ve never seen anything so powerful. Where’d you get it?”
“Um…it was custom made…” Thallios looked down at the soup.
Leiyu figured that a blaster like that was very expensive and sensed that Thallios did not want to talk about it further. “Ah, okay. It was impressive though.” His kom buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. After scrolling for a bit, he looked at Thallios. “Speaking of assignments, would you like to accompany me to one tomorrow?”
Thallios looked up. “Um sure, what are you going to do?”
“This is more of a delivery job.”
‘Oh? That sounds easy. What are you delivering?”
“It sounds easy on the surface, but the challenge is not what we’re delivering, but where.”
“Oh? Where are we going?”
“The Labyrinth.”
