Are you receiving this as a forwarded email? Subscribe, so as not to miss out on future editions:
Attractions in Development
Unholy Requiem remains in review, and will hopefully emerge soon enough. It tells the tale of the rise of one of the most prolific and terrible empires ever to grace the cardinal world. Yet, it is not the worst. The Sovereign loom in the background, awaiting the opportunity to subsume the Ascended and spread their own vile filth over the face of the planet. Unholy Requiem sees the rise of the Ascended; Irreverent Eulogy will see the rise of the Sovereign.
But wait, there’s more! The Architect, as mentioned in a past edition, will operate in the universe of the Children. The Architect is herself Sovereign, though she has cast the mantle of their oaths in favor of working against them. Her stories—when they premiere in Backstage Pass, Vol III—will shed light on much of the background of the active resistance in the Outer Lands.
Furthermore, the Dark Father and CYB3RPVNKCVNT will premiere at or around the same time, providing a deeper look into the experience of the Sovereign and human resistance groups, respectively. Think of these as literary vignettes developing a world in which the events of Shrine of Radiance will play out.
More on these streams of content will be raised as their publishing comes closer. And now, without further ado …
The Groundskeeper, Part XXIII
First time tuning in? Start here.
When we last spent time with our protagonist, they escaped the labyrinthine sub-level and exited the elevator from hell. Just when they thought they could get on with their evening, they found themselves beset by yet another threat! You can catch up on Part XXII here. Will they escape the mausoleum with their life, the chipboard lid, and the tools they require to inter the zombie? Or will they become overwhelmed and submit to their impending doom? Let’s find out.
Oh fuck no. Nope nope nope nope NOPE. I am not getting trapped in here with a swarm of invisible spiders! I push harder, squeezing the chipboard lid as I tightly as I dare, willing my out of shape body to at least get to the doors. The exit is so close, but with the skittering on my heels, over my head, and rising ahead of me, it feels so far away. My breath runs ragged and my legs feel unsteady as my feet slam down on the marble, propelling me ahead. The dust eddies ahead starting moving to intercept me and I have I just enough gas left in the tank to make a final push. I throw myself against the doors, hurtling them open, and fly out into the open night air. I slow down and listen, hoping nothing has followed me out.
I turn to look at the mausoleum and watch as a light breeze breaks up the eddies close to the doors. I peer further in and notice nothing moving around; the dust lies over the marble as a thin mist, undisturbed. I have seen too much tonight to dismiss this outright, to think it was all in my mind. This is all very much real. All of it. I'm going to walk back to the employee hall, see the zombie still pecking at the glass door, and feel vindicated. But first, I set down the chipboard lid, hammer, and nails, walk back to the mausoleum entrance, look around with deep suspicion, and close the doors. I retrieve the chipboard lid, hammer, and nails, and make my way back to the employee hall.
Sure enough, the zombie is still there, pecking away at the glass door. I gotta admit, for a brief moment, I feared the zombie had somehow gotten out, or had moved deeper into the employee hall and had been transported to the dark dimension, or was never actually there to begin with. I'm grateful to find none of that true and as a result, I do, in fact, feel vindicated.
Well well well, Mr. or Ms. Zombie, it is time to get you back into your coffin. I set down the chipboard lid, hammer, and nails some distance away from the door and walk over and enter through the other end of the hall. I figure this should buy me plenty of time to grab everything before the zombie gets too close. I cough and clap and slap the walls from the other end to get the zombie's attention. It takes a while, but the zombie finally turns and begins shambling my way. I step out through the open hall door and walk down towards the edge of the road, where I wait until the zombie pops out of the door. Keeping my distance, I walk over to where I left everything and pick it all up. And once again, the zombie and I play that wonderful game of Slow Down To Catch Up, all the way back to its grave.
Well, that seems a little anti-climactic, doesn’t it? Invisible monsters in the mausoleum? A zombie, still present where expected, where it was left? Or is this all, perhaps, a momentary lull in the danger? Will the zombie consume our brave Groundskeeper? Or will the mausoleum yet have its way, when the Groundskeeper returns to sweep and dust? Only one way to find out! Read Part XXIV here.
Here’s a free Backstage Pass. Share it with a friend!
Are you enjoying the story so far? Please consider sharing this with someone you think will enjoy it as well! After all, things tend to be much more enjoyable when you can experience them with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and loved ones.
What’s Published and Where You Can Find It
Tales From the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique
The Proprietor—a timeless individual of many faces, few scruples, and a whole lot of character—runs the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique, dealing in artifacts containing peculiar traits. These are the tales of the Boutique’s patrons.
Calypso
Calypso is the reimagining of Immortality, the first story ever written in the Odds ‘n’ Endings universe, and the third to be published in it. Come and brave the journey with the narrator as they realize too late the cost for an otherwise interesting acquisition. Now available:
Showdown at Sunrise
A merchant finds himself in a bind when he manages to survive a duel. A chance encounter in an odd shoppe may just be the luck he needs. The question is, will this luck hold out?
A western with a little bit of magic and a whole lotta gumption.
Vegas Rift
A woman searches for her long lost husband. This is currently the most popular Mad Alex short story.
Other Stories
The Artist’s Spell cover
Final Encounter Cover
Final Encounter
A parent searches frantically for their daughter who has disappeared in their house.
Postscript
Thank you so very much for joining me on this ride. Dreaming up the concepts for the Sovereign and the Ascended has been much much fun. I’ve been creating mood boards of fantastical and grotesque imagery to fully develop these representations of hell and heaven. And what do the humans think of this all, if the stories are told from the perspective of the Ascended or Exalted beings? Oh, how exciting to unwrap these ideas and work them all out! Stay tuned, as more information will be shared here right up to the release of CYB3RPVNKCVNT’s first broadcast! Also, if you are on the butterfly app, come follow me! You can find me on Bluesky here.