Awakening, Quickening

[Harmonious_Echos]

Aaaaaaahhh! I finally reached page TWO! 🤣😂 

I am currently re-writing this story into book format to see if it's worth it to try self-publishing it... it's fun (and also kinda embarrassing) to note how much my written "voice" has changed in this story from the start to the present. Definitely some skill growth in the last 10 years... I hope I can keep the story consistent and not lose the original charm it held for me, as I go. I'd like to LIKE my work. 🤔😆

Thanks for all your support!

(Aimed generally in the direction of any helpful lizardy or non-lizardy readers lurking around this area) 

[Harmonious_Echos]

Harmony and Muse rose, re-wrapping the sleeping Kyir, who slept soundly now in his mother's arms. When Master Jer opened the door, Neil already stood there; Harmony wondered how he had come to be there, without making so much as a sound. He had made so much noise before; it occurred to her suddenly that maybe that noise was intentional, meant to tell her (or someone else perhaps?) that he was giving them privacy. She eyed him with a new respect for his skills. Neil didn't seem to notice; he just grunted and turned, waving them on. He held a lantern, half-shielded, to light the steps. Once they reached the lowest passage, Harmony turned at the gate. "Captain Jaksson. Thank you for taking us to see Master Jer." 

Neil looked away, rubbing his hair awkwardly. "Weren't nothin'." 
Muse smirked at Harmony "Do you mean "It was nothing", good sir?" 
Neil glared at her, half-angry, half amused. "Yeah, yeah. That." 
Harmony pulled her away. "Come away, Muse. Leave the good man alone. Let's go look at these places and find one we like."   

The four sheets of parchment did not have much information on them. A finely drawn picture of the front of each house, and a brief description of what was offered, were all that appeared there. As the walked towards the first house, Harmony thought she recalled something like this being done before; a page, with a picture....the technique seemed familiar to her, but she didn't know why. Something her own world, from before she came here–  before the tomb, before waking up here. What was that? She wished it wasn't all so difficult to remember. She knew there was more, from before she came to this world, and she did have memories from her childhood and life before the tomb. She remembered a college of magic, and working as a researcher, and many things about spells; but after a few years of work, the memories began to be blurred, and she knew a lot had been lost. Harmony knew she was 33, yet her most recent memory before arriving here was the night of her 32nd birthday; and many things from before that time were also missing, like holes in her mind which she knew were there, but couldn’t yet fill. Some kind of magic was definitely involved with her loss of memory. In spite of knowing that, Harmony still only had the name "Grebefal" to cling to. Many of the names of her past world, her past adult friends, the town, her own home...all of them eluded her. 

Muse tugged on her arm, bringing her back to the present; they had reached the first property. A huge, three story stone building with a slate roof, and shuttered windows; the shutters were flung wide, though, and two children peeked from upper windows. It was apparent that there were already a few families living here. Harmony approached the woman standing at the doorway with a smile.

 
"Hello, I am here to inqure about the residence? I was given this page as one of four prospective places to live here in Grebefal?" She offered the page to the woman to see. 
The woman looked at it briefly. "First I heerd of it." She looked Harmony, Kyir and Muse up and down. "We don't got th’ room for more than two more, in here. We gots three families in this house as it is." She waved them inside. "Ye can see fer yerself, though. No harm in lookin'." 
Harmony followed her in, through a large, heavy wooden door which also stood wide open and looked like it hadn't been closed in a while. "Thank you. My name is Harmony, and this is Muse; the little one here is Kyir. It's nice to meet you." 
The woman smiled at Kyir, whose chubby face was taking it all in, with a calm, serious look, as if he too understood this was serious business. "I'm Myra and that there” (she waved at a thin, dark-haired youngster eating an apple on the steps) “That's my son, Benly.” 

Harmony smiled, remembering seeing the boy sitting on the inn’s back step. Myra continued. “His Da works at guardin’ the gate. Benly's a mite wild, but he's a goodun'. We don't get many new folks here in Grebefal, so he’s curious about ya. What are ye here fer?"  
Muse poked at the straw flooring with her foot, and something small and black scuttled away. Harmony repressed a shudder.
"I'm a Mage. We got lost while looking for information and are looking for a place to settle for a while, and we wanted to study Grebefal to see if there was any history of the area. I will be offering my services while we live here." 
Myra's face lit up. "Can ye do magic then? I've never seen anyone do magic. I'd love to see that. It sounds amazin'!" Benly ignored them, gnawing on his apple studiously. 
Harmony nodded. "Yes, I do some healing spells, and I know a few herbs and other sorts of spells. I don’t do very much, but I’m of the opinion that magic can be helpful, at times. I hope I can help anyone who needs it."
She focused, gathered a little swirl of mana into the palm of her hand, and formed it into an illusion, then let it fall from her fingertips, like tiny glittering raindrops, sparkling with a soft light. The drops fell to the floor, then vanished. Myra's face was a picture of wonder. "WHaaaa....well I never!" she whispered. She reached out to the sparkles, and Harmony poured a few of the harmless illusion-drops into her hand. They wavered for a moment, and then vanished. "  Benly had started up from his seat and was staring, frozen with the apple half in his mouth, his eyes round. 

Muse grinned at him."It's ok. It's just an illusion. It doesn't do anything, just looks pretty." She scooped a few drops from Harmony's hand and dripped them to the floor too, to show him. He looked interested. Harmony held her palm out to him. "Would you like to see too?" Benly nodded wordlessly and walked towards her, the apple in his teeth, and stretched out a hand too. Harmony dripped a few of the sparkles into his hand. He held his hand still and gazed at them, transfixed. The drops held the light for a few seconds, then flickered, and Benly looked up at Harmony; he offered them back. Harmony noted that the illusion didn't go out, while it rested in his hand. "Benly....are you doing that? Keeping the drops all bright?" 

Benly used his other hand to take the apple from his teeth, chewed and swallowed. His voice was raspy and blunt. "Dunno. ‘S’ warm. Kinda tickles." He tipped his palm over, the way Harmony had done, and let the illusion drop from his hand to the floor, where it vanished. Harmony glanced meaningfully at Muse, then at Myra, who looked confused. Harmony dropped the illusion. "Well. Shall we see the place to live?" 

Myra nodded. "It's on the top floor. It's real hot right now but it'll cool off at night it ye open the shutters." She led them down a short hallway and through a kitchen, to a staircase at the back of the main floor. A back door was flung wide too, letting in the breeze, and a smell of farm animals. 

The second floor had a short landing, then continued up to the third floor. Once again it was obvious to Harmony that whoever had built these structures, they must have used either magic, or some type of technology these people definitely no longer possessed. She added it to the growing list of mysteries. The top floor, as Myra called it, was a large, tall attic room, undivided and mostly bare. Bags of wool, a spinning wheel, a rack of spools and a large loom took up one side; the rest was empty except for a single high window. Myra waved her arm at the space. “Ye kin see. I’ve used this side for my loom, and weaving. I’m a weaver by trade. I don’t sell much but it helps I’m th’ only weaver in Grebefal. I made th’ fabric yer wearin’ now, matter of fact. There’s room fer a small bed or two, ower there, but it’ll be noisy place, and dark, an’ no room fer a growin’ one to stay in.”
Harmony glanced at Muse, and nodded. Yes, this place felt cramped and uncomfortable. It would be better to find somewhere else. Harmony smiled at Myra. “It’s not a bad spot for one person, maybe. But you’re right, three would be difficult. I’ll take a look at the other places before we decide.” 
Myra led them back downstairs. Benly was back to his apple, now sitting in the fireplace, which was cold. He was flicking a bit of flint on the floor stones, making sparks jump and then trying to catch them in his hand. Harmony wondered if he thought that’s how her sparks were made. But Myra led them straight through and out the door, and stood in the doorway as if to block them from coming back inside. “I’d best be gettin’ back to work now, ye have a fine day, and good luck to ye”. She waved and picked up her broom, turning her back.

[Harmonious_Echos]

Dismissed, Harmony checked on Kyir, who was still peacefully observing; and then she and Muse took a look at the next paper. It was a short, squat building with a spiky roof–Granny Jak’s house. Harmony shook her head. That wouldn’t do either–she liked Granny, but she didn’t want to live in the same home. Although she had been most kind, Granny was a quick study, and Harmony didn’t like the idea of having to face her fierce wit every day. Besides, that house had only two floors, and it appeared as though Granny was using all of it already. She might not want to have three people as permanent tenants.
The third page had a picture of a tall building with a fence around the back of it, which extended off the page on both sides. Animals of some kind were pictured inside the fence. Harmony looked around and spotted the building; a few houses down from them, a large building with a fence appeared. Behind the fence on one side milled a large flock of sheep, being fed by a tall, muscular boy with a bucket. On the other side, a second boy who appeared thinner, sat on the fence and watched the first. Harmony and Muse walked nearer, and suddenly encountered a powerful animal-feces smell emanating from behind the building somewhere. Muse stopped dead, and Harmony glanced at her; Muse looked nauseated, and was clearly struggling not to transform and run away. I HATE strong smells, she told Harmony.
Harmony nodded. So do I, of course... As they stood watching, a thin, tired looking blonde woman with a sour face came around the corner of the building dragging a wooly, black faced sheep; a bell hanging from its neck clattered loudly on the ground. She lifted the struggling animal up until it was over a stile and plopped it into the pasture. The creature staggered and rolled, then jumped up and ran off, kicking and dancing. “AND STAY THERE, YE DUMB LOUT!” The woman shouted after it. “Run offt agin and I’ll turn ye into a stew!” She shook a long shepherd’s crook at the retreating sheep. Both of the boys watched her with large grins, clearly highly entertained. 
Harmony raised a hand and waved at them “Hello! I am here to look at a place to live, according to a page I got from the Lord?” 

The woman came forward and greeted her from across the road. “Hallo, and who are ye? Yer’ new in town?” Harmony raised a hand and waved. “I am Harmony and this is Muse, my maid, and my little son. I’m a mage and we find ourselves wanting to stay in Grebefal for a time to do some research”.
The woman frowned. “Magic user eh? Ye kin keep that lot away from here. WE don’t need no magic mercury about this place. We’ve trouble enough as it is.”
Harmony looked at Muse. “then…I suppose we’ll just go back to the Lord and tell him we haven’t had any luck with finding a place to stay?”
The woman curled her lip. “Ye go on an’ do that. Grebefal don’t need the likes of you. Our Lord’d be eatn’ mighty thin without them hogs ‘n birds ‘n sheep we raise for his table. This place is ourn’. And we ain’t sharin’ with no witchy bunch.”
Harmony nodded. “We’ll be going then, ah–”
“Jeede. Jeede Bennt” said the woman curtly. She turned and walked stiffly back around the side of the house, crook in hand. The two boys watched her go, then turned back and waved at Harmony and Muse. One of them called across the road, “Sorry about ‘er! She’s just crotch twisted ‘cos yer’ young n’ pretty!” Then they both broke into giggles and blushed, tumbled over the fence and bounded away, still laughing. 

Muse looked like she’d love to run after them, but Harmony gave her a stern look. Muse….We’re not welcome here. We don’t want to make trouble. Let’s just go. 

Muse sighed and nodded. “Yeah.”
Harmony consulted the last page of the four they had been given. A single door, in a tall wall. No plants or fences or even windows. Harmony looked around, puzzled; what house looked like this?
Then it dawned on her; there were living areas inside the wall, the one between the castle and the town. If an entire iron forge could fit there, surely there were more rooms there as well. Hopefully they’re above ground, she thought wryly. I’d rather not turn into a mushroom. 

Muse giggled at the thought, and they walked away from the stinking farm house as fast as they could do, without looking disrespectful.

[Harmonious_Echos]

I HAVE EDITED 

If you please 

THERE IS NEW 
 

where the words are different shaped now 

THAT IS ALL 
 

please enjoy

[Harmonious_Echos]

Just a note; I am editing and writing this off this forum now, so the story has changed a bit... and I'll probably stop posting it here, eventually, as i continue writing it elsewhere. Still checking in from time to time though. ❤️ 

[Snypiuer]

Are you thinking of publishing it?

[Harmonious_Echos]

I am writing it as a serialized web novel on Inkstone. Feel free to check it out if you like! 
It's staged to publish chapters, pretty close to the size of the content I posted here, to give me time to come up with new stuff (since we all know how bad I am at continuing things.... 🤣)

 

[Harmonious_Echos]

Reaching the high stone wall which housed the forge again, Harmony and Muse sat down by the steps to the tunnel that led inside, and rested for a few minutes. It was warm and Kyir was a little fussy; he had woken up from a nice long nap and wanted his lunch. Harmony sat in the shade of the wall and leaned against it to nurse, looking around. “Muse, why don’t you explore for a minute? I’ll be all right here.” And you can send me anything that looks interesting.
Muse smiled. “Of course, My Lady.” she said and curtsied like a proper servant. Her smile was anything but proper, though. Can’t wait. Do I get to look around the forge?
Harmony nodded slightly. Just be careful, Muse. Be small and don’t cause trouble. 

Muse rolled her eyes. Obviously… She walked quickly and quietly off, radiating happiness at being allowed to explore, transform, and possibly, get into some mischief. Harmony didn’t know if it had really been a good idea to allow her to go alone; but, she also really didn’t want to walk back into a deep, dark place just yet. Just the thought of being in a cave-like place made her shiver. She still didn’t know how to feel about her experience in the mountain, or the memories she’d dreamt of–, or that awful feeling of quiet, dark, same, nothingness. Granted, the forge didn’t seem all that quiet. The regular clang-clang-clang of hammer and anvil sounded regularly for what seemed like hours. It was just faint enough to seem musical, rather than irritatingly loud; It must be deep underground, Harmony thought. Or behind a few doors. 

Kyir struggled and kicked at her, as he nursed, and Harmony awkwardly changed position; this was harder than she’d thought, to sit on the ground and nurse. She was used to sitting in the padded seat Agatha had arranged for her. Finally, she crossed her legs and lifted them a little, and leaned forward, resting Kyir on her lap. Still, she couldn’t help but marvel at him; this tiny thing with tiny hands, tiny feet…every time she looked at him, he seemed new again, somehow.  He was so lovely, in such a strange way! She stroked his soft cheek and fuzzy downy head with her hand, taking in every inch of him. His face was not so new, now, and had filled out a little more; during the days they’d been in Grebefal, they had both had time to rest and settle in a little, and he looked more like the babies she’d seen in other families, now. As she looked at Kyir, he looked back; his dark eyes wandered and then settled on her own. Harmony felt a twinge of a mental bond; he was trying to reach her telepathically! She pictured a warm blanket and a softly crackling fire, holding the image; Kyir held her gaze and mirrored the mental image back to her. It was unsteady and rough, and only for a moment; but Kyir was only a few weeks old. “OH!! Little one…you’re going to be someone special, you are!!” Harmony whispered to him, thoroughly astonished.

She paused as a flashed mental image came from Muse. A huge, dark room with a massive roaring maw of fire at one end; A giant dark shadow–no, a person, working in front of the firelight–bright flashing sparks thrown under his hammer as he swung it down again and again. A second shadow pouring buckets of water into a long trough, in which the first person submerged a shining red blade of metal. It felt surreal, a painting in red and black, white and yellow, sharp edged, hot and bright. Harmony shuttered her mind from Kyir carefully, not wanting to upset him. How do they keep it so hot? Where does the fuel come from? she wondered to Muse; I don’t know, came Muse’s soft answer. I haven’t seen them feed the fire–if that’s even what it is. Another flash–an image of a wall of fire inside the maw of the furnace, white-hot and appearing to fall down into itself, pouring inward without ceasing. They collect bits of that white fire to make the blades, so I think that’s metal in there.
Harmony gave a mental shrug. I don’t know much about forges, or metal, or fire. But it looks pretty interesting, I guess.
Muse agreed. Oh! I think I figured out where the real fire is! A flash of stone steps, lit by red fire-light, under a heavy wrought iron grate in the floor…. then, a whoops, I think someone almost saw me… better go! Harmony frowned. Muse! You had better not be transforming in front of people! Kyir finished nursing and gurgled contentedly on Harmony’s lap, a picture of contentment; out here, it was all sunshine and soft breezes and shady fruit trees. Harmony started as someone tapped her on the shoulder. She quickly covered herself and turned, to see Neil regarding her. “See yer back” He looked her up and down. “Why here? Why’re ye not at the inn?”
Harmony produced the page and handed it to him. His expression cleared as he saw it. “Oh…Ah see. Yer here ‘bout the wall house.” Neil glanced around. “Where’s yer lil helper?”
Muse, be careful–Neil is here, thought Harmony. She needn’t have worried, though; Muse-the-elf stepped primly from behind the nearest tree with a fistful of local wildflowers and offered them to Harmony. “Here you are, My Lady. Are these to your liking?” Harmony nodded as if she’d requested to see the flowers. “Yes, thank you Muse, those are wonderful. I’d like to look at them more later–can you keep them for now? I’ll need to hold Kyir while we look at the residence, he isn’t ready for his wrap yet”. Kyir, like a proper little actor, blinked sleepily.
Neil waved them through the tunnel and to the inside-side, facing the castle; there was, in fact, one tree here, right next to the wall and covered with ivy. a little ways past that tree, set into the wall, was a plain front-step and a heavy iron-and-wood door. Muse looked intensely curious, and Harmony shot her a warning look. They entered the wooden door into a very large, plain, rectangular stone room; at one side, a tall, wide fireplace with seats built into the walls on either side, so a person could sit while cooking. On the other side of the room, stairs led upwards; no lights were lit, but Neil found a candle stump and lit it. He carried it to the stairs, talking as they went. 

“Th’ whole place is empty, only one in Grebefal as is. Nowt wants t’ live here. They all say it’s too creepy. Can’t say as I blame ‘em, but there ain’t nothin’ wrong with it really, it’s just a bit dark an’ a bit lonesome. Theres three floors all together–this big room here, a middle floor wi’ two rooms, and a top floor wi’ another two. Oh, an’ th’ steps to the upper wall, up top. I like to go walkin’ there, times. It’s a good view.” Neil lapsed into an awkward silence after this long speech. They climbed the stairs and Harmony and Muse took in the dark rooms, stone walls and floors, with spiderwebs and straw in the corners. Harmony repressed a deep shudder at the sight of dirt and dust layered on the floor; it reminded her too much of the mountain tomb. Still, looking around, she knew this was the best place they could have been offered. It was close to the center of the condensed mana, the castle; it was in good repair, outside of the dust; had lots of room; and best of all, it was unliked–a place that the other town folk would be less likely to drop by at a moment’s notice, and would be unlikely to want to move in. Harmony didn’t want anyone walking in on some complex spell and ruining it, again. 

Muse was looking cheerful too. “My Lady, may I walk around?” Harmony nodded. “Here, give me the candle a moment.” She took the candle and encircled it with mana, and set it down on the step, then took it away again–this time, leaving behind a perfect image of the candle. She handed the candle back to Muse, who bounded up the steps with the candle, and could be heard up there, shuffling around, moving things to the sides and opening doors, exploring. Harmony “picked up” the candle-image by drawing it into her hand; it gave off light just like the original, which danced and flickered, but this one could not be blown out by a breeze. 

“There. Now we have a light also.” Neil looked like he couldn't believe what he had just seen. He gaped at Harmony, eyes round. Harmony offered him the candle-image. She kept a string of mana threaded to it, to keep it lit. He stared at it like it might bite him. “How’d ye do that?”
Harmony shrugged. “I had learned to do this on one of my first lessons, at my magic school. It’s called a magelight. It’s not an actual light, just an image of one, but it works much the same way.” She held it high and took her time looking around; on this floor there were several large bare cupboards, an old dresser, a three legged table, and a few wooden chairs tumbled in a pile, in one room; a large wooden bedstead and chest, wide open from Muse’s explorations, but empty, stood in another room. No linens or any food, and a rather strong smell of mice. The third floor was no different–a few bits of old furniture piled here and there, a few pulled-apart mouse nests. One room did have a single window, shuttered with heavy wood shutters. Finally, Harmony motioned to the steps. “This place looks good, and I like it–but we should go back to the inn for now; all of our things are there, and I think it may be getting late already.” Neil tore his gaze away from the candle-image and nodded. “yeh. Best be gettin’ back. Ye can let me know in the mornin’ if ye decide this is the place for ye.” 

Edited February 23 by Harmonious_Echos

[Harmonious_Echos]

I have written over 100 pages of this now!! I often lose my focus and stamina around now so send me your good writer energies to keep me going... over the 100-page hill I go... 

*muse transforms into a hairy caterpillar the size of a Dalmatian and begins scooching around the room** 

[Snypiuer]

*Snypiuer does his writers' energy dance (Yes . . . yes . . . it requires him to be nekkid - sorry)*

Hooga hooga

HA! HA!

Hooga hooga

HO! HO!

Waga waga

WEE!

Waga waga

WEE!

Ooga ooga

OOO!!!

 

Hold on, that's some POWERFUL juju coming your way.

[Snypiuer]

Do you have a link for where you're also posting this?

[Harmonious_Echos]

*spins in response to Juju* 
 

Ah! Yes, there is a linky---riiiight----here. 

https://www.wattpad.com/story/364212289-awakening-quickening

I also have the SAME exact story posted the SAME exact way, on Inkstone.com as a serialized webnovel, under the title "Awakening, Quickening". It's easy to tell because duh, same author, same front cover page.  
Glad for any input, or sharing, and feel free to holler at me if you catch any glaring inconsistencies or oopses I need to correct. 

[Harmonious_Echos]

I AM DOIN AN EXCITE 

EEE 
EEEEE 
*deep breath* 
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

My serial web-novel "Awakening, Quickening" has been rated 132nd of 3,600 epic fantasy books on Wattpad, and has over 1K views on Inkstone!! 
And I just got this email: 

(panicpanicpanicpanicpanicccc) 

Congrats! Novel Recommended on <Fresh Stories> 

Your hard work has paid off! Your book <Awakening, Quickening> will be recommended on <Fresh Stories> on  <2024.04.02>.
Please keep writing, your book has the opportunity to get contracted!