theautisticwritingpit

[theautisticwritingpit]

‼️WARNING‼️ This is chapter 3 of a full length novel. This will take ages to read. Is it worth it? Go back and read the last couple chapters to find out. No trigger warnings on this one.

This is a very rough draft, so all names, characters and plots are placeholders. If you have any suggestions for the future of this book, please leave them in the comments. I want 👉 YOU to have just as much of an impact on the story as I do.

I’ve been told this book really gets going around chapter 5, so stick around.

Strap in, strap on, strap up. Enjoy chapter 3 of The Little Dragon.

Before I knew it, the challenges were nearing their end. Around 15 or 20 men and women, children and adults alike had climbed onto this stage to face me. All fell before me in less than 5 minutes, just as it should be. This year was one of my toughest years yet, but this time I had something to fight for. I needed to win, to save my friend’s family. I would gladly take on a thousand demons to repay that man. He needed my help, and by the sun and moon I would give him my all. So, it was with great resolve that I took a shaky breath, and prepared for the final duel.

I had been resting inside the recovery area within the building, having my wounds tended to and the like. Now, as the final call was made, and the drums began to beat for the last time, I hoisted myself to my feet, and headed towards the center of the arena once more. I was exhausted, and covered in bruises, but I did not let it sway my confidence as I strolled back out into the arena. The audience began to cheer again, happy to see their prince standing proud for the last time this year. I waved to the crowd as the announcer continued his speech, and looked to see who my final opponent would be. To my surprise… it was a young girl, nearly the same size as me. She had long black hair that was tied up in a ponytail much like mine, and she was wearing a tattered old bamboo hat that looked very out of place. She had piercing grey eyes, and an unreadable expression. I paused for a moment, shocked. I looked her up and down, sizing her up. Normally, you should never judge a sword by their sheath, but I felt pretty confident in assuming that she would not be much trouble.

“Are you sure you want to do this, girl?” I asked, genuinely concerned. “There is no shame in walking away, I’m sure your parents are-“

“Bully.” The girl interrupted me, calmly and bluntly.

I stared at her with wide eyes as a sense of embarrassment and fury began to well up within me once again. “What did you say?” I asked, with a warning tone in my voice. I would not tolerate disrespect from someone so small and naive.

She shrugged carelessly before responding. “Bully, I called you a bully. Can you not hear from way up there on your high and mighty mountain?” She spat, a nasty grin spreading across her face.

I clenched my fists so hard they almost bled. “I am not a bully, and how dare you insult me in such a manner!” I shouted, taking a step closer as blood began to boil. Who does she think she is? Insulting me in the middle of my ring?

The crowd gasped and began to whisper among themselves with excitement, while the girl seemed quite happy to continue to annoy me.

The girl mimed opening a scroll, and began to feign reading from it. “Ahem. In your first match, you struck your severely injured opponent when he was recovering. In your fourth match, you kneed your opponent relentlessly once you realized that they could not lift their legs high enough to protect themselves. In your ninth match, you used your opponent’s hair as a handle, and proceeded to bash them heavily in the face when they could not escape.” The crowd fell silent, as they began to realize that she had a point. “I could go on, but I believe my point is made.” She cooed, quite pleased with herself.

By now I was shaking with rage, unable to control myself through the tirade of accusations. I shot the referee a nasty look. “Start, the match.” I growled.

The referee nodded hurriedly and began the countdown immediately.

“A bit hasty, no?” The girl teased some more. “What thin skin you have, prince.”

“3, 2, 1… b-begin!!” The referee shouted.

As soon as the match started, no… a second before it started, I rushed towards her with the intent to remove that yappy jaw from her ugly little head. I moved right up in her face, got into a low stance, and swung at her chin as hard as I could. Woosh! My hand collided with thin air. I looked up in surprise, only to see that she had leaned backwards almost 90 degrees to evade my punch. Still, she was smiling.

“Temper, temper, young prince. I’m still just a girl, you know.”

I swung at her again, faster this time. Woosh! She stepped to the right, perfectly avoiding me. Woosh, woosh, woosh woosh… I kept on attacking, becoming fiercer and fiercer with each attempt. And still, she kept dodging.

“Looks like all those pastries have made you fat.” She whispered.

My eyes widened in surprise. How did she know about that? Was she spying on me?… How dare she! Finally, I managed to catch her off-guard. I feigned a jab, and when she dodged to the right, I swept her off her feet with a quick and stylish maneuver. She gasped in surprise, and whilst she was in the air, I leaned forward, stuck my right foot out behind me, and sent it hurdling up towards her stomach. I knew I had won. There was no way her tiny body could take a hit like that. But… at the last second, she twisted her body in just the right way so that she could dive straight over my leg, avoiding it entirely. My leg continued on upwards with incredible force. I wasn’t planning on missing, so I had put all my strength into that kick. Unfortunately, the momentum turned out to be a double-edged sword, and I felt a small pop in my right leg. I winced slightly in pain, and stepped back slightly. The young girl fell forward, bounced neatly off her hands, and landed on her feet as if nothing ever happened.

“You almost had me there, prince, you almost had me, but your overconfidence is your greatest weakness.” She giggled, wagging a finger at me. “Either that, or that pinecone on your head!” She sneered, pointing at my hair.

I grumbled under my breath and charged at her again, not letting her catch her breath. I went for a roundhouse kick aimed directly for her ribs, but she slid right under my leg effortlessly, laughing all the way. All of a sudden… I felt a sharp pain in my left leg, and I fell to the ground with a cry. I heard the crowd gasp in astonishment as I hit the floor, and it took me a moment to get to my feet again. When I did, I noticed that my left leg was significantly sore.

“What… what have you done? What has happened to my leg?” I asked shakily, my confidence beginning to waver.

“I hit you, of course.” The girl said nonchalantly. “I bruised your muscle. It's best that you surrender, moving too much could cause serious complications.”

I gritted my teeth so hard they almost shattered. “I’ll make you regret ever opening that little yappy mouth of yours!!” I shouted at the very top of my lungs.

I needed to win. Losing was not an option, not when victory was so close. I ran at her once more, but this time with a purpose. I threw a fake punch to the left, which she dodged, a fake punch to the right, which she dodged again, and finally, I threw one real punch down the middle. After dodging the first two, she was quite confident that I was going to fake another, and throw a kick or a sweep at her instead, so she did not bother to dodge. And then… once she realized it was too late… THWACK! I hit her square in the chest. She fell backwards and collapsed on the ground, wheezing heavily. I felt a surge of relief and satisfaction flow through me as I watched her struggle on the marbled floor. Although… when I got closer… I could see that she was still smiling. How? How could she still be smiling? It didn’t make sense! I just humiliated her! She should be sobbing by now! And then, she raised a shaky hand in the air, and cried…

“I forfeit! I declare Xiaolong the winner of this fight! I cannot go on!” Her movements told me that she was struggling, but her voice sounded so exaggerated and fake... She lied.

The referee blew his horn, and made the final call. “Xiaolong is victorious for another year! Congratulations, young lord! Many blessings to you on this special day!”

The crowd repeated the referee’s words. “Many blessings!!” I nodded to the crowd, and once the celebrations were finished, I returned to the inside of the arena. I was furious, and exhausted, and sore, and embarrassed. I cupped my hands over my face so that even the sun could not see me. I wished for nothing more than to sit on my family’s cliffside and watch the view without having to feel my muscles aching every second of the day. After I had my wounds treated by the caring doctors of the arena, I braced myself, and started the long journey up to my father’s balcony. Every step was painful. My legs protested, threatening to give way at a moment’s notice, but I did not heed their pleas for mercy. I continued up the steps, for my goal awaited me at the top. My father would surely be impressed by my victory, and would grant me his favor so that I may ask him to save the baker’s women.

Finally, after what felt like eternity, I reached the top, where the after party was beginning. The room erupted with cheers as I entered, and many a noble came to pat their sweaty, fat hands on my back, and tell me how entertaining I was whilst their moist, disgusting breath showered me in their thilth. I said nothing and walked directly past them to my family, who were waiting for me. My sister was the first to speak.

“Congratulations, brother. You did spectacularly, especially against the women and children.” She said, her voice sounding as innocent and genuine as ever despite the obvious jab.

My mother came to me and bowed graciously, before giving me a rather awkward and uncomfortable hug. “My boy! You performed with such skill and prowess! Congratulations on your victory.”

I nodded, still refusing to speak. Finally, I turned to my father, addressing the problem at hand. “Father, I wish to speak with you in private. May we return home for a moment?”

My father stared at me silently, his face unreadable. Finally, after some time, he spoke. “If that is what you wish.”

He stood up slowly and put his hand on my back. “Close your eyes and mouth.” He instructed.

As I did so, I felt myself being dragged forward at great speeds. There was a loud whoosh of air, and the distinct crackle of lighting, before we finally stopped abruptly. I opened my eyes carefully. As expected, we had arrived back on our mountain in less than 10 seconds. We were standing in my father’s throne room, which consisted of a large golden throne carved out to look like a dragon’s mouth, with fanciful scales and whiskers decorating it. The room was not as large as most throne rooms, because our palace was quite small compared to a few others, but it served its purpose. My father took a seat on his prideful throne, and I knelt before him respectfully.

“Speak.” He said in a business-like tone.

“Father, I have a request to make.” I said hesitantly.

It was quiet for a long moment, and then I continued.

“I have fought long and hard for you this day, putting my entire soul into today’s events. The rules of the challenges state that whomever wins shall be granted a single request by you… so… I ask that you grant me this same gift.”

The silence seemed to grow louder and louder. My father’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Until finally, he answered me.

“You. Did not win the competition.” He growled, unhappily.

My eyes widened in surprise and indignance. “Wh- but I!-“ I composed myself, and spoke again more formally. “Father, your eyes are better than anyone else’s. Surely you must have seen that the referee labeled me the winner of each and every fight. Not one person was able to get the best of me. I have honored us with-“

“SILENCE!” He boomed, his voice filling the room. I flinched, and lowered my head. “You have ‘honored us’? Do not tell such lies to me. You fought with anger, ruthless violence. You let your emotions get the better of you, and took it out on inexperienced opponents.”

I looked up at him with confusion and heartbreak. I had tried my very hardest, was it still not enough? “It is a fight, father! Am I not supposed to give it everything I have? Am I not supposed to fight with the pride of our bloodline!?-“

“YOU CRIPPLED THAT BOY!” He shouted, his thunderous voice echoing throughout our halls. “Your first opponent was a boy by the name of Dong Bao. His jaw has since been fractured, and many of his teeth have been shattered. Do you want to know how I know this?” He asked, dangerously calm.

I dared not speak for the longest time, until… “Answer me, Xiao.”

I flinched again, and finally spoke. “Is… is it because his family told?-“

“I know,” He interrupted, “because I watched it happen. I heard his jaw shatter, I saw his teeth fly out of his mouth, and I saw the look on your face when it happened.” He growled, although his voice seemed to grow a little softer as he mentioned my expression during the match.

I stayed silent until I could come up with a better argument. “I admit I was… less, than controlled… b-but I still won! I still defeated all my opponents! Is that worth nothing?”

My father sighed, and glared at me with disdain. “You lost, Xiao. I saw what happened in your final match. That girl was toying with you, making a fool out of you. And therefore, making a fool out of me. For whatever reason, she let you have your victory, but that does not change the fact that she. Is the real winner.”

I hung my head in shame and anger. It was true. That girl had just been playing with me, as if I was an untrained child. My father was correct in all statements made. Despite how hard I had worked, how much I had given, I had still not earned his favor.

“Even if I have failed… I still ask that you grant my request, on the grounds that it is my birthday.” I asked with a shaking voice. It was a bold request, but I had no choice but to make it.

“You have earned no such request.” He spat. But… he stayed silent for a moment, pondering. Finally, he spoke again. “What would you ask of me?”

I hesitated for a moment… and then put all my cards on the table. “One of the townspeople has come to me with his grievance. He tells me that his family has been taken by demons, and they may be in danger. I ask… I ask that you rescue them.”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. His eyes bore into me, and I felt as if my soul would be set on fire if I so much as dared to raise my head. And then… he finally spoke. “No.” Is all he said.

I froze for a moment in pure disbelief. “…No?” I asked, needing to hear it twice to believe it.

“No.” He repeated.

“How could you say no!?” I yelled, beginning to fly off the handle. “Your people are asking for help! You have all the power in the world!! Are you not obligated to help them!?! Is it not your job to look after your people!?!”

“I have my reasons, boy. Do not question me.” He said, coldly.

“I will question you! Because… because you are wrong!!” I screamed in defiance.

There was another deafening silence. My father looked furious. After a few seconds, I began to regret my outburst.

“Do. Not. Raise your voice to me.” He growled as he stood up slowly. “My answer, is no. You have earned nothing from me. That baker has come to me before with his troubles. It is not worth my time. His family was not in fact taken by demons, and if they were, they are already dead. It would be a waste of my time to look for corpses. I have other matters to attend to. Do not barter for my aid again. You will spend the rest of your day inside the palace. I do not wish to see you.”

Before I could get another word in, he vanished in a flash of light, and I was left there alone with my mistakes. I sat there for a moment, dumbfounded. Rage, sadness, and shame were boiling up inside me, until they all came rushing out in an outburst of hatred. I screamed, and punched the throne as hard as my tired hands could muster, leaving a large red stain on the throne from my bleeding knuckles. I didn’t know what to do. A sudden gust of wind seemed to fill the room, violently shifting about like an invisible tornado. I realized that it must be my father. He probably heard me, and was letting me know to control myself, or else. Although… his wind seemed angrier than normal, more uncontrolled… he must be really upset. I calmed myself, and left the room, saying a silent curse under my breath, and an apology to my friend.

I spent the rest of the day in my room, sulking. I had snuck back down the mountain to retrieve the pastries, and was munching them down like they were a last meal. Each one was so filling and wonderful, hand-crafted to be perfect for me. How could I have let the baker down like this after he went through so much to give me something so special? A few tears rolled down my face as I reflected on my failures. There was nothing I could do, there was nothing I could do… there was… something I could do. Suddenly, a rush of defiance flowed through me like waves being egged on by the moon. If my father would not do his duty and defend his village, then what's to say I could not do it for him? I had the skills, the power, the mindset, all the necessary requirements to be the solution my father refused to be. And so… it was then I decided to right my father’s wrongs, and take matters into my own hands.

I waited for nightfall before sneaking out of my room as quietly as possible. I made hardly any sound as I shifted silently through the corridors and hallways, until I reached my father’s armory. Here is where my father kept mountains upon mountains of weapons, ranging from swords to spears to mystical artifacts. It was a shame for him that he did not keep a lock on the door, because he did not believe anyone would dare open it without permission. I opened the door just enough to squeeze inside, and slipped through the crack. Inside were walls and walls of incredible weapons of all different kinds. There were shelves upon shelves, and there was not an inch of the room that was not covered in sharp steel. I looked around in awe, trying to choose a weapon for myself. There were many that caught my eye. A changdao much like my father’s, though it seemed far too heavy. A katana from Japan, though it seemed far too small. An impossibly sharp spear, though it seemed far too bulky. Until finally… my eyes landed on something incredible.

It was a small, tiny piece of jade shaped like the open mouth of a dragon, almost identical to my father’s throne. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry, attached to an incredibly long rope. Above it, there was a description.

“The Jade Dragon’s Bite. A fearsome tool of unknown origins. It is blessed by the gods, and possesses fantastical abilities. Its rope is woven from crying clouds, making it light and nearly unbreakable, whilst the head is fashioned from heavenly jade, strengthening its connection to spirits and Ki. It possesses the ability to transform itself into a Shengbiao when the wielder opens its mouth, as well as become heavier than the weight of loss. A weapon such as this comes along but once in a lifetime. I am proud to own such a piece.”- Jinlong.

My eyes opened wide as I reached a hand towards the instrument, and I could’ve sworn there was a gleam in the dragon’s eye… I took it in both hands and marveled at the craftsmanship. Its rope seemed translucent and fluid, as if it was made of mist, and it was strung together so as to resemble a dragon’s tail. It was beautiful. As the description instructed, I pulled the dragon’s mouth open, and all of a sudden… a dagger popped out of the dragon’s mouth. The dagger was shaped much like a tongue, and waved around a bit before settling into place. Physically, it should not have been possible for such a blade to come out of something of that size, for the blade was larger than the entire head, which was about the size of a plum. But, I accepted that the weapon must be mystical, and wrapped the rope tightly around my right arm for safe keeping. I did not bother taking any armor. None of them would fit, and would be far too clunky. With that, I slipped out of the door without a sound, and ran back to my room. Before leaving, I decided to grab a little something. I reached inside one of my cabinet drawers, and pulled out a small headband. It was a small, dark red headband that my mother had given me on one of my birthdays. She said it was from a land far away, and it had seen many battles. She gave it to me as a gift, something to protect me during training. For the first time, I wrapped it around my head (sloppily as I had never successfully tied a knot before), and carefully climbed out my window, prepared to start my adventure.

I grabbed hold of the roof, flipped my way onto the castle wall, shimmied over to the very edge, and hopped down so that I was once again next to a dizzying drop into nothingness. I began to climb down just as I had done so many times before, hopping from rock to rock with ease. One, after another, after another, after… CRACK. All of a sudden, the rock pillar I was standing on gave way. It had snapped in half after years of abuse from my night time adventures, and was now getting its revenge. Time began to slow down as I felt myself begin to fall… my heart jumped right into my mouth, and my manhood seemed to shrivel up with fear. I tumbled down, down down into the darkened abyss, trying to grab onto anything that would catch me, but I only succeeded in scraping my hands on jagged rocks.

“Father!!” I screamed, desperately. Surely he had to hear me. “Help!!”

To my surprise and horror, there was no heroic clap of thunder or flash of lightning, only the empty sky, and the owls to shame me for my ignorance. My heart began to beat faster and faster as I realized I really was about to die, when all of a sudden… I landed on something soft… the wind was still knocked out of me slightly from the sudden deceleration, but whatever it was managed to cushion my fall to the point that I was almost completely unharmed. It was… gently cool… and soft, like fresh cotton… I blinked a few times as my breathing began to finally slow, trying to take in the fact that I was indeed not dead. When I finally managed to lose my grasp of mortality once again, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and tried to stand up. As I did so, I nearly fell once again, my eyes met with that horrific pit of despair that was this mountain’s cliffside. But… whatever had saved me before shifted underneath me slightly, giving me just enough balance to stay standing. I looked down at my feet in surprise, unsure of what to expect. My dazed, unbelieving eyes practically popped out of my head as I realized what I was standing on… it was a cloud.

A beautiful, soft, perfectly white cloud. I gasped in amazement, and reached a hand down to touch it. Sure enough, it was like pushing my hand into the softest cushion. My hand did not pass through it at all. I giggled a little bit as the childish side of myself that I had so purposefully buried began to show itself. A cloud! How incredible! How was it possible? Perhaps it was a spirit come to save me, or perhaps my father had heard my call. Whatever the reason, I was miraculously standing atop the untouchable. I said a quick prayer of thanks to whoever had saved me, and took a moment to value my own life that had almost been stripped from me. Then… I did something I had always wanted to do. I reached down and plucked a piece of the cloud, as easy as plucking a petal on a tree, and ate it. As soon as I put it in my mouth, a tingling sensation ran across my tongue as it began to turn to water, and I took a big gulp of the icy fresh liquid. I breathed out with satisfaction, and a long stream of water vapor came out with it. I laughed to myself quietly as I sat up on that cloud. What a wonderful experience.

After 10 minutes of being up there, I decided that it was high time I got back down. As I looked around however, there did not seem to be any way to get back down… I sat there for a moment and thought to myself.

Okay… I’m thousands of feet in the air, uncomfortably cold, and the only way down to the ground is a suicidal jump… what to do.

“I gotta get down…” I mumbled to myself absent-mindedly.

All of a sudden, the cloud began to move. As if on command, I was suddenly soaring through the air quicker than the wind. The cloud had brought directly to the bottom of the mountain, and parked about 5 feet off the ground so that I may disembark safely. I carefully climbed off the cloud, and landed carefully on my feet. I turned back to it in confusion and wonder. How could it understand me? Why was it listening to me? Why did it save me?

“Thank you for saving my life.” I breathed, and bowed low as a great sign of respect.

All of a sudden, the cloud took off back into the sky, and disappeared among the others. I smirked a little bit, as by now I assumed this was all a dream, but I decided to go along with it anyway. I dusted myself off, checked my wounds, and once I had decided that I was fit to continue, I set off into the forest, ready to do my duty and rescue my friend’s wife and daughter. This must be a quest blessed by the gods, why else would a cloud swoop down out of nowhere and save me from an early grave? I had to succeed. I already fought tooth and nail to rescue these women back at the challenges, and since that didn’t work, I would fight harder still. These were my people, these were my burdens. If my father would turn his back, I would do the only thing I knew how to do, and face these problems head on. I am Lei Xiaolong, son of the Dragon of Thunder. And I will not be like him.

Congratulations! You made it to the end! Thank you so much for reading. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let them be known in the comments. Interactions always help.

[theautisticwritingpit]

‼️WARNING‼️ The following post is chapter 2 of a real book. This will take ages to read. Is it worth it? I definitely think so. No trigger warnings on this one. This is a rough draft, so all names and plot points are placeholders. I welcome any suggestions/advice, I want 👉YOU to have an effect on this story just as much as I do.

I’m absolutely hyped to finally get to share this story. It only gets better from here. I can’t wait for you all to see the next few chapters.

Strap in, strap on, strap up. Enjoy the second chapter of The Little Dragon.

The cheering of the crowd was the first thing I heard as I approached the arena. A stadium full of people waiting for me to entertain them for the day. I never particularly enjoyed the challenges, but if I’m honest with myself, it's a small price to pay for a day of fun… and pastries. I rushed around the backside of the arena, passing several surprised and confused citizens along the way. Once I reached the back of the arena, I came face to face with a small building. It was colored a bright red like the rest of the stadium, and connected to the back of the main building. The dressing rooms. This is where me and my opponents would head before each fight to get prettied up for the crowd. I quickly hopped in through the nearest window, startling the poor makeup artists who were just beginning to get their supplies out. Before any of them could get a word out, I swooped past them and stuffed my basket of sweets into a nearby cabinet for safe keeping.

“Do not let anybody open that cabinet.” I said sternly to the artists. I couldn’t risk my father finding it.

All of them hurriedly nodded in agreement.

“U-Uhm, young lord, if I may…” started a young artist. He couldn't have been more than 16, maybe less. “We’ve been instructed by your father to-“

“Yes, yes.” I interrupted. “You’re supposed to freshen me up for the challenges. Well don't bother. It wastes precious time, and the fighting usually leads to the makeup coming off anyway.”

The young man tried to reason with me, and then sighed. “Yes, young lord.”

One of his colleagues then spoke up. “Well at the very least young lord, you may want to wipe that jelly off your face.” He chuckled, helpfully.

My eyes widened in surprise, and I carefully wiped my lip. Sure enough, there was a bit of sticky yellow filling left on my face. I quickly rubbed it off and coughed, slightly embarrassed.

“And would you like to do something about your windswept hair?” The second artist smirked.

I looked up at my hair and combed it a bit with my hands as my face turned a bit pink.

“Now will you let us help you, little lord?” The second artist said with his arms crossed.

I groaned and nodded. “just make it quick.”

And so, the artists got to work. After an agonizing 15 minutes of sitting perfectly still, their work was finished. I must admit, they did a wonderful job. Perhaps they were right. After a final touch from their brush and the last stroke of their comb, I was finally ready. They all stepped back and admired their work. They looked pleased.

“Good luck little lord.” The first artist said. “I’ll be rooting for you.”

The other artists nodded in agreement.

“I must be off.” I said as I turned to leave. “Make sure no one goes in that cabinet!”

With that, I hurried upstairs to greet my father before the games. He was at the very top of the main tower, looking out over the entire arena with his keen yellow eyes. I went up flight after flight of stairs, moving past musicians and performers alike. Whenever there was a break in the action, there would be plenty of entertainment ready to keep the audience happy until the fighting could resume. I finally reached the top floor and moved to the center of the room. It was dark, aside from the light of the rising sun just coming over the opposite wall of the stadium. There were a few nobles here and there gossiping with one another, a few servants passing drinks and plates of food back and forth, and standing at the very edge of the balcony looking down at the festivities below, my father. Everyone except for him turned to look at me as I entered. The servants hurriedly looked at the floor and avoided my gaze as much as possible, while the nobles gave “oooh”s and “aaah”s of excitement as they looked me over with interest. I was used to this kind of treatment from the blue-bloods of the land, always looking at me like a circus animal, something to entertain them as they stuffed their fat furry faces. I ignored them and approached the balcony before kneeling in front of my father, the Dragon of Thunder, Warlord Lei Jinlong.

“I am ready, father.” I spoke formally and with purpose, as all nobles must.

My father waited for a moment before turning to face me. The nobles of the land all fell silent as he turned. My father was quite a sight. Spiky black hair much like mine that was tied up in a truly bushy-looking high ponytail. It looked as if he had a small pine tree on the back of his head. His hair was parted straight down the middle, with two long strands of hair on each side coming down a little past his shoulders. Even though my father was roughly a hundred years old, he still had absolutely no facial hair. According to legend, he was blessed with eternal youth by the gods, and thus cannot grow even a single nose hair. His chin was thin and sharp, and his eyes were like the eyes of a wise and cranky old owl with a grudge. His robes were black and gold much like mine, the only difference was that his robes were embroidered with clouds, wind patterns, dragons, and all sorts of other things. He said nothing, only staring down at me with those deadly eyes. One cannot maintain eye contact with my father for too long without having their spirit broken by his menacing glare, so I looked at the floor instead.

“You are early this time. Good.” His voice was low and powerful, with the commanding tone that one would expect from someone so revered.

There was a short, uncomfortable silence. “…Where is mother?” I said after a little while as I looked around. “She should be here, should she not?”

Before my father could respond, my question was answered in the form of the one person I’d hoped to avoid today. Her smug little giggle was the first thing I recognized. I closed my eyes and gave a ginormous sigh, before turning around to face her. My sister was a small thing, even smaller than me. She was a year younger than me, although she acted as if she was much older. Her eyes were big and round like mother’s, but her eyes were a bright, burning yellow like father’s. Her hair was the color of fire like mothers, and yet shared the spikiness of me and father. She had her hair neatly done up into two spiky pigtails that stuck up like the ears on a fox, and she was wearing the same black and gold robes as me and father (only hers were a bit more feminine). She was smiling an evil, spiteful smile as she looked at me, trying to get a reaction out of me. Mother was following close behind her as they both came up the stairs.

“What is she doing here!?” I demanded, forgetting my formality as I raised my voice.

“Now now,” my mother said in her ‘we’re in public’ voice, “mind your manners, both of you. Your sister here asked me if she could come cheer you on in the games.”

“Of course!” My sister said, feigning kindness in front of the nobles. “It’s my duty to come support my big brother on his big day, right mommy?” On the outside, her smile was so bright and innocent she practically glowed with kindness. On the inside, she was a malevolent viper, waiting for her chance to poison the one day I looked forward to.

I clenched my fists tightly, and bit my tongue so that it could not lash out at her with all the vulgar and insulting things it wished to say. Once I had quelled my anger enough so that I would not dishonor my parents in public, I spoke through gritted teeth, my voice dripping with furious displeasure.

“Father.” I said as I turned back to face him. “I ask you, please, do not let her attend! Minyu is always looking for a way to sabotage me, to knock me down, I know she will do something to ruin these games. You must believe me, she must be removed before!-“

“Silence.” My father said, calmly.

There was silence immediately. Even the little birds on the windowsill froze in place, saying not a word, making not a tweet.

“You and your sister will be cordial. You will show respect to her, and she,” My father continued, turning his eyes to my sister, “Will show respect to you.”

He had no need to ask for confirmation. We had got the message.

“And you,” My father said turning his attention to me, still with an uncomfortable level of calm to his tone, “you will do well in today’s games.” It sounded more like an order rather than a show of support.

My mother was the only one not frozen in her tracks. She walked right up to my father and stood next to him. “You’re scaring our guests!” She half whispered, half shouted in his ear. “Look at them! They look as if they’re dead! Do something about that angry glare of yours before they mistake you for a beast of the wilds and flee.”

Only I could see it, but my father’s posture shifted ever so slightly as she berated him. Was it just my imagination? Or did his impeccable posture slump forward just a tiny bit as he grumbled under his breath.

“I’ll thank you to not give me directions.” My father growled. “And you are in no place to pass judgment. Your mere presence would be enough to make a plant grow legs just to run away.”

Everyone in the room gave a collective gasp, fearing the worst. My mother however was unfazed. In fact… I could see a small smile forming on her lips, and she gave my father a look I could not quite understand. All of a sudden, she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“It seems we’re both rather scary then, aren’t we?” She said as she took her place next to him on the balcony.

Despite my father’s teachings, I simply could not read what was going on between them. My mother and father were strange people. The whole room seemed to breathe out again when they realized my mother was not upset. But me, I was fuming. I whipped around and glared at my sister as my father was momentarily distracted, staring deep into her eyes, trying to read what she was thinking.

You will fail, dear brother. Her eyes seemed to say. You cannot scrape by forever, and I cannot wait to watch when you trip over your own feet.

The room was beginning to return to normal again, with nobles chattering, chattering chattering away, and servants hurrying about trying to get everything in order once more. In the distance, I heard a slight crackle of thunder. That was my father’s signal telling me to head to the arena entrance down below, for the games were about to begin, and I needed to be ready for my over-dramatic entrance.

“I must be on my way.” I said hurriedly as I began to collect myself.

“Do your best, little Blackberry.” My mother said in a loving tone, turning to me and giving me an encouraging nod.

I bowed to her and father as I spoke. “No one shall get the best of me.”

I glanced up at my father for a moment. He had not even bothered to look at me. With that, I stood up and hurried out of the room, and made my way to the arena entrance. The hallway that I would enter from was dim and darkly lit, so that spectators would not be able to see me until my entrance was made. The orchestra played a suspenseful, exciting beat, as the announcer began his speech. I was hardly listening. It was all so… overdone. Could I not just walk out and save some time? But alas, my father insisted on it. I leaned against a wall and waited for a few seconds as the music grew more and more intense, and the announcer’s speech began to reach its end. As I was waiting however, I could’ve sworn that I saw a glimpse of something unusual… For a second, I saw a tuft of white, with a dash of red… I straightened my back and looked a little harder. There are not many things that can avoid my gaze, so I searched my view for what was bothering me. After a few seconds of scanning the area, looking in every nook and cranny, I gave in. There was nothing there. Perhaps it was my nerves, all this noise was rather uncomfortable. Finally, the announcer gave me my queue.

“And now, your prince, your gladiator, your next Dragon of Thunder, prince Lei Xiaolong!”

The crowd began to cheer in expectation as the music became bright and triumphant. With reluctance, I pushed myself off the wall and began slowly walking out of the shadows. The crowd went wild as they saw me, shouting and crying out in admiration and excitement. On the outside, I was a stunning figure. Strong, silent and stone-faced with my head held high, the wind whirling and whipping around me billowing my robes back and forth, a spectacular visual to be sure. On the inside however, I was rolling my eyes at the whole ordeal. This was all a bit much for my taste, especially the wind, which I suspected to be a little trick from my father. I let out a small sigh of annoyance to myself as I held my hands in the air for the audience. What a bother this was going to be. My father seemed to notice my displeasure. I felt his already narrowed eyebrows lower ever so slightly further so only I could notice, and I felt his eyes burrowing into the back of my head. I gritted my teeth and quickly corrected my behavior.

After the noise died down, I began to give my opening speech. With my father’s booming voice, I addressed the crowd.

“Citizens of my proud city, I bid you welcome to my yearly trial. It is on this special day, the day of my birth, that I may come down and greet you all face to face. This will be a tournament, to test my growing strength and the strength of our people. Anyone who defeats me, will be granted a single request by the royal family. This year, I turn 13 years of age, meaning that I shall take on all challengers young and old. The annual challenges have officially begun! Anyone who wishes may speak up and face me now.”

The crowd fell deadly silent, waiting for the first challenger to break the ice. There was an uncomfortable amount of tension hanging in the air, for this year, adults may also offer a challenge. Finally, someone in the crowd stood up.

“I will take you on!” Said a young boy from inside the crowd.

I sighed, and closed my eyes for a moment. I recognized this boy. Every year he would try and fail to fight me. He was an aspiring young martial artist, and quite a sportsmanlike opponent, but neither of those things would save him in the arena. Every year I would take him out as swiftly as possible, trying to cause him as little pain as possible, but he always came back the next year. As the crowd began to cheer for the small boy and help lift him up to the arena, I mentally prepared myself for the fact that I was about to crush his dreams once more, and said a mental apology to the boy’s ancestors, who would no doubt be embarrassed by the following fight.

“You again?” I sighed as the boy got into position.

“What, did you expect me to quit? I never quit!” The boy shouted with defiance.

He was slightly larger than me with short brown hair, a standard outfit consisting of a sleeveless shirt and loose-fitting pants, and a pair of big round brown eyes. He always wore a confident smile on top of it all. I sighed and got into my father’s stance, readying myself for the coming fight. The boy did much the same. The referee began the countdown.

“3, 2, 1… begin!!”

I wasted no time in rushing the boy, and hitting him square in the chest with a powerful palm. Thump! The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out across the arena, and the boy cried out with pain as he was thrown back a considerable distance. The crowd cheered on, already lost in the action. The boy did a quick turn in mid air, and landed perfectly on his feet. Unusual… normally that hit would have sent the boy out of the competition. He took a moment to catch his breath, and then got back in his stance, seemingly unfazed. I felt a small twinge of shame for not being able to finish the fight in one blow, but did not let it affect me. I motioned for the boy to recenter himself, so that we were both in our original starting positions. He gladly obliged, and bowed respectfully. I gave him an acknowledging nod. When he was prepared once more, I rushed at him again, this time faking a palm thrust, instead throwing my hand to his left and using that momentum to land on my hands and send a devastating kick to his abdomen. But instead of hitting the boy at all… I seemed to have hit a brick wall. That's odd, the nearest wall should be about 200 feet behind me. I looked up in a split second, only to see that the boy at not only blocked my kick neatly with his own leg, but he was about to-

WHAM! My head was sent crashing into the ground. I quickly bounced up and jumped backwards, reeling from the hit. I was only slightly dazed, but it was enhanced by my confusion about what just happened. The boy had managed to not only block my kick, but counter attack by spiking my skull against the pavement? I clenched my fists in irritation. This was the first match of the day, I was not supposed to be having trouble this early. The boy waited patiently for me to recover, which only infuriated me more. I charged at him for a third time, this time sending a relentless stream of punches and jabs at him. Despite how furious my attacks were, he deflected every single one without fail. Realizing that punched weren’t working, I transitioned into another kick, this time aiming straight for his chest. And to my surprise… he caught it. There was a moment where we just sat there with one another, dumbfounded. I tried yanking my leg free, but he refused to let go. He gave a wide, stupid smile.

“Looks like I caught myself a dragon!” He taunted, only fueling my rage.

I growled slightly and pushed off the ground hard with my other leg, spinning around and kicking him in the head as hard as I could. The boy let go and went tumbling to the right, sprawled out on the stone floor. Surely that was the end of it. I turned around, prepared to face the next challenger, when… The crowd went wild with excitement as the boy began to pick himself back up again. I turned to look, and saw that he was indeed trying to stand once more.

“I… don’t quit!…” The boy said through gritted teeth, still wearing that smile.

Though he was falling over himself, clearly concussed, he still wished to continue? I could not let this stand. I sped over to the boy with the quickness of a cat pouncing on its prey, and delivered the most perfect uppercut of my life directly to the boy’s already rattled jaw. CRUNCH! He tumbled end over end, blood splattering the arena as he fell back into the crowd. There was a moment of silence as the crowd looked onward, rattled at the ruthlessness I had just displayed. I didn’t notice, however. I was lost in my own anger. I felt so full of rage at the boy for daring to make me look stupid. That ought to show him. He better not show his face here again.

“…Uhm… T-The prince wins!…” The referee shouted uncomfortably, “The next challenger may uh… may step up to the arena…”

I looked down at my hand as the crowd was deciding who would go next. It was covered in what I could only assume was the boy’s spit, and a bit of blood. There was also a pearly white tooth embedded in my pinky knuckle. I yanked it out, and a bit of blood came oozing from the wound. I would need to be more careful from now on. Eventually, the crowd made their decision, and a ginormous man stepped up to the plate.

“You need a lesson in humility, young prince! That boy was only trying to do right by you! Now I will be the first to show you how powerless you are!”

I smirked, as my anger began to fill once again. It looks like I’ll need to humble this man as well.

Look at that! You made it to the end! Thank you so much for reading, feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments. More coming very soon.

[theautisticwritingpit]

‼️WARNING‼️ The following post is chapter 1 of a real book. This will take at bare minimum 20 minutes to read. Is it worth it? I hope you think so. No trigger warnings on this one. This is a rough draft, so all names and plot points are placeholders. I welcome any suggestions/advice, I want YOU to have an effect on this story just as much as I do.

I gotta say, I much prefer this particular book to Fatal Theory, the other book I’ve been posting on here. This one is a classic action adventure novel that takes place in ancient China, and is heavily inspired by Journey To The West. It also includes some biblical Dark Souls horror themes later down the line. It’s supposed to read like an old, translated book with dated language. Hopefully this will make you feel like you’re reading a time weathered classic.

Strap in, strap on, strap up. This is the first chapter of The Little Dragon (not married to the name).

No art this time unfortunately.

Prologue.

Peace is a fickle thing. How quickly stability and sanctuary can turn to strife and savagery. 60 years ago, in the span of a single day, the world was plunged into the depths of chaos. The skies were dyed red with blood, as even the sun and moon fought for their positions in the sky. The Gods have turned against us, and the beasts of the land were never with us. Now, humanity faces a war on 3 fronts. Heaven has abandoned us, and the monsters and demons of this world have seized the moment to try and wipe us out. I did say there were 3 enemies though, didn’t I? Humanity has always been an enemy to itself, fighting wars and battles among itself since time began. Even now, when doom is so very near, they refuse to band together. Still we fight, outnumbered as we are. For no matter how unlikely something may seem, there is always a chance. A small fire of hope for victory, and a better future. And so we fight, fight, fight for our very lives and the futures we hold dear. I believe I am the last one who is still fighting. My arms burn with each swing of my sword, and my feet ache with each step I take. And still I fight, fight, fight for those I love and those I’ve lost. I’d hope for a miracle to save us now, but my father does not believe in miracles. I can feel myself fading away, no matter how hard I struggle against it. I can see my life being laid out before me, clear as day, as if I could reach out and step into the past. Now… where did it begin?

Chapter 1. I remember.

Fire. The first thing I remember is fire. Hot, scorching flames flickering ever so beautifully right in front of me. I remember being enchanted by the little light, dancing so joyously just for me. I remember reaching out, trying to get closer to this brilliant flickering actor, shining like a thousand smiling stars. I felt its humble heat, and smelled a hint of charcoal. I gave a gleeful smile and reached closer still, wanting to grab hold of the flames and keep them for my very own. In a split second, a searing, burning pain in my hand, a scream from my mother, the hurried tapping of feet, and that is all I remember from that day.

An enemy soldier had, against all odds, managed to shoot a flaming arrow into the castle window, missing my head by inches, and landing right in front of me at the dinner table. The maid taking care of me had turned her back for but a moment, and that was all it took. My mother happened to walk by just in time to have an excellent view of me grabbing hold of the burning arrow tightly with my little fist, and quickly falling unconscious. We should have been quite safe from danger being atop one of the highest mountains in the land. But no matter how unlikely something may seem, there is always a chance. In the midst of one of the largest battles of the era, a few unlucky souls had been selected to climb our mountain and kill everyone they could find inside of our castle. They started by raining down a hail of fiery arrows, and then came bursting in through the windows and rushing in from the courtyard. Screams could be heard all throughout the castle as servants and guests alike were slaughtered where they stood. It’s a miracle that I survived that day. Or I should say, it should be a miracle that I survived that day. But my father doesn’t believe in miracles.

My mother has told me the story a hundred times. “Suddenly, with a loud crackle of thunder and a bright flash of light, your father appeared before us. We were surrounded by 10 scary men, with 10 scary swords. They stopped in their tracks as your father appeared. “Surrender!” They cried. “Lord Lei Jinlong, we have you surrounded 10 to 1! You are beaten! Surrender yourself and die with honor, or face us now and die with the rest of your family in humiliation!” Your father laughed heartily, and sheathed his sword. “I believe you have that backwards,” Said your father, “dying for my family would be an honor. Surrendering is where humiliation lies. Why don’t I show you?” Without even drawing his sword, your father disarmed every man in that room, and had them on their knees in less than a minute. “Go from here!” Your father shouted. “So I may spare my wife from seeing me take another’s life. Begone!” And that is how your father saved us on The Day Of A Thousand Arrows. Before returning to his position at the front of the battle, he promised me that he would never let any harm come to us again. The end.”

“Yes, mother.” I groaned. I wasn’t really listening. I was preoccupied with scarfing down what breakfast remained on my plate. “Must we do this every year?”

My mother was a very colorful woman inside and out. She had hair the color of fire, that started as a dark red near the roots, and gradually blended into bright red, then orange, then a bright yellow near the tips. Her hair was thick and neatly braided, and she had her outfit made to match her hair. My father had protested this as he believed the family should wear matching robes, but eventually after enough back and forth, even his unshakable resolve crumbled, and he gave in to my mother’s silly request.

She laughed and made a fake pouty face. “Oh come now, little blackberry. You used to love that story! You wouldn’t be here if not for what happened that day, why not celebrate it on a day of celebration?”

I sighed. Why must she always patronize me like this? I thought to myself. Despite my frustrations, I swallowed my annoyance along with the rest of my food.

“Sorry, mother,” I said, a bit half-heartedly, “but you know I’m in a hurry today! Today is the greatest day of the year. I want to go out and enjoy every minute of it as soon as I can.”

She nodded and sighed, with a tired but happy smile on her face. “I know, I know. I mean for the gods’ sake, you woke up well before sunrise- have you slept at all?” She said, in the motherly tone that all children know well.

“I slept, I promise!” I said as I quickly ran to the kitchen area and left my dishes for the servants to clean.

“You better have! Now go get ready!” She shouted after me.

I practically flew up the stairs to my room. It felt like my feet hardly touched the ground. Today was a very special day. My birthday, to be precise. It was my 13th birthday, and I was going to make it count. For today was the only day of the year I got to truly enjoy myself. The only day of the year where I did not have to train. My father was famous for being the greatest warrior in the land, and a rather harsh man. He was a master swordsman, unparalleled in martial arts, and one of the most powerful political figures around due to his sheer, unwavering strength. Naturally, his expectations for me were rather… unreasonable. From the day I turned 3 years old, he had me train relentlessly, day after day, to become an “acceptable warrior”. His tutelage was so harsh, and the routine so exhausting, that I never went a day without collapsing in the dirt covered in sweat and bruises. Every morning, from sunrise to mid-day, I would be out in front of the house, or in the daochang (dojo) working myself down to the bone. By the end of it, I would have no energy left for anything else, so I would spend the rest of the day inside recovering for tomorrow’s exercise. I experienced almost nothing of childhood. Games, toys, friends and fun, I was kept from all of it. Except… on my birthday.

My father agreed to let me have one day off a year on the day of my birth, in exchange for one thing. Every year I would need to put on a show for the town to demonstrate my skills. So every year, I would go down into the town square, and the annual challenges would begin. Any member of the crowd could nominate themselves, and I would have to test my abilities with them in a sparring match. Normally I would only be fighting other children, as I was too young to fight fully grown adults. It was so easy. None of them knew the first thing about martial arts. It was a little satisfying to put the more cocky children in their place, but I did try to go easy on the ones who were nominated by their parents. This year was different however. This year… I would begin fighting adults. My father had deemed me old enough to take on grown men now that I had had a decade’s worth of training, and a good amount of maturity. He was right, of course. I should have been fighting adults since the age of 10, but I didn’t dare tell him that. Because no matter how small or young you are, if you are more skilled than your opponent, odds are you have a pretty good chance.

I raced to my room and threw on my fanciest formal robes, a beautiful set of silk robes embroidered with all sorts of intricate patterns. It was jet black, except for the stitching and embroidery, which was a brilliant gold. It was the standard formal look for our family. I was having some trouble tying the rope around my waist, and I furiously tied and untied it trying to get it right. Formal wear always frustrated me. My maid took notice, and came in to lend a hand. Fu Zhang was a beautiful woman with bright blue eyes, and straight, dark brown hair that came down a little past her shoulders. She had been the one taking care of me ever since my father had the maid that was looking after me on The Day of The Bloodstained Moon executed for criminal neglect. My mother was always away dealing with matters that I was “too young to know about”, so Zhang had been like a second mother to me. The reason my mother was here at all is because she always insisted on being present for my birthday. To tell the truth, I had become slightly bitter towards her over the years. Zhang lightly tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.

“Here, little lord- let me help you.” She said as she bent over to fix my work.

Quick as a cat, she tied a fancy bow around my waist, and gave me a quick pat on the head.

“Hold on,” I said, a bit annoyed, “I can’t show up to a formal event wearing a bow! It has to be done like father’s!”

She gave a quick laugh and pulled at one side of the rope, and the bow fell apart into a perfectly acceptable knot.

“What- how-“ I stuttered, looking down at my own waist in disbelief.

“Oh it's just a little trick I learned.” She smiled. “I can teach you when you get back.”

I sighed. “We both know I’ll be back late. I won't have time.”

She nodded understandingly and headed out the door. “Don’t kill anybody!” She called as she left.

I chuckled a bit and looked at my reflection in the mirror, making sure everything was in order. I was a small young man, around 5’4. My eyes were a bright amber like my mother, and my hair was spiky and black like my father. It had a tendency to spring up in the back, so it always looked as if a great gust of wind had just swept it up. I still had a small case of baby face, but my eyes were sharper than daggers, even at this age. I had inherited my father’s facial structure, strong yet slim with a sharp chin and narrow eyes. I admired myself in the mirror for a few moments, for I took great pride in the fact that my face was- by all accounts- perfect. No blemishes, no adolescent pimples, smooth, royal skin… everything was perfect. I had a rather generous helping of bruises covering my body, which I tried to cover up with my outfit. I’m also not ashamed to admit that I was quite fit for my age. My body looked like it had never even seen an ounce of fat (or rest for that matter) even once. I tried to comb my hair down a bit, but it just sprung right back up again. I did the best I could before tying it into a high ponytail like father. I did not have nearly as much hair as father did, so it ended up looking more like I tied a very angry hedgehog to the back of my head rather than a proper ponytail.

After making sure everything was perfect, I took a deep breath, and took a running leap out of my bedroom window. My family’s castle was built atop the highest mountain my father could get his hands on, and was positioned right on the edge so that my bedroom window could see everything down below. I could see my father’s great city, The City of Wind And Sky, stretching out far below. I could see The Mountain of Lilies in the distance, I could see the magnificent mist birds that were native to this land, who left beautiful trails of pearly white mist in their wake. I had specifically asked for this room for two reasons: one, it was a gorgeous view that I never got tired of looking at, and was the only thing that could cheer me up after training. Two, it was an excellent escape route. I had learnt that if I climbed- or in this case- leaped out of the window, I could grab hold of the roof and shimmy my way to the nearest ledge without being spotted by the servants of the castle. But today was different. I was in a hurry and there was no need to hide, so instead of silently sneaking my way around trying to be as quiet as possible, I swung from that rooftop like a fearless monkey over the dizzyingly high drop below, and landed with one foot gracefully on the nearest ledge of the cliff face.

I hopped from footing to footing with expert precision, twisting and contorting myself in every which way throughout the air so that I could land properly each time without falling into the chasm below. Was this all a little dangerous and unnecessary? Of course it was. But I am the son of Lei Jin-Long, The Dragon of Thunder, and there is nothing I cannot do. I flew down that mountain like a waterfall flowing effortlessly down a hill. There were a few close calls where I would lose my footing for a moment, but I always caught myself just before I fell. I still had quite a long way to go. Our mountain was enormous. When my father first found this mountain, it was nearly halfway to the jade palace. It was so tall that its top half towered over the clouds below like a regular mountain towers over the sea. However, it would not stay that way for long. My father had a very specific goal in mind for this mountain. He had finished his long journey, and needed a place to settle down. He wanted to live somewhere high, somewhere near the clouds, somewhere away from the troubles and chaos of China. He told me this story once as a lesson about how you can achieve anything through strength and will, and I have never forgotten it.

“One day, ages ago before you were born, I found this mountain. I found this mountain because I was in search of a place to build a home for your mother and I. My journeying and questing with my comrades was over, and I had to look to the future. Your mother and I both wanted to live somewhere near the sky, so that we may be unbound by the cruelty and greed of the earth. When I found this mountain, it was even grander than it is now. If I stood at the peak of this great mountain and reached my hands to the sky, I could almost touch heaven itself. But it was too sharp, too steep to build a home on. So, I took my changdao (thin two-handed sword) in both hands, and hit the mountain with all my might.

There was a great shaking of earth, and a great ring of steel as my blade quivered against the force of the blow. The mountain did not budge. Again I hit it, with more force than a tidal wave. The winds around began to blow furiously as the nearby spirits caught wind of what I was doing. There was a great shaking of earth, and a great ring of steel. This time, a large crack began to form in the mountain. I cried out with all my heart and soul as I swung at the mountain one final time, with more strength than I thought I could muster. There was a great shaking of earth, and a great ring of steel, before the mountain finally conceded. The top half of the mountain was cut clean off its shoulders, and I had a good friend of mine help me carry the top of the mountain a little ways away. The top half of this mountain is now known as The Mountain of Heavenly Blessings to the south. This is why our mountain is so perfectly flat, and why we have built our lives here. Never forget that with strength, will, and a half-decent sword, even mountains will bow before you.”

This was my favorite of father’s stories. Whenever training got hard, or when I needed to overcome some other great obstacle, I would think back to this story pretending that I was my father, with my steady hands and sound soul ready to strike down whatever was in front of me. The story could not be true of course, for there is no man, even a man as great and powerful as my father, who can cut a mountain. Even though it was just a story, I loved it dearly. Perhaps I could one day make the story come true, and split a mountain in two. Maybe then father will let me stop training. Maybe, just maybe, then he’ll call me a warrior.

By the time I was done thinking about father’s story and fantasizing to myself, I was nearly at the bottom of the mountain. I had long since passed the layer of clouds and the dangerous cliffs of the upper mountain. I had just reached the point where the mountain began to level out slightly, and instead of dangerous pillars of rock and mile high drops down the mountain, I was surrounded now by lush trees and grass, with the sounds of animals living their best lives all around me. An ordinary person would still say that this was still far too sheer and steep to even walk down, but I could easily let gravity do the work and run down the rest of the mountain, avoiding bumps and trees by neatly dodging and flipping out of the way. It did also help that I had practiced this particular path a few times, because I had been sneaking out late at night more and more recently.

The sun was just beginning to peek its head out from behind the horizon. It had taken a rather painful lashing from the moon yesterday, so it was a little hesitant to get the day started. Even so, it bravely began to raise itself up into the sky with diligence, wounds just beginning to heal on its chest and arms that were glowing with the cold and beautiful light of the moon. The moon had retreated behind the horizon some time ago, never to be seen until the next night, or until the next battle took place. I gave a little whoop of joy as I continued down the mountain at blinding speeds. This was fun. And no one was around to tell me off because father was most likely not awake yet. I did a few cartwheels and somersaults, enjoying myself thoroughly in the early hours of the morning. Today was going to be a great day. The sun seemed to agree with me, standing proudly, injured though it was.

When I finally reached the city, the world was just beginning to wake up. The birds were just beginning their early morning song as the crickets fell silent, knowing that their part to play in this orchestra was over for the day. The townspeople were just beginning to exit their houses, ready to reluctantly greet the new day. However, there was an air of excitement among them as I ran past. It was rare that the citizens of my father’s city ever got to see its heir. They knew of me, of course. But I was almost always up on my family’s mountain, rarely coming down at all. So to see the prince shooting down the street faster than a tiger chasing its prey first thing in the morning, well… that was certain to spark interest. They only saw me for a moment, for it was like trying to keep track of a flying arrow. Kids can be quite speedy when they wish to be. Street after street, path after path I raced down. The challenges would be starting soon. I had to make the most of the time I had before they began. All of the townspeople were already making their way to the arena near the edge of the city.

I came to a skidding stop outside of the local art house, and slowly peeked my head in through a window. It was still closed, so I would need to be quick. I scrambled in through the open window as silently as possible and made sure I wasn't seen. Everyone was so tired, there was no way I was spotted. I gave a sigh of relief and turned my attention to the inside of the gallery. There were dozens of beautiful paintings and sculptures, all meticulously hand-crafted and painted to be absolutely perfect. There were paintings of dragons, spirits, warriors and women all around the room, as well as statues and sculptures of every possible shape and size. Many of them were of father, with his glistening golden eyes and signature yellow lightning. I looked around the room in awe, taking the time to take in every piece of elegant art in that room. It was wonderful. How did people make things so beautiful with just a brush and their imagination? I would never tell father, for he would be absolutely furious, but I rather enjoyed the arts. The wonderful colors and patterns always mesmerized me. I gave a sigh of appreciation as I looked around. How lucky we were to have all of this amazing art right here in our city.

Sadly, I could not stay long. There was still far too much to do. I drew a mental image of the beautiful paintings all around me, and sorrowfully said farewell to the art house for another year. I neatly dived out the window and did a somersault into a standing position, just as father taught me. I took one last look at the art gallery before heading down the roadway once again, a little slower this time because I had lost my momentum from before but still quite nippy for someone my age. This time I stopped by the local bakery. Up on our mountain we had plenty of good food. Fruits, fish, exotic meats, beers and wine from all over the country, and yet I was allowed near none of it. My father kept me far away from anything that would hinder my physical health in any way. So it was bland vegetables and tough, rich fish for me. So I would always look forward to those few times in life where I would get to try a pastry, or perhaps a bit of bread. There were no rules today.

A young man about twice my age was just beginning to set up shop at the bakery, getting the oven heated and prepping the ingredients. He had long black hair that was tied neatly into a man bun, and a small goatee that hung off his chin like a drip of water. He looked exhausted, baggy eyes drooping as he worked. As I was approaching I happened to catch his eye, and he gave a wide friendly smile. I stopped right in front of his little baking hut, coin in hand.

“Ahhh my young friend!” The man grinned. “It is good to see you again. How are you this year?”

The man gave a traditional fist-and-palm salute, and a friendly nod. I nodded back joyfully. It was refreshing how casual this man was. His light-hearted friendly gestures were far better than those stiff, formal bows I was always receiving.

“It’s the best day of the year my friend! I could not be happier.” I said, trying to contain my excitement.

The man smiled. “Wonderful, wonderful. I suppose you are wondering what I have prepared for you this time?” He teased, playfully.

I gave a quick nod. “Your treats are always the highlight of my birthday. What do you have for me? I can’t wait any longer!” I grinned.

The man gave a chuckle and disappeared behind his counter momentarily. He came back with a basket covered with a light white cloth. My eyes widened in amazement and growing joy as I saw it.

“What is this?” I breathed. “You usually only prepare one special treat for me, surely this whole basket cannot be the surprise?” I said with wonder as I reached out to touch the basket.

The man quickly slapped my hand, and I retracted it quickly with indignance.

The man wagged a warning finger at me. “Yes, yes, this whole basket is for you. But there are rules to this. You must not scarf them down all at once. Pace yourself, enjoy each one. You must not spoil your meals with these. If you wish, you can take them back to the castle with you, but you must hide them well, for if your father finds these I will surely be out of a job.”

I rubbed my hand with disgruntled annoyance, but the man did have a point.

I nodded my head in understanding. “I swear I will slowly savor each and every treat, and I will not spoil my meals with them.”

The man’s smile returned. “Good boy. Now here is your first one.”

He reached inside the basket and pulled out a beautiful ball of dough covered in a delicious-looking powder wrapped in a bit of cloth.

“This is a ball of sweet and gooey dough, lightly baked just enough so that it will hold its shape, and filled with a sweet and tart mango filling.” The man explained with pride. “I invented it just for you. I call it The Little Dragon.”

He handed it to me and encouraged me to take a bite. “I made this one specifically so that you could eat it while on the go. Go on, try it, try it!”

The man did not need to ask twice. I eagerly sank my teeth into the warm ball of dough, and was met with a wonderful combination of sweet and chewy dough, followed by the warm, tart sweetness of the mango filling. It was better than anything I’d ever tasted. If you have not eaten anything other than bland fish, veggies and the occasional fruit for your entire life, then even an average meal would seem delectable in comparison. But a delicacy like this, why this was like magic to my unrefined palate. I could practically taste my wounds fading away like stains washing out of a nice cloth. I was immediately filled with a warm, cozy feeling that spread from my core throughout my body. In this moment, all worries seemed to disappear. How could such a small pastry have such mystical properties? I closed my eyes as I took another bite, slowly chewing the tasty dough while letting the mango filling melt on my tongue. How life-changing the simplest of things can be.

“Now that’s how to savor something.” The man chuckled. “I’m glad you like it.”

“What mystical things have you put in this?” I asked with my mouth half full. “dragon whiskers? phoenix feathers? Some sort of heavenly spice?”

The man smiled and leaned in close so that he could whisper to me. “The secret ingredient is a pinch of salt, and a healthy dose of lemon. That is what brings the much needed tartness to such a sweet dish. That is what allows the mango filling to contrast so well with the dough. Brilliant, don't you think?”

My eyes glistened and my mouth watered with every word. “Absolutely brilliant...” I repeated as I took another bite. Every bite was better than the last.

The man seemed quite content. “You know, I think you’re one of the only people that truly appreciates my craft.” He said with a hearty laugh.

I nodded quickly as I ate, for I really did appreciate the man’s work. To put so much time and effort into inventing something so perfect just for me, it warmed my heart like his pastries warmed my stomach. His generosity and friendliness gave me a sense of companionship I normally did not get outside the castle.

One thing still weighed heavy on me. The man looked terrible. There were large bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he was about to fall down dead any moment. He was doing a good job of hiding his fatigue, but father had taught me to see past such things.

“What has you looking so worn?” I asked the man hesitantly. “You look as if you haven’t slept in days.”

Suddenly, the man’s demeanor changed. He went from being casual and upbeat to sorrowful and melancholy in an instant. He could not look me in the eyes.

“…That is not something you should worry yourself with on your special day, young lord.” The man finally said, trying his best to regain his smile.

I narrowed my eyes at the man, looking past his facade and into his true feelings, just as father had taught me to do. “Observing an opponent is not just about reading their physical weaknesses and strengths, but reading their emotions as well” He would say. I stared at him closely, taking in every detail. Saddened eyes looking towards the ground, slumped posture, lack of sleep, hands positioned close to his heart…

“…You are feeling… loss.” I muttered after a while.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise. He went to speak, and then sighed and put his and on his forehead.

“Yes, you are correct, young lord… are you sure you wish to know?” The man asked, a slight warning in his voice.

I nodded. “Yes.” I said, a bit apprehensively.

The man sighed again. “You see… my dear daughter has been taken by demons, and she has been missing for days now… my poor wife was distraught, and so she went searching for her in the woods nearby, and neither have returned. I have stayed up every night since, hoping against hope that they will return to me, for I am too much of a coward to go after them…”

The man hung his head in shame as he spoke. His eyes looked defeated. I felt heartbroken for the poor man. Wasn’t there something to be done?

“Haven’t you asked my father?” I asked with hope. “Surely The Dragon of Thunder can help you find your women!”

The man shook his head, sorrowfully. “I have tried to ask your father plenty, and each time I am rejected.”

I was shocked to hear this. My father was a hero. A horrible father, but a hero all the same. How could he reject such a request? Suddenly, I felt a great surge of indignant rage within me. My father, with all his power and luxury, would abandon his citizens in a time of need? How dare he!

The man seemed to notice me clenching my fists. “Now now, do not be angry at your father.” He said calmly. “He cannot fulfill every request. I am sure he had a good reason.”

I looked frustratedly down at my feet, and gritted my teeth. “What reason is there to ignore the pleas of your people? What reason is there to refuse aid to those who place their lives in your hands?” I spat, my voice raising slightly with the heat of the moment. I couldn’t believe it! My father sits around at some trivial competition while there are emergencies such as this? While there are lives at risk?

“My father is wrong.” I said after a long silence. “I will speak to him on your behalf. Maybe he will listen to me. I swear, I will help your wife and daughter.” I spoke sternly, and with purpose. I was going to help this man who had shown me a glimpse of real friendship.

The man sighed. “I do not think that is wise, young lord. Your father is not one to be argued with. To argue with him is like trying to argue with a great storm. No matter what you say, he will continue on the path he has set.”

The man was clearly scared of my father, as I imagine many were. Despite his young appearance, he was nearing 100, and even extended youth cannot hide 100 years of wisdom and battle. His life of fighting and questing had chipped away at him, sanded him down and polished him into the perfect warrior, and quite a scary man. His discerning, intimidating eyes were even sharper than mine, and if looks could kill, he would have no need for a sword. One subtle glance is all that he needs to make anyone do as he wishes. The only people able to resist my father’s dagger of a gaze are my mother, who lets no one look down on her, and my sister, who listens to no one but her impulses.

“Do not fear my father.” I reassured the man. “I will deal with his stubbornness as best I can. But be assured, no punishments will befall you or your family. I will make sure of that.”

The man gave a slight smile. “I see there is no swaying this decision of yours. Very well, do what you must to save my girls. And thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” The man said as he clasped his hands around his chest, and gave a low bow of thanks and respect.

“Thank you as well,” I said with as much friendliness as I could muster in my hardened voice as I bowed back, “for your wonderful treats, and friendship.”

“You should be off now,” The man said as he nodded in the direction of the arena. “The challenges will be starting soon, and we can’t have a competition without the main competitor.”

I nodded. “You’re right, I should be on my way. The next time we meet, your women will be safe.” I smiled and gave the fist-and-palm salute once again, before sprinting off towards the arena.

I knew I was going to win the challenges, no question. I had not lost in at least 5 or 6 years. But this year, I would win spectacularly. I would fight with such skill and style that even my father would be impressed. Then, after gaining my father’s good will, I would ask him to help the baker’s wife and daughter. He had to help them. How can he do nothing? I would not let him. I would convince him to save the baker’s women, and in turn repay the baker for all his years of kindness. I first met the baker when I was 6 years old, after my first loss in the challenges. I had just gotten a verbal lashing from father, and I was positively distraught with guilt and sorrow. Zhang felt so pitiful for me that she decided to take me into town for the first time, and brought me to the bakery to get a little treat. I remember the baker being so uplifting and humorous, that he cured my wailing cries in an instant. He fed me an egg custard tart, and gave me a quick pat on the head. Since then, visiting his shop has been one of the best parts of my birthday, and I was about to get the chance to pay him back.

You made it to the end! ⭐️ Congratulations! ⭐️ Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments. I always appreciate some constructive criticism.

[theautisticwritingpit]

‼️WARNING‼️ The following post is chapter 2 of a real book. This will take at bare minimum 20 minutes to read. Is it worth it? I dunno, probably. Possible ⚠️triggers⚠️ include: Horror, body horror, and probably other stuff but I’m not sure what to put here. This is a rough draft, so all names and plot points are rough drafts. I welcome any suggestions/advice, I want YOU to have an effect on this story just as much as I do.

Strap in, strap on, strap up. Enjoy Chapter 2 of Fatal theory. (TLDR, boy falls into Hueco Mundo and trips acid, meets a new friend, then dies)

Chapter 2. Atonement.

Darkness. Black, inky darkness is all that Ying saw for the first couple seconds. As his eyes adjusted to this new lighting, he saw that his grim surroundings were made up of a black tar, coating the surface of nearly everything in his vision. In the distance he saw dozens of massive structures that looked like pillars, worn and shaped by whatever this place was. The sky was gray with hints of dark green lightning coming from the clouds. The air was cold and dry, and there was a rancid smell in the air.

He gingerly stepped one foot in front of the other making his way into his new surroundings. The goo that covered the ground barely came up to the heel of his shoes, so he didn't worry himself with the idea of getting stuck. He was curious though. Where were all the creatures that were coming through just moments ago? His eyes snapped back to the pillars as he suddenly recognized them for what they were. Those were no rock formations, and they certainly weren't trees. They were the same as the monster that had first emerged from his portal. Giant lumbering beasts with one goal: to feed on the new world that Ying had so kindly prepared for them. He cursed himself for his hubrace and threw his lab coat at the ground. Instantly the lab coat soaked into the tar. oozing and bubbling, and then, gone. He began hitting himself over and over, trying to knock out any other bad ideas left in his head.

“Stupid, stupid stupid goddamn portal!” He cried out, as tears began forming in his eyes.

His life’s work had now become his greatest mistake, and he couldn't take it back.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! St-“ A sound quickly cut him off.

His ears began to pick up on a faint noise. It was a high pitched screaming noise coming from all around him. He looked around, trying to see what made the noise although it was nearly impossible in the darkness. He saw something. A sliver of something moving at the edge of his vision. And then he finally made out what it was.

It was a tsunami of those tiny, skinny freaks. Thousands upon thousands of them rushing at the portal. He had to get out of there. He thought back to that little girl, and his heart started to race. He wasn't going to share her fate. He lurched forward to try and run away, and… nothing. He tried to move his foot… Nope. He tried moving his other foot… Nothing. He was stuck in the tar. Something else worried him even more as he looked down. The tar had swallowed his shoes, and was slowly climbing up his legs.

“Noooooo no no no no no NO NO NO!” He yelled as he yanked at his feet.

Panic began creeping in on him as he realized that there was no way out. All of a sudden he felt himself start sinking faster. First his knees, then his hips, then his entire lower body. Ying began screaming louder than he had ever screamed before. A primal, horrified scream. The scream someone lets out when they know they are about to die. His heart raced, his breath quickened. His core, his arms, then his chest all went under. He looked around for anything to get him out, but there was nothing. He turned his head to look back at his portal. A massive monument to his failures as a scientist, and as a person. It would stay there forever, unable to close without a sufficient kick to its spacetime.

“…Shit.”

That was the last thing Ying said before his head was dragged under. He held his breath, prolonging the inevitable. He didnt wanna die, even though he knew he deserved it. He was responsible for every single one of the deaths he witnessed.

“And Kadie,” He thought, “What happened to her? I hope she made it out somehow… she knew enough about my work to fix this. Can you hear me Kadie? I entrust everything to you now.”

He made peace with what little time he had as his lungs began to strain. WOOSH. Ying felt himself being pulled downward at incredible speed. Something was taking him somewhere. He focused on not inhaling as hard as he could as he waited for a miracle. All of a sudden he was spat out of the tar. BAM! His head slammed on the ground face first. He slowly picked himself off the ground and looked around. He couldnt put his finger on it, but something felt familiar about this place… and then he finally realized. This was the location in his dream.

For the past 6 years, Ying has had the same dream over and over and over again. It was always the same. He would start in a dark, octagonal room that came to a point at the roof. The room was large, probably as big as a modern day supermarket. The walls were made of a gray stone that was rough and coarse. The walls all had markings carved into them, although they were too dark to fully make out. There was one source of light in the room that hung like a spotlight, and illuminated a platform in the center of the room.

In the center of the room there were 2 large pillars that appeared to have been broken, although their many pieces seemed to have put themselves back together as best they could. The pillar pieces that were still there took their original place, and the missing pieces simply weren't there. These pillars by all accounts should not be able to stay upright given their amount of missing pieces, and the fact that they were broken in half in several places. They were floating there as if by magic. chained to these pillars there was a white creature writhing to get free.

This creature had human qualities to it. It had one single eye, and it didnt have a nose or mouth. Its ears were like gills on the side of its head that popped out like a hand fan. It had long, spiky white hair that faded into green near the ends. Its hair was waving around almost as if it was weightless. Its arms were that of the monsters. Long, 3 sectioned arms with sharp claws at the ends. One difference was that this creature seemed to have a human muscular structure, because although it was skinny you could see the outline of its muscles throughout its body. And unlike the monsters, the hand only had 5 fingers instead of 7. Its legs were human legs to a tee, except that they ended in bird-like talons with sharp claws at the end. On its back there were 4 giant spider limbs that were bound up by chains. It shared the stomach cavity with the behemoth that first came through the portal, and its stomach cavity occasionally popped open to reveal a mass of writhing tentacles. In front of the creature sat a floating black orb that shone like a diamond. Sometimes Ying would catch the creature staring at it with intent as it struggled.

In his dreams Ying could sometimes understand the strange alien, but what it said varied every time. Usually it was just yelling and screaming but sometimes it would speak.

“PLEASE, RELEASE ME. I BEG OF YOU, FIND ME, RELEASE ME, PLEASE!! YOU HAVE TO, YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN!!” Was the first nightmare Ying remembered.

As Ying stood here now though, he could not understand the creature. All Ying heard was loud, sorrowful distorted howling from the thing. It was looking at Ying with a bloodshot eye. Ying already knew what he was going to do. He slowly began walking towards the platform, dripping with goo. As he made it to the stairs that would lead him to his answers, he thought back to all the pills and doctor’s visits and therapy sessions he went to where everyone thought he was crazy. He spent years being mocked and judged for his belief in these dreams. Now he was finally going to prove everyone wrong. He took a step up the stairs, and then another. This was it. This was what his whole teenage life had been about. This is what he worked so hard for. He reached the top of the platform.

He stared into that one large bloodshot eye. He calmly walked toward the creature as it wriggled and screamed. He took out his phone. It was dripping with slime now, no use in calling anyone anyway. He pointed at the black pearl in front of the creature and mimicked smashing it. The creature violently shook its head. Ying sighed and began looking for a different way of freeing the creature. After coming up empty handed, he started bashing at the creature’s chains with his phone. No luck. The phone broke on the second swing. As he went to start bashing the pillars, the moment he touched it, both pillars crumbled to dust. The chains flew off of the creature in all different directions.

Ying was just counting his lucky stars that none of the chains hit him when the creature lunged past him. It suddenly grabbed the black orb, and swallowed it whole. The creature seemed to regain something just then, something Ying could feel that it had been searching for for a long time. Something it had once lost.

Ying was just about to call for the creature when the wall behind him cracked open. A tentacle of black goo grabbed Ying from behind and yanked him into a wall of- goo? That certainly wasn't there before. Then Ying saw that all the walls were receding into the floor to reveal an ocean of black tar. The creature met Ying’s worried gaze for a moment before rushing towards Ying. Ying was being slowly pulled into the wall of ooze. The left side of his body was already engulfed. He thought fast, very fast. He wasn't about to let this happen a second time. The creature wasn't going to make it on time anyway. Then he remembered. He had built an emergency device that would teleport someone to a predestined set location. He swiftly began fumbling for the device.

As he was searching, he accidentally opened his left eye. His left eye was now inside of the goo ocean. He was expecting to go blind, or maybe even die, but instead nothing happened. In fact, he saw something… out in the darkness, just a little further in there was a green object. He reached for it slowly with his left hand, and grabbed hold of it. He suddenly felt his hand starting to become numb and tingly, and he knew he couldn't keep hold of the object. He pulled as hard as he could but it wouldn't come out.

Almost at the exact same time as he grabbed the object, the creature grabbed his other hand. Ying screamed and protested, as he had not yet found the home button. He desperately wrenched his hand from the creature and finally found the device in his back pocket. He held his breath as his head was fully engulfed in goo. The creature grabbed his arm again and began to pull. Ying closed his eyes, cursed the whole day, and pressed the button. Instantly pain shot down his whole body. He began to phase in and out of existence as whatever this place was interfered with his technology. He began to scream and inhale the tar. It was all over. The tar slowly made its way inside his mouth, began to fill his lungs and throat, and…

[theautisticwritingpit]

‼️WARNING‼️ The following post is a full chapter from a real book. This will take at bare minimum 20 minutes to read. Is it worth it? You get to tell me that when you’re finished reading :3. Possible ⚠️triggers⚠️ include: Horror, body horror, and probably other stuff but I’m not sure what to put here. This is a rough draft, so all names and plot points are rough drafts. I welcome any suggestions/advice, I want YOU to have an effect on this story just as much as I do. Enjoy.

Strap in, strap on, strap up. This is Fatal Theory. (Credit to @no-reference-georg for the incredible artwork.) (Chapter 1 TLDR, introvert scientist has nightmares, becomes discount Rick Sanchez, chaos ensues.)

The following is the autobiography of one Ying Chiba. Ying was a brilliant inventor, a daring explorer, and the greatest scientist to ever live. His exploits are known throughout the universe, and he goes by countless titles to those unfortunate civilizations that never learned his name. His most popular titles include: The Traveler, The Everpresent, The Man Who Discovered 1,000 Worlds, The Savior, and He Who Discovered Everything. He is most famous for his many inventions (most of which are still utilized today), and being the ambassador to countless other worlds, thus creating the galactic community we have today, and his most famous book, “A Traveler’s Guide To Everything.”

Not many know his life story however, which one could argue is far more interesting. This autobiography was recently unearthed in an archeological expedition to Terra, the only planet in the Sol System to house sentient life, and Ying’s very own homeworld. It has since been translated by historians, and we can finally take a look back into what made Ying the great man he is today. This book tells of a time where Ying seems incomprehensibly different from the hero we know now. Ying was young back then, arrogant, and incredibly selfish. He was a shut-in, and hated most everybody. So, let's see how Ying went from being a bratty selfish introvert, to the most important man in the universe.

Chapter one: Hubris.

Let's start at the beginning, before the world collapsed. Our story starts in a small cramped laboratory, with a single occupant disrupting what would be a very peaceful, quiet night. It was past midnight, and the air was beginning to grow cold and damp. In a few moments, a young scientist would invent the most incredible, and the most dangerous creation in the history of man. His eyes were bagged with fatigue and exhaustion, half-closed as he continued to slave away at his desk. Ying was a young man around the age of 16. He was small, smaller than most, standing at around 5’2. His hair was medium length, jet black, and tended to spike and stand up if left uncombed. He had a severe case of baby face, and his eyes were bright red (a side effect of an earlier experiment involving some gnarly chemicals and red phosphorus). He was wearing a lab coat that was just slightly too long, and a pair of loose fitting sweatpants so he could work comfortably through the night.

The room was small and bland, with a few discarded mechanical parts sprinkled all around. The light on his desk was dimming with age, making it hard to see. His whole body ached from being in the same place too long, but he would not let himself quit. He wasn’t in the habit of giving in to reason. Not when he was so close. He continued to pry and screw and weld, getting ever closer to his goal. He was putting together a small box that, unbeknownst to him, would soon become his greatest success, and his biggest mistake. As he added the finishing touches, the device suddenly lit up. On the outside it was just a metal box with some fancy lights. On the inside, a vast array of complex machinery and wondrous science worked together to create something truly beautiful.

Ying’s crusty eyes widened as he saw the box begin to glow. His heart began to race, and he gulped with anticipation. This was it. How many times had he done this? How many attempts had it been? Every time he got to this stage, he was ultimately disappointed by the outcome. Sometimes it exploded, sometimes it blew the power in the whole building, sometimes it didn’t even turn on. Time after time he got his hopes up, only to be met with soul-crushing failure. This was it. He had got everything right, he was sure of it. Countless hours of equations and precautions told him that it was do or die this time. If this didn’t work, it never would. Once he pressed that button, 3 long years of work would finally pay off. He gingerly approached the box with his index finger, and pressed the only button with his eyes glued tight shut in silent prayer.

All of a sudden, a small, green light began to shine just above the box… Ying blinked a few times, his weary eyes straining to focus on the new light source. The new light was much brighter than his dim desk lamp. When his eyes were adjusted, he raised head with cautious excitement. Sure enough, standing before him was his new creation. A small hole with a green hue around the edges, and a texture like broken glass. Ying held his breath, and his heart skipped a beat. This was it… he had done it! As he began to fully realize the extent of his success, his joy continued to grow. He started bouncing up and down in his seat, and before long he could no longer contain himself. He leaped out of his chair with an energy he hadnt shown in a long time, and let out a victorious cry for all to hear.

“I JUST CRACKED THE UNIVERSE!”

He ran around his small lab like a kid on christmas. His whole teenage life had been building to this point. And finally, finally he had proven to himself and the world that he was right. The dream he had been chasing since middle school had finally been realized. He had never felt such joy before. His heart was full, and his mind was finally, finally content. After relishing in his newfound bliss for a few minutes, he figured he had to tell someone. He couldnt keep this to himself anymore. He decided to video call his coworker, Kadie Briggs.

Kadie was also a young scientist, around 19 or so. She had been hired by Ying after she flunked out of college, and they had worked together ever since then. Kadie was a bright girl, but she was riddled with anxiety. She had light brown, very curly hair that she could never keep under control. She had freckles all along the bridge of her nose, and big brown eyes that were covered by half moon glasses. She wore her hair in a ponytail, along with a neat lab coat and long pajama pants that dragged on the floor. All and all, Kadie could best be described as “politely crazy”.

The phone rang a few times, and Ying wasn’t sure she was going to pick up. It was incredibly late, after all. But then, there was a small click, and Kadie’s face popped up with that sleepy voice we all wake up with when someone disturbs us.

“Whaaaaaaat…” groaned Kadie, “its so-“

“I did it, Briggs!!” Cried Ying, his voice cracking from excitement.

He immediately sent her a video of him creating 2 small portals, and throwing a ball of aluminum through one and out the other.

“Check your texts!”

There was a short silence on the other end of the phone as Kadie began to fully come to, and then… “Holy!- That’s incredible!!” Kadie yelled, finally grasping the importance of the situation.

“I know I know I know!” Ying yelled back, his inner child showing a little. He wasn’t one for celebration, but his recent success had him extremely giddy.

After several long minutes of excited screaming and celebration, they finally began talking about the future and the implications of portal travel, and what Ying planned on doing with it.

“Do you think you’ll be able to find the source of your dreams?” Asked Kadie as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Either that, or I’m crazy,” said Ying, “they’re equally possible options.”

Kadie sighed and looked at the time. “Maybe once you get your answers you’ll finally let it go.”

Ying became a bit defensive. “Look- these dreams are a plague, ok? I wanna get rid of them. They’re the source of a lot of my personal problems, you know this.”

Kadie sensed his sensitivity and doubled back a bit. “I know I know, I just can't believe that's the reason you invented the greatest thing in history. Because of some nightmares.”

“Me neither, but here we are. Soon, the world is gonna change forever.” Ying gave a contented sigh as he laid his head on his desk.

Kadie raised a curious eyebrow. “Why?”

“You’ll see.” Ying gave her a mischievous smile, filled with self-indulgence.

“Well, whatever. I’m happy for you, Ying. This is gonna be huge for your career, and mine if you let me piggy back off ya.” Kadie said gleefully. When she wasn’t panicking, Kadie was often a very positive and uplifting girl to be around.

“Cmon what did I say about first names? We gotta be professional right now.” Ying said sternly.

Kadie sighed, exasperated. “Don't be so formal. We’re friends, not just coworkers. You just invented teleportation for god’s sake! You should relax.”

“Alright alright,” said Ying, giving in with a smile, “I’ll see you tomorrow. We have a lot to prepare for.”

“Again, prepare for what?” Kadie pried.

Ying sighed, and gave her a look that said ‘drop it’. “You’ll, see.”

Ying had been trying to invent portal travel for around 3 years. When he was around 10, he began experiencing disturbing visions that sent him down a massive spiral of depression and paranoia. He tried to tell people, he tried to get help from his parents and friends, but no one ever believed him. After around 3 years of being in and out of clinics, therapist offices, and being on and off a thousand different medications, he was pretty checked out of it all. Somehow, in the deepest part of his heart, he knew these visions were real. He knew they were real, and he was terrified of the implications and the dreams themselves. He was done with all the problems, and decided to pour himself into finding a way to reach the place in his dreams.

Every night he would fall asleep, and it would be the same every night. He would wake up in a mysterious concrete dome, covered in mysterious symbols. Below him was a bottomless chasm that seemed to go on forever. In the center of the room would be two gigantic floating pillars, worn down and shattered by time with little bits and pieces hovering around. In the center of these two pillars was a horrifyingly disfigured creature colored all in white, with one, bloodshot eye. It had long, white hair that seemed to float much like the pillars, twisted and mangled arms with claws at the ends, and no mouth or nose. It was all skin and bones, with absolutely no body fat to speak of. You could practically see its bones jutting out of its skin. It had 4 spider-like limbs on its back, making it look even more monstrous. Its limbs were chained to the pillars, keeping it imprisoned.

The dream was often the same, but sometimes it would go a bit differently. Ying would walk up to the creature, free it from its chains, and then the ground beneath them would collapse. Ying would fall for what seemed like hours, and then, he would wake up. Sometimes the creature would speak to him, though he couldn’t always understand. He would always wake up drenched in sweat, and completely exhausted, never feeling fully rested from these nightmares.

This invention was what his whole life was about now, so it was important to make it big. Ying put together an event for people to come witness history’s brightest moment 2 weeks from that day. After an initial demonstration of his portals, he would answer any questions that people may have, and a government-operated squad would enter the portal to do some groundbreaking exploration. At least, that was the general idea. There were likely to be a few hiccups along the way, like a difficult question or a wild accusation, but it would work itself out. He had practiced for these interviews, and felt fairly confident in his public speaking skills. Nothing Ying couldnt handle.

He had always been smart, incredibly smart. By the time he was 11, he was already in college taking advanced calculus, as well as AP chemistry and robotics. Sure, he got picked on sometimes in school due to his young age and unique circumstances, but he always felt satisfied somehow. He knew he was better than all these dimwitted adolescents that would put him down. While they were still struggling to read and write properly, Ying could compete with juniors and seniors if he really put his mind to it. So, after the dreams (along with other things) finally pushed him over the edge, he decided to put it to good use. He got his diploma 2 years early at the age of 13, and went off to be a freelancing scientist.

Back to the present, That Sunday afternoon, there was a massive crowd around the city center. Over 100,000 people had come to see the spectacle of portal travel for the first time. News helicopters and reporters were everywhere, and the noise of the crowd was beyond deafening. Ying had decided to unveil his invention in the small park in the middle of town. Ying and Kadie were behind a special stage that had been built just for this event.

“Here we go.” Ying mumbled as he hopped up and down trying to get rid of his nerves, “I upped the scale for this one.”

Kadie’s head snapped around to look at Ying with surprise and concern “…You did what?” Said Kadie, panic already starting to rise in her chest.

“I said I upped the scale. I pumped more power into it and did some reconfiguration, so if my estimations are correct it should be about 600 feet tall by 300 feet wide. Taller than all of the skyscrapers in the city.” Ying said absent mindedly as he jotted down some speaking notes and lines on his clipboard.

“You really decided to go big or go home… Are you even sure if that's safe?” Said Kadie, twiddling her thumbs nervously. “Why didn’t you run this by me? Where did you even get that much power?-“

Ying cut her off. “Kadie, I’m never fully sure if any of the stuff I do is safe… but I’m confident this will be fine.” Ying said, not fully confident in his own answer. “And I borrowed the city’s power, if you must know, along with these massive generators.”

Ying showed her a photo of 6 ginormous cylinders that were waiting for them on stage.

“Mmmmmrrrrrrr…” Kadie growled, “you know I don't like to be unsure of things. How could you not tell me about this before you just- ramped it up to 11!?”

“It’ll be fine. And if it's not, we try again.” Said Ying as he preemptively tightened some screws on his portal device. “What's the worst that could happen?”

The portal device was an interesting piece of machinery. On the outside it was just a fancy metal box, but on the inside lay a vast array of futuristic machinery capable of ripping holes in space and time. The best way Ying had found to describe his machine is, quote: “If punching a hole in a piece of paper is like creating a 2d portal to both sides of the paper, then my machine punches holes in space time to create a 3d portal to 2 places in the universe.”

Before Kadie could continue the conversation, Ying put on a wonky-looking helmet with a bunch of flashing LEDs and started tightening the straps.

“What's that for?” Kadie whined, beginning to rummage through her purse for some anxiety medications. Ying hadn’t told her about any of this, not even the stupid looking hat.

“This should allow me to create a portal in any location I want just by thinking about it. I’m going to aim for the place in my dreams.” Ying said matter-of-factly as he finished his preparation.

Ying took a few deep breaths as he prepared to go out before the public.

“Here we go… no turning back.” He whispered to himself.

He took a deep breath, and walked out from behind the curtain to take his place on stage. Cheers erupted from the crowd, a cacophony of nonsense sound louder than any noise Ying had ever heard. Immediately reporters began badgering him with questions, but he waved them away.

“I’m sure you’re all very curious, but please save all questions for after the demonstration. We wanna show you what our portal technology is capable of before you all start getting skeptical.” Ying said confidently.

Ying attached his box to a pile of wires that connected to the 6 generators. Each was about the size of an oil tanker’s load, and it was frankly a miracle the stage could hold them. Along with the city’s power, this would give Ying enough energy to create a portal that reached the skies.

“Oh before I forget, Kadie, will you grab me that little emergency ‘home’ button I made?” Ying said as he was setting up.

Kadie quickly rushed behind the curtain and handed Ying a small device with only one button. This device would theoretically transport anyone holding it back to Ying’s lab in case of emergency. Before the exploration squad would enter the portal, Ying would give them this just in case.

“Thank you” sighed Ying as he finished twisting a knob on the box.

“Everyone! We are about to make a portal bigger than anything most of you were expecting! Hopefully this will give you all a glimpse into the other side! We dont wanna leave anyone out after all!” Cried Ying, “Can everyone give me a countdown from 3!?”

The crowd was ecstatic, their cheers making it hard to think. 3. Ying braced himself for the biggest moment of his life, his entire career was hinging on this. 2. Everything had been leading up to this, all his life decisions, all his mistakes. He had to get this right. He raised his hand over the button that would change history for good, and focused on the place his dreams. 1.

Ying reached out an uncertain hand, and shakily pressed the button. Almost immediately the sky began to split open. The very fabric of space and time began to crack, bend and fold to reveal a split in the seam of reality. It was massive. It dwarfed practically the entire city. It almost looked like a crack in a pane of glass, with a bright green glow around the edges. Ying instantly knew that something was wrong. The portal should be see-through, but instead it was just… black. Empty, haunting blackness with a hint of green. The crowd was silent. Everything was silent. The whole world had paused in suspense. Kadie and Ying exchanged horrified looks, and then…

All of a sudden, a truly gigantic claw reached through from the other side. From the rift came a petrifyingly horrific… something. Its claw was the size of a school bus. It came down, and gently, carefully, almost precisely, crushed… the portal box. Ying’s blood ran cold. The second that the box was crushed, he knew in his heart there was no stopping this. That box was the only way to open and- more importantly- to close his portals. B-But its okay! He thought to himself, Once the box runs out of power, the portal should close on its own! Everything will be fine, everything will be fine… Time seemed to be frozen. The crowd was not reacting, everyone was still frozen in suspense. Then… a second claw reached out from the breach, followed by a boney, skinny arm with 3 arm sections instead of the normal 2. The skin on the arm was pure white, and where fingers were supposed to be, there were 7 thick tendrils with tiny needles covering them like a bush.

The claw crashed down into the crowd, killing who knows how many people in an instant. Time seemed to resume as soon as the hand reached the crowd. A stampede of 100,000 people ran rampant through the city, trying to get away from whatever that thing was. Everything began to fall apart immediately. Cars caught on fire, the sound of glass breaking could be heard from every direction, and the screaming was loud enough to reach all the way up to the ignorant god that let this happen.

Out from the portal came a massive creature that towered over the city. Its head had no eyes or nose, just a disgusting maw for a mouth filled with tongues that took up its entire face. It had 6 ears, and its ears almost resembled gills as they shivered about, trying to hear in this new environment. It had 4 arms, and each arm had 3 sections instead of the normal 2. It had nearly 100 legs, all long and spindly. Each leg split off near the bottom into 3 spikes that were used as feet. On its back was a large spinal fin, much like a spinosaurus, only this monstrosity used its fin as a spine-chilling rattle. Its skin was pearl white, and it looked like old leather. Its stomach opened up to reveal a hollow cavity, most likely for storing prey for later consumption. Behind this cavity you could see its internal organs, pumping and shaking about.

Ying looked on in horror as this wretched creature from the other side reared up its head, rattled its spinal fin, and… shrieked. A haunting, high-pitched, other-worldly scream. As it cried its cry of death across the city, thousands of smaller aliens flooded out of the bottom of the portal. These smaller creatures were about the size of a person. They were skinny and frail looking, and their torso was bent forward like an old man. Their mouths hung open like a pelican’s beak, with the inside housing hundreds of tiny needles, much like the larger monster’s fingers. Their face was as barren as the Kaiju, only possessing a mouth and 2 ears. Their ears were just 2 holes in their head, and their neck was so skinny its a wonder they could even hold their head up. Their arms had 3 sections, an upper arm, a forearm and what we’ll call a ‘middle’ arm in between. Their hands had 7 massive claws at the ends, resembling steak knives. They only had 2 legs, but their legs ended in a talon much like a bird. Their skin was also a bright white color, but these had a more slippery texture.

They poured out like water into the streets screaming and clawing at one another, desperate to be the first to get to their soon to be victims. Ying held his head in his hands as he started to hyperventilate. What had he done? Why was this happening? What went wrong? His eyes were wide with fear and regret. He turned to Kadie. Kadie was acting similarly, and she was muttering something. Kadie met Yings eyes.

“What… what's happening? What did we do?… What do we do now!?” She stammered, her eyes wide with fear.

Ying couldn't answer. He was frozen. He looked out on to the sea of people, now being swarmed by these new critters. He saw people being ripped apart, helpless as they were descended upon by horrors of his creation. He then spied a little girl, cornered and alone behind a burning car. He watched, petrified as a creature slowly approached her, her screams unable to reach anyone through the wave of noise. Closer, closer still, and then… CRUNCH.

Ying was distraught, terrified, so many emotions overwhelmed him and then… nothing. Suddenly he felt a rush of numbness come over him. He knew what he had to do now. There was nothing left. This was the path to his dream, he knew it. He had to at least get answers before everything went to hell. He looked back at Kadie who was rushing to find something to defend herself. She met his gaze again. She was panicked, her eyes wild with fear. He looked at her with tired eyes, and he gave her a wide smile. She guessed what he was thinking. She ran towards him yelling something, but Ying couldn't hear her over all the noise. He stepped back for a moment, took a running start, and jumped head first into the unknown.

Holy shit you made it! Either that or you scrolled to the bottom- either way, thank you for reading. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to leave a message. More coming soon.

[theautisticwritingpit]

I figured I should make a starter post before I get to posting my actual novels, just so I could let people get to know me first.

There’s not much to know, but here’s what my stories will focus on. I like to think my books are based around big ideas and philosophical questions, while also being chock full of almost childish action/adventure and the occasional trauma. (P.S, a lot of them will contain severe amounts of horror.) They’re very wide-ranging stories with plenty of comedy, drama and what I assume is considered shipping fodder.

If you like books targeted at young adults, I’d love some readers. This post is for all those people like me that like to cozy up at the end of the day, and hop online for some late-night binge content. Hopefully I can give you night owls some quality reading material for bedtime.

I’m not sure if Tumblr is even the right platform for this. I started out trying to post my books on AO3, buttttt… Tumblr will do 😭🙏 If anyone has any advice for me as to how I should format and post my stories, I’d love to hear it.