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An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 23 - Quests
Staring at the fleeting river and almost crushing the phone in his grip, Murphy simmered with frustration.“Of course she wouldn’t believe you, fool.”Cursing, he lifted the phone and almost tossed it in the river. He was convinced by now that there was no way to redeem that relationship. He was angry at himself, for only a dumb lunatic would believe in something as elusive as a dream.“It was all a stupid dream… why would I ever think it could be real? I’m just going insane…”« System: » Neurablink 1.0.23-beta restarting, please wait. “Huh?”He held the urge to blink, as text streamed across his retina anew. This time, it was clear and crisp. He stood entranced on the spot, his phone slowly lowered back to his side. « … System reset complete; The date is 23.05.2023; all functions online »Blink to confirm!He blinked, no longer able to hold his eyes squinted that long. This made the text fate, and he fidgeted in anticipation, but nothing else appeared.‘Ellie…’ he asked tentatively
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 24 - A New Path
Murphy never thought he’d write another story again. By now, he more or less accepted the idea that his dreams were real. A future he lived and failed in. He was a new incarnation, one with a chance to undo his mistakes.Still, it didn’t make his career any easier. Even if he pasted in the polished works from his memories that already sold to millions, it wouldn’t equate to immediate success presently.It took a lot of effort to get something off the ground. There was no cheat or trick to suddenly acquiring a fanbase. It had to be built one chapter at a time.« Hint: Try a smaller platform for a change. There is a connection you can make use of. »“That seems counter-intuitive… Also, what connection?”« You will be contacted by an editor from GreatNovel. You should reconsider their offer. »“Hmm, that does sound familiar.”« Her name was Elend, rememb
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 25 - Bitter Success
The following days were pure torture.On one hand, he was barely getting any views. Once more, every refresh lingered on a fat zero. He was nowhere near his goal of 1000 true fans even after a week.Still, with his future-past experience, he was almost used to the silent releases. What truly troubled him was his other grind, where he likewise had no gains.« You have failed to meet the daily quota. Administering encouragements. »“Please, no!” he begged, all in vain.He dreaded this moment, but was helpless to avoid it. No matter how much effort he thought he put into it, he found it impossible to meet the workout routine Ellie set for him.Even after several days, he was stuck with sore muscles and barely made headway into forty percent of the daily routine. Whenever he failed, he would be met with ten minutes of sheer agony. His muscles felt as if they were being stretched by a torture instrument, acting entirely against his will. He was as close to quartering as he could physicall
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 26 - Seven Gates
The flight was uneventful, giving Murphy plenty of time to think over his predicament. While he had no idea what the AI was up to, he had to acknowledge that at least some of it had his best interests at heart.Ashamed though he was to admit it, Murphy knew he would be in an even bigger mess if he had to shoulder the dream prophecy on his own. The stick he developed an intimate fear of in the past weeks did straighten him up, if only a little.Without access to the internet, Ellie was rather limited in what she could do as well. Thus, they were both stuck in his head, plotting things. While his thoughts were out in the open, however, Murphy had no idea what nefarious plans were concocted in hers.‘Blah, you are not authorized to know, blah, blah, blah,’ he mocked derisively, ‘Show some respect to your land lord, damn it!’« That’s not what ‘living inside your head rent free’ refers to, Murp
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 27 - Doubt
Another week passed since his arrival in Romania, and Murphy settled right in. Whether it was because he’d lived for years here in his dream, or some innate predisposition towards the Carpathians that saved his life, he felt strangely at home here.He owned a secluded two story house, which was frankly way too large for his lifestyle. He sealed a portion of it away, unwilling to bother with regular clean ups. So far, he had no interest in livening the place up with a family, so it was entirely wasted on him.“Why did you get a place this big, anyway? I could’ve settled for a studio…”« I can see your thoughts, Murphy. What you’re really complaining about is the expenses… »“Eh… there is that too. Do you know what I could’ve done with thirty grand!?”« I have a plan for it. »“Which is…? Oh, wait, let me guess! I’m not authorized to know…” « Right on the money. Now, I recommend you get started on your exercise. »“Yes, mistress,” he deflated mockingly, “Whatever you bid, mistress.”Af
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 28 - Challenge
A thousand needles pierced into his brain. That’s the closest his dysfunctional mind could come to describing the sheer agony overtaking his senses. He foolishly thought Ellie’s lessons were cruel torture, but this was worse. Far, far worse. He held his skull together, clutching it between his arms so as to keep it from breaking apart. It was consolation gesture if anything, just as any other instinctive reaction. He tried to scream, as if that would somehow alleviate the pain. It didn’t, and he barely let out a ghastly screech before his ears were plugged and he lost hearing as well.His reflection in the mirror was comical at least. It showed a grown man clawing at his face while silently screaming like a tormented wraith. Just the sight of this image could inspire a dozen horror movies.He didn’t doubt that Ellie found it funny and even stored a recording of it somewhere. It was no joking matter to Murphy, however. He was stuck counting seconds, each one lasting longer than an a
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 29 - Crypto Cheats
Murphy slept really well that night.The nightmares that harrowed him in reality couldn’t chase him into the dream realms. It was there that he found solace, knowing things would never remain the same. Over time, he more or less figured out how to make the most out of his Oneiromancy. Rather than relive though the same seven years in a blur, he could focus on specific days or events and retain clarity. In the span of a single night, he honed in on every single opportunity that could earn him a lot of quick cash. Then, it hit him that he didn’t need to limit himself to stock trades.Crypto pump and dumps were still at their height in before 2025, when they finally got regulated. Before the governments could clamp down on it, however, there were all sorts of illegal shenanigans behind the scenes. Not all of it was illegitimate, of course, but the industry was held by the interests of money laundromats. Be it the cartels or rich businessmen, crypto and NFTs were the go-to for nefariou
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 30 - On a Roll
The following two weeks turned out to be an upheaval in Murphy’s life. He had never taken off such a long time off social media and the internet. He found the experience strangely soothing, and for his first time in years his mind laid still.No dopamine to chase after. No comments or new shiny headlines drawing his eyes left and right. Just the silence of his own mind, and Blinkie, I suppose. Though, even the latter was more subdued as of late. As long as he completed his daily routine, she had little to nag about. As such, they didn’t converse until the very end of their challenge.His brother had never stopped ringing him since the second day, overly enthused about the small gains he was making. When they crossed the 100 grand threshold, he was outright spooked and thought Murphy was in some trouble. How else would he know what pump and dump scheme would fail or rise to the moon?After a million, he even forgot he’d been sworn to secrecy and shared the news with his family. As a
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- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Final Words
Thank you to whoever made it this far :) I'll revise this at a later date, after I proof read and edit the book once or twice.At that point, it will be marked as complete and I will bid farewell to the site. Though I am glad to have accrued some readers, and met many peers among authors, it has been a tad underwhelming. Unable and unwilling to say anything more, I'll simply address some gratitude to Helen Bold.She's an excellent editor and author on the site, and has been the reason I delivered this book to you.Consider checking out her books. As for myself, I do have other book(s) published.I can't share links, but you can search for my name and they should appear. Alternatively, just add me on Discord, and I'll help you find your way. Thank you again to everyone who's given this a chance,As always, your attention has been a blessing.~Raven
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 73 - Epilogue
- — ✎ — - The five year anniversary of Murphy’s vow was finally upon him, but he had long since completed his promise. No later than a year after the final battle, he successfully unsealed his seventh gate. That came largely as a result of his success in that battle, and the fruits he claimed in its aftermath. Specifically, he salvaged Erebus’ consciousness. Once it was in his dream realm, he had all the time he needed to crack it. Other than being the de facto leader of Physis Nomos, the old man had dipped his toes in all kinds of criminal enterprises over the years. His psychic powers made him the perfect assassin. Lethal, traceless, silent. By reliving through his memories, Murphy salvaged hundreds of interesting connections, and tasked the Chainbreakers to follow up and unearth those leads. The cases they unveiled had all but quaked the world. From businessmen in Asia, to politicians in the deep state of the US, people from all over the world were incriminated. Proof w
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 72 - Final Battle
Murphy had no time to curse as the earth dragged him back to its hard embrace. He was strangely familiar with this sensation, and knew exactly what the outcome of such a fall was. Alas, now was not the time to reminisce about his jump from the bridge…Erebus and his goons expected him to splatter across the ground, and even took steps to avoid the impact area. Yet, they were in for a surprise of their own, because despite appearing panicked and flailing his arms like a desperate duck, Murphy was anything but.When he was merely a second from impact, Murphy suddenly spread his psyche and willed himself to slow down.A sudden force shrouded the area, allowing Murphy to veer directly towards the bodyguards accompanying Erebus. Before those two could react, and too busy managing the hostages, Murphy made landfall next to them.His fists coated in fire struck the first one in the chest, eviscerating organs and bone alike. The other panicked, hand reaching for his gun, yet a mere glance ha
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 71 - Erebus
Murphy paid no heed to the retinal text, and was far more preoccupied with Eleanor falling. His stretched out hand clasped, guiding his intent and will from afar.His psyche took form, his psychokinesis pushed to its next step, and she was suspended mid-air! He had achieved similar things with immaterial objects like a pen, but never a human.Luckily, her psyche was sapped by the curse and couldn’t resist. This allowed him to control her easily, or he would have been doomed to fail.She flew in the air, eyes squinted in horror once she realized what might befall her. The sensation of flying around eventually stopped, and she tentatively opened her eyes once she felt Murphy’s arms wind tightly around her.Murphy hugged her, bottling up a dozen curses and reproaches that could only wait for later. He was angry, but he was terrified even more.“Y-you’re crazy—” he bit his lips, leaving the rest of the accusation unsaid. “I’m sorry,” she offered plainly, before bursting into tears of her
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 70 - Sixth Gate
When Murphy snuck back on the ship, he was surprised to see Eleanor awake. Hands on her waist, she waited by the docking area and made sure he saw her pout.“Not even halfway through our honeymoon, and you’re already tired of me?” she joked and huffed, “I didn’t expect you to find someone else so quickly…”“Guilty as charged,” he grinned in response, “I figured since I scored the most beautiful woman on the planet, I might be lucky enough with the second…”“Compliments won’t get you out of this one, darling.” Ellie turned serious, “What were you up to?”“Kind of a long story… I didn’t want to sour our happiness, but it seems there’s no rest for the wicked.”“Sure, I’ll make some coffee. Tell me all about it.”“Tea for me,” he interjected as he reattached the boat to the yacht and trailed along to the lounge.A few minutes later, Eleanor sat in her rightful place, serving him tea while she drank coffee on his lap. They indulged the warm drinks in silence, but eventually Murphy gathere
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 69 - System Embryo
Murphy tried to focus on Erebus, but his visions didn’t become any clearer. He could not see past the darkness, try as he might to muster his power.Eventually, the revelations shattered as a whole, his psychic reserves almost exhausted. He could only cut his losses and sigh in regret.‘I was this close!’ Murphy struck the edge of his marble throne, shattering the armrest to pieces. It was only then that he was reminded it was a mere dream, and a terrified child was staring at him in fear.“Fear not, Asen,” he tried to comfort, but the fire in his eyes didn’t make him sound very convincing.It was only when the boy outright started crying that Murphy realized his folly and doused the inner flame, regaining a more calm demeanor. “I’m sorry,” he lifted the boy off the ground, and brought him someplace nicer in that same instant, “Don’t cry any longer… I won’t hurt you. I promise.”“I know,” the sniveling boy replied amidst tears, “That’s… not… why I’m crying…”“Then?”“I just… don’t wa
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 68 - Horrid Revelations
“What is this? Why can’t I see their faces?” the boy asked, clutching at the hem of Morpheus’ robe. “You don’t seem them because they don’t exist, not in this reality. Now watch, young Asen.”A scene played out before them like a three dimensional movie, and the two of them relived the hospital encounter. A teenager walked in, his face redacted and replaced by a simplified smug emoji. Their words were clear, however, as was the part where he mind controlled Eleanor to explode in a crowd. He shuffled backwards afterwards, depicting the woman strapped to a chair while a family of three watched.“Why are you showing me these evil people?” Asen questioned, his adorable young mind clearly perceiving things in black and white.“So you don’t become like them.”“I would never!” the boy denied vehemently, “My mother says bad people can’t go to heaven.”“What if there was no hell, young Asen?” Murphy questioned rhetorically, “If there was no heaven to yearn for, and no judgement in an afterli
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 67 - Asen
Murphy grabbed the phone and looked closely at the picture, his frown deepening. That boy was the same psychic who mind controlled Eleanor in the future, but right now he was merely a prepubescent pup. “How old is he now?” Murphy asked, his voice showing some conflict as he indicated the photo. “He’s only 13!” the nurse replied and fell to the ground as well, clinging to life with her whole being, “Please, our son is still young… We’ll stop doing this… Just—““Silence!” Murphy boomed, sending a telekinetic blast that flipped the woman over and sent her careening against the wall.The doctor winced, but didn’t dare move to help his wife. They just stared at the ground and hoped someone would come save them. As for the monster, he continued to stare at the picture, flames dancing in his eyes.‘Should I kill him now?’ he asked himself repeatedly, unsure how to proceed. On one hand, he burned with righteous indignation, having been blinded and robbed of his life. Ellie had it even wors
- An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead
Ch 66 - Dilemma
A black SUV stopped at the side of a small family clinic in Burgas. The city CCTVs monitoring the streets tracked the vehicle all the way from the suburbs. A single driver got out, opened the trunk and retrieved a duffel bag, then walked to the rear doors of the clinic. The surveillance cut off at that point, a sudden glitch in the system causing the camera to malfunction and stop recording. By the time it was turned back on, the vehicle was long gone. Coincidentally, it had been reported as stolen that same night.Murphy blinked, dismissing the latest retinal message from the system, then waltzed in towards the emergency doors. His hand pushed against the lock, searing the metal and turning it into a worthless puddle that gave in to his push.The building plans appeared in his right eye like a 3D map, and he conveniently followed them down the stairs. The clinic was small, and only saw high-end clients, so its security was top of the art. Cameras lingered at just about every othe
