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An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 38 - Unlikely Refuge
Two nights passed since then, and Murphy was still roaming the endless forests like a lost cub.“All I’m saying is — How can you not have GPS gimmick as an AI? We’ve been heading West for 8 hours and I still see nothing but fucking trees… I don’t think using stars as guidance is even legit.”« Save your breath, Murphy. You’re dehydrated as is… »“Screw this, I need a break…”Parched from thirst and bruised all over, Murphy sat on the nearest rock he could find and stared absent-mindedly at the sky.“How is a forest any better than the desert, anyway? I’ve roamed or two days and all I see is dry sticks. Even if I had the means to burrow for sap, I doubt I’ll find any in here…”« Murphy, your whining is only making things worse. Shut up. »“Whoa!” he exclaimed in spite of his dried throat, “Did you just swear!?” « It’s the only language you speak. Now, get moving. It will only get worse when the sun rises. »“Say less,” he assented, then tuned off the protests of his body and rose back
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 39 - A Glitch
After a dreamless respite, Murphy’s engines sputtered back on. Still in a daze, he woke up in an unfamiliar environment, but found himself strangely at peace.When his sight cleared, he found himself on a couch. The sun was already up, streaming directly over his head. He thought to duck under, but then paused and stared directly into its flames. “I guess it wasn’t you playing tricks after all, huh?” He found his throat still parched, but he was cooler now. The delirium had also cleared, and he found himself strangely refreshed. “You’re awake,” she obstructed his view, “I was afraid I’d have to call in a helicopter to haul you out. Luckily, I had some IVs handy.”Out in the sun, he finally caught sight of her face. One that he found familiar, but strangely obscure. It took him a while to connect things, and while he couldn’t recall her face, that red hair was unmistakable.Somewhat fretful, he nonetheless asked the name that came at the tip of his tongue, “Eleanor?” She had been a
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 40 - Heartbeat
“This is impossible!” Murphy denied vehemently.“I had no game to speak of before this, and you expect me to charm THAT while being frankenstein incarnate?”« I didn’t know you had this little confidence. »“Blinkie, this is worse than beauty and the beast. I absolutely cannot do this…”“Uhm, mister?” Eleanor’s voice sounded through the door, “Are you alright?”Squinting his eyes in the mirror, Murphy could only end the argument prematurely. He dismissed the cyan egging him on and wrapped a towel around his waist.Opening the door, he met face to face with her, and both recoiled at least a full meter away. He stared into her eyes, waiting to see the shock and horror befit his appearance, but her startled expression faded immediately. She looked away, then drew her gaze back to his body, studying it closely as if each scar had a story to tell her.There was only pity in her eyes. It didn’t make it any better, but at least she wasn’t outright repulsed.“Who were you talking to?” she st
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 41 - The Kiss
Murphy asked without mincing his words, perhaps in the most direct and brash way possible. Devoid of any romantic passion, he simply stressed the sincerity of his plea and waited with bated breath. She stared blankly in response, unsure if she’d heard him well. When they both sunk into awkward silence for a good dozen seconds, she acknowledged he didn’t misspeak, and turned her head away. Murphy sighed again, the breath he held pushed out in resignation. Then, he also stood up. How could he know Eleanor didn’t turn out of repulsion, but to hide the traces of a creeping blush. ‘This insolent, thieving fool’, she thought, ‘How can shamelessly ask that?’ “It’s best I get going,” he muttered softly and ambled away. Yet, just as he made it past her, Eleanor caught his hand and lured him to look her way. A pair of brown eyes greeted him, closer than he would have ever expected. And closer still… Their lips met, tentatively at first, as if establishing a pact of their own. Then, they w
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 42 - The Past
Murphy had a restless night. He rolled back and forth on the couch, the same thoughts eating away at his mind on a loop. He felt Ellie’s absence, but the solitude wasn’t welcome anymore. It left him uncertain and unsure of himself like never before, and it was only now he realized just how dependent he was on the system’s aid. It was just around dawn that his eyes lost their somber glow, and he fell asleep for a while. In truth, it felt like a blink, and he woke shortly after, his nose catching a tantalizing smell close by.“You’re awake already?” he heard her call from the kitchen.“Yeah…” he muffled a yawn and stretched. Rising from the sheets, he had to pause when reminded he still had no clothes. In a panic, he looked left and right and noticed Eleanor was looking away. With a sigh of relief, he wound the sheets around his shoulders, just barely covering himself in time.“Cosplaying a greek philosopher?” she smirked.Though embarrassed, he recovered with a joke of his own, “I w
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 43 - The Future
Dracula was no vampire, of course. His power was not at all nefarious. It was his callous heart that made him so, perverting the Numen Code into something wicked and scorned. Like many kings before him, he could have lead his domain mercifully. Had his people loved him, they would act as psychic emitters whenever they remembered their lord’s grace. Alas, for Vlad it was not enough. With a taste for power, he chose the opposite way to garner it. Whereas Murphy gained his energy through awe and inspiration, the king chose terror. Hence, the impaling began. With each spear he drove into an enemy, their corpse put on display, thousands would cower at his name.The effect was much more immediate, and his gates were unchained one after the other. When his domain did not have enough fear to feed on, he slew the Ottoman envoys and brought war to his lands. The sixth gate was on the verge of opening, and he was nigh invincible among common men. After all, his was the power to mold flesh. H
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 44 - Chainbreakers
Even after Ellie reined her emotions under control, they sat close together, sharing each other’s embrace. Despite having just met days prior, to Murphy it felt like the most natural thing.It was comforting, and somewhat reminiscent of their previous dynamic. He shared whatever he thought, and she in turn shut it down with ill-timed sass.“Just stay dead for now,” she shrugged, disagreeing with his notions of a comeback, “They won’t know where to look for now, and this place is largely off the grid.”“I can’t just sit idle,” Murphy retorted, “These people tried to kill me. The least I can do is expose it…”“A mere marketing ploy, and a good case for a slander lawsuit.”Ellie denied him again, but he still felt restless. He wasn’t sure if those people were still out looking for him, or presumed him dead, but at some point he would have to go back online. “I can’t connect from your place, Ellie. They might track it back to you. It’s best I stay on the move, and—““Your concern is note
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 45 - Dream Walker
A hazy world surrounded Murphy in his sleep. He was in a limbo between reality and dreams, neither awake nor fully asleep. He had had lucid dreams before, but this wasn’t it. If in those he felt like he had control of himself, then now he was in control of his dream itself. Habitually, he thought of the world he created for his novel. That ancient island secluded from time he often wrote about. Then, as if woven from a spell, it manifested around him. A full world, all to himself. After exploring for a few minutes, he felt bored on his lonesome, so he thought back to his characters. They too appeared a second later, along with peddlers, sailors and other faceless cast he never explored.“Incredible,” he mused gleefully, before adding details to each one and clapping his hands, giving the world motion.Like a self-produced movie, the characters moved, setting a scene around him. The details were as vivid as he could imagine them to be, and he never lacked imagination. Alas, with ea
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