2023-08-22 04:44:09
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An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 49 - Renewed Threats
On the lone Carpathian roads, a small mottled convoy of minivans stopped at the waist of a mountain. They looked like ordinary tourists, dressed in colorful garb, and even occasionally stopped to take photos of the beautiful mountain scape. The only thing that stood out among them was that they were predominantly asian, but that in of itself wasn’t too odd. Even Murphy wouldn’t second guess it in this day and age.What truly stood out to Morpheus was instead a cottage, half-hidden in the woods on a cliff not far from here. A poorly maintained gravel road lead from the tourists straight to Eleanor’s doorstep. Hers was the only house in a thirty mile radius, so it became clear to him this dream was no mere coincidence.The tourists lingered even after the sun settled, and cars on the main road dwindled one by one, until the whole region slept.Then, colorful garbs were replaced for pitch black carbon. Bulletproof vests, helmets, and military grade comms. There were also guns… so man
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 50 - Preparations
A few days had passed since that night. Still early in the evening, Murphy held his hand against a rock, not far away from the hill overlooking the main road.His eyes were closed, furrowing in deep concentration while his fingers continuously danced around the boulder as if weaving some invisible spell.“What are you doing?” Eleanor asked, having silently watched him for the past few minutes.Startled by the sudden intrusion, Murphy’s eyes shot open and he lost control. Flames flickered in his pupils for an instant, and the rock in his grasp splintered like a boiled egg shell. “I was practicing my control,” he frowned, watching the uneven cracks leading straight to the boulder’s core. There, the sediment was almost liquid, and it bubbled softly like boiling lava.“I’m trying to pass heat through a solid obstacle without affecting it,” he continued to explain, tearing his eyes away from the failed experiment, “What are you doing here?”“I brought you a jacket,” she smiled, “I thought
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 51 - Burn
A small two by two hole was dug in the ground, just beneath his couch. Fresh concrete with thick rebar formed an impenetrable bunker, albeit a very small one. Murphy’s last job was in construction, after all. It was all too easy to make an impromptu safe haven for him. Just before the sunset, Ellie and Lucky descended in there and locked themselves from within. Inside, there was water and food for two whole weeks, as well as a few tanks of oxygen should the vents fail. A few monitors were linked up to the camera feed, giving her insights into what was to come. The assassins had already arrived, and were seemingly taking scenic photos of their roadtrip. ‘Stay safe,’ Murphy mouthed, then covered his head in a thin camouflage veil. Over the past few hours, while feigning an interest in the local flora, the hitmen had already scouted the place with a few drones. Murphy would have preferred if Ellie left the compound altogether, but they couldn’t lure them in without showing signs o
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 52 - Pyrrhic Victory
Walking through the fire, he paid it no heed and stepped right over as if he were its king. The flames bowed, making a path for him to the cabin, where Ellie emerged with the dog. “Why are you out!?” he accused, even if the danger had passed, “What were you thinking!?” “I heard gunshots,” she stammered, hiding in fright from his gaze, “But then it was over… and the power was out…” “So!?” he approached, lifting her chin up to show her just how angry he was, “The plan was for you to wait for three knocks, or 2 weeks — whichever came first.” “I couldn’t,” she said, tears forming at the rim of her eyes, “I couldn’t wait to see if you still lived or not!” He frowned, his anger easing but not by much, “You could have gotten hurt… What if there were more out there?” “Then… it would have meant you died…” she sniffled, “and there was no point for me to live on.” “What nonsense are you spouting!?” he berated, “You had every reason to go on.” “It’s pointless, Murphy.” Ellie denied, “Witho
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 53 - Living On
A week later, atop the same bridge he leapt off of before. Murphy sighed and looked down at the inviting hole, but he knew there was no redo this time. He could only cope with the hurt, with no end in sight. [Chinese Corporation Hunts Down Critic in Europe][The Next Step After Censorship] [A Gross Overstep of National and Ethical Boundaries] These were just some of the excerpts from headlines around the world. As was typical with the mass media, they made it seem like an overblown conflict about to kickstart world war three or something. Murphy scoffed and nearly tossed his phone off into the void below, unsatisfied with any of the articles. After all, none of them could encapsulate what truly mattered. Neither of them touched upon his true loss — Eleanor. How could they? The journalists didn’t have all of the story, and he wouldn’t give it, either. What little they found was from government agencies and leaks, as well as the fact that the incident kickstarted a massive wild fir
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 54 - God of Dreams
The only reason Eleanor survived the gunshot was Lucky. Even so, with the nearest urban center being a full 30 kilometers down the mountain, she would have bled out long before help arrived.Murphy had no choice but to use his flame to cauterize her wounds. By searing her flesh haphazardly, he ensured she wouldn’t bleed out, but also complicated her recovery and left a visible scar no doctor could get rid of.He could already imagine her rant when she found out he marred her perfect body, and he looked forward to it. Anything was better than the dreadful silence…“Don’t get mad, Ellie,” he comforted, holding her still hand and speaking as if she could hear him, “You’re still the most beautiful, and always will be.”Only the soft beeps of the life support machine answered, just as monotone as ever. He stared at the heart monitor, her pulse weak but steady, and wondered if it could ever beat as strong as it once did. “If you won’t wake up…” he leaned in, and softly kissed her forehead
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 55 - Escalating Conflicts
« Congratulations on achieving the third tier of a Numen Power. Oneiromancy Code set complete! »The cyan text continued to stream across his retina, but he had little interest in it. It was soulless now, in painful contrast to how things were when she inhabited it. Still, with the code complete, he intuitively knew the name he jokingly chose as a child had now come true. He was indeed Morpheus, God of Dreams, an omnipotent being in the imaginary worlds. The third power was tremendously powerful, and a little scary. He could absorb dreams, and in doing so pull other people into his own realm where he was all-powerful. On a whim, he could simulate entire lifetimes worth of scenarios, learning one’s deepest secrets or even going a step more nefarious to brainwash them.The subconscious mind was unprotected to him. On a layer even deeper than hypnosis, he could subtly manipulate people and change their behavior. Unlike the acid state-sponsored brainwashing schemes, however, his contro
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 56 - Corruption
‘This is rigged,’ Murphy seethed with rage, leaving a faint heat imprint on the chair he was in.The preliminary hearings were going very poorly, and it seemed like the arbitrators were busier deciding lunch than his case. He knew he had a solid case, but it would be difficult to make it if they didn’t even pretend to pay attention.With his enhanced senses, it ticked off every instinct that things weren’t as they appeared, and he suspected foul play. What angered him even more was that he couldn’t say anything about it, and could only pretend along.Once the hour was up, the men stood up and agreed to reconvene 10 days later for the formal arbitration. They gathered the presented documents nonchalantly, and it became clear they thought the trial had a foregone conclusion.Murphy didn’t expect for one second they would actually entertain the plan he presented, so he had to alter his plan.When he returned to the hotel, the staff informed him he had a package delivered. His requested e
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
