A snippet from chapter 5, which will be out on Tapas on Wednesday. Because we all love a good talking kitty cat, right?
A chirping meow snapped him out of his thoughts, and Hikaru paused. A tabby cat was standing only a few meters away, its bushy tail held aloft in greeting, gold eyes looking straight up at him.
Hikaru should be surprised, but he really wasn’t. The school grounds were heavily warded, but anyone had yet to invent a warding spell capable of keeping out cats. They were creatures of the barrier, and the very magic that held back others was their natural habitat.
“Hello,” Hikaru said softly, crouching down and instinctively slipping into his mother tongue. “What’s your name?”
The cat padded soundlessly closer, letting out another meow. He had only half expected to understand it, but in the end he wasn’t too surprised when he did.
“Finally, a human I can communicate with,” the cat said with a dry undertone to its voice. “You have no idea how tiring it is, hearing nothing but kissy noises and ‘pspsps’ all day long.”
Hikaru couldn’t help it; he cracked a small smile. “People are tiring, aren’t they?”
“A little, yes, but quite endearing in their stupidity. And at least they feed me.” The cat looked at him expectantly. “You don’t have any food for me, do you?”
At home Hikaru had always carried cat treats around in his pockets for when he spoke to the neighborhood cats. Here, however, he patted his pockets in vain. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t expect to meet a cat here.”
“That’s on you, human. You should always expect to meet a cat anywhere.” Sitting down, the cat scratched its ear, then began to clean its fur. “But since I’ve missed speaking to humans, I’ll let it slide this once.”
“Sorry,” Hikaru said again. “Thank you.”
The cat’s whiskers twitched in what might have been amusement. “So where do you come from, little speaker?” it asked. “They don’t seem to have any humans with your skill around here.”
There hadn’t really been anyone back in Tokyo either—at least, anyone Hikaru knew—but he didn’t say that. “I’m from Japan,” he said.
“Hm. Not a bad country. Very fond of cats.” The cat paused its grooming routine. “By the way, can you speak to other animals too?”
Hikaru gave a nod. “I can speak to foxes, dogs, birds…”
“Birds? Excellent.” The cat got back up. “Tell the sparrows in the yard they don’t have to be scared of me, I’m not going to eat them. Not enough meat on their bones.”
Experience told Hikaru that cats were excellent and shameless liars, so he probably shouldn’t believe that and neither should the birds. But to avoid drawing the cat’s anger, he inclined his head in agreement anyway. “Okay,” he said. “I will do that.”
The cat suffered him to pet it for a moment in return, then trotted off in search of a sunny spot to nap in. Hikaru felt a little lighter already. Humans didn’t tend to like him much, true, but on the bright side, at least he was better with animals than anyone else.
Name: Hikaru Hiyama (飛山 光, Hiyama Hikaru written with the kanji for “to fly”, “mountain” and “light”)
Age:15
Appearance: Average height for his home country, slightly shorter than average abroad; very lean and light to maximize flying speed; fair skin; short, fluffy hair that can look black or dark brown depending on lighting; dark brown eyes; intelligent-looking but expressionless face
Familiar: A very large komainu (one half of a pair, with the other one belonging to his twin sister) named Fuyu
Strengths: Flying; “speaking in tongues” (talking to animals); enchantment
Magic type:Light
The surprisingly powerful son of an average Light Mage family. Outwardly stoic, though mostly just bad at expressing emotions; only as nice as the other person is to him, and petty and spiteful when provoked. Not very good with people despite his best efforts; strongly prefers animals to humans. Easily stressed by the sound of human voices.
Excerpt:
Why should I be jealous of the guy no one would care about if he wasn’t this fast? He knew, of course, but he hated to hear it. He didn’t want to hear it, not from someone like the ace of this team, Finnian Day, who could have anything he wished for with a snap of his fingers. Finnian, who could be an arrogant, insufferable person and still have lots of friends because he wasn’t like Hikaru, he was normal, and he could easily fit in with the other normal people.
Why don’t you try to play with the other kids? You’re always alone.
Hikaru’s weird. We don’t wanna play with him.
Why are you always so quiet? You should socialize, you know.
What do I do with this child?
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to fit in or have friends. It was just—people were so loud, and confusing, and they rarely seemed to say what they meant. And Hikaru was too straightforward, too literal, too bad at figuring out all the hints and clues and subtleties that seemed to come easily to everyone else.
He was better at it all now, through years and years of painstaking study. He had learned to maintain eye contact. He had learned to understand when people said one thing or meant another—mostly. He had learned to bite his tongue instead of rambling on and on about the things that fascinated him, not realizing that he was boring everyone else with them. But it was still the difference between a native speaker and someone who had only ever learned the language from books and classes.
Finnian was right, Hikaru thought, as much as that thought angered him. If not for his exceptional flying skills, even his parents would think he was no good.
Note: I’m aware that the creature in the moodboard is, in fact, not a komainu but an Okinawan shīsā. However, since the creatures are very similar and it was impossible to find a free image of a komainu that would’ve fit into the color palette, I decided to take this liberty. My apologies.
“Now we’re talking. Maybe I should keep threatening you till you tell me how you cheated to get thatresult.”
Name: Finnian Cassiel Day
Age:15
Appearance: Average height and light, flying-optimized build; very pale skin; thick, slightly wavy light blond hair, artfully messy to avoid looking too “mama’s boy”; large gray eyes; pretty face with prominent features
Familiar: White winged lion named Atlas
Strengths: Flying; alchemy; combat magic
Magic type:Light
The spoiled, wealthy heir to the prestigious Day family. Arrogant, bratty, a sore loser with an obsession with being the best; not above threats, blackmail and bullying tactics to get what he wants. A decent person deep down, but that’s knowledge you can blackmail him with. Owner of a pet snake named Anthony.
Excerpt:
Too slow.
Gritting his teeth, Finnian threw a punch against the big screen of the stopwatch. Too slow. Again. Why couldn’t he do it? He was doing everything that exchange student bastard had done, and he still wasn’t getting faster. Why couldn’t he reach that guy’s time? What the hell did this stranger have that he didn’t?
That guy…Conflicting emotions boiled up in Finnian’s veins, and none of them were good. He had to be cheating, he had to. He had probably manipulated his broom somehow, and that was the only reason why he had beaten Finnian’s time. Finnian was an outstanding flyer, one of the best in his generation, a rising star on the broom-racing sky. He couldn’t just stand there and take a defeat from a random stranger he had never seen before.
The sun was setting. The air was growing chilly. His racing clothes did a decent job at protecting him from the elements, but even under the thick protective fabric he was starting to shiver. Soon it would be too dark to fly, and he still hadn’t figured out what he was doing wrong.
Stop threatening people and practice. He couldn’t believe he was actually doing what that bastard had told him—that insolent jerk, who did he think he was? He hadn’t even responded to Finnian’s threats! Finnian hadn’t meant to blackmail him for real, of course. He had just wanted to rile him up, get under his skin like that guy had gotten under his. But apparently the exchange student had defeated him here too.
He gritted his teeth. What would his parents say when they found out he had lost to some random no-name foreigner—what would his father say? He was a Day, heir to one of the oldest and most influential Light Mage houses in the country. He couldn’t afford losing.
He was just about to head off to the locker room and change into his racing clothes when something caught his eye. A movement in the air, a blur, a shadow; and before he knew it he had paused, turning back towards the racing grounds to watch.
The sky was blue. The air was clear, and far above him, a person darted through the skies. Speeding through the course, dodging the obstacles, the slim figure seemed to be riding on the wind itself, pressed close to the broomstick in a flawless, elegant form. The rider had their broom under perfect control, all but dancing through the air, completing the obstacle course with weightless grace while still radiating a fierce, burning ambition.
Finnian stood mesmerized, his own errand forgotten. The world came to a standstill, and even his breathing paused, his whole self, his entire being focused only on the solitary rider alone.
Pleasing descriptions aside, I love this bit because Finnian’s first impression of his future arch-rival that he’s gonna spend half the book hating is that he’s basically enamored with him. It’s so deliciously ironic and insulting and honestly, he’s such a brat that he deserves it.
The kingdom of Arla is under attack. Every day, more towns fall victim to curses, and are raided by monsters and marauders alike. These attacks seem to be orchestrated by someone who has an intimate knowledge of the kingdom’s inner workings. It all comes to a head when the prince returns from a hunting trip badly injured, and his entire personal guard killed.
The newest knight in the palace guard, Sir Helen Mast, is sent off on a quest to uncover a magical artifact that is rumored to gift the one who wields it with the power of the goddesses. It’s the only thing that can save Arla from destruction. Armed with information gathered by the king’s personal guard and her best friend by her side, Helen is sure there’s nothing she can’t handle. The fate of the kingdom rests on her shoulders, and she’s determined to save the world she loves.
But as she travels farther away from the capital city, Helen begins to realize that the information she’d been given is wrong; it’s all dead ends and red herrings. The reality of what’s happening in the towns scattered across the countryside is far worse than what Helen and the rest of the kingdom have been told. Then she stumbles across some information that leads her to the real culprit – and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy the kingdom as she knows it.
main characters
Sir Helen Mast: [she/her] narrator, knight who is just trying to do what she thinks is right
With the monarchy overthrown, the new administration has turned on the magical, believing them to have hastened the deadly disease that has threatened to rip the nation apart for centuries. They are not entirely wrong. Mayumi Garcia, a healer-turned-defector, is being summoned back, but she’s not sure she believes in the Viejo guardia anymore. She’s not sure she believes in anything.
FEATURING;
A renegade healer and the consummate golden boy sent after her
HERO CORRUPTION featuring a prophesied Chosen One
An overthrown monarchy/ police state vs. the people
(Fictionalized) Brown Asian rivals to lovers
CHARACTERS;
Mayumi Garcia; Trained as a healer by the Viejo guardia, Mayumi grows disillusioned with the sect’s uncaring attitude towards its people, sacrificing their wellness at the altar of an idealized nation-state. She defects from the Guard and lives as an outlaw medic in the Old Metro. When Bas comes for her, she is left with no choice but to return, or risk death at the hands of the new administration.
Basilio Lucero; Bas comes from a long line of Guard Leaders, groomed to inherit leadership. “A consummate golden boy,” he holds to their principles despite his own misgivings, believing their initial purpose to supersede its corruption. But he bears witness to his people edging closer to a point of no return, and so seeks Mayumi’s help.
Javier Dela Cruz; The prophesied chosen one, he is said to have the power to bring healing to the ruptured nation. His is a light heart, preserved to be pure within the walls of the Fortaleza. The recent upheaval of an overturned monarchy changes things, and the corruption of a hero is not unheard of. Healing is also broken bones.
Fantasy is probably one of the most popular book genres, especially Young Adult Fantasies. This is because of the new worlds that are created, and the magic that lies within each world. With each fantasy we read, we are transported to a new fictional realm with new possibilities. This genre is so interesting, but it does require a lot of fine detailing.
If you’ve wanted to write a fantasy, but don’t know how, this post will hopefully help.
1. Fantasy Sub-genres
The first step is to typically figure out what subgenre of Fantasy you’re writing. There are many sub-genres but the most common are:
▪︎Sci-Fi Fantasy—futuristic, some magical elements placed within it
▪︎Urban Fantasy—present times, supernatural/magical elements incorporated within it
▪︎Young Adult Fantasy—relates to audience age range, typical fantasy but aimed towards teens
▪︎Adult Fantasy—audience age range, also a typical fantasy but aimed more towards adults
▪︎Modern Fantasy—somewhat like urban fantasy, only it’s set in more modern times, and just has magical elements
▪︎Historical Fantasy—takes place during a time in history with magical elements incorporated within it
▪︎High Fantasy—a realm made up entirely by yourself, no modern elements, just pure magic with no traces of the mortal realm
Figuring out a subgenre is SO important because it affects some events, and elements within your novel.
For example, I’m writing a YA Fantasy. But I also have a Sci-Fi Fantasy project that I just started. My YA Fantasy involves my own realm that’s outside of the mortal/human realm. Some things from the mortal world are incorporated into it, therefore it’s not a High Fantasy.
My Sci-Fi Fantasy project is futuristic revolution, and more so like The Giver, Maze Runner, etc. It’s a small city concealed from the mortal realm. The area is more like a Utopia with magical elements added in.
There’s so many sub-genres with Fantasy, and sometimes people may decide on the sub-genre AFTER they write their story. Its purely based on how you feel. Personally, I like to figure all that stuff out, BEFORE I begin plotting/writing. It just helps with my world building process.
2. Fantasy Elements
If you take an English or a writing class, more than likely story elements has been a topic of discussion. When it comes to Fantasy, I think we all know the general elements that make a fantasy novel. But, if you don’t, here are some general elements within a fantasy novel.
Magic—this one is a given
Worlds other than ours—in a fantasy story, there is a high possibility the setting isn’t the human/our world. It’s a completely made up world with its own government, laws, etc.
Literally anything that we classify as Unrealistic (just like my standards ahaha)
Species—Literally any form of life that isn’t human nor animal that exists in our world. Think of like Faes, Gremlins, Goblins, etc
A thing to remember: Mortals can be added into your story obviously, but they aren’t classified as mystical beings. We’re…special thats for sure, but we are real.
3. Characters
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE FUN PART OMG. CREATING FANTASY CHARACTERS!
Okay so, pretty much you’d create your character like normal. Only, there’s some extra things you might include. Some of those things could be:
What species are they? Fae for example
What type of magic do they use? Do they even have a magical ability?
Age?Are they immortal? Are they above the average life span? For example, your character could be over 200 years old
Any weaponry skills?
Minor, but pretty necessary things for a character. If someone’s been living for over 200 years, surely they have to be at least a little grumpy about it. I know I would.
Seeing as this is a fantasy, there may be magic within your story. It’s good to determine whether or not your character has the ability to do magic. Or if they have no skills within magic. Could this cause a problem for them? Think of Deku from My Hero Academia. He was Quirkless pretty much and that really brought the poor guy down :(
4. Worldbuilding
This is probably the last section I mention in this post.
As I have said above, fantasy worlds are places the reader can be transported to. It’s the home of your book characters. And most importantly, it was created by you. Unless, you know, your setting takes place in our world.
There is SO much to consider when it comes to creating a new world from scratch. But in this post I’ll only list the major things (or things I believe that are major).
Magic: Is there magic in your world? If so, how does it work? Is it a natural thing for society? What are the limits? What are advantages and disadvantages to it? How does magic work in your realm?
The World Itself: Is your setting in a mountain? Is it on a grassy plain? Is it in a village? What’s the area look like? Are there many trees? This is the more geographical aspect of things. Whats the climate like? Are weather patterns consistent or inconsistent?
How People Interact: How do they greet and say goodbye to each other? What are forms of affection? What is acceptable and not acceptable?
Language: Do they speak a different language? What phrases to they use? What’s considered “slang”? What’s proper and improper?
Educatuon: What age group is normally taught? Is education a mandatory thing? Do they go to school, or do they get taught at home? What are they taught?
Food: Is there food from our world? What are these new food items called? What is considered food for “rich people” and what is considered food for “Poor people”?
Government: Is it a monarchy? A democracy? Or do they have a dictator? Is it an oligarchy? How are leaders chosen? How are they thrown out? How many terms to they serve before a new leader is chosen? Do the people have a say in who is chosen?
Those are some things to consider when worldbuilding! Also watch me pull up with my government type knowledge XD
Anyways, I hope this post was at least somewhat insightful. Always remember to do your own research to figure out what is best for YOUR story!
Scorching heat glazed his tongue, leaving the taste of ashes on his breath. “They make us into hungry dogs down here,” he pointed down the line of cages, all the creatures pacing their tombs. “They bleed us and starve us and pick at our instincts until we are wound so tight we snap at everything. But they forget,” he seethed, his voice saturated in some foreign entity shaking with power, “theyforget that a hungry dog is never loyal.”
![[D/S]ALITA](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a474b3b6f1eeac4995236a1f2df30690/8fa6f0af89878fce-5a/s30x30u_c1/c7911b7ca8689f8748104cd9ecd302f50a7e5966.png){kind=small}
