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Writerly things

@isaac-lacey

Here I post stuff about writing occassionaly, don't expect it to be consistent (sorry) also here's my twitter: https://twitter.com/TheIsaacLacey
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We gon try to get back into writing after a LOOOOONG hiatus 

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I hate the oft-bemoaned conceit that ‘the story you write will never be as good as the one in your head.’

No.

The story you write will be BETTER than the one in your head. The writing is where the idea comes to life. That’s where you discover all its details and nuances. It’s the next stage of evolution. Revel in the transformation from thought to word. Revel. I command it.

This is very true.

Just think about all the times you were surprised by the happenings in your writing. That idea wasn’t in your head before you started writing, and yet now it’s on paper. You didn’t imagine it. It just appeared. Sorta like magic. But with words. Because sometimes when you get into the flow of things shit happens that you don’t anticipate. And let’s face it, none of us know wtf we’re doing.

But now that shit happened, your writing is better than the idea that you were initially going for.

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Character Development Questions: Hard Mode

  1. Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?
  2. What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?
  3. What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?
  4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?
  5. On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?
  6. Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?
  7. Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?
  8. Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?
  9. Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?
  10. Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?
  11. In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?
  12. In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?
  13. Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?
  14. Does your character remember names or faces easier?
  15. Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?
  16. Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?
  17. What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?
  18. Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?
  19. What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?
  20. In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?
  21. If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?
  22. What does your character like in other people?
  23. What does your character dislike in other people?
  24. How quick is your character to trust someone else?
  25. How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?
  26. How does your character behave around children?
  27. How does your character normally deal with confrontation?
  28. How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?
  29. What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?
  30. What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?
  31. Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.
  32. Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.
  33. In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?
  34. Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?
  35. How does your character behave around people they like?
  36. How does your character behave around people they dislike?
  37. Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?
  38. Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?
  39. Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?
  40. How does your character treat people in service jobs?
  41. Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?
  42. Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?
  43. Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?
  44. How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?
  45. What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?
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Taking care of your body while writing a book

NaNoWriMo is coming up, which means that a lot of writers are getting ready to hunker down and put in the hard work. Maybe every month is Novel Writing Month for you. Either way, writing takes a physical toll. Here are some tips for taking care of yourself whilst being productive

1. Replace that fourth cup of coffee with green tea

  • Coffee is great and it has lots of health benefits as well, but too much of it can spike your heart rate, cause anxiety and lead to insomnia.
  • I know that writers basically live on caffeine, but you can get an energy boost from green tea too. Green tea also contains caffeine, but provides longer-lasting oomph.
  • Plus, green tea has lots of other health benefits, such as boosting your immune system, speeding up your metabolism and maintaining oral hygiene.
  • Read up on green tea and its many benefits here

2. Stretch your neck and back every hour

  • Set an hourly timer
  • When that timer goes off, stretch your neck as far as it can go to one side and then to the other. Roll it down in a semi-circle slowly. Rub out any knots. Stretch your arms out above your head. Twist your torso from one side to the other slowly. (You can even crack your back over your chair if you’re not opposed to it)
  • It’s also a good idea to release your frown and unclench your jaw, or wiggle your fingers.
  • Trust me, your body will thank you at the end of the day.
  • Examples of good stretches to do

3. Go for a walk at least once a day

  • Assuming that you have access to a safe environment, set out at least half an hour a day to take a walk. This will get your blood flowing, send oxygen to your brain and do wonders for your body in the long-term.
  • If you’re more inclined towards physical activity than I am, you can go jogging or even go to the gym. Just make sure that you get your body moving and step away from the desk/bed for a while.
  • What a walk every day can do for you

4. Work at a desk and use a proper desk chair

  • I know it’s really nice to write in bed or on the couch, but it fucks up your skeleton. The angle will strain your neck, twist your back in unnatural ways and can even cause varicose veins.
  • If it’s at all possible, try to work at a desk that’s a good height for you and use a chair that was designed for working long hours. These chairs have full back support and padding so your ass doesn’t get numb.
  • The effects of bad posture

5. Don’t compromise your sleep

  • Often when we have deadlines or really want to get something done, our first sacrifice is sleep. This is the last thing you should be neglecting.
  • Sleep will rejuvenate your body and your mind. Trust me, you’ll have a much better writing day after a good night’s rest.
  • Also: try to do something relaxing for at least thirty minutes before going to bed. This will help your brain to shut down and make you sleep better. (Green tea also helps with sleeping)
  • Lack of sleep has adverse effects on the brain

Reblog to save a life. Follow me for similar content.

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boannlouise

Oi. Shtuff I really need to heed.

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isaac-lacey

Update on this account. If you don’t feel like a big explanation feel free to skip to the last paragraph x.

I kinda feel like I should apologize because I haven’t been posting on this account all that much anymore or interacting with many writers etc. 

To be honest my main reason for not posting on here all that much is purely born out of not feeling that much of a need to, don’t get me wrong I am well aware that I do for marketing purposes but also to help other writers in any way I can but I don’t know, at least in terms of advice etc I find myself stumped and without idea for things I can post hence the lack of them. I just honestly feel like I can’t be helpful I suppose and it’s inevitably proving to be a detriment to this account.

On top of that I find myself lacking in motivation, every time I try to post I feel like nobody will even care about what I have to say (I feel I must clarify, this has nothing to do with any of my followers, I appreciate each and every one of you (maybe not the porn bots) and ya’ll actually make me want to post more as to not disappoint you but I digress), it’s, in my opinion, is probably more of a self sabotage thing on my part as I find that it is my own brain fucking with me in almost any situation it finds itself able to.

Finally, in terms of just plain writing updates, what I’m working on etc again it’s more of a self sabotage thing. My social circle has no other writers within it and thus nobody to really talk about my writing with, don’t get me wrong this circle of friends of mine is incredibly supportive and when I talk about writing they always have nice things to say and chime in however I notice that they don’t really seem that interested and I can’t blame them. I know I’m making them sound a bit like dicks but they most certainly are not, these people are family to me but I guess they don’t understand exactly what I’m talking about as none of them are writers, they’re unable to relate to the struggle and although they are interested in what I have to say about my writing they’re not able to properly get invested. I see this lack of investment and translate that to my internet life and find myself not posting purely because I feel like nobody is going to be as invested as I hope. I don’t have any online writer friends either again because of self sabotage, I didn’t properly work at those relationships with my writer friends and those relationships suffered because of it (quick bit of advice, no matter the nature of the relationship you have with someone (friend, partner, husband, wife, spouse) you need to work at it, no matter how good the relationship is at any given time work at it, you and that person might have sparks but ya’ll need to keep those sparks alight yourselves, the relationship can’t forge itself). Those people I have found myself not talking to anymore, any of them despite how precious they all were to me and despite how well we got to know each other. These people became more than writer buddies to me, they were my friends and it is through my own naivety that those relationships have now suffered. I feel I need to both thank and apologize to those people now, you are still special to me and I am sorry that I let our conversations die and let our friendship go almost, like I said you are all special to me and I appreciate every one of you.

All that being said what does it mean for this account, if any of you are worried about me deleting let me put that worry to rest. I have no intention of deleting this account and hopefully I never will. What I plan to do is get into the habit of posting more often however the reality is this may not happen for a while. Primarily because I don’t feel ready to, the first thing I want to do before properly committing to posting on here and on twitter even is start a youtube channel. To do that I need to find a camera (or even a laptop that will let me record video) and an editing software. Once this is done ya’ll can certainly expect more posts from me both in video format and otherwise and I am going to stick to that. Until then however although I will try to post more they might not come as frequently as you or I would like, I hope ya’ll understand. I do want to make the best quality content I can for you guys and I feel the best way I can do that is through waiting a little longer. x

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An update on my WIP

On a lighter note to my previous post I’m gonna bless ya’ll with an update on my writerly goings on thus far. 

Right now I am working on a WIP that I am yet to title and it is my favourite WIP so far. I can honestly say that I have never before felt so connected to a world of my creation before and with this WIP I just feel amazing. 

For those of you wondering the WIP I am writing is intended on being book one in a trilogy of a dark fantasy series (the trilogy itself is also yet to be titled). For this WIP I decided to play on the chosen one story we all typically see, rather than following the chosen one this trilogy will follow the perspective of his best friend Ezra. Ezra is a young Witch that has his own very fucked up past (that he doesn’t know about) who finds himself meeting the chosen one during an entrance exam, the two become friends and Ezra is dragged into every adventure that follows. I don’t want to go into much more detail as to avoid revealing anything but I hope I’ve piqued your interests lmao.

In terms of where I am at with the novel, I have completed the world building process. Outlined the abilities of every race and creature along with the history of the world. I am now working on my first draft and have written over eighty pages (be aware my page size is B5 and my font size is 11) and the book has only just started.

I plan on releasing some excerpts at some point (some of you may have seen some that I have posted earlier) and I’m hoping you all enjoy them.

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Update on this account. If you don’t feel like a big explanation feel free to skip to the last paragraph x.

I kinda feel like I should apologize because I haven’t been posting on this account all that much anymore or interacting with many writers etc. 

To be honest my main reason for not posting on here all that much is purely born out of not feeling that much of a need to, don’t get me wrong I am well aware that I do for marketing purposes but also to help other writers in any way I can but I don’t know, at least in terms of advice etc I find myself stumped and without idea for things I can post hence the lack of them. I just honestly feel like I can’t be helpful I suppose and it’s inevitably proving to be a detriment to this account.

On top of that I find myself lacking in motivation, every time I try to post I feel like nobody will even care about what I have to say (I feel I must clarify, this has nothing to do with any of my followers, I appreciate each and every one of you (maybe not the porn bots) and ya’ll actually make me want to post more as to not disappoint you but I digress), it’s, in my opinion, is probably more of a self sabotage thing on my part as I find that it is my own brain fucking with me in almost any situation it finds itself able to.

Finally, in terms of just plain writing updates, what I’m working on etc again it’s more of a self sabotage thing. My social circle has no other writers within it and thus nobody to really talk about my writing with, don’t get me wrong this circle of friends of mine is incredibly supportive and when I talk about writing they always have nice things to say and chime in however I notice that they don’t really seem that interested and I can’t blame them. I know I’m making them sound a bit like dicks but they most certainly are not, these people are family to me but I guess they don’t understand exactly what I’m talking about as none of them are writers, they’re unable to relate to the struggle and although they are interested in what I have to say about my writing they’re not able to properly get invested. I see this lack of investment and translate that to my internet life and find myself not posting purely because I feel like nobody is going to be as invested as I hope. I don’t have any online writer friends either again because of self sabotage, I didn’t properly work at those relationships with my writer friends and those relationships suffered because of it (quick bit of advice, no matter the nature of the relationship you have with someone (friend, partner, husband, wife, spouse) you need to work at it, no matter how good the relationship is at any given time work at it, you and that person might have sparks but ya’ll need to keep those sparks alight yourselves, the relationship can’t forge itself). Those people I have found myself not talking to anymore, any of them despite how precious they all were to me and despite how well we got to know each other. These people became more than writer buddies to me, they were my friends and it is through my own naivety that those relationships have now suffered. I feel I need to both thank and apologize to those people now, you are still special to me and I am sorry that I let our conversations die and let our friendship go almost, like I said you are all special to me and I appreciate every one of you.

All that being said what does it mean for this account, if any of you are worried about me deleting let me put that worry to rest. I have no intention of deleting this account and hopefully I never will. What I plan to do is get into the habit of posting more often however the reality is this may not happen for a while. Primarily because I don’t feel ready to, the first thing I want to do before properly committing to posting on here and on twitter even is start a youtube channel. To do that I need to find a camera (or even a laptop that will let me record video) and an editing software. Once this is done ya’ll can certainly expect more posts from me both in video format and otherwise and I am going to stick to that. Until then however although I will try to post more they might not come as frequently as you or I would like, I hope ya’ll understand. I do want to make the best quality content I can for you guys and I feel the best way I can do that is through waiting a little longer. x

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A Few Tips All Writers Should Remember:

·Write to your comfort level. Meaning: give yourself a break when you need it and push yourself when you’re feeling motivated.

·Seek out sources of motivation. There are very few times when motivation hits me out of nowhere. Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Write down your goals.

·Find your space. Coffee shop. Library. Your room with the music blasting and the TV playing your favorite show. Find whatever gets you in the right headspace.

·Your first draft is just the first draft. Too many writers stress out about the first draft and they forget it’s just the first step in completing your novel. You can add to it, build from it, or toss it away completely.

·You will be rejected. Even if you write the next big hit, you’ll be rejected. Read the reviews for some of your favorite books—I guarantee someone HATED it. Not everyone will like your work, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.

·Write advice isn’t for everyone. There’s no one-size-fits-all plan for writers. Pick and choose advice that works for you, ignore what doesn’t. Not everything will relate directly to you and your style of writing.

·It’s okay to stay in. Want a night to yourself so you can write? Don’t be afraid to cancel your plans and focus on your writing hobby. You don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to work on your writing.

·Let ideas settle. It’s tempting to jump right in to a new writing idea, but let things settle for a bit. Brainstorm. See what comes next. An idea needs to have legs and it needs to take your story somewhere. Let it grow.

·Outlines aren’t set in stone. Be flexible with your outlines. Plan if you need to, but allow yourself to explore new ideas. Let your story go in an unexpected direction.

-Kris Noel

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adorhauer

The most dangerous game (writers edition): looking through old WIP ideas when you have too many WIPs that you’re currently working on already.

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megan-cutler

Choose your guilt: Not working on a current WIP OR Not working on an old idea you’ve loved forever.

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Excerpt from my work in progress

This is going to be from chapter 8 of my work in progress, it is only a first draft but even so I hope you all enjoy!

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He didn’t know why but he had expected Anton’s house to be bigger, a little more extravagant even but no, it looked like all the house that surrounded it. The walls were rectangular and smooth, runes had been carved into the edges. This was one of those houses that had no real foundations so the construction companies had to input sigils, if they hadn’t the walls would fall to pieces. The windows were tinted on this side though Ezra knew that on the inside they would provide a clear view of the outside world, it was a safety precaution put onto all Witches houses. Perhaps it was because Anton was the chosen one but Ezra had not expected him to live in quite possibly the cheapest area in Ferncul. Anton walked up the garden path, the grass around it was dead which further served to surprise Ezra given that all the other houses surrounding them had beautiful green grass. Even here the house managed to stand out. Anton opened the door and stood with his back against it, one arm outstretched beckoning Ezra inside, he stepped through the door and was met by the warm smell of roasted strix. It was almost heavenly. The inside looked much nicer than the outside, the walls had been painted a soft pink which contrasted with the glistening silver spectral picture frames, there were a lot of picture frames. Each one had a picture of Anton, a beautiful woman who had long wavy ash blonde hair along with eyes that were the most amazing green or the two of them together. The woman looked young, maybe she was Anton’s sister?

As if on cue the woman rounded the corner and Ezra had to admit she looked even more beautiful in real life.

“Anton!” her voice was just as beautiful as she was and sounded almost like a song, there was an accent behind it from somewhere, it was similar to Anton’s though a little stronger. She almost ran past Ezra and hugged Anton, he wrapped his arms around her and gave a light laugh. “I’m so happy you came back and with such a strapping young man as well. Have you got something to tell your dear mother?” Mother? She looked a lot younger than she must have been.

“Mum this is Ezra, he was who I partnered with in the maze.” Anton smiled and his mother took a step closer to Ezra. She didn’t answer for a moment instead looking over him, her eyes scanned over his face, his hair, his body and then she took hold of his arm, prodding his bicep. He assumed she was checking for muscle but there really wasn’t much there, he had not been one to work out. Ever. She scanned over his arms now, stopping at each of the runes until her eyes came to the tattooed summoning circles. She ran her thumb over the more basic one and nodded to herself. He couldn’t help but feel a little claustrophobic in spite of how wide the corridor they were standing in really was.

“Hmmm,” she finally took a step back but only so she could look over him once more. “You’ll make a fine husband to my dear Anton one day I just know it.” A wide smile cut across her face as she turned to Anton who’s face had gone a bright scarlet, Ezra was sure that his face was doing the same thing when he looked at the floor.

“Mum I think you’re making Ezra feel a little uncomfortable and besides we just me-”

“Nonsense!” she cut him off with a wave and strode back into wherever she had come from. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before she popped her beautiful head back around the corner. “Ezra dear you absolutely must stay for dinner.” She didn’t even get an answer before disappearing again. Ezra didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not, she had made this situation quite incredibly uncomfortable and made his stomach do small flips but at the same time her energy was infectious and he couldn’t help the small smile that plastered his face.

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isaac-lacey

Chapter 7 of my current WIP

Don’t worry it doesn’t have spoilers or anything I’m just quite happy with the fight scene in it. This is also a first draft so it more than likely will be changed at some point. ___________________________________ Elder Barrett walked through the white door to his house, he had designed his house in much the same way he had designed the remodeling of the Ferncul college of Witchcraft which meant that most of the walls and furniture were white, the only colour coming a few books and in his case the plates and cups that you would find in various cupboards. His house was all ordered and symmetrical, he didn’t remember why. The last time he had remodeled his house was well over one hundred years ago and now he simply didn’t have the time to remodel again to fit his tastes again. He had his duties as the elder representing the magic school of conjuration after all. Not only that but he had his duties as Dean to the college to attend to as well. He walked up the stairs of his house, moving quickly towards his bedroom. The whiteness of the room made the five people that waited within stand out more. Well people was a vague analysis, looking closer he could see three people who he presumed were Witches, one Werewolf and one person who looked to be a Vampire. One of the Witches was first to talk, he spoke confidently making sure he was heard. “You Barrett?” He ignored the question and took his coat off slowly, making sure not to crease it. Usually he was one for efficiency and would remove anything quickly however now that there were five, likely trained, fighters in front of him he didn’t want to startle any of them. More because he liked this coat, it was his favourite shade of white and he didn’t have the time to go and replace it any time soon, nor did he have the time to mend it, this was one of the few things in his house he had not enchanted to mend itself with the activation of the right rune. “We been ‘ired to kill you we have.” He recognized the guys accent, it was from the Te island, the Southern half. He walked calmly over to his wardrobe and hung his coat on one of the spectral hangers within, they too were white. Next he removed his pants. “Ey the fuck you think you’re doin?” He ignored the question and changed into a pair of shorts making sure they were high enough that they didn’t go below his knees. “You even listenin’ to me?” He was, he had just decided that the man was a fool and elected not to answer. In his experience the loudest ones were the first to fall. He heard the man walking towards him and felt a hand on his shoulder, finally he decided to answer.

“I never understood why you people insist on informing me of your intentions. It’s a waste of time and to be perfectly frank a foolish thing to do.”

“Huh?” The word had barely left the assassins mouth as Barrett twisted, quickly pressing two runes on his knuckles before swinging. The loudmouthed assassin went to block but wasn’t fast enough and Barrett’s fist made contact with his jaw, followed by the satisfying crunch of bone as his head snapped to the side and his jaw shattered upon impact. He fell and Barrett stepped over him, ignoring the cries of pain as two of the other assassins jumped into action. One was moving towards Barrett while the other stayed back summoning fire, the two Witches. He bent down and pressed two fingers against the invisible runes on his knees, before the closest one could get any closer Barrett leapt towards the wall and bounced off flipping over the two, he ignored them for the moment and kicked the vampire, she smashed into the werewolf and the two flew through his bedroom door and skidded along the floor along with the various splinters of wood. He ducked under a fireball and span only to be met by a fist to the nose. He took a step back, grunting as pain ran through his head and his eyes began to water. He pressed an invisible rune on his neck and it healed just as quickly as it had broken, the next punch he moved around, darting to the side. He took hold of the Witches arm and snapped his other hand up into his extended elbow. The blow was met with a loud cry as the bone snapped, Barrett threw him to the floor and weaved around another fireball, he dodged around a few more before coming up close to the assassin, this one tried to jump back but Barrett followed and punched him in the ribs, there was a loud crack and they screamed. He caught them as they fell and activating one of the invisible runes on his bicep threw them through his window. These assassins had clearly not done their research, if they had they would know that he had also been offered the position of the elder representing runic magic. He had denied the position as he already had enough duties but still. If they had known that they would have come up with suitable counters for his magic. Suddenly he was thrown through one of his walls, and crashed through his banisters falling onto his stairs. He grunted as a sharp pain shot through his body and promised to curse himself later for making the foolish mistake of assuming that a vampire would be taken out so easily. He pressed the rune on his neck again and as his broken ribs healed the vampire appeared in front of him, she shoved him but this time he was ready and as he went flying flipped himself in the air so that rather than his back hitting his wall his legs did. He leapt back towards her and kicked, he heard her neck snap as she slammed into the wall but she got up anyway, her bones already resetting. Before she could fully recover he jumped down the stairs to give himself more room to maneuver, as he did so the werewolf followed. Before the beast could attack he threw three white spectral knives that all exploded with a flash of blinding light, the beast howled and Barrett moved quickly delivering three punches and a magically enhanced kick to the beasts abdomen, it rolled along the floor but started to stand. Barrett barely managed to duck under the vampires first swing, she was holding a knife now and the blade let out a light hum as it sliced at the air. It was probably enchanted. He jumped backwards and pressed two runes on his elbows as he did, flinging his arms wide both the vampire and the werewolf were hit with a large wave of white energy that sent them flying. The vampire slammed into the stairs and the werewolf flew through his kitchen and broke through the wall, they lay outside but Barrett knew they would be back fairly soon. He leapt towards the vampire and pressed a finger to her neck, when he did black ink flooded through her skin and formed a rune. For a regular Witch, even those well versed in runic magic, this technique was impossible due to the vast amount of mana it required but for an elder such as himself it was easy. This would suppress her natural abilities, she would be slower and her healing would slow down as well which meant now he could break her bones and she wouldn’t get back up. It wouldn’t kill her but then he never intended to kill any of them. She swung and he stepped out of the way, she swung again evidently confused as to why she wasn’t moving at superhuman speeds anymore. Barrett couldn’t help the smile that cut across his face as he kicked the side of her knee, it broke with a loud snap and the bone broke skin. Thankfully there was no blood given that she had none in her body. She screamed as she fell and he punched her in the jaw, it shattered beneath his fist and the vampire fell.  “I’LL KILL YOU!” Barrett weaved around the werewolves claws and each time gave a blow of his own, the only difference being that his were actually making contact. The werewolf went for a grab and he ducked under their arms, sweeping his leg. They fell and he kicked them, they slid along the floor and Barrett followed, before they could recover he kicked them in the face, the back of their head hit the wall with a loud crack, knowing that this wasn’t enough to take them down he punched them a few more times before finally placing his finger on their chest. He couldn’t see it but he knew the rune was there, this time as the werewolf went to stand blue lightning shot through their body, they howled and fell to the floor unconscious. That was all five of them, he had to admit they weren’t very good assassins though he had to admit he hadn’t done such a great job himself. A hundred years ago they would have been dispatched within moments but now he was old and out of practice this had taken too long and now he would have to make adjustments to his schedule. Adjustments he could not really afford to make. He couldn’t help but sigh as he made his way back upstairs to retrieve his clothes, he ran his finger on one of the runes on his forearm and a loud ringing surrounded the house. Guards would be on their way soon.

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Chapter 7 of my current WIP

Don’t worry it doesn’t have spoilers or anything I’m just quite happy with the fight scene in it. This is also a first draft so it more than likely will be changed at some point. ___________________________________ Elder Barrett walked through the white door to his house, he had designed his house in much the same way he had designed the remodeling of the Ferncul college of Witchcraft which meant that most of the walls and furniture were white, the only colour coming a few books and in his case the plates and cups that you would find in various cupboards. His house was all ordered and symmetrical, he didn’t remember why. The last time he had remodeled his house was well over one hundred years ago and now he simply didn’t have the time to remodel again to fit his tastes again. He had his duties as the elder representing the magic school of conjuration after all. Not only that but he had his duties as Dean to the college to attend to as well. He walked up the stairs of his house, moving quickly towards his bedroom. The whiteness of the room made the five people that waited within stand out more. Well people was a vague analysis, looking closer he could see three people who he presumed were Witches, one Werewolf and one person who looked to be a Vampire. One of the Witches was first to talk, he spoke confidently making sure he was heard. “You Barrett?” He ignored the question and took his coat off slowly, making sure not to crease it. Usually he was one for efficiency and would remove anything quickly however now that there were five, likely trained, fighters in front of him he didn’t want to startle any of them. More because he liked this coat, it was his favourite shade of white and he didn’t have the time to go and replace it any time soon, nor did he have the time to mend it, this was one of the few things in his house he had not enchanted to mend itself with the activation of the right rune. “We been ‘ired to kill you we have.” He recognized the guys accent, it was from the Te island, the Southern half. He walked calmly over to his wardrobe and hung his coat on one of the spectral hangers within, they too were white. Next he removed his pants. “Ey the fuck you think you’re doin?” He ignored the question and changed into a pair of shorts making sure they were high enough that they didn’t go below his knees. “You even listenin’ to me?” He was, he had just decided that the man was a fool and elected not to answer. In his experience the loudest ones were the first to fall. He heard the man walking towards him and felt a hand on his shoulder, finally he decided to answer.

“I never understood why you people insist on informing me of your intentions. It’s a waste of time and to be perfectly frank a foolish thing to do.”

“Huh?” The word had barely left the assassins mouth as Barrett twisted, quickly pressing two runes on his knuckles before swinging. The loudmouthed assassin went to block but wasn’t fast enough and Barrett’s fist made contact with his jaw, followed by the satisfying crunch of bone as his head snapped to the side and his jaw shattered upon impact. He fell and Barrett stepped over him, ignoring the cries of pain as two of the other assassins jumped into action. One was moving towards Barrett while the other stayed back summoning fire, the two Witches. He bent down and pressed two fingers against the invisible runes on his knees, before the closest one could get any closer Barrett leapt towards the wall and bounced off flipping over the two, he ignored them for the moment and kicked the vampire, she smashed into the werewolf and the two flew through his bedroom door and skidded along the floor along with the various splinters of wood. He ducked under a fireball and span only to be met by a fist to the nose. He took a step back, grunting as pain ran through his head and his eyes began to water. He pressed an invisible rune on his neck and it healed just as quickly as it had broken, the next punch he moved around, darting to the side. He took hold of the Witches arm and snapped his other hand up into his extended elbow. The blow was met with a loud cry as the bone snapped, Barrett threw him to the floor and weaved around another fireball, he dodged around a few more before coming up close to the assassin, this one tried to jump back but Barrett followed and punched him in the ribs, there was a loud crack and they screamed. He caught them as they fell and activating one of the invisible runes on his bicep threw them through his window. These assassins had clearly not done their research, if they had they would know that he had also been offered the position of the elder representing runic magic. He had denied the position as he already had enough duties but still. If they had known that they would have come up with suitable counters for his magic. Suddenly he was thrown through one of his walls, and crashed through his banisters falling onto his stairs. He grunted as a sharp pain shot through his body and promised to curse himself later for making the foolish mistake of assuming that a vampire would be taken out so easily. He pressed the rune on his neck again and as his broken ribs healed the vampire appeared in front of him, she shoved him but this time he was ready and as he went flying flipped himself in the air so that rather than his back hitting his wall his legs did. He leapt back towards her and kicked, he heard her neck snap as she slammed into the wall but she got up anyway, her bones already resetting. Before she could fully recover he jumped down the stairs to give himself more room to maneuver, as he did so the werewolf followed. Before the beast could attack he threw three white spectral knives that all exploded with a flash of blinding light, the beast howled and Barrett moved quickly delivering three punches and a magically enhanced kick to the beasts abdomen, it rolled along the floor but started to stand. Barrett barely managed to duck under the vampires first swing, she was holding a knife now and the blade let out a light hum as it sliced at the air. It was probably enchanted. He jumped backwards and pressed two runes on his elbows as he did, flinging his arms wide both the vampire and the werewolf were hit with a large wave of white energy that sent them flying. The vampire slammed into the stairs and the werewolf flew through his kitchen and broke through the wall, they lay outside but Barrett knew they would be back fairly soon. He leapt towards the vampire and pressed a finger to her neck, when he did black ink flooded through her skin and formed a rune. For a regular Witch, even those well versed in runic magic, this technique was impossible due to the vast amount of mana it required but for an elder such as himself it was easy. This would suppress her natural abilities, she would be slower and her healing would slow down as well which meant now he could break her bones and she wouldn’t get back up. It wouldn’t kill her but then he never intended to kill any of them. She swung and he stepped out of the way, she swung again evidently confused as to why she wasn’t moving at superhuman speeds anymore. Barrett couldn’t help the smile that cut across his face as he kicked the side of her knee, it broke with a loud snap and the bone broke skin. Thankfully there was no blood given that she had none in her body. She screamed as she fell and he punched her in the jaw, it shattered beneath his fist and the vampire fell.  “I’LL KILL YOU!” Barrett weaved around the werewolves claws and each time gave a blow of his own, the only difference being that his were actually making contact. The werewolf went for a grab and he ducked under their arms, sweeping his leg. They fell and he kicked them, they slid along the floor and Barrett followed, before they could recover he kicked them in the face, the back of their head hit the wall with a loud crack, knowing that this wasn’t enough to take them down he punched them a few more times before finally placing his finger on their chest. He couldn’t see it but he knew the rune was there, this time as the werewolf went to stand blue lightning shot through their body, they howled and fell to the floor unconscious. That was all five of them, he had to admit they weren’t very good assassins though he had to admit he hadn’t done such a great job himself. A hundred years ago they would have been dispatched within moments but now he was old and out of practice this had taken too long and now he would have to make adjustments to his schedule. Adjustments he could not really afford to make. He couldn’t help but sigh as he made his way back upstairs to retrieve his clothes, he ran his finger on one of the runes on his forearm and a loud ringing surrounded the house. Guards would be on their way soon.

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