I Want to Write a Novel
An excerpt from what will be my master work, Draft 2:
Qarinarc nodded, remembering Reinarch's conversation. “I was allowed to see a key to understanding the unity of the creation. It is something I am still absorbing.” He paused, remembering the green fields on the island. “I feel this visit was a part to this whole puzzle we're assembling together.”
“All of it comes together.” Ashal reminded him. “But what was in that cylinder that triggered all this?”
“That's the magic question.” Qarinarc said. “What is in the cylinder inside of us that triggered this change?”
Ashal sighed deeply, scrying the energies of the artifact from afar. “The love of the Creator.”
Qarinarc smirked, feeling the same. It all made sense now, with the way they tried to arrest them even before trying to deliver it to Reinarch. And only someone like Reinarch could open something like that with the state the Ascendancy was in.
“They are watching those with his love.” Ashal continued. “They seem concerned.”
“Why hide what one strives for?” Qarinarc asked. “What lies inside cannot be taken.”
“Exactly, and so it would seem someone wants to prevent this understanding.” Ashal replied.
“If it is evil, then the Holder is no longer in confidence, like it was feared.”
“Yes.” She paused for moment. “It must be evil. Why would others slowly succumb to an addictive madness otherwise? Their lack of awareness of this is the signal.”
“I was just contemplating this not long ago.” said Qarinarc.
“And I saw you contemplate this.” Ashal said. “I can read thoughts, remember? People are like a book that can be read, thought and feeling when surrendered to the one. But to be fair, I saw you contemplate this right after I did.”
“Synchronicity, nice.”
“We are being shown the same lesson.” Ashal said. “The mind is a creature of comforts. When living becomes easier, it always seeks out pleasure.”
“You're talking about the dopamine circuit.” Qarinarc iterated, having an idea of where this was going.
“It is a flaw in our psychology.” Ashal explained. “The mind becomes addicted to its own dopamine release, and so seeks out any avenue that releases more and more of it. It is clever because if one's soul is unaware, the mind can gradually lead one into more of that way of life and one wouldn't even know it. The circuit then becomes a wheel spinning endlessly, killing the synaptic receptors and causing a fall back into unawareness and animalistic living. It is something that evil would employ.”
“That would be something evil could use if it wants people to believe certain realities while denying others.” Qarinarc remarked. “That would be a powerful denial tool.”
“That's the question.” Ashal said, echoing Qarinarc from earlier. “What are they trying to hide?”
A silence fell as both felt the answer that could not be said. It was a troubling thought that seemed to be like a shadow on their awareness, but its source lay beyond a veil that, Qarinarc felt, was not ready to be pushed aside.
“All of it comes together.” Ashal reminded him. “But what was in that cylinder that triggered all this?”
“That's the magic question.” Qarinarc said. “What is in the cylinder inside of us that triggered this change?”
Ashal sighed deeply, scrying the energies of the artifact from afar. “The love of the Creator.”
Qarinarc smirked, feeling the same. It all made sense now, with the way they tried to arrest them even before trying to deliver it to Reinarch. And only someone like Reinarch could open something like that with the state the Ascendancy was in.
“They are watching those with his love.” Ashal continued. “They seem concerned.”
“Why hide what one strives for?” Qarinarc asked. “What lies inside cannot be taken.”
“Exactly, and so it would seem someone wants to prevent this understanding.” Ashal replied.
“If it is evil, then the Holder is no longer in confidence, like it was feared.”
“Yes.” She paused for moment. “It must be evil. Why would others slowly succumb to an addictive madness otherwise? Their lack of awareness of this is the signal.”
“I was just contemplating this not long ago.” said Qarinarc.
“And I saw you contemplate this.” Ashal said. “I can read thoughts, remember? People are like a book that can be read, thought and feeling when surrendered to the one. But to be fair, I saw you contemplate this right after I did.”
“Synchronicity, nice.”
“We are being shown the same lesson.” Ashal said. “The mind is a creature of comforts. When living becomes easier, it always seeks out pleasure.”
“You're talking about the dopamine circuit.” Qarinarc iterated, having an idea of where this was going.
“It is a flaw in our psychology.” Ashal explained. “The mind becomes addicted to its own dopamine release, and so seeks out any avenue that releases more and more of it. It is clever because if one's soul is unaware, the mind can gradually lead one into more of that way of life and one wouldn't even know it. The circuit then becomes a wheel spinning endlessly, killing the synaptic receptors and causing a fall back into unawareness and animalistic living. It is something that evil would employ.”
“That would be something evil could use if it wants people to believe certain realities while denying others.” Qarinarc remarked. “That would be a powerful denial tool.”
“That's the question.” Ashal said, echoing Qarinarc from earlier. “What are they trying to hide?”
A silence fell as both felt the answer that could not be said. It was a troubling thought that seemed to be like a shadow on their awareness, but its source lay beyond a veil that, Qarinarc felt, was not ready to be pushed aside.
