DREAMS of a CLOUD

Peruse the many random ramblings of a writer-in-training as I build stories and develop my craft.

Goddess of Battle, 2023, Nanowrimo 2023 Nathaniel Cloud Goddess of Battle, 2023, Nanowrimo 2023 Nathaniel Cloud

8 November 2023

Mela’s expression was inscrutable while she looked Kyra up and down. “So it is true, then. You really are the next demon king.”

Kyra narrowed her eyes. “Is that going to be a problem?”

With a harsh bark of laughter, Mela waved out across the city below them. “You see this? They don’t need us anymore. Saintesses? Demon kings?”

Mela’s expression was inscrutable while she looked Kyra up and down. “So it is true, then. You really are the next demon king.”

Kyra narrowed her eyes. “Is that going to be a problem?”

With a harsh bark of laughter, Mela waved out across the city below them. “You see this? They don’t need us anymore. Saintesses? Demon kings? As far as they’re concerned, it’s all just stories.” She snorted and shook her head. “Not that those old fools at the church realize that.”

For several moments, the two women just watched the hustle and bustle of the city below them. Finally, Kyra asked, “So, what now? What are you going to do?”

Rather than answer, Mera simply smiled. For some reason, that expression made Kyra’s stomach churn.


(Afternoon writing below)


Brinja offered to let Kyra stay the night in her apartment, and without anywhere else to go, Kyra accepted. The girl led her to a small vehicle; Kyra assumed it was a carriage of some sort, but she saw now place to tether animals, and the whole contraption sat quite low to the ground.

The interior was no less strange. The seats were covered in some kind of carpet, and they all faced one direction, rather than facing each other. Kyra sat down and discovered the seats were soft enough they would not have been out of place in a nobleman’s carriage. “How important is your family to own carriage’s like this?”

Brinja blinked, then started laughing. “This? This is just a [Honda Civic]. The expensive cars are much nicer, trust me.” Then she inserted a key of some kind, and the carriage itself roared.

Kyra jumped in her seat, reaching down for one of her axes. “What sort of sorcery is this?”

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