《Veil of Shadows: Chronicles of the Luminal》


 A blink of life.

    This is not a first chapter. It is just a soliloquy of my main character. What I¡¯m trying to get from this are some opinions. I need to know if you, the reader, will like to see more of this kind of writing or this kind of character. I accept any kind of criticism and if even a few people will like it, I¡¯ll deliver an entire story, from start to finish. Thank you for taking you time to read my words.


    Why let an illusion control your fate? Why not let bygones be bygones? Why do most of us prefer clinging to the past, to something that is already dead?


    The past, the present and the future, every single one of them is important, but do not let any of them define you. Be forever changing. The present is just a state of mind, something we, humans, have invented. It is impossible to live in the present, as they say. You can live in the moment, sure! That¡¯s what life really is, a cumulation of moments. The present is the moment before you blink and it goes by with every move of our eyelid, it is that second that we want to stretch for eternity. The past is what escapes our grasp, the moments that slip away forever in that eternity we crave. The future is what comes after we blink, that which we don¡¯t know when our eyes are closed and when we open them the future becomes the present. So the forever cycle continues, we open our eyes in the past, we close them in the present and we blink all away to find ourselves in the future. Do you see how broken that is?


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    Forever changing is life and all that makes our library of moments. Do not fear the past, you already saw it. Do not fear the present, you already lost it. Do not fear the future, it will pas so quickly. Life is but a moment, a glimpse of light in the vastness of darkness, a blink that moves nothing! What is the life of man compared to that of mere mountains. We are transient, we do not stay, just admire while in the transit, our journey can¡¯t be stopped and the final destination is the unknown, that which we call death.


    But even so, my heart still aches in pain when I glance into the cruel past. We are, after-all, humans. Imperfect beings that suffer through all our life. All this we realise, we truly see that all is in vain, but that blink of the past that was once the present still hurts more than any wound. We are little selfish fools. The thought that our lover once loved another, breaks our fragile hearts and destroys our ego. The fear, ¡®cause in the end we are all governed by it; the strongest sentiment we feel, makes us despair and bring us to our knees. Even love crumbles in the face of fear as any prey would in the face of a predator. There¡¯s none without fear, not in the novels or life. You can keep it in a cage, but it comes for us all. So, be prepared! Face it! Drive it back to where it came from, back to its cage that crumbled. Glance at it, watch it, embrace it, learn to live with fear in you heart, it¡¯ll never leave.


    Maybe someone, someday, will break this curse. This damned game of life. This accursed road we walk on. ¡®Till then, we suffer! For truly this reality is a hell.

 No one shall have me!

    The past is but a shattered mirror, a cruel illusion of what I once knew. Why cling to its shards, when they cut us so deeply? Is it not better to let go and move on. To embrace the present and all that it holds? Oh, cruel mind, why do I speak these words? I babble nonsense once again, of states of mind I cannot comprehend. I speak of pasts, of presents and of futures, of fleeting moments in the life of man. To these we cling, we cling so desperately, as if they hold the key to our existence, but to our horror we find out much too late, it¡¯s just the trick of lights, it is that simple.


    I must go on! Again, again, again! I will march forth to give my pain a purpose, I¡¯ll once again be on my merry way and cast aside the memories of yesterday. Sweet memories are now forgotten, cause on this road of mine they have no place. My path is filled with poison, blood and pain, my mind with dreams that fade away, please stay! You cruel world, give back my men! Bring back my house, my parents and my name. Bring back the laughter, joy and sorrow, don¡¯t just bring back suffering and pain. This mind of mine keeps feeding me this fire, that tries to alight my road, to keep me on my way. But I, I have no wish for dreams that could light fires, cause they will never bring me to my end.


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    I was a man like every other, with love, with life, they took it all from me. For this I take my step and wander, wander this land that is like fire to my foot. They give me poison so poison I shall drink, they give me blood, with blood I¡¯ll dance in fire, my end is near, I can feel!


    I¡¯ll walk alone, lifeless with no desire, I have no one, and no one shall have me. I¡¯ll be the reaper, death all I¡¯ll devour, cause only in their end I¡¯ll have my peace!


    And he walks once more, one last time. Today his story will survive, tomorrow he¡¯ll be closer to his dream, or nightmare. Broken and in pain, a little of his fire still remains, as he continues his battle with madness.