And A Happy New Year · 1:09pm Dec 29th, 2021
I hope everyone's had a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you all victory over your enemies in the year to come.
As for me, I've been quiet for a while here but still hard at work here behind the scenes. As of just two nights ago I reached the end of the final chapter and epilogue of The Seven Trials of Clover the Clever, and finished the first draft, with a few days left to go before the year ends.
I actually did it. I actually reached the end. And this year, for all its many varied horrors, saw me make more progress on the story than any year before. At the start of this year I had just begun chapter 10. Twelve months later I'm at the end of chapter 18, having covered half the chapters and approximately half the word-count along the way.
Soon it will be time to start thinking about the second draft, and to fix all the mistakes I made along the way (mistakes that caught up with me badly in the final chapters). But for now I'm going to take a break.
Let me leave you with a preview from chapter 10. This will probably be the last preview, since I won't be doing updates one chapter at a time anymore, so let's make it a big one:
“I’ve been thinking about our plan,” Clover said. “There are multiple points we need to cover.”
“You’re always so serious,” Platinum said. “You work too hard. You should take a break.”
“This is important, Platty. We need to be prepared.”
“Clover, shush,” Platinum said. “Look at her. Look at how happy she is. Don’t disturb this.”
“Platinum, this is—” She cut herself off, looking at her friend’s eyes. “...Fine. It can wait.”
On the grass by the road Goldie and Cutter were kicking a ball, running back and forth to catch it.
“Have you thought about just staying here?” Platinum asked, not taking her eyes off the filly. “Forget the quest, forget the Sorceress, forget Bayard. Stop worrying about carrying the whole world on your back and just live for yourself for once? Just to be alive, and enjoy life?”
Clover glanced at the travelers of the caravan. “It sure seems like these ponies have been through some hard times too.”
“Oh, Piper Pie’s stories are just tall tales,” Platinum said with a chuckle. “There’s a wide open world out there, just waiting to be explored. How easy would it be to build a new life out here? Leave it all behind, and start over.”
“I need to stop her, Platty,” Clover said. She looked out to the far horizon with furrowed brows. “She’s a threat to the whole Unicorn Kingdom. Maybe the world.”
“It’s not your job to save the world, Clover.”
Clover thought about saying something, but bit her tongue. They watched Goldie play in the silence.
We’re so close.
We’re coming for you, Sorceress. Whoever you are, whatever you want, I’m going to find you. And then I’ll…
Yes, Clover the Clever, tell us what exactly will you do then?
I’ll stop her. I’ll find her lair and defeat her.
If she doesn’t get you first.
Clover’s lip curled from a smile to a frown.
No, she couldn’t. She thinks she already got rid of me. I have the element of surprise. I’ll find her and I’ll…
I don’t even know what I’ll find there.
Maybe there’s nothing. Maybe she just teleported to some random spot and all of this has been for nothing.
Or even if it was her lair, that was weeks ago. With all her magic, she must know about the beacon. She’s had all the time she needs to empty the place out and find someplace else to hide because she can teleport instantly and I’m stuck walking on hoof because I’m a complete joke of an adventurer.
Maybe I’m walking into a trap. An ambush. No, not maybe. Of course I’m walking into a trap. Everypony knows where I’m going but me! I alone have no clue what I’m going to find in the place I’ve spent weeks trying to get to! And the Sorceress is either waiting there to catch me or she’s already left, far away where I don’t know, making her next move, whatever it is.
Where are you, Professor?
If your teacher was awake, he could fix all this with a thought. But you are struggling to keep it together walking down a road.
If he was awake he would have come to find me by now. He would have seen my note and the mail piling up outside the house and he would have cast a spell to find out where I am and he would have teleported here to complain he didn’t have his tea.
And if he isn’t?
Then we may have even bigger problems.
This is gonna happen. It's just going to take some time to get there.
Wishing you all the best.
boop!
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pbs.twimg.com/media/Ewt45HIW8AQ_x7h?format=jpg&name=small
Eagerly looking forward to the story. This promises to be fantastic.
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I hope and believe it will be. If The Education was my Hobbit, this is my Lord of the Rings.
It's been a trip. Thanks for all the encouragement along the way, it's helped a lot.
Congratulations on nearing the end of your story. I'm proud that ya stuck it out and grinded, even on the most frustrating of days. To finally see your work come to fruition after so long has got to be most rewarding.
Happy New Year, Daedalus. Hope it'll come with prosperity, peace and happiness for ya.
Congratulations,
I am already very excited about the new story
And come well into the new year
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Thank you. It's been a long while, but I think I'm going to see it through in the end. Happy new year to you too!
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Thanks, you too!
Happy New Year, congratulations, and good luck! :)