Phoenix Apprentice

Hey all,
          I forgot to schedule an update this week so sorry about that. I've been getting ready to begin my master's degree in April so it's been a little crazy for me as of late. I'll try to remember for next week. At least I'm not dealing with being sick, which was the last thing that made me delay updates! And the new story hasn't even posted yet so it would just be more extra stuff, probably more drawings. But I'll still get it out next week.

So it looks like all the chapters in DW have finished posting. I forgot that Saturday was the final day—lots of stuff has been happening recently, too much to talk about at the moment.
          
          For now I'll mention that I'm working on putting together the DW soundtrack AND I will be posting the next installment in the Dromisse series starting **SATURDAY AUGUST 1ST**
          
          I'm actually going back to school for my master's degree so life is going to get a lot crazier than it already is. And I'll post some DW extras on Saturday if I remember — art and memes and all that. Until then!

I've finished uploading the rest of the chapters, but they'll still post once a week. The last chapter will post on February 14th.
          
          And I finally figured out why they've been so insistent about me finishing Dark Within while I've been working at Arcom. It isn't so they can archive the story--though that's part of it. It's because, well ...
          
          Apparently, the Artifacts are real.
          
          This job can't even surprise me anymore, though. I've still been working during the day but I think I'm going to go back to the night shift as I'll be starting school again in a few months. Going for my MA in English lit. And, well, it'll make working full time and doing school a lot easier if I basically just have to sleep at my job.
          
          But Cynthia came to me this past week and asked how far I had gotten into writing this book series, then told me that the Arcom has been looking for the Artifacts for some time. Technically I've already got every book drafted out, they're just in various stages of revision.
          
          And once again I've discovered that all my ideas have already existed before. Go figure the Artifacts aren't original. Apparently Arcom was so desperate to have me because anytime anyone tells a story about the Artifacts it becomes true. I'm just the latest to tell stories about them. When I asked who the last one was, Cynthia told me they don't remember his name. I hazarded a guess with the names of one of my characters--one not yet revealed--and her face lit up and she grabbed my shoulders, shouting that was it. So, yeah, one of my future characters was also once a real person.
          
          I've told them that Dromisse is still going to be on a once weekly update schedule, but I've given them access to my drafts. This is something beyond me now, so I figured they should see them. Life's still been hard for me lately, but it helps to have a distraction, and friends and coworkers around.
          
          Anyway, I'll see you all in four weeks with more updates to Arcom life and the next stages of the Dromisse series!

Chapter 54 will post today and I'm still working in the archive section of the Arcom instead of collecting dreams. It's just easier for right now. I get the feeling, though, that Cynthia wants me back looking after dreams. She's been talking to me about my stories whenever I pass by her and she's asked me about the Dromisse dreamscape. I mean, I haven't dreamed about it. We're not supposed to, not since I discovered all that red stuff there. Oculus keeps me away from it at night. Other than that not much has been going on. Maybe soon I'll go back to the night shift but for now days work just fine.

Chapter 53 is up to post and will be available at 7 p.m. MST as usual!

I forgot to post anything last week. Chapter 52 will come out today. Other than that not much going on, just hoping that 2026 is better than the trash fire that was last year. At least, in the physical health department.

Part 7 begins today, the final part.
          
          I may provide halfhearted updates on my work at the Arcom for the next little while. Truth be told, I'm a little depressed. Not because of working in an archive where apparently literal magic exists, it's just that external things aren't really going my way lately. I am glad I have Oculus around, though, since I lost my cat. Even if he stays in the Arcom and is usually only around when I'm there to explore dreamscapes, he has sometimes visited me during the day shift. It's odd, because when I see him at night he seems like some mysterious entity so much more than a cat, which he is. But when he's with me during the day, he does all the normal cat things--batting at my feet to get my attention, rolling over and exposing his belly only to grab my hand with his claws when I touch it, begging for treats. It's a night and day difference--ba-dum tssss. Though he can still talk and that's what makes it different than when a normal cat annoys you. He can specifically tell me what he wants and why I should give it to him through some sort of telepathy. Well, it's good to be liked by someone, I guess, even if that someone is a cat who is just one part of an imaginary hivemind creature that metaphorically represents untold stories.

Chapter 49 is ready to post! It's the end of Part 6 and I totally forgot. So, after this, there's 7 chapters left.
          
          Life hasn't really let up for me since my last update. I'm actually not sleeping well. Which, for a job that requires you to sleep, is pretty rough. When I get stressed, I either have very vivid dreams or nothing at all, and I seem to be mostly in a nothing phase. My coworkers understand, fortunately, as does my boss. I've temporarily switched shifts so that I can organize the dreams that my coworkers have catalogued. I'm with a few people I don't see as much now, but who are also part of the dream archive. It's not like you can really get to know all your coworkers very well when you're always asleep anyway. I do feel like I should be better about making friends though.
          
          Here's hoping things turn around for the better, though. With Dark Within being nearly done I'm a little anxious for what comes next. The next book still doesn't feel done to me, even though it is. Well, maybe rereading it will help me figure out if there's anything that needs to be changed. I'm not sure yet when I'll release it, but maybe it'll be next summer. That's something to think about after Dark Within is finished, though.

Chapter 48 is ready to post.
          
          It's been a whirlwind of things in my life right now and I'm pretty depressed. I'd update more on Arcom but I'm not feeling up to it. I'll write something next week.

It's that time of the year again where time turns into a blur of confusion filled with family members, pie, long nights, and continual chaos. Nevertheless Chapter 47 is ready to post, even if I did wake up late this morning, feeling like 2 weeks have passed in 1 week.
          
          At work we have had holiday time off. Arcom recognizes all federal holidays, so I had a lot of free time on my hands this week. Well, not really. I've been cat sitting for my friend's little black kitten. I seem to be surrounded by black cats lately. Not only at work with the Muse of Forgotten Dreams, but in my everyday. There's a stray black cat my neighbors have been feeding and letting into their garage--but she clearly favors me as she's always hanging around outside my door. There was also a black cat owned by my friend's roommate who I saw when going to take care of the kitten. Then another one of my friends found a black kitten as well. The black cat distribution system must really be working full time this year.
          
          I know this post isn't really about the happenings at the Arcom, but it's just because I had so much time off this week. Curious to know why they give us so much time, I texted Antonio about it, and all they had to say was that it's difficult to keep employees at the Arcom, so the ones that stay get treated well. Not exactly the response I was expecting. I suppose it does seem rather short-staffed, though. There aren't a lot of employees, even when I looked through the employee records.
          
          Well, I suppose that's all there is to say about that. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I did, but ironically, didn't have much of an appetite! But it was still good. And it was good even though I'm now gluten free. Turns out going gluten free was the best thing I've  ever done, 'cause after the initial shock of suddenly changing my diet I feel a lot better and have more energy. It's great!