An Early Version of a scene for Into the Void
The vault trembled as another explosion rippled through the undercity. Dust drifted from the ceiling in lazy spirals while alarms wailed in a dozen incompatible tones — as if the security system couldn’t decide whether it was burning, drowning, or being eaten by void-beasts.
Kael Nightflare leaned against a crate labeled STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, casually picking grit from under his fingernails.
“Relax,” he muttered toward the screaming alarms. “You’re overreacting. It’s one collapsing corridor. Two, at most.”
A shower of sparks rained behind him. But, he didn’t look back. Instead, he lifted the palm-sized relic hovering over his hand — a fractal prism carved with impossible geometry, pulsing like an ember trapped inside a star.
The Aetherion Shard.
Worth a fortune, a death sentence, and certainly worth every faction’s hatred and obsession.
Kael whistled low. “You, my glimmering little mistake, are going to become an absolutely terrible life decision. ”
The relic flickered — pulsing from crimson to void-black. The lights around him dimmed in response.
“Hey now,” Kael said, pointing at it. “We talked about this, no destabilizing!”
Another explosion roared from somewhere above, dusting him in soot.
He sighed. “Fine. Minimal destabilizing. We’ll work on boundaries later.”
Boots thundered in the corridor ahead— Forged soldiers.
A metallic voice boomed:
“KAEL NIGHTFLARE. SURRENDER THE SHARD.”
Kael rolled his eyes. “You’re gonna need A LOT more guys..”
He snapped his fingers — a tiny flare of flame sparking to life.
“Alright, Kael,” he whispered to himself. “Three options. Door, vent, or incredibly stupid.”
He grinned, he was always going to choose incredibly stupid. The Forged rounded the corner just as Kael swept into a deeply mocking bow.
“Gentlemen! You made it! I was afraid you’d miss the grand finale.”
He tapped the floating relic.
“And trust me… this show? You’d better get your popcorn ready,” winking as he hurled the shard upward.
The room warped, time buckled. Flame and void intertwined in a swirling vortex of heat and shadow that bent the air like molten glass.
The Forged staggered, armor systems shorting from contradictory energies. Kael’s body flickered — half flame, half silhouette — as he stepped straight through the collapsing dimensional ripple forming around him. Smirking as he vanished.
“No you see me….. now you don’t!”
The ripple snapped shut with a thunderclap, leaving scorched walls, disoriented soldiers, and a single message burned into the ground:
CALL ME LATER, K?! ;P
Love, — K. N.
Im so bad at doing this kind of stuff
I built out a calendar for my posts now. I will actually stay on top of this. I will likely do a pretty big dump of content. Maybe not actually, but I intend to drop on weekends typically. May try a weekday at some point as well so expect content tomorrow!
A Love Letter to the Unknown
I wrote this poem at 3 in the morning waaayyyy back in 2013. If only I had known what would await me.. Enjoy!
A Love Letter to the Unknown
To the woman of my dreams, whomever you may be
Understand that you are & will be everything to me
I once knew love as a young man but broke my own heart
Not understanding how to appreciate such a concept from the start
I lied, I cheated, I did EVERYTHING wrong
I tried to fix it all but that love was much too far gone
So I made a vow to myself and to God
That I would never under appreciate love or return to being a fraud
I say this to you, not knowing who you are yet
Because in my heart I know there is NOTHING to regret
My mind and heart are ready to feel a love like yours, this I know is true
Everything that has happened in my life has led me to you
Daily I'll look into your eyes and see our hearts as one
A love like ours will NEVER be undone
I WILL fulfill your every desire my impeccable queen to be
To remind you of just how much you mean to me
If your heart is locked, I promise to be the right key
I want your radiant smile forever beaming towards me
I'll protect you from any threat, when you cry I'll dry your tears
Because as my queen you will only know; smiles, laughter, and cheers
We will conquer the world and be the champions of true love
Until we are dust and rejoin up above
I love you...
Welcome to My Mind…
At the tender age of 36 I look back on my young life and realize I’ve spent much of it helping people become better versions of themselves.
As an athlete, coach, wellness/ yoga practitioner, educator, nonprofit professional, and community builder, I've witnessed how stories shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us.
Writing has become one of the ways I explore those stories and myself.
This space is home to my reflections, and ongoing creative projects. Some pieces will explore identity, resilience, community, healing, and transformation. Others will document the development of my fantasy series Into the Void (working title)!
My hope is that these writings create reflection, conversation, curiosity, and connection.
Thanks for being here, and much love to you!
- Justin