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                 Interitus 3: Short Story #1: An Aftershock of Hope and Fear Epilogue   “Pretty sure I’m in the right place… but I can’t say for certain. Can you let me through? I have an invitation from Abraham Tamatoa,” said the dark-haired woman as she unfolded the sweat-stained letter in her hand. Two of the guards fixated on the spear which was sheathed on her back, but the third dismissed their concerns and inspected the letter. His eyes skimmed briefly across it, and after taking a deep breath, he gave a brief nod. After clearing his throat, the guard announced, “You are free to pass, Aracely Amato. I apologize for their distrust; the skirmishes on this island grow bloodier by the day. It is only natural that they are nervous.” She glared at the guard at first, but then she dismissed her adversity and mumbled words of thanks. He motioned toward a tent in the small camp, so Aracely dropped her letter on the ground and trudg...

                 Interitus 3: Short Story #1: An Aftershock of Hope and Fear Chapter Five   The sound of dripping water was the first thing he heard when he awoke. His face rested flat against the dusty floor of his cell, and his tired eyes stared at the only light in the dulled darkness. It came from candlelight seeping in through the crack of a tilted door, across the room on the other side of the bars. The flicker of fiery light shimmered in each drop of water which fell from the ceiling and into a dark puddle. With each descending drop, tiny droplets of water splashed into the air and momentarily caught fire from the scarlet glow. Abraham narrowed his eyes when the next drop cascaded into the puddle, using the incident reflection to search the adjacent cells for Ophelia. But once again, they were all empty. He had hardly seen her since they arrived in this makeshift prison, and he had already lost track of time. With no exposure ...

                Interitus 3: Short Story #1: An Aftershock of Hope and Fear Chapter Four   “It looks like your suspicion was justified. It was no ocean storm that forced the oldest port to close. It was a monster from the sea itself,” said Ophelia over the splash of seawater. “What do you mean?” asked Abraham as he rowed the boat with his flexing arms. “Stop rowing. Stand up and see for yourself,” she answered with a lurid sigh. With a deep breath of exertion, Abraham set down the oars and lifted his aching body off the wooden seat. As soon as he stood upright, he was overcome by a powerful stretch which caused several pops in his back. He winced as his eyes adjusted to the bright light of the setting sun, and then he glanced down at the ocean. Their wooden boat was a modest barrier between their bodies and the ocean itself, and though it safely fought through the waves, he realized the precariousness of their position. In be...

                Interitus 3: Short Story #1: An Aftershock of Hope and Fear Chapter Three   “You made an irreparable mistake in coming here. This is a miscalculation which will cost your lives. With your hearts and your stomachs torn from your bodies, the ice will preserve you for generations to come,” announced a deep voice from the swirling snow. Ophelia and Abraham stood side by side on the icy mountainside, clinging to each other for warmth as they scoured the blizzard for a sign of their enemy. The snowfall transformed the visibility to a bare minimum; it was all they could do to see a rocky ledge ten feet ahead. Abraham clenched his sword in his left hand as he tensed every muscle, but he still saw no sign of the Taenarius. When the wind intensified, they separated from each other and swerved around so that their backs would insulate them from the snowstorm. Ophelia crouched at a short distance so that the buffeting wind woul...