Update/ Chapter 1 Hidden Essence

So, I was hoping to have enough done on Essence Wave 2 to post a chapter, but I realized I didn’t have the system worked out in my notes enough to really get stuff done. So I’m going back through book 1, noting loose plot threads and making sure it’s good in my head. I’ll be done with that tomorrow, so I should have a chapter and a half written by next Sunday. I’ll post it here once ready.

I should have Monster Island back from the editor in a week once I get it, I’ll finish up the recommended edits over that week, and by 2 weeks from today y’all should have the final copy! I’ll put it up here as both an ePub and a pdf. Most likely, the pre-order for the book will go up at the same time, for a release on the 29th.

I’m still debating if I’ll put it in KU immediately or wait a month like last time. Better day 1 versus extended ‘new release’ is the basics of the decision. Money wise I’m not sure which is better. Gotta do more research.

So, since I didn’t have a chapter ready for y’all, here is the current chapter 1 of Hidden Essence, the cultivation/litrpg/urban fantasy I started on a while ago. I’ve got seven chapters written, but it’s not on the docket to finish until EG or EW is done. Or I really need to not write both of those series to prevent burnout, whichever is first. Here ya go!

CHAPTER ONE

“Congratulations on achieving your black belt, Michael, not that anyone is surprised that you made it as soon as you were eligible.”

“Thank you Sensei. I could only make it this far based upon your training and mentorship.” I bowed to him and stepped back, rejoining the line of students being promoted. It was my 18th birthday, and the rules of my style of martial arts only allowed black belt ranks to be earned by adults.

There were eight students being promoted today, though I was the only black belt among them. Most of them were getting promoted to yellow, green, or blue belt, as Sensei Middleton mostly taught the younger students, but I’d always come to him for extra instruction, as I’d started here three weeks before I lost my father five years ago. Sensei helped me through, gave me an outlet of my grief and anger that was productive.

The session today was a special one, set up to test all those of us trying to promote. We did this every year, just before school would start and Sensei did his yearly trip to Okinawa. This was the last chance to test up and train for a month. As we finished the session, bowing to Sensei and the picture of our styles founder on the wall, Sensei Middleton called me over.

“Congrats again Mike. I’m incredibly proud of you and I’m sure your dad is watching you with pride as well. We all here chipped in for a combined birthday and achievement gift,” Sensei said as he gestured toward Sensei Johnson. Johnson came forward with a gift wrapped box, which he handed to me with a bow.

“Thank you Sensei.” I backed up a couple of steps and moved off to the side, off the dojo mat. I sat down on the shoe bench and opened the gift. Sensei MIddleton looked on me with a small smile as I pulled wrapping paper out of the box to reveal a pair of kama with sheathes and a harness to wear them. “Put them on. They should hang just over your lower back.” I followed his directions and slung the harness over my head. With it positioned properly, the handles of the Kama were just over each hip, letting me quickly draw them. Putting them back in took a couple tries. After successfully repeating this task five times, I went to take off the harness. Sensei MIddleton stopped me with “Leave them on. I know you walk home and the streets have been getting darker and more dangerous these last few months. Evil is abounding in our city. Keep these with you just in case, but do not seek out a confrontation just because you are armed.”

“Will do, Sensei. Have a great night!” I say as I bow out of the dojo. Outside night has fallen, leaving the city streets dark hallways with the occasional pillar of light. The overcast night kept the moon from helping to illuminate the streets. I head north, walking the four blocks to the alleyway that crosses behind the large bank building to get to my apartment on 8th street.

As I approached the edge of the alley, I began to notice that there were not any people out and about. That wasn’t too uncommon but it combined with the weird feeling I’d been having for the last couple minutes to make me nervous. I looked around but didn’t see anything out of place. I turned into the alleyway, keeping my pace slow and steady to stay alert.

There should have been a light on halfway through the alley, but it had broken earlier in the week. This left the alley shrouded in darkness, with only small patches illuminated with moonlight. I walked slowly, allowing my eyes time to adjust to the lighting, as the ominous feeling I’d been having continued to increase. After I crossed the halfway point, my instincts screamed at me to look up. Above me, a figure had jumped off the fire escape and was just above me. Whatever it was, it wasn’t human, with a lengthened face, flabby black skin and fur, and talons on each hand. All I had time to do was scream before it crushed me to the ground, reaching its clawed hand around my broken shoulder to rip my throat out.

I screamed out in horror at dying, before realizing I was still about six steps from the point where I died and was uninjured. “What the hell!” I exclaimed loudly. Looking up to the fire escape, I saw the figure jump down. “Holy shit!” I cursed as I turned and ran. I made it halfway back to the road before my instincts screamed at me again. I ignored them and kept running, putting my all into the sprint. Three steps later, the creature slammed into my back, biting down on the side of my neck and throwing me to the ground.

As I hit the ground, the scene reverted to me sprinting, my gut bellowing to do something. This time, I didn’t question it, simply throwing myself to the side in a roll. A crash sounded out as the thing sailed over where I had been, landing ungracefully on the concrete ground. As I came to my feet I reached behind me to draw my kama. If I couldn’t run, I would have to fight. But how do you fight a monster? Dismemberment was probably a good solution. If I learned anything from Supernatural, dismember, burn, then bury and salt the earth would most likely work. Unfortunately I didn’t have fire, salt, or a shovel, so hopefully decapitation would be enough.

The human vampire bat thing got to its feet. As it faced me, the fear it caused tried to root my feet. It was hard to breathe. I’ve never been in a real fight, though I’ve sparred and fought in tournaments fairly often. Those are different, as you are not trying to kill the other person. This time, as the bat-man gathered itself for another spring, I focused on the feeling I’d had the last two times I “died.” The world exploded. Phantoms of the creature jumped straight at me, others went to either side, while still others ran forward. They were different levels of see-through with one that leapt to tackle me as the easiest to see.

I stepped to the side and swung my new kama at the creature as it flew at me. It managed to twist in mid-air, catching one of the slashes on its arm while narrowly avoiding the others. I saw the twist, but wasn’t fast enough to react. Holy crap, this thing is super fast! I thought as it landed beyond me. Again it leapt at me, so I dropped to my knees. The thing flew over my head, unable to reach me. I’ll land there, I saw, so I threw a kama at its landing spot. Again it started to dodge, but physics limited its ability to do so. The kama went point first into its lower torso, spilling way too much blood out for a creature its size.

“What the hell are you!” I shouted at it as I slowly approached. It ripped the kama out of its stomach and tried to throw it back at me. However, its supernatural speed and strength seemed to have vanished with the loss of the blood. I was able to see the kama coming and catch it safely. A slash took its right arm off as I stepped around it. Crossing my arms, I slid the kama together over its neck, taking its head off.

I stepped back and looked around. No one was in the alley and no one had responded to my shouts. Looking at the corpse of the creature, I slowly slumped to the ground. “Am I going nuts? I was just attacked by a vampire bat person thing, I could see the future, I saw myself die twice, and now I’m talking to myself out loud. Shit, I am going crazy!” As I cursed, the creatures body flared up with light and dissolved into dust. The light became a mist hovering over the creature. As I watched dumbfounded, the mist swirled and shot straight at me. I shouted in surprise and tried to dodge, but it struck me in the chest. Energy flooded through me, making me feel as if I’d just had a great night’s sleep followed by a pot of coffee. Shortly thereafter, though, the feeling faded and I felt exhausted.

I don’t remember the rest of the walk home, nor what I told my parents. Somehow I got ready for bed and undressed for a shower. The hot water brought me out of my daze and I was able to focus. “Why is it that shower thoughts are a thing?” I wondered aloud to myself. “Okay, let's catalogue what happened. I fought a nightmare creature in an alley, and the only reason I lived was because I could see slightly into the future. Well, sort of. I saw probabilistic actions from the point I triggered the power. I couldn’t leave it on too long, as the overlapping futures got confusing. The thing vanished when I killed it. I got a rush of power or energy or something from it when it died. I am probably hallucinating all of this right now.” I finished my discussion with myself, got out of the shower, and went to bed.