DARK RITUALS

Throughout the fantasy genre there have been feats of magic that were so powerful and so extreme that they could have tremendous influence on the world around them. In regards to the origin story of the main villain in my Dark Ice Winter fantasy book series, I am thinking of presenting a dark magic ritual that would have dire consequences. The ritual in question will affect its surrounding environment and the price of using this ritual will be high beyond measure. I have taken inspiration from dark side rituals that were performed by the Sith in Star Wars.

When fighting the Jedi’s Army of Light, Darth Bane led the Sith Brotherhood of Darkness in a ritual that devastated the landscape of of the planet Ruusan for several miles. Every plant and animal was reduced to ash in a certain area and the Jedi were flushed out into the open, which allowed the Sith to wipe the Jedi out in their speeders until the Jedi received reinforcements.

Another ritual the Brotherhood of Darkness used in their war against the Jedi was the Thought Bomb. The Thought Bomb was the Sith equivalent to a kamikaze strike due to its suicidal nature. The Thought Bomb not only kills its intended targets. It also annihilates its casters as well. Darth Bane was able to manipulate the crazed Lord Kaan, leader of the Brotherhood of Darkness, into using the Thought Bomb against the Jedi. This resulted in Darth Bane and his apprentice Darth Zannah to be the sole surviving Sith. In addition, the Thought Bomb devastated the landscape of an entire planet and drove Force-sensitives mad when they got too close to its blast radius.

Easily the darkest Sith ritual known so far would be the immortality ritual performed by Sith Emperor Vitiate. In order to cheat death, Vitiate mentally coerced eight thousand Sith Lords to aid him in the most complex ritual in Sith sorcery ever attempted on the planet Nathema. When the ritual was complete, all life Nathema was completely drained, including bacteria. Even the Force itself was gone from the planet, creating a void that warped the fabric of reality in a way that drove Force-sensitives mad when exposed enough to Nathema. Overall, Vitiate’s ritual transformed an average planet into a completely lifeless nihilistic abomination. As for Vitiate himself, he succeeded in becoming immortal and explosively augmented his power in the dark side to nearly god-like levels.

These three rituals all promised tremendous power to their casters, but came with a steep price, were indescribably dark in nature, and could influence the world around them in a negative way. That is the kind of ritual I intend to depict when I write the original story of the main villain in my Dark Ice Winter series.

A VILLAIN’S MINDSET

I have thought of the perfect mindset of the main villain of my Dark Ice Winter fantasy book series. I have drawn inspiration from this scene from the Gary Oldman version of Dracula. I like the terrifying atmosphere and emotional intensity of his fall into darkness. Therefore, I decided to incorporate this mindset into my antagonist’s initial descent into villainy. The way he completes his dark transformation will be quite chilling and complex at the same time.

ONE MODIFICATION TO GO

Only one modification remains until the final draft of the sequel to Dawn of the Dark Ice is complete. After that, it will finally be ready for editing and illustrating. I will keep you updated on all developments. Wish me luck!

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WRITING

Wonder what I love most about the writing process? The world building and working on every minute detail to the story, setting, and characters. It makes me feel like a craftsman tinkering with the inner workings of a clock, making sure all the components are in the correct sequence. When I undergo this process, I am not thinking that much. It’s like a zen moment for me. I get in the zone and I do it.

A WINTER PLAGUE

I thought of raising the stakes in the Dark Ice Winter series even higher as the story progresses. In addition to having to endure a winter that lasts three grueling years as well as a horde of invading monsters, the Gradaian Empire will be hit by a pestilence that will cause mass casualties. I will draw inspiration from the Justinian Plague that devastated the Byzantine Empire’s capital of Constantinople in the 6th century. 40% of the city’s population was wiped out in eight years.

FANTASY CYBORGS

As my current fantasy book series progresses, I intend to depict the rise of fantasy equivalents to cyborgs. As such, I will be depicting fantasy versions of real life equivalent prosthetic limbs. However, while real life medieval prosthetic limbs were crude replacements for lost limbs, the prosthetics in my fantasy series will be able to function like actual limbs like cybernetic enhancements you see in science fiction.

FANTASY STORY REFINEMENT

After much thinking, I realized that more work needs to be done for my current fantasy book before it can begin the editing, illustrating, and publishing processes. There are several sections of the story that require expansion and refinement. This way, my various characters can get more exposure and development. The first draft may be done, but it is only the bare bones. This is a chance for me to put some extra meat on those bones. I will keep you updated on any and all new developments on this project. Wish me luck!

SHIGARAKI RETURNS!!!

“Let’s go over the second part of the speech, shall we. You useless old fool. It was Hego Damask as Darth Plagueis who came to Naboo, determined to suck the planet dry of plasma and set the Trade Federation up as its overseers. It was Hego Damask as Plagueis who then set his sights on a seemingly confused young man and, with meticulous skill, manipulated him into committing patricide, matricide, fratricide. Darth Plagueis who took him as an apprentice, sharing some of his knowledge but withholding his most powerful secrets, denying the apprentice his wishes as a means of controlling him, instilling in him a sense of murderous rage, and turning him to the dark side. It was Plagueis who criticized the early efforts of his apprentice, and who once choked him in a demonstration of his superiority. Plagueis, who denigrated him in private for hiring an inept assassin to carry out the murder of Senator Kim—and yet who allowed himself to be tricked by the Gran and nearly killed by mercenaries. Plagueis, who turned away from the Grand Plan to focus entirely on himself, in an egotistical quest for immortality.“

Darth Sidious regarding Darth Plagueis, Star Wars

The following has spoilers from recent chapters of My Hero Academia. You have been warned.

It has finally happened! After so much struggle, Tomura Shigaraki has freed himself from the control of All For One’s vestige. He is now in complete control of his own body once again. In addition to being in control of his augmented body, Shigaraki is now in control of the All For One quirk and all the quirks that are within it.

It turns out that All For One’s vestige fusing with Shigaraki’s was an illusion. What was preventing the fusion from truly succeeding was the fact that Shigaraki was keeping the vestige of Tenko Shimura as far away from All For One as possible. Tenko’s vestige represents Shigaraki’s origin as a supervillain. As long as his “origin” is kept out of All For One’s reach, Shigaraki was able to gradually regain his personality and body bit by bit without All For One noticing. By the time All For One realized what was going on, it was too late. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, Shigaraki’s vestige burst out of All For One’s vestige in a mass of writhing fingers, more powerful than ever before.

When Shigaraki first gained the All For One quirk, All For One’s vestige acted like a parasite trying to possess and assimilate Shigaraki’s vestige. Then, in a twisted sense of irony, Shigaraki became a parasite himself. After being fused to All For One’s vestige, Shigaraki gestated and grew within until he burst out like a botfly larva eating its way out of its host’s flesh.

Like the Sith Rule of Two, the apprentice has surpassed and usurped the master! Shigaraki overthrew All For One as the demon lord of darkness and king of the underworld. Despite All For One’s attempts to possess him, Shigaraki declared that his heart will never surrender. It took some time, but Shigaraki’s indomitable willpower became so great that he completely overwhelmed All For One’s. All For One has done it! He succeeded in creating a supervillain who was greater than him! Tomura Shigaraki’s transformation as a supervillain is finally complete!