Episodes

  • Griever: Chapter Five

    Griever: Chapter Five
    May 17 2026
    Chapter FiveBounding out of bed, Shaeda grabbed the sword, and flung open the bedroom door … then had to stop short.Unexpectedly, Migael was standing right outside, so close that she almost bashed him in the face when she opened the door. She dropped the sword in surprise, and he jumped back, eyes wide. Then his shoulders sagged, his whole face flooding with relief.“Oh man,” he breathed, “you’re up! You’re okay! I mean, uh … are you okay? How you feeling?”Shaeda just blinked at him.“Feeling?” she asked, sounding stupid even to her own ears. It was a very difficult question to answer. She kinda had a lot on her mind.Migael, she then realized, had a large bandage wrapped around his head, and there was something a little shifty and dazed in his eyes.An ugly weight settled in the pit of Shaeda’s stomach as the memories began to trickle back in, and again, she suddenly wasn’t sure where the reality started and the dream ended … or was it the other way around?“What’s happening?” she whispered. “What am I-?”“Whoa, steady, now.” Migael grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Take a breath, man. You, uh, kinda had a traumatic experience. Wait, maybe that’s not the right way to put it, but, uh … anyway, they said you might not remember what happened, so. This is fine, I’ve got this. What DO you remember?”Shaeda wasn’t sure. There were strange, blue-eyed non-humans, and glowing swords, and terrifying mud monsters with tentacles, and a familiar silvery shape that had risen out of pure rage and channeled it into a powerful certainty.She swallowed hard.“Yeah,” muttered Migael. “Yeah, okay, so maybe let’s skip that part. We can catch up later. Right now, Professor Sharm wants to see you.”That, of course, made sense. If she really had accidentally summoned something in the middle of the examination, then of course he’d want to talk to her.“I didn’t do it on purpose,” she managed.That isn’t true, is it?Maybe she hadn’t exactly intended to summon a spirit; she hadn’t even been sure she still could. At the same time, Migael was obviously alive, and presumably Talie was, as well, or he’d have said something about it by now, and so whatever Shaeda had done HAD worked. She couldn’t be sorry about that. She couldn’t wish it hadn’t happened.Something inside her HAD intended every bit of it.“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay, um … I’ll go see the professor.”Migael shook his head.“WE’LL go see him,” he corrected her. “I’m not leaving you alone with that creep.”Shaeda raised an eyebrow.“Do you think he’ll let you stay?” she asked.Migael shrugged.“Not planning to ask for permission,” he said, and then he started off down the hall.***Professor Sharm’s office, which had only recently belonged to Professor Petwardan, was on the first floor to accommodate Professor Petwardan’s wheelchair. Professor Sharm hadn’t changed much about it when he’d taken over; even the tiny painted portrait of Professor Petwardan’s late wife was still in its place on the mahogany desk when Shaeda and Migael walked through the half-open door.Talie was already there, seated in an uncomfortable-looking wooden chair with one slightly shorter leg that kept it off balance. Shaeda had a theory that neither Professor had ever replaced that chair because sitting in it unsettled any students who were brought to them for reproach or punishment.As soon as she saw Shaeda, Talie jumped up and ran to embrace her.“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispered. “We were really worried. What WAS that thing?”“Ah, Ms. Clare.” Professor Sharm nodded at Shaeda, then glanced with some resignation at Migael. “And Mr. Hansa. I don’t remember inviting you along.”“Nope.” Migael smiled. “You didn’t.”Shrugging, Professor Sharm let that go.“How are you feeling?” he asked Shaeda. “And, Hansa, is the dizziness clearing up?”Shaeda turned on Migael.“You’re dizzy?” she asked. “How dizzy?”Migael threw up his hands.“I got my head bashed against a rock,” he reminded her. “What did you expect? And thanks, Prof, but I’m fine. I mean, I’ll be fine.”Talie sighed.“He really will be fine,” she murmured, smiling softly. “He’s definitely concussed, though. If you hadn’t done … well, whatever that was, Shaeda, then things might have gotten a lot worse.”“Yeah, no s**t.” Migael shuddered. “Thanks for the save, bestie.”The word “bestie” filled Shaeda with so much sudden warmth and excitement that she had to quickly trace the shekra symbol on her wrist several times to keep the unexpected joy at bay.Forcing herself to refocus, Shaeda carefully looked Talie over for signs of any injury.“I’m okay, too,” insisted Talie. “Everything’s going to be fine, okay? Don’t freak out.”Those words hit Shaeda like a physical blow, and she winced. Talie looked instantly contrite, biting her lip and shaking her ...
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    19 mins
  • Griever: Chapter Four

    Griever: Chapter Four
    May 17 2026
    Chapter FourShaeda could sense something…something soft, inviting, and endless. The quiet was an unnerving relief; she could almost taste the stillness and the gentle solitude … and then, she heard the voice.“Champion,” it whispered. “Champion, wake up. It’s begun … this is no time for lying around!”She opened her eyes and saw that she was back in the dream world, light pouring from all sides and warm breezes ruffling the silk draperies. This time, there was a luxurious lavender divan in the center of the room, and on it were perched two people.The one, a bright-haired woman with familiar, cobalt-blue eyes, got to her feet as soon as she met Shaeda’s gaze. The other, a pale-haired man with an impassive face, simply watched, unmoving.They were both dressed in hooded silken robes, shimmering in shades of lavender and cream. The woman wore large pearls in her ears, and the man had them sewn at the shoulders of his garment. They shone and shimmered with the kind of luxury that Shaeda would have expected from the greatest lords and ladies of Elsenere; people at the same level of wealth and freedom as the Rose family.“Lady Shaeda,” the woman breathed, “I’m so delighted to finally meet you! My name is Junith! Wait, is that too informal? It’s been so long since I’ve talked with one of you … with a human, I mean! Oh, this is SO exciting! What do you think? I mean, how do I look? Did I get the outfit right? I did spend so much time this morning working on creating the most effectively human-like ensemble that I could; Aistus INSISTED.”Junith did a little twirl, letting her skirts billow out around her.“Um,” Shaeda murmured, nonplussed. “Well, you … you certainly look human. I wouldn’t have known you weren’t, if you hadn’t told me.”Junith turned and gave the man a triumphant look.“Aistus,” she called. “Come over here and greet our champion!”He turned, smiled softly at Shaeda, and then walked over to join them.“Welcome,” he murmured, and his voice was a purr just as soft as velvet. “My name is Aistus, and I’m ever so pleased to make your acquaintance.”Junith rolled her eyes.“He’s so stuffy,” she sighed. “Oh, well. Are you ready?”Shaeda simply blinked at her.“I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “I don’t-!”“She couldn’t possibly be ready,” murmured Aistus. “You haven’t yet told her what to be ready for.”Junith shot him a frown“I was GETTING to that,” she hissed. “Ahem. Welcome, Lady Shaeda, to the … oh, Great Shuya, I’m not sure what to call it. I suppose you humans would refer to this as a refuge! That’s that, then; we’ll call it the Refuge. It’s a safe space; as long as you’re here, no one can harm your mind, body, or soul, and no one can find you unless you welcome them in. Aistus and I are here to help you in whatever way we can, although, of course, there are some things we absolutely can’t do. No cheating, you know?”“Cheating?” Shaeda found that not much of this was making sense. “I’m sorry; what exactly is happening?”Aistus clucked his tongue at Junith, and her eyes flashed.“You can’t cheat at the game,” sighed Junith, speaking a bit more sharply than she had at first. “That’s clear, isn’t it? You WILL win, of course, but you have to win FAIRLY. Otherwise, it doesn’t count. You can do that, can’t you? Of course you can. I have ALWAYS believed in you!”Ah, thought Shaeda. Alright, so she was going to play a game. That would be fine; she liked games. So did Migael; when they weren’t studying, or rushing out into the night to practice things they shouldn’t be learning yet, they often played table games in his dorm room. Judging by the looks they got when they separated at strange hours of the morning, several people in the dorm were under the impression that they were playing a VERY different kind of two-person game alone together, but Shaeda didn’t really care. She was getting very good at Siege and Shadow, and now she won more than she lost. Migael was surprisingly good at strategy, considering he really only studied when she cajoled or threatened him into it. Luckily for him, he was, apparently, a natural. If she could beat him fairly in the real world, then of course she’d be able to win a game in a dream.“Okay,” she said, nodding. “I understand. So, what are we playing?”Junith and Aistus looked momentarily stunned.“I’m not sure how to answer that,” murmured Aistus. “The game doesn’t have a name; not as such.”“Of course it does!” Junith’s eyes lit up with something alarming and slightly unfriendly. “It’s called WAR! We’re playing war. If you win, then the human race is saved! Yay! And if He wins … Well, that’ll be some very bad luck, I’m afraid. Very, VERY bad, Lady Shaeda, so that’s not really an option; not this time.”“But with our help,” Aistus assured Shaeda, “you’ll be safe. He’ll have no chance ...
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    11 mins
  • Griever: Chapter Three

    Griever: Chapter Three
    May 9 2026
    Chapter ThreeAs it did every year, the first year’s final examination began on the rooftop of Elandir Academy, in full, blinding sunlight. It was always sunny on an examination day, because Professor Rosin, probably both their worst teacher and their most powerful spellsmith, “commanded the sun,” as he liked to put it.Rosin was a little theatrical. What actually happened, Shaeda knew, was that he cast a complex combination of heat and light charms that convinced the atmosphere for several miles around the Academy to behave like it was the sweetest day of the warmest month, even when the neighboring villages were soaked with rain. He only did this for the first year’s examination; the fourth years had to work their magic in the midst of a thunderstorm, or, if they were a particularly difficult class, a blizzard.Sarina, too, had a particular interest in environmental spellcraft. She was good at it; very good, and Shaeda didn’t think Sarina would have any trouble defending herself against whatever Rosin threw at her during her examination. Hopefully, her talent wouldn’t offend Rosin’s pride enough to make things miserable for the rest of her class.“Sura,” Migael was whispering under his breath, waving his hands around in small but wild gestures that Shaeda certainly didn’t recognize. “Suran. Surana!”“You’ve got it all wrong,” Talie hissed. “How are you doing it wrong? That’s the simplest one!”“My hands shake,” Migael shot back. “You know that!”Talie just shook her head at him, but Shaeda took Migael’s hand, traced a small teardrop sign on the back of his middle knuckle, and whispered “Shekra.”Immediately, Migael’s hands stilled, and she watched him take a slow, deep breath.“Thanks,” he whispered. “I, uh … yeah, hoo boy. I needed that.”Talie’s eyes went wide.“Are you serious?” she asked. “We’re allowed to do that before the test? No way!”“Nobody said that we weren’t.” Shaeda shrugged. “It’s not like it’s gonna help him remember spells he never bothered to learn; it’ll just keep him from freaking out. I can do one for you too, if you want.”“Um, no thanks.” Talie looked uncertain. “Just in case it’s against the rules, I think I’ll pass, but … nice work. You’re really good at that one. I’m a little jealous.”Shaeda grimaced. “Thanks. I kind of use that spell a lot.”Ever since she’d been a little girl, Shaeda had used the classic soothing spell to help calm herself on a regular basis. The caretakers at the orphanage hadn’t liked her to get “wound up,” or too overenthusiastic about anything. Most of the time, any excitement on her part had just seemed to make them more tired, which was impressive considering how exhausted they always looked to begin with, so when she’d learned the little calming spell, she’d practiced it until it made her easier to live with.Migael tapped her on the wrist, and when she met his eyes, she could tell that he was really seeing her.“You shouldn’t,” said Migael. “I mean, I think your enthusiasm is very cute. All the guys do.”He flashed her a wicked smile, and Shaeda just raised an eyebrow at him. He winked, and she laughed.At least no one here seemed to get too offended when Shaeda got excited, even if it made the magic just a little bit harder to reign in.“Ew,” said Talie. “Quit flirting.”Migael’s mouth fell open.“Whoa, hang on,” he began. “I’m not!”Ignoring him, Talie walked off to greet a few of her other friends. Migael turned and gave Shaeda an uncomfortable look.“You know I’m not, uh, flirting with you, right?” he asked, looking serious. “I wouldn’t. You’re not … I mean, uh, we’re not … it’s not like that?”Shaeda put a comforting hand on his shoulder.“I know,” she insisted. “And I appreciate it.”“You do?” Migael looked relieved. “Oh, uh, good. That’s great. Because you’re … well, I mean, we’re … uh, listen, actually, I’ve been sort of wanting to talk to you about that. I think we’re-!”“Migael?” A slim young man with shaggy, jet-black hair and unusually pale eyes tapped Migael on the shoulder. “Hello! I think we’re in the same group.”Migael opened and closed his mouth one more time, looked frustrated, and then finally turned his attention to the newcomer.“Oh, hey, Lark.” He gave the young man a small smile. “Shaeda, you ever met Lark Lumley? We’re in the same music lesson. Wait, what’d you say about a group?”Lark smiled brightly at Shaeda, then held out a small piece of paper.“They’ve put us together for the examination,” he repeated. “You, me, and Shaeda. It’s nice to meet you, Shaeda. Migael talks about you all the time.”Migael, who had never mentioned Lark to Shaeda even once, looked a little guilty.“Ladies and gentlemen!” Professor Sharm, acting as head of the Academy while Professor Petwardan was away on an expedition, stepped to the ...
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    16 mins
  • Griever: Chapter Two

    Griever: Chapter Two
    May 9 2026
    Chapter TwoUnfortunately, when Shaeda woke up hours later, she couldn’t remember the rest of the dream. Maybe it had ended right there; she always had that kind of luck with dreams. She was usually such a light sleeper that she never managed to get to the good part before she either woke herself up with thinking too hard, or Migael’s snores in the next room got too loud to sleep through.She actually didn’t mind the snoring, although she sure teased him about it anyway. Shaeda had never lived in a big dorm like this before, with other people sleeping so close to her. At the orphanage, she’d lived in the back room, with a door that locked from the outside, and only the caretakers within shouting distance.It was nice to feel so surrounded by life here; the snores and little nighttime creaks reminded her just how close everyone was. There really wasn’t much chance of her being lonely.To prepare for the examination, Shaeda did a little stretch routine, working from her neck, to her wrists, to her shoulders, to her ankles, taking her time to ensure that she didn’t miss a single muscle that she might end up needing for any surprise demonstration. Then she put on a training uniform; a clean white tunic and a pair of loose brown pants, slipped into her soft flat shoes, and bound her brown hair back with a few pins and a red ribbon.Downstairs, most of the dorm’s resident students were gathered around the dining table in the lounge. At the head of the table, as always, sat twenty-one year old Sarina Rose, probably the most beautiful girl Shaeda had ever known. She was an impressively statuesque redhead, nearly half a foot taller than any other girl in the dorm, and she carried herself like a queen, probably because, according to Talie, she came from the one of the wealthiest families in all of Elsenere. Why she was living in the dorms with a bunch of peasants nobody had a clue, but she wasn’t unpleasant, and she sometimes gave the others helpful training tips, so nobody minded too much, even if she was a little bit stiff and awkward when it came to casual conversation.She was talking to Talie, a nineteen-year-old, sharp-eyed, busty blonde who was frowning and nodding along with Sarina’s every word. As Shaeda walked in, she caught Talie’s eye, and Talie turned and gave her a friendly wave and a smile before giving her full attention back to her conversation with Sarina.Migael Hansa, a dark-haired young man with a small face tattoo that even Shaeda hadn’t yet dared to ask about, appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate heaped high with fruits, nuts, and a large sugar bun. He slid it onto the table when he saw Shaeda and gave her a nervous grin.“Morning,” he called. “You pumped up and ready to go? Hey, why do you look so tired? Man, don’t tell me you didn’t sleep cause you were too nervous. You’ve got nothing to worry about!”Migael had circles under his eyes so big and dark that it was pretty clear he was the one who hadn’t slept, and when he sat, he kept anxiously bouncing his leg and shifting in his seat.“Neither do you,” Shaeda assured him. “You’re ready. I know you are!”“Are you sure about that?” Talie gave Migael a doubtful look. “I mean, I know that YOU’RE ready, Shaeda, but I don’t think I’ve seen Migael actually study more than a handful of times. Also, it might have helped if he’d spent more time paying attention in lessons, and less time staring at Lenna, but that’s just-!”“Hey, can you blame me?” Migael shrugged, although the look in his eyes was one of burgeoning panic. “It’s not my fault that she’s so pretty; how does anybody do that with their hair, anyway? Professor.Puldari shouldn’t have sat me next to her; she knows my reputation.”He winked at Shaeda, who just rolled her eyes and smiled.“And you’re PROUD of that?” Talie only shook her head. “Wow. Okay, then; let’s see what it does for your reputation when you get thrown out of the Academy for failing your examination. I’m guessing the girls won’t love that, but looks like we’ll find out soon enough!”Migael made a face at Talie, but she didn’t bat an eye. Shaeda, for her part, just laughed under her breath and reached over to snag a piece of fruit off of Migael’s plate, which he didn’t seem to mind.She had only known these two for a few months by now, as they were all in the same class and had started at the Academy around the same time. Even so, they’d fallen into a study rhythm of time spent together, study sessions, jokes, and the sorts of dumb things that teenagers were meant to do.At least, Shaeda thought that this was how teenagers were supposed to be. Until she’d entered the Academy, she hadn’t had much experience acting her age or spending quality time with anyone else who might know what to do with it. She hadn’t exactly expected to be popular at school, but she’d fervently hoped to make at least one good friend.Having made ...
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    8 mins
  • Griever: Chapter One

    Griever: Chapter One
    May 9 2026
    Chapter OneThat evening, Shaeda fell asleep at her cold stone desk in her third floor room at Elandir Magic Academy. She drifted off to sleep in the midst of wordlessly reciting the three phases of the incantation for radiance that everyone knew would be a part of the next morning’s first year examination. She had planned for so much more review after that, but her mind and body were fighting her, and eventually, exhaustion won.Last night, she’d stayed out late with Migael and Talie, attempting and again failing the advanced summoning spells that none of them had ever managed to get just right.Sarina and Bain never had any trouble with their summoning. Of course, they were older, and more experienced. Shaeda knew for a fact that Bain had been in real magic duels on school grounds, and that he’d gotten away with it because he was powerful enough to intimidate the school staff, even if he didn’t realize that he had that effect on people.Migael desperately wanted to impress Bain. It had been Migael who’d insisted that if they could pull off a summon, they’d show Bain that they were powerful and interesting enough to join his secret, after-class battle ring, which Shaeda had to admit would be a wonderful, exciting opportunity to demonstrate what she and her friends were really made of.It would also be an excellent opportunity to get thrown out of school, but she decided she’d cross that bridge when she got to it.Of course, they hadn’t managed it. They’d tried for hours, but no roaming, realmless elementals had answered their demanding, increasingly desperate calls.Eventually, Talie had accidentally summoned a nearby dog who had howled madly until they’d thrown themselves into a ditch to hide from its bared fangs. None of them had been willing to use a combat spell against an innocent animal … or maybe, none of them had been sure enough of their magic to try it.Maybe both of those things had been true.They’d dragged themselves back to their bunks just in time to grab an hour of sleep before the morning bell tolled, and all through lessons that day, Shaeda had barely managed to keep her eyes open. Now, as merciful sleep came for her at last, he decided to stop fighting it. Even she knew when she’d been soundly beaten by the forces of nature and the pathetic truth of being merely human.She dreamed of somewhere she was sure she’d never seen before; a single room, suffused in gentle light, with soft silks in shades of lavender and cream adorning the walls, and a carpet of eggshell white weave on the floor. It was the farthest cry imaginable from the austere, black walls of the Academy, built of wood from the Weeping Forest and silver stone from the bottom of the Everbourne Sea. At the Academy, the winds somehow never stopped blowing and darkness descended long before dinnertime.Shaeda adored it there, and being anywhere else so suddenly, even in the midst of a dream, was unsettling.At the far end of the silken dream room stood a handsome man with stark white hair and cobalt blue eyes, dressed in a rich, velvet doublet. He could have been anywhere from thirty to seventy; something about his face kept changing in such a way that Shaeda couldn’t get a good idea of his age, or even of the expression he was wearing.All around him, there were ghosts; gossamer shades of men and women whose faces, like his, seemed unwilling to settle into one solid form or set of features. They stood completely still, arms at their sides and robes unruffled, and they stared all at once, at Shaeda.For some reason, the stares didn’t worry her. In fact, they helped her feel more at peace in this strange place. She felt that she knew these ghosts.No; she knew these people. She’d somehow always known them.“Ah,” said the blue-eyed man, and his voice was tenor; strong, but sweet. “Welcome back, Shaeda. So, we begin again.”Shaeda nodded. She didn’t exactly understand what the man meant, but she knew - no, she felt - that she would, soon enough. This time, she had everything under control. This time, she’d get it all right.This time?“I am the Arbiter,” said the ageless man, “, and I am here to guide you through The Game. It is I who will judge the ultimate outcome of your decisions, and I who will determine the winner of this final round. While every choice within the Game is yours, any significant infractions or disregard of the rules will cost you dearly, and may cause you or your companions to come to grief. Do you understand?”It was only when the Arbiter said that word, grief, that Shaeda felt the full weight of sorrow sink into her soul. Her heart was suddenly heavy, laden, struggling with the force of a loss so terrible and true that for a moment it felt like her whole being was screaming. The pain was unbearable, and yet she’d always borne it.She always would. There was nothing clearer to her than that, even if she couldn’t find her way back towards understanding why, or how. The ...
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    8 mins
  • Griever: Prologue

    Griever: Prologue
    May 2 2026

    Prologue: The Beginning, The End, and The Challenge

    The all knowing god Shuya, quiet beacon of hope and creation, was watching from their temporally adjacent immortal realm as the human world burned itself furiously to the ground.

    “Oh, well,” said their twin sibling, Harus, the Scythe. “Good game, Shu. You really did make some headway that time. For a few minutes, I thought you might win.”

    That wasn’t true, and Shuya knew it.

    “Let’s play again,” they suggested. “This time-!”

    “Let’s not.” Harus shook their head, looking weary. “Come on, Shu; how many times have we done this already? Don’t you get tired of losing? Don’t you think you’ve put the humans through enough?”

    “They never remember any of it,” murmured Shuya with a touch of bitterness. “They certainly don’t seem to learn from it, anyway. Once more won’t hurt any more than it already has.”

    “I’m getting kind of bored,” complained Harus.

    “I promise,” Shuya insisted. “It won’t be boring this time; I have some new ideas that I’m very excited about ,and on top of that-!”

    “You aren’t going to cheat, are you?” Harus frowned.

    Shuya raised an eyebrow at them.

    “I never cheat,” they reminded their sibling. “You’re the cheater. You ALWAYS cheat.”

    Harus straightened up to their full height and looked about as innocent as the embodiment of destruction possibly could.

    “I have never cheated,” they insisted haughtily. “The fact that the odds of human nature just happen to be permanently in my favor isn’t my fault. After all, the creation of humans was your idea in the first place; the fact that they resemble me more than they do you is just a bit pathetic, but that does happen in families more than we care to admit, you know.”

    Shuya chose not to dignify any of that with a response. It wasn’t worth the effort.

    “I’ll make you a deal,” they told Harus. “Let’s play this game one more time; just one. To make it more interesting for you, we’ll raise the stakes; if you win this round, then the human world gets permanently destroyed, and I’ll have to start over on a new project. If I win, though, then you leave them alone. No more natural disasters, no more wars that no one can remember who started; we simply leave them to live the way they want to live, and if they continue to take after you, that’s their business. I’ll live and let live, so to speak.”

    “You’d have to find something new to amuse you either way,” remarked Harus. “Are you just looking for an excuse to take up a new hobby?”

    Shuya didn’t answer that either, because it was uncomfortably close to the truth.

    “What do you say?” they asked instead. “One more game?

    Harus just shrugged.“Well, if that’s what you want,” they muttered. “I’m just going to win again. I’d say that I admire your resolve, but I don’t, because at this point the whole thing feels more like insanity than it does like hope. I’m starting to wonder if the humans even WANT to exist in any kind of harmonious way, or if they actually enjoy bringing about The End of The World. You can’t force them to survive, Shu. You can’t bend everything to your will just because-!”

    “That’s exactly what I’m meant to do; I’m a god.” Shuya shook their hair back, sat up straight, and snapped their fingers. As they did so, the human realm roared back into existence in its full force and glory, as though it had never been tragically and epically destroyed in the first place.

    “Most of the humans have decided not to believe in gods, you know,” Harus reminded them. “They don’t believe in either of us; not really. Maybe if you weren’t so bad at this game, they wouldn’t have lost faith.”

    That one hurt. Shuya glared at Harus, who grinned back, letting the destruction ooze out of their smile and color the empty space all around them.

    In the human realm, the skies opened, and ice began to fall from the sky.

    “No cheating!” Shuya cried.

    “I didn’t do anything.” Harus affected surprise.”I’m just sitting here, minding my own business. And besides, we haven’t even started yet. Same rules as last time, then?”

    Shuya shut their eyes, and counted to ten, Then they looked over at their sibling, attempted a confident smile, and said, “Not exactly. Here’s what I have in mind.”



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit queerplantasy.substack.com
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    5 mins
  • Griever: Author's Note

    Griever: Author's Note
    May 2 2026

    Just So You Know

    I want to be very clear up front that this story was in no way inspired by Harry Potter.

    Oh yes, I did read the first five of those novels when I was a child (I skipped out on the last two), so I’m sure that there are some subconscious influences going on there, but this story was, in fact, heavily inspired by some of my favorite JRPGs (Japanese Role-Playing Games), from which I borrowed several fun tropes. It was only after I began editing the book that I realized just how many tropey similarities there are between the HP franchise and my beloved classic video games. I suspect That Author and I may have drawn inspiration from similar places. Ah, well.

    I have no interest in reading or in homaging anything written by a transphobic, hateful bigot like the author of the HP books. This magical school has nothing whatsoever to do with her magical school.

    Normally I’d feel no need to make a statement like this, but in light of the horrific things she’s said and done, I’d like openly and loudly to keep as much distance from her as possible. Thank you for understanding.

    Also, absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of this book. I wrote every word myself, and any mistakes you may find are honest, human mistakes. I commissioned the cover from a cover service which assures me that they use no generative AI in the design process. The audiobook, when released, will be narrated by the brilliant and very human Julio Maxwell.

    Thank you.

    Now, we can get on with the fun part!

    Sincerely and enthusiastically in solidarity with the trans and asexual communities,

    Arielle



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit queerplantasy.substack.com
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    2 mins