Gryphonstar

Along with updating my covers, I have updated my background and Avatar. While the covers are a rough design by me, the art for the background and Avatar are not mine, but from artists I have commissioned before in the past. Found here. https://www.deviantart.com/gryphonstar5678/favourites/75231306/artists-i-ve-commissioned

Good news, I've updated both my stories with new chapters. Letter of Hope now has a proper prologue and Masked Witching Hour has two new chapters added.

Hi Gryphon Star. Interested in a review for a follow?

Despite the amount of time Lily spent in the darkness of the morgue the coolness never left and she enjoyed every minute. It reminded her of her homeland of Berg, from the many icy mountains to the cold surfaces and the rough cliffs. The slopes were just like the body she was currently working, she noticed it most as she dragged her scalpel deep around the rib cage. Pulling back the flesh like a blanket she took note of every muscle fiber and exposed bone. .

The victim was a cultist, one among the many that fought so hard yesterday. She was not surprised by his efforts from the tightness of each strain of muscle; cutting into it was like slicing through tough leather. She switched to the larger knife with a backward curve. She smiled as it tore deeper through the tough meat and traced over the bones. The cultist was a ghoda and though their height was small, their chest was notoriously thick with muscle for the hard labor they evolved in. She knew though once it was gone, she could remove the rib cage with ease.

It was tough work, but she enjoyed every minute of it. She found this joy rather strange as she was a pacifist by nature and idolized angelic beings that watched over the living and supposedly the dead. To others like the high elite of her adopted family, and adopted clan, to even her species she was very odd, a few had even called her monstrous. She usually ignored such words but given yesterday’s events she began to ponder back to those words. Could their perception simply be right, or reverse? And were other species like her own? Did they see her as the same as they did?

Her mind inadvertently drifted to a manu, Kahi. The manu woman was bold enough to save her life yesterday without a single given reason, word or any desire in return. Lily attempted to change the subject of her thoughts when the image of the manu’s face was randomly switched to Crimson’s. She attempted to get back to work only to realize she had finished opening the rib cage while lost in thought.

She laughed and grabbed a soft clamp, “I haven’t been this distracted since Crimson made his proposal…” She searched for her notes while removing the damaged organs so she could properly catalog the cause of death. Luckily as always, her hand was ahead of her mind, writing every detail; three pages on its own.

She removed the organs and logged the exact spot of removal as well as the weight, Comparing it to the common versions of the organ unharmed to determined the amount of mass loss during death. "A loss of five pints. The single stab wound clearly did the deed. Such a great loss in such a short time must have sent the victim into shock before the pressure of the dead zone ended him. Doubting Verfolger isn't wise, he is the best of my species. Of course, he only needed one shot."

With that work done she pulled off her gloves, mask and apron. Throwing them in the sterilizing bin, she walked over to her desk where her purple lab coat was laying. She placed the notes down and put on her lab coat.

As she was doing that, she opened one of the drawers to put up the body. She walked over to the window and opened the pocket to let the light in. The revealing shadows showed a flower sitting on the desk. She took a step back at the sight of it as was not there when she stepped and got started her work on the body. The room was empty, right? She turned around and span her head in all directions. Her eyes glowed with her primal gift slowed down all objects in her sight.

When all she could see moving was just the dust in the air she let go of her glow and took a breath. She turned back to the flower and flicked on the light on her desk. Her fear faded at the sight of a lily was bold red tips; it was known as a war lily and only one person could have left this.

“Crimson, you are truly far too kind for a girl like me, you could have at least said hello.” She took the flower and the notes and leaned beside the window. The light shined over part of her body, leaving her left arm covered in shadows, much like the flower was seconds ago. The war lily was her favorite as they were often found after warzones. They were seen as the first glimpses of hope in the land, growing and twisting over the bodies she would sometime see them and take in their sweet smell to hide from the rotting decay around her.

It was been several months since the last time Crimson had brought her a war lily. She wondered why now, did something happen? Was it because she nearly died yesterday? Did he blame himself for not saving her? She would not dare think such a thing as blaming him. He had done so much for her and supported her in every endeavor despite her lack of anything in return. She loved the smell of the flower but after the previous day’s events, she could not help but feel a tinge of sadness. The events had started because of the sake of true value and here she was even now never knowing the true value such a strong man would in having her for a bride.

Crimson was considered by all as the strongest of her kind, a being that could stand in strength alongside the angelic being she idolized; just what could he value in her?

And while only knowing Kahi a single day, the manu made the same actions that Crimson would, saving her life without a single hesitation? Both made no sense to her. Just what was her true value?

Lily was known to be thirteen steps ahead of everyone, but in truth, this was based solely on the faith she had on her friends. However, when it came to the faith in herself and people who chose to protect her doubt was so much stronger.

She brought the flower to her chest and took a deep breath to kill the tears wanting to form. She looked over the notes and let her thoughts run wild on them instead, hoping an answer would be revealed before this doubt consumed every part of her being.

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You just read a preview of the story, Letter of Hope. I commissioned this art piece from n6023. You can find it here, https://www.deviantart.com/n6023/art/Lily-Commission-847336161

Give him plenty of love, this was very out of his range of work and he was willing to take it on for me since I've bee such a loyal customer. I hope to commission another character from him in October until then head over and read the main story, while the scene here hasn't made an appearance yet, rest ashore it will soon. I'm actually going do some updates in Late August - early September depend when my reviewer gets done looking over each chapter. I am still writing plenty of chapters and have plenty to post when the time is right.