Four centuries ago, for a variety of reasons, I took the literal mask. It is not useless ornament; its communication leads keep me in constant touch with what I must know. Just now the embedded AIs are unscrolling for me the great briefing library.
While I may be formidable, I am only one man, and those who are my hands and feet and heads elsewhere in the world have been about their business these centuries.
One face of that is the war with the Outposts. Yes, it is difficult to escape there, but when a rebel manages it, they take with them all sorts of lore; things are shared freely there so what each knows becomes common knowledge. They do not understand the Secret nor do they practice it. I don’t mean the Great Secret of physical immortality; I mean the Secret as way of life.
***
Excerpt from “Last Days of the Immortal,” in Tales from the Inhabited Worlds.
Weekend Writing Warriors offers a selection of eight-sentence excerpts from many different writers. For the full selection, see here.
compelling!
Wow, what Jess said! Your work is always a thrill to read! =D
Very complex. I think I’ll have to read it a few times to pick up all the nuances.
Highly intriguing from so many aspects. I love the complete worldbuilding that underlies your stories – another excellent excerpt that makes me want to read on.