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synopsisIn a world of magic that runs like lifeblood through the very earth, Ro is a rare outlier: a null. Magic doesn't affect her or work for her; she instead cancels it out. This comes in useful; as an assassin, Ro slips through all magical defences and snares easily.
When two different contracts come her way, requesting that she assassinate Queen Alyss of Miraré's oracle for a truly obscene amount of gold, Ro happily, eagerly accepts the assignment. For one, she's never killed an oracle before. For another, the reward is practically a king's ransom, and Ro loves nothing so much as she loves gold. It takes months, but eventually Ro gets herself into the perfect position to kill the mystical oracle...only she hesitates. Not out of any moral quandary, but out of curiosity. And that single hesitation has far reaching consequences for the kingdom, because the oracle isn't an oracle. He is something far more influential than that, whether he knows it or not... |
stats
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status: in-progress
genre: new adult, high fantasy started: may 2022 |
pov: third/present
draft: first wordcount: 3.5k |
Inspirations
"I am real!" said Alice, and began to cry.
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"Curiouser and curiouser!"
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“It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join—though of course I should like to be a Queen, best.”
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“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”
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“I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
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“How long is forever?
Sometimes just one second.”
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“Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.”
— Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll
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"Curiouser and curiouser!"
*
“It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join—though of course I should like to be a Queen, best.”
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“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”
*
“I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
*
“How long is forever?
Sometimes just one second.”
*
“Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.”
— Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll
Themes
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• betrayal & love
• assassins • morally grey characters • seers & prophecy • trauma & tragedy • revenge quests • portals & realms |
• bringing a gun to a magic fight
• lovers to sworn enemies • toxic relationships • sassy footnotes • existential crises • corruption arcs • carnivorous magic |
Characters
Alyss | also called the Red Queen, ruler of Miraré through usurpation, one-time destined saviour of the kingdom, currently attempting to forge an alliance with Teimor.
Ro | also known as Carrow, a null and assassin whose moral compass points to 'gold' or 'would be fun', depending on the situation.
Sage | an oracle who isn't, motivated by a dual desire for revenge and finding a way home, full of secrets.
Fintan | leader of the Order of the White Hare, a rebel organization dedicated to removing Alyss from the throne, also known as Fin.
Jac | Ro's one-time guardian and current liaison for assignments.
Ro | also known as Carrow, a null and assassin whose moral compass points to 'gold' or 'would be fun', depending on the situation.
Sage | an oracle who isn't, motivated by a dual desire for revenge and finding a way home, full of secrets.
Fintan | leader of the Order of the White Hare, a rebel organization dedicated to removing Alyss from the throne, also known as Fin.
Jac | Ro's one-time guardian and current liaison for assignments.