Argument (or the story so far)

My story has been drastically evolving as I write. Certain characters have done one-eighties with their personalities and motivations. Backstory has been hinted at but never spelled out. Destinations have changed. I keep forgetting plot threads and details. Before I wrote another chapter I had to write this.

This is my story so far (including backstory that won't actually be in the book). I'm going to be referencing this as I go forward to make sure that things line up. I don't mind that I don't have any plot outlined beyond what I've already written. I just need to keep track of what I have.

I present it now for your inspection. Make of it what you will.

Argument:

When the Two Empires fall the earth goes bad. Bombs and wars wipe out millions of people in moments. Whole countries turn to waste. Warlords rise up to dominate the land. A second dark age covers humanity and many believe that the end of all things is near. Then, two hundred years after the fall, Kay Everling casts down the warlords and establishes a new kingdom called Postworld that covers a thousand square miles. He founds two cities: One on the sea called New Camelot; there he sets his throne in Luna Castle, a structure so beautiful that it rivals the works of the Two Empires. On the other end of Postworld he builds Whitecloud on the very edge of The Waste to stand guard against the evil that still lingers beyond the borders.

The Everling line rules Postworld for two hundred years and there is peace. Nothing comes in from the outside world (called The Wastes) and no one goes out. But eventually the evil that destroyed the Two Empires returns. In a single night, a force known only as Nightmare Lucy kills ten thousand people in New Camelot, including every member of the royal family save Penelope, the youngest daughter. She escapes and flees into the forest. Her plan is to seek refuge in Whitecloud but she must cross many miles of forest to reach her destination.

Fin lives in the small farming community of Silverwater. One night - ninety days after Nightmare Lucy - his Grandmother sends him to Lilith the witch’s cottage in the forest to buy the Bitterstalk vegetable. When Fin reaches Lilith’s cottage the conversation between them reveals that their relationship may have some unknown history that Lilith is aware of but Fin only suspects.

As Fin returns home through the forest he encounters a wolf-like creature (called a Warg) chasing a girl. Almost without thinking he peruses them. After a struggle he kills the Warg with his rifle but not before it injures the girl badly. He returns the girl to Lilith’s cottage for medical treatment. Exhausted, he falls asleep in the cottage but not before Lilith tells him that the girl is Penelope Everling, the last surviving member of the royal family.

In the morning Lilith tells him that the same dark force which killed the royal family is also that which destroyed the Two Empires. This force is mustering power to bring about the final destruction of humanity. The final confrontation between good and evil is brewing. The last story has started. Lilith believes that, by saving The Princess, Fin is a key figure in this story; she claims that he is the hero. Fin has hitherto been disenchanted with the simple country life and longs for adventure and glory. He gladly accepts this news.

After conferring with Penelope, Lilith decides that they should take her the rest of the way to Whitecloud. Lilith mentions that she’s had visions of a boy named Jack Christian who lives in Whitecloud. Her visions tell her that Jack is a key in defeating the gathering evil.

They begin their journey through the forest to Whitecloud. Penelope is still somewhat injured from her encounter with the Warg and must ride in a cart that Lilith pulls. (Fin is impressed by the witch’s strength.) That night they hear strange music in the forest and flee their campfire. Looking back they see a tall faun in their camp. Penelope sees this faun again the following night but thinks that she’s dreaming.

On the journey, Lilith and Penelope quickly begin enjoy each other’s company but Fin is a somewhat awkward addition to their party. Lilith especially has a tendency to be short with him.

On the morning of the third day they come to a railroad track that Lilith calls the Diakost. She says that it is a relic from the Two Empires but that trains used to run on it nearly one hundred years past. She says that it will take them to Whitecloud.

They follow this track for one day until they reach an abandoned railway station with a road leading away from the track. Lilith has been here before. The road leads to the long-forsaken Nome Mine and Lilith recommends that they fill their canteens in the manor well. They desert the railroad track and, after passing through the gloomy mining fields, they come to the beautiful manor gardens. Oddly enough the gardens appear maintained. After an argument with Penelope, Lilith leaves Fin and Penelope in the garden to find the well. A strange magic almost immediately enchants Fin and Penelope and they fall asleep.

It is night when Penelope awakens. She is lying near the entrance to the mine. She hears knocking noises and sees strange lights in the abandoned shaft. Something draws her towards the mine mouth. She wants to stop but she can’t. She realizes that the mine wants to eat her. Lilith saves her at the last minute and commands the spirits that haunt the mine to retreat.

Lilith brings Penelope back to the railroad track where Fin is waiting for them. Penelope soon realizes that Fin also had an experience in the mine that has terrified him but he won’t speak of it; though it appears that Lilith knows what happened to him. The following morning Penelope overhears a conversation between Lilith and Fin where Lilith consoles him and apologizes for being so harsh towards him in the past. Even after the conversation, Fin is still harrowed by his experience in the mine.

By now Penelope’s leg has healed and she can walk fine.

As they draw nearer to Whitecloud they find that the railroad track enters a dark tunnel. No one, especially Fin and Hattie, wish to enter the tunnel and Lilith suggests that they try and find an alternate route and meet up with the track on the other end. This sounds agreeable to everyone but a forest fire suddenly appears and blocks their path. While running from the fire Fin discovers that Penelope is a faster runner than he is. To escape the fire they seek refuge in the tunnel and decide that they must go through it after all. Before they start, Penelope thanks Fin for saving her from the Warg.

***

That's it for now. I haven't written any more. I'll update this again sometime.