Lately I’ve been procrastinating everything. Things at work. Things at home. Something has been rubbing me the wrong way and it’s a combination of things. I love my job, but lately there’s been a ton of drama. This drama has forced me to put in more effort than my normal above and beyond and somehow come out behind. Sales are still going well but there’s something bugging me and I can’t put my finger on it.

At home I am ramping up for my trip back to Canada. Admittedly I haven’t given much thought to it, as it sneaks up at ridiculously supersonic speeds. One week? Where the hell did the time go!? Thanks to my girlfriend who has a knack for planning trips, everything is organised. It’s not that I’m not stoked to visit family and friends. It’s just, well… many of my friends have grown distant. Less to be excited about. Going back home is going to be a sobering reminder that the last time I was home was for my father’s funeral. I’ve had better times, but I know I must go and pay my respects.

My mind at the moment has been drawn to the allure of mindless gaming (AKA Diablo III). No thoughts. No cares. Clear goals. Achievable goals. Kill demon. Get loot. Wash, rinse and repeat. It has actually been preoccupying my mind predominately while I am awake. One could say I am addicted, but considering how easy it was to let go when my girlfriend claimed the lounge room tonight, I’d say that’s not necessarily the case. It’s just easy.

That being said, since my mind was suddenly freed from the perils of Sanctuary and the looting of its demons, I decided to get caught up on life. I shaved my rather rough beard, replied to some emails and messages, read some news and eventually sat down to write more into Jefferson’s second adventure. Then my mind wandered. I’m unhappy with the vagueness of the world I’ve created for my poor protagonist. I stared at the poor screen, knowing where and what I wanted Jefferson to do in his bland new world. His last adventure has proven fruitful, but even I am beginning to punch holes in the realm of magic I’ve created. Once I’ve started to do that, it was a lot like plugging holes in a sinking ship with paper towel; End result is, it still sinks. I’ve created a story set in a world not so different from our own. Now I apparently need to go back over the world and flesh it out. Work out the kinks. Then one of my other ideas forced its way into my thoughts and demanded some attention.

Now, it’s twelve in the morning before I work in less than the suggested hours for sleeping. I have just begun work on a new world with new lore. That’s not to say that poor Jefferson is out in the lurch, but what it does mean is I’m growing my creative playground for future me to run amok in. The new story idea pertains to a fragment I wrote a few posts back entitled “Fragment: The Truth About Heaven and Hell” and fleshing out the world surrounding that. Strangely enough my mind flooded with ideas while doing research that it made me consider a possible mythology for my world based around creation.

The Creator had brought the Watchers and the Dwellers into being, one to govern over the other in the Creator’s stead. The Watchers were tasked with noting the progression of the Dwellers in their world and were explicitly not to interfere in Dweller matters. The Creator left the Watchers to their task, and soon, Watchers broke rank and became consumed with the affairs of the Dwellers. They obsessed over their beauty and lusted for them, their frail bodies and short lived mortality. Watchers were powerful, and could shape-shift as they saw fit to enter into forbidden relations among the Dwellers, giving birth to a whole league of various powerful beings. These beings were worshipped as the Gods in their respective lands, leading to sometimes tall and sometimes accurate tales of valor, glory and failure. As these Gods intermingled among each other and the Dwellers, Demi-Gods came into being. As the Demi-Gods mingled among Dwellers and died off, their tales dissolved into myths and legends.

This is the explanation for our own current myths and legends in the world today, or as I hope, in the world I will be writing into soon. The Watchers are an angelic race who are genderless. Their abilities to shape shift come into play in the story as many have fled their realm to avoid persecution by the Guardians who are Watchers remaining true to their initial cause. These beings are trying to buy their way back into their old existence as a life immortal among mortals is torturous. The Guardians rely on the “Angel of Death” for new recruits, but suddenly new recruits stop coming. No one is dying. Death is nowhere to be found. The Demon Gate suddenly shatters, pouring evils into the world of the Dwellers. Forced to act, the Guardians begin their search for a Dweller to take up the mantle of Death before evil overruns everything the Creator tasked them with protecting.

I’m enjoying the concept of Hell simply being a place where evil is locked away. Not people, nor beings; but their actions and memories, personified. As these demons break free, the Guardians virtually fight to the last being until the Second-In-Command sacrifices themselves to allow another Guardian time to relay the message to the others. I’m excited for the twists around the Heaven-Hell mythology and the characters that come with it. Righteous Guardians, Fallen Angels, Murderous Demons, Mischievous Evils and all the while the poor Dwellers are stuck in the middle. Now, even regular people are seemingly invincible and immortal with Death not performing the job’s namesake. Hell has come to Earth, but who will stop it?

I know who. But first, I have a million things to do and a trip coming soon. I am in dire need of a “staycation” where I can clean for the first two days, create a writing nest, disconnect my internet and write! Maybe this year I will end up forcing myself back into NaNoWriMo… which is how I met so many of you lovely readers! Might not be a bad idea! Anyway I shall leave you with that as I work in T-Minus seven hours. Thanks for reading and be sure to give me an update on your own projects! Let me know I’m not alone or celebrate your win with me!