Stories I Found
December 25th, 2025
Stepping Down from Heaven
Dear Readers,
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! This time of year is always busy but full of joy and cheer. Aubri and I spent much of the past two weeks going to end of year work parties and Christmas parties hosted by various friends. Unfortunately, in the middle of these, I came down with the flu. This took me out of commission for a good long while. Consequently, this life update is pretty limited, as I have not been up to much. For quite a few day, all I did was rest. But I am back on my feet and looking forward to seeing my family for the holidays!
In spite of my second round of illness this winter, I was able to complete Chapter 19 over the past two weeks. This closes the sections with a different narrator, so hopefully upcoming chapters will be a little quicker to write. Additionally, I did a bunch of editing for upcoming chapters and it turns out that Chapters 9 and 10 are actually Chapters 9, 10, and 11. Once again, I have found myself with chapters multiplying before me eyes during the editorial process. This is in part because I am striving to keep every chapter relatively similar in length. Regardless, I am closer than ever to having a complete draft one!
This Week’s Chapter
In Chapter 8, we turn to the life of a regular civilian in Irrkengrond. Coraadrin is desperate to find a way to save the people she cares about the most. Fortunately for her, one of the god’s in heaven has been listening.
Myliayar is a character caught in the tension between attempting to keep peace and seeking to alleviate suffering. Aientas has instructed the gods in heaven not to fight each other. But Acretia complicates things. Is she one of the gods? Certainly not a god in the heavens. She did not participate in creating the world or in creating mortals. But she has established for herself a dominion. She wields formidable power. So Myliayar is hesitant and reserved in her aid to Irrkengrond. Her sons, in contrast, are more direct and expansive. For their own reasons, Colthan and Milyos bring help to Irrkengrond.
What motivates a person to help can be very simple or very complicated. Colthan’s motivations are relatively simple. He is swayed by the compassion he sees in Coraadrin. Milyos’ motivations are much murkier. Does he wish to see an end to the death and suffering in Irrkengrond? Yes. But he wants more than that. This is an opportunity for him to get one over on Ikata by presenting himself as the savior of the city she gave to mortals.
Please feel free to share these newsletters with other people you think may be interested, and leave comments on the chapters!
“Chapter 8: The Siege of Irrkengrond
In the time of the Ulrich’s Fever, there was a young human woman named Coraadrin who lived with her mother Atisha. Not long after Tem-sata-tan took the throne, Atisha fell ill with the dreaming fever and Coraadrin was greatly distressed. Coraadrin made intercession to Myliayar for the life of her mother night and day as she cared for Atisha. Her prayers were fervent and filled with grief, for her father, her two older brothers, and her older sister had all been claimed by Acretia’s hideous machinations, and none knew their fate. She alone had been spared from the war for she was the youngest and only remaining child of the family.
“Please Great Mother!” Coraadrin cried, “Save the one who birthed me for she is all that remains for me on this earth! I know not what would save her or my city…”
Something Extra!
This weeks something extra is a second book recommendation. Given that this chapter focuses primarily on curing disease it feels appropriate to recommend this book. Everything is Tuberculosis is one of the best books I read this year. It is a serious yet hopeful treatment of a complex and grave topic. John Green addresses the many grim ways that tuberculosis has shaped our culture and world. Green also highlights that as humanity has grown in its ability to treat the disease, the disease has become less and less caused by the bacteria, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, and more and more by human failure to get the cure to the disease. In a somewhat surprising twist, Green frames this as a positive state, rather than a pure condemnation of humanity. Why? Because humans already have the tools to make the world a better place. All that is left is to do it.
