STORIES PREVIEW FOR THE STORYBOOK

Orbiting Odds

The city was a symphony of sounds, a kaleidoscope of lights, and a whirlwind of motion. The hum of traffic, the blare of sirens, the chatter of voices, the clatter of heels on the pavement - all these sounds merged into a constant, pulsating rhythm. The city lights, neon signs, and streetlamps painted a vibrant scene against the night sky. The city felt alive, throbbing with energy.

People moved with a purpose, their steps quick and determined. They seemed focused, yet their interaction with their surroundings was blurry, as if they were trapped in their own concepts of self and time. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, guided by the relentless tick-tock of time, which felt like a distant cage.

In this modern age, traditions have lost their appeal. The modern man saw no need for them. Instead, they were drawn to self and groupthink, a new age tradition devoid of substance. They claimed to have freed themselves from the shackles of handed-down traditions, yet they willingly submitted themselves to the fixed order of the unseen few.

In this world, two strangers were about to cross paths. One of them was McGrady Stone, a man as rugged and unweather as the mountain he called home. Ash Peak had been his family’s home for generations, and he cared for no other place.

Ash Peak was high and isolated, its landscape dominated by a grayish hue for most of the year. Yet, the people living there were resourceful, their resilience and ingenuity painting a rainbow of possibilities over the rugged terrain. Their nobility and strength were always within reach, coloring their lives with vibrancy.

Now, a new undertaking was about to take McGrady from his high place down to the city below, a place the mountain dwellers despised as a burning filth.

McGrady Stone squinted through the biting wind, the familiar peaks of Ash Peak casting long shadows across the rugged terrain. It was a scene etched into his memory; one he cherished despite the gnawing unease gnawing at his gut.

McGrady's Dream.

Tonight, the dream felt closer than ever, the image of the emerald, green cow, and the spectral sheep sharper than usual. He could almost taste the icy air, the same color as the Ash Peak glaciers, filling the lungs of these strange creatures who defied logic and time.

Leaving Ash Peak was unthinkable, a betrayal of everything his people stood for. Yet, the dream had become a relentless tide, pulling him away from the comfort of tradition and the warmth of the community fire. He had heard whispers of the city below, Odds, a place where tradition was a relic and self-interest reigned supreme. The unseen few who dwelled in the mist-shrouded Waves Shore had built it, a strategic barrier between the different factions of the land. McGrady knew the risks, the insidious influence Odds held, the way it chipped away at one's core, turning even the strongest minds towards the warped ideology of the unseen few.

But the dream wouldn't be ignored. He packed a meager bag, the essentials for a journey into the unknown. He knelt before his grandfather; his weathered face etched with concern. "The mountains will always wait, McGrady," the elder said, his voice raspy with age, "but the path you choose may not." With a heavy heart, McGrady embraced his grandfather, the weight of his decision settling on his shoulders.

The descent from Ash Peak was treacherous, the sharp rocks unforgiving under his worn boots. He felt the sting of each step, a physical manifestation of the internal struggle tearing him apart. Yet, with each step, the dream pulsed stronger, a beacon guiding him towards the unknown.

As he reached the foothills, the silhouette of Odds emerged on the horizon, a maze of glass and steel cutting into the twilight sky. McGrady took a deep breath, the acrid city air filling his lungs with a sense of foreboding. He was entering the belly of the beast, where his values and his very identity would be tested. The journey through the city of Odds to Lush Plain had begun.

In Odds

The first rays of early dusk painted Odds in a sickly orange light. The cacophony of the city had reached a fever pitch—honking vehicles, the screech of unseen trains, and the constant murmur of a crowd that never seemed to sleep. It was a relentless assault on McGrady's senses, each jarring note chipping away at his resolve. The air itself felt thick, laden with unseen chemicals and the stench of human ambition.

Even amidst the chaos, the younger inhabitants of Odds moved with a strange sense of entitlement. It wasn't the arrogance of the wealthy, but something different, a belief that progress and self-interest were the ultimate virtues. It was in the way they brushed past him with quick, unseeing glances, as if his rugged clothes and weathered face marked him as something lesser, a relic of a forgotten past.

McGrady's eyes fell upon a man who walked down the street deep in contemplation. He was simply dressed, and unlike the others, emanated an air of humility. He was a stark contrast to the sleek, modern forms of the Odds inhabitants. A trader perhaps, McGrady thought, his mind searching for a familiar reference point. It gnawed at him to see the calmness of this man. How could he be so oblivious to the wolves circling him, poised to feast on his hard-earned goods?

The unseen few had crafted Odds to be a labyrinth of manipulation. They understood that a direct challenge to traditional values would only breed defiance. Instead, they had fostered an environment where self-interest, hidden beneath a veneer of progress, took root in the hearts of the unsuspecting.

Rage simmered beneath McGrady's skin: a righteous fury that propelled him forward. Before he could think, he was beside the humble man, his large hands landing firmly on the other's shoulders. "They're taking advantage of you, man!" he declared, a note of rough urgency in his voice, his mountain accent ringing out amidst the polished tones of the city folk.

The humble man's eyes widened momentarily, a flicker of recognition replacing his placid expression. Yet, instead of gratitude, the man did something that baffled McGrady. With a calculated swiftness that belied his demeanor, he dialed a number on the sleek device seemingly grafted to all the city dwellers' hands. He spoke in a quiet voice: words McGrady couldn't hear but knew carried his condemnation. "Cloak," he whispered, a name that sent shivers down McGrady's spine.

The law keepers of Waveshore were swift and brutal. Cloaked in their authority, they served as the Unseen Few's enforcers and kept the citizens of Odds perpetually within its invisible walls. McGrady, a mountain man who had faced blizzards and treacherous cliffs, would not be so easily subdued. The fight was just beginning.

The Cloaks descended upon McGrady like a swarm of ravenous insects, their shiny black uniforms an unsettling contrast against the city's steel and glass backdrop. Their faces were obscured by featureless helmets, their movements robotic in their precision.

McGrady, seasoned by years spent battling the unforgiving elements of Ash Peak, wasn't about to crumble like the others.

He didn't waste time with punches or kicks. He understood fighting wasn't just about brute force, but also strategy and knowing your opponent. He observed their movements, their predictable lunges and attempted grabs. Anticipation became his weapon. He danced around their attacks, his light-footedness surprising for a man of his stature. As one Cloak lunged, McGrady pivoted, the force of the missed attack sending the figure crashing into another, creating a domino effect of tumbling black figures.

The crowd, used to witnessing swift and brutal subjugation by the Cloaks, gasped at the unexpected turn of events. Some, emboldened by McGrady's defiance, exchanged bewildered glances, a flicker of doubt dancing in their eyes. All the while, McGrady's gaze remained fixed on the man he tried to help. The man, whose earlier calmness had been replaced by a nervous fidgeting, seemed to shrink under McGrady's unwavering stare. It was as if the gaze itself held the weight of McGrady's honor and unwavering moral compass, silently exposing the man's betrayal.

A low, guttural sound, rising steadily in pitch, pierced through the cacophony of the city. It was a primal sound, one steeped in loyalty and fierce determination, and it sent chills down the spines of both the Cloaks and the onlookers. The Cloaks paused; their movements momentarily suspended as they scanned the horizon. The source of the sound remained hidden, shrouded in the maze of buildings, a mystery waiting to be unveiled. The sound grew louder, closer, drawing everyone's attention to the horizon. A blur of fur and muscle raced into view.

What he thought he left behind, was now charging to his side. Uda Unega, his loyal husky. Uda Unega's charge was nothing short of a force of nature. His enormous body cut a path through the crowd, each step a silent testament to the power he contained. He was all muscle and instinct, honed by the relentless demands of Ash Peak. His thick, snow-white fur bristled slightly, giving him an even larger, more imposing presence.

As he neared the fray, his pace slowed. His movement became deliberate, his low growl transforming into a deep, resonant snarl that reverberated through the crowd. His normally playful blue eyes hardened into icy points of fury, locked unwaveringly on the Cloaks surrounding his master.

His muzzle pulled back slightly, revealing rows of gleaming teeth. It was a primal display of warning, a wordless threat that hung heavy in the air. Uda Unega's presence was enough to make the Cloaks themselves falter. These men, used to enforcing control through intimidation, now faced a creature that was intimidation personified. The crowd, usually passive in the face of the Cloaks' power, began to stir. They had witnessed something remarkable: the unwavering defiance of a mountain man and now the unflinching loyalty of his companion.

Tearing through the throng like a living battering ram. It was a magnificent creature, a wolf, its coat the color of freshly fallen snow, its eyes blazing with an intelligence that rivaled any human's. It was Uda Unega, McGrady's loyal husky, a symbol of the bond between man and beast, a bond forged in the harsh, unforgiving wilderness of the Ash Peak.

The Cloaks, unprepared for this unexpected arrival, faltered. Their carefully orchestrated plan had been thrown into disarray. McGrady, seizing the opportunity, grabbed the man's arm, his voice a low growl, "You called them on an innocent man offering help? Shame on you!" The man stammered, his voice barely audible, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

The scene hung in the balance; the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. The fate of McGrady, the man he'd tried to help, and the Cloaks themselves, was suspended in the air, waiting for the arrival of the snow- companion wolf to tip the scales.

Uda Unega's entrance into the scene sent ripples of unease through the crowd, especially among the younger generation. Their eyes, accustomed only to the sterile, predictable environment of Odds and Lush Plains, widened in a mix of awe and trepidation. Their faces, normally blank slates reflecting the uniformity of their lives, displayed a flicker of genuine curiosity, quickly followed by a dawning of uncertainty. The Cloaks, symbols of the Unseen Few's control, were a familiar sight, yet the majestic creature accompanying them was an anomaly, a living testament to a forbidden world.

Whispers erupted like sparks in dry grass, hushed questions flitting amongst the crowd. "What is it?" "Is it real?" "It looks... dangerous." The cloaks, ever vigilant enforcers of the Unseen Few's edicts, shifted restlessly. Their own expressions, while unreadable under the hoods, hinted at discomfort. This was a deviation from the norm, and even they were unsure how to react.

As if sensing the tension, the younger ones instinctively reached for their sleek devices, the only window to a world beyond their limited experience. Fingers danced on touchscreens, capturing fleeting glimpses of the Cloaks and the extraordinary creature. Their intent was innocent, a desperate attempt to record this unexpected encounter, but the cloaks reacted swiftly. A soft hum emanated from their hidden mechanisms, a barely audible yet potent signal. The devices flickered and went dark, rendering their attempts futile. The message was clear: information about this event, about Uda Unega's presence, was forbidden.

Uda, however, remained undeterred. Unaffected by the cloak's attempt to control the narrative, it proceeded with its task, setting a protective barrier around its masters. Its defiance, a silent rebellion against the Unseen Few's grip on their lives, served as a spark, igniting a nascent flame of curiosity and defiance within the hearts of the younger generation. They had witnessed something forbidden, something extraordinary, and the seed of doubt had been sown.

The question lingered in their widened eyes: what other truths were hidden behind the carefully constructed facade of Odds and Lush Plains?