J. Daniels
Bio
I am he who dwells within the burning house.
Stories (16/0)
The Hero and The Villain
After many years of bitter struggle, two men, a great hero and a great villain, arch-nemeses, both advanced in age, sat down at the same table under the cover of darkness, the hero with his back to the East and the villain with his back to the West, in the hopes that they could find some closure after a lifetime of opposition.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
The Serpent's Invitation
A young man called Rael lived with his wife at the far end of their village near the base of a mountain. He was known throughout as a harmless man who never did anyone wrong. Most agreed, including his wife, however, that he was too nice and perhaps impotent in the face of hardship. So it came to pass that his wife grew tired of his bland disposition and demanded he see the shaman.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
Something Special
After many years of careful study, a humble scholar named Amani found himself at his wit’s end. “I have been researching Humanity’s primordial quest for meaning for decades,” he told his friend over tea. “I’ve followed every thread, traced the origins of every subconscious archetype, and just when I think I’m near a breakthrough, the answer I seek slips away.”
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
The Eye of Horus
Decrepit and full of sorrow, I was brought before the village elders. My life had always been an exercise in perpetual failure. All ventures undertaken had resulted in catastrophe. Thus no one could ever depend on me. I wanted to be responsible. I wanted to pull my own weight, but something at my core had been sapping my strength, like a parasite which feeds on the roots of a tree that never flowers. The people of my village took pity upon me; for what was eating away at the foundations of my being was unknown even to me. It was time, they said, to face this demon and be free of it. To move through the world with dignity and confidence in my own ability was, to me, a lost cause, but after decades of nothing but ruin, my strength of will was utterly spent, and so I had no power to resist them.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
Epilogue: The Master
There was once a man named Adelphos. He was middle-aged and had worked hard his whole life to care for his family. He was reliable, competent, and of good character. Unfortunately, disaster struck and his family had died of disease some years ago. Grief-stricken, he left his home and became a wanderer. He wandered the roads, hills, and forests in the countryside for some time, doing odd jobs for those he encountered for a small fee, food, or shelter. Despite his grief, he remained a resourceful and dependable man, but something remained unresolved in his life. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew he was missing something, some key ingredient to life which, until discovered, would keep him up at night wondering. He could not shake the feeling that he had missed something grand and spectacular. Being a realistic person, he tried to put it out of his mind, but it would find its way back and he would again be left with a great question looming over him.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
Inevitability
A great tribe of hunters lived on the Verdant Plain, a land filled with mystery, sprawling grasslands, and pristine rivers. Blessed by the God of the Plains, the land and water teemed with life. The brilliant sky above filled those who beheld it with wonder. The tribe had resided in the land since ancient times and moved in harmony with its seasonal undulations. Each day, a cool breeze would bring comfort to the tribe’s labors as they hunted, fished, and lived amongst each other. The hunters and scholars of the tribe were revered for their clarity of sight and wisdom of thought. They built upon the achievements of their ancestors and cultivated a great richness of life for their people. But, as time passed and the lives of the people became increasingly unburdened, a vague yet deep-seeded feeling of malcontent began to root itself within the hearts of the people.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
The Inadequate Man
A young man once existed who felt himself inadequate. He seemed normal enough, but deep within him was a great frustration, a struggle against the way of the world. He felt that he could not tap into his own potential and met with constant disappointment. Nothing he set out to do ever bore fruit. He was considered among his peers a great failure. The day came when he had had enough and set out to a far-away land to seek the answer to this deep frustration.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction
How The Gods Built Their House
For years, I lived certain I was on the right path. But to my horror, I discovered that it was a lie. I had been deceived as a child and the decisions I had made under the auspice of righteousness had led me down a path of chaos and meaninglessness. Refusing to succumb to nihilism, I resolved to climb the mountain of the gods and beseech them to rectify all, to undo the damage I had done in my blind adherence to what I now knew to be little more than superstition and ignorance. The journey was long and miserable. I passed the Foothills of Novelty, stumbled through the Forests of Humiliation, traversed the Lava Fields of Perdition. I wept at the Fountain of Repentance, conquered my fears in the Desert of Illusion, and was stripped of everything I held dear as I climbed towards the Summit of the Gods.
By J. Daniels2 years ago in Fiction