Adventure
The Ember and the Crown - Part 3
The wind howled through Arlavorn’s spire district like a beast in mourning, clawing at the bone-white towers and rattling the glasswork domes that crowned the palace rooftops. Dust lifted in swirling eddies across the marbled streets as if the city itself were trying to breathe out the corruption settling in its lungs.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
The Ember and the Crown - Part 2
Rain slashed against the lacquered eaves of the Roseward Gate as the trio passed beneath its snarling gryphon sigils, the storm offering no kindness for returning exiles or outlawed mages. Drevril’s capital, Arlavorn, breathed with veiled menace. Market stalls remained shuttered, their canvas draped like corpses. Crimson banners snapped on parapets above, but beneath them, the scent of burning ink and alchemical ash stained the wind. Something sacred had been disturbed.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
The Ember and the Crown - Part 1
The summons arrived with the quiet weight of a blade unsheathed in darkness. Wrapped in scarlet vellum and sealed with the sun-crowned crest of Drevril, the parchment exuded an unnatural warmth, like paper left too close to flame. The sigil binding it glimmered faintly with threads of memory-ink, a craftwork so precise that even Elira, standing several feet away in the shadowed inn loft, could feel the thrum of imitation power.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
Shadows Over Soravin - Part 5
The once-proud ruin, hollowed halls of learning and vaults of buried arcanum, lay under a bruised sky. Ash still curled from fissures where forgotten magic had been disturbed, and the rain that fell was thick, laced with the taint of alchemical run-off, slicking the blackened stones and whispering like dying words into the cracks. The vault was gone. Collapsed. But its echoes still throbbed in the bones of the city.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
Shadows Over Soravin - Part 4
The descent felt like stepping into the marrow of a buried god. No light guided them, only memory. Thin lines of crystalline veinwork pulsed faintly along the vault walls, casting a sickly indigo shimmer over the steps. With every touch of a boot to stone, fragmented echoes burst outward, moments frozen in time, hazy and sharp in equal measure. Vaelin saw a gloved hand dripping with someone else’s blood. Elira glimpsed a page torn from a sigil codex, set aflame before the eyes of a weeping child. And Tovik… Tovik flinched at a laugh that sounded too much like his own, coming from a voice behind a mask.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
Adventures of Oahron (part 6)
Strolling onward, just a few miles away from Futora City now, Jahru takes a detour eastbound off the dirt road into a most out-of-the-ordinary jungle type of terrain. Tons of ropey vines hang low, spreading across the stringy cluttered treetops. Some crawly things live up in those branches. The child looks around with a wide grin asking at least a dozen questions about each and every thing that meets him at eye level and above. Jahru places his grimy paws over his ears as the boy continues to yap on.
By Netanel Lynnabout a year ago in Chapters
Shadows Over Soravin - Part 3
The deeper they pressed into the ruins beneath Soravin, the more the vault abandoned all pretense of architecture. Passageways twisted like veins, breathing faint heat through the stone. Glyphwork on the walls shimmered when touched, alive, reactive, growing. The vault was no longer just a site of research. It had become a living archive of the broken, a body built on fractured oaths and stolen memories.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
Michelin Guide names 4 new budget-friendly gems in Da Nang..
A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam's Hidden Delights: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam's Hidden Delights The coastal city of Da Nang is the focus of the Michelin Guide's latest spotlight on Vietnam's vibrant and varied culinary scene. Da Nang has long been a favorite among travelers seeking authentic Vietnamese flavors due to its stunning beaches, rich history, and dynamic food culture. Four new budget-friendly restaurants have been identified by Michelin in its most recent update, demonstrating that exceptional dining does not always require a high price tag. These four establishments showcase the best of Da Nang's affordable yet high-quality cuisine, including steaming bowls of ma Quang and succulent seafood grilled to perfection. Whether you're a local foodie or a traveler on a budget, these Michelin-approved spots are a must-visit for an unforgettable gastronomic experience.
By parves mosharafabout a year ago in Chapters
Bucket List Seaplane Journeys Around The World
Seaplane Trips on Your Bucket List: 800 Words of Aerial Adventure Seaplanes are undeniably magical because of the way they effortlessly transition from the water to the air, providing breathtaking views and access to remote locations that traditional aircraft are unable to reach. For aviation enthusiasts and travel lovers alike, seaplane journeys represent the pinnacle of adventure, combining luxury, exclusivity, and awe-inspiring scenery.
By parves mosharafabout a year ago in Chapters
Every Day Is Theirs: A Heart’s Tribute to Our Parents Beyond One Day
✍️ By: Umair Ali Shah Yousafzai --- 🌸 Introduction: The Problem with “One Day” In an age where love has been reduced to emojis and celebrations are confined to trending hashtags, it’s become common to see people dedicate just one day a year to their parents — usually in the form of a well-edited photo, a generic social media caption, or a short video clip. "Happy Parents’ Day!" they declare, and with that, consider their duty fulfilled. But can one day capture the essence of lifelong sacrifice? Can a Facebook status outweigh a mother’s sleepless nights? Can an Instagram reel compensate for a father’s decades of toil? The answer — spoken by the heart — is a resounding no. Parents are not a seasonal celebration. They are the soul of our lives. They do not deserve a day; they deserve our every day, our every breath, our every success, our every prayer. --- 🕊️ A Love Beyond Comprehension Parental love is not poetic — it is prophetic. The mother’s womb becomes a sanctuary before we even open our eyes. Her body breaks to give us life. Her nights shatter so our dreams can form. Her meals go cold so ours stay warm. She becomes our shadow, our comfort, our shield. And the father? He becomes the silent mountain who absorbs the storm before it reaches us. He ages behind the curtain so we can grow on stage. His shoes wear thin so ours stay new. His pockets empty so our dreams can fill. His hands become rough while ours remain soft. Such love cannot be compared. It cannot be counted, priced, or postponed. It is as eternal as the sky — silent but all-encompassing. --- 🏠 From Cradle to Grave: They Gave Us Everything The truth is simple and painful: the very people who gave us everything, we give them the least. They carried us when we were weak. They taught us to walk, to speak, to eat. They encouraged our smallest achievements and bore our greatest failures. They forgave our rebellion, our rudeness, our rejection. They kept loving even when we didn’t love back. And what did they ask for in return? Nothing — except a little time. A little respect. A little remembrance. And yet, many of us fail even in that. --- 📅 One Day is Not Enough — It’s Almost Insulting Designating one day for parents is, in many ways, an insult wrapped in sentimentality. It suggests that gratitude can be scheduled, that love can be timed, that sacrifice can be acknowledged only when it's convenient. Do parents love only once a year? Do they support us only on Sundays? Do they pray for us only during exam season? No. Their love is relentless, their loyalty unconditional, their prayers eternal. Then how dare we give them just a day? --- 🕯️ Real-Life Reflections: Forgotten Candles of Our Lives Visit an old age home and you will see forgotten candles flickering dimly, waiting for someone to relight their flames. Mothers who once carried their children now carry loneliness. Fathers who once stood tall now sit silently by windows, hoping someone might knock on the door. "I gave him everything," says one mother, staring into her fading memories. "And now he sends money, but not himself." What do we owe them? Not riches. Not luxury. We owe them presence. We owe them honor. We owe them time. And if we fail to pay that debt in life, we will spend the rest of our lives repaying it in guilt. --- 🌙 The Islamic Perspective: A Duty, Not a Favor In Islam, honoring one's parents is not optional. It is second only to worshipping Allah. The Qur’an places “being good to parents” immediately after “worship none but Allah” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:23). > “And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say: ‘My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.’” — (Qur’an 17:24) The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: > “Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother.” “The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of the father.” In a world that celebrates freedom, Islam reminds us: you are never free from the duty of loving and serving your parents. --- 💔 The Western Dilemma: Celebration Without Connection In many modern societies, holidays like "Mother's Day" and "Father's Day" are celebrated with great pomp. But beneath the flowers and fancy cards lies a bitter reality — many parents live alone, neglected. The market profits from emotional neglect. Capitalism sells love, but doesn't practice it. You buy a card, send flowers, click "like" on a photo — and you're done. But love is not a transaction. True love is in changing your schedule to be with your aging parents. True respect is in asking about their health — not for politeness, but from the heart. True honor is in making them feel needed, not obsolete. --- 📖 Stories That Break the Heart A man once left his father at a senior facility, promising to return in two weeks. The weeks turned into months. The father finally said, “I don’t need your money. I need the child who once clung to my finger.” Another story tells of a woman whose son lives abroad. He sends money monthly, but hasn’t visited in five years. She keeps his childhood toys clean, thinking he may come home any day. The question isn’t whether these parents are physically alone. The question is: Why are their children emotionally absent? --- 💡 What Can We Do, Starting Today? Let’s stop thinking in hashtags and start living in actions. Here are real, practical ways to honor your parents — not just once a year, but daily: 1. Call them. Not just when you're free — call them often. 2. Visit them. Your presence matters more than gifts. 3. Sit in silence. Let them feel your calm. 4. Ask their opinions. Make them feel heard, respected, and needed. 5. Pray for them. Every prayer, every day. 6. Serve them. Bring water, massage their feet, feed them with your hands. 7. Share your life. Tell them about your joys and struggles. Let them be part of your world. --- 🌹 To the Fortunate Ones: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late If your parents are still alive, know this: you are living in a blessed time. You still have the opportunity to make them smile, to ease their aches, to sit beside them and just… be. Don’t wait for their graves to remember their value. Don’t take their presence for granted. If you must celebrate something, celebrate their hands that held you. Celebrate their words that guided you. Celebrate their love that never expired. 🌿 Closing Prayers: Words from the Heart to the Heavens As we close this column, we do not end with logic or poetry — we end with prayer, because only prayer carries the weight of what parents deserve. > Allah! Bless my mother with health, happiness, and peace. Forgive her mistakes and elevate her status. Place light in her grave, if she is gone, and joy in her heart, if she is alive. > Allah! Grant my father strength and serenity. Forgive him, reward him, and make his sacrifices a means of his success in both worlds. > Allah of the worlds! If I have ever disobeyed or hurt them, forgive me. And if I have ever pleased them, accept it as a seed of paradise. > The Most Merciful Allah! Keep my parents close to me in this life — and reunite me with them under Your shade in the next. Ameen. 🖋️ Final Word: Love is Measured in Time, Not Days Remember: You don’t need a “Parents’ Day” to honor your parents. You need a sincere heart, an open schedule, a little humility — and consistent action. Let us reclaim the lost beauty of honoring parents not with once-a-year posts, but with daily devotion. Let us teach the world that love is not in celebrating one day, but in cherishing every moment. Because in truth — Every day is their day. Every moment is a chance to love. And every breath we take… is because of them.
By Umair Ali Shah about a year ago in Chapters
