Conscious, Conscientious

After quite a long break, I'm excited to say Volume 5 will start updating next week! Though I've been away longer than I planned, I promise it was for good reason. I spent much of my time fleshing out what's in store next for our consciousness friends, and also beginning the process for more theme music.

Volume 5 has a lot going on–more than I initially realized–so the writing process has been quite an undertaking. The story evolves quite a bit from this point forward, with a lot of new aspects, places, and yes: powers.

But the heart of the story remains in the characters: how this crazy Multiverse shapes them, how they grieve and grow together.

I tried to get a little more ambitious with the premises unfolding in Volume 5, especially considering where the story left off last. We'd just witnessed Deon, Lammy, and friends' hard-fought victory in Azvaylen, and a deeply wounded Proscious.

But it came at an unpayable price: in a swift effort to rescue Queen Layla, and to keep Kotono from dying as she tried to do the same, Hiroko sacrificed herself before the eyes of her friends.

Now, the newly-united team is left just as broken as they are vitalized by their resulting success. They remember her strength both in their hearts and on their faces: in Hiroko's homeland of Hidakala, they each received a triangle tattoo to commemorate her role in their lives.

And yet, the fight is anything but over: they may have saved each other from Proscious's mysterious grasp, but they never recovered Pang.

The enemy had stolen her away.

However, with the Head of the Consciousness League present at Hiroko's ceremony, their next move is clear. A new rescue mission is about to unfold–one much larger-scale than they could have imagined…

Deon, Lammy, Skrili, Kotono, and Phillip prepare to initiate round two. But not all of the group will take part this time.

Determined to help her sister restore their kingdom to health, Zayza stays behind in Hidakala, where she will live in hiding until her name is cleared enough for her return.

At last, Lammy and Zayza's stories diverge.

A new, unpredictable season of life awaits them all…

…Even their foes:

After the Battle of Azvaylen, Wei washed up alive on the shore. But Aoi, his ever-silent underling, seemed to honor an agreement with him. She vaporized his body, ending his life.

As the new team of consciousness must grow from their loss to save Pang, it seems those hiding her must now adapt just the same…

The new journeys begin in Volume 5.