Wellp, that happened.
It's been one hell of a ride to get to this point, and to be honest, I didn't know the book was going to turn out this way until I wrote the chapter summaries (I write those first, then edit the story as I feel it should really go along the way). That said, let's get into this.
I wanted to take a different route with this book, and focus more on the interpersonal connections at play with the characters already established in Weavings of Fate, while introducing fresh characters into the mix.
The story was originally going to end with Thoma and Siraye being dragged down into the Underworld by Ardrin, but I decided to take a different path towards that end because of how the interaction with Ysevel flowed. I also wanted to explore more of Irun's character in this book, since in WOF he was kind of a shithead. Now you know why.
Well, almost the whole reason why, anyway.
In truth, Echoes in the Snow, I felt, helped to deepen the connections Thoma has to the world, and add in new dynamics that I could use for later installations. Ysevel and Thoma's relationship is just as important as the Fayren family's. It's vital to his growth, but I wanted that to happen more naturally than how it did with Thoma and Meliss in WOF.
Now, I know that some people probably hate me for the way things played out between them, but Meliss was never meant to "last" in that sense. Yes, she played her part in helping Thoma through the challenges, but like the character said, it was a relationship based more out of convenience than anything else. This situationship was a key factor in helping Thoma come to terms with his emotional connections to both his friends and family, as allowing him to display that kind of weakness, especially in front of his long-lost mother and new friends, forced him to grow.
Does that mean he's fully healed from it? No, but no one ever really forgets their first breakup, do they?
Moving on from that section, I felt this book was an appropriate time to introduce more magic into the fight scenes. I'd heard from a friend that he wanted to see more magic, and I took that personally. That said, however, the magic system in this world isn't meant to be Harry Potter or The Beginning After the End levels of use, but it's meant to be a part or supplement to their combat prowess.
For now, at least, as Book 3 (The Synner: Godfall) will certainly showcase a lot more of that style.
Everything builds on itself in this world. It's taken me a long time to get here, yes, but trust me when I say that the payoff will be worth it. I know that a lot of you still have questions, or maybe you don't agree with the way things have played out, but there's a reason for everything I'm doing here, so just lemme cook!
I'm sure some of you have also noticed that there were hints about certain things aaaaaaall the way back in the Prologue of WOF that were displayed or talked about here (See Autarchica Primaria). To put it simply, and without spoiling anything, the AP isn't just a power. I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is, as you'll have to figure that out for yourself in later installations, but just know that, for now and in Godfall, this will be a factor that comes into play.
I really hope you've enjoyed the story so far, and I can't wait to hear from you when Season 3 kicks off on April 2nd. There's a lot to talk about in there, but don't worry, it'll have plenty of action sequences that will make you realize just how far the story has really come from its humble beginnings.
That's all from me for now, but be sure to follow me on social media (@nooburai) for potential future updates. I suck at using social media in general, as I often lack the time to post much of anything, but I'll try to keep you guys updated as much as I can, provided there's a genuine interest in the updates.
I love you all, and remember that you're never alone.