anchor stringlengths 509 1.17k | positive stringlengths 102 304 |
|---|---|
I manage to leave the lining for a few minutes, and I write a blog entry myself. Acceptance: the final stage of grief, right? Is this all I've been working towards? He coughs in his sleep, and I put myself back into the space between the walls. He doesn't wake up, but I decide not to risk it. My daredevil days are over... | After documenting personal reflections, she returns to her hidden partition while recalling a mysterious, clandestine interview process involving several unidentified applicants at a secret government facility. |
'What are they doing in there? They never go in there. 'Considering implications, I suppose,' Trull said. 'And where's Shadowthrone? He's supposed to be here by now. If we get attacked right now... We're dead. Trull leaned more heavily on the spear, to ease the weight on his left leg, which was hurting more -- marginal... | As they await an absent leader, they fret over hesitant combatants whose dubious pacts with powerful entities suggest these underwhelming hostilities might be mere distractions before a significant struggle. |
There was urgency in the damane's voice, and uncertainty; she darted another wide-eyed glance at Taisa. It was clear that she wanted desperately to be believed. "Perhaps. . . . Perhaps the Amyrlin, or the Hall of the Tower. . . . No, they would not. Pura does not know, High Lady. "The man can channel," Suroth said curt... | Anxious servants discuss a male magic-user's immense strength, prompting her to question how certain authorities manage such a potent individual following recent chaotic events. |
There was a silence; then Rose spoke. “It’s all right, Mrs. Goodrich,” she called softly. “I’m sorry we disturbed you. We were just—just talking about something. “Some people like to sleep at night,” Mrs. Goodrich said. They heard her retreating back toward the staircase, her footsteps heavy as she plodded down. “I sup... | After a neighborly disturbance, a heated argument erupts between a couple, culminating in him departing abruptly while she remains motionless and distraught beside her shredded sleepwear. |
Just the man cutting the grass. "Nonsense, you can't---" Mrs. Tassenbaum began. "I know! Jake shouted at her. "I know, lady! Roland was looking at Jake with a frank and horrified sort of fascination...but in his current state, the boy either did not understand the look or missed it entirely. Why are you lying, Jake? th... | While he argues with her, he observes the youth's frantic anxiety, as she perceives an unsettling shift in melodic sounds during their tense confrontation. |
He thought perhaps that even before the Wave it would have been home to the poorer folk of Crockett. Many of the houses that still stood looked small and mean, especially on the western side of Cottonwood Street, where remnant forests covered the hills and fields. A good deal of refuse and rusted machinery lay where it... | As they navigated the gloom, he speculated if those bandits possessed regional insight regarding the dilapidated dwellings and discarded junk left behind after the catastrophe. |
Your king is trapped. Death in four. The prince stared at the playing board. "My dragon---" "---is too far away to save you. You should have moved her to the center of the battle. "But you said---" "I lied. Trust no one. And keep your dragon close. Young Griff jerked to his feet and kicked over the board. Cyvasse piece... | After he loses a tabletop match, the youth orders him to collect scattered gaming components just before certain travelers arrive with abundant food supplies. |
"What am I saying? That's the Void! No one escapes from it! "Except the night mares," Chex agreed, equally horrified. "My dam was here once, and had to be carried out by night mares. She had to pay a fee of half her soul for that! "And my dam---my mother too! Esk said. "And my father---they were left with no more than ... | Despite their profound dread concerning a perilous supernatural realm, they decide to proceed along a protected trail to locate a necessary magical seal. |
When I return from Terris, perhaps they will have realized what they lost. Tindwyl shook her head and stepped forward, speaking in a quiet voice. "Terris, Elend? You go north. For her. You know why she wants to go there, don't you? He paused. "Ah, so you do know," Tindwyl said. "What do you think of it, Elend? Don't te... | While one woman journeys toward northern peaks seeking celestial ascension, her devoted spouse offers unwavering faith in her convictions despite another skeptic's intense disapproval of such perceived insanity. |
Lila had a better grasp on the defenders' limitations than Oliver. He made a mental note to avoid joking. Better to keep communication formal until they developed a better understanding of the defenders' psychological makeup. In many ways they were dealing with another alien species, although hopefully they would prove... | While they assess hostile entities, he interrogates her regarding a former mentor to gain intelligence about those mysterious beings' hidden observational habits. |
Why not me? Elend paused, then sighed, pulling out a ten-boxing coin and setting it beside Spook's. The boy smiled, plucking both up in a smooth street-thief gesture. "Thanks for winning the bout, Vin," he said with a wink. Vin frowned at Elend. "You bet against me? Elend laughed, leaning across the railing to kiss her... | After he placed a wager against her, he playfully comforted her while a youth observed their affectionate embrace with a hidden sense of longing. |
And that therefore the hobbit was captive there, driven to look in the glass for his torment by Saruman. That dark mind will be filled now with the voice and face of the hobbit and with expectation: it may take some time before he learns his error. We must snatch that time. We have been too leisurely. We must move. The... | After they plan an urgent journey to escape a sinister wizard, a terrifying nocturnal creature suddenly glides overhead, casting a chilling darkness upon the frightened travelers. |
She drank, nodded appreciatively at the taste. 'Yeah. Be good to be caffeinated too, come to that. If Ward's going to shout at us, I want to be awake when he does it. I've been up since four this morning. 'Doing what? She shrugged. 'Ah, you know how it is. By which he knew she meant she had another job. And was therefo... | While sharing beverages, they bonded over their shared illicit livelihoods and his difficult upbringing within a drought-stricken American territory. |
He could then cut in two every face on every coin, howling that it made a difference, that a life wasn't empty if it was filled with detritus. He could scream and curse and see not a single friend---only enemies. Justifying every slice, every lash of blood. At the very least, he vowed, he'd be the last one standing. Sm... | Driven by a bitter sickness, he rejects companionship and impending alliances, convinced that every individual remains fundamentally isolated while anticipating upcoming treachery amidst her demands for allegiance. |
He was so still, he might have been a statue, a tall man in a well-fitting dark green coat, his shoulders broad enough to make his waist appear slender, with the leather cord of his hadori holding back his shoulder-length hair, black tinged with white at the temples. A hard-faced man, yet beautiful. In her eyes he was,... | An imposing male figure commands her stay while she reflects upon his intense aura and her own recent mystical exhaustion, despite her internal desire to assist others during this tense encounter. |
Shadea a'Ru was sweating heavily, the tunic beneath her Druid robes drenched. Something had happened in the Ard Rhys' bed chamber, something that was the result of what Shadea had done --- of that much, she was certain. But she could not know the particulars right away --- not until morning, perhaps. No matter how desp... | After retreating from a mysterious incident within a private sleeping area, she later observes that their high priest has vanished while waiting for another person during an early meal. |
"We have told you what you came to learn---that we know nothing of the scrapings of those colleagues of yours. If your profession is the extension of charity, you have performed your mission. You've benefited Princess Nastoya mightily. There is no reason to linger, and danger to you if you do. "We're told you are hospi... | After they received information, he brusquely dismissed her group, offering them meager provisions and a guide while suggesting their immediate departure to avoid potential peril. |
At that moment Chris found himself possessed of a powerful desire to be Troy Morris, walking out of the Falkland into an entirely simpler and, to judge by the black man's laughter, more joyous existence. He slumped into the chair opposite Bryant. 'I,' he pronounced carefully, 'have drunk far too much. 'Well, it's Frida... | Craving a carefree life, he sits across from his colleague, who offers some narcotics, yet he refuses the substance despite their intense conversation regarding his new professional role. |
And if I failed . . . if I failed, Ptolemy Solon would be placed in a very difficult situation, forced to explain my actions to an angry Carthage. But me, I'd just be blind and tongueless. Not a pleasant thought. Thirty The next day, I received official word from Sidonie de la Courcel, Dauphine of Terre d'Ange and prin... | After contemplating potential consequences, he prepares for an upcoming meeting with her by cleaning gaming equipment and inquiring about her disloyal guards through his companions. |
Even the lowering clouds couldn't dampen the crowd's sprits. When the cart---it's shaped like a lantern---was pushed out of Palazzo Morello over the cobblestones, I remember worrying it would tumble. Across the river, the Baptistery bell rang. Quintus Morello was waiting on the steps of the Palazzo della Signoria---of ... | During a festive parade, various pyrotechnics erupted above a grand building, causing several onlookers to weep while he hoisted her upwards to witness those dazzling, noisy displays. |
I came to the stone circle, walking by night, when the harvest moon sank low in the sky and the breath of the fourth winter grew cold on the eve of the Day of the Dead. There, wrapped in my cloak and shivering through the night, I kept the vigil, fasting; snow was drifting out of the sky when I rose and turned my steps... | After performing a nocturnal ritual amidst monoliths, a solitary traveler discovered mysterious pebbles before returning home to fabricate a falsehood regarding their nighttime refuge from freezing precipitation. |
But Cego had left the Strangler behind after he'd seen Murray give his life. Cego had made the decision to return home to protect those he loved. He felt his breath catch and the strength in his arms went out. He stumbled backward, away from Sam, his eyes wide, fully realizing what he'd been doing. How can I be capable... | After witnessing his comrade perish, he flees a chilling encounter with a youth, seeking refuge from intense guilt while others complain regarding his unique transportation privileges. |
The Tin Woodman began to use his axe at once, and, just as the two Kalidahs were nearly across, the tree fell with a crash into the gulf, carrying the ugly, snarling brutes with it, and both were dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom. "Well," said the Cowardly Lion, drawing a long breath of relief, "I see w... | After he felled dangerous beasts via a plummeting trunk, they proceeded rapidly through the woods until reaching a wide, rushing stream. |
The red light of Mars grew ugly as she fell towards it, as it filled the sky; it darkened to a bloody, baleful purple. Wasn't that what everyone said it was: a dead world, a ruined world, a wasteland? The thought of what that might mean---not mere words in a magazine, read in a comfortable library in London, not just a... | Terrified by the approaching crimson planet, she glides past eerie satellites before descending through pale mists to witness multicolored terrain and immense geological depressions. |
Io asked, "What do you mean, you heard? I could see she was afraid of Pasicrates, yet she spoke up bravely. "You were there. I was there, too, and I remember you. "I was ill," he told her. "My wound had brought a fever. Themistocles said, "It was not you, then, who ordered the Rope Makers home. Or was it? Pasicrates sh... | During their dinner, they discussed previous events before she accompanied him toward a marshy shoreline, where she carried a blade while they observed various creatures amidst tall greenery. |
They were even harder to see into than usual (the steam from Kazuki's shower), but Aurelie could still hear Kazuki moving inside and even see his blurry silhouette. Her mouth went dry. Think of him as a patient. As a child. Nope, she remembered the bold way his hand had painted the side of her body, the way he had sque... | While observing his faint shadow through misty vapor, she struggles against intense physical longing for the younger man, reflecting upon how her previous youthful innocence might have altered her current overwhelming desire. |
In one of those rooms, marked by the appropriate hangings---grey-blue and black---lay the body of Sandre d'Astibar, coins over his eyes to pay the nameless doorman at the last portal of Morian, food in his hands and shoes on his feet, for no one living could know how long that final journey to the goddess was. He would... | After his demise, the deceased awaits funeral ceremonies where diverse elites and commoners gather to offer tributes while mourning musicians perform solemn melodies within the palace grounds. |
She supposed his thoughts were being stirred more than his dinner. "You know," he said, "one of the things I heard people say, back in Anderith, was that since Darken Rahl was his father, Richard Rahl was evil, too. They said that since his father had done wrong, Richard Rahl might sometimes do good, but he could never... | He expresses intense indignation regarding unfair biases which blame his offspring for his predecessor's wicked deeds, while she validates his perspective through her own personal experiences. |
There had been traffic with things from the sea - it was horrible . . . And old Ephraim - he had known the secret, and when he grew old did a hideous thing to keep alive - he wanted to live forever - Asenath would succeed - one successful demonstration had taken place already. As Derby muttered on I turned to look at h... | While he appeared physically revitalized by her dark sorcery, the male acquaintance rambled incoherently regarding oceanic pacts and an ancestor's sinister quest for immortality. |
Long before Sergeant Parks has come up with any kind of a counter-attack, the fences are down. It's not that it happens fast; it's just remorseless. The hungries that Gallagher clocked in the trees on the eastern perimeter suddenly come out of there at a flat run. They're not hunting anything, they're just running -- a... | After barriers fail, he directs his troops to shoot at the lower limbs of a massive, decaying swarm charging toward their position. |
'If it is a question of immediacy, then it must be Brother Diligence. His tone dripped venom, and she understood that as well -- all the reasons, all the emotions raging back and forth in this man. Setoc nodded, and then straightened from her crouch. She arched her back, stretched out her limbs. 'Immediacy, it's such a... | After she challenges his perceptions regarding approaching threats, the female orator provokes him into contemplating various potential combatants while he surveys the distant battlefield. |
And every midnight, before I slept, I went out into the icy dark and looked upwards for the stars. But there was only the blank pall of the mist. Then on the third night, the wind came. A small wind from the west, that crept across the battlements and in under the doors and set the flames fluttering blue round the birc... | During a freezing nocturnal hour, she emerged from her chambers bearing a weeping female's infant, entrusting the tiny newborn to an observant stranger's protection. |
She handed the sweater to Janet, and whispered something in her ear. The two girls giggled, and Balsam wondered what had been said. Sister Elizabeth, he realized, would have found out immediately, probably with an intimidating look. Balsam had neither the assurance nor the technique to make such a ploy work, so he simp... | After some youngsters shared a secret, several classmates entered the classroom, where a disheveled male student clumsily occupied a reserved spot, causing his partner to scowl at him. |
Listen, pass word along -- repack the crates, use all that extra padding. He straightened, arched out the ache in his lower back, and then looked round. Enormous holes in the earth, huge craters steaming, heaps of shattered bodies, dust and dirt and blood still raining down through the choking smoke. He sighed. 'Looks ... | After concluding their violent destruction, he and his subordinate realize that they are suddenly surrounded by unexpected enemy forces within the devastated landscape. |
The dataspheres here are too small to contain me even in reduced form... except for the FORCE ship AIs, and I don't think I'd like it there. I never took orders well. "And there's nowhere else?" asked Brawne. "The metasphere," he said, glancing behind him. "But it's full of lions and tigers and bears. And I'm not ready... | After discussing digital realms and her unborn child, she departed from her weary companions at dawn to begin a fresh journey alone. |
We fought, I won. Stabbed it with my utility knife. "Jesus, Dickie, what are you trying to do? You can't just go around killing people! "I didn't kill any people. I killed one of the Sholen. You know, the ones who killed Isabel. The anger was back in his voice. "Yeah, yeah. We're enemies. I know. But still. Are you sur... | After he murdered an adversary using a blade, he explained to his companion how such vengeance would trigger chaotic instability among the grieving alien faction's remaining members. |
A hint of the truth, or the echo of some lost possibility, fading amongst the water-veiled trees? She smiled inwardly, knowing that Segrana had a liking for convoluted mystery. 'Well, if any of their descendants show up here,' Theo was saying, 'we can start a club! She laughed out loud at that, thinking, Aye, wouldn't ... | While they conversed within a cramped, metallic vessel, he sensed that advanced energy barriers were potentially monitoring both individuals, though his robotic companion remained stubbornly silent regarding such suspicious scanning activities. |
There would be a new testing after Renna and Seta were discovered, a new testing to find the marath'damane who somehow had evaded the first. The Empire itself might tremble before such a blow. And with the image of Renna and Seta burned into her brain, she had known with total certainty that after those tests, Bethamin... | Haunted by guilt regarding a hidden identity, she fled during a violent siege, eventually pausing before a boutique while contemplating her former life and certain transformation. |
'You see, Olaf, the gods have uses even for you,' Asgot said, which had Olaf muttering into his beard as the godi turned his back on them all and trudged on. Perhaps it was because no one wanted to turn and go back alone or be the first to say they wanted to, or maybe they were too far on the hook of whatever Asgot and... | After trekking through swampy terrain amidst biting insects, they trailed their leader toward a mysterious, shadowy structure hidden within thick mists, seeking its subterranean liquid source. |
She would not falter, she would not fail. If the potion was good, her goal would be achieved and the waiting would end. If it failed, she hoped only to escape long enough to return to Sen Dunsidan and cut out his heart. Grianne Ohmsford put aside her notes and writings, her records of past meetings with the Prime Minis... | Determined to succeed, she prepared for rest after completing her research, while her companion provided sustenance to their traveling companion following traditional customs. |
Dunstan paused in front of a stall covered with tiny crystal ornaments; he examined the miniature animals, pondering getting one for Daisy Hempstock. He picked up a crystal cat, no bigger than his thumb. Sagely it blinked at him, and he dropped it, shocked; it righted itself in midair and, like a real cat, fell on its ... | After witnessing a magical glass feline animate, he traversed a crowded bazaar where locals avoided mystical refreshments provided by outsiders due to ancestral prohibitions. |
I asked them what he was hunting for and he said that I should know full well what they were planning to hunt. He asked me if I wanted to come along. I told him that my religion forbade the taking of intelligent life, and I asked him to reconsider what he was doing, because he was going against your wishes, and plannin... | After he rebuffed her moral protests regarding their lethal expedition, she and her companion pursued the careless hunters through the thicket to locate their path. |
Startled, Rita stood, giving him room to grab the sheets covering him and throw them back. From his chest down, he was encased in white. Well, not entirely. "What the hell is this? "A very nice hard-on," Rita said with a grin, "and I am very glad to see it. "Thank you very much, woman, but what is the rest of this? "A ... | While he recovers within medical restraints, the wounded warrior expresses profound grief regarding his recent defeat and the devastating loss of his comrades. |
Low buildings of native stone and wood rested among ten-meter thick tree trunks. They were connected by unobtrusive stone paths, with one wide promenade meandering off to the beach. Sunlight filtered down in patches, and the air held a mixture of forest sweetness and salt tang. I later learned that the city sprawled ou... | Following their arrival at a protected jungle settlement, the injured travelers enter a massive medical facility where he reflects upon his lengthy existence during the year 2189. |
Rachel pretended Sara answered that it did, and tucked a little more grass around her doll to be doubly sure she was warm enough. She nestled the loaf of bread with the cloth tied around it next to Sara. "You'll be warm for now. I have to go get some wood before it's too dark, and then we'll have a fire. Then we can bo... | After sheltering her companion, she gathered fuel under twilight skies, periodically verifying her ignition tool while observing a massive winged creature gliding above the distant forest. |
They breed them for pleasure, for the curves of their breasts and hips, for the tautness of their stomachs and the plump folds of their lips. Yet she is a girl and her spark has not yet gone out. I remember the last time I failed to protect one like her. And me? It's hard to look at myself in the mirror. I'm what I kno... | A guilt-ridden, transformed male reflects upon his monstrous physical metamorphosis while observing the fearful maiden who adorns his shimmering, celestial markings. |
“I got something wants to meet you. As his hand came close to her, Judith spun around, slipping her bag off her shoulder and swinging it hard. She completed the turn, and the bag slammed into the boy’s head, the weight of the ten rolls of quarters she always carried in its depths lending it enough force to knock the te... | After striking a male assailant with her heavy satchel, she fled through hallways while being chased by those youths toward an empty vehicle area. |
One o' them will plant his axe right between those little pig eyes. The last thing you'll hear will be the thunk it makes when it bites into your skull. The fat boy was shaking. Dolorous Edd put a hand on his shoulder. "Brother," he said solemnly, "just because it happened that way for you doesn't mean Samwell will suf... | After some men exchange grim jests regarding a fatal injury, one irritable fellow leads his hounds up a sharp incline to provide a status update. |
But he could see the flowing shapes now, the ethereal forms surrounding her. Wolves. She comes in a sea of wolves. But they were not real. Not living. Not breathing. These beasts were long dead. They bore wounds. Stains in the fur, gashes in the hide. The glow from their eyes was otherworldly, like holes burned through... | Paralyzed by dread, he perceives spectral predators dwelling inside her, realizing she embodies divine wrathful entities before she mentally assaults his very soul. |
"Yes, that could be quite useful. Dor relaxed. For a moment he had thought--but of course she had been talking about the salve. Soon Irene had him stripped. "Your skin's abraded all over!" she scolded. "It's a wonder you didn't faint down there! "Guess I'll do it now," Dor said, and did. Dor woke fairly well refreshed.... | After being treated for injuries, he awoke feeling rejuvenated while resting upon her lap, noticing she had fashioned fresh garments for him from local vegetation. |
Not proper beds, but after having slept for so long on the frozen ground, a soft pallet out of the wind and the snow seemed like paradise. Cilarnen chose the one nearest the window, rolled himself up in a couple of blankets, and was instantly asleep. He awoke to the sunlight streaming through the slats of the shuttered... | After waking up in a cozy lodging, he discovered that his traveling companion had departed early to deliver urgent information, leaving behind his tidy garments while a local lady remained unconcerned about the sudden absence. |
Linh reached out, to touch the ghostly hands, but the message was finished, and Giap had blinked out of existence. "Giap!" she called, knowing it was too late already. The rest of the message streamed by her. Under the seal of Lord Soi was the order for Giap's execution, and for the execution of other names she'd known... | After witnessing a sudden death sentence for her former companions via a mystical transmission, she desperately pleads with a divine spirit while struggling with intense emotional distress. |
Once, she thought, it had been so little and tender that she could enfold it within her own, like a curled rosebud, and now her own hand was quite lost within his. "The Goddess knows, she was more mother to you than ever I was. "Aye, I should have known that you would understand that," said Balan. "Morgaine said as muc... | A woman reflects on maternal bonds while discussing her son's recent encounters regarding several departed relatives and inquiring about his sibling's current location. |
Ebron snapped, dragging out a chair. 'Yes, well, one must make do. I recommend these things---they're like Seven Cities tapu, though not as spicy. 'What's the meat? Bottle asked, sitting down. 'Something called orthen. A delicacy, I'm told. Delicious. 'Well, we might as well eat and drink,' said Ebron, 'while we discus... | While consuming strange provisions, they debated a past catastrophe, eventually concluding that a legendary figure caused the massive devastation during their previous siege. |
Never mine, I pray. Tyrion kicked at Pretty's haunches to speed her to a charge as the sailors urged him on with hoots and shouts. Whether they were shouting encouragement or mocking him he could not have said for certain, though he had a fair notion. Why did I ever allow myself to be talked into this farce? He knew th... | While trapped amidst stagnant seas, he faces hostility from disgruntled mariners who blame his small stature for their misfortune and suggest inappropriate ways to alter their fate. |
He walked directly into the center of the Hall, his Warder guards remaining outside. He stopped in the center of the Flame on the floor, surrounded by Sitters in their seats. "Egwene," Rand said, voice echoing in the chamber. He nodded to her, as if in respect. "You have done your part, I see. The Amyrlin's stole fits ... | Upon entering the grand chamber, he acknowledges her newfound leadership, while she observes his profound transformation following his recent intense struggles and devastating personal trials. |
There are several more people crouching or sitting at the bottom of the stairwell, and he'll never get past them to find his date... His date? ...He'll never get past them crawling, especially crawling down stairs. He has a faint recollection that he tried crawling down some stairs in the recent past, but remembers onl... | Navigating a crowded stairway, he struggles to reach his companion while nearby individuals engage in a lighthearted debate regarding television advertisements and peculiar hairstyles. |
His face was expressionless, but the sweat had now soaked through his shirt. His penis was painfully hard and he felt the excruciating yet somehow pleasant need to urinate. He pulled Trixy out of the tub. Her head lolled comically between her shoulder blades. He dunked her once more, absentmindedly, the way an old bidd... | While he experienced intense physiological urges, the perpetrator contemplated sparing his victim after recalling an anecdote regarding a local eccentric's peculiar lack of awareness. |
Heart attacks. Simultaneous heart attacks. "Sorcery," said Fisher. Lacey inclined his head in agreement but said nothing. "So," said Rowan, "we have a sorcerer and a sorceress on the Street of Gods, asking questions about the Beings. Questions the Beings don't want to answer. Perhaps that's why the Beings died; because... | They ponder whether magical forces caused several fatalities, while she explains that these entities feel immense dread regarding the mysterious deaths occurring within their realm. |
By contrast other civilizations seem "speechless" or at least, as may have been the case in Egypt, not entirely cognizant of the creative and transformational powers of language. Lagos believed that Sumerian was an extraordinarily powerful language---at least it was in Sumer five thousand years ago. "A language that le... | He posits that ancient Mesopotamian dialects possessed mystical qualities, contrasting them with an idealized primordial speech which allowed for perfect comprehension and divine creation before humanity's eventual linguistic fragmentation. |
She told me that, did Mallenroh. I remember... that much, at least. He was silent then, thinking back on what had been. Even after all these years, the memory of her was as clear as the faces of those who sat about him. Mallenroh! Strange, he thought, that he should remember her so well. The young man was speaking quie... | An elderly traveler warns a determined healer against entering dangerous territories, yet the brave elf insists on pursuing a quest to deliver deserved compensation to his companion. |
Only when the noise of the car had faded did she sink back down to the bed. Shakily she reached for a cigarette and lit it. The smoke, sucked deeply into her lungs, seemed to calm her. She finished her cigarette and lay down on the bed, turning off the light. She lay still for a long time, keeping her breathing even an... | After attempting rest following a loud commute, she wandered into the kitchen for nourishment, only to discover an entrance left ajar during the night. |
The hookblades snapped back into fighting position and Cafal made to advance on him, but Bakal raised his hand. 'I will help you, but not tonight---she fell unconscious---two dozen men, maybe more, had used her. Any more and she would die and they won't let that happen. The women have her, Cafal. They will tend to her,... | While one warrior restrains his companion, a traumatized priest foretells divine retribution for those who desecrated a victim, predicting that celestial entities shall soon punish the guilty with immense wrath. |
Frink, taken by surprise, stammered, "What doing? "Jewelry. "Aw, for Christ's sake! "Custom, original pieces, not commercial. McCarthy beckoned him over to a corner of the shop, away from the noise. "For about two thousand bucks you could set up a little basement or garage shop. One time I drew up designs for women's e... | One individual suggests that his acquaintance begin crafting unique adornments, encouraging him to target upscale boutiques despite his hesitation regarding whether any local clientele would purchase such modern trinkets. |
IMAGES CASCADE IN roiling, fractal turbulence, unpredictable, incomprehensible, inconceivable: dual views, inside and outside, feeling and watching together, vomit splattering over bare ankles, too near spike-heeled sandals, gut-pain and the heart-pain of inflicting pain, a burning man-shape outside on a darkened porti... | Chaotic visions coalesce into a coherent stream of memories, revealing that they experienced grueling manual labor while serving as sailors upon a massive waterway vessel. |
But I warn you, I intend to befriend you so thoroughly that you will change your mind. And I do think you need to hear things, you need to talk about them, as I do---and I can't leave into the wilderness until I have your solemn promise of---" "Enough!" said Sarima. "Call the porter from the gatehouse and have him brin... | After she abruptly ends his attempt at friendship, she guides him toward some lodging, where the mystical chamber provides a cozy refuge from the freezing surroundings. |
It was a hard one, but in the last three years or so he had lain on harder. He struggled his eyes open with great effort. They seemed gummed shut and the right one, the one that had been hit by the runaway moon, would only come to half-mast. He was looking at a cracked gray cement ceiling. Pipes wrapped in insulation z... | Awakening in agony, he observes a grim, dilapidated cell featuring messy graffiti and crude sketches alongside various metal links and crawling insects. |
She looked everywhere in the world but at him. Because of this, she didn't see the stricken, helpless look on his face. "How can I find out if she loves me? Jax asked. "You could try listening," the old man said, almost shyly. "It works wonders, you know. I could teach you how. "How long would that take? "A couple year... | An elderly gentleman advises a desperate man that genuine connection requires patient perception rather than forceful pursuit, suggesting he must discover personal merits capable of attracting his celestial beloved. |
It was stamped TOP SECRET, though the TOP had been crossed out and the modification endorsed by three signatures, all completely illegible. Obviously an extract from some much longer report, it had been heavily censored and was full of blanks, which made it most annoying to read. Fortunately, its conclusions could be s... | After inspecting redacted intelligence regarding Soviet intentions toward a specific vessel, he examined further private correspondence detailing peculiar celestial movements and mathematical proofs concerning a future mission. |
But we need another day. 'There are but seven of you,' Ruthan said. 'In this desert, that is not enough. 'We shall succeed in this, Elder. Ruthan cocked his head. 'If you say so. 'I do. Now, please inform your soldiers. One more march. 'To reach salvation,' said the Adjunct. 'Yes. 'Very well, Nom Kala. The T'lan Imass ... | After negotiating an additional trek through the arid wasteland, a leader discusses morale with her comrade, who intends to motivate his weary infantry through various tales. |
Beldin replied with heavy sarcasm. "I'm so glad you told me. Would the two of you shut up and let me get my breath? "But how is it that she collapsed and you didn't? Ce'Nedra protested. "I'm stronger than she is," Beldin replied, "and more vicious. Pol throws her whole heart into things when she gets excited. She alway... | After he mockingly explained her exhaustion, the fierce shapeshifter flew above the combat zone, leaving her and the youth to watch over the fainting woman. |
"No, no," said Dr Greysteel in his most placating tone -- the one he employed for his most difficult patients. "I assure you I was going to say nothing of the kind. I only wish to know if you are in pain? Or ill? I thought last night that you were. Perhaps I can advise . . . He stopped. He smelt something. It was quite... | After detecting a peculiar odor, a physician becomes chilled when a frantic man claims his spouse survived despite reports of her burial, then aggressively brandishes a small vial. |
Then, with a touch of the rein and a shift of his weight, he wheeled his horse. With a toss of her head, Malta asked for a free head. He gave it to her, and she sprang forwards eagerly into a canter. Her silky tail floated on the wind of her passage like a pennant. I watched him go, and even when he was out of sight, I... | After he departed upon his steed, she discovered a mysterious sigil left behind, causing her profound melancholy throughout the tedious, unending period of solitary labor. |
'Enough,' Brood cut in. 'It seems, then, that this meeting must be adjourned. We can reconvene when all the relevant commanders are present. The warlord turned to Rake. 'How fares Moon's Spawn? The Tiste Andii Lord shrugged. 'We will rendezvous at Coral as planned. It might be worth noting that the Seer has been under ... | After they end their gathering, he informs them that a powerful female undead being forced a mystic to flee toward their rendezvous point amidst frozen mystical storms. |
Well I could hardly tell---" "I suspected that, in her deranged condition, she might return to that critical moment. The dying often try to make sense, at the last possible moment, of the puzzles of their lives. Useless effort, of course. No doubt Ama Clutch was puzzled by what she came across, the Goat's body, the blo... | While she recounted a tragic mishap involving a deceased scholar, she suggested that his visitor stumbled upon the bloody scene after his assistant discovered the corpse. |
She reached up, felt at the rough cloth covering her eyes, pulled one edge down, just enough to uncover one eye. 'That can't be right. Go find some more. 'We will,' Brethless promised. 'Soon as you get up. Someone's been through the squads, doing counts. We don't like it. Makes us nervous. 'Why? The lone eye blinked. '... | After regaining consciousness within a filthy trench, she engages in grim dialogue with a subordinate regarding vanished comrades and treats before realizing her current, unpleasant location. |
A glint of anger came into her eyes. 'I understand you're leaving me alone in this! 'No. That's not it. We have to make them believe that they've scared you, that you're obeying them. Then you'll be safe. They'll have no reason to come after you again. 'They have scared me, you idiot!' she hissed at me. 'One thing I kn... | An angry woman rejects his suggestion to feign submission, insisting they confront their oppressors immediately because yielding to threats only invites further cruelty from those seeking control. |
And one day while he was swinging idly in the tire that hung from the sickly maple behind their scraggy little house in Marathon, Pennsylvania, he had suddenly sat bolt upright, thinking of that rabbit. He hadn't thought of his rabbit in . . . well, in better than two weeks. It had just completely slipped his mind. He ... | While relaxing outside, he suddenly recalled his deceased pet, discovering its decaying remains within a small outbuilding before another person interred the creature inside a pit. |
Crippling the man was a nice touch, Annon thought. Waves of heat from the flames pressed against their backs as they quickly left the scene of the ambush. The plumes of smoke would be seen as far away as Havenrook, in all likelihood. And it would halt traffic on the road until they were quenched. He did not care. After... | After their assault, he defends his decision to ignite the greenery to one angry companion, explaining how such blazing heat facilitates natural regrowth through seed dispersal. |
In places the ceiling rose, too, to become lost in misty darkness above. There were other boats in the water and lights below the surface. Toby put a hand on his chest. "What did you mean earlier about me going into stasis? And what was that? The purring sound, me falling asleep like that...? Jaysir stared at him and l... | After experiencing an artificial slumber, he questions his companions about their technological devices while a small creature prevents his accidental drowning within the vast, dark sea. |
Warvia asked again, "Why tell me? "When you know what is happening, it can't frighten you. Of course there are exceptions, but the sky sled isn't one. It flies in a kind of invisible groove, a pattern of magnetic fields. It cannot lose its way. "Pattern of ...? "I will teach you about magnets and gravity and inertia. I... | She attempts to alleviate their anxiety by explaining celestial mechanics and magnetism, promising lessons during luminous periods to dispel their growing dread regarding local phenomena. |
Anne went on firmly, "You're not fooling anyone but yourself; Jubal. Dorcas and Larry and I all know that Mike can take care of himself. and you ought to know it. But because you've been so frenetic about it-" "'Frenetic! Me? "-Larry very quietly set up the stereo tank in his room and some one of us three had been catc... | She confronts him regarding his frantic anxieties about a famous individual, while they collectively monitor media updates and suggest requesting an old associate's return. |
Someday I will take you to Budapest and show you around. Very, very different. "First we have to get the eff out of here," Yuxia pointed out. "I got some local money," Csongor said. "Enough to buy this. He nodded at the food, whose aroma, by now, had drawn Marlon out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his wais... | After discussing their meager funds and upcoming departures, they debate whether he should contact his ailing parent, though he prefers keeping his current circumstances secret from her. |
Roger went into the house and took the pitcher to the sink to refill while he grabbed a tray stand. When he returned. the tech stood staring at the cars. "Beautiful, aren't they, sir?" he asked, setting the stand up by the door and placing the tray on it. "Incredible. Blast from the past. "Indeed, sir. The tech shook h... | While he observed the skilled repairman installing wiring throughout his automobile storage area, he noted the professional's rapid, proficient work and efficient methods. |
He would not ask where, he would not even wonder. So many years I had spent as a child sifting his bright features for his thoughts, trying to glimpse among them one that bore my name. But he was a harp with only one string, and the note it played was himself. "You have always been the worst of my children," he said. "... | After rejecting his cold sire, the defiant offspring departs toward her residence, contemplating a lethal weapon while she encounters her ladymaid nearby. |
Then return in glory, and revel in the groveling you will get. "If not to hurt Odysseus, why seek my son's death? "That knowledge is not for you. I have seen what will come and I tell you that this infant cannot live. If he does, you will be sorry for it all the rest of your days. You are tender to the child and I do n... | She persuades the grieving parent to surrender her newborn to avoid future agony, promising divine blessings in exchange for sacrificing the babe to prevent impending tragedy. |
She died at almost the same instant I saw her. Verity looked down at his hands. "I knew that. Knew it better than you did. My concern was for you. He looked up at me and tried for a smile. "The most distinctive part of your fighting style is the incredible way you have of surviving it. From the corner of my eye, I saw ... | While he mourns a loss, he feels intense anxiety because a guard remains silent regarding his mysterious combat feats against strange creatures. |
Fez got up off his knee and stood firm, his arms were crossed as he pondered how to proceed, the mission was to save Sean, an important ambassador and friend, but if they have the chance to provide the Ioution fleet with valuable intel, it was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. "Alright, let's do it," Fez said, nodd... | After deciding to prioritize gathering intelligence, he and his subordinates entered a strange vessel, but dark shapes suddenly approached them from the gloom during their initial exploration. |
They would need to cross the creek now and head directly west. Chin hated to leave the creek behind. He could lose his bearings so easily in the woods. The woman shouldered past him and slid down the lake bank. The trees on the bank grew at a slant. Chin saw a stain on the back of her black skirt that might have been b... | As they trek toward western lands, she pauses briefly for a drink while he worries about their urgent journey and her mysterious crimson garment markings. |
He added the last in a whisper. "You have grown, and gathered color," I agreed softly. "That is a part of it. A smile twitched over his face, then faded. "I think I am almost an adult now. I snorted softly. "I have counted you as a man for many years, Fool. I think you found your manhood before I did mine. "Did I? How ... | Following an intimate conversation regarding maturity, one individual rests while his companion wakes feeling uneasy, subsequently preparing for an early excursion into the freezing night. |
When they called to him he would go out and surrender, it was his decision. But they didn't call. Neville lurched back with a gasp as the ax blade bit deeply into the front door. He stood trembling in the dark living room. What were they doing? Why didn't they call on him to surrender? He wasn't a vampire, he was a man... | Terrified by unexpected violence, he realizes those assailants intend to kill rather than apprehend him, so the trembling mortal quickly grabs weapons for defense. |
Public house. It’s a gathering place. “Somewhere comfortable,” I go on, “where the music’s not too loud and the food is good. The atmosphere feels like you’re in a book. A fireplace and wood everywhere—the furniture, the bar, the walls. I gaze around the living room, her body warm under my fingers. She’s soft. More so ... | While embracing her, the narrator describes an ideal tavern where he could belong, eventually confessing a hidden desire to escape his current life and the man struggling for family unity. |
Cliff studied the stern stonework that soared over a hundred meters above them. A single creature, something he would have bet plenty could never evolve: smart rock. On a hot dry world, there must have been some sort of competition. Among rocks? He could not grasp how they contended. Against weathering? To gain mass an... | While observing sentient minerals, he pondered geological progression as his companion chanted rhythmic melodies regarding their ancient developmental history on a parched globe. |
I could tell from Kettricken's voice that she had never even considered it, that such a conquering ran counter to all her Mountain ways. But in the back of the room, the Duke of Shoaks was grinning broadly. This was a war he would relish, a meal of vengeance long in the simmering for him. He overstepped himself, perhap... | While one male leader eagerly proposes expanding an upcoming struggle, his female sovereign firmly rejects his greedy suggestions, maintaining her people's peaceful traditions despite his provocative attempts at inciting further bloodshed. |
They will never take Jason from me. I have my powers, and I will use them. Every time she said his name, a fierce eagle love flashed in her eyes. She had him in her grip and would clench him till he died. "And if you try to keep me," she said, "I will fight you too. She would, I thought. Though I was a god, and she a m... | After a fierce deity relinquished his hold, the courageous woman escaped alongside her beloved, departing via vessel into nightfall without glancing toward the watching divine observer. |
If anything would underline the deadly seriousness of this business, the appearance of the Manni would do it. The Gathering Hall door opened and one more man slipped inside. He wore a long black coat. There was a scar on his forehead. None of the men, including Tian, noticed. They were watching the Manni. "Hear what th... | After a grim visitor arrives, his cult leader proposes murdering infants to emulate ancient scriptures, provoking furious disbelief from a defiant resident during their intense meeting. |
From behind came a brief whisper of steel on leather as the Guards drew their weapons and started after him. Hawk gritted his teeth and plunged into the darkness. There was a sharp moment of intense heat, and then he burst through into Morgan's factory. His first sight of the place was almost enough to stop him in his ... | After escaping pursuing sentries, he entered an impossible industrial space featuring warped gravity and shifting surfaces, where he must quickly defend himself against multiple approaching combatants. |
"I have to attend the Anniversary Ball," he explained, though of course she already knew that. "It would be an insult to the Queen if I attended sloppily dressed. "Dolt!" she screamed from her hideaway. "You're attending in costume! No one will see your stinking shoes! Oops, that was right. He had made his trip for not... | While his spouse rages about being left behind, he attempts to invite her to a royal celebration where magical disguises conceal every guest's true appearance. |
I grabbed the big man's ankles and jerked. He went down on his back with a crash that sent a decade's worth of dust rising from the floorboards. I clambered up over his legs, kneeing him in the groin as I climbed, and grabbed his wrist with the intention of forcing the gun out of his hands. He had a firm grip on the st... | After a violent struggle ends in his discharge of a firearm, the narrator alerts certain authorities who promptly arrive via a dark transport vehicle. |
I'm probably a wanted man by now; aiding and abetting a wanted killer and fugitive. And my life's work has gone to shit. It's all been solved, hasn't it? Human cultures are an artifact of parasitic neuromodulators; we have no free will, there's no real cultural evolution that isn't ultimately exogenous, no relevance pe... | Feeling nihilistic about cosmic determinism, he contemplates self-destruction while she discusses why certain creatures spared her existence during her recent forced displacement. |
End of preview. Expand in Data Studio
YAML Metadata Warning:empty or missing yaml metadata in repo card
Check out the documentation for more information.
high quality anchor/positive pairs from assorted fiction. max anchor length = ~222 tokens
the positive column is only allowed to repeat a non-stop word once or twice (don't remember which), which was enforced in code.
- Downloads last month
- 129