Lightning, Loyalty, and Learning to Fall

Keywords: fantasy, dark fantasy, self-published author, training academy, magic, writing process, worldbuilding

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while writing this book, it’s that training chapters can be deceptively hard to get right. They can’t just be filler. They need to do something—reveal character, build tension, drop world lore like breadcrumbs… or, in the case of Chapter 26, they need to throw someone across the sand in a burst of lightning.

Welcome to Samuel.

This chapter introduces Nissa’s new sparring partner—Samuel, a Zhakari First who has absolutely no time for her nonsense. Cold, blunt, and clearly carrying a lot of resentment, he’s not the warmest trainer. But hey, Tavarin isn’t exactly Hogwarts.

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. There’s a brutal honesty in it, and Samuel’s disdain brings a new dynamic that contrasts Ryn’s tough-love mentorship. This isn’t just about learning to fight—it’s about surviving in a place that chews people up. Nissa is slowly learning that strength isn’t just about power. It’s about control, instinct, and deciding who you are when people try to define you without ever knowing your story.

But let’s talk about that moment. Nissa’s mark reveals itself in a very dramatic way, crackling with lightning as Samuel physically grabs her and pushes her too far. That spark (literally) ties the two of them together in a fascinating way—and yes, that shared lightning mark is going to mean something.

Is this a magical connection? A quirk of fate? Or is Tavarin playing a deeper game?

I know the answer, but I’m not telling yet.

Writing a dark fantasy academy setting like this is often a balancing act. You need action, tension, emotion, and character growth—ideally all in the same chapter. And as a self-published author doing everything from plot arcs to cover design to promo (and, yes, these blog posts), it’s satisfying when all the pieces fall together just right.

Thanks for reading along—whether now or in the future when this book finally makes its way into the world. Until then, I’ll be over here, tweaking training sequences and trying to keep Nissa alive for one more chapter.

See you in the next one.

—David