Jet walked in his discontentment. The problem hadn’t been whether or not the questions would be answered. Jet knew they would in due time. The real question was, would he like those answers soon to be given?
******
To Be Continued…
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About the Author:
Joshua K. H. Murray was born in Gainesville, Georgia and moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina after two years. He began to earnestly write at a surprisingly young age, beginning his seven novel series career at the age of twelve and was nominated top 50 for his online poem, "The Lamb and the Land" at the age of fifteen.
Joshua's “Anointed” saga was supposed to be a graphic novel but when he attempted to draw, he was later on diagnosed with a condition that caused his fine motor skills to be lacking. Dedicated in having his world seen, he tried writing it as literature. While this was a halfhearted attempt at the start, people began reading pieces of his work and demanding more of it. This was the moment when he grew the conviction to become a writer.
Joshua spends most of his free time writing, “Anointed” and reading books that pertain to supernatural aspects. He also likes to play video games and watch anime when he's not working on his novel. He currently works part-time with his father, tending to patients as a Chiropractic Assistant. His love of the arts, both writing and acting, has entertained many who crossed paths with him.
So many people to thank!
Might as well get started on that. This book wouldn’t have been without them.
Without question, credit goes to my God: You have always been there for me since the very beginning. You are a strong foundation that’s never faltered holding me up when life got difficult. You’ve brought me from the darkest stretches and lead me to a hope I can’t even begin to fathom. Above all else, I give You the glory in guiding me to this path.
To my family: Mom, you’ve always been there for emotional support and inspiration regarding my work. Your encouragement has always invoked strength within me. There is no greater friend to have on my side. You’ve become a compassionate and strong woman who’s capable of carrying people in their worst moments. When you’re not too busy humili-fying them, that is. Dad, thank you for all of your suggestions and unrelenting support, financially and vocationally. You’ve always been cool enough to be like a best friend. I am blessed to have an adventurous father who values his children above all else and ensures we part ways with some awesome memories. You’re a joy to have around. We’re like two peas in a pod! And even you, dear sister. Ali, while you may think you haven’t done anything to support my work, your love of the arts and your decision to pursue the many talents you have, inspired me to not squander my own.
To my love: Mary, you are a huge blessing—the kind that surpassed all my expectations. Your love for my work and me has both perplexed me and spurred me into the man I am now.
To my friends: Tara and Donna, you guys were instrumental in getting my work out there! I can’t thank you enough. Your prompt support and know-how in the writing field gave this book the ground to run off of! Thank you for being my publishers! Stacy, although it took longer than I expected, it was worth the well polished copy-editing. Thank you so much for your hard work. Todd Simonis, your words of encouragement and sincere belief in my calling stirred me to press on down this path. Thank you for helping me believe in myself. Geneva, you’re enthusiasm in my work kept me going. You were always so eager for the next chapter and I always looked forward to our discussions. Josh Blanton, thanks for hooking me up with a free headshot for my author bio. I’ll be sure to use it soon. Michael Clark, you are my comrade-in-arms in getting my work out there and one of my closest friends. You are just as much charismatic as you are whimsical. Denise, thank you for your encouragement—for pushing me through and always being there through my journey. You’re like the sun that lights up the day. Your outgoing attitude has always had a positive effect on me. Ms. Parsons-King, your love for the concept helped me push through. CeeJam, you stayed and critiqued my query letter until it was perfect. I know that if it hadn’t been for your great suggestions, I wouldn’t have landed my wonderful publisher. To all the people that first purchased the book and gave their honest reviews, thank you for taking the time to speak your mind. You’ve helped me reach other readers because of your enjoyment in this saga. But if you think the first volume was high pace, wait until volume two comes out!
Last but in no way the least, credit goes to all my readers—to all my fans: Thank you!
You all helped me get this far, and though I have a long journey ahead of me, with your support, I’m going to make it.
For all my Anointed Fans!!!
Got something to say to me? Want to share your love for a certain character? Or maybe you just want to support the movement. Here are ways you can both contact me and encourage my work as an author.
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You’re Not Alone (Author Testimony)
First off, I’d like to thank you all for choosing to read my work. You should know that this next section is not composed with sugar canes and rainbows. How this book came to be and what I had to go through might surprise you. You’ve been warned.
I’m actually forcing myself to write this as I feel it could reach out to those who are struggling. Because, let’s face it, we all need something to look up to when we’re hurting. If you’re going through heartache, if you believe you’re in a hole so deep there’s no climbing out, I want you to read this part. I want those out there who are fighting what had to, to keep fighting—to know there’s more to life than the staggering, stifling, pain. Even though the odds may seem against your favor, don’t you dare lose hope. Keep throwing your punches and you will win.
I know I did. So let me tell you about me.
Believe it or not, I didn’t even know how this book would unravel. I put my faith in my God and He supplied—simple as that. I’ve always had an unprecedented imagination even as a child. Everyone said I was given this gift.
I did not master this ability, however, without a price. I sank into some really low places, more so than you would expect on a joyful face like mine. There were days I fumbled for an answer as to why the heck I was here, times when I’d think I should just stop the pain and be rid of the uselessness I believed to have. And I have the courage and humility to admit there were times I came close to ending it all.
Yet through my suicidal attempts, threats I made, and the total rejection I felt from others, hope was not lost. My God broke through the black shrouds of my life.
Or perhaps, even the muck in my life was part of the plan given to me by Him as well. Maybe He was simply breaking eggs to make an omelet. When I trace back to my past life filled of dread, I can finally say I’m glad I went through such trials. I remember the night where I wept for hours. I felt broken, created without purpose, and so very alone. But that loneliness I felt haunt me actually was the first step in breaking through the darkness.
Because of it, I made a world of my own, filled with my own friends and my own laws of reality. As the people abandoned me at school, I simply jumped into that world.
What really amuses me about my past is that I loathed writing as a child. The teacher would tell me to write essays or make up stories, and I’d stare at that paper like it was the Devil in disguise.
But see, my Father must have been at work in the shadows. As the other children ostracized me, I had to use my imagination to get through the day. It started with just one imaginary friend. Then he had friends—and then they had e
nemies, and next thing I knew, another world had begun to evolve in my mind. Images upon images were planted into my world—visions of struggles and villains that my people went through and fought.
Through my ignorance as an adolescent, I still kept demanding the God who made me to make my life have purpose; still oblivious to the blessing I was given through my trials.
While I can’t recall when, I finally realized what this imaginary world symbolized and grew an overwhelming desire to share to this world, my own.
Writing this book gives me a chance to say the words I never could when the world pushed me away. Because of Anointed I have a way to reconnect to you all. I have the tools to make up for all those years of silence, and I’ll not let this chance slip by me.
Now, I love to write. I love writing my feelings in poems, my ideas and beliefs in journals, and sharing my imagined world through the stories I make.
All I am is in this book—my feelings, my personality, and my strongest beliefs reside in this saga.
God bless all you who read this. And never forget that no one lives in this world without a purpose to either make or find.
Never give in, my friends, to the darkness in this world. Where darkness lies, the light can shine. Trudge through the darkness until you find that light. Carry on and find your calling.
Many blessings to you all,
Joshua K. H. Murray
Anointed SAGA’s Glossary
Greetings Earthians. I imagine the world of Nebulan can be a little overwhelming. Let’s face it: there are many sects, ranks, and species that you’re not going to find in your Webster dictionaries. Therefore, I have provided my readers this glossary. If at any time you guys forget a word or a rank—or whatever else may come your way—this section will keep you up to date on all that infuriating lingo.
Aren’t I just the best?
NOTE to those who have completed the book: You may want to peruse through this anyway. You might just find some additional information that wasn’t mentioned in the story, and you could very well stumble upon some clues for future additions to come. But, hey, it’s your choice…
Age Lines/Sacred Markings —The Age Lines or Sacred Markings are the markings every Nebulanian on their face. They are bold lines running across the jaw horizontally and thin near the corners of their lips, like it was done with a paintbrush. While both terms refer to the same subject, they have different connotations. When they use the term Age Lines, it is to express the different colors they take on during their growth. Each color displays a certain age range that helps the Nebulanians roughly determine how old they are. (For a more in-depth view of the Age Line process and multiple reasons for their usefulness, refer to Dr. Gerald’s notes located in the Preface.) Sacred Markings refer more to the blessings these markings produce. They believe the markings actually work as a signal that can connect, not just to each other, but to Heaven, as well. It is believed their God’s omniscient knowledge is poured selectively into the Nebulanians' markings—that this is how they are capable of speaking every language of every lifeform. The Nebulanians also believe the markings are responsible for enabling their God a way to send His Gifts.
Aspirations Avatar—This refers to the realm of dreams, for now. There are other uses, but Jet has yet to discover them. The Aspirations Avatar is the body that manifests inside a dream. It is said to be the reason why people can interact with their five senses even when dreaming. It is also said to be the closest thing to a persona of the dreamer’s subconscious mind.
Astral Force—Not much light has been shed as to what this piece of energy truly originates from, but what we can be sure of is that it symbolizes one’s level of strength. It comes from the pores of a powerful being and pulses out in beats constantly, like it's breathing. Depending on the emotional condition of the wielder, it can become a physical force that pushes what’s around them. As mentioned, it has been used to estimate the amount of power one wields. The parameter for these measurements is called PSI (sI). Feral Force is known to be Hell’s counterpart for it.
Astral Wave—A move that takes the Astral Force and uses its push for the wielder’s advantage. The Astral Wave is caused by focusing on one area of the body and projecting its force as a type of thruster effect. As to how this is done, we have yet to uncover. It’s very useful for when you need to shove something back or perform advanced aerobatics when off your feet. Its evil counterpart is named the Feral Wave.
Blesseds—This term refers to the Blessed Markings. It is the word used when describing one who has pledged his life to their beloved.
Blessed Markings—Nebulan’s version of a wedding ring. But instead of a trinket expressing their eternal love, there is a marking placed on the back of their right hand—an evergreen triangle outlined in a bold gold. But these markings do more than just display their partnership. They go a step further than that. They connect them even more so together—more so than they would prefer at times. There are NO secrets. The memories, thoughts, and feelings of a Blessed are laid bare for their counterpart to experience. The only secrets that can be successfully kept from them are things that were going to be revealed to them anyways. Furthermore, because of the markings, Blesseds are capable of using their partner's Gift.
Blessing’s Request—Refers to the Blessed Marking. Blessing’s Request, however, is the action done to receive the marking. Ever heard people say, don’t say you love someone and not mean it? Well, Nebulanians don’t have a chance of doing that. If a Nebulanian confesses their love for someone, it is said their God hears it and judges if they’re right for one another. The confession of love is Blessing’s Request. Most Nebulanians who only want to date someone use the word like in place of love—until they are ready to take it to the next level. As if worrying over the girl’s rejection wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, they actually have to consider how the very God of their creation would feel about their decision… And His word is law.
The Book of Things to Come—The book speaks of a prophecy where one among the planet would take on the image and purpose of the messiah. The child would gather six others, handpicked by God, to go out in the time of Revelations and fend off the most frightening of demons. This book is so highly revered that when pulling a single word from it, Nebulanians feel inclined to put them in small caps, e. g., Chosen, Dark Demon, Anointed.
Celestial Arms—These are weapons used by the Demon Fighters, ranging from small knives to artillery equipment. During manufacturing, each tiny gear or metal piece is first dipped in holy water and blessed by a prophet’s prayer before construction. There hasn’t been much use for a lot of them yet, but with the Dark Demons' invasion not even a day away, the time of their need draws ever closer.
The Chosens of Revelations—Only time will tell who all these people are. Most of their existence for now remains a mystery. However, they are mentioned in a Nebulanian prophecy found in the Book of Things to Come. Be warned: only a Nebulanian prophet can see all of its text clearly. Any attempt to read of a Chosen that has yet to be introduced will most likely be in vain. The future titles of Chosens may remain encoded to the normal eye. They are broken into two groups.
The Arkians—The three leaders that guide the Chosens. The name is derived by the combination of the first letter for all of their names in Angelic Tongue. Like the lower ranked Advocates, Arkians wield a certain characteristic of God. Unlike them, however, Arkians also portray the three main purposes of God’s existence.
Advocates—Those that obey the Arkians. They represent one of the seven characteristics of God.
As expected, the Chosen’s titles seem encrypted. Perhaps they will start to reveal themselves upon each of their awakenings.
Crosses of Conscious—Enchanted trinkets used long ago between two people who loved each other greatly. Their names were Jerich and Anaia. Their love life was looked down on from their people as he was a lowly blacksmith and she was the princess of their world. Anaia was worried that the people's animosity for Jerich
would split them apart, so Jerich—as a way to relieve her distress—made the two silver cross necklaces. These necklaces had the capability of connecting to their counterpart whenever the wielder thought of the other. It made them aware of each other even when they were far apart, linking them almost as effectively as a Blessed Marking.
Dark Demons—Frightening demons, usually humanoid. They are empowered by sin and only continue to grow in strength if transgression is done upon them—that includes killing them in the normal ways. While Demon Fighters do have certain tools to subdue them, only Chosens are capable of ending their existence.
Dark War—This time period refers to the first demonic invasion of their planet that included the fearsome demonic breeds called Dark Demons.
Demon Fighters—They protect the world from lower ranking demons that manage to get past the barrier. All Demon Fighters are Sacreds, or were before their powers were sealed. Any that attempted to join them were required to make the transition, as well. Being a Demon Fighter and not a Sacred was not tolerated. The ranks are as follows:
I.Celestan—The leader over an entire Sphere of Demon Fighters. They are the ones that make the most important of decisions. All of the Demon Fighters are to obey the Celestan’s choices. They can be identified by the… (Has yet to be revealed…)
II.Lunestal—The elite class of Demon Fighters. Their recognized skills lead them to either handing down the Celestan’s orders or making a few themselves to benefit what their leader wants. They are either found as lieutenants over a squad or teachers guiding the lower classes through their urges and abilities. They can be spotted by the golden markings on the front right side of their neck shaped like a crescent moon, which is tilted upward at a slight angle.
Setting Sun Vol. I [Teaser] Page 7