Decided after putting out the topic "getting over the hump" that I should throw out this preview and see how it reads. I am translating this idea from the manga storyline to a book one.  I am trying to not lose anything in translation while searching for ways to squeeze out deeper and more intricate plots.  I have a tough chin but soft gut so please only chin shots no kidney ones. 

            I hate rainy nights. It seems like they are always tempting something else to happen and right now all I wanted to do was eat. 

I hurried up the steps to the apartment with my stomach growling louder with each passing step.  I hoped Uncle had something on the stove warmed up and ready for me. I opened the door to the apartment and was half way surprised to see him packing. 

“Hey what’s happening?”  I asked him. Uncle did not slow down his packing but only grunted.

“Did you forget to pay the landlord again Unc?  Gosh are we making another midnight escape?” I said in the mocking voice of a preppy high school cheerleader. 

He turned to me and shook his head before speaking. “Little flower you do not see anything unless it is right in front of you”.

I chuckled and responded; “and old uncle you do not see anything unless it is 18 years old and dancing in front of you.  But seriously what is happening?” 

Unc tossed me a luggage case to start packing. 

“Zametria, a blue star was seen falling over near New Orleans” my uncle stated.

I stopped folding my shirt.  “Was it a Gods Tear?…has some one chosen to walk our path Uncle?” I asked.

“So it seems little flower; we must investigate it immediately.” We continued to pack in silence for a few more minutes till Uncle looked at me and said “I am also hearing that there is something stirring up some of the forgotten ones in that area.” 

“Do you know who or what is doing that uncle?”  I asked.

“I have been able to gather a little information.  The one who is stirring up the trouble works from the shadows and goes by the name Cho’Lordak”   Unc replied.

“What?  Sounds like some made up bs Unc.”  I blurted out.

Unc chuckled again as he started to pack up the more important items.  “I forget how young you are some times.  The name comes from an ancient dialect that should have died out thousands of years ago.”
 
I frowned as I responded. “There were people that chocked on their tongues when talking?”
 
“That was better then the alternative ….the ones who taught the language originally came from the plain of strife and they did not serve under the same house as we once did.”
 
“Demons uncle?” I asked in a hushed tone.
 
“Yes”, “Hopefully it is some clever person not knowing what he could unleash, or it could be something separate…or maybe even a trick to bring us there.” Uncle replied while not pausing to stop his packing.

I paused….in the 50 years I had been back in the normal realm of existence I had spent my time learning magic and fighting creatures of the dark.  But fighting real demons was not something I wanted to do.  Ever since I made my choice to protect the person I loved and was cast out of the “****” Guild because of it; I had never really been frightened.  But it was the subtle yet urgent movements that my Uncle made that caused me to be nervous.
 
There had not been another cast out and made into one beyond redemption since me.  For one of us to follow the path of darkness was not something we were going to sit by and let happen.  A couple of hours later we had finished packing.
 
“Z please leave this envelope on the bed”
 
“What!, your actually paying this months rent before skipping out uncle?  Are you feeling well?”  I replied in shocked voice.

“The landlord’s daughter may not have been a beauty queen but she deserves to have a Dear John letter.” 

As I punched him in the arm I said, “You sick male chauvinist pig she’s only a few years older then I look!” 

“I am only a humble man” Uncle replied mockingly. “Now let’s get something to eat for the road before you wake up the entire building with that growling stomach of yours.”

As we left the city I asked “what does Cho’Lordak mean uncle?”

He moved his eyes slightly to look at me and replied. “From what I remember it means the first and last king.” 

“So we are going to chase this supposed king of shadows?” 

“Yes little flower we are; with a God’s tear falling and possibly evil afoot I think we have little choice but to chase.” 

“Unc how do you know their language?”

“I was an “****” Guardian for 500 years before you were born and was taught the language by my teacher.” 

I paused before I asked “Isn’t that knowledge forbidden Unc?” 

“At the time no little flower…but that was before the dark heresy in the guild… now hush and get some rest you’ll be taking over the wheel in a few hours; the old man can’t stay up forever.” 

“Yeah you can Unc especially if it is half off beer and you have a pocket full of ones.” 

We both laughed, it helped take the edge out of what we were about to do and the pain of leaving.  I was going to miss Los Angeles I had actually started feeling like a normal person there.  Too much comfort in feeling like that, way too much for one beyond redemption.
 

My friend and I started working on a manga a few years ago after watching Fumoffu and it grew in our eyes into a beautiful creation.  Unfortunately we had a great story and a evolving plot but we needed a second storyline that had the same amount of depth as well for when we started pitching our creation.  After several second tier worthy plots we developed one that had potential.  Well this second story morphed from just being a manga into actually having a solid enough background where a book version could be created.  Well we are on year two now due to having two jobs each and other circumstances and I am looking for pointers to help get us back on track.  Time is ticking and I feel that our window of oppurtunity is closing.  I am open to suggestions on getting this train out of the station since I know others have experienced this and just want to know what it took to get over the hump.  We are I say maybe a 10th of the way into the book.  We have several stories that we had put on the board but are weaving and recreating as we go.  We know how the manga will end but we have not yet planned where the book will end.