Things have been quieter than a sleeping dragon around here since the last update, and I'm sure those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the full release of The Dragon's Last Flight are probably wondering--what gives?

I have been tackling preliminary edits at full steam for a couple of months now, and while some holiday stuff and other life things have occasionally slowed the process, the truth is that it's taking (much) longer than I anticipated for one small, yet pretty major, reason: I am completely rewriting and expanding the final section of the game. What originally branched into approximately five or so endings is looking more like 10 potentially different epilogues. It's been a lot of work, and pretty time-intensive, but I think it will all be for the better. The final sequence of the first draft just felt a little rushed to me, and it seemed upon rereading it that I had not quite delivered on all the promises I'd made back at the beginning of the story--promises I still wanted to keep. So, while it does mean pushing the release farther back than I'd like, I would rather--since I have the peculiar luxury of doing so--prioritize quality over timeliness.

Tashka and Marius matter to me. Their story matters to me. It is my hope that it will matter to you, too. And in order to do them--and all of you--justice, I need to take a little extra time to get it right. I still expect to get the full game out by 2020--as to when, exactly, we'll all have to wait a little bit longer to see.

As a thank-you for your continued support and patience, here is an early holiday present from me to you--another teaser excerpt for your reading pleasure. (As with the previous snippet, please keep in mind that edits are not 100% complete yet; as such, this passage may not accurately reflect what will ultimately happen in the final version of the game. I have also removed all major spoilers.) Enjoy--and happy holidays!

Marius: “Tashka, since we will be staying with them for a time, would you like to hear about my family?”

“She does not answer, but sends a curious glance my way.”

“I begin by telling her their names. Valeria, my daughter, her husband, Lucius, and their children, Randel and Jackin.”

“They live in a modest home just down the road from my own. Valeria wants me to move in with them, but I am not ready to give up my peace and quiet just yet.”

“Randel and Jackin are good boys, but young and spirited.”

“They have not yet learned the value of silence or how to enjoy the precious space between things that gives us room to pause and breathe. They take after their father, Lucius, whose light burns as bright as the candles he sells.”

“When he and Valeria met years ago, while she still lived under my roof, it was because of those candles.”

“Valeria got it into her head to leave a candle lit for me on the nights I returned home late. She used to buy them from Lucius and his father.”

“Lucius used to give her discounts, paying the difference out of his own pocket until Valeria wised up. She was offended at first, thinking he pitied her. But in the end, she forgave him. And then, eventually, married him.”

Tashka: “You love them both very much. I can tell.”

“Tashka’s voice interrupts my reverie. I had almost forgotten I was speaking to anyone at all, so lost was I in my memories.”

“I have missed my family more than I realized.”

Marius :“Them and their little ones. They are my only family now, after all. I have no other children, and I was an only child myself.”

Tashka :“They sound… nice.”

Marius: “They are.”

Tashka :“It is wrong of me to ask you to jeopardize your family’s happiness for my sake. It is a risk not worth the reward.”

Marius: “It is true that what we are planning involves great risk. But I believe they would understand it, if they knew the full story.”

“She looks at me, her eyes gleaming even in the dim glow of fading twilight.”

Tashka: “Will you tell them?”

Marius: “...”

Marius: “I am not sure. It is not really my secret to tell, is it?”

“Her eyes widen. Then she smiles at me.”

Tashka: “Marius, I know I was less than gracious about accepting your assistance.”

Tashka: “But I am grateful that you want to help… even if I don’t always agree with how you want to do it.”

Marius :“You are welcome.”

“She chuckles.”

Tashka: “Thank you.”