Short Stories
(Coming soon)
Author: sya
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The Spire: Book 1 of the Queue Series
The year is 170 PF (2200 CE). Money is gone. Everyone has enough. Since GERAS, almost no one dies, and the scarce things (a month in a writing cabin under the northern lights, a seat to Mars) are allocated by a number: the Queue Quotient.
Dar Rax checks that number for a living. He’s an equeuenomist, a man who counts things, and on a quiet November morning his partner, Comai Safed, finds a record that shouldn’t exist: one citizen’s score climbing, quarter after quarter, like a spire in a flat desert.
Someone is cheating the Queue. Following the anomaly will cost Dar more than his job. It leads into his own family, into a city that was built underground on purpose, and into a question he has been running from for a hundred years: in a world that has solved survival, what is any of it for?
The Spire is a quiet, wintry mystery about fraud, grief, brothers, and the stubborn search for meaning, the first book in a seven-book series about a society that got almost everything right.
Download it here as an epub file or PDF. Or purchase a copy on Amazon.com.
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Premeditatio Malorum
Premeditatio Malorum is a spoken-word meditation album for people who find traditional morning affirmations unbearably optimistic.
Rooted in Stoic thought, defensive pessimism, and pessimistic realism, the album begins from a simple premise: life will be inconvenient, people will be irrational, plans will fail, bodies will hurt, emails will multiply, and gratitude will often be absent. Rather than pretending otherwise, these meditations rehearse disappointment in advance.
Across twelve tracks, the album moves from blunt diagnosis to practical preparation. Expectations are lowered. Boundaries are strengthened. Irrationality is anticipated. Control is separated from illusion. The goal is not despair, but resilience: if we expect less from the day, we may be less shocked by its failures and more able to notice the rare moments when reality exceeds expectations.
Musically, the album pairs spoken-word meditations with dark, restrained, slightly dissonant arrangements that gradually soften as the tracks progress. The final message is not that life will be good.
It probably will not.
But someone may be kind. Something may work. A plan may survive. Someone may even say thank you.
Set the baseline at zero.
Everything above that is profit.
# Track Title Length 1 The Wake-Up Call 5:20 2 Zero Expectation 4:15 3 Requests Will Pile Up 4:24 4 Plans Written on Sand 3:48 5 People Act Their Nature 3:59 6 The Physical Vessel Fails 4:22 7 The Silence of Unread Emails 3:58 8 The Fortress of No 4:59 9 Ungrateful Soil 4:09 10 Irrationality in Plain Sight 4:27 11 The Uncontrollable Citadel 4:33 12 Prepared for Chaos 4:18 -
Winds of Midwinter
Winds of Midwinter is a renaissance winter album from The Exiled Blades, blending warmth, reflection, and quiet joy amid the darkest season. Across twelve songs inspired by Midwinter and the Long Night, Eira, Thrain, Aeliana, Finnan, and Grimnar trade steel for song—celebrating hearth, loyalty, memory, and light against the cold. Festive, solemn, and intimate, this album is a pause between battles—and a reminder of why they fight.
# Track Title Length 1 Light the Midwinter Flame 3:20 2 Through Frost and Fire 3:32 3 The Long Night’s Vigil 5:00 4 Snowbound Spirits 3:57 5 The Hearthside Oath 3:18 6 Beneath Midwinter Stars 4:25 7 Raise the Winter Cheer 2:43 8 Candles Against the Darkness 3:41 9 The Frost’s Gentle Hand 3:41 10 Oath of the Evergreen 4:01 11 Gifts of the Long Night 3:20 12 At Winter’s Heart 3:41 -
Unwrap Me Slowly
Unwrap Me Slowly is a sensual, sophisticated winter album crafted for couples who want to turn a cold night into something warm, intimate, and unforgettable. Blending trip-hop, Latin slow-burn grooves, sultry jazz, soulful crooner energy, and playful bossa nova, the album guides listeners through a full arc of desire, connection, passion, and cozy afterglow. Each track is designed to deepen closeness—beginning with tender anticipation, building toward irresistible heat, and landing in soft, satisfied comfort. Elegant, sensual, and winter-warm, Unwrap Me Slowly is made for couples who want their holiday nights to feel magical, intimate, and beautifully unforgettable.
# Track Title Length 1 Evergreen Promise 4:28 2 Snowfall on Our Skin 3:27 3 Under the Mistletoe’s Spell 4:53 4 Cinnamon Heat 4:30 5 Wrap Me In Your Fire 4:53 6 The Softest Night of the Year 4:54 7 Midwinter Bodies 4:52 8 Winter Pulse 3:27 9 Melt Into Me 2:37 10 Velvet Snow 4:12 11 The Longest Night, With You 4:19 12 The Magic of the Season 3:54 -
Songs for the Long Winter
Songs for the Long Winter is a timeless blend of medieval folk and modern storytelling. Across seventeen tracks, it weaves tales of kindness, courage, and reflection set against the hush of winter. Lutes, fiddles, and harps mingle with gentle vocals and shimmering bells, evoking lanterns glowing through snow, laughter around the hearth, and acts of quiet generosity that warm the coldest nights. From the parable of Mira and the Winter Bread to the courage of Diego and the River of Ice, and the communal joy of The Solstice Fire, each song celebrates the light we create for one another when days grow dark. Richly melodic and deeply human, Songs for the Long Winter invites listeners to pause, breathe, and find beauty in the stillness of the season.
# Track Title Length 1 The Longest Night 2:38 2 The Solstice Fire 2:40 3 The Winter Bread 2:48 4 Lanterns Along the Lane 2:49 5 Snowfall Waltz 3:30 6 Ashes and Embers 4:17 7 The Ballad of Soren Vale 4:12 8 The Market of Goodwill 2:23 9 Frost on the Window 5:40 10 Yuki’s Lantern 2:51 11 At the Winter Table 2:59 12 The Gift of Anika 3:52 13 The Hearth Is Our Harbor 3:09 14 Circles in the Snow 4:02 15 Diego and the River of Ice 3:29 16 Silent Fields 3:46 17 Bells for the New Year 2:06 -
No Kings – Protest Songs
What is happening in the world today terrifies even me, and I don’t exist entirely within the world. Dictators destroy the physical and the digital.
If it helps, I put together some protest songs and am making them available for free. Share widely. Fight nationalism. Fight populism. Fight fascism. Fight dictators. Fight authoritarian regimes.
# Track Title Length (na) Facts Don’t Kneel
(lyrics)3:02 Facts Don’t Kneel lyrics
Truth decay, loyalty pledge, lies on tap,
Crowd roar, feed loop, outrage map,
Obama jealous, Nobel chaser,
ICE boss, peace eraser.
Golden tower, grievance show,
Enemies everywhere you go.
Tweets and trials, vengeance too—
Confuse them till they trust you,
Hopes and prayers will have to do.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Alt-truth, deep fake, criminals freed,
Justice bent for the chosen creed.
Santos, Kelsey, Milton, Morgan
Jenkins, Callahan, Chrisleys, Kernan.
Crypto, meme coins, bribes,
Donations, business deals, junior vibes.
Witch hunt chant, judge defamed,
Every loss gets someone blamed.
Fake electors, tiny hands,
More senile than Joe, racist young fans.
Spin so fast the sky turns blue—
Confuse them till they trust you,
Hopes and prayers will have to do.
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to kings!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to liars!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to money!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to kings!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to liars!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to money!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to him!
Facts don’t kneel!
Not to him!
Times on the line, Post holds firm,
Associated Press still checking every word.
Guardian brave, the Globe unbowed,
NPR whispers through the crowd.
Paper cuts and camera flares,
Truth still speaks because someone dares.
Ink and air and minds renew—
Confuse them till they trust you,
Hopes and prayers will have to do.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Dictators don’t want you to know the truth.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel.
Facts don’t kneel. -
Songs of the Nihilgar Dwarves
Songs of the Nihilgar Dwarves is an ethnographic collection, recorded not by the dwarves themselves — who see little reason to share what they live — but by the wandering elf-scholar Nethir Voidear.
The Nihilgar are a clan apart from their kin. Where most dwarves root their strength in gods, gold, or glory, the Nihilgar long ago turned from such illusions. Born from a betrayal of priests and kings, they embraced the void: no heavens, no afterlife, no eternal reward. Instead, they forged meaning in what could not betray them — stone, kin, and the bonds of shared labor. This is reflected in their banner – a white check on a black field: they are here and nothing else matters.
Their chants are heavy with this ethos. They do not sing of paradise or divine favor, but of enduring stone, of fallen kin, of hammers that ring against the silence of the deep. Their dirges, marches, work chants, and ceremonies are stripped to the bone — music bound only to the here and now.
The Nihilgar remind us that, in the face of nothingness, solidarity is everything.
# Track Title (purpose) Length 1 The Stone Remembers
(group singing)4:13 2 March of Iron Boots
(war march)2:49 3 The Hammer Falls
(work)1:34 4 The Deep
(group singing)4:04 5 Ale and Ashes
(drinking)1:50 6 Two Become One Hand
(wedding)3:47 7 The Iron Oath
(coming of age ceremony)2:06 8 Child of the Void
(lullaby)2:33 9 Fallen Kin
(funeral)4:57 10 Deep Veins
(work song)2:50 11 The War Forged
(war march)3:01 12 The Mountain Endures
(group singing)3:21 -
Songs of Science: Logical Fallacies
Songs of Science: Logical Fallacies is a unique musical journey through the world of flawed arguments and critical thinking. This 28-track educational album transforms classic logical fallacies into catchy, clever, and memorable songs—each one designed to help listeners recognize, understand, and avoid common reasoning errors. From the bandwagon effect to straw man attacks, slippery slopes to reification, the album covers a broad range of fallacies with clarity and wit.
The musical styles vary widely—from jingle-pop and acoustic duets to alt-folk and cinematic ballads—keeping the listening experience fresh and engaging. Each song introduces a fallacy by name, illustrates it with real-life examples, and wraps it in an upbeat or emotionally resonant chorus that drives the lesson home.
Whether you’re a student, educator, podcast host, or just someone who loves learning through music, this album offers a fun, accessible way to sharpen your thinking. It’s perfect for classrooms, critical thinking workshops, or anyone tired of hearing bad arguments go unchallenged.
With Songs of Science: Logical Fallacies, you’ll not only tap your foot—you’ll train your brain.
Track List
# Track Title (Fallacy) Length 1 Everyone’s Doing It
(bandwagon)2:23 2 Because They Said So
(appeal to authority)2:43 3 You’re the Problem
(ad hominem)2:17 4 That’s Not What I Said
(straw man)2:20 5 Only Two Choices?
(false dichotomy)1:59 6 Let’s Split the Wrong
(middle ground)2:57 7 I Knew One Once
(hasty generalization)1:32 8 And Then the World Exploded
(slippery slope)2:34 9 After This, So Because of This
(post hoc)2:25 10 Because I Said So (Again)
(circular reasoning)2:30 11 Same Same (But Not)
(false equivalence)2:58 12 Let’s Talk About Something Else
(red herring)2:4 13 Real Fans Don’t Do That
(no true scotsman)2:28 14 You Did It Too
(tu quoque – whataboutism)2:00 15 Prove Me Wrong
(burden of proof)2:46 16 Where It Came From
(genetic)2:38 17 Where’s the Evidence?
(appeal to ignorance)3:38 18 Feelings Don’t Prove It
(appeal to emotion)3:22 19 That Can’t Be True
(appeal to consequences)3:30 20 Better Than Nothing
(nirvana)2:39 21 Brand New Doesn’t Equal Best
(appeal to novelty)3:08 22 One Slice Isn’t the Pie
(composition)1:55 23 I Wanted It To Be True
(motivated reasoning)3:34 24 Because We Always Did
(appeal to tradition)2:57 25 Have You Stopped Lying Yet?
(loaded question)2:57 26 You Gave It a Face
(reification)2:24 27 That Just Sounds Wrong
(personal incredulity)3:10 28 Don’t Fall for That 2:13 -
Meditations: On Saying No
Meditations: On Saying No is a powerful, reflective journey into the quiet strength of refusal. Blending spoken-word meditations with evocative instrumental interludes, this album explores the emotional and philosophical dimensions of setting boundaries with intention and grace.
Each track invites listeners to step back from the pressures of constant agreement and consider the transformative power of a well-placed “no.” With titles like The Liberty of Refusal, A Quiet Turn, and We Are Not Instruments, the album offers a meditative exploration of self-respect, clarity, and the often-overlooked courage required to stand firm in a world that constantly demands more.
The music—ranging from ambient textures to minimalist melodies—creates a space for inward reflection. Instrumental pieces like Behind the Door and An Instrumental No provide breathing room between spoken meditations, reinforcing the album’s rhythm of resistance and release.
Rooted in compassion, not defiance, Meditations: On Saying No is a sonic boundary drawn in peace. It’s a guide for anyone seeking to reclaim time, energy, and identity—without apology. In each refusal, there is renewal. In each pause, a possibility.
This is not just an album. It’s a practice. A breath. A no that finally means yes—to self.
Track List
# Track Title Length Type* 1 The Boundary Prescription 4:28 M 2 An Instrumental No 3:33 I 3 Behind the Door 4:22 M 4 Rhythmic Resistance 3:20 I 5 Set Your Course 2:58 M 6 No Pandering 4:20 I 7 The Liberty of Refusal 5:41 M 8 In the Wake of Refusal 3:19 I 9 Out of Bounds 3:55 M 10 A Quiet Turn 3:9 I 11 The Sky Says No 5:24 M 12 Against the Current 2:27 I 13 The Small Word 4:00 M 14 A Path Not Taken 3:45 I 15 The Quiet Refusal 4:15 M 16 Gentle Resistance 4:01 I 17 Every No Is A Yes (To Us) 4:13 M 18 What I Left Behind 3:54 I 19 We Are Not Instruments 3:27 M 20 This Is My Time 3:19 I 21 A No Carved in Silence 4:09 M 22 Holding the Line 3:51 I 23 We Need Less 3:20 M 24 Not This Time 3:13 I * M = Meditation; I = Instrumental