Siege of the Spirit
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siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Siege of the Spirit
@siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
160 followers 290 following 270 posts
Wrestling bipolar disorder through music and writing. And horses.
Visit www.siegeofthespirit.com
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siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
The first time my Arabian mare and I crossed this little rock shelf, it was all about overcoming fear and learning trust. Ten years later it’s a simple thing … we remain strong and invincible with a bond that can never be broken. #trailhorse #trailride #HorseSky #equinetherapy #trust #overcoming
November 29, 2025 at 10:52 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
The deconstruction of a mind

From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #dedication #fantasy #darkfantasy #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
MU'ATEM He knew it was his dissolving self-control that taunted him, barriers of self-protection falling from his psyche like a crumbling fortress, but there was no stopping the collapse, or its effect. Memories flooded him: his childhood DEDICATION ceremony and Frasca, a filly, nipping at his shirt; Lara laughing, her hair flashing in the sun; Teryl at the harpstrings; emeralds and blood; a flaming felara and villages burning; Drisal's lips against his forehead; and then the memories turned into something else. The harpstrings sliced Teryl's fingers off. The fires advanced until the whole Forest was immolated and shaped like his own body consumed within and without by dru'ach, and there was soon no telling what was a memory and what was a corruption in his mind. Siege of the Spirit
November 29, 2025 at 4:03 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Aah some nice cool water to lay in! This is our tripaw fur baby, Aspen!
#wednesdaywags #traildog #dog #tripoddog #tripawdog #dogsky
Black dog with white cheeks and muzzle lying in very shallow water with tiny green plants and tall wetland grasses around her. She has pointy ears and is panting.
November 27, 2025 at 2:32 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Good morning! Looking up along the trunk of a tall juniper snag, its barren crown splayed against the sky. #SundaySnag #snag #forest #tree #Colorado #Sunday #morning
Looking up along the trunk of a tall juniper snag, its barren crown splayed against the sky. The tops of other, living juniper trees surround it in the blue sky. At the base is a shadowy, cave-shaped hole in the trunk.
November 23, 2025 at 2:38 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
When your best isn’t good enough for them.

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #crystal #fantasy #darkfantasy #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“Lord Shelwon, please," Cerel implored. “You must've shared in the power that raised those beautiful, mighty CRYSTALs. You can tell them. Tell them it wasn't evil that stopped the Corruption.” Siege of the Spirit
November 23, 2025 at 12:09 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
To face the appalling with dignity.

From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #run #fantasy #darkfantasy #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
He pictured himself RUNning to her, grabbing her hand and falling sobbing and begging in the mud at her feet. "Please, my Lady. I'll stay with you. I'll do anything you ask. Spare me this one thing." Instead he found himself standing tall, the dead farmers at his feet, watching the black-robed sorceress ripple away from him. There were no words on his lips, the mud on his face was not from her boots, and his sword hung unbloodied in its scabbard. Siege of the Spirit
November 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Lily climbs on the waterfall in our sunroom to get a drink! #caturday
Calico cat stretches across upper left corner of picture. Balancing on a steep arrangement of moss- covered rocks and dangling houseplants she reaches to get a drink of one of the threads of trickling water.
November 15, 2025 at 1:51 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
The gloaming sets a piñon-juniper forest aflame. #ForestFriday #forest #GoldenHour
November 15, 2025 at 2:18 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Dixie, that’s quite a bone you found!
#WednesdayWags #traildog #dog
Dixie, a black dog with brown face and legs and white paws walks below the viewer, head turned away, clearly displaying the very large white leg bone she is carrying. She is on the trail with us. We’re on horseback, though we and the horses aren’t in the picture.
November 13, 2025 at 12:10 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Very cool juniper #snag on a cliff! Seen on a recent #trailride. I love how it sits among the rocks. #tree #nature #trail #SundaySnag
Bare juniper tree snag sitting on and among lichen covered crags and boulders with a few bare-branched bushes and one green tree overhead- piñon or another juniper I can’t tell.
November 10, 2025 at 1:56 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Sneaking #caturday under the wire. This is absolutely me!
Four panels of drawings 1. Cat looks out window “I am so lonely…” 2. Cat looks out window “Why must I live alone in this solitude?” 3. Arm reaching to pet cat, cat turns back angrily “Don’t fucking touch me!! 4. Cat looks out window “Will this loneliness ever end?”
November 9, 2025 at 5:47 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Last Saturday’s gorgeous #trailride on my beautiful, faithful #trailhorse Zil.
Between the ears view of riding a bay Arabian mare on a trail between a yellow meadow and creepy evergreens Between the ears view of riding a bay Arabian mare on a trail through a yellow meadow toward an evergreen/aspen woods with bright yellow aspen canopy visible through on an opposite mountain slope. Photo is a little blurry. Left side of image: a tall evergreen on a steep mountain slope. Center: three creepy snags. Background: A leafless Aspen forest coating a neighboring mountain slope
November 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
A thing about what God allows

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #fantasy #darkfantasy #little #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
White text on a black and purple sky background threaded with lightning reads: “God would never hurt himself. That's absurd!" "How little you know of the torment of God." Siege of the Spirit
November 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Hellback’s terrible creation stalks the Forest. Its new life is death.

Doing something unusual (for me) posting a regular-type snippet over here, and really late, too!

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #steel #fantasy #darkfantasy #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
The creature sought a young man. His eyes were like blinding lights, and his voice was like the singing of summer birds. His hair was golden and short, and he wore a sash about the head. He was to be found in a dwelling at the southwestern part of the Forest. It was to this dwelling the dark creature hurried, for there its purpose would be fulfilled. But ahead, two Sheltri approached, mounted and armed. Clumsily it ducked into the brush, but one Sheltri saw the movement in the full dark of night. "Who's there?" They drew closer, their drawn swords invisible with the keen scent of STEEL in the air. Only their eyes shone, those terrible lights. The creature leaped to its feet. "Breath of Iryla, what is it?" Iryla. The creature rocked back from that name, but held its ground. It had terrible lights of its own. Siege of the Spirit A.C. Turek
November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Boss called me at home today for help pulling an activity report and didn’t say why. Of course my brain is in the worst case scenario. I was WRITING, too! & now I can’t. Whole weekend ahead to freak out and worry. 🤯😭😭 #bipolar #anxiety It’s just a monster.😅
My supportive daughter tho.
My daughter: “you've proven yourself enough times to hold your own” Me: OMG I love you Daughter: It's true though.
October 31, 2025 at 11:35 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Revenant.

When our souls, emotions are compromised we are open to the invasion of hellish thoughts. It’s best to recognize them for what they are, just scary monsters to be banished.

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #monster #Halloween #WIP #fantasy #darkfantasy #undead #bipolar
Something dark groped its way through the Forest. Though awkward, it moved silently, black rags dripping from its body like wet, rotten leaves. It was black, hairless and two legged. It cowered as it crept along, and stopped often to smell the air and listen, staring up into the branches of a tree or into distant a lights! Then it would sit. Its head would fall to its knees, and it would begin rocking like a lost child or a fresh-made monster mourning the loss of its humanity. Siege of the Spirit Image: white text over a dark, burnt forest
October 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
A most unkind tether

From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #spell #fantasy #darkfantasy #despair #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
At last in a blind frenzy he could think of only one way to deal with the SPELL. If he were lucky, he would neutralize it for good, or for at least a period of time during which he could travel. It was something he had never done before, and doing it now made his face burn. Siege of the Spirit
October 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Nothing is so small that it is meaningless.

- Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips whole for #total #selfworth #selfesteem #soul #bipolar #mentalhealth
Do not envy the microbe its smallness for you too are small. The world with its seasons turning beneath a sun as wide as an age, though it be but a mote in a galaxy spinning, still spans the planes of the universe. Small is not insignificant and so you cannot be. For all are part of the WHOLE, soul and substance, wave and particle. Drink, and remember. Siege of the Spirit
October 24, 2025 at 9:57 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
No such thing as free will. Until they need a scapegoat.

#WIPSnips #trial #fantasy #WriteSky #writingcommunity
This trial raises the question of our orthodoxy, sprung from the days of Nam-Tar. We believe that in those days [God] used people to achieve certain ends. We believe that everyone's actions followed [God's] prescribed plan. Everyone's. Are we now going to take the accused alone to task on this terrible, pivotal event? Siege of the Spirit
October 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
I’ve only ridden this trail 23 bajillion times and just today noticed this crazy rosette burl. #tree #aspentree #forest #flower #trail #nationalforest
A black flower-shaped burl on a aspen tree
October 19, 2025 at 1:10 AM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Happy #caturday cool #cat!
Calico cat peeks from behind a guitar lying on a couch
October 18, 2025 at 3:50 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Bread and poison

On being forced to eat.

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #loaf #WritingCommunity #fantasy #darkfantasy #bitter
White text on grayed-out photo of scattered elk bones reads: Thus coerced, he picked up a piece of bread and bit into it. It was a coarse, dark loaf containing small aromatic seeds. He met her gaze bitterly as he chewed. Siege of the Spirit
October 17, 2025 at 9:57 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
The terrible wail at the end of all things

#WIPSnips #might #dakfantasy #fantasy #WritingCommunity #loss
Late as usual
It spiraled through the multitude and flew up the mountain's height to join the mighty knell on its dark voyage through unending night. Siege of the Spirit
October 16, 2025 at 10:00 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Follow your lifeline out of this despair.
Blessings.

- From Siege of the Spirit

#WIPSnips #care #WritingCommumity #fantasy #darkfantasy #hope
If the rest of the country has gone mad, if the whole broken world has soured, at least you know your purpose. Take care. Take CARE for your life. I would stop you if I could, but I see how that would hurt you. Siege of tre: Spirit
October 15, 2025 at 12:07 PM
siegeofthespirit.bsky.social
Aspen is a great #traildog! Taking a breather at a lunch stop on a #nationalforest #trail. #tripawdog #tripoddog #dog #DogSky #WednesdayWags
Black and white husky-heeler mix named Aspen sits in a mountain meadow beside an old fallen log. Aspen and spruce trees in background.
October 15, 2025 at 5:51 AM