Fang Xiang

This is both a work of science fiction and an exploration of the meaning of life, love, literature and art. Brainpower is no longer the main ingredient for being human in this far distant future world.  Spirituality, physical balance, and diligence all come together as integrity for Chen Mu, the Card Apprentice.  The cards which Chen Mu masters in his own scrappy way, distill all the powers of the cosmos –  human and nonhuman –  into something that is not a book, not technology, and neither art nor magic, but is these and more.  Learn about these strange cards, which can embody everything you might imagine for the future of technology, but also a future beyond technology which promotes the best, and sometimes the worst, from mankind’s past.

The Card Apprentice

The tailless shuttle was spinning merrily away as Chen Mu was now increasingly skilled in its operation. That not only reduced the time he needed to release it, but the tailless shuttle's sound had also been reduced. Both of those things meant his ability to control energy by perception had been getting stronger and stronger.

But, the tailless shuttle still couldn't avoid producing energy fluctuations. Even though they were small, Butchie felt them right away since the two sides were so close.

Almost without hesitation, the 15 tadpole energy bodies she had gotten ready earlier left her hand. They clustered together to form a long line, which flew off with a whoosh to where the energy fluctuations had come from. Just then, there was a weird whistling sound, together with a powerful thrumming. When that arose, the whoosh of the tadpole energy bodies fell right off.

A Chill