Land of the Long Black Cloud published by Aurealis Magazine!

In the Land of the Long Black Cloud, a desperate crew of scientists aboard the battered HMS Shanghai flee a ruined world, chasing rumours of a mythical sanctuary at the end of the earth. Led by the determined Dr. Ling Zhihao, they brave treacherous seas, starvation, and brutal ambushes—only to face the terrifying reality of Te Whanganui-ā-Tara, a land guarded by people wielding a forgotten technology. A pulse-pounding blend of post-apocalyptic survival, Māori lore, and hard science fiction, this gripping tale explores what endures when civilization collapses—and who gets to rebuild. Will the last light of knowledge flicker out, or will it ignite anew in the Land of the Long Black Cloud?

Beneath the adventure, the story draws on Māori-inspired values of guardianship, collective care, and respect for the past. Te Whanganui-ā-Tara survives not through power and technology, but through restraint and shared responsibility, showing that wisdom and community endures where force alone cannot. 

Read Land of the Long Black Cloud in Aurealis Magazine, Issue #182.

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