Chapter 869: No Question Over Who It Was
Added 2024-02-16 22:00:04 +0000 UTCGreenstone was divided into two sections. The smaller portion of the city, although still large, was an artificial island. It was the domain of the nobility, adventurers, and those with the wealth and influence to keep such company. In a stunning failure of imagination, the artificial island had been named ‘The Island.’
The larger and older part of the city showed creativity in being named ‘Old City.’ It hugged the coast where the magically fed Mistrun River created a sprawling delta. Old City was raised up on thick foundations and secured behind a massive wall. Numerous inlets fed the city with the magic-infused water on which much of its infrastructure relied.
Old City had been run by a trio of crime families since the wealthy and powerful all moved to the Island. So long as the trade kept moving and the money kept flowing, the noble houses and merchant barons were satisfied to let them. The situation had gone unchanged for more than a century until the last few years saw sudden upheaval.
Two of the big three crime families had been eliminated. The leader of the third had been legitimised and installed in the newly formed office of mayor of Old City, answering directly to the Duke of Greenstone. It was part of a wave of change, following a number of events centred on the Adventure Society.
In the Old City, crime obviously hadn’t been eliminated. But with the legitimisation of the last crime family standing, much of what had been shady business was brought into the light. The darkest corners of the city were cleared out; the worst depravities quietly eliminated before they could embarrass the new mayor.
The famously corrupt city militia were disbanded as protection rackets became security services. They still took the money but offered actual protection, and no longer clashed over territory. Gambling houses and brothels were no longer subject to conflicting crime families and corrupt militiamen, but now they had to pay taxes.
The most recognisable landmark in Old City was the Fortress. A holdover from Greenstone’s early days as a colony, it had long been the place where old money and Old City sleaze came together. Even as the city changed, the Fortress did not, remaining the place where the reputable of Greenstone could slake their less reputable appetites.
Former Magic Society director Lucian Lamprey had been shameless enough to maintain a large and highly visible office amongst the stands for the Fortress’ fighting arena. Such brazenness had led to his downfall, however, and his successor was not so careless.
Pochard Finn had been Lucian Lamprey’s long-time deputy. He had done the actual work during Lamprey’s famously corrupt tenure. Pochard was a man who understood the value of discretion and the consequences of failing to maintain it. He did maintain an office in the Fortress, like his predecessor, from which to conduct his less savoury business and occasional indulgences. Rather than being used for garish displays of power, however, it was hidden away from prying eyes.
It was also well guarded, relative to the city it was in. The essence users of Greenstone were famously weak, and good thugs were getting harder to come by. The once atrociously corrupt Adventure Society was getting cleaned up alongside Old City, and there were fewer dropouts with every passing year. Those that did were quickly snapped up by the noble houses or the mayor of Old City for relatively honest work.
Pochard had a few of the scarce bronze-rank criminals as guards, although it was more to secure his affairs in his absence than through any need for protection. Pochard’s silver rank, though gained through cores, made him one of the most powerful people in the city.
That held true right up until some adventurer came waltzing into town, usually a Geller. Fortunately, the Gellers mostly kept to their compound in the delta and stayed out of local politics. When they didn’t, things could change drastically, however, as the last few years had shown. The city was still settling into its new normal after the last time adventurers had thrown their weight around.
Pochard realised they were throwing it again, in the form of one of his guards. The door to his office in the Fortress exploded as the guard flew through it, sending splinters of wood raining down. The guard didn’t slow down until he flew across the office and crunched into the wall.
The man didn’t move from where he fell in a heap, although a whimpering moan said he was still alive. That kind of force only came from a silver-ranker, and one with proper aura training if Pochard hadn’t sensed them.
When a large man stepped through the now-smashed doorway, it was inevitably a Geller. It could have been worse, Pochard reflected. It could have been Danielle Geller, rather than her son. What trouble he would be was yet to be seen, but there was no way he was as much trouble as his mother. That woman had walked into the heart of the Magic Society campus and thrashed the director half to death in his own office.
Pochard remembered her son from various high society events. Polite, forthright and a little lacking in confidence, given his background. He had always been a large boy, but seemed smaller, almost shrunken in his hesitance. Years had clearly hardened him up as he strode through the doorway like the chiselled image of a god, needing to turn a little to fit his broad shoulders.
Pochard got up from behind his desk, ignoring the moaning guard as he stepped around him to greet Humphrey Geller.
“Lord Geller,” Pochard said. “It’s been some time. I didn’t realise you were back in the city.”
“I’m not, officially,” Humphrey said. “That’s why I’m here in the Fortress. It’s the place for illicit affairs. It’s my first visit, actually, although my fiancé is more familiar with it.”
“Your fiancé?”
“Surely you remember, Mr Finn? You’re the one who brokered the deal to have her handed over to your old boss. To be used in service of his depraved appetites.”
“I have no idea what—”
“Don’t lie to him,” a female voice cut him off. Pochard turned to see a woman standing behind him. There was only one doorway to the office and he hadn’t seen her use it. He recalled that her powers were focused on speed, not stealth, which was rather disturbing. She’d gotten inside too fast for him to see, without kicking up so much as a breeze.
She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered. The chocolate skin, contrasted by silver hair and eyes was as striking as ever. She looked little different, despite ranking up, as there had been little to improve upon. The changes were subtle; the sheen of her hair and the lustre of her skin.
“Sophie Wexler,” he said, realising he’d stared a little too long. “Are you here seeking recompense for your treatment at the hands of my predecessor?”
“Are you going to claim you had nothing to do with it?” she asked.
“That would be an obvious lie,” he said. “It was no secret that Lucien Lamprey would have accomplished very little on his own. A dire lack of discipline. So, I will admit that certain arrangements were facilitated by me.”
“I grew up around people like you,” she told him. “Slime clinging to the walls. I don’t blame you for your part in my unpleasant days here. You were doing your best to slink towards the light, and I understand that. But Humphrey is a good man who never waded into the muck like you and I have. He has ideals, and those ideals take a certain view on people like you. So don’t lie to him, Finn. And don’t try to keep from us what we’re here to take. Otherwise, you might find out just how intolerant he can be of your kind. Especially ones who have done things to me.”
“He’s not going to cross the line,” Pochard said. “He’s an adventurer, and quite the upstanding example of one. I remember his mother making quite sure of that. He’s not going to sully the Geller name.”
“Yes,” Sophie said. “He is a Geller. Old Greenstone nobility. And here in the Fortress, Greenstone aristocrats do the things that they don’t talk about after they leave. Like putting their hands on either side of your head and slowly squeezing them together.”
“Sophie, I’m not doing that,” Humphrey said.
A look of annoyance crossed Sophie’s face.
“Humphrey, I’m intimidating here. Just stand there looking large and handsome.”
“I’m not going to slowly and painfully kill anyone,” Humphrey insisted. “I’ll do it quick and clean. It’s easier to get rid of the body that way.”
“Oh, like you know how to get rid of bodies,” Sophie said.
“I’ve spent a decent number of airship rides sitting next to Belinda,” Humphrey said. “She told me all about the best ways to discreetly eliminate corpses in Greenstone. No matter how many times I asked her not to. I don’t think she’s really killed as many people as her stories implied, though.”
“She hasn’t,” Sophie said. “She used to do cleanup for the Silva family when they killed people. You remember the Silva family, don’t you Finn? Your boss teamed up with them to go after our friend and, as a direct result, that family and your boss are both gone.”
“What do you want?” Pochard asked.
“We want your archive code sequence sheet,” Sophie said.
Pochard’s eyebrows shot up.
“You’re after the archive vault?”
He looked from Sophie to Humphrey and back.
“You’re a thief,” he told her, “so that makes sense. But him? Does your mother know what you’re up to, Geller?”
“Talk about my mother some more and see what happens,” Humphrey said. “Where is the archive code sequence sheet?”
“There’s a safe in my office on the Magic Society campus. It’s secured in there.”
Humphrey stepped forward but stopped at a gesture from Sophie.
“That’s the last time I stop him when you lie, Finn,” she warned.
“It wouldn’t matter, even if you got it,” Finn said. “There are numerous failsafes on the archive vault and that code is just one of them. If I give you my code sequence, it would still take two more sequences from directors in other branches to open the vault in my branch. The code is constantly changing, so they need to be communicated simultaneously. Might I remind you that the water link system is managed by the Magic Society, and has alarms set up if it’s used to transmit vault code sequences outside of scheduled times.”
“Yes,” Sophie said. “Assuming that we had friends dealing with other branches, we would need an alternative to the world’s only long-range mass-communication system. So, there’s nothing to lose in handing your code sheet over, and a head to lose if you don’t.”
“You know that if you do this, the Magic Society won’t let it go,” Pochard said. “Even if you fail. Even if they can’t prove it was you, they can’t be seen to have let you walk over them. They’ll come after you.”
He turned to look as a new person entered the room. Unlike Sophie, ranking up had made generous changes to Clive Standish. The awkward, gangly researcher Pochard had known was now lean and handsome. His old perpetual nervousness was nowhere to be seen. If Standish was involved, Pochard had no doubt the vault would be successfully breached. The man had always been frustratingly thorough.
“Has he handed it over yet?” Clive asked.
“Not yet,” Sophie said. “The relay towers for communication?”
“In place and tested,” Clive said. “All we need is the last sequence fragment. Strip him and scrape him down. He always liked to hide things on his body with false skin.”
Pochard failed to hide his surprise, drawing a smile from Clive.
“Yes, Deputy Director,” Clive said. “I’ve always known about your inept little tricks. Did you really think no one would see through them at the Magic Society of all places? It makes sense, I suppose. The society is all politicians now. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have to do something this drastic.”
“It’s Director now, Standish,” Pochard said, mustering what he could of his dignity. “I haven’t been deputy director for several years.
“Really?” Clive asked. “You’re in this situation and you’re being fastidious about a title? This is a reflection of a much larger problem. But you don’t have to worry, Director; I don’t think they’ll let you keep the position. Not after your part in publicly releasing the archive vault research. Centuries of hoarded secrets, open and available to all. Aside from the restricted content, obviously. If we’re going to make an enemy of the Magic Society, best not make one of the Adventure Society as well.”
“They’ll never let you go for this, Standish.”
“Then I suppose you’ll feel vindicated when they string me up. Hand over the sequence sheet, Director.”
Scowling, Pochard lifted up his shirt and peeled the false skin off his abdomen and placed it on his desk. One the opposite side of the fake skin side was a sheet with a row of coloured splotches, as if dabbed on with paint.
“That’s it?” Humphrey asked.
As they all watched it, the colours all changed. Clive took a crystal from his pocket and waved it over the sheet. The colours glowed for a brief moment and Clive put the crystal away.
“That’s it,” he said. “I was worried he’d have a dummy sheet, but this is the real thing. I guess he’s not as smart as I thought.”
“No, he’s smart,” Sophie said. “It’s trying to fob a fake off on us that would be stupid.”
“True enough,” Clive agreed.
He opened his dimensional space, a small portal ringed with floating runes. From it he pulled out a hand mirror. He tapped the face of the mirror and a three by three grid of symbols appeared. He tapped on the symbols in sequence and they vanished, replaced with an pulsing light. A humming sound rose and fell in time with the pulses. After a few moments, the light and sound stopped. In their place, an image of Belinda appeared in the mirror. She looked to be holding one similar, and a large steel door was behind her.
“You’ve got it?” she asked without preamble.
“We’ve got it,” Clive told her.
“Okay. Before you tell me the sequence, wait for the next sequence shift to give us the most time. These sequences change every minute.”
They waited for the colours on the sheet to change again and Clive read off the colour sequence.
“Blue. Red. Indigo—”
“What in a god’s wet crevice is indigo?” Belinda asked.
“It’s a darker purple than violet,” Clive said.
“Then just say purple.”
“What if there’s another shade of purple later?”
“You’ve got the sheet. Is there another shade of purple?”
“Not right now,” Clive admitted, “but the colours change.”
“Then just say purple!”
“There’s nothing wrong with being precise.”
“There isn’t going to be another shade of purple, Clive.”
“How can you know that?”
“Because no sane person wants a conversation like this! Look, we’ve wasted too much time. Wait for the next sequence.”
“Fine,” Clive grumbled.
Humphrey, who had moved next to Sophie, leaned in to whisper.
“How confident are you in this burglary plan?”
“It’s called a heist, honey.”
“How confident are you in this heist plan?”
“Just trust in Lindy,” she told him, a smile teasing at her lips.
“Look, can I go now?” Pochard asked. “I think my part in this is done.”
“Head for that door and it will be,” Sophie told him.
The colours on the paper shifted again.
“Go, Clive,” Belinda said. “And don’t you dare say chartreuse or I will come over there and smack the ability to see colour out of you.”
Clive rolled his eyes but read off the new sequence.
“Okay, we’re in,” Belinda said. “You can pack it up and get out.”
She vanished from the tablet as she cut communication.
“That’s it,” Clive said. “we should go.”
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” Pochard asked. “So I don’t tell them it was you.”
“We don’t need to kill you,” Clive said. “Frankly, I take no small delight in what you will face from the Magic Society after this. And as for knowing it was us…”
Clive let out a chuckle filled with uncharacteristic malevolence.
“…with what I have planned, there will be no question over who it was.”
Clive strode out, putting Pochard behind him, and Humphrey followed. Sophie kicked Pochard square in the crotch and he fell over, hands clutched over his groin as he let out a whimpering moan. She bent down to speak amiably into his ear.
“This is why adventurers say training is important,” she told him. “A silver-ranker should be able to manipulate their body so no part of it is as vulnerable as that.”
Clive returned to the doorway.
“What are you doing?” he asked. “We need to go.”
“I owe this guy one,” Sophie said, then kicked Pochard hard in the stomach.
“And that’s for sleeping with Clive’s wife,” she added.
“Wha…?” Pochard asked as Clive rolled his eyes.
“Really?” Clive asked. Sophie flashed him a grin and then was past him in a blur of movement. Clive shook his head and followed.
Comments
I agree. Any new girlfriend needs to know about Clive's wife. Sadly he never notices when someone is into him lol
Josie Dinwiddie
2024-04-19 19:51:39 +0000 UTC"And that’s for sleeping with Clive’s wife" 😂 I really hope this joke comes up anytime he starts dating someone lol
Axios
2024-04-03 15:34:10 +0000 UTCThe tale of Clive’s wife continues 😁 Thx for the chapter
Kconraw
2024-03-01 02:31:41 +0000 UTCAgreed. I wasn't a fan of them the first time, they seemed nonsensical and unnecessary. Much prefer these recent chapters. I would love it if we could see more in depth team biscuit of team biscuit going after the magic society.
oldntokn
2024-02-20 00:15:36 +0000 UTCI seriously hope we never see another transition zone.
Michael Lloyd Kelley
2024-02-19 17:35:48 +0000 UTCThe first time he did it left such an impression on me of the story, Jason sacrificed himself for his team and his team had become so close and they all grew because of Jason. Seeing Clive take charge in that moment when it’s hard to understand what he even felt, barking orders in the geller’s base at the guards and even Danielle. First interval chapter of book 3, chapter 259 of the story)
Vincent Ciavone
2024-02-19 15:55:53 +0000 UTCI love when Clive takes the lead, when it came to Jason’s first death and the party appearing in the Geller estate, it was amazing seeing how much Clive cared about the circumstances
Vincent Ciavone
2024-02-19 15:38:27 +0000 UTCExactly !
Joanne Hans
2024-02-19 14:20:31 +0000 UTCI don't think this has been said much about Aurella, but if you follow the convo she has with her father and how Lamprey and Silva meet it's clear that her or her father set up that meeting and ansesa and the purity cult portal member provided the starseed that Jason looted. It's pretty messed up when you think about it and I really want Jason to get the knowledge of that and get some revenge against Aurella. But if he didn't against Lorent the bone essence guy then I doubt it will happen. Sophie and Humphrey finding out on the other hand .....
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:42:17 +0000 UTCAnd we don't know if farrahs network works like earth's in the way of emails, web pages and search engines. That make what Clive is doing so much more badass and a f you to the MS. The information will be free and easy to access around the entire planet within seconds. No waiting to find the topic ur looking for or having to sign out pages or what have you. Complete and free access
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:36:43 +0000 UTCSleeping with Clive's ex wife will be a require to join hahaha
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:34:26 +0000 UTCStash should turn into a woman and claim to be Clive's long lost love with help of Onslow and Niel recording it for Jason
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:30:41 +0000 UTCSo we can agree it's been about 2-3 years since Jason went off astral boxing
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:28:54 +0000 UTCShould have punched him then said "that's for sleeping with my wife"
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-19 12:27:25 +0000 UTCThat's what I always think of as green stone.
Anthony C
2024-02-19 00:08:08 +0000 UTChttps://youtu.be/WCli0gyNwL0?si=DfSqhVERxOY8Juof
Anthony C
2024-02-19 00:07:38 +0000 UTCLorelei. And no
Pierce
2024-02-18 23:06:30 +0000 UTCSo glad to be done with the board game arc
oldntokn
2024-02-18 22:58:13 +0000 UTCI would like to see some one come and clame to be his wife
Andrew
2024-02-18 19:24:15 +0000 UTCIdk if she did cores or not, but she tried to kill Jason repeatedly, might have been involved in his star seeding ( her dad mentioned getting silver and lamprey to team up ) , and tried to repeatedly sell someone into sexual slavery for political power. I kinda hope the man with a magnificent mustache mr.trenslow takes over or has taken over
Mist Sparrow
2024-02-18 18:59:08 +0000 UTCI don't think aurella was cored up. Pretty sure she was a true adventurer. He probably won't care about her unless she's dumb enough to push, or worse, do evil shit to others in front of him. That's the key at this point.
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-18 18:53:40 +0000 UTCSeems like Farrah got her communication network working. I'm guessing her and Travis are going to be filthy rich.
Greg Danes
2024-02-18 16:55:53 +0000 UTCI’d like to believe we will see the wedding
Scoutmaster2002
2024-02-18 14:25:18 +0000 UTCNah I don't really see them on the same level of genius like Clive is the impossible Belinda jerry rigs something improbable
ItWasIDIO!!
2024-02-18 13:37:48 +0000 UTCIt would make clives incarceration make alot more sense. It was just after he messed up builder plans so the higher ups needed him off the board. It also explains nicely why the other director got punished in name only.
PURPL3_DR4G0N
2024-02-18 12:59:14 +0000 UTCTo quote Shade: 'Not all knowledge is worth knowing'
Thomas Froehling
2024-02-18 11:42:39 +0000 UTCMaybe Farrah can use some of the footage for advertising, to show potential customers the possibilities of that new magi-technology
Thomas Froehling
2024-02-18 11:39:32 +0000 UTCThe Collector cards recently started being delivered in the US, and the descriptive text on the bottom is written from _some_ organization's context, especially with it's references to the Asano Problem. Maybe it's the plants within the Magic Society
Chris Nowak
2024-02-18 05:40:32 +0000 UTCAm I the only one who really wants Clive to get married during this timeskip? To someone in on the joke and takes it to the next level by implying there are reasons she is no longer with us.
Michael Fannon
2024-02-18 03:55:32 +0000 UTCI really want Clive to actually get married. Before Jason comes back. And is in on the joke.
Michael Fannon
2024-02-18 03:53:59 +0000 UTCThis comment made me spit out my coffee... Now my wife is glaring at me!!!!
Mouser
2024-02-18 03:29:15 +0000 UTCYes that one. The one who helped him escape
Daniel S
2024-02-18 02:32:20 +0000 UTCTypo: "One the opposite side of the fake skin side"
Aaron Hill
2024-02-18 00:43:30 +0000 UTCNobody was surprised
Michael Hawkins
2024-02-18 00:05:38 +0000 UTCI feel sorry for the world...because you know she'll corrupt him, and then even an apocalypse beast will run for their life with the shenanigans they will get into..
TerrestrialOverlord
2024-02-17 22:33:33 +0000 UTCI mean, once you hit silver and gold youre essentially an almost immortal being, what is age at that point but a number? And also shes not a child at this point in the story shes 16 in the last chapter we saw, and this time skip will take about 10 years, so shell probably be mid 20s when we get the next book
Dreyzer
2024-02-17 21:22:09 +0000 UTCMy prediction: The magic society has had decades of hiding astral magic while only sharing the 'easy' magic publicly for favors, probably due to having builder plants, if not going back to its founders. They probably had a 'hit list' of those fighting the builder, (including Clive) and list of those killed in the past for finding too much. Once this gets out, the society can't bother retaliating because they have too much dirty laundry now flapping in the wind for all to see. Who cares about the leaker when all the world's greatest powers are now glaring at you for hamstringing them for centuries?
Marcaeus
2024-02-17 20:56:08 +0000 UTCWhat if Belinda ends up becoming “Clive’s Wife”
2024-02-17 20:54:09 +0000 UTCAre you referring to the one that helped delay access to the portals from the magic director when they wouldn’t let Clive leave?
2024-02-17 20:52:57 +0000 UTCEither that or everyone that meets her will be like "Your Clive's wife I've heard about you and give her a dirty look"
deushadow
2024-02-17 20:22:56 +0000 UTCYa Sean, you remember Soramir giving that quick chat about diamond rankers getting their revenge done pretty quickly on getting to diamond rank. I don't think Jason is going to care, besides Aurella really helped Jason way more then she hurt him and on balance was probably one of his biggest allies. The fact that she wanted to kill Jason through most of that alliance doesn't really mean much when you consider that when Jason gets back he is going to be way stronger then some cored up silver ranker.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:50:28 +0000 UTCMy guys, shirt literally said 'malevolent smile', he's acting in malice and out of a perfectly reasonable grudge against the magic society
Bunny
2024-02-17 19:37:41 +0000 UTCClive is not acting malevolent, just focused, committed, and resolved. Think of Clive as the new John Wick, and he will do more then kill with a pencil.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:34:52 +0000 UTCOy, Clive can be good and still a badass.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:30:38 +0000 UTCHe won't crash because Humphrey will need a best man at his wedding.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:29:24 +0000 UTCStop that's a Balinda quote.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:28:20 +0000 UTCClowns. His name is/was clowns. I don't remember his first name. But Jason's clown's gag conversation left enough of an impression that the thought of it still makes me giggle.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:26:46 +0000 UTCSorry JonO but knowledge kinda already has because both Clive and Belinda have back in the Storm Kingdom and anything that anyone on palamustus knows or has experienced so has the goddess. I don't imagine the goddess is particularly happy with that one.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 19:06:00 +0000 UTCYes, but she can't get into Jason's astral space... therefore she hasn't experienced clives parents getting it in in an eel tank
JonO
2024-02-17 18:07:36 +0000 UTCClive should have punched Pochard for sleeping with with Clive's wife, that would of been perfect.
Joanne Hans
2024-02-17 17:33:05 +0000 UTCRobin Hood: Clive Edition
2024-02-17 16:32:54 +0000 UTCBuddy, YOU should have some higher standards...
Chuck Haeberle
2024-02-17 16:05:27 +0000 UTCDude i am right there with you.. that would seriously be one epic fight scene.. once ai gets better i am going to try.
Ken Sevier
2024-02-17 15:46:08 +0000 UTCTy for fixing my mix-up.
Kalanaere
2024-02-17 15:41:22 +0000 UTC@Kal, Stache didnt. Belinda did. Stache was a naked Jason(or Humphrey, cant remember exactly which) with a sandwich board
Tim
2024-02-17 14:12:29 +0000 UTC@Ken dude, I wish I could pay someone to animate that fight...Demon Slayer style
Tim
2024-02-17 14:10:09 +0000 UTCLol, Shirt really nailed it with the team dynamics, 150,000%
Tim
2024-02-17 14:08:37 +0000 UTCSo...uh...whats her Mirror ritual? ....asking for....a friend...
Tim
2024-02-17 14:06:22 +0000 UTCI feel like with this two year jump of them just doing serious training chasing challenging contracts they have to be on the cusp of that.
Jordan Rogers
2024-02-17 13:36:38 +0000 UTCWhen he who fights with monster ends. Shirts next story will be Clive's wife guide to cheating
Charles
2024-02-17 10:57:19 +0000 UTCEmi is too much like Jason.. as in Too much for everyone
Idan tal
2024-02-17 09:50:53 +0000 UTCYa know what ever happened to that Magic Society researcher that liked Clive? I don't remember her name since it's been so long since Clive was held captive by them
Daniel S
2024-02-17 07:22:15 +0000 UTCThat joke never gets bad
Charles
2024-02-17 07:16:50 +0000 UTC"The Gang Robs The Magic Society". great chapter
Luis Maldonado
2024-02-17 06:03:23 +0000 UTCNaw they can just pivot to ex-wife jokes
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-17 05:01:07 +0000 UTCPrediction time: Jason loses in his bid to claim the Sundered Throne and his mind gets obliterated. A decade later, his mind is restored from backups (the memory room, the combined knowledge of all the avatars he left behind, etc). By this time, Clive will have gotten married, and Jason won't be able to make Clive's Wife jokes anymore, and that's the thing that finally pushes him over the edge into becoming Dark(er) Jason.
Liesmith
2024-02-17 04:55:39 +0000 UTCThe good Lindy?
Rowdy Robby
2024-02-17 04:31:58 +0000 UTCSecond time reading.. and it’s still a great chapter! Clive is a brutal SOB! I can’t wait to see the ramification of this “Heist”, tbh it was more of a “stick up”
Christopher Svehla
2024-02-17 04:24:11 +0000 UTCWho?
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 04:05:17 +0000 UTCEh I doubt Jason will ever be truly beyond a little petty revenge.
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 04:02:03 +0000 UTCI can't wait for Clive to actually get married but he would most likely marry a research paper.
Anthony Moreno
2024-02-17 04:01:53 +0000 UTCMagic society
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 04:00:07 +0000 UTCSooooo... Jason's niece?
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 03:56:37 +0000 UTCOh man that was so good.
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 03:54:23 +0000 UTCYou know Clive is eventually going to get married and his wife will forever complain about his ex-wife that slept with all of the adventure and magic societies... lol.. and how she will never let herself be traded for any favors...😈😈
TerrestrialOverlord
2024-02-17 03:51:17 +0000 UTCYes! Nik definitely needs a Burt special.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-17 03:47:51 +0000 UTCWell she already knows everything in There.
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 03:44:28 +0000 UTCI believe Lindy is quite spoken for.
james foster
2024-02-17 03:42:23 +0000 UTCOh damn, that wife of Clive has sure got around
Jacob Goodrich
2024-02-17 03:37:20 +0000 UTCThere has not been a stated cap on rank, and I believe Clive said the Book doesn't make star seeds at all as it doesn't have a need for mortal servants.
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 03:35:45 +0000 UTCNo no no, Clive is definitely still the Good Clive
Sean C Jackson
2024-02-17 03:28:55 +0000 UTCClive's wife jokes never get old!
james foster
2024-02-17 03:23:56 +0000 UTCAlso translation powers. They aren’t speaking English in the other world, so there’s no reason for Shirt to come up with a completely random word for chartreuse. The actual color exists in the visual spectrum, so they wouldn’t call it chartreuse. But that’s what we know it as on Earth. It’s like saying no one on Earth outside of France would know the color chartreuse.
Daniel Wills
2024-02-17 03:20:11 +0000 UTCIt has been well established that there is two way bleedover of lore and fables between the two worlds. Elves and dragons don't exist on Earth but they are known. No reason a color can't have the same name as on Earth. one of the monks could have even been a outworlder.
2024-02-17 03:07:28 +0000 UTC#IveSleptWithClivesExWife
2024-02-17 02:51:44 +0000 UTCThe return of Clive’s wife!
Trevor Mallow
2024-02-17 02:45:03 +0000 UTCI’m so thankful to see the Magic Society get its due. Can’t wait for them to tell Jason.
2024-02-17 02:12:48 +0000 UTCI am still hoping he is married, and they were both so research obsessed they forgot.
Scott McCarthy
2024-02-17 02:00:29 +0000 UTCYeah wtf lol
Brandon Todd
2024-02-17 01:59:45 +0000 UTCDid you say emi? The child?
N8rtotPlayz
2024-02-17 01:57:36 +0000 UTCMakes it more appropriate not less lol
Lucas Gulick
2024-02-17 01:46:52 +0000 UTCNah they'll double down on the jokes
Lucas Gulick
2024-02-17 01:46:26 +0000 UTCThey didn't mark their territories, it was a live stream. Lol
John Durrett
2024-02-17 01:44:38 +0000 UTCHumphrey is that you?
John Durrett
2024-02-17 01:43:15 +0000 UTCMore like them waiting to actually get married so jason could be there.
Kaladorph
2024-02-17 01:40:52 +0000 UTCSo who else reckons Jason will return just in time to crash Hump and Sophie's wedding?
Thomas Laptain
2024-02-17 01:18:54 +0000 UTCMy vote is in on Jason returning in time to accidentally crash the wedding.
Thomas Laptain
2024-02-17 01:17:49 +0000 UTCWhen is Clives wife setting up the OnlyFans page is the real question
Michael McMahon
2024-02-17 01:02:16 +0000 UTCI thought that too for a long time ans I think that interaction will happen at some stage but Jayo is far beyond the petty Silver ranker at this stage he's dealing with petty GAB rankers instead. Sophie taking care of Greenstone is a great approach.
Michael McMahon
2024-02-17 01:01:31 +0000 UTCBravo and oh the fun!!!
Andrew Q Dunckley
2024-02-17 01:01:30 +0000 UTCThe gang ain’t messing around. Gettin it done!
Josh Vanderpool
2024-02-17 01:00:36 +0000 UTCThis!!!!
Andrew Q Dunckley
2024-02-17 01:00:33 +0000 UTCThanks Shirt. Guess Lindy is not the only Evil Clive anymore.
Rowdy Robby
2024-02-17 00:59:25 +0000 UTCI pray Clives Wife joke gets a big pay off with it ending up being Lindy or Emi, and then everyone is just so upset because of the previous jokes and the fact that they cant make it anymore
Dreyzer
2024-02-17 00:59:22 +0000 UTCWe still need to catch up with Clive's future wife now that Clive has targeted the Entire MS.
Paul Boros
2024-02-17 00:45:10 +0000 UTCIt was good when they were bonding over their shared love of magic, but she turned out to be so invested in the politics and money of it all.... Ultimately Clive had to separate from the Magic Society and is shaking up with Research now.
Stephanie Washburn
2024-02-17 00:40:23 +0000 UTCWhat a great episode :D so good
ma ka
2024-02-17 00:38:33 +0000 UTCMan, I love the Berts. We need a family gathering side story!
Tim
2024-02-17 00:35:51 +0000 UTCSo here's a little fun fact chartreuse wouldn't exist in this world, chartreuse the color is named after the French monks who have been distilling an herbal liquore sense the "1600's?" You could totally have them ask what color chartruce is and have a response of "IDK It's some type of green Jason was always talking about"
Delakar
2024-02-17 00:32:35 +0000 UTCI was referring to the image of Clives wife that Stache created in Jason realm during the God fight lol
Kalanaere
2024-02-17 00:30:00 +0000 UTCI’m hoping they all get to gold rank before that happens
BloodStorm
2024-02-17 00:29:35 +0000 UTCYou are not wrong. I like how he seems like aeasy going pushover until something serious is happening, such as when Onslow was merked and he made teaching moments out of his epic fight.
Ken Sevier
2024-02-17 00:27:35 +0000 UTCYeah, pretty sure she slept her way to vaunted position of power she holds now. Such a shame. It’s good to see Clive has moved on and is not engaging in high risk behavior.
Evan Knight
2024-02-17 00:23:36 +0000 UTCImagine a book filled with Clive and Belinda capers and heists. Everyone would read that. The premise is even better than some stories about some Aussie loon getting magic cosmic powers.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 00:19:59 +0000 UTCKevin Anderson Does the bunny need a suit. I suddenly think he might.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 00:16:05 +0000 UTCThat was my assumption too.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-17 00:14:54 +0000 UTCI don't think there had been a stated cap.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-17 00:14:29 +0000 UTCwild how no one mentioned that Humphrey and Sophie are engaged now, he called her his fiancé, they might even be married by the time Jason is back.
Charlie Harwood
2024-02-17 00:13:55 +0000 UTCClive can't get a star seed, he has already advanced too far for one to work in him.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 00:12:24 +0000 UTCWe need a nik chapter of him going to visit Bert....
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-17 00:10:08 +0000 UTCKeep in mind they are just getting the phone service up and running, she might not have a phone yet.
Mike Zebill
2024-02-17 00:09:02 +0000 UTCWell… that was the best chapter of the series.
Chris Jennerjohn
2024-02-17 00:08:04 +0000 UTCI hope so
Joanna
2024-02-17 00:07:39 +0000 UTCHe has to have a prime. I assume all primes have star seeds but maybe that's a poor assumption.
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-17 00:01:49 +0000 UTCLook Cyrus McEnnis, no he is going to open source all the knowledge on his Farrah and Travis super magic Internet. He is literally giving the goddess of knowledge a direct access to porn, And it's going to be hilarious.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-17 00:00:23 +0000 UTCThey all do both. The Builder gives his out to anyone of any rank. The rest are very selctive to whom they give them out to.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-16 23:59:20 +0000 UTCI love when Clive acts all evil and malevolent, very attractive
Bunny
2024-02-16 23:57:39 +0000 UTCI thought the Celestial book doesn't do star seeds but does blessings rarely or that only the builder hands out star seeds as liberally as he does where the other GABs do it rarely
Andre Morales
2024-02-16 23:56:26 +0000 UTCClive's Eleven... Coming soon to a Magical Display near you!
Paul Boros
2024-02-16 23:53:46 +0000 UTCI wonder how long it will before Clive gets a star seed from the Celestial Book. It seems like he is passionate about discovering and disseminating magical knowledge which is aligned with that GaB.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-16 23:39:44 +0000 UTCThey might all be at Bronze rank now.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-16 23:35:43 +0000 UTCIt's actually somewhat worse than that. Clive is taking the archive of knowledge that the Magic Society keeps under lock and key and making it open source, using the newly developed Farravis Magitech mirror network. It's going to promote that network, and make its use ubiquitous. It'll fast become the equivalent of the internet here, bringing information to the people. So, what Clive has effectively done is given pornography of his wife to the masses.
Cyrus McEnnis
2024-02-16 23:35:03 +0000 UTCShe wouldn't hold his interest. Clive said his type was someone with the magical interest of Belinda but without the criminal inclinations of Belinda.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-16 23:34:20 +0000 UTCMaybe Clive slept with Jason's wife and they ran off together. That's why Jason can say that he slept with Clives wife. Technically still true.
Alex Schellenberg
2024-02-16 23:32:49 +0000 UTCMay be we will see dragon snacks from a third universe
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:28:25 +0000 UTCClive's dark side is pretty much intelligent batman.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:26:09 +0000 UTCWe totally need a Bert chapter with Neil getting proper clothes that fit, for the resilient gentleman that he is.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:24:11 +0000 UTCAurella was an sneaky bitch, and a little evil. But I don't doubt that she has already moved on. She actually was loyal to her career in the adventure society and her desire to leave Greenstone for someplace better. Aurella made enemies of team biscuit but I doubt they are going to kill her outright when leaving her around will hurt her so much more.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:21:54 +0000 UTCEvil Clive is just Belinda, I thought that was already covered long ago. But right now Clive is angry and out for some very public revenge and it's going to be awesome 😎.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:16:30 +0000 UTCMan team heists vs 24/7 God monster battle Jason really got the shaft on this particular self sacrifice, I'd be a bitter biscuit
DivineNapier
2024-02-16 23:14:06 +0000 UTCI hear there is a loose princess of the storm kingdom should Clive be so inclined.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:13:47 +0000 UTCClive was always a badass. Remember what Jason said in book three Clive was always the hero. He just never seems to look like one till it's time to do the job.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:11:53 +0000 UTCNope first they have to scorch the earth then they need to salt it. The magic society is an organization that in it's current form needs to be killed and burned out like hornets.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:09:44 +0000 UTC"One the opposite side of the fake skin side was a sheet with a row of coloured splotches, as if dabbed on with paint" I think you wanted to start that sentence with "On"
Matt Streit
2024-02-16 23:09:04 +0000 UTCI knew it. That slimy Director sleeping with Clive’s wife on top of everything!
Alexander Dupree
2024-02-16 23:07:21 +0000 UTCClive wasn't married to Stash. Don't even imply that.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:07:03 +0000 UTCThis is such a a giant fu to the magic society..... Not only are they liberating the hidden knowledge, but they are doing it with a technology that will also destroy their monopoly and power base. I forsee a new society under Clive forming in its place.
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-16 23:06:24 +0000 UTCShe is absolutely in on it and she is almost certainly part of the team.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:05:53 +0000 UTCI do believe that Clive is going to absolutely destroy the power and organization of the magic society, And I'm kinda loving his path to revenge. Every dirty deed, every criminal act of the magic society will be laid bare for the world to see. It will likely be a small police action of the adventure society to clean up the mess when all the secrets are laid bare. I kinda love how Clive and Belinda have working cellphones for this heist. It's pretty James Bond.
Zachary Ross
2024-02-16 23:04:33 +0000 UTCShe went after lamprey, the magic society director, cut him to ribbons and dragged him to the adventure society. Aurella didn't get much in the way of punishment for her actions though
Mist Sparrow
2024-02-16 23:01:51 +0000 UTCOkay, I’m as big a fan of a good Clive’s wife reference as any—as most of us, but I have to ask: does Farrah know what they’re doing with her brand new magic phone?!? If not there’s gonna be some trouble
Joanna
2024-02-16 23:00:16 +0000 UTCBut seriously, the immense balls on these people.... Danielle is going to marvel....
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-16 22:59:32 +0000 UTC... but it was Danielle Geller (if I read it correctly), who went after the director of the adventur Society.
Thomas Froehling
2024-02-16 22:59:03 +0000 UTCI still like to think they ran off together silently marking their territory across the soon to be connected worlds.
JonO
2024-02-16 22:57:19 +0000 UTCIn all fairness... Clive slept with Jason's... just no one cares about that lol
JonO
2024-02-16 22:56:33 +0000 UTCOh man that would be a whole ass awesome mini book series
Jarrett Mahon
2024-02-16 22:55:02 +0000 UTCYeah, phones are becoming a thing! Travis for the win!
David Cooper
2024-02-16 22:49:13 +0000 UTCExcept Clive lol
Kalanaere
2024-02-16 22:44:31 +0000 UTCMe too, so much
Stephanie Washburn
2024-02-16 22:44:17 +0000 UTCClive's wife is the magic society, confirmed.
Stephanie Washburn
2024-02-16 22:44:03 +0000 UTCI feel bad for the Director! Assaulted for sleeping with an imaginary woman with a large mustache that he's never met
Kalanaere
2024-02-16 22:43:14 +0000 UTCLet's not forget Clive also slept with Jason's wife. They really were as bad as each other
Maz Drapier
2024-02-16 22:42:37 +0000 UTCClive's wife gets around.
Raves
2024-02-16 22:39:08 +0000 UTCThey gonna do what they need to and flee to earth for a quick vampire war?
Jordan Rogers
2024-02-16 22:38:34 +0000 UTCBurt's eulogy for Jason is legitimately one of my favorite paragraphs in the entire series.
Richard Bonds
2024-02-16 22:37:36 +0000 UTCI swear, Clive's wife has slept with everyone except Clive
Connor
2024-02-16 22:37:16 +0000 UTCFantastic chapter! Can’t wait to see what they do with what they liberated!
Tanner Lovelace
2024-02-16 22:36:36 +0000 UTCPoor Clive, his wifereally gets around.
Archmage37
2024-02-16 22:34:55 +0000 UTCClive is my personal favorite. And Neil. And Belinda. And Stache. And Onslow. I mean, Farrah is obviously the best and I ❤️ her x infinity, but after her, all those guys are my favorite.
Richard Bonds
2024-02-16 22:34:35 +0000 UTCOmg yes we need a Gilbert follow up, preferably teary eyed as Jason comes in with a new order. His goodbye was my most saddening one with his it was presented. I'm in need of an equally as impressioned reunion
JonO
2024-02-16 22:32:24 +0000 UTCI am thoroughly looking forward to whatever Clive has planned. 😈
ReadingObsessed
2024-02-16 22:32:19 +0000 UTCBhahahaha!
Cryfdwr
2024-02-16 22:31:49 +0000 UTCMan i love how Clive is being such a badass!! Great chapter!!
Ken Sevier
2024-02-16 22:30:36 +0000 UTCI don't....i guess maybe she has "some" standards then...ah well
JonO
2024-02-16 22:30:01 +0000 UTCThis was incredibly satisfying
Bryn Thomas
2024-02-16 22:29:55 +0000 UTCDanielle is going to shed a tear of immense pride. "Thanks Jason"
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-16 22:29:52 +0000 UTCHopefully Clive finds a better partner than that slag of a wife in the next book
Abigail Hale
2024-02-16 22:29:43 +0000 UTCYeah, I know who has her number... **EVERYONE**
Chuck Haeberle
2024-02-16 22:28:31 +0000 UTCThis was amazing! Thanks for the chapter
DJ Doughty
2024-02-16 22:28:26 +0000 UTCThat she does not....i should look her up.... anyone got her number?
JonO
2024-02-16 22:27:50 +0000 UTCClive has turned into such a bad ass, I love ritualists and I'm all for it.
Michael Hawkins
2024-02-16 22:27:24 +0000 UTCClives wife is the shit!!lol
JonO
2024-02-16 22:27:02 +0000 UTCTheir wedding will be interrupted by Carmen or something equally extravagant. A god will appear, Jason will set the world alight with ghost fire. Who knows
Michael Hawkins
2024-02-16 22:26:23 +0000 UTCStupid sexy Clive and his stupid sexy heist. What a gorgeous chapter.
Joshua Batts
2024-02-16 22:26:15 +0000 UTCI won't slut shame her but I for sure will Pochard Finn shame her! :D
Chuck Haeberle
2024-02-16 22:26:02 +0000 UTCAt this point I'd say she slept with half the planet, wouldn't you?
Mackienze Robinson
2024-02-16 22:24:22 +0000 UTCClives wife sure does get around sleeping with everyone
Joe Foreman
2024-02-16 22:22:28 +0000 UTCTYFTC!! Clives wife is at it again
Hemlock
2024-02-16 22:20:25 +0000 UTCI can't believe he would do that to Clive's wife.
Shup Idot
2024-02-16 22:19:43 +0000 UTCClive's wife really needs to up her standards
Sébastien Kingsbury
2024-02-16 22:19:34 +0000 UTCMan she does get around, how sad for Clive ^ ^
Iain Grubb
2024-02-16 22:17:44 +0000 UTCI really do love Clive, then Travis is a solid second. I love when secondary characters have such detailed personalities
Andre Morales
2024-02-16 22:17:44 +0000 UTCEvil Clive has been... Unleashed muhahahahaha
ItWasIDIO!!
2024-02-16 22:17:07 +0000 UTCI was hoping Jason would be the one to be the one to get revenge on Aurella , with him overpowering her telekinesis as a mirror of their last confrontation. But having Sophie do it might be more satisfying 😌
Mist Sparrow
2024-02-16 22:15:56 +0000 UTCClive's wife is still getting around I see.
Kyle Hunter
2024-02-16 22:15:48 +0000 UTCThat’s two greenstone chapters and 0 Berts. I object heartily.
mockery jones
2024-02-16 22:15:29 +0000 UTCTFTC!!! Clive’s wife at it again, lol
Branden Rudolph
2024-02-16 22:14:56 +0000 UTCAnd clives wife strikes again
J
2024-02-16 22:13:33 +0000 UTCAWESOME!!!!!!!
David Carr
2024-02-16 22:13:06 +0000 UTCThis is maybe my favorite chapter ever. Humphrey popped the question, the gang’s doing a heist, Pochard gets kicked in the grapes, and Clive’s ever-delightful dark side shines through. Tftc!
Bingus McCready
2024-02-16 22:11:56 +0000 UTCI love how everyone is in on the Clive wife joke lmao
Cory
2024-02-16 22:11:45 +0000 UTCMan Clives wife is the most promiscuous woman in all of fiction she's literally slept with everybody
Valhazstromoz
2024-02-16 22:11:19 +0000 UTCThey managed to make the magi-cell service work like Earth's. Unfortunately I suspect this world won't be long without microtransactions.
Sean Sheldon
2024-02-16 22:11:18 +0000 UTCDamn Clives wife has NO standards!!!
Chuck Haeberle
2024-02-16 22:10:31 +0000 UTCEvil Clive, crazy heist with Lindy at the reins, Sophie and Hump are engaged. This chapter had it all, I'm so happy!
Georgie
2024-02-16 22:10:11 +0000 UTCKind of annoying that we have yet to see a proposal in the story. I know that the romance isn’t a key component of the story but I hope that he puts some attention into it when he writes.
mhaj58
2024-02-16 22:06:52 +0000 UTCSpace biscuits!!
Kevin Anderson
2024-02-16 22:00:29 +0000 UTC
