XaiJu
grandgame

grandgame

patreon


grandgame posts

Empyrean 39: The Healing Waters

Adalinda was facing a small group people who seemed to have emerged from the darkness of the holes I spotted earlier. They did not seem threatening—in fact, they seemed more scared of the celestial standing before them.

When they saw Soren and I approach, the woman in front of the group gave me an intense stare. “Hello,” she said, her voice commanding attention. “We are the nymphs of this forest. Thank you for saving us.”

“Saving you?” I asked, a little puzzled.

<...

View Post

Empyrean 38: An Unlikely Jungle

Amelia, here! :) please enjoy another chapter of Empyrean's Flight. We are nearing the end of the book, so let me know how you think it will end!

****

Screaming, I ignored the punishment of fire and released a surge of light through my hands into the fire golem’s cracks. The tendrils grew the longer I stood still and channelled them, and as they twisted into the fire golem, I watched as it lifted its hands up in the air.

The flames enveloped me, but I stood and le...

View Post

Empyrean 37: Into the Fire

Two minutes? I thought to myself, panicked. That was not a lot of time to figure this out.

“Any thoughts?” Adalinda asked.

I put my hand on my forehead. Alon, Soren and I used to love asking each other riddles as children. I knew how they worked, how they existed to trick you, but I had never been under this kind of pressure to solve one.

“I breathe, consume, and grow. I was and never will be alive. What am I?” I repeated. “So, it nee...

View Post

Empyrean 36: Riddle Me This

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy another chapter of Empyrean's Flight.
I played around a bit with the idea of how this dungeon works, keen to hear any feedback. Thanks for reading!

****

“I suppose that suits us,” Soren said, the first time he spoke since we faced Arinna. “We wanted to leave anyway, didn’t we, Elana?”

“We did,” I said. “But we don’t know how to do it through the dungeon.”

“That little artifact around your neck should help...

View Post

Empyrean 35: A Match With Light

We wasted no time in walking down the corridor from the main entrance hall. The indigo shades from the gems seemed to grow more concentrated the deeper we travelled into the dungeon. With no doors or entrances to speak of as we walked, we could only follow the corridor to whatever we would walk into next.

Thankfully, we ran into no more insects on the way. I assumed that, especially considering what happened in the first room, they were only homed in the chambers where previous players ...

View Post

Empyrean 34: Enter the Dungeon

Amelia, here! :)
We are officially entering the last third of Empyrean, and I'm quite excited to share Elana's journey through the dungeon with you. Keen to hear your thoughts!

****

Transfer through portal commencing…

Passage granted!

Leaving sector 8,201 and entering sector 5,720—the Hatchling’s Trial.

This area has been previously ...

View Post

Empyrean 33: Return to the Sewers

Amelia, here! :) A new chapter of Empyrean is ready for reading. Any and all feedback is welcome. 

****

As we walked toward the Devil’s base, we found that Eoman was right. With Cantos’ demise, no one cared much for my presence, and we were mostly left alone when we ran across any leftover Devil’s.

But the streets of the poor quarter were more bloody than usual. From what I could pick up, Devils were blaming each other for his death. Wherever we walked, t...

View Post

Grand Game Chapters on Hiatus until Jan 2024

Hi all,

Sorry for the delayed message but I won't be posting early Grand Game chapters until Jan 2024. In the meantime, Amelia will continue Elana's story.

Cheers,

Tom

View Post

Empyrean 32: A Hatchling’s Confession

Amelia, here! :)
It's been a little bit, but please enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight. As always, any and all feedback is welcome. 

****

“What do you know?” I asked simply, holding back any emotion as best as I could. I had to give Soren a chance to explain.

My brother sighed and crossed his legs on the bed. He looked at me for a long while before blowing some more air out. I held onto patience.

“I know they were part of Insurgence,” he...

View Post

Empyrean 31: From The Edge Of Madness

Amelia, here! :) 

Hi everyone. Just a couple of things to note in this chapter: The resistance has an official name now. I have gone back to change it in previous chapters, but just in case you are confused about what 'The Insurgence' is, that's what they are referring to.

Secondly, I changed how Adalinda's new trait works with her new form. She has +5 Dexterity and a speed boost now. 

Thanks, as always, for reading, and any feedback ...

View Post

Empyrean 30: The Hero’s Journey

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight. This one was a bit tough to write, but I hope you like it. As usual, any and all feedback welcome :)

****

Taking a life is not as simple as stories and the journeys of heroes make it out to be. To imagine that every person that the hero kills have a family of their own, a unique life that they led, is easier to ignore for the sake of a story.

Whatever the chronicle tells you, the listener is require...

View Post

Empyrean 29: A Miserable Death

Amelia, here! :) Enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight. As usual, any and all feedback is welcome.

****

Her long black hair just barely gave way to her face, which had been scarred from what I could only assume were many previous battles. But, most notably, she had a slight haze of color around her. A player.

“Who are you?” I demanded, holding my arms and casting witch armor in preparation.

“Your killer.”

My eyes widened as I...

View Post

Empyrean 28: Searching For Revenge

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy another chapter of Empyrean's Flight.

****

“Elana…”

“What is it?” I asked Adalinda, who I noted had been unusually quiet.

“You did not have to be so harsh with your brother,” she said plainly.

“I did,” I argued. “Soren has a hero complex. He needs to let me do my work.”

“That’s unfair,” the celestial said, a little harshness in her voice....

View Post

Empyrean 27: The Show Must Go On

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight.

****

“Where is he?” I asked a little breathlessly.

“In a Racoon safehouse,” Urfak explained. “He is safe.”

“Was there any word about my brother?”

The dwarf shook his head slowly. “No,” he said solemnly. “I’m sorry.”

I gave him a curt nod before searching the room for Odenna. The elf had not moved from the position I had left in her in at the table. I walked ...

View Post

Grand Game 394: The Two-Fold Rebellion

“How long until they wake up?” Elron asked.

I shrugged. “Any second now.” Right on queue, a Game alert opened in my mind.

Your enchantment has lapsed. Your targets are no longer asleep.

The two soldiers at the door moaned while the one sitting down jerked upright suddenly, his eyes widening. He bore a captain’s insignia on his arm I noted. “Sir!” he exclaimed, hands fumbling for his sword.

“It’s alright Algar,” Elron soothed. “I...

View Post

Grand Game 393: While I was Away

Gamil’s shop hadn’t changed in the intervening weeks. The same could not be said for the rest of the city, though.

Squads of soldiers patrolled the streets, and what few civilians moved about, did so quickly and furtively. I drew the attention of more than one passing patrol, but my uniform and officer’s insignia were enough to ward them off, and I reached my destination unmolested.

Sitting in the shadows of an alleyway, I studied the building on the opposite side of the str...

View Post

Grand Game 392: Haven Compromised

Day Twenty-Nine in Draven’s Reach

I approached the city walls openly.

There was no need to hide. The guards on the wall were the marshal’s men, and for all intents and purposes my allies, yet... the faces my sharp-eyed gaze picked out from the distance were uniformly grim and unhappy.

Of its own accord, my right hand drifted closer to the hilt of ebonheart. To maintain my guise as Taim, I had stowed away my second blade in my backpack. My eyes scanned the walls again.<...

View Post

Empyrean 26: Missing in Action

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight.
Just a note from my side: if you see a change in Elana's demeanor, this is intentional. After everything that has happened, she is going through a lot, and I felt it would be wrong to ignore the kind of emotional trauma she has experienced. This will morph and continue over a few chapters :) as usual, any and all feedback is welcome!

****

“You better behave,” Odenna warned. “And trust me when I sa...

View Post

Empyrean 25: Unfolding Secrets

Amelia, here! :) please enjoy a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight.

****

Getting back to the new city was uneventful. We made our way to the sewers in the night, which meant that dim streetlights helped us find our way to the grate, but I had to use light’s fury to see my way through the tunnels. Adalinda and I held little conversation on the way, my mind still reeling from the events of the day.

It took us, overall, around two hours to reach the new city. ...

View Post

Grand Game 391: Much to Ponder

This is definitely not like my binding with Gnat.

This was my first thought. By comparison, that had felt like a cheap parlor trick—and likely had been, one crafted by Erebus to fool the lowly newbies he’d trapped in his web.

The next thing that struck me after reviewing Ghost’s profile was her potential. While the pyre wolf lacked my versatility, employed correctly, she would effectively double our combat strength. Yes, Ghost wouldn’t have her own attributes and ...

View Post

Empyrean 24: Evil’s Soft First Touches

Amelia, here! :) Here is a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight. As always, any and all feedback is welcome.

****

I shouted at the axeman, but he lay still.

Ignoring my cries, the elf cleaned his daggers and started walking away calmly. I started shooting arrows toward him, but the tears in my eyes were obscuring my view.

Adalinda rushed toward the elf and clamped her jaws down on his heel. The lizard held on and I watched as blood flowed from the rogue’s leg. H...

View Post

Michael's Player Profile (After Ghost becomes familiar)

Player Profile: Michael

Level: 201. Rank: 20. Current Health: 100%.

Stamina: 100%. Mana: 100%. Psi: 100%.

Species: Human. Lives Remaining: 4.

Species (Ghost): Stygian Pyre Wolf. Lives Remaining (Ghost): 1.

True Marks: Worthy Adversary, Powerful Initiate.

True Marks (hidden): Wolf Protector.

...

View Post

Grand Game 390: A Familiar Companion

It took only a handful of seconds to reduce the second elite to the same state as the first.

You have crippled your target!

A level 210 basilisk has been permanently blinded and can no longer cast petrifying gaze.

My work done, I somersaulted off the creature and backed away. There was no further reason to stay in such close proximity to the big lizards and risk grievous injury from a lucky blow. Now that I had disabled their only ranged att...

View Post

Grand Game 389: Heading North

Day Twenty-Eight in Draven’s Reach

I set off early the next morning, traveling northwest along the mountaintop plateau. The journey passed without incident, and by late afternoon when I broke for lunch, I was half-way to New Haven.

My rest the previous night had gone undisturbed. After I’d awakened, I’d found Adriel waiting for me. Unfortunately, she’d had no luck with Draven. The guardian, perhaps vexed by our choices, had refused to update her on his search for Ceruvax...

View Post

Empyrean 23: The Shadow of War

Amelia, here! :) Please enjoy another chapter of Empyrean's Flight.

****

The half-orc had returned from the last time we killed him, and he was out for blood. He pulled his axe from the face of his latest foe and turned directly toward me, extending his finger.

You,” he sneered.

My eyes widened, and I immediately prepared for the worst.

You have cast witch armor on yourself. Your damage resistance has increased by 10%.

...

View Post

Grand Game 388: The Wolf Lord

*** Note, I changed Draven's final statement in the last chapter to say, 'five days' ***

“Five days,” I muttered.

“Can you wait that long?” Adriel asked quietly.

I shrugged. “It seems I have no choice but to.”

“Where is he going anyway?” Ghost asked, watching Draven recede into the distance.

“Away from us, I suspect,” Adriel replied. She turned back to me. “What will you do now?”

“Finish...

View Post

Empyrean 22: The Home I Once Knew

Amelia, here! :) new chapter of Empyrean's Flight, any and all feedback is welcome. 

****

As Adalinda and I walked out, the sun caught my eye and blinded me a little. I had been walking in the dark for a while now, and it would take some time to get used to the light. I held my arm up, blocking it momentarily, and looked around.

Now that it was morning, the streets were bustling with people again. Mothers were pulling children along, workers were movin...

View Post

Empyrean 21: A Moment of Peace

Amelia, here! :) here is a new chapter of Empyrean's Flight 

****

I found myself on an isolated battlefield. Looking around, the haunted figures of Devils I had killed before were fighting each other. They had a haze of purple around them, and they paid no attention to me.

I looked down to find a sword in my hand. Strange, considering I didn’t have one, and I couldn’t use one—according to the Game, at least. I searched my mind for any alerts but ...

View Post

DE Version of Grand Game 3 releasing on 1 October 2023

Hi all,

I know this is probably not relevant to most of you, but the German version of Book 3 of the Grand Game releases in a few days time on 01 October.

If you're curious, you can find it here:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0C6HK1SJH

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6HK1SJH

In other news, the audible version of Book 5 ...

View Post

Grand Game 387: Lost and Broken

Ghost was right.

Draven was heading our way and from the scowl covering his face, unhappy was an understatement. “What now?” I muttered.

Adriel turned to look. “Perhaps it has nothing to do with us,” she said but didn’t look convinced herself.

Folding my arms, I waited for the rapidly approaching centaur. “They’re gone!” he snarled before he even drew to a halt. “So many of them. Just gone!”

“Who?” I asked, before the belated realizatio...

View Post