Day Two in Nexus.
The cell where the blackguards had been holding me was on the tower’s ground floor, and I raced past the silently watching mass of dark-clad soldiers without pause.
The building opened directly onto the streets, and I made straight for the exit, but as I burst through, I nearly rammed into a colorfully dressed figure coming the other way.
Contorting my body wildly, I managed to avoid the collision. Still, I was not able to prevent myself from ending up in...
2022-06-07 13:55:06 +0000 UTC
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A hostile entity has failed to detect you!
A hostile entity has failed to detect you!
...
The second ticked by, and still, the knights failed to see me.
“Get a bloody diviner up here!” an officer roared. “They must be here!”
“Should we get the Power?” a knight asked.
“Not yet,” the officer growled. “There is still time.”
Footfalls, casual and relaxed by the sounds of them, approach...
2022-06-06 13:01:07 +0000 UTC
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Hi people,
This chapter and any successive ones labelled, 'Empyrean Interlude' are not part of Michael's story. The Interlude follows a second character, and when (or even if) her path shall cross with Michael's is unknown at this stage. :)
Note: reading this interlude is not necessary to follow the main story line, i.e. Michael's story. However both stories are set in the world of the Forever Kingdom and at roughly th...
2022-06-05 14:13:50 +0000 UTC
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Hi guys, below is a litrpg short story I wrote for an anthology: available here. You can read the full story below. If you do, let me know what you think!
A Vampire is Born
Thump… thump…
My eyes slid open. Something had awoken me from the half-sleep that seemed my perpetual state these days.
Thump… thump…...
2022-06-03 03:39:37 +0000 UTC
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I made my way to the east gate without incident.
Drawing to a halt thirty yards away, I spent a moment observing the area. The gate remained open, and players were still passing through, if more sporadically then I had observed during the day. Making sure I remained in the shadows, I walked south along the wall.
I stopped in a dark alley. No players passed close by, and the east gatehouse was not visible from where I stood. It was only the guards atop the ramparts I had to worry...
2022-06-02 05:18:51 +0000 UTC
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However Kesh’s people store their wares, it was only a matter of moments before my items arrived, and I wasted no time equipping my gear and learning my new abilities.
You have acquired the basic ability: simple set trap. This ability allows you to deploy simple traps, consumes stamina, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is very slow. You have 6 of 20 Dexterity ability slots remaining.
You have acquired the basic ability: lesser lighten the load. T...
2022-06-01 05:51:04 +0000 UTC
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“Before we get down to business,” Kesh said, “there are a few ground rules.”
“Go on,” I said.
“One, I will not buy stolen goods. I have neither the time, nor the patience, to fence such items.”
I opened my mouth, but before I could interject, the merchant went on, “Looted items are different. I will buy them, but when it comes to high-ranked and unique gear, I will give the original owner the right of first purchase at a discounted price. You will ...
2022-05-30 13:00:38 +0000 UTC
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You have killed Rex.
You have killed Gatar.
You have killed Lexion.
Slaying my charmed minion, and the injured Rex and Lexion went off without a hitch. Once my grim work was done, I took a long hard look at the surroundings.
The rear end of the alley was backed against the safe zone’s fortifications, and atop the walls I could see knights patrolling back and forth. A constant stream of players passed across the alley...
2022-05-26 13:04:17 +0000 UTC
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Morin described the item and its location at length.
From what I could gather the object I was to steal was some sort of chalice stored in the vaults of the Power, Paya. The Power, it seemed, had only recently risen to the deity ranks—recent being relative of course—and was yet only a low-ranked member of the Awakened Dead faction.
When Morin was done, a Game message flashed through my mind.
Loken has allocated you a new task: Heist in the Dark
2022-05-25 13:21:50 +0000 UTC
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“He is a tricksy bugger, isn’t he?”
I looked up to find Bornholm studying me sadly. Ignoring the dwarf’s comment, I planted my elbows on the table, and rubbed at my temples as I tried to make sense of the sudden shift in my reality. My time in the Game numbered not days but months.
If a year has really passed—
I broke off. No. There was no point in further denials. A year had passed. I had to accept that as fact.
But what did it mean?
...
2022-05-24 13:02:00 +0000 UTC
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You have exited a magical dampening field. Access has been restored to your pools of mana, psi, and stamina.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I ducked out of the bank and its dampening field. Without delay, I skipped across the stepping stones and to the other side of the pool surrounding the bank. Head down, I hurried south.
“There he is!”
At the thunderous voice, I jerked to a halt. I knew that voice. It was Bornholm.
I spun about and spied a small...
2022-05-24 05:44:57 +0000 UTC
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I sat unmoving for a long while after Vivane and Devlin left.
The Power was only the second I'd met since awakening my Wolf bloodline, and she had been no more aware of my heritage than Loken had been.
Only the second?
I snorted at the idea. I was getting too used to rubbing shoulders with Powers. Still, my confidence in the secret blood trait was now absolute. It had proven effective against both Powers and the Watcher, which I suspected was a spell of Vivane’s o...
2022-05-19 05:42:49 +0000 UTC
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I was left wondering for hours.
The entire time, none of my ten captors said anything. After the first hour, I was well and truly bored. With little to occupy me, I tried to use my mindsight.
You have failed to trigger your mindsight. The ability has been blocked by a magical dampening field.
As expected, it didn’t work. After that, I spent long minutes examining the guards meticulously, but other than their species, there was little further I ...
2022-05-19 05:39:47 +0000 UTC
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Day One in Nexus.
After the half elf left, I chewed over his parting words.
I planned on staying far away from the bounty hunters guild. With an open bounty of one thousand gold on my head, I didn't want to tempt any more hunters onto my trail. But the information brokers and the plague quarter definitely piqued my interest. If the other three city quarters were closed to me, they were the best places to begin my explorations.
But before moving on, I sat down cross-legged ...
2022-05-17 05:47:02 +0000 UTC
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Day One in Nexus.
The words resonated through my mind, strident and loud. Quickly I snatched my hand away and looked around.
Had anyone else heard that?
But no one was paying me the slightest heed, and my tension eased. Well, no one except the bard standing not one yard away. He was looking at me strangely. “First time in Nexus?” he asked.
I studied him in turn. The bard was garbed in courtly attire—silk shirt, suede pants, and an embroidered wai...
2022-05-16 05:08:51 +0000 UTC
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Day One in Nexus.
I stepped out of the portal into a world filled with noise.
The transition was sudden and disorientating. Between one step and the next, I moved from the still and quiet darkness of the wyvern's lair to the hubbub and noise of a crowded square.
I tensed, hands reaching for my weapons.
Threats abounded all around me, and my gaze flitted left and right, trying to identify a path to safety. I was standing on a raised dais. And I was not its only occupa...
2022-05-12 05:06:17 +0000 UTC
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Player Profile: Michael
Level: 76. Rank: 7. Current Health: 100%.
Stamina: 100%. Mana: 100%. Psi: 100%.
Species: Human. Lives Remaining: 3.
True Marks (hidden): Pack-brother.
False Marks (fabricated): Lesser Shadow, Lesser Light, Lesser Dark.
Attributes
Available: 0 points.
Strength: 2. Constitution: 1...
2022-05-11 03:02:01 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Late Morning.
“You’re full of surprises, Michael,” Loken said, appearing behind me the moment Saya was gone. “I never thought to see you become a merchant.”
I chuckled. “I didn’t either.”
“Are you ready to talk?” Loken asked as we strode back into the cave.
I nodded. “What did you learn from your jaunt through the sector?”
Loken’s face took on an unwontedly serious cast. “Matters here are more... interesting than I expecte...
2022-05-11 03:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Mid-Morning.
The three dead mages—Ishan was still locked inside his bubble—carried a treasure trove of equipment. Unfortunately, most of the gear was not suitable for me.
Still, amongst the ones I could use, there were a few gems that had me all but rubbing my hands in glee. Laying out the trophies I’d recovered on the cave floor, I inspected each item in turn.
You have acquired 12 gold and 3 silver coins. Total money carried: 16 gold, 9 silvers, a...
2022-05-11 03:00:02 +0000 UTC
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the above is a cover I've commissioned for the Gods Game Book 1-5 Omnibus. What do you think?
2022-05-10 07:31:46 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Mid-Morning.
A few minutes later, I was back in the tunnels with a reluctant Saya in tow.
On my way to fetch the gnome, the thought had occurred to me to ask Saya to teleport me somewhere else—anywhere else. But there were still some things I had left undone in the sector, and as appealing as the idea of fleeing Loken’s oh-too-inquisitive presence was, I suspected doing so would accomplish little.
The Power had found me frighteningly quick after the shield g...
2022-05-10 03:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
Ishan’s eyes narrowed as he analyzed the potion in my hand. The next moment, he gasped and snatched desperately for the flask. It was laughably easy to pull it out of his reach.
“An antidote! Gimme!” the mage demanded.
“Tsk, tsk,” I said, shaking my head. “Not so fast. Tell me what I want to know first.”
Ishan’s eyes darted from me to the potion, and I could see he was not convinced yet.
“You are on your last life,” I sai...
2022-05-10 03:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
For a second, I could only gape at the Game messages.
The Adjudicator was offering me a Class evolution? And now, in the middle of a battle? It couldn’t have come at a worse time.
I knew I didn’t have time to ponder the choice, but at the same time, I realized I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity either. Not hesitating further, I replied in the affirmative to the Adjudicator’s query.
Your Class has evolved! You a...
2022-05-09 11:20:14 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
Saya’s eyes rounded in shock at my sudden appearance. “It’s done?” she gasped.
“It’s done,” I confirmed. “Or it’s begun,” I amended. Through my mindsight, I still watched the wyvern in the tunnel below. She rushed past my position without pause, none the wiser about my escape.
I couldn’t sense the mages themselves. They were either too well-shielded or out of range. But right now, I expected they were fleeing or preparing to meet t...
2022-05-09 11:18:10 +0000 UTC
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Hi guys,
The Audiobook of Dungeons, the Dragon Mage 2 is finally out. You can get it here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Dungeons-Audiobook/B09ZNNTJ3H.
I also have 25 FREE audible code...
2022-05-07 04:18:15 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
It took me only a few minutes to position Saya and a little longer to explain what I intended. After that, I returned to Besina’s cavern.
I felt a bit guilty about using the young gnome, especially after mentally chiding Gelar for sending her into the forest alone, but Saya’s part in my plan, while crucial, would be small and without danger.
I was sure of it. Or almost.
She’ll be fine, I told myself. And certainly in less danger...
2022-05-05 03:06:00 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
Reaching the crevice opening, I looked back to see how the gnome was doing.
Her face upturned, she stared at me fixedly. Giving Saya a thumbs up, I ducked into the fissure, hoping she continued to remain calm when I disappeared from sight.
I wriggled out of the fissure as fast as I could while listening intently for signs that the wyvern was rousing. Happily, I made it all the way through without Saya panicking. Squirming out of the hole, I whipped abou...
2022-05-05 03:00:59 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
Temporarily setting aside the mystery of the gnome, I cast analyze upon the beast.
The target is a level 198 green wyvern.
I gulped. The bounty notice had been correct. Given that, I was not about to attempt taking on the wyvern mother myself—even if she was asleep and seemingly vulnerable.
I’d planned on luring the beast to Ishita’s sworn. Much better that the wyvern was the one to trip the mages’ wards. Still, the plan c...
2022-05-04 03:06:00 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
I followed Sulan with my gaze until she vanished entirely but didn’t immediately move on. Crouching down low, I examined the passage in both directions. To the left, it sloped gently downwards, and to the right, it angled upwards.
The darkness in the tunnel was not absolute either. There were cracks in the ceiling through which light filtered in. Recalling the glimpse I’d caught of the cliff from outside, I realized the tunnel must run along the surface o...
2022-05-04 03:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Day Seven. Morning.
The crinkle of shattering pottery echoed loudly in the tunnel’s silence. Still hidden and poised on the balls of my feet, I waited.
A heartbeat later, flames roared out of the activated projectile. Shooting upwards, they fell back down to envelop everything within a six-yard radius.
You have ignited a fire bomb, injuring fifteen hostile entities. An unknown number of hostile entities have failed to detect you!
I grinned. Crouche...
2022-05-03 03:05:59 +0000 UTC
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