Here it is. Surprised? If you were wondering about the archipelago geography and the seven major islands, I hope this answers your questions.
Keep in mind that the distance between the islands is not on scale, and I pulled them closer together to make a clearer map. I might also make some minor changes as I continue writing the story, but this should remain a pretty accurate representation of the Baquaire Archipelago.
Credits to my brother who helped me draw this map.<...
2023-08-23 15:35:13 +0000 UTC
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Kai followed Reishi inside the warehouse with Flynn. Large crates and chests were orderly piled and moved by half a dozen busy workers.
“My apologies, I didn’t recognize your guest, master Reishi.” Merchant Revhani continued fawning over the merfolk till they reached an office. A lavish meeting room with two sofas around a coffee table.
“Revhani, could you take care of the refreshments for my guests.” Kai wasn’t an expert in merfolk’s body language, but he easily rec...
2023-08-22 16:52:26 +0000 UTC
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Outside the Sage Tree, a morning breeze greeted them.
“Come, mister. This way.” Flynn started walking without missing a beat.
“Do you even know where to go?” Kai questioned.
“Sure do. Merchants Terla and Revhani, looked them up already.” The boy tapped the side of his head. “I thought you knew by now I’ve got a great memory.”
You’re so full of shit I don't know what to think half the time.
“Of course, how could I ever forge...
2023-08-21 17:38:33 +0000 UTC
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The glare Kai threw at her teasing almost made her laugh out loud. Each time she tried to take control of the situation, the boy behaved in unpredictable ways. It was refreshing to see him react as she expected.
She would need to confirm his story to be thorough. Many mysteries hung around him and she didn’t trust his story completely. It didn’t matter much. There was no way to fake how he talked about his home. Kai loved the archipelago and knowing that was enough.
“I’ll ...
2023-08-11 16:25:15 +0000 UTC
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Author's notes: I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for the support. An especially big thank you to all my lurkers who decided to leave the shadows and experience the stinging touch of light for my sake. I appreciate all your comments. :)
For those who were worried, no, I'm not cutting short this arc. The story will proceed exactly as I had planned from the end of book 1. I'm not making any changes apart from the new ideas I get while writing :P
...
2023-08-10 16:53:52 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone, Drew here. I’ve decided to make a post to address the latest comments. It’s likely many of you won’t know what I’m talking about, so let’s start from the beginning.
Lately, I feel like no matter what I do, some people would like for the opposite thing to happen in the story. There is always someone unhappy in the comments because the story is not what they wished it to be.
I love writing, but since publishing Elydes my mental health has been less than stell...
2023-08-09 13:18:05 +0000 UTC
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“Seems like you’re lost.”
Of course, he just appears as if it was a coincidence.
Captain Zerith stood towering over him, amused.
“Seems like your organization is lacking,” Kai said.
"Touche.” The man didn’t lose his grin. “Do you need help to get to the next examination?”
Kai wasn’t sure what to make of the man. “What game are you playing?” He boldly asked, sure the man would play dumb.
“Should have I told them everything ...
2023-08-08 17:05:03 +0000 UTC
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Author's notes: Hi there! I just wanted to let you all know that I've changed the name of Kai's childhood friend Vel to Lou. So that his name isn't too similar to Valela, aka Val.
Drew out.
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The boy—Kai Tylenn, according to the little information she had time to gather—didn’t step back or break eye contact. He stared back at her, unflinching. A few palms of distance stood between them. Being half a head taller than him didn’t seem to help.
2023-08-07 16:49:54 +0000 UTC
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Kai recognized the same woman in a gray uniform as she stepped back on stage.
“Silence.”
The word resounded through the square. The crowd of kids and young teenagers immediately fell quiet. All eyes moved to the speaker.
“Now we’ll proceed with the selection. The first test will be mandatory for all participants. Every citizen worthy of their name is expected to possess basic knowledge of Merian history and law. Please, step forward when your name is called.”
2023-08-04 17:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Author's notes: Hi, there! Sorry if I was a bit late.
As I've anticipated, I planned to take a week off to recharge, edit and plan the novel. I've finally decided I'll be taking the week from the 14th to the 18th off. And post again on the 21st of August. Just wanted to give a quick heads-up :)
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His gray eyes locked with her green gaze. The world seemed to come to a standstill, every other person and noise fading into the background. For a moment it...
2023-08-03 17:10:32 +0000 UTC
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Stirring in his bed, Kai had a moment of confusion looking at the unfamiliar wooden boards of the ceiling. Then he remembered where he was.
It’s almost as comfortable as my bed at the estate.
Long shadows stretched on the ground. The first rays of dawn were blocked by the surrounding buildings. The chattering of people walking down the streets filled the morning.
Is this what living in a proper town feels like?
It roused some old memories, but it wa...
2023-08-01 16:29:28 +0000 UTC
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Kai and Flynn sat at the table. Other patrons merrily chatted around them. The hostess of the Sage Tree soon appeared with two steaming plates. Steak with a sweet mango sauce, grilled vegetables on the side, bread and water.
“I hope this is to your liking.”
“It’s perfect, thanks.” Kai gave her a reassuring smile. She looked fine, but her energy flow was still uneven.
“Let me know if you need anything else.” The woman said, giving him a short bow.
Damn...
2023-07-31 16:31:36 +0000 UTC
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Here it is, my first AMA. Thank you for all the questions.
I put all the general, random and funny questions at the beginning and the ‘spoilery’ ones in the second part. I ordered them so the further you read, the more spoilery the question. It’s mostly details about general world-building that have not been revealed yet and little about the plot. But if you prefer to read the story completely blind, be warned.
.
PART 1 - The Random and The Funny
2023-07-30 16:12:16 +0000 UTC
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Hi, there. It's been a while since I wanted to do an AMA (Ask Me Anything), but I never got the time until now. I thought it would be a nice thing to do. Depending on your interest, I could turn this into a monthly or seasonal thing.
If you want to ask me any kind of question, write in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them. You can also DM me on Discord or Patreon if you prefer. I'll collect them all and answer them in a thread on Sunday.
Ask me any outrageous question t...
2023-07-28 16:45:52 +0000 UTC
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Shaking hands with Flynn, Kai returned the smile. Then he tightened his grip. Not all at once, that would be rude. He waited for the other boy to accept his challenge, slowly increasing his strength.
Flynn seemed overly eager to accept his challenge, immediately giving his all. Perhaps hoping to take him by surprise. He was older, but the distance between Red to Orange wasn’t easily bridged.
Kai could see the other boy’s muscles and tendons tense. His affable grin strained. ...
2023-07-28 16:36:27 +0000 UTC
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Graying hair in a tight chignon, a uniform of the same hue. The only dash of color was the green crest of a soaring hawk. From the look on her face, she wasn't any happier than him about the situation.
“I see… Well, boy, let’s take care of your registration first. Take a seat.” Kai complied, relying on Acting to make a good impression.
The enforcer turned towards the papers Captain Zerith left on her desk, the letter Elijah gave him. Her eyes quickly scanned the contents.<...
2023-07-27 16:38:48 +0000 UTC
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Kai jogged on the narrow dirt path along the coast, the sea on his right. His only baggage was a spatially expanded backpack, which made him feel only a fraction of the weight of his supplies. A trickle of mana channeled in Steady Runner eased his muscles and erased his exhaustion.
With a mild temperature and a nice breeze, the journey was much more pleasant than the other times he crossed the jungle. He was making a good time to his destination. It would probably not be as nice on the ...
2023-07-25 16:37:27 +0000 UTC
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The shining mana signature was closing in at a speed that defied common sense. There was no time to organize or focus on his intentions.
All the flowing Water mana inside his being burst out. It wasn’t a spell, just a tide of energy with barely any direction.
A wall of water condensed around him, starting to fall apart as it was created. The beast swooping down hesitated for the briefest time but continued its attack. Kai could feel the ripple spreading through the water shield,...
2023-07-24 16:57:58 +0000 UTC
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Hi, there, author here :)
First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to all my patreons, truly. I wouldn't be able to keep writing without your support.
I have a few announcements to make:
- I've signed a publishing deal with Aethon Books. The same publisher of 'He Who Fights with Monsters', 'Primal Hunter' and many more. It will probably take a loooong time (Spring next year if all goes well) before I actually publish and take the first book off RR. I only wanted t...
2023-07-21 17:05:01 +0000 UTC
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Trekking through the Veeryd jungle, Kai began to wonder why he did this to himself. He was covered in sweat and dirt, tired and hungry. The scabbard of his sword hung over his shoulder. Not the most practical, but he was too short to carry it on his belt. This way it would not slam on every tree and bush he passed.
Of course, the butler couldn’t just tell him where a red-tier beast was. No, that would have been too easy and reasonable. He had to blindly walk into the jungle and someho...
2023-07-21 16:18:25 +0000 UTC
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His body was tired, but not as much as his mind. To squeeze Steady Runner for all it was worth had been more challenging than he thought. He had to split his focus on both how the skill affected his body and trying to avoid slamming his head into a tree.
Still, he had been looking forward to Blessed Swimmer the most. And that gave him the strength to jump straight into the sea.
With his head peeking out of the water, Kai turned toward Elijah. “Any brilliant suggestions to test t...
2023-07-20 16:32:13 +0000 UTC
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Groggily walking into his living room, Kai gathered Nature mana in his hand with used practice. He stopped by the windowsill in front of a delicate plant with jade leaves. It remained in the same ceramic pot it had been first planted two months ago. Its three silver flowers were slowly closing now that the moons left space to the sun.
He took a moment to clear his mind from sleep and released the spell on the moon lily. The leaves shone with renewed luster while the silver petals releas...
2023-07-18 16:45:11 +0000 UTC
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A headache pulsed behind his eyes, his mind was foggy. Not exactly the best way to start a new day. Massaging his temples, he tried to stand up but stopped with a grimace. There was hardly a spot on his body that didn’t hurt.
He was used to a bit of pain, but this wasn’t the small scrapes and bruises he got from Elijah's training.
Did I make the butler so mad that he threw me off a cliff?
His second attempt at standing up went better, he sat on the edge of the b...
2023-07-17 16:43:42 +0000 UTC
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Author's note: Sorry if I was a bit late, my brain is fried XD
I'll probably take a week off at the end of this month or in August. But I'll warn you in advance when I decide.
Have a good weekend, I'll spend mine re-editing the first chapters of Elydes :p
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Stepping outside the comfortable temperature of the alchemist’s house, cold gusts of air and a dark layer of clouds welcomed him. The rain and lightning seemed to have calmed down for the...
2023-07-14 16:49:44 +0000 UTC
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Dark clouds covered the sky. The roaring sea did not add any reassuring note to the picture. The high tide and winds stirred the waters. Each time a wave crashed on shore it sent a drizzle of cold salty droplets against his skin. Kai didn’t move or showed any intention of going back inside.
Dawn had come and passed, but the world remained in a state of semi-darkness. It wasn’t night and it wasn’t day—a world of shadows and dim light somewhere in between. Every few seconds bolts ...
2023-07-13 16:21:58 +0000 UTC
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No, there were no shortcuts. To replenish his reserves, Kai had to absorb motes of elemental mana one by one.
He expelled about a tenth of his mana since he was topped off with neutral mana. Then he began patiently gathering Nature mana which was the most abundant in the garden. If he kept it close to his body, it would naturally get absorbed after a while. To speed up the process he could—using Dora’s words—‘impose his will’ on the mana to make it his.
How the heck ...
2023-07-11 16:02:05 +0000 UTC
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Kai stood rooted on the spot.
Did I hear wrong? Is it really happening?
“Come, we can sit in the garden,” Dora said, taking the lead.
He followed behind her bewildered. He had waited for so long, it didn’t feel real now that it was finally time. His heart started pumping in excitement. He was going to do magic, today.
Him. Magic. Today.
Technically he had already been practicing ‘magic’ for a while, using his mana to enhance his body. But that ...
2023-07-10 16:06:53 +0000 UTC
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Author's notes: Just one quick clarification. I noticed I wasn't very clear in the previous chapter - people can have a minor or major affinity for an element (depending if it's higher or lower than 30 in the Merian Republic), but there are no minor or major elements.
I'll edit the previous chapter to make it more clear later today. Sorry for the confusion. I really enjoyed reading your comments :)
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It took Kai an hour to go through Virya’s papers, ...
2023-07-07 16:12:07 +0000 UTC
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Author's Notes: Edited for clarity.
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After the ritual, Kai confirmed he had gained a level in Mana Sense reaching 51. It was the fastest level ever, but it didn’t come without consequences. He had never drunk more than a shot of tequila, but he had always imagined a hangover would feel something like this.
The idea of standing up made him queasy. If he closed his eyes, he could still see those flashing colors. It felt like someone had played volle...
2023-07-06 16:39:59 +0000 UTC
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The rest of the day passed like a fever dream. Kai went through the motions, but his mind wasn’t really there. His thoughts returned to the impending ritual, making up scenarios where everything that could go wrong did.
He thought he had gotten over having these pointless spiraling episodes. The idea that something outside his control would significantly impact his life threw him off balance. The Guide had made him believe in the illusion of fairness, that everything could be achieved...
2023-07-04 16:06:02 +0000 UTC
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