Ben almost choked on his drink.
“You can’t be serious, he’s not even from the Mesolands!” Arthel exclaimed, shaking his head.
Ben put the tankard down on the bar table and held his chest to recover, taking some breaths to clear his throat. The entire story of what had happened at the Chateau had been explained, and once Alfred's new position had been revealed, the entire inn entered a deafening silence.
Le’Vieux motioned with his hand for the innkeeper to calm down...
2025-03-25 21:52:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Looking up, Ben saw Blue as he used his magic to reduce the portal's ring.
All was going well when some creatures started materializing from the other side. Blue had to use a telekinetic boast to push the creatures back while continuing to wrestle with the portal.
A few Hollow Moon mages must have noticed what was happening and motioned the fairies for a lift. Once they were in the air, they assisted Blue by barraging the inside of the event horizon with a similar spell that was m...
2025-03-24 22:28:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben rushed over to the van and shook his head in disbelief. He pushed back the tears as his eyes swelled to the sore sight.
The entire front end of the van was pushed into the engine bay. Ben was certain he would have been crushed like a bug without the bullbar, and he added armor upgrades that prevented the engine from coming through the dashboard and into the cabin. After glancing up, the roof looked like it had also gone to hell and back, with the solar panels shattered into a hundre...
2025-03-21 22:44:40 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben emerged from the stairs, gasping for air, and moved to a safe distance. He had followed Hauxwell and Le’Vieux and needed to charge his legs with magic to keep up to their pace when, suddenly, everything began to shake and rock.
Quicksilver flew out of the opening, holding Jerry by the shoulders before they fell on the ground and ducked as a torrent of flames shot out.
Moments before, Le’Vieux had mercifully taken care of the duke to put the misery of his situation to rest....
2025-03-20 22:24:34 +0000 UTC
View Post
After Le’Vieux had cleared the goo and stuffed a few vials down the duke's throat, it looked like enough life had returned to his face for a conversation.
“Grand Marshall Le’Vieux.” The duke asked. His voice was hoarse, raspy, and broken as if he had caught a deadly flu. The slow, delayed way he spoke made him feel like an old man upon his deathbed.
“Aye, it’s me. Your old friend Hauxwell is here, too.” Le’Vieux replied.
The duke’s face lit up like a beacon...
2025-03-18 22:27:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben gripped the steering wheel tightly.
The sight of the titan had given him shivers down his spine. Luckily, it had moved back a moment after looking at the allies before the thick mist had moved further out from the Chateau and enveloped the allies, making it more difficult to see what was happening.
From what Ben had seen of the bridge and the gate, there was enough space for the van to make it through, so he slowly pressed the gas and kept his speed low. The enemies started ru...
2025-03-17 22:46:21 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben had stopped at the peak of the hill on the main road to the Chateau. Looking down, he could see the Chateau, albeit covered in a shroud of darkness, as the violent, stormy clouds above it were still in full effect. Vast amounts of electricity were shooting down, hitting the peaks of the towers, and even an unnatural mist that more resembled a locust swarm.
The minute outlines of creatures could be seen roaming the area, even as far out as the remains of Dimiwood. As much as Ben squi...
2025-03-14 22:55:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben finally opened his eyes as the light from the explosion started to fade. The sky above was filled with streaks and waves of golden magic where small speckles glistened like the northern lights. His chest thumped like a machine gun, and his muscles ached with unbearable pain. It took a few moments for him to muster the strength to stumble to his feet. Glancing around, he noticed the others were also in the same flabbergasted state.
Alfred patted Ben on the back. “That wasn’t bad ...
2025-03-13 21:04:38 +0000 UTC
View Post
When Ben and the others moved back out of the way, the immense light around Hauxwell simmered down.
“Whoah!” Ben exclaimed, mesmerized by the glowing glittery particles that radiated off Hauxwells body. “It’s like he’s not even human anymore.”
Hauxwell raised his sword and pointed the end at Sudfield. “Let’s see if you can beat me this time!” He lunged forward with such speed that he vanished from sight before Sudfield did the same.
Ben scratched his head a...
2025-03-11 22:12:43 +0000 UTC
View Post
The moment Sudfeld shouted the order, his commanders leaped without hesitation. Ben noticed they were former Meso knights who were captains or higher in rank. The infected jazz supercharged their power beyond what they would have normally been capable of, and their lightning-fast movements fortified that thought.
The stronger ones went directly for Hauxwell and Le’Vieux, who easily dodged away from their attacks and began pummeling them with parry counters before explosions of magical...
2025-03-10 21:47:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben had driven along an off-road path that shot off the main trail near the entrance of the fortification. It had taken them through the wooded area before a few clearings started to appear, along with their hideout, which had been created by a unit of soldiers the day prior. There was enough space for the van to be parked there, and it was adequately shielded from any nosey advancing enemies by bunches of bushes.
“It should be alright here,” Ben muttered before knocking on the ceil...
2025-03-08 21:57:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
A loud horn ripped through the air, causing Ben to twist his neck towards the gate facing the trail leading towards the Chateau.
Once the gate had been raised, a knight from the scout unit entered with his horse huffing and puffing as if it had run a marathon. Within seconds of him talking with one of the other knights, the horn blew another two times, which Le’Vieux had earlier explained meant the enemy was on the march.
Almost instantly, the settlement erupted into full-scale ...
2025-03-06 22:25:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
After the meeting, everyone went to prepare, and Ben returned to the van. Before heading out in the morning, Ben wanted to get his van in order so he, too, was prepared for the battle ahead. He didn’t want to get caught out and have his companions suffer the consequences of laziness.
Ben opened the upgrade menu once his butt hit the cushion of the driver's seat and scanned through the details.
***
Vehicle: Valkyrie Level 2
**...
2025-03-03 21:38:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hey everyone,
I hope all is well. We're nearing the end of Book 1 for The Mechanical Mage.
I want to thank everyone for reading and supporting the story. And for those who pledged, I am very thankful :)
It'll be done in the last week of March before I take a break from the story to clear my mind and refocus my creative juices. When book one is finished, I will pause billing for the tier.
However, before that, I want to gift you all (Paid and Free members) a month's sub...
2025-03-01 22:10:44 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben had been given one of the officers' guest rooms the previous night. The number of times the hotel staff checked on him made it seem like the medieval equivalent of a five-star experience, and the bed seemed far more comfortable than the average one.
After waking, he cleaned himself in one of the washrooms as his armor had been taken for quick repairs. The staff had provided him with fresh clothes that were his exact size. Eager to get going, he made his way outside and stopped dead ...
2025-03-01 21:57:53 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben took a seat on a stool in the inn's backroom.
Arthel passed him a tankard of ale. “It’s good to see you back here. As you can see, this place is ram-packed full of customers now.”
Ben peered through the doorway and saw an unfamiliar sea of soldiers and knights. “Aye, I bet business is booming for you, too. Where did the rest of the villagers go?”
“With ample protection from the Hollow Moon, they made their homes fit for habitation and moved back in. Even the ...
2025-02-27 22:32:50 +0000 UTC
View Post
With only a week to complete the quest, Ben felt a weight of frustration upon his shoulders. He hurried over to the Corporal and instructed him to gather everyone at the campfire for a meeting.
When that was done, Ben stood on a log to be seen and heard. “I apologize for calling everyone here on such abrupt notice, as there has been a new development. Grand Marshall Le’Vieux has just sent the village's first production order, due in one week. However, before I share the details, we ...
2025-02-25 21:30:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben had spent a few days helping the village folk move their mining operation down to the third level. There were a few issues with the lack of torches and wall mounts, but that was soon fixed as one of the artisan families had managed to create some simple ones that could be easily hammered into the rocky surfaces.
Before that, Ben had spoken with Quicksilver, who didn’t want to be stuck in the mine during his time there. Instead, he wanted to go around the various workshops to deter...
2025-02-24 21:36:33 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben stood beside Alfred and Jerry.
When they returned to the encampment, they were met with cheers and praise for their victory. The fairy commander had invited Ben and his companions to a place where celebrations, feasts, and drinks were brewing.
A few fairy delicacies included varied smoked meats, including goat, venison, and rabbit. Their alcoholic beverage was mead crafted from sweet honey before leaving a sour glaze.
With things settling down, the elder stood before one...
2025-02-22 21:32:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben leaped out of the way as a ball of dark energy whizzed past him. He nearly tripped while trying to dodge it, and the way it hummed made him feel like he would have been toast if it had touched him. To Ben, It felt like it had been forged in the heart of the deepest, darkest dread known to the universe.
The black ball, encircled by white highlights, crashed into the treeline a short distance away. There was neither an explosion nor a shockwave as it splattered like a sack of ink. It ...
2025-02-20 22:49:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
The next morning, Ben stopped outside the fairy encampment where the warriors prepared themselves for battle.
After speaking with the elder the day before, they were instructed to return the next day just after the first light. Their supplies were still where they had left them, and they created a small fire to keep them warm while they took turns keeping watch.
The fairy commander approached them before speaking with Ben. “I hope you all are well rested. We have a tough day ahe...
2025-02-17 22:10:13 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben dropped the hammer in the dirt behind Alfred and Jerry. He raised his hands to show that he wasn’t armed and walked forward, ensuring his steps were without aggression. When he neared the fairy commander, Ben smiled to look friendly and stopped a few meters away to avoid encroaching on personal space.
Ben noticed that the commander stared him down, unsure of his intentions. He gulped, clearing his throat. “I don’t know if you can even understand what I’m saying, but I will t...
2025-02-15 21:24:38 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben shined his torch down the dark tunnel.
They had spent what seemed like hours going down a shaft that had appeared at the end of the chamber where the charred remains of the mine-roach queen rested. There wasn’t much flora or fauna apart from a few patches where only small glowing mushrooms grew. Ben wasn't sure if they had the magic factor but decided to leave them alone.
As they continued pushing, the tunnel became thinner, and only one man could traverse it at a time. Thus...
2025-02-13 22:11:28 +0000 UTC
View Post
A few days passed, and Ben found himself by the campfire again. He overlooked the workshop dwellings where their roofs had just been completed.
Initially, the builders wanted to make clay tiles, but baking them without a suitable kiln would have taken too long. So, they utilized the dead plant matter surrounding the mine in small patches around the foot of the cliffs. According to them, the thatch would be perfect during winter, when the blistering mountain cold would freeze the homes s...
2025-02-10 22:50:16 +0000 UTC
View Post
After building the bloomery, Ben took a little break from the system stuff. He decided to focus on practicing what Hauxwell had taught him. After vastly improving his concentration, he became sensitive enough to detect it without meditating.
When not messing with mana, Ben spent the rest of his time teaching Finn and helping the village folk move the stones out of the mine. The Omnitool allowed him to store the stones as tokens in the spatial storage and rematerialize them when outside....
2025-02-08 22:41:25 +0000 UTC
View Post
*
Name: Benjamin Bailey
Titles: Owner of the Bailey Mine
Level: 7 (245/800XP)
Skill points: 2
HP: 50/50
SP: 50/50
MP: 150/150
Currency:
Copper Penny: 10/12
Silver Shilling: 15/20
Gold Pound: 56
The Bailey Mine: 160 GP
...
2025-02-07 21:18:47 +0000 UTC
View Post
A blue hologram shot out of the Omnitool. It sat flush with the ground, causing Ben to raise an eyebrow. Depending on where he pointed the tool, he could move it around, but the moment he selected the command to place it, nothing happened.
It had completely crossed his mind when Ben noticed a small section below the hologram displaying two squares resembling tokens and an error message.
[Missing: Iron Rod (10), Iron Sheet (10).]
What the heck is this abo...
2025-02-06 22:06:46 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben returned to the mine as the evening shroud almost enveloped the land. The trek back from the pasture wasn’t as bad as getting there, as it was mostly downhill. It would have been much easier without the small cart of supplies he had been gifted. Luckily, he had some help.
Before leaving, Hauxwell had ordered one of the farmhands to help Ben push and pull the cart over the tedious terrain.
The farmhand, Jochim, parked the cart near the mine entrance. He glanced at the sky and...
2025-02-01 21:22:50 +0000 UTC
View Post
The moment Ben rested his butt on the driver's seat, he started the engine and glanced at the stats.
*
Vehicle: Valkyrie, Level 2
Type: Camper
Condition: 27%
Fuel: 8%
Power: 140HP (Mechanical)
Mass: 1983KG
Armor Rating: 49
*
The fuel and condition stats were getting low. There had been much to do, and he had left it ...
2025-01-30 22:55:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ben and Har had finished eating.
“That was good.” Ben complimented, feeling stuffed in his throat. He had ordered a bowl of grilled fish with some boiled vegetables. It wasn't like the fish and chips back in England, but it sure hit the spot.
Har, who had ordered a meat stew and some bread, gave him a funny look. “I’m not sure how you can eat fish. It’s not my cup of tea.”
“I don't understand how you don’t like fish when most of the menu is fish and seafood....
2025-01-27 21:17:42 +0000 UTC
View Post
