Haylock

22 - New Beginnings

It was a pleasantly cool day in Tropica—until a heat like that of the sun bloomed.

Fergus squinted and leaned back from the forge’s glow as he threw another shovel of coal into the hearth. He stepped to the side, wiping sweat from his brow with a burly forearm.

“Ready, Duncan?”

“Aye!” his apprentice responded and started placing lengths of iron into a crucible.

Fergus watched carefully as Duncan added pinches of phosphorus and sulfur; there was a hint of he...

21 - Exploration

The midmorning sun beamed down. I held a hand to my forehead, shielding my eyes. A sparse cloud drifted before the light, providing a modicum of relief. A soft breeze blew across the fields and the sugarcane leaves rustled and shifted around us, highlighting the silence that stretched between Barry, Helen, and I.

“So...” I said, drawing the word out. “New building, huh?”

Barry sighed.

“How did you know?”

As I went to answer, the cloud partially shielding th...

20 - Refuge

Barry woke to a strange sensation. Something was tugging at his core, and he sat up slowly, rubbing bleary eyes.

The moon shone down through the thin curtains of his bedroom. Helen murmured softly, so he reached over and smoothed her hair, willing her to not wake.

The tugging in his core became more insistent, so he climbed from his bed and shuffled through the open door from his bedroom. He closed it behind himself and went to the kitchen, hoping to find a drink of water. The urn...

19 - The Alchemist

The magnificent creature stared at me with inhuman eyes in the last hints of daylight peeking over the western mountains.

Its white plumage was accentuated by black feathers on either side of its body. It stretched its wings and opened its long beak, revealing the inside of a tan-colored pouch.

The pelican and I blinked at each other, and I contemplated the repercussions of giving it some food. Its gaze strayed back down to the fish I held, and I gave it a rueful smile.

“I...

18 - Congregation

The night’s cold air lingered within the woodworking shop. It was punctuated by the scents of unknown woods and lacquers, a soothing yet unfamiliar mix. A layer of shavings lay scattered over the floor beneath Gary, and he stared down at them, not trusting himself to mask the emotions roiling within him.

The moment Barry had mentioned “dealing” with the blacksmiths, fear had bloomed, trailed swiftly by a cloying sense of unease. The silence within the room thickened the air, and h...

17 - Embroidery

Corporal Claws, master of the log and guardian of the pond, luxuriated on her favored perch.

A cool breeze wound its way through the forest, but given her superior body, she barely noticed it. She rolled onto her back, letting a ray of sun land on her belly fluff. With a chirp of sheer contentment, she wiggled her body, settling further into the groove of her perch.

With her ascension, knowledge had poured into her body in a steady stream, making her, by her own approximation, the...

16 - Growth

An ancient being stirred.

She returned to herself slowly, and as her awareness bloomed, memories returned. The last she recalled, she was being torn apart, and terror reigned as she sent her awareness down, inspecting the damage.

Her core was... changed.

She feared she would find utter destruction. Instead, she found it open and whole. Four channels had been carved into her, creating permanent pathways out. She followed these channels, finding what she expected yet feared at...

15 - Quartered

The world was upside down, and Corporal claws gazed out at it.

She rested on her head at the base of the light-blue tree, a cooked crab clutched tight, and her back feet dangling above her, twitching of their own accord. No matter how many times she blinked, the scene didn’t change.

She rolled over slowly, her eyes not once leaving the twin leaves that grew from a mound of churned soil. She left the offering of crab at the base of the tree and padded over to the disturbed patch ...

14 - Apex Predator

A lump formed in my throat, and my body involuntarily froze as a wave of adrenaline washed over me.

The water seemed to change temperature; where its cool touch was previously welcome, it now felt intolerably freezing as the shadow shifted beneath us.

Even with my eyes still adjusting, I’d seen enough footage of the terrifying creatures to identify one by shape alone. A shark of monstrous proportions swam through the bay. Twice as long as I was tall, the thing barely needed to k...

13 - Thrill

Cool air tickled my skin as I soared through the air, and I smiled at the water rushing up to meet me before I splashed into the ocean.

Its icy temperature sent a thrill coursing through my body, and I arched my back, curving up through the water to breach the surface.

I gasped instinctively, taking shallow breaths as I shivered, acclimatizing to the ocean's frosty touch.

Corporal Claws' head popped up next to me. Her cheeks were puffed out.

"Claws? Why do you look lik...

Poll: Second animal pal for book 2.

Tree-kun is still very far from friend status, but I thought it would be fun to put the poll out for the next creature. Bless you and your choices.

12 - House Kraken

As the sun peeked in through his tent’s opening, Number Three rubbed tired eyes.

Each day since they had left Gormona, he’d woken with a smile on his face and a racing heart.

Today was no different.

He still couldn’t believe they were really doing it—truly leaving the capital on such a fraught with danger, exhilarating, and terrifying mission. Those anxiety-inducing thoughts were running through his mind when a friendly face poked into his tent.

“Good morning...

11 - Distraction

Pinpricks of moonlight broke through the canopy above, illuminating the root thundering toward my chest. Thick as an otter, the root would tear through most men.

I appraised the root further as it tore through the air. If not for my enhanced body, I wouldn’t have been able to spot it. Lucky for me, that wasn’t the case. I grinned at the challenge and lifted one hand calmly, raising my palm where the root would strike my sternum.

***

The being’s am...

10 - Distasteful

The being within the light-blue tree stretched her awareness out as she woke from her slumber, thoughts addled and mind foggy. It hadn't been long since her last moment of awareness.

Despite the insignificant stretch of time, she immediately noticed something: the latent energy suffusing the world had increased. It was still far below the levels of old, but compared to that of the last few-thousand years, it was as a bonfire beside a smoldering log.

As she extended her senses furt...

9 - Fuzz

The sun beat down on Sergeant Snips as she approached a rather silly looking creature. It had already been taken care of, and its lifeless mouth hung slightly ajar, revealing black flesh and sharp teeth within.

Her master had said the System called it ‘excellent bait’, which meant it would likely be a tasty little afternoon snack for Snips. Just then, the wind changed direction, and she immediately reassessed how tasty a treat it would be. The smell was suffocating, and she froze on...

8 - Pungent

Sawdust and the scent of wood filled the air, and as I read the System messages again, my mouth grew dry.

You have become a woodworking trainer!

You have advanced to woodworking 8!

You have advanced to fishing 37!

If I wasn’t sitting atop the workbench, I would have fallen to my knees.

I leaned back, bracing myself against the tabletop.

“Fischer, are you okay?” Maria’s face was concerned as ...

7 - Scaling

Corporal Claws, chosen of Fischer and warden of the forest surrounding her beloved pond, grinned mischievously.

Last night, something had eluded her. She knew not what it was, but the creature would be punished for its hubris.

She released her arms, and a pile of fish fell to the forest floor at the base of the light-blue tree's trunk. From behind her ear, she removed the stalk of sugarcane she had requisitioned from Barry's private stock.

Following her master's reprimanding...

6 - Rare Commodities

Both mine and Maria's arms were full as we strode toward Tropica.

The rising sun had crested the horizon, allowing me to steal glances at Maria and the obvious joy and anticipation spread over her face.

"You know, if someone saw you smiling so hard about creating heretical objects, they might make some terrible assumptions."

"It's horrible, isn't it?" she asked, still beaming. "Your bad influence is spreading."

"Truly a travesty," I said, laughing.

As our footing...

5 - Patience and Fortitude

A cool breeze caressed Rocky's body; it was a welcome sensation following his feast. Moonlight shone down from above, reflecting off of the thin metal tray he held high.

Swifter than either of the humans could see, Rocky smacked them both on the head—not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to make a satisfying noise. He dropped the tray, jumped back, then lowered his claws to the ground and slammed them shut.

Two explosions ripped into existence, sand sprayed everywhere, and Ro...

4 - Burdens

I leaned down, eyebrows knitted as I stared at Leroy.

I clicked my fingers softly before his face.

"You with us, mate?"

Leroy startled and his eyes cleared.

"O-oh. Sorry. My mind went elsewhere for a moment."

It's not surprising that there's some lingering damage from his time in the capital, I thought.

"No need to apologize. The fish is ready, and seeing as though you caught it, I thought you should have the first bite."

He returned to his s...

3 - Quantification

Time seemed to freeze as I watched Leroy lift the rod and set the hook.

The muscles in his arms bulged. He leaned back, bracing against the fish's mighty run. The wind blew his short hair back, revealing his expression. And, above all else, he had a smile on his face of sheer, childlike joy.

The fish redoubled its efforts, swimming out to sea and dragging Leroy stumbling across the slick rocks.

"Let some of the line out," I instructed

He did so, easing the tension.

2 - Heretical Friends

Leroy's face was more than a little confused as he looked down at the tangle of tackle connected to my fishing rod.

I had the smaller rod with the sabiki rig attached. It had three lines running from the main one, each of which was tied to a small hook and metal offcut to attract baitfish. I'd bound a rock on the end of the main line, which was currently the object of Leroy's scrutiny.

"I understand what the hook is for, but what is this bit...?" he asked, pointing down at the roc...

1 - Ascension

***

Chapter 91 of book 1 has been significantly changed in regard to Joel & Jess's missunderstanding of Snips' and Fischer's dynamic. It's (imo) more enjoyable now, and they don't think Snips has bad intentions ofr Fischer.

***

The shade of the forest's canopy was a welcome relief from the sun's heat as I strode forward. I had a bucket in hand, my trusty straw hat atop my head, and excitement bubbling up from within.

Prologue

The sun beat down from above, blanketing me in its warmth.

A soft, calming breeze blew over the sandy flat by my home, bringing with it the scents of salt, ocean air, and deep-fried fish.

A crunch rang out, and my heart pounded.

Maria's eyes went wide at the taste, then she closed them and let out a soft mmm, raising her face toward the sun's rays.

"This is the best tasting meal yet, Fischer. I—"

Her eyes flew open.

They went distant, causing my ...

Book 1 Epilogue

In a long abandoned room high above the capital city of Gormona, several kingdoms’ worth of ancient constructs sat dormant.

In times long gone, the acquisition of such treasures had been the driving force behind wars, betrayals, the fall of empires, the desolation of entire continents, and more deaths than a mortal could comprehend without losing their mind.

Despite the wealth they represented, these artifacts sat collecting dust—designated a relic of the past—no longer the ...

96 - Velvet

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I opened my eyes at my head’s audible pounding and let out a soft groan.

“What happened last night…?”

My mouth was dry and tasted horrible as I sat up slowly, rubbing my temples.

The thumping came again, and I cocked my head as I realized it wasn’t my brain trying to escape my skull.

“Fischer!” a feminine voice called. “Are you alive in there?”

Despite my hangover, I smiled at the we...

95 - Such Power

Following the gods’ departure, the hellhound had spent what felt like millennia in a sort of stasis.

Over the course of weeks, his awareness had slowly returned as power once more trickled through the world he inhabited.

The hound had hoped the returning power heralded the gods’ coming home—what else could return the world’s equilibrium, if not the gods’ return, after all?

Alas, his god hadn’t returned—none of them had. Worse, the trickle of power wasn’t enou...

Community Poll - First Animal Pal of Book 2

I thought it would be fun to have you, my kind patrons, help choose the direction of the story.

I have ideas for all of the following, and whichever option wins will join the gang at their earliest convenience.

94 - The Defense Force

I woke from a dreamless sleep and sat upright as something punched me in the stomach.

My eyes darted around the room, but I was alone. I brought a hand to my abdomen and felt it for pain—there was none; all that remained was a vague sense of wrongness.

Was I dreaming, but can’t remember it...?

The needs of my body yelled out, and I shook my head, laughing.

“Guess I just needed to pee...”

Something made a questioning squeak from beside me, and I g...

93 - The Summoning

I leaned against Barry for support as I tried to stand.

"Barry."

"Aye?"

The world spun, and I grinned at him.

"You're the best, mate."

"No, Fischer," he slurred. "You're the best."

"Yes, yes—you're both the best," Maria said, helping us stand upright.

"No," Roger said.

I darted my head toward him, raised an eyebrow, and wobbled a little from the sudden shift in perspective.

"Sharon—" Roger hiccuped. "Sharon's the best."

...