“Let’s make the stock of the crossbow first. Give me some measurements and that red hologram.”
Logan worked methodically. The sticks morphed into a crossbow stock of solid wood of dark chestnut color. Logan wanted it to be compact, so the stock was only 15 inches. It had a hole on the other end to enable a trigger mechanism as well as a notch to load the string. Logan also “carved” a pathway for the
Next came the bow or the limb. It required but a few sticks, since it ne...
2023-09-13 13:38:54 +0000 UTC
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Logan didn’t run far. He didn’t have to. The goons wouldn’t be able to leave their night watch to search for him. They had orders and they would follow them. Logan had a couple of hours before the camp would even wake up.
He did hide the Numa crystals well though. He found a little cave behind two lush bushes wherein he put the satchel.
“Now then,” He muttered to himself. We need to decide what we want to make.”
Logan sat on the ground and idly plucked a leaf fro...
2023-09-12 17:16:24 +0000 UTC
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Logan had Tumor wake him up at what was estimated three hours before sunrise. Apparently at 91.72% certainty. Logan had to remind Tumor to not use decimals. Having suffered from blood loss and needing to recover from the previous adventure meant that it wasn’t actually all that bad to have Tumor zap him awake. It actually worked like coffee.
Hey. How did you wake me up specifically?
[This one manipulated the signals that prompt cortisol production. This one also sen...
2023-09-11 16:38:23 +0000 UTC
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All of Logan’s aches and feebleness were forgotten in a surge of anger. He knew he should calm down. He knew his father could have simply taken the Numa crystals for safekeeping to wait for Logan. He knew his father could be testing him (which pissed him off even more). Logan didn’t see his father anywhere in the camp,
“You…” Balmer said in a strange tone. “Are you looking for Mr. Specter?”
Logan had an overwhelming urge to snap at him and his stupid sweat stained dr...
2023-09-10 21:58:46 +0000 UTC
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Logan watched Freya stomp towards him with fists clenched. She started yammering at him for carrying Kat home, but Logan wasn’t in the mood to listen right now. He put Freya carefully down. The girl whimpered half-awake and clutched at Logan’s satchel. Logan pried her fingers off gently.
“Frey. Get Dr. Rosenberg.”
Freya was about to say something more, but Logan snapped at her. “Now!”
She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, took another look at Kat and gave ...
2023-09-10 21:57:15 +0000 UTC
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Freya brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed.
There was a lot to sigh about. She was worried about Logan and missed her. She was hungry. She hadn’t slept that well. The bugs pissed her off too. As did that bimbo Kat. But most of all, Freya felt like a fool.
She was doing a menial errand. That in itself was fine, she supposed. With this new life, menial errands were a part of life. She was crouching on the ground and collecting petals of a white flower for Dr. Rosenbe...
2023-09-10 21:52:30 +0000 UTC
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Logan made Tumor draw a red circle in the ground for him. It was maybe four yards in diameter. That covered the doorway fully and them some. The swarm of beetle-fiends was seconds away. This needed to work or running away would be hard.
“Make this ground like quicksand. Soft, hard to tread and sinking. Make it also adhesive and sticky. Make it extremely hard to move in. Once it sticks on you, it becomes very heavy. Make it paralyze anything that touches it. Make touching it make you g...
2023-09-10 21:50:02 +0000 UTC
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Balmer demanded them to go over the pros and cons of each of the class options in excruciating detail. Logan tuned out quickly, but Kat indulged the goon for some reason.
Logan was engrossed in something else entirely. The glowing insect was doing something with the Numa crystal in Logan’s hand. It was feeding off of it. The crystal’s blue light faded ever so slightly, and the insect’s butt became a brighter glow.
Well, aren’t you an interesting little thing.<...
2023-09-10 21:46:32 +0000 UTC
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Logan was loath to let go one of the three [E-grade Numa Crystals] that the beetle-fiends dropped. But he figured the goons could use it if they ended up in a squeeze against the Levespawn skulking around. Although now they wouldn’t have to go hunt. They could just carry two and a half giant insect monsters back to camp and eat those. They tasted like shit though…
The D-grade construct was dim and spent. Logan had taken the large carapaces from the beetle-fiends’ ...
2023-09-10 21:39:49 +0000 UTC
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The agents found the three of them panting and gasping, slumped against a wall. Balmer who had acid burns on his arm, was applying a bandage Logan had provided. The agents had come running after hearing Balmer’s gunshots. Kat had given them a weak shout when they had run past the room.
“Find any…” Logan said between breaths. “Nice sticks?”
The dark haired large agent, who was apparently in charge of the rest said. “Check the Princ—”
He stopped himself mid s...
2023-09-10 19:37:24 +0000 UTC
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“I like it when you give your stick to me,” Kat said as she took the ‘flashlight’ Logan had made from an [Enchanted] piece of wood.
“Really?” Logan asked. Balmer was snickering at that, so Logan shoved him his flash-stick extra forcefully.
The three of them were moving at the helm of their formation. The gatherers had been left outside with two of the agents to find the rest of them a snack. Logan wasn’t sure if he wanted to return outside anytime so...
2023-09-10 19:32:20 +0000 UTC
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“So you have decided to leave?” Malcolm Specter asked his son as he came to look at what Logan was tinkering with. Logan had just [Enchanted] a length of green and brown vine with a strengthening and durability enchantment. Logan figured it was fancy enough.
“Well I figured it was time to fly out of the nest,” Logan said, as he inspected the coil of vine-”rope”.
“You think you can fend for yourself out there?”
“I guess we’ll find out.”<...
2023-09-10 19:30:11 +0000 UTC
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Even with the help of magic, it took a long time to get a building down. Once other people realized what Logan was working on, they quickly flocked around and asked if they could help. There were certainly things to carry and move and hold still and so on. With some Numa, sweat and elbow grease, they finally got the roof to rest on the building. It almost clicked into place, snuggly embedded between the walls to rest on the support beams. Tumor’s measurements made things a lot smoother than...
2023-09-10 07:34:07 +0000 UTC
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Logan still had more Numa than he’d ever held before. Three full [E-grade Numa Crystals] from the scythe-fiends and the one he’d gotten from the snake-fiend had 32% charge. Two of the F-grade crystals he had given to Freya, one he had used for the firestone, which left him with two full [F-grade Numa Crystals].
I’ll need some to make everything I need for the next adventure. And I have to keep some Numa as a spare for emergencies.
B...
2023-09-09 11:40:53 +0000 UTC
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Eventually Logan and Malcolm compromised. They did indeed need a very specific set of skills. So together they had made a list concerning hunting and gathering food, crafting shelter and utilities and fighting. Logan had to admit, it felt nice to work on something together with his father. He was an abrasive grouch about it as always, but there was something new under the surface of their negotiations. A mutual respect.
Have to admit, he really is good at organizing these things.
2023-09-08 17:57:19 +0000 UTC
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Malcolm Specter paced back and forth in front of the remains of their campfire. The camp was awake and they were all groggy and tired. Logan couldn’t blame them. Sleeping on the cool ground as a buffet for insects didn’t make for the best rest.
If Malcolm Specter was tired, he hid it well. His face was stern, his falcon eyes darting from one listener to another to demand for attention. Hands behind his back he addressed the group of sitting people like a general his soldiers. Not a ...
2023-09-07 07:10:44 +0000 UTC
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Logan found himself walking past the forestline to the edge of the pond. The waterfall was roaring down a vertical wall of rock. Around the waterfall a large flock of some yellow water birds were floating and quacking around idly and going underwater periodically.
Seems like there’s fish in the pond.
“Come to see me bathe?” a sultry voice asked.
Logan glanced in the voice’s direction. Kat was in the middle of washing her hair, her clothes lying on the ground...
2023-09-04 19:36:10 +0000 UTC
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Seeing as Logan had had much more sleep than the others, he volunteered to take the night watch. There was quite a bit of muttering from the agents and the weight of Malcolm Specter's gaze was upon him for a long time. But for all his hardness and naturally low need for sleep, Logan could see his father was tired. Logan promised to give them six hours. His father raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing
Once everyone was asleep on the ground, Logan went to the corpse of the snake. He...
2023-09-03 19:08:27 +0000 UTC
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“What the hell is that?” Freya asked as Logan wiggled the scythe-rang’s tip in the snake’s head.
Logan finally saw the glint of blue he was looking for and shoved his arm in there, retrieving the gem. “A souvenir,” he said distractedly.
“You’re going to have to tell me the whole story,” Freya said.
“I will,” Logan said when he washed his hands. “You know I live to entertain you, Frey.”
“And no exaggerating!” she said wagging a finger.
<...
2023-08-31 19:09:19 +0000 UTC
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Considering Logan’s fourteen hours of preparation, the combat was over almost anticlimactically fast.
Tumor’s time calculation was accurate down to the last second. When it told Logan the time was up, the creatures immediately charged in, scythes extended. Hoarse screeches filled the room. The three slick and lithe creatures scrambled against the spears. One of them broke and lodged between a monster’s ribs.
Without hesitation Logan threw the Boomerang. It whizzed through th...
2023-08-29 19:09:21 +0000 UTC
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The screeches, scratches and animalistic noises coming from the other side of the door were still present. The monsters had single-mindedly decided they would wait patiently. Patiently screeching.
[Door, E-grade Seal, 57%]
Logan wiped a sheen of sweat off his brow after checking up on the door. He was hungry, thirsty and tired. And he wasn’t even close to being done with the boomerang. But boy had he leveled up. His [Transmutation] was level 6, ...
2023-08-27 17:09:09 +0000 UTC
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Logan woke up to a thud against the door that jerked him awake.
“Gah!”
The hoarse screeches started immediately and the banging on the door became a cacophony of frantic violence. Logan cringed, wondering how long the door would last. He took a closer look at it.
[Door, E-grade Seal, 87%]
Well, that’s interesting…
The violent banging continued and soon the text flickered and changed.
[Door, E-grade Seal, 86%]
2023-08-25 19:24:05 +0000 UTC
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There was no doubt. It was that great monster from the mural. Levemoth. Even as high as it was in the sky, it loomed over the land. It was enormous. Its belly and lower body was covered by a dark thundercloud. What was visible of its body was blue and black, and it shone in the afternoon sun as if covered by a slick membrane. Horns the size of trees protruded of a giant whale’s head which was covered in black bulbous eyes. The monstrous creature sent out another wail, and ...
2023-08-23 17:26:08 +0000 UTC
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I hope you have enjoyed the story of Max and Maverick. I have enjoyed writing it quite a bit.
I really hope the story finished some sort of a cathartic, satisfying conclusion, at least for the foreseeable future. Finishing is hard.
I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. You are so encouraging, and I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the story.
For now I am going to devote all my energy towards writing Duality of Gen...
2023-08-21 15:55:52 +0000 UTC
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Logan washed his bloody hands in the spring well and wiped them on his pants. He walked back to the green cat and pondered.The corpse had hides and meat. Logan had actually eaten tiger meat, like any self-respecting son of a billionaire in search of novelty, and knew it was more sinewy and probably even less tasty than a fireman’s ass. Not that Logan had ever had that particular delicacy.
But to procure the aforementioned resources, one needed a knife and some measure of skill. Despit...
2023-08-21 15:50:56 +0000 UTC
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The morning was turning into day, as everyone who could spare the time sat down in the cave in a circle. In the middle of the circle Max sat in the middle, with Maverick in his lap, Christie and Brian at his sides. Every single eyeball was looking at the lizard prisoner sitting sullenly in the middle of the circle.
“You think the plan will work?” Brian muttered.
“Sure. I’ll start with the talking. You two just look menacing.”
“I don’t know if the broad is all t...
2023-08-21 15:50:13 +0000 UTC
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The green cat attacked ferociously. Logan kicked it away, but it managed to swipe at him. The beast cut his leg and a bit of blood sprayed. Logan gasped in pain. The claws were a solid two inches, now tipped with blood. The cut wasn’t deep, but Logan had no time to wonder at that.
He yelled at the cat in fear and anger and swished at the air in front of him with the javelins, one in each hand. The cat growled and began circling Logan. Logan matched the cat’s movements and watched th...
2023-08-19 20:23:53 +0000 UTC
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When Max opened the notification, the Zoos-collective jellyfish popped up in front of him. But it was very diminutive, only the size of a human’s palm, whereas normally it was many times larger.
[Greetings. This is a preprogrammed AI. It has some ability to respond to inquiries regarding the subject matter, but its primary function is to explain the Signature Ability.]
“Alright,” Max said. “Let’s hear it.”
[The Signature ability is a func...
2023-08-18 20:18:23 +0000 UTC
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Two floating boxes of text hovered in Logan’s vision. This wasn’t the AI, was it? No. Didn’t feel like it. Logan swiped his hand at the text. The boxes moved to the corner of his vision and minimized. Well, that was interesting. Logan played around with the boxes, swishing them here and there within his vision. After some wholesome air-hockey, he tapped the other box with his fingers.
A long, long repository of text appeared in his vision. It was perfectly understandable english t...
2023-08-17 15:35:15 +0000 UTC
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When Max came up to the outpost cave’s mouth, pointing [The Maverick] at a tired and angry lizard prisoner, everyone’s jaw inside dropped.
“We have returned triumphant, dear peasants and admirers!” Maverick yelled.
“Anyone got a rope?” Max called out.
Christie came up. She was beautiful as was her wont, but clearly tired and emaciated. “You look like hell,” she said in her throaty voice and smiled wanly.
“Good to see you too,” Max s...
2023-08-16 17:36:11 +0000 UTC
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