The duo endured more than a few odd stares as they walked to the cathedral. Their tiny size compared to the large backpacks probably didn't do them any favors. Several merchants paused their morning preparations to watch the strange pair of children carrying supplies that would burden grown adventurers.
"People are staring," Anny muttered, adjusting her pack straps.
"I don't blame them," Nova replied with a shrug. "We do make an odd pair."
Soon after, the two arrived at the ...
2025-04-07 19:40:27 +0000 UTC
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Nova's gaze drifted back to the Guardian’s Embrace. Golden runes shimmered beneath its surface, pulsing gently.
"I felt bad about leaving Millie without any protection, so I made this amulet for her," he said, carefully lifting the pendant.
Anny looked at it, raising her eyebrows. “Oh, that’s the mithril I got for you. What does it do?”
"It has two protective effects, one barrier and one magical armor," Nova explained, turning the amulet to show her how the light pla...
2025-04-04 19:32:21 +0000 UTC
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The heart of the forge blazed with an intense brightness, casting long shadows across the workshop walls. The smell of hot metal, quenching oil, and the faint scent of activated essence formations filled the space.
Three days had passed since their spar, and Nova had barely left the forge since then. Meals appeared at the doorway, brought by a concerned Quinn or an eager Millie, but often went cold before he remembered to eat them.
Even his nights were spent by the fire, unt...
2025-04-03 17:12:10 +0000 UTC
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Anny wasted no time. Her massive form surged forward with shocking speed for something so large. The earth erupted beneath her clawed feet. Her scaled fist drew back, gathering momentum for a strike that would easily shatter stone.
Nova's mind calculated trajectories and forces in an instant. 'I should dodge to the left and counter.'
As Anny's fist rocketed toward his face with devastating force, Nova activated his Grounded skill. The essence flowed through his legs, anch...
2025-04-03 17:08:24 +0000 UTC
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Nova closed his eyes, centering himself. His essence flowed through his small body in a torrent. Skills activated in rapid succession: Cloak of Nova, Grounded, a few others he would keep secret for now, and finally, Grand Element Unification of the Fifth Level.
The air around him erupted with swirling currents as his body transformed. He stretched upward, muscles expanding and bones elongating.
Where a child had stood moments before, now towered a young man in his prime. His...
2025-04-01 16:30:39 +0000 UTC
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The room fell into heavy silence after the golden angel's departure. Sunlight streamed through the broken window, casting fractured light patterns across the floor where glass shards lay scattered. For several long moments, no one spoke. Each person processed what had just happened in their own way.
Millie leaned against Nova's side. She sniffled quietly, using the back of her hand to wipe away a lingering tear that rolled down her flushed cheek. The confrontation had shaken her more th...
2025-03-31 17:55:19 +0000 UTC
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Nova spun toward the window, feeling his heart beating like a war drum. His eyes only caught a faint shimmer in the distance—the last traces of the barrier vanishing into the sky.
He rushed to the window and stared into the sky, hoping whatever met him wouldn’t be too horrible.
‘Don’t let it be another rift, please!’
The barrier was broken. Torn apart, just as he feared. But what froze his blood wasn't the broken barrier.
It was the man.
...
2025-03-28 13:30:38 +0000 UTC
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Underneath the great clocktower, Larena stood by her window looking out at the great courtyard below. The afternoon sun bathed the sprawling grounds in golden light, highlighting the colorful clothes of children scattered across the grass. Some raced in circles, playing games from their own minds. Others sat in small groups, discussing what seemed to be very serious subjects.
Larena's fingers rested lightly on the smooth wooden windowsill. The uniform she wore still felt strange—stiff...
2025-03-27 17:16:17 +0000 UTC
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Anny was no longer there. Instead, she was replaced by a giant sack of mismatched limbs and furred patches of skin. It was massive, taking up nearly the entire width of the room, and pulsing slowly. Limbs protruded at impossible angles, some ending in claws, others in hooves or taloned fingers. Patches of fur in various colors stretched across bulging surfaces that shifted and reformed with each labored pulse.
'What the fuck happened? Is that Anny? Did her beasts run amok?'
...
2025-03-25 22:59:46 +0000 UTC
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Late in the evening, half a block away from Quinn's shop, Nova and Anny were waiting for a certain someone. The moonlight barely penetrated the narrow space between buildings, casting everything in deep shadow.
Nova checked the position of the moon for the third time. His small frame leaned against the weathered wall, seemingly relaxed but alert to every shifting shadow.
"You're sure he'll show up?" Anny whispered. Her eyes scanned the darkened street visible from their position, ...
2025-03-25 16:30:40 +0000 UTC
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Nova didn’t waste much time, immediately demonstrating a Piercing Magic Missile for the two students, activating the entire spell in less than a second. It roared from his hand, spinning slower than Annelie’s version, and flying slower than Millie’s version. The projectile looked fat and sloppy compared to their sleek attempts.
But then it transformed. The missile accelerated nearly out of nowhere, growing faster and faster until it vanished from sight. A faint ping sounded as it ...
2025-03-24 16:31:32 +0000 UTC
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On an empty piece of land behind the main building, shielded from the dormitories, Millie stood ready to show what she could do. Twenty meters of trampled grass separated her from Nova. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the clearing as a gentle breeze rustled through nearby trees.
Millie shifted her weight from foot to foot, rolling her shoulders like a miniature warrior preparing for battle. Her blonde hair fluttered in the breeze as her eyes narrowed with concentration.
2025-03-21 17:41:44 +0000 UTC
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The warehouse's dim light cast shadows across Nihil's face, highlighting the network of scars that told their own story of survival against impossible odds.
"...What of the children?" Nova asked, unable to leave that question unasked, even now.
Nihil's eyes clouded with something that might have been regret, though his face remained hard. He tried to shift his position and winced as broken bones ground together. “Something has to give, hero… Rats don’t have boats, they can...
2025-03-20 17:20:10 +0000 UTC
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After a bit of waiting, the guard returned, now looking much more serious. He beckoned to Nova, who followed without hesitation, leaving the pockmarked man behind with a visible sigh of relief.
‘I almost hope he will challenge me. I could use the Soul Power.’
Inside, the warehouse had been transformed from its original purpose. What might have once stored goods now served as an impromptu throne room. Crates and barrels formed a path leading to a raised platform where ...
2025-03-19 04:56:24 +0000 UTC
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Nova looked at the sky, deep in thought. The vast blue expanse stretched above him, dotted with wispy clouds that drifted lazily in the morning breeze. He didn't like the comparison between the system and his formation, however similar they were. And unlike the system, he would take essence without asking.
‘It feels like any justification I use would be cheap. The God of Order might have good intentions as well… Although I find that hard to believe.’
"You okay, Nova?" Anneli...
2025-03-19 04:54:25 +0000 UTC
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The next day dawned bright and clear over Collport. Sunlight streamed through the windows of Quinn's shop as the entire group prepared to visit their new home. Nova had risen early, teleporting to Larena's office to bring her back to Quinn's house. Now, they all stood on the cobblestone street, ready to see the New Garden.
Walking would take too long, of course. The academy sat near the border of the upper district, a considerable distance from the modest fishmo...
2025-03-17 18:36:51 +0000 UTC
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Nova descended the wooden stairs to Quinn's basement. The air grew cooler with each step, carrying the faint smell of damp stone and preserved fish. A floating light from his palm cast eerie shadows against the rough walls, illuminating dusty shelves lined with jars and barrels.
In the far corner, a circular pattern of blue runes glowed softly against the stone floor. Nova approached the teleportation formation, noting the steady pulse that indicated a clear signal from the other side.<...
2025-03-14 13:01:42 +0000 UTC
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It's a tradition in my books to have a poll about favorite characters at the end :)
It's late because I forgot... But I hope you'll all vote!
If I forgot any characters you think deserve a spot, please let me know in a comment!
2025-03-14 12:58:16 +0000 UTC
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Nova pushed open the door to Quinn's shop. Dusk hung over Collport, and the smell of fresh fish filled the warm air. The shop was closed, counters cleaned and ready for tomorrow's business. The clatter of plates and laughter came from upstairs.
‘Millie’s still up then,’ he thought, smiling softly. ‘Her spirit seems to have bounced back completely after the accident. And not just because we did what we could to help her—she’s resilient.’
He climbed t...
2025-03-13 18:15:32 +0000 UTC
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The following week passed in a blur of activity. Each day, children arrived at Larena's office, almost shaking with curiosity and nervousness. They all went through Nova's teleportation, whisked away to the growing sanctuary at the inn.
The room at the inn filled quickly with tiny bodies and wide, uncertain eyes. When one room wasn't enough, they hired another, along with another caretaker. Annelie did a great job of finding potential workers for their new location, so far having found ...
2025-03-12 17:49:04 +0000 UTC
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Nova woke slowly. Light pressed against his closed eyelids, and something soft and granular shifted beneath his face. His consciousness drifted up through layers of sleep, making him aware of the unfamiliar texture below him.
'...Sand?'
A rough, sandpaper-like tongue scraped across his cheek. Nova turned his face in surprise and opened his eyes.
A white cat with fur as pristine as fresh snow sat beside Nova. He blinked, trying to process what he saw. The cat stared ...
2025-03-11 16:02:38 +0000 UTC
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The night had settled over Collport by the time Nova made his way back through the quiet streets. Magical lanterns cast pools of golden light onto the cobblestones, illuminating his path as he walked. His back had recovered from the wound Morten had inflicted, but there was still a dull pain.
He paused at a small bridge overlooking one of the city's many canals. The moon reflected on the dark water below, wavering and rippling with each passing breeze.
‘This is the start. We...
2025-03-10 16:59:09 +0000 UTC
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The contract's golden light pulsed once around them before fading into the evening air. A weight seemed to lift from Morten's shoulders now that he no longer had a choice.
Nova released his grip on his ankle and stepped back. "Can you stand?"
Morten rolled to his side, wincing as his battered body protested. "Give me a moment." He spat a mouthful of blood onto the grass, then slowly pushed himself to his knees. "I've had worse."
Nova watched him struggle, making no move to h...
2025-03-07 15:14:17 +0000 UTC
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‘Above everything, I am a mage. I did not spend a normal lifetime in my previous life. I lived for a thousand years, building my powers, researching magic, and training anyone who would visit. Never once did I lose a fight, whatever stood in my way. Even a god proved unworthy of anything but a pyrrhic victory.
What I mean to say is… Why does this world have so few good spells?’
Morten moved like a blur across the trampled grass, swinging his flaming blade i...
2025-03-06 21:24:12 +0000 UTC
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Larena froze in place, unable to react to his accusation. Her lips parted, but no words came. By the time she realized her mistake, it was already too late.
"Don't bother, Larena," Nova said, appearing from the shadow behind Morten. He stepped into the lamplight, small but fearless. "There's no point in trying to convince him anymore."
Morten turned the instant Nova's voice could be heard. His hand drifted toward the weapon at his belt as he stared at Nova's small form with great ...
2025-03-05 18:10:52 +0000 UTC
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Nova melted into the shadows behind a bookcase as footsteps approached Larena's office. The heavy oak door swung open with a creak. Two guards in polished armor entered first, followed by a woman in a plain gray robe—Maria, one of the caretakers Nova recognized from his time in the garden.
Between them walked a small boy, no older than five. His thin shoulders hunched forward as if trying to make himself smaller. Dirt smudged his pale cheeks. The child froze in the doorway, looking ar...
2025-03-04 19:43:31 +0000 UTC
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Despite the late night, it was an early morning for Nova. Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, painting warm patterns across the wooden floor. He opened his eyes to find Annelie curled around him like a cat seeking warmth.
Nova shifted away, raising an eyebrow at her. "Comfortable?"
Annelie blinked sleepily, then jumped away from him once she realized. "Sorry!" She rubbed her eyes, letting them adjust to the light. "The floor gets cold."
“Hmm… It’s fine.” Nov...
2025-03-03 17:56:39 +0000 UTC
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Governor Newark let out a heavy sigh as he tenderly stroked a letter carved into his desk. “...No, Noctis. If I have to choose an enemy, you’re by far the most compassionate. You won’t go after my family.”
"Hah!" Nova's laugh cut through the quiet room. "Your king might have killed many, but it is incomparable to the ocean of blood I've left in my wake. I'm not above seeking justice through familial bonds."
‘Or at least that’s what I want you to think.’
<...
2025-02-28 19:02:11 +0000 UTC
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The office fell quiet as Nova thought about his meeting with the governor. The only sound was Larena closing the drawer where she had kept the soul stone.
"Should I join you when you see him?" Annelie asked, breaking the silence. She seemed somewhat eager to come along.
Nova considered her question carefully. The governor might have unexpected defenses in place, especially with the overseer's arrival. "If you can get in without being seen, sure. But if he has laid any traps, it mi...
2025-02-27 15:37:26 +0000 UTC
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Three heavy knocks on the door echoed through the office, making Larena flinch. She quickly composed herself, straightening her uniform before standing from her chair.
"Hide," she whispered urgently to Nova and Annelie. Her eyes darted to the large curtains framing the window.
But the children merely smiled. In an instant, Annelie had turned invisible, and Nova merged with the shadows. No sign of them ever being in the room remained.
Larena smoothed her face into a neutral e...
2025-02-26 19:07:06 +0000 UTC
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