Author Frank Morin

Ch 142 - I Avoid Becoming Another Tatermancer

Time to permanent another spell. The rare moment felt momentous. This would be my third permanent spell and I understood more about how vitally important choosing the right one ended up being.

My first two choices were creating a solid build. Harvest gave me the chance to keep gaining an ever-changing arsenal of new temporary spells. I’d run into some dangers with that, but the recent 2 days of constant fighting had helped hone my instincts to not overlook my new spells, so it was wor...

Ch 141 - I Get a Set of Lincoln Logs

The entire gigantic body groaned and sagged, life draining away as I literally ripped its heart free. I got my first good look at its gem heart, a giant faceted blue crystal that cracked and splintered under the onslaught of pure damage.

Returning to the physical world, I collapsed, but dragged the gem heart with me to the floor. My limbs weren’t working properly, either stretched so far tendons had snapped, or pulled totally out of their sockets. It took a few seconds, but with fresh...

Ch 140 - Pain Therapy

I tried pressing my mental advantage, but new mental defenses snapped into place, walling off its mind. The thing was so strong!

Before I could try Mana Beam again, the wood imprisoning my limbs began to pull, creeping apart at a slow but inexorable pace. I gritted my teeth and heaved against the restraints, but it was like trying to arm wrestle a mountain. Despite my insanely high strength, this thing possessed power at an entirely different level, and I’d conveniently jumped down it...

Ch 139 - Physics and Magic Can Be a Deadly Combo

Back in the lava cavern, I floated up on my observation platform, rising several thousand feet until the narrowing cavern walls came together in a point. Solid rock blocked the way, forming a ceiling in the narrow space. That stone ceiling might only represent a tiny stone plug before opening into the mountain’s cone, or the entire top of the mountain might be solid rock.

Didn’t matter. I could work with what I had. Lowering my hovering platform until I judged the total distance abo...

Ch 138 - Lava Bath

The cavern I’d gotten punched through the mountain into was the molten heart of an active volcano. How was I even alive?

Lava bubbled all around, spitting boiling jets of molten flame into the hot, stinking air. It smelled like every rotten egg in the world had gotten dumped on my head, and with every breath, my lungs seared with the burning pain of acid. The air must be blistering hot, but somehow the heat didn’t bother me.

Spinning, I noticed a ledge of stone about 50 yards ...

Ch 137 - Spelunking, Sudden Death Variant

When I stepped around the last corner to the final meadow, the Colossus was staring right at me, its huge eyes glowing with a deep, blue light. It shouldn’t be able to see or sense me, and I risked looking around the large meadow.

The towering trees all looked the same, their dense canopy forming a green roof over the entire area. Identify triggered as I focused on one.

“Ironwood Arboreum. Legendary. Member of a rare Ironwood Grove. Much sought after across the multiverse, woo...

Ch 136 - Same Old Tricks, But Worse

We’d cleared the entire valley, following its winding course for miles higher and higher into the mountains, killing one monster after another until we neared its ultimate end where it looked like it would terminate against a sheer cliff 15,000 feet straight up.

I couldn’t see the last section of the valley yet. It was blocked by a final corner. I had actually hoped we’d find one more monster, like an end-of-the-valley boss. Maybe I should have thought that through a bit more.

Ch 135 - I Make a Really Good Guess

I drove Scalebiter through the skull of the fourth undead troll, then leaped off, somersaulting away just before a boulder smashed through the troll corpse, exploding it in a spray of black gore before it could even fall to the ground. Sticking the landing, I glanced up at the roof of the 80-foot stone tower nearby and the huge 35-foot tall monster standing on the roof.

“Blightcrusher Troll. Elite. Level 52. This battle-hardened troll kills as easily with his overwhelming strength and...

Ch 134 - Nigel Earns Another Steak

Within the hour, we wove up through canyons, ravines, and mountain saddles until we pushed more than 10 miles into the western mountains. I slowed in a high mountain meadow, carpeted with sparse grasses, bushes, and copses of trees small enough to have existed on Earth, with majestic peaks rising all around.

A cold wind ruffled my clothes and brought scents of forests and lakes from higher up. Three separate paths to climb higher opened before us, two steep canyons and an open slope lea...

Ch 133 - I Talk With a Dead Man

The person stepped around a far corner before I could zoom my vision on them, but I’d seen enough. Already that morning I’d found people turned into werewolves and sent back into town to kill. I wasn’t about to ignore a corpse masquerading as a person.

So I set my tether point on the roof of the wooden building the man had just hidden behind. The golden chain shot out, linked me to the roof, then dragged me soaring down the street. A lot of people turned to stare, and I waved as I...

Ch 132 - Defender of the Vale

“That’s fair,” Paul said, smoothly shifting gears while both Crystal and Elizabeth looked like they wanted to argue. “Initial reports suggest Noctarus is more than keeping his word.”

“I saw the camp on the lake and the night crew starting work last night.”

“We just received an update from Burns,” Crystal said. “The advance team are thrilled. They are gaining huge experience boosts for working on the ships, far more than expected, and today the first hunting par...

Ch 131 - I Get To Play Bartender

I kept my pace slow enough that anyone could have matched it. As I jogged toward the team of humans-turned-werewolves, I pulled an item from my inventory I had not used yet and nearly forgot about.

“Face of My Brother. Rare. Place this cap on your head to transform your face into an exact duplicate of any person you meet. Duplication is perfect and will withstand all scrutiny, even touch. It will resist most spells revealing truth.”

I dumped my wide-brimmed wolf leather hat in...

Ch 130 - Story Time

Jeeves woke me half an hour after dawn. I’d only managed maybe another 3 hours of sleep, but felt refreshed and eager to get out and hunt. Once I could plan on a full 4 hours, I’d use my new health-boosting night mask.

Every indication suggested we should get a couple quiet days. The zombies would not cause trouble while we were providing so much help, and Alpha and his pack should hopefully be hunkering down to mend. Evidence suggested they didn’t operate as well during the day a...

Ch 129 - Third Wheel Woes

“Good evening, sir,” Jeeves greeted me as I jogged up to my castle.

“It is now.”

“Indeed. Shall I bring refreshments? Lady Ruby is in the billiard room with Nigel.”

“Please do. I’ll join them there.”

“Very good, sir.”

I was surprised Ruby was not only awake, but waiting in my castle. We’d exchanged a couple chats while I rode Switchblade back to town. I’d assured her I was okay and figured she’d go to bed. The town always bustled with ...

Ch 128 - I Write Magic Code

Noctarus pointed at the board. “Draw your rune. When you wish to activate it, focus your will on the rune and touch it with your mana.”

“You need to use your own mana to activate a rune?”

“Of course.” He hesitated before adding, “There are other ways to fuel runes, but they are far more complicated than we can consider today. Most basic runes are activated by your own mana, but are fueled by the ambient mana, so the cost to the runesmith is generally low. The more co...

Ch 127 - Runesmith

The final new thing I noticed in my inventory was a set of expandable bracelets, but they did not have boosts to defense.

“Tinkerfuse Restraints. Common. Invented by the quirky genius, Garrik Tinkerfuse, these simple items have revolutionized recreational sports.”

“What the Handel?” I wondered. The bracelets were made of a very stretchy fabric. With them came a pair of thin metal disks about 3 inches across. When I put on one of the bracelets, I sensed how to activate it. ...

Ch 126 - Girls Are Suckers For Fur

I blinked a couple of times as I stared at the counter for my tier-6 mana crystals. It had jumped all the way up to 99! For a moment, the number didn’t seem to compute, then all I could do was laugh long and loud.

Elite lord. Cyrus hadn’t been kidding when he said Ashkaroth was rich. That was a bucketload of mana crystals! Tier-6 meant 6 zeroes, each one worth 1 million regular mana crystals. Even if I got nothing else from Ashkaroth, I could probably now buy anything else I needed....

Ch 125 - The Promise of Eminent Domain

As Cyrus liked to say, excellent question. Immolation was the first of my two harvested spells, so that one would be replaced with whatever new spell I harvested. Immolation had saved my life twice, but it was super dangerous too.

I was lying in a totally devastated area. The mountain seemed to sag above me, the stone face having melted under Ashkaroth’s intense heat. The forest fire fighter in me cringed to think of so much devastation.

Did I want to rely on that kind of burnin...

Ch 124 - I Get a Full-Body Makeover

Some time later, consciousness peeked out from the dark hole it had been hiding in. I tried to blink open my eyes, but that just stabbed a spear of pure agony through my eye sockets.

Okay, don’t try that again. All I could feel of my body was searing pain. Even with my insane levels of pain tolerance, I tried passing out again.

It didn’t work. I could barely breath because every movement of my chest sent spasms of new pain boiling through me. Not surprising as memories clamore...

Ch 123 - Non-Surgeons Should Not Try Open-Heart Surgery

No! I channeled more of the incoming power from my Tesla Coil bracelet into my mind to keep my thoughts alert. I had more power now. All I needed to do was figure out a way to use it. It wanted to run through my mana channels, but that would kill me. I couldn’t bottle it back up again, and leaving it to rampage unchecked was killing me too.

As my vision darkened, I focused all my will and gave the new power direction. I couldn’t let it run through my mana channels, but that didn’t...

Ch 122 - I Learn About Demon Dating Troubles

Cyrus had warned me the last time I used Immolation that if I left it active too long I might draw the attention of something I really didn’t want to deal with. Idiot! I should have remembered that instead of wandering around in the middle of a literal tornado of fire that reached hundreds of feet into the night sky.

Sure, it had been a black fire tornado, but apparently that wasn’t enough to conceal it from unwanted attention. I snapped off Immolation, snuffing out my flames, then ...

Ch 121 - I Try Golfing With a Basketball

I reached the gory little glade just as Alpha and his pack arrived at the base of the ravine. It sounded like another dozen werewolves followed Alpha, and they all came on like a tide of death. I caught glimpses of them racing through the wreckage of the ravine, heedless of any danger and absolutely confident in their power.

At the lead, Alpha ran on all fours, his long forelimbs allowing him to run at a forward crouch instead of all the way over. Even though I’d faced him up close an...

Ch 120 - A Little Bit of Impotence Goes a Long Way

Within moments, the first pack of 5 werewolves showed up. They must be the scouts ranging ahead of the rest of the pack. Other howls still sounded a few miles back. That was probably Alpha and his main force trying to catch up.

Alpha had made it clear he reserved the right to personally end my life, but the scout pack seemed intent on running me to ground and maybe softening me up a bit for their boss. When they smelled my blood, they let out a chorus of blood-curdling howls. Those howl...

Ch 119 - Stalked, Stalking, Stalker

I paused to pet the Mastiff one more time, left him another steak, then headed back up to the tip of the little valley. On the way, I pulled up my Class Spells menu.

My class was still so new, I’d barely explored its full potential. I’d hardly cast any of my new class spells, with my mana being locked for much of the floor. Cascading Force was proving very useful with its random extra force strikes, and I love the flexibility Elemental Harmony offered by adding elemental powers to o...

Ch 118 - A Hound in the Hand

I wanted to train more with mana, but time was growing short. The werewolves could already be on the hunt for me. I also needed to train with my other spells too and really internalize my new class spells and my abilities.

The best way to train all that was to hunt. So I called Switchblade and we jumped on. I spent a few minutes gliding through the forest, brushing my hands against leaves to make sure my scent was easily found.

Then we turned west, exited the forest, and sped acro...

Ch 117 - Nigel Practices Defenestration

Housekeeping note:

Based on voting from the most recent poll, I decided to change the relationship with Lucas and Isabella so that he actually proposed and she rejected and dumped him. His ride in the back country was in large part to help him get his head straight.

His relationship with Ruby also changed. He isn't emotionally available at first, so they become friends. By the end of book 1, Lucas realizes he might be getting some hints from Ruby, and of course Steve picks up on t...

Ch 116 - Zombie Talks

Hey, fun announcement!

I just finished major edits to Nexus Runner book 2! This book is a monster, and it's amazing. With this chapter, you're close to halfway. Tons of incredible monsters and loot and levels to come!

On to today's chapter:

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A few minutes later, I entered the council chamber in the castle. As soon as I’d entered the castle, an aide whisked me upstairs. The council had apparently just sent for me.

“Luc...

Ch 115 - Imaginary Friends

Tomas and Jane left to find their teams and report for wall guard duty. Neither Ruby nor Steve were in their tents, so I sent them a message, asking how they were doing.

Then I headed into town. Even though the sun had dipped behind the tall western peaks, it wouldn’t be truly night for hours. Still, it looked like everyone had returned to town already. No one wanted to get caught out when the werewolves started prowling.

Quite a few people waved and called out greetings when I ...

CH 114 - I Try to Plan Ahead For Once

All three of the other suites upstairs included spacious bedrooms with private baths with toilets, sinks, and large showers. My suite took up half the floor, with a giant four-poster bed, wardrobe, an antique writing desk, and a comfortable chair and footstool in front of a big fireplace.

And the bath? Hah! Sheathed in tile painted to look like an ocean sunset, it included a tub big enough for 4, a separate shower with jets on every surface, and a commode. It even had one of those weird...

Ch 113 - Shining Light in Dark Corners

Jeeves arrived then, perfect timing, as always. He bowed and waved one hand. A free-standing clothing rack appeared, with 10 outfits hanging on it.

“Will any of these meet your needs, my lady?”

Ruby jumped up with a brilliant smile and rushed to examine the outfits. There was a good variety, ranging from comfortable-looking medieval clothing for in-town wear to sturdier options for battle.

Jeeves added to me, “And perhaps this for you, sir.”

He extended a hand ...