Oscar's eyelids trembled in his deep sleep as visions of the past swirled in his dreams, his thoughts unable to focus on a single one. It felt uncomfortable, very unsettling, like an itch in the throat, unable to be scratched or appeased. Memories flashed rapidly in a hazy fog. His heart raced faster than ever. Oscar was suffocating, lost within the chaos of thought and memory, adrift in the nonsensical waves of incomprehensible scenes.
It hurt. It hurt all over. Oscar wished for it to ...
2023-06-04 19:05:47 +0000 UTC
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"A mistake?" Oscar saw the Elder, the picture of health for a middle-aged man, sit down, forlorn and visibly weary and older than before.
"It was my foolish hope that led to all of this," Sevon's voice grew weaker into a mumble, still audible but lacking vigor. "Long ago, when I was a young boy, I was brought in by a prominent family that favored the rather strong and sturdy physique I was born with. They were a clan of Reis users who sought to find ways to surpass the limitations and c...
2023-06-03 16:58:22 +0000 UTC
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"Avril. What are you doing?" Oscar reigned in his shock at the brutal scene of Avril stomping on a man's chest; at least, that's what he could tell. The corpse was torn apart, limb from limb, head to toe, by blood-soaked roots. Blood flowed like streams, and pieces of flesh and flakes of skin swam around like floating leaves in the river, barely indicating how they were once a single whole. He barely glanced at the grotesque scene, his attention fully devoted to Avril.
Avril took her fo...
2023-06-02 03:26:06 +0000 UTC
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An explosion of light knocked Oscar and everyone else away from the center of the main hall. For a brief moment, he caught sight of Adam fighting against Caen, the Lord of Brightburn, and a mysterious man, wearing the same clothing as the unknown assailant who used Reis. The sudden intrusion of these mysterious enemies stumped Oscar.
He had known since the start from when he met Sevon and Adam that their main focus was an unknown enemy. Oscar did not know the enemy because the two never...
2023-05-31 19:40:19 +0000 UTC
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Oscar's army entered Brightburn City in droves, fighting to breach through the recently-destroyed flimsy defenses. The city would have a sight to behold, a strange marvel he would never find in his home country. A shame that the destructive fires and tremors from the chaotic battles took away from what it once was.
As he rode through the wreckage, the desperate pleas for mercy, the angered shouts of grievances, the hushed tones of the dying, and the warcries of the berserk reached his e...
2023-05-31 03:04:12 +0000 UTC
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Three armies, numbering a few hundred each, struck at their backs. Realizing the outlook of the battle was grim, Oscar rode out on Erden to better understand the situation. Adam's side with the Fourth division was overwhelming their foes, the brutal battle maniac tearing through the enemy ranks. On the left side, Fenu and Eveline of the Seventh Division were holding back the other army, equal in ferocity and ability. They were fine for now, but Oscar turned his concern to the back.
A Gr...
2023-05-29 22:18:26 +0000 UTC
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Back long ago, in Ashen Grove, Oscar pounded metal on the anvil, creating the pieces needed to assemble a cannon according to Gol-4's instructions. He focused singlemindedly on hammering out each shape, turn, and indent. "Hey, Gol-4. What's the point of this cannon? We have cannons, ballistae, and other siege weaponry back home."
"Hah! You believe I, the remnant of the genius, Isaac Stonewell, will create such mediocre things." Gol-4 laughed as he floated along, inspecting the pieces Os...
2023-05-29 05:53:29 +0000 UTC
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Oscar led Adam through the fortress with Avril and Erden, red light peering through the windows of the wide hallways. Once they entered the room, Adam exclaimed. Oscar groaned and sat on his chair, staring at the large stacks of papers and scrolls piled on his table. Avril brewed him some tea, placing it before him, the smell helping to ease the uneasiness brewing in his thoughts. After taking a sip, Oscar waited for Adam to speak.
"This is a lot. I'm shocked at the sheer amount." Adam ...
2023-05-29 04:24:07 +0000 UTC
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"The butcher?" The envoys all turned pale, struck by the fear of the very mention of that name. They all retreated a step away from Adam, his gleeful smile still wide across his face. Oscar never knew how much fear the reputation of the butcher had on the people of the Burning Valley until seeing these proud envoys lose their wits. It was as expected of the one who had even the Four Lords up in arms and vigilant.
"Young lord. Is this the backing you mentioned?" Fenu whispered from behin...
2023-05-29 00:46:28 +0000 UTC
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"Here are all the records and censuses of our Ashwolf Clan." Fenu placed a pile of papers and scrolls on Oscar's table. The sheer volume nearly made Oscar click his tongue, but he held it down and started to read each record, passing one to Avril when finished. Within thirty minutes, he read through it all.
"Your clan pays a lot more to the Lord of Brightburn. I can't believe these tributes." Oscar tapped his finger on the table. The Ashwolf paid three times as much as the Firebear gang...
2023-05-27 05:23:34 +0000 UTC
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With the loyalty of the Ashwolf Clan secure, Oscar went over to the main battlefield to identify their losses. The bodies of the people he had come to know for the past month were lifeless, covered in ashes. Using his Ein, he cleaned off the ashes and ordered Desmond to wrap them carefully. Desmond hurried over with rolls of thin leather.
Something was caught in Oscar's throat. His chest felt uncomfortable. The unsettling feeling didn't die down as he watched Desmond and the others wrap...
2023-05-26 23:30:46 +0000 UTC
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"Ashwolf!" Fenu shouted.
"Azure Sea!" Oscar shouted.
Oscar and Fenu projected their voices with Ein and filled the battlefield with their presence, the full might of powerful Middle Knight Exalts. Oscar breathed a sigh of relief at how fast everyone stopped fighting. His forces were at an advantage, but any further would lead to more loss of life. Oscar raised his hand to his troops and ordered them to withdraw, as did Fenu.
"Grand Elder, what is happening?" Arc, the Clan He...
2023-05-26 18:46:19 +0000 UTC
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Avril coughed out blood, feeling her heart about to burst through her chest. Her nose could only smell the foul volcanic scent, not helping her nausea. The Reis was truly a useful power but gave her constant agony. She forced down the blood in her throat. Oscar, Sevon, and Adam always suffered through this; she couldn't complain.
"Don't worry about your friends. I left them alive. Though, they won't be waking up anytime soon." Avril said to the wind user, who scowled with bitten lips. S...
2023-05-25 03:33:04 +0000 UTC
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The Ashwolf Clan outnumbered his forces three-to-one. Large amounts of Ein poured out from the seventy members of the Ashwolf Clan, rumbling above into a chaotic storm. Their ferocious expressions were on display for Oscar and his forces to see. However, none of their blood-curdling expressions affected them.
Staring back, Oscar nodded in approval at his forces, who remained stoic with nerves of steel. It was well worth it to switch to Demon occasionally to intimidate them and condition...
2023-05-24 00:00:42 +0000 UTC
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"Desmond!" It was time. Oscar gathered up his things. Desmond entered the main hut and saluted. He had a cleaner look since the first time they met.
"You called for me, Boss?" Desmond asked, puffing his chest. The past month of training and rewards had done their job of honing Desmond's demeanor, power, and loyalty. Oscar no longer feared having to worry about betrayal.
"Gather everyone up. It's time to expand." Oscar stood firmly with a stern smile. He had copied the same sort of...
2023-05-22 03:41:36 +0000 UTC
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Oscar sat in the main hut of the Firebear gang, now renamed the Azure Sea Company. Various papers were scattered on the rough stone table, now cleared of food. These papers were useless, containing only odd notes about rumors or gossip. To think the gangs of the outer regions were so unorganized.
"Boss, I'm sorry for our poor record-keeping. But we never needed to do so in the past. We always just took a certain amount from the towns to ensure we can keep up the tributes to the Lord of ...
2023-05-21 23:31:13 +0000 UTC
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Desmond laughed while sharing cups of lukewarm water with the rest of his crew. They had just received the monthly tributes from the towns and villages in their territory, a good number of ores, and water. The bountiful feast on the table looked ever more pleasing, a collection of whole lizards cooked to perfection.
"Lads and Gals! Ever since the butcher disappeared, we no longer need to worry about the Four Lords pounding down on our doorsteps. We can finally eat and drink in peace!" D...
2023-05-21 20:04:36 +0000 UTC
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"Interesting. I hope you become a Greater Knight Exalt before I try for the Marshal Exalt realm. I haven't fought against anyone who made me feel the true thrill of battle yet." Adam stretched his body, his tight muscles outlined underneath the white shirt. He smiled at Oscar and extended his hand out. "You're quite close to it."
Staring at the outstretched hand, Oscar scoffed and clasped it. He released a slight Ripple Shroud, and it clashed against Adam's. The ensuing shockwave blaste...
2023-05-20 17:43:36 +0000 UTC
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"Oscar, are you a fabricator? You possess a hammer in your space pocket along with some grade-three ores." Sevon asked, a glow of interest in his eagle eyes. "If you are, then what star fabricator are you?"
"I am a two-star fabricator. I haven't found a suitable place with a furnace, kiln, and anvil to attempt forging grade-three armaments. Maybe if I had an armament, I wouldn't have been in as much trouble earlier and gotten out before Adam appeared." Oscar grumbled. If only he had fou...
2023-05-19 02:12:13 +0000 UTC
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Sevan and Adam stepped farther away, their figures growing smaller in the distance. Oscar struggled to get up, his joints creaking and his fingers trembling. The weakness of his body persisted despite the wrappings and bandages covering his injuries. It had been too long since he had been pushed this much in a battle. He almost forgot the feeling of being pushed into a corner, striving for survival against near-impossible odds.
Learn from it. Oscar needed to learn from it. He got to his...
2023-05-18 03:01:08 +0000 UTC
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The old man sat on the chair as Adam stood to the side like a bodyguard with a stern face, unlike his previous demeanor. Oscar became short of breath before the old man's presence. Avril was trembling, unable to stand up against this great person.
"Well," The old man wore a fine black suit, similar to a butler's clothes, white gloves, and clean black shoes. Faint wrinkles showed across his brow and cheeks, and his hair had streaks of gray hair, indicating his advanced age for an Exalt. ...
2023-05-17 04:02:03 +0000 UTC
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The smell of fire and ash swarmed his nostrils, and Oscar woke up from the choking of the dirty air. Having no sense of where he was, Oscar tried to regain his sight to no avail. Through the blurriness of his sight, Oscar recognized the familiar redness glow of magma. For some reason, he couldn't feel anything, not even the heat of the magma.
"Huh?" His body wouldn't move. His strength faded the moment he tried to gather it. The muscles in his body could not muster their power. Somethin...
2023-05-16 03:58:27 +0000 UTC
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"I have to say I'm impressed. Even though the marauders and people in this part of the Burning Valley are less equipped, less honed in spells, and have a horrible mental fortitude, you still killed five Middle Knight Exalts, even one at his peak." The white-haired Reis user applauded Oscar.
"Who…are you?" Oscar spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Just a passing man. I heard someone say the butcher was here because of a slaughter happening, so I came to see who it was." The man glance...
2023-05-15 22:58:00 +0000 UTC
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Oscar cared not for who these vile bastards were or why they were so insistent. His only concern was currently suffering in the dead-end of the alleyway; her cries had died down, but her eye had lost all glimmer of life. She appeared more as a lifeless doll rather than a person.
The people in front weren't the only ones to anger him. He fumed in volcanic rage at himself, his helplessness to help Avril, his inaction as he could only watch. What better way to vent his frustration than to ...
2023-05-14 17:29:13 +0000 UTC
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"Brother Oscar! That hurts!" Quinn rubbed his shoulder while lying on the floor. "Can't you go easier?"
"You're the one who was so insistent on having me train you. No complaining about that." Oscar said, stretching his tired body. He looked up at the stagnant molten orb with a sigh. It had been a week now. The overflows of lava should have subsided. He could only go around with Avril to travel, go to Tung Village to talk with the villagers, or train the little brat, Quinn.
Reachi...
2023-05-12 22:12:33 +0000 UTC
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"I'm surprised you have grade-three spells. Though, the rest of your spells were grade two." Oscar said. Taren lay before his feet, weakened and injured. His gasps and pained grunts didn't evoke a single bout of pity from Oscar. What sort of pity did this person deserve?
The battle interested Oscar. He glanced at Taren and the earth user, recalling the tiniest of details, including the flow of their Ein. He knew for certain they used Ein Awaken. His master mentioned Exalts touch upon it...
2023-05-12 01:58:33 +0000 UTC
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The gorge turned into a ghost town. None of the villagers made a sound, huddled in their stone homes, not even peeking out from their windows. As the clouds of ash approached the gorge's entrance toward Tung Village, Oscar heard the whimpers and squeamish cries coming from younger voices. Those cries were quickly quelled and silenced by hurried hushes.
"Everyone, be still and silent. Don't worry and wait for them to pass." An elderly man stepped out into the center of the gorge with two...
2023-05-11 20:59:09 +0000 UTC
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Oscar sat on his bed, leaning against the wall. A faint blue flame was slowly waning, burning for a while now. Oddly, the sparks and embers floating from it resembled snowflakes and ice crystals. No wood or timber was fueling these unique blue flames, only a few round stones with sapphire veins on their surfaces.
Old Yule explained these were frostfire coals, strange coal that burned an icy fire to lower the temperature and provide comfort against the heat—a convenient resource discov...
2023-05-10 02:47:54 +0000 UTC
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Fire, brimstone, ashes, and soot; all manners of desolation enveloped the land and choked the skies with black clouds of thundering flames, not lightning. Oscar quickly covered his nose, stung by the sudden change in the air, filled to the brim with a foul burnt smell, reminding him of burnt matches. The land was scorched and burned, a land far worse than the ones before it.
The plains were beautiful and bountiful, and at least the dreary forest had trees and some semblance of a fresh f...
2023-05-09 00:07:20 +0000 UTC
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The two suns bathed the grasslands in their warmth from their off-angle positions, and a familiar loud ruckus kicked off with their rising as the beasts awoke from their dwellings and resumed their savage battles. Walking out of the cavern, Oscar sat down on the ground. After a year, the destruction from the battle between Erden and Demon had healed, covered up by the growing grass.
"Alright," Oscar cracked his joints, neck, and back, stretching fully to release his tension. Annoyed, Os...
2023-05-07 05:04:20 +0000 UTC
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