“Tell me your name,” Turk said as he squatted down in front of the archer.
“It’s Ilyana,” she said as she glanced at the spot where the other two allies of hers had been.
Dirk and Vreek had already taken the two of them away and were doing the dirty work of harvesting their hearts.
Turk used his finger and gently moved her face so that her eyes were on his.
“That is a beautiful name Ilyana,” he said with a smile. “You did what I asked, so I will do what...
2023-06-20 19:45:09 +0000 UTC
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Vreek had complimented Turk and Dirk multiple times already as he looted the three survivors and the four bodies they had collected. They had gone through the gear and collected a few trinkets and both Vreek and Turk upgraded their weapons.
The sword that Arbane used was better than the one that Vreek had and the bow that Turk had seen made his old bow feel like a training one. The white bow drew back smoothly and had at least a quarter more power to it than his old one.
“I’ll...
2023-06-20 19:40:49 +0000 UTC
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Turk could not help crying out when the arrow struck him in his thigh. A lucky shot from the archer? He grabbed the arrow and pushed it through, grunting as he felt it tear the flesh from his thigh. It had not pierced all the way through, and he knew he had to get the barbed point out. Once it was through he snapped off the wooden shaft and pulled the arrow out from the back side.
His leather armor now had a hole where he had been shot. Dripping blood on the ground Turk knew they would ...
2023-06-20 19:40:36 +0000 UTC
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Thank you for supporting me!
Pushed a few more chapters out today and I have a backlog to upload! I may add a 2nd tier as some people have messaged me asking if I can just release all the chapters I have done. I may toy with that but I wanted to get caught up on the chapter counts for everyone!
2023-06-19 13:37:24 +0000 UTC
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Both boys ran through the bushes and shrubs that seemed everywhere in the woods. Unlike the trees in the mountains, where the ground had been sparse and barren from the poison Yashk had put into the water supply, closer to the city, the forest was filled with all sorts of trees and bushes. It was thick and provided good cover except for the trail they were leaving behind.
Turk could see blood staining leaves from the body his brother was carrying and knew that he was also leaving an eas...
2023-06-19 13:34:33 +0000 UTC
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“I feel like we got tricked,” complained Dirk as he kicked dirt on the fire. “It is like Vreek and Dad decided to find a way to make you and I do all the work.”
I shrugged and tossed the remains of the poorly cooked breakfast onto the coals Dirk was covering up.
“I started thinking about the sudden change, I and agree it seems weird. What is really weird is how Dad is not giving us instructions. It feels like he is testing us.”
“Testing us?” questioned Dirk. ...
2023-06-19 13:34:13 +0000 UTC
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Dirk and Turk were walking ahead of us when Vreek suddenly grabbed my wrist and motioned to me with his head.
“We need to talk a moment while they are not around,” he mumbled.
“What is it?” I asked, wondering what he did not want the boys to hear.
Vreek stopped my movement and then let go of my wrist. He pointed to Turk and Dirk.
“You need to let them grow up more and stop rushing in first.”
“I don’t do…”
Vreek held up his hand and stopp...
2023-06-19 13:34:02 +0000 UTC
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“Farewell, champion,” Yashk shouted as he waved. “Remember to summon me when it is time to join the fight!”
I waved back and followed Dirk, Turk, and Vreek as they headed up the ramp to leave the caverns.
Another week had passed since Yashk had used me as a punching bag for almost a day. I had slept for about three days after our training and could tell I had gotten stronger. The greatest lesson Yashk taught me was that there are no rules when fighting. I was sometimes too...
2023-06-16 17:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Yashk was beating me like I was a red-headed step-goblin. His speed and power overwhelmed me at every turn. He would leap out from his coiled position and could attack me with his tail or his hands at the same time. Whenever I tried to hit him with a powerful punch or kick, he would dodge it easily. His snake half allowed him to change position and move faster than I could imagine, and when I tried using my strength to move him, I could not even budge him.
One time he wrapped me up, and...
2023-06-14 19:16:06 +0000 UTC
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It was mind-blowing following Yashk through two more sets of tunnels and caverns filled with just as many eggs. He easily had almost a thousand eggs I felt based on what I had seen and the other cave they had prevented me from going into earlier.
After the second cavern, Yashk led me through, he slowed down as we came to a tunnel with four Slendals blocking the entrance into that tunnel. Each of them had a massive spear in their hand and a few smaller ones on their backs. They were larg...
2023-06-14 19:14:56 +0000 UTC
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I wanted to stick a finger up each nostril as I explored the cavern that the Slendals called home. The smell was overpowering. There was a mist in the cavern that floated around the room and you could taste and smell it when you walked through it. They had built stone storage shacks that ran in exactly spaced rows in the main cavern. They used their shedded skin and made bags and containers out of them. I saw them carrying these containers filled with what I guessed was a combination of worms...
2023-06-13 17:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Bula shared some alcohol that was made by the Slendals. The taste was pretty awful but after just a few sips I could already feel my mind starting to relax.
“This seems pretty strong for a cup this big,” as I pointed to the massive stone cup that was the size of my head.
Bula laughed and nodded as she tipped hers back and took a few swigs. She set her cup down on the ground she leaned back in her chair.
“It is not easy making smaller cups out of this rock. That is why ...
2023-06-09 17:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Vreek had walked away as I stood there for a moment stunned.
Replace the king? How the heck does that happen? Why would I replace someone I had yet to even meet?! None of this made sense at all.
I jogged and caught up with Vreek and grabbed him and spun him around.
“You cannot mean that! Why would I do that?” I shouted.
Vreek motioned to everyone who was looking at me and I tried to quiet down a little bit but I was upset and confused.
“Why would t...
2023-06-06 17:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“This is our new home,” stated Bula as she motioned to the small caves that had been dug out into the side of the cavern. “We live here now with the Slendals. They saved us when the forest started to die and the elves were killing us all.”
“How long have you been down here?”
Bula turned and started walking backward as she looked at me with a smile.
“We have been down here for months. There is water and fish down one of the caves. The mushrooms that grow and the...
2023-06-02 17:00:03 +0000 UTC
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cleared chapter
2023-05-30 17:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 22 & 23 are repeats. Deleted - go straight to chapter 24 (versus re-ordering them all)
2023-05-26 17:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Opening my eyes I could see sunlight coming through cracks in the shelter that they had built for me. The lean-to looked impressive from the part I was able to see. Pushing the blanket they had put over me, I yawned and smelled my own breath. Was losing teeth due to inadequate hygiene something goblins suffered from?
Ducking my head to avoid hitting it, I made my way out of the shelter towards the one side that was partially open. I could hear two people talking...
2023-05-21 02:13:21 +0000 UTC
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Vreek sat there staring at the three of us for a few minutes and did not say anything. The only sound we heard was the fire going and the occasional animal calling out in the forest. I knew I could not rush him. I had just overloaded his mind with who we are.
“You met our god?”
I could see the shock at the idea that somehow their god would grant me an audience with him. I knew it had been hundreds of years since anyone had spoken with him.
I shook my head and groaned. Ou...
2023-05-21 02:13:11 +0000 UTC
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“The cave smells awful,” complained Dirk as we continued deeper into it. “How did you not mention this smell?”
“I never went in the cave,” scoffed Turk. “What kind of fool would go into a cave by themselves?”
I found myself agreeing with both of them. This cave smelled horrible and we had smelled some pretty awful things in our time in this world. Turk was smart though for not going into the cave alone. There were too man...
2023-05-20 12:45:44 +0000 UTC
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“If orcs are down there they must be the lost group, right?” asked Dirk.
It would be good if they were but I had so many questions and I knew no one knew the answer to any of them.
“Vreek, how strong would these snake people have to be in order to capture and control a group of orcs and goblins?”
Vreeks face looked concerned. I was not sure if he had considered that question till I asked it.
“If it was a full camp, they would have to be really strong.&n...
2023-05-20 12:45:12 +0000 UTC
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Vreek pointed towards the trees off to our left.
“I think it is time to get off the road, we have left a big enough trail and the camp we are looking for will not be along this road.”
Vreek was right of course.
I had been debating on spending another night on the road but I was getting tired of the needless slaughter. Between the second village and those traveling on the road, we had killed over a hundred more people. Three groups of low-level heroes had suffered a fate ...
2023-05-19 14:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“That small dot on the map makes a lot more sense now,” muttered Turk as he surveyed the damage we had done. “I really don’t consider ten families worth even a dot on a map.”
I nodded while I watched as Vreek and Dirk stacked bodies in a pile. Forty-eight bodies would be burnt tonight. Turk had just returned from starting fires in the different fields. I was not going to bother with the livestock. If they lived, they lived. It did not matter to me if they died.
It had ta...
2023-05-15 14:19:06 +0000 UTC
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“Everything is ready, Lord Zolb,” Blug informed me as he motioned towards the orcs and goblins heading out of town with the spoils.
“Be safe and tell Brar I will contact him at some point. I look forward to seeing how strong you become Captain.”
Blug bowed and turned around, shouting orders at the remaining goblins and orcs who had not yet left with their spoils from tonight. The sun would be up in a few hours and they needed to get to the safety of the forest and use the ...
2023-05-15 14:02:23 +0000 UTC
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“What do you want me to do once the healer has healed his friend?” Vreek asked.
I stared at Vreek and finally noticed just how much taller I had gotten. I was looking down at him and thus he was now looking up at me.
“Kill him. Do it however you want. Cut out his heart. That one belongs to you.”
Vreek bowed and strode towards where Turk and the two healers were. I could only imagine what Vreek might do to that man. A swift death was not likely.
“Lord Zolb!”...
2023-05-15 13:54:32 +0000 UTC
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Waking up, I found myself on the floor in the tent next to May’s dead body. Blood had pooled all around her cooling corpse. Standing up I shook my head and regretted a little bit of what I had done. As my mind wandered back to my boys I knew I had no choice.
Bob. His name flooded my mind for a moment. Part of me wanted to believe it was just a dream but I knew it was real. I knew it had been real because what he had said about the power of the heart was evident in how I felt....
2023-05-15 13:37:51 +0000 UTC
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“Man, that felt weird,” Dirk said as he wiped the blood from his dagger on the blanket next to him. “I know it was better that he believed we were going to set him free. He was happy when he went.”
I stood there watching Turk as he stared at May’s body, hanging from the chains, blood dripping from where Dirk had slit his throat from behind. Deep inside I knew Dirk was right but I also understood Turk’s problem. He had bonded with May over the last week. Getting a chance to t...
2023-05-15 04:50:25 +0000 UTC
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A week passed and Vreek had kept his promise. Each day I was bruised and battered. If there was a goblin or orc in the inner camp I had not fought yet, it was only because they had just earned a place in the circle. Vreek had assaulted me with sheer numbers, massive orcs, my own sons, and combinations of everything else. I had cuts and a few scars from where I had been struck. The worst part was after all the training I had accomplished, the thing most of them talked about was the facial hair...
2023-05-15 04:49:20 +0000 UTC
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Watching Brar sit in his chair right now made me feel for him. Being the leader meant having to deal with problems like me. He was leaning back and had his hands on his head, massaging his massive forehead with those long fingers of his. He had been sitting there quietly for a minute as he mulled over everything I had told him.
“Ok once more,” Brar said with a slight sigh. “That female is really a man from your world but trapped in a female's body. The hero who has plagued us for ...
2023-05-15 04:48:04 +0000 UTC
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Standing a few steps from the woman's tent I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. I felt like an idiot holding a bowl of deboned, cooked rabbit meat. I figured she would like something besides what they had been feeding her and knew I could not give her bones or she might use them for a weapon at some point. I wanted to pray that this might work but I had no clue who I would even pray to. Glancing around I noticed the guards looking toward me.
The guards were actually laughing at m...
2023-05-15 04:46:27 +0000 UTC
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The camp was in an uproar after we made it back with our unconscious captive. Brar met us as we made it to the inner circle and his men took the unconscious women into his tent while he sent us off to train. We were almost to the training grounds when an orc ran up holding a bloody package for me.
“Brar says you need to eat this now before you train.”
Opening it up I saw a heart inside of it. I looked at Vreek and pointed at it.
“The one you ate earlier today probably ...
2023-05-15 04:45:42 +0000 UTC
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