Corwin Benedict

Update 9/08/25

Hey y'all, this last weekend I had a lot of major blows in my personal life which are really affecting me.
Im gonna take a week off for my mental health.
Thank you for being understanding, and ill be back next week.
I appreciate every one of you for helping my dream of being a writer come true. I'm not the biggest right now, but because of the support you've shown me, I know I can turn this into something more.
Until next week,

Risha: Chapter 67

A/N: 2/2. I made another interlude.

The search for injured continued late into the night. Risha refused to rest when there could be monsters on the edge of death hidden among the bodies and muck. 

As she searched, the strange marshes the lizards brought with them were pushed back. Saplings lined up on the edges of the water, controlling the land and forest to retake the swamps.

“Grand Mother,” a voice called.

Risha paused on the edges of the sw...

Interlude: Sun-Chaser and Under Goblin Lolo

A/N 1/2, I wanted to add some stuff to the last interlude. The next chapter should be up in a couple minutes.

***

Sun-Chaser called upon the spirit of her fifth tail, and it answered her call. A great storm gathered in the sky, taking the form of a woman, lightning striking between her gray clouds. The drakes turned, thinking to avoid the sudden storm.

Sun-Chaser did not let them. “Strike them for me, Storm.”

The spirit answered, lightning rushing...

Interlude: Sky Mother

A/N: A bit of a short one, but I was struggling with who else to add to the interlude. Any character POVs you guys want to see?

***

The ocean parted for her as she walked through the depths. Sarah didn’t like getting her wings wet, and if she let the water touch her, the sensation would never go away, no matter if this wasn’t the real world.

Something moved in the darkness, its many limbs shifting as it turned to face the Angel who had chosen to visit the Ocean ...

Risha: Chapter 66

Eventually, after death covered the land, and blood soaked the water, they did surrender.

Risha stalked through the burning camp, her eyes on the Scaled Warrior who had somehow survived the battle, his head held low as he kneeled on the floor. Two warriors flanked him, blades drawn and ready.

She stared at him for a long time, her body still vibrating with adrenaline, furious that this man had refused her offer. 

“You. Look at what you caused.” Risha’s lips pulled...

Risha: Chapter 65

Fire rained from the skies, blasting tents before it was met by the magic of the shamans. Archers drew back their bows, firing into the sky at the drakes that harried them. 

Risha watched them fly higher, before swooping in for another attack. She stood tall in her chitinous armor, her black cloak billowing in the wind behind her. She drew back her arrow, her spirit channeling through the runes in the bone of her arrow. 

[Pack Leader: White] stabilized her form and incre...

Risha: Chapter 64

Risha watched the accompanying saplings as they set up camp next to her people. They simply lowered their roots into the ground, not a single fire in their camp as they once again became one with the forest. 

Her own people laughed and chatted as they set up their camp. There were many fires to light the night, the smell of cooking meat reaching Risha from where she looked over the two armies. 

Her stomach twisted with hunger, but she wasn’t ready to join the others qu...

Risha: Chapter 63

The changes were subtle, a darkening of the human’s eyes and hair, the silver of his beard gaining a sheen to it. Scars faded, and wrinkles became less pronounced, as his body regained the strength of his prime. 

Risha released his arm with a smile.

He stood there for a long time, staring at screens Risha couldn’t see. Finally he turned to her, and bowed low. “This means everything to me. Thank you.” 

He rose from his bow, and looked to his wife.

Rish...

Risha: Chapter 62

A/N: Sorry this one is a little late, it took me a second to get back into the swing of things after my forced break lol.

***

Dressed in the cloak and bones of the panther Risha had killed, she walked into the council hall. The soft click of paws against stone followed her, Mist-Prowler following close behind.

Risha sat in her throne, and watched the exit.

Moments later, the doors opened. Escorted by a party of monsters, the sapling stood tall, their head unbending as ...

Update 8/12/2025

Hey all, I've been sick the last couple days, making it really hard to write. I'll try to get one chapter out before Sunday, but I really haven't been feeling good, and if I start feeling better, my weekend will be pretty full.

Chaps should return to normal next week.

Risha Chapter 61

Risha followed Mist-Prowler through the depths. They stopped in front of a room, and the coyote shifted into an Under Goblin before opening the door. 

Risha walked in. Guards stood to attention, the demons chained behind them looking up to meet Risha’s eyes. 

“Hello.” Risha looked over the captured demons, the few who’d survived the pruning of their torturers. Twelve in total, they watched her warily. “I am Grand Mother Risha.”

They did not respond, wat...

Risha: Chapter 60

Shouts echoed out of the hall, arguing, growls, and anger filling the space. 

Risha walked into the council room with only a single hand resting on Leaf-Watcher to help her keep balance. The loud conversation of the room silenced, the many monsters turning to look at the changed kobold and the Grand Mother who walked beside her.

It was complete silence, except for their soft footfalls as Risha was escorted to the chair at the head of the room. Risha kept her walk steady, not ...

Risha: Chapter 59

Risha kicked the doors open, the warriors with her spreading out around the building she walked through.

Healers looked up from their patients, and an old goblin in the back stood up to look at Risha.

“She’s not waking up.” Risha laid the vinegirl down in one of the beds as Elder Tya walked over to her with a speed that belied her age. 

Risha stepped back, letting the old healer work. Her gaze found Talo, who’d joined them on their way back to the city. He only ...

Interlude: Shadow Mother, Ola and War.

Shadow Mother Cala-Ra watched the three warriors walk by. A goblin, an orc and a kobold deep in discussion, laughing at a joke the goblin made.

What a wonder. 

The animalistic instincts of the kobolds were muted, unlike the packs she’d been forced to fight. 

She hadn't spoken to an orc or goblin since Freera’s death, but she remembered their primal cultures, filled with honor and death. Their Mystic had been a terrifying fanatic, and the monsters she’d faced ...

Risha Chapter 58

“We are very interested in your crystals and surface materials. As such, we are willing to offer you some very fine deals…” 

Risha nodded along, completely lost as the merchant discussed numbers and trades she’d never heard of. He went on for another minute like that, glancing at her every once in a while to make sure she was listening, finally he stopped, looking at her expectantly.

“What do you think?”

Risha opened her mouth, but a knock on the door interr...

Risha: Chapter 57

“Bring Under Goblin Ola here,” Risha said, looking at the heart of Koliekan as it continued to pulse. “She is meant to take care of the heart-”

“Grand Mother.”

Risha turned away from one of Glo’s Lieutenants to see a lightly bloodied Gray Lupus Kobold. It took her a moment to realize that it was the same one she’d had outside her door when she’d taken her trip through town and killed the panther. 

Risha smiled. She’d been worried that something had h...

Risha: Chapter 56

Risha tossed her sword, only for it to be deflected into the ground by the demon carrying shields. 

She pulled herself to the sword with her magic, and went flying. Midair, she stepped through the shadows and barreled into the demon carrying a tiny goblin, her second sword slicing through his arm as he hurriedly twisted away.

The tiny goblin fell to the floor and huddled there with his hands over his head.

Risha didn’t have time to look at him as she deflecte...

Risha: Chapter 55

Risha held close to her spiderling as it crawled over the ceiling. The cave they traveled through was abandoned, chairs upturned, food left half-eaten and weapons hastily grabbed. Pens where goblins had been kept were open, their doors ajar.

Whoever was here, they knew that her people were coming. 

Risha leaned further into the purple fur of her spider, and they increased their pace through the tunnel, a wave of chitin and legs following behind her. Goblins, orcs and kobolds ...

Risha: Chapter 54

Her sword flashed through the lights of the cave, stabbing into stone. A demon twisted away from the strike, throwing daggers glowing with white fire.

Risha smiled as she threw her other sword and twisted it with the chain, deflecting the knives around her. The knives hit the wall behind her, cutting through the stone like butter as they embedded themselves deep. 

Risha pulled on the first sword, and her magic flowed through the chains, twisting the sword out of the wall as s...

Risha: Chapter 53

Risha hissed at Dilo as he applied ointment to one of her many cuts. He bared his teeth back as he moved to her other arm.

Talo and Deathbringer Diel moved through the corpses of the slain, stripping them of their weapons and armor. Kyra sat next to Ola, who was still staring at her former slavers in shock.

Klaz’zks lowered herself from the ceiling in her half-human form, Risha’s spiderlings streaming behind her to hang from her cloak. 

Risha hissed again, sending a...

Risha: Chapter 52

A smack echoed out. A small pale goblin flew and rolled on the ground, she then got to her knees, shivering with fear. “Masters! Monsters! Take crystals! Hurry.” 

She whimpered as the monster raised its hand again.

“Wait.”

The creature who’d hit the small goblin paused, then looked over to its leader. The leader stepped forward, gazing at the small pale goblin. The leader was massive, as large as a Black Lupus Kobold, its veins shined through its skin like lav...

Risha: Chapter 51

Risha watched the doors, their fiery scripts wrapping through each other. The spiderlings in her clothes rustled in anticipation. Risha wore the panther’s items, the necklace and gloves she’d made giving her comfort. At her waist was her sword and across her back were her bone-headed arrows. She held her strung bow, ready for whatever might wait for them on the other side.

This was it. Something wanted her here. Risha knew that there was power to be found here, but what that meant...

Risha: Chapter 50

Risha watched as the human walked into the hall. He looked vaguely familiar to Risha, but she’d met enough humans on the battlefield that she wasn’t sure who he was. He sat at a random chair towards the back. 

Behind the human followed the orc representative, deep in conversation with Klu. Rilok trailed behind the Mystic, his eyes looking over the council members. 

Klu looked up, meeting Risha’s gaze, and gave a small bow, the two orcs with him following suit. ...

Risha: Chapter 49

Risha opened her eyes to see a familiar pair of doors. Deep under the earth, below the spider broods, Risha stood, her sword at her side and her bow in hand. The fiery scripts across the doors flickered like actual flames.

Risha needed to get stronger

Her own thought floated through her head, but it was not her voice that said it.

Words in the fiery scripts glowed brighter, mana filling them, and then the doors opened.

***

Risha woke up, her eyes finding...

Risha: Chapter 48

Risha stared for a long moment, lost in the majesty of the creature in front of her. It was large, and unlike anything she’d encountered before. 

“My beauty has brought many sailors to a watery grave. It is best not to stare too long.” 

Risha gulped, the sensation strange when surrounded by so much water, then she bowed, “Risha is awed by your beauty.” She nodded her head several times.

Laughter echoed through Risha’s mind. “You are too k...