Kit Falbo

MwN Chapter 46/86

Chapter Forty-Six

For well-prepared teams, that damn bird was less of an issue. Most guides spent more time bemoaning how long it took to grind through a tree lord. Here, good stealth, top-level speed, and the ability to taunt, charm, and stun meant you could hold the guardian in place and defeat it before it decided to fly the coop. Alone, and with none of those key skills, it might as well have had a sign before approaching that read  -Beware of Chicken-.

So clos...

MwN Chapter 45/85

Chapter Forty-Five

“Gurrap.” Hyacinth croaked proudly from underneath the pile of clothes That was enough to fill his pen in the beast stables and managed to bury his massive form.

How many outfits did Adric own? Harmony shook her head with some disbelief at the sight. The collection was more colorful than all of Bowe's feathers. Ambrosia left to gather the new staff to help manage the collection.

As for her pet prince, he was sound asleep, tucked into the...

MwN Chapter 44/84

Chapter Forty-Four

“It's impossible!” Harmony groaned. The once red multi-colored dragon skin jacket resisted all attempts to change it back. She'd burned through her toolbox of skills, synergies, and connections.

“It should have been impossible for you to have changed the color at all. This is an artifact.” At Harmony’s confused look, Maekus continued, “A former pair bonded item brought to completion. All changes set in stone at the bonded’s death.”

“I’v...

MwN chapter 43/83

Chapter Forty-Three

The post-battle recovery was much more organized as the pressure Maekus created slowly lifted, allowing each person to stagger up as their strength allowed. It was hard to be defiant after one man crushed everyone nearly at once and you had to strain to stand up. During the process, the divide between the palace guards and Harmony’s assigned bodyguards became clear as the palace guards took the opportunity to leave Adric’s suite when they could stand. Hers moved ...

MwN Chapter 42/82

Chapter Forty-Two

Rather than concede any ground on protection, there were now twelve guards covering the large suite where they were detaining Prince Adric. It was less friendly cooperation and more competitive over-protecting. Harmony sighed. As if there wasn’t a safer place to be right now. Adric was alone in his room, depressingly alone. He looked almost lifeless when she caught sight of him, and she'd never seen him look that way. How could so much change...

MwN contemplating final skill stone.

 Harmony and I are debating how to fill out the last skill stone slot. [Ink Heart] is still appealing to her. But I'm not opposed to suggestions. This poll may not decide the outcome, but I'm curious what your thoughts are.

MwN chapter 41/81

Chapter Forty-One

The palace tower loomed large, casting a long shadow in the afternoon sun. It hadn’t been so imposing when Harmony followed the line of initiates while incognito for the Harvest of Talents.  That had been before she’d received the queen's recognition.  The queen wasn't there now. Her public schedule had her out on business greeting dignitaries. The incoming flow of authority was coming from elsewhere. You could almost use it as a compass.

MwN Chapter 40/80

Chapter Forty

The attempt to pump herself up for this challenge fell a little flat.

"Gwack?" Hyacinth responded, dubious of the attempt as well.

Ambrosia and her band successfully tapped into energy that way before their big gigs. You'd think there wouldn't be a big difference between getting mentally prepared for a mob of excited fans and a giant angry tree. 

"On three, one.... two..."

The pair launched themselves toward the tree lord, the saw-to...

MwN Chapter 39/79

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“Ggrrack!” Hyacinth sat upon the brood mother's corpse and croaked triumphantly. A corpse Harmony needed access to. He knew the plan but spent plenty of time celebrating his win.

“Oh, you, get down from there.”

This wooze guardian was the smallest yet. Hyacinth had asked to fight it alone after she'd shaved off most of the thick, long, white fur it used as its Armor. Deep gouges from his spurs decorated the now cooling body. Small as it...

MwN Chapter 38/78

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The after-dinner bath required bubbles. Harmony blew some into the air and used [Cold Touch] to freeze them without popping them. The skill exercise took a good amount of control. A distraction from the frustration she was holding in.

“I can't believe they were in their twenties.” Harmony moaned, unable to keep it contained.

“Mmm hmmm,” Ambrosia responded from across the room.

The tone of that response itched her newest skill...

MwN Chapter 37/77

Chapter Thirty- Seven

“Len, please pass me the butter,” Harmony asked.

A show of normalcy, perhaps was the way to dig out of this socially awkward dinner filled with anxiety monsters, spikes of annoyance, and angry eaters. [Keen Investigative Awareness] was at a loss for supplying hints on how to unravel this problem. It needed to be leveled for such a challenge.

“I bet Len is giving you all the butter you want!”  Lord Tyler snapped testily. 

MwN Chapter 36/76

Chapter Thirty- Six

Being a full service, The Dragonfly Inn had a room dedicated to using skill stones or evolution. Private with enough space for friends and family to support you if you want. Sir Maxwell stood nervously at the center [Chaos Seed] in hand. This was him, taking a step on his own path, away from his family.

“You've got this!” Harmony shouted from the corner with an encouraging smile.

Ambrosia and Bates acted as support staff. Waiting with suppl...

MwN Chapter 35/75

Chapter Thirty-Five

Despite the rough night. Harmony awoke with a renewed desire to advance in the face of destruction, and to Ambrosia sitting on the side of her bed.

“I was singing my throat raw last night, while you were getting letters from the queen?” Ambrosia waved about the treacherous letter. The card inside was half sticking out of the purple envelope because that was exactly how far Harmony had gotten.

“Wait!” Harmony cried as Ambrosia pulled it ...

MwN Chapter 34/74

Chapter Thirty Four

Assuming Ambrosia’s statement was correct [Stride Before the Fall] lasted close to the max she could use after leveling up. Having tested it until the force to choose hurt. The body would probably continue until that time was up if a gruesome thing like dying happened. While there was no desire for that to happen Harmony marked down several ways it could be useful.  Bait, Self-sacrifice, a way to leave a particularly excruciating social event.&n...

MwN Chapter 33/73

Chapter Thirty Three

Dinner was pleasant, in that no one brought up the stabbing and Harmony got to wear a pretty dress. That Poor duelist, Steven, was a tailor by profession. Ambrosia sacrificed one of her stage costumes, which she was tired of.  The result made her feel sparkly and glamorous, not that Night wasn't both those things, but this was something different.

Tess, with her mechanical spider, worked on serving. That was more of a disaster. Two broken c...

MwN Chapter 32/72

Chapter Thirty-Two

With a grunt, Harmony sawed off the hardened vine looped around her leg

“Greh, greh, greh.”

“Laugh it up, it isn’t like you haven’t gotten tangled a time or two.” 

The vinestrictors were tricky. They either lay traps along the path to drag you deeper into the woods, like their first encounter. Or they waited along the side waiting to ambush you with multiple vines at once as you got close. 

Hyacinth, being decep...

MwN Chapter 31/71

Chapter Thirty-one 

“I can’t believe I died.” Harmony moaned from bed.

Ambrosia started with a skeptical look from her spot soaking in the room's luxury bathtub. “You look pretty healthy to me.” She responded after hearing all about the night's adventure.

“The blade went through my heart. My blood stopped pumping. Life slipped away. It leveled my [Stride] skill.”

“Don’t expect us to kill you to level it more. I know you love your t...