Chapter 35
To say that no one was excited that Choir practice was randomly back on, after a week of hiatus would not be entirely accurate.
The reason I say this, is because there was one person who was exited to have choir practice back as one of our mandatory classes to attend.
I found this out when an overly excited classmate frantically ran through the campus, arms flailing everywhere as he ran faster than he ever had in...
2024-07-27 03:06:29 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 67
Sleeping In
(Misha Tulley)
The next day, the sun rose as it always had. Misha’s mind awoke minutes before the alarms around the room prepared to go off in their oddly invasive way that denotes wear on the battery and a seemingly innate form of machines becoming slightly aware of their status and purposes and choosing to gain delight in meaningful ways.
Misha’s alarm for her phone was one such program.
If she paid...
2024-07-25 03:29:06 +0000 UTC View PostPrologue VII
The shop district right at the heart of Timult, the capital city of the great Legrand Empire, was bustling with life, products, and innovations. There on the polished cobblestone streets were the premier works of artisans, magicians, crafters, engineers, arts, and entertainments.
The city existed with a nearly seamless blend of magi-tech, steampunk, and alchemical enhancements. As the night sky began blossom into full darkness, s...
2024-07-24 01:06:48 +0000 UTC View PostEpilogue VI
Fwoosh.
Dr. Cassiopia Spiritlight appeared in a flash of light, right in Mallory’s office. For her part Mallory was not alone, as she was already speaking to Gwendolyn, Jhonny, and a very bedraggled Penelope who had an assortment of clothes pins, needles, threads, and measuring tape draped over her in various ways.
Cass upon seeing everyone in the office began.
“Oh good, fancy meeting you all ...
2024-07-23 02:10:30 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 54
A Major Battle
Rattle-rattle-clap.
Frank felt the links of his chains sliding out the open door of the helicopter. Each link a sign of how much closer he was not only to falling to his own death, but how much additional weight would be added to his body as he made his way to the ground. Only to then be crushed to death by the unrelenting chains.
Chains that should be impossible for a cultivator to manipulate en...
2024-07-21 18:29:28 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 53
Alternating Altitudes
A heavily chained and manacled Frank entered the helicopter. Given his short stature compared to the other cultivators Frank didn’t even bow his head on his approach. Instead, he just continued to watch the other taller cultivators, who even while bowing their heads were still standing over top of Frank.
This was to be expected, for as long as Frank was still growing and cultivating, his b...
2024-07-21 12:28:57 +0000 UTC View Post<<<Author's Notes: I am thinking about having this be the place holder for the end of book 6, any thoughts?
There will of course be a book 7.
Also, thank you all for reading and following this work for this long, I truly appreciate all of your help and support! >>>
Chapter 257
Learning Secrets
Fae magic is probably one of the most interesting concepts of magic. Of all the magics...
2024-07-20 11:46:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 34
“From now on, you two will need to be inseparable.” GMS Rikt stated, his words seeming to have a sharp finality to them that was almost impossible to dismiss.
For this world, that meant that this was a special deeper challenge that could not be avoided, and had a high likelihood of failing. Normally such an event would be met with an almost incomparable reward.
In this case, I assumed the ending would be either Marie awak...
2024-07-19 10:18:00 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 256
A Moment of Doubt
Magic, well not magic, at least not as I’ve come to understand basic magic of the world. But ephemeral energy, that is a wholly unique form of energy that is capable of many different things, and nothing.
Unlike Mana you cannot simply change a spell’s focus by changing its oscillation pattern. Simply causing the wave of energy to shorten with more energy or elongate with less energy will not be enough t...
2024-07-18 03:30:58 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 255
Why Santa Only Works One Day A Year
First, I want to say working with fairies is amazing. Being able to see their magical casting alone is amazing.
Apparently fairies use ephemeral energy, yes the same energy as Mallory’s scythe and my wings.
After seeing ephemeral energy in action, and getting a brief history lesson of what a krummlauf actually is, I do think I might have messed up by not c...
2024-07-15 16:25:54 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 66
The Wrinkle
(Ursala Jarnic AKA Ms. Clayton)
Things had gone on for too long. Worse, in all her time here she had only found two other Psychers.
One was a religious nut job who went about trying to massively exploit one of the few true weaknesses identified operatives like herself.
She had been to Pittsburgh, she had seen what happened to those that were infected, they had major issues at first, runnin...
2024-07-14 14:51:44 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 33
Black smoke rose up from different areas around Marie. This happened the moment she entered my sphere, the slightly visible boundary that separated the real world from my Disruption Field of effect.
As soon as she crossed the threshold of my sphere, she clutched her chest as smoke rose up from her body in vaporous plumes of thick smoke. All while she desperately tried to breathe.
Immediately...
2024-07-13 15:10:44 +0000 UTC View PostInterlude V
James Holsy
“This makes no sense,” the normally stoic Vanguard said, speaking to the receptionist at the SERE training ground.
A few feet away, it was clear that a few high-ranking generals were also nearby, clearly also ticked off about the current set of circumstances.
“You mean to tell me, that you had an entire SERE training team there ready to go, and he somehow lived?” A familiar voice called...
2024-07-13 04:06:03 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 52
Desertion
Frank sat alone in a darkened military interrogation room. Finally, after a few minutes the lights popped on, letting him know the automatic sensors detected movement. Given that Frank himself had chosen to use this time to cultivate the air, which was infused with ambient charged dust particles, Frank went about seeing if he could in fact draw earth energy from such air.
If he could, then increasing his reserves wo...
2024-07-12 12:50:01 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 65
Operatives Are Different
(Misha Tulley)
Gentle breeze.
The wind rolled past Misha as she felt alive. Her first mission, not as an operative, as she still had a long way to go before she would be cleared for that level of activity.
Instead, she would be relegated to overwatch.
Overwatch was the position Misha likely would have been assigned to, had she not demonstrated her mechanical acu...
2024-07-11 16:30:20 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 254
A Few Sympathetic Hands
“Now it is time to see who passes this mid-term and who will need to come back for more classes next week.” I state, as the real fun is just about to start.
“Wait? What?” Eighty-nine voices ask out in near perfect unison.
But it is already too late.
“MUWHAHAHAA!” I cackle lightly as I rub my hands together.
“WAIT!” Maranda yells ...
2024-07-11 04:13:42 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 253
The Pledge
(30 Minutes Ago)
To say that something was off would be an understatement.
While it had been a few weeks since I last set foot in the large lecture hall that was normally big enough to host both the Royal and Legendary Bloodline Awakening students, this particular lecture seemed filled. Especially as I was only supposed to deliver an impromptu mid-term exam to just eighty-six total students.
... 2024-07-10 11:16:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Chapter 252
A Simple Treat
(Mallory)
“Dealing with someone as crazy and talented as Dr. Spiritlight does bring about a lot of problems, though I am certain that keeping her happy and content on our side is the best course of action.” Mallory stated, speaking on the record to Valanstyr Olmsteader, chief liaison officer for the guild and the Midnight Hunter’s primary voice for all dealings with the Legrand Empire.
In the past ...
2024-07-09 02:05:22 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 32
Apparently, the tag along was none other than Rikt, or as he had to be referred to by everyone at the Magical University, Grand Master Sage Rikt.
Yes, because that name wasn’t annoying at all.
Though to be fair, apparently that is what everyone with all three master’s qualifications badges should be addressed as.
“Grand Master Sage Rikt, I present to you Sage Laurain, as per your request....
2024-07-07 16:33:36 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 51
Devastation
Frank didn’t know what to expect when he exited the temporary shelter, he suddenly found himself transported to. But he knew for a fact that he was not ready for the densely packed layer of highly concentrated earth energy that was before him. Let alone the way it seemed to mix both positively and negatively charged particles of energy in a swirling pattern.
Looking into the pattern, it was clear that the energy...
2024-07-07 10:45:52 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 31
Outside my door was a character that I had seen before, but one that was so obscure that it took my mind a moment to register the character and their significance.
There in the flesh was a very gorgeous hand maiden. The fact that she was a hand maiden, or rather a female attendant to one of the royals attending the school was readily apparent based on the lack of flair that they wore.
The uniform worn by this attendant was pl...
2024-07-06 11:11:52 +0000 UTC View PostInterlude XVI
(Larry Yo-Boy’s BiPrism News)
“Good morning everyone, it is I, your faithful host Larry Yo-Boy giving you everything you didn’t need you know you needed to know about what is happening at BiPrism recently.” Larry the announcer said.
As he spoke streaming texts from fans and room attendees began filtering through at a rapid pace on the right hand side of the screen, denoting that today he had an exceptionally high volume of part...
2024-07-05 02:24:07 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 50
Transcending
Tap-tap-tap.
The sound of dozens of creatures crawling over and around the metal container that Frank was in echoed persistently. Each tap, pulse, or movement outside was seemingly captured and magnified inside the seemingly hollow sphere that Frank now found himself in.
Still, there was solace in the fact that the giant monster creatures didn’t seem to last long when interacting wit...
2024-07-04 14:00:38 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 251
The Plucky Side-Chick
(Gwendolyn Spiritlight)
“What happened to you?” Gwen asked, the first words from Mallory’s girlfriend as soon as she entered her own office room.
“Your mother happened.” Mallory replied honestly.
“Oh burn, she got you.” Cass replied, her tiny form flying in gracefully behind Mallory into the room.
“Um, mom. I don’t think it’s a...
2024-07-03 20:19:14 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 250
Rise of The Taxonomist
As far as I am concerned, everything is fine. Confidentiality once again paid off in a big way, as news of my activities have not even come back to Mallory or her real-world informants.
This is good, for now in the next hour or so, when my three hours, or rather two hours and fifty-seven minutes of standard Confidentiality end, I will have been h...
2024-07-02 01:24:30 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 64
Hero Worship
(Misha Tulley)
“I think you and I should talk after school later today, probably before your practice later today.” Ms. Clayton stated.
It was clear from her tone and pacing that she was used to dominating many conversations. There was also the insinuation that by Ms. Clayton knew the fact of her school schedule that she knew more about her.
Hearing those words Misha could only nod, realizing that...
2024-06-30 20:48:31 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 249
Quintessential Upgrades
Vert-sherk-vrr.
The gears and cogs of the great factory were working at full tilt, trying to pump out component parts as quickly as possible.
Though my mere presence was causing the tier one factory to already break down.
Grrrind.
Gears and belts that had been running smoothly suddenly began to rust and corrode.
2024-06-30 04:15:32 +0000 UTC View Post
Chapter 30
True to form morning came, just as I finally managed to wear out my mind enough so that I could finally go to sleep. I awoke at that odd time where you know you still have two hours left before your sleep. It was also that weird time, where if you took those two hours to actually sleep, then you would wake up excessively tired, but eventually recovered. Whereas if you woke up now, you would just remain at that same level of tired for the entire day.
<...
2024-06-29 02:12:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Chapter 49
Transcendence
Frank’s consciousness and body were floating. At least that is how everything felt.
There was an odd dissociative dissonance that he felt within his very bones as his mind and body seemed to desperately cling to any form of normalcy. The only problem was, once they did, his mind...
2024-06-28 03:14:19 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 48
The Seven Pillar Challenge
(One Hour Earlier)
It was a game.
At least that was what Frank began to think of this process. In reality, he understood it for what it really was, training. The circuits were supposed to be representations of the seven different nodes within his body.
Or that is what Frank hoped to be the case as he continued to go through basic trial after trial.
In the beginning, th...
2024-06-27 02:32:51 +0000 UTC View Post