XaiJu
S_Winter

S_Winter

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S_Winter posts

Chapter Nine: Experiment

Before

Continuing my exploration of my stats, I consider Constitution next. From my status screen, it clearly determines my health at a 1:10 ratio, like Intelligence and mana. For a moment, I wish I’d looked at my status screen while I was injured – that way I could have a better idea of what the health points actually mean in real terms. Ultimately, though, I shrug – I know that getting injured is something to be avoided, and if I am too injured, I could...

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Chapter Eight: Catching Light

Before

The cooling breeze as the sun goes down makes up my mind for me. I’d rather not freeze, and honestly, the safety of being able to see in a certain radius is more preferable than being completely blind in the dark.

I spend a few minutes preparing a fire. Fortunately, being in a forest, there’s plenty of dead wood, leaves, and kindling, so it takes less time than it might have. It’s still almost dark by the time I think I’m ready. I pull out ...

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Chapter Seven: Wealth of Information

Before

I cut down towards the forest line, trying to take a route that uses outcroppings to block the view of me from the sky as much as possible, and provide shelter from a rock-bearing bird if necessary. When I reach the start of the trees – fortunately with no incident – I start walking along it, at right angles to the way I had been walking before. Why? My reasoning is that I need to find fresh water as a priority and this is most likely to come from th...

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Chapter Six: Lack of Wisdom

Before

Someone isn’t literally driving a massive metal spike, though honestly it feels like it at the time. In reality, it’s memories, or perhaps impressions would be a better word, which are being forced into my head. I suddenly realise that I know all about Lay-on-hands and how to use it. I curse out loud as I really regret taking the health potion: this is a healing Skill. I hadn’t realised. Sure, it might not have healed me all the w...

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Chapter Five: Zest for Life

Before

“Wha’?” I mumble blearily, staring at the rock in front of my eyes. The rock which is covered in blood. My blood. I got hit by a rock? I can only blame the almost certain concussion for the slow progress of my thoughts. Probably only the fact that it seems to have been a glancing blow, is what saved my skull from exploding like a watermelon.

I hear a rustle of feathers and turn towards it just in time to see a sharp beak coming at my face. I ...

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Chapter Four: A Treasure Trove

Before

Scanning the letter to find the point where I’d left off before, I feel my anger rekindle at the cavalier approach Nicholas seems to be taking towards my life. Sure, maybe he might have some consequences too if I fail, but it seems very much that the risk is all on my side of things. I continue reading.

At this point, I imagine you are wondering how to collect Energy to pay the debt of your passage. In short, by killing beasts. When ...

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Chapter Three: Proof of Worthiness

Before

When my stomach is finally empty and beginning to feel settled, I look around again, hoping that my initial impressions were wrong. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be that way; if anything, it’s worse. I don’t know why, but when I imagined where I would be taken, I’d always envisioned a city, or a manor house, or even a palace. The ‘lord’ in the letter must have been what gave me that idea, I realise. This...it’s not a city. It’s not ...

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Chapter Two: Hope Springs Eternal

Before

The letter is handwritten, a rarity in these times, it seems. The writing is clear, bold, well-shaped. If the handwriting personality analysis I looked at once is anything to judge, this man is confident, well-settled in his position in life. Of course, at least half of that handwriting analysis thing is nonsense, so perhaps I’d be better off reading the thing than analysing the handwriting.

Greetings,

I will briefly r...

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Chapter One: Drunk

Before

I stand at the edge. The breeze tousles my hair, running through like a caress. One moment it pushes at my back as if to say ‘go’; the next, it presses against my front as if saying ‘no’. The wind is as indecisive as I am.

The street so far below looks like a river of light, the impatient sound of horns blasting through the air even up to me here on this rooftop. It would take so little. I would hardly even have to make a choice, just...sto...

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Prologue: Some New Life

Now

When the attack comes, it’s only the flicker in my peripheral vision that allows me to avoid it. Barely.

I’ve been trudging through the forest surrounding me for a few hours now, following the river as it wends its way onwards. I’ve been keeping my ears and eyes open, having already learned my lesson about that several times over. For a while the coast has been pretty clear, very few creatures entering my field of vision, and none that try to at...

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Book 1: Leap summary


How would you like to reinvent yourself? To leave your problems behind and start life as a new person in a new world? Twenty-seven year old Markus Wolfe is at the lowest point in his life when he’s offered what seems like the chance of a lifetime. And since his other best option currently is stepping off a tall building, he leaps at an alternative. Only, like most things that seem too good to be true, it isn’t.

Or at least, it might be, but he has to survive a year in a...

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Taming Destiny - Book One: Leap

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