davidmusk

Questers Valley - Chapter 2: Beetles and Trolls

Camille jumped when the ground shook again. “What was that?” she asked for the second time. Zack probably didn’t know any better than she did, but his tense expression didn’t help her nerves

She’d read about earthquakes, but those mostly happened on Norinthia’s eastern shore, more than a thousand miles from here. Questers Valley hadn’t had a real earthquake since . . . well, probably since before the elves wiped out the poor gnomes.

Daudi...

Rough Draft for Web of Secrets Cover

Hey everyone,

I just had a Zoom meeting with the cover designer, Jeff Brown, and this is the rough sketch that resulted from our talk (he did it while we were talking.)

The basic idea for the series was that each book would have Akari on the cover, with some sort of 2D symbol behind her. For example, Book 1 might have her bronze badge, Book 3 or 4 might have her portal technique, etc.

I totally went in thinking we'd do some variation of the typical "character stands in fron...

Questers Valley - Chapter 1: The Lost Tunnels

A/N: This is the first chapter of my new cozy litRPG, Questers Valley. It's a bit different from my others series; I'm aiming for more humor, slightly less action, and much lower steaks. This is the first place I've posted it, so if you check it out, I'd be curious to know what you think!

“Slow down,” Zack said. “Our exit’s coming up.”

Camille put her foot on the brake, and the truck’s engine slowed to a gentle purr. Zack lowered his s...

Questers Valley Blurb

Here's the WIP blurb for my upcoming litRPG project. Basically, it's the short summary that might appear on a Royal Road or Amazon page.

The book is still in the outlining stages right now, but I'm hoping to write the first chapter soon!

~~~

Life is quiet in Questers Valley, even for Zack Farron, who spends his free time exploring the local mines with his dog.

But everything changes when they find an old gnomish training system deep within the mountain. This syste...

Upcoming Projects, and a Break from the Web of Secrets Series

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for reading Web of Aeons! Overall, I was happy with how this book ended. I set out to make a more Akari-centric entry after giving Kalden and Relia so much page time in Book 3, and I personally think that aspect was a success. 

I’d on planned on a total of eight books for this series, so that puts us at the midpoint now with the conclusion of Book 4. Until now, I’ve only ever written ever written a trilogy (Aeonica) so this is already my longest ...

Web of Aeons - Epilogue: Immortality

A/N: Last chapter of Book 4!

Ashur Moonfire stepped through a portal into the heart of the storm. Lightning flashed all around him, and the tides rose higher than skyscrapers. Two days had passed since his inauguration, and each one had been as wild and chaotic as the sea itself. Even Elise’s funeral had been a simple affair, and he barely had any time to grieve.

Her death had been his fault, of course. Ashur wouldn’t deny that. He’d told Elise to leave the ...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 44: Advancement Part 2

The pain subsided with time, and even her burning crystal soul receded to a dull ache. Akari’s new body had healed the damage, and only the echoes remained in her mind. How much time had passed? Five minutes? An hour? She couldn’t say. But eventually, Thane and Relyn dropped their techniques and stepped back. Lena placed more devices on Akari’s chest, but her words sounded faint and distant as if they were deep underwater.

However, one word stood out above the rest, and it came li...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 44: Advancement

They regrouped with the Solidors later that day, and Rosintar made them a portal to the cult’s safe house. It looked like somewhere in Northern Espiria, judging by the snowcapped mountains on the horizon. The buildings also had a log cabin aesthetic that reminded Akari of the Hunter’s Guild back in White Vale. 

She sat with Kalden on a wooden bench near the dojos, relaxing in the cool mountain air. By now, they’d showered, changed their clothes, and spent some quality time wi...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 43: Sufficient Power

Glim zipped through the streets of Koreldon City, searching for a familiar face. She passed dozens of mana spawn along the way, and she left clouds of pale blue mist in her wake. It felt good to kill something, especially after all they’d lost today. First their home, and then Elise. Glim didn’t even remember losing the house; a different version of her had died in that battle, and she’d never had a chance to back up her memories with Elend. It must have been a heroic death, though, con...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 42: The Dragon’s Throat Part 2

Relia staggered forward. The world spun around her, and she lost all sense of up and down. She collapsed on the street, and phantom pains surged through her arms and legs. Her condition was long gone, but her brain forgot that little detail whenever she exerted herself too hard.

“Over there,” Kalden’s voice said from somewhere nearby.

Two sets of footsteps jogged closer, but Relia couldn’t make out their forms. Dragon blood covered her eyes, darkening her vision. The sulfu...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 42: The Dragon’s Throat

Akari ran outside and found Relia kneeling in the street, cradling her sister’s head on her lap. The strike had crushed Elise’s sternum, caving in her ribcage, and distorting her entire torso. Akari couldn’t bring herself to look at the wound; she’d seen her share of injuries this past year, but nothing this bad.

Blood covered the remains of Elise’s armor, staining the surrounding puddles. It looked like too much blood to fit inside a single person. Bursts of green and gold ma...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 41: The Time for Justice

Valeria Antano chased her prey through the city. Blasts of fire propelled her forward, from the dark skies, above to the narrow streets below. Her Master senses guided her movements, and she crossed several blocks in a single breath.

Even with her portals, Akari Zeller couldn’t escape her fate.

Still, the girl’s instincts were impressive—no one could deny that. Zeller had only been a Novice when she’d killed Zakiel last year. Now, she moved more like a Master. A weak and c...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 40: A Cord of Three

Kalden watched as Akari stepped onto the balcony. Knowledge mana flowed between their link, and he saw the world through her eyes. He felt the mana rushing through her channels and the pressure that gathered beneath her palms. Their thoughts wove together like two strands in a cord, and a battle plan formed between them.

Akari reached the edge of the balcony, and Valeria cracked a smile from the nearby rooftop. The dragon’s own mana remained still, but her golden eyes were fixed on he...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 39: Nowhere to Run

Mana spawn swarmed around them, leaping from the shadows in whirls of bright blue energy.   Relia and Zukan conjured shields around the group, and Kalden and Elise joined them a heartbeat later. The ground shook as the Masters fought back in the train station, and their techniques flashed at the edge of Akari’s vision.

“We can’t stay here!” Kalden shouted as he thrust a blade into a spawn’s eye socket. 

Akari cycled her mana as she took in their new surrounding...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 38: The City’s Fate

“This way,” Relyn said as they stepped beneath a stone archway. The remains of the terminal’s concourse lay beyond. Rubble and shattered glass covered the floors, and hundreds of civilians had taken shelter here. Some waited on their feet, ready for battle. Others huddled in groups among the benches, or behind the counters of the food court. A few healers made their rounds, and Relia joined in without a word.

Akari followed Relyn into an empty corner, and the rest of her teammates...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 37: The Solidors

“No way,” Elise said. “That can’t be right.”

“It’s never killed a Mystic before,” Relia added.

“I don’t know,” Arturo replied. “Just tellin’ you guys what I heard.”

Akari’s heart raced as she processed these words. Mystics could live for centuries without aging, injuries, or disease. They were practically immortal by this world’s standards, and she’d never heard of one dying in her lifetime.

Talek. What would stop Storm�...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 36: Mana Spawn

Akari led her team across the city, crossing rooftops and balconies along the way. Rain struck her cheeks as she ran, and the wind bit through the gaps in her armor. Their destination was more than three miles from the penthouse, but her portals made quick work of the journey. 

Even when they crossed a busy street, Elise’s dream mana kept them safe. This almost felt like cheating, and a part of her itched to help the people they passed. Her teammates all felt the same way—she c...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 35: Trust

Akari watched as the fire mana closed in around her team. Radiant bursts of color and heat spread across the horizon, climbing hundreds of feet into the air. It moved with unnatural speed, and the ancient trees turned to shriveled black skeletons. Smoke choked the sky until the only light came from Glim’s shield.

“What happens when it reaches us?” Relia called out.

Good question. Glim could defend them, but how long would that last? Elend was gone, and so was the ho...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 34: Death and Destruction

Space warped around Kalden, and his body spun through the air. One minute, he’d been sitting on the sofa, holding Akari’s hand and making small circles with his thumb. His brother sat in the seat opposite them, and Elise Moonfire stood in the doorway. She’d been talking about her father’s strange behavior, and telling them all to leave the city.

Then someone displaced his body without warning His back struck the earth, and the gray sky filled his vision. A few trees drifted in t...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 33: Undefended

Akari’s chest tightened, and her fingers turned to ice. No. This was too soon. They’d lost their first interschool match, and the later matches were postponed. Her team never got a chance to redeem themselves or to show how much they’d improved. She’d never had her chance to shine on the world stage.

Kalden must have noticed her unease because he reached over and squeezed her hand. Right, stay focused. Sozen had said it was time to advance. Artisan and Aeon wer...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 32: Time to Advance

Akari stepped off the lawn and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Two weeks had passed since they’d built her new wrist launchers, and her team had to ramp up their training accordingly.

Displacement had changed all their tactics overnight, and those new tactics took dozens of hours to get right. Moving herself was one thing; Akari just picked a direction, launched a dart, and made the swap. The first few tries had involved some tripping and stumbling, but she’d adapted quickly.. 2024-03-14 11:28:13 +0000 UTC View Post

Web of Aeons - Chapter 31: Expectations

Elise stepped down the curved marble staircase and found her father waiting in the vestibule. As the senator of Koreldon, Ashur Moonfire typically wore suits of dark gray or navy, but not today.

Today, he wore a set of shiny black armor. The material looked almost like plastic, with dozens of small pieces that fit together like a puzzle. Of course, it couldn’t really be plastic, or anything so mundane as that. Her father was a Grandmaster, and his armor probably cost more than some ho...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 30: Pocket Dimensions

“So let me get this straight . . .” Relia took a long drink of her coffee and blinked the sleep from her eyes. “You talked with your dad . . . in the past?”

“No,” Akari said. “I mean, kind of. It started as one of Elend’s dreams, then my present self took over. Things got weird after that.” Talek. The dream had been so vivid before, and now everything was a blur. What if she hadn’t woken Kalden in time? Would that have ruined everything?

Web of Aeons - Chapter 29: Battle Revelations

Akari blinked. Was this actually happening? She’d commandeered a flashback, and her father was just going along with it?

Focus, she told herself. Don’t mess this up.

Mazren leaned forward and met her eyes. “What do you know about revelations?”

“You need them to advance through the Master realms,” Akari said. “You focus on something bigger than yourself, and that breaks down the restrictions in your soul.” Her voice sounded more like herself ...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 28: Displacement

Akari crept down the staircase, carefully avoiding all the squeaky spots. Her father was in the kitchen, braising the pork for dinner. The scents of garlic, onions, and ginger reached her nostrils, but she ignored her growling stomach. She could eat later, when her training was done.

Finally, Real Akari thought from the back of her mind. Another dream. And not just any dream. This was the memory she’d been waiting for. The day her father shared his theories on person...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 27: Mirrors

Relia closed her laptop when the doorbell rang from downstairs. Great. Let’s get this over with.

Not many things could dampen Relia's spirits these days, but her blood still boiled at the sight of Elise Moonfire. She’d betrayed them all, and now she strutted around this house as if nothing was wrong. She and Akari trained together every Irinday and Narsday, and the others had started laughing and joking as if they were all best friends.

It was like a microcosm for Rel...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 26: Unstoppable

Weeks passed, and Akari spent more time with her teammates every night. By the end of the second week, she and Kalden could exchange thoughts with ease. Not just words, but images, sounds, and abstract concepts. For example, if Kalden needed a portal made, he could send her a mental image of the spot, along with the angle and dimensions of the portal itself.

The combat applications here were obvious. Telepathy happened far faster than spoken communication, and every second mattered in t...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 25: Mental Mana Arts

They won their match the next morning. And no, it wasn’t with the power of love and friendship. The other team just sucked.

Akari’s team started in an open grassland, with their opponents visible across the field. It was a single-elimination death match, like their match against Garriland Team Three. Apparently, these quick games were a popular choice in the first-year matches. No one wanted to settle in for a twenty-minute skirmish when they didn’t even know the contestants.

Web of Aeons - Chapter 24: A True Leader

“Talk to me,” Irina said. “Tell me the rest of your dream.”

Akari frowned. “I don’t get it. Talking about the dream will make things better?”

The older woman spread out her hands. “Whether you’ve realized it or not, I suspect these memories have been affecting you for years. So yes, addressing them will make you a better friend, and a better mana artist.”

“Sounds too good to be true.”

“Hard work breeds Artisans,” Irina said. “And insight b...

Web of Aeons - Chapter 23: Trauma

Akari’s eyes shot open. She’d been dreaming of Emberlyn again—some nonsense about the power of love and friendship. Her heart thundered in her chest, and sweat covered her skin, soaking through her pajamas.

That dream . . . Emberlyn’s mother.

Akari closed her eyes and saw the woman’s face clear in her mind’s eye. Her hands shivered like leaves in the wind. She shook her head to clear the images, but they didn’t fade. The visual was bright against th...