Wandering Agent

Elevation of Mana Chapter 203 Matriarch Neera

Matriarch Neera

The beast was nearly upon us, furious, but sharp like a blade, its eyes hard as ice and obsidian, teeth bared in anger. From my side I heard Uro shouting, and the young leader acquitted himself well, a roar of power escaping his lips and slamming into the beast hard enough to make it stop.

It wouldn't be enough though, not for us to kill this thing. This one had gone the same way I'd seen the others do all those years ago, it was strong, potent, deadly, even to me....

Elevation of Mana Chapter 202 Battle Begins

It was our spellcasters who began things. Waves of cold and ice flew forward first, not just towards the enemy but also the ground, a path, a way for the more physically inclined to potentially reach the enemy. As they began so did we from above, loading the last of the proper cannonballs and firing as fast as we could. There was no reason to hold back, this was the end.

“Chien, spend yourself down as low as you can safely, I'll shield, hit them hard!” I shouted at my copilot, who w...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 130 New Life

“You knew the archmage?” I said after a long silence.

“Yes, for quite some time. It was very refreshing to see one of us who would live so long.” He smiled for a moment before saying under his breath. “That wasn't my enemy.”

“I only met her a bit you know, but she seemed nice.”

“A bit silly at times, perhaps a bit over concerned with duty as she aged. Who isn't like that though? I spent far too long trying to make others happy. Let me warn you as someone wh...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 201 To the Final Battle

Plains rose to form small hills, empty and burnt to the ground, those rose quickly towards the volcanic mountains, the old beds from lava-flows clear from high above. Well, at least it seemed like a short time from where we were. Perspective showed me things in almost real time as we moved, but the people on the ground undoubtedly had a different view of things.

Chien and I were, separate, apart, and we grew more so by the day. It wasn't that we held ourselves above our fellows, more th...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 200 Familiar Face

Our lack of enemies continued, and we continued to slowly make our way westward. The blimp could easily out speed the war-band but that would defeat the point. That was one thing losing most of my ammo had given me at least, we were much, much lighter. At least when nobody was riding with us.

“I can see why Neera likes this so much, much easier than walking,” Uro said.

“I really need to start putting my foot down with you lot joining us up here,” I grumbled.

“Relax...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 129 Empty Island

We did not bother meeting up with the other ship's crew before heading to shore. A certain goblin was very, very insistent that we see what was left. It was hope, but from what I could see that hope was likely for naught. The only green was upon the shore, strands of kelp that had washed up. Not a blade of grass remained, and that was both terrifying and really impressive.

“Father told us that there were caves, we must find them. Should any of our people have survived they'll have hid...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 199 Missing Enemy

Trying to do it again was a bit of a failure, mostly because of where we found ourselves today.

“Nothing again, I'm beginning to suspect we may have a problem,” Uro said, the leader of one of our scout groups.

“They're not gone,” Neera seethed. “And not going to go on their own, just ran off somewhere.”

“We agree on that much at least,” I added. “From above it looks like the worst of the destruction is towards the Northwest.”

That was only a really ...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 128 Seas and Islands

With little else to do and few places I could reasonably go I spent much of my journey studying language in an intensive way. This of course led to a certain goblin girl joining along with my lessons, because she too was bored.

“I cannot think we not allowed to see ship... insides?” she tried, struggling with the foreign grammar and words.

“No, I cannot believe they won't let us see the internals either,” I agreed, subtly correcting her. We both spoke in the southern diale...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 198 Rocks Fall Everything Dies

It was fortunate that the dinos had abandoned attacking us before we made it back to our temporary base. The wall we'd build had worked as a staging point thus far, being made thicker and stronger, with a few support buildings here and there as we needed them. I twas still pretty basic, but would be a fortress before long.

When Neera and I landed near Rolan's command center people saw us and realized that things were bad, our faces all but shouting that something hadn't gone to plan. Ev...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 127 Leaving Home

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm back from my little break, and ready to jump right on back into it!

All good things must come to an end, and so too did my break for training. Rowenna had to return to her school, my own reopened, though I wouldn't be attending, and things began to return to some semblance of normal. Sure, much of the city was still a wreck, people were still here and there, but the nobles were slowly leaving, and so too was it time for me to follow.

The ship that wo...

Minor Announcement

For some time now I've known that I've needed to take a small break, and while I was planning for that to be at the end of next month things have conspired to push that forwards. Most of those are quite personal reasons that I prefer not to share, but there's been much going on in my life over the past few weeks, and little of it would count as positive.

So I must apologize but for this week there will not be any chapters posted. I will still be doing some things with the work...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 197 Transformations

I awoke with a start.

“We've got incoming,” Chien informed me.

Over the last week we'd gotten our hunting of the fire dinos, and I was still needing a better name than that, down almost to an art. Injuries still happened of course, and more than one loss, but it was getting done.

“How many?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

“Five, not heading directly towards us, but to the southeast.”

“There was another group that way wasn't there?” I inquired.

�...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 196 Culling

I don't know if anyone slept the first night we spent at our newly constructed wall, but I know that I didn't. I tossed and turned until I couldn't bear it anymore and just got up to keep watch. I was worried, deeply worried, that we might have another fight on our hands, another battle to go to.

Fortunately, as the sun peeked over the horizon there were no monsters with it, no beasts blazing across the fields to come and rip us to shreds.

“How are things?” I asked Rolan as I ...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 126 Introduction Plan

“I can't believe you agreed to this,” I said.

“I can't believe you thought I wouldn't. Do you even know the last time I went to a human party? It's been so long, so incredibly long since I did something like this and I know it'll be fun. Adding your new friend as a treat is going to be the best thing I've seen in decades.” The ambassador chuckled, mischief in his voice.

“Aren't you worried about people seeing you here, knowing you're doing this?” I asked.

“Oh t...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 195 First Battle

No sooner had out target spotted the army than it charged. It raced down the mountain like an avalanche, causing one in the wake of the oncoming creature. Rather than snow though this one was fire and stone, loose rocks kicked up mixed with blazing grass and dry plants as it screamed and tried to dive into the arraying elves. From its mouth issued torrents of fire, mixed between balls that went far and a stream every time it breathed out.

Tried is an important word, for they'd been prep...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 125 Unlikely Friends

I followed through with what I'd learned and set up a slew of meetings. The first of which was with my younger half-sibling. Okay, set up was a bit of an excess, more like showed up at our grandparents house unannounced, and I was quite glad I did.

“You know I'd heard of this, but I didn't quite believe it,” I said as I looked at the two girls sitting and sipping tea, one pale, the other green.

“There's no need to sound accusatory,” my sister said, keeping her face straigh...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 194 Unwelcome Rider

As the first rays of dawn lit up the canopy our army came to life. Like ants moving in a swarm I could see the land based troops below making their way towards the roads. Nobody was flying but us just yet, but I was sure when the fighting began at least a few would see the benefit.

Ropes were thrown off, moorings loosed we rose taking to the air above our compatriots, well, most of them.

“You could have at least brought in another seat,” complained Matriarch Neera from atop a ...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 193 Dusk

I learned a lot about our enemy, but sadly nowhere near as much as I might have liked. From the sounds of it they were almost dinosaurs, and for a time I thought they might be the dragons whose bones I found in that cave, or some related species. But they lacked wings, or the right kind of horns if the few drawings people made were to be believed.

However they still couldn't fly, and I could, so... air superiority it was I guess. This idea got a lot of traction, but though many of the p...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 124 Headache

“You look depressed my boy,” grandpa said to me as we lounged around after dinner.

“Just thinking.”

“Always important but a dangerous pastime I find. Whatever has you so bothered though?”

“I've done a lot, seen a lot, but I'm not sure that it really changes much.”

“What about those nice goblin girls? You certainly changed things for them,” he observed.

“Yes, but.”

“And all the people on that train, what about them?”

“Well...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 192 Meeting of Elders

I wasn't given a moment to rest, nor much to chat with my new companions, no, instead we were led to a massive chamber. Everywhere I looked there were elders, some clearly from the north with their pale skin and light hair, some in the clothes of the swamps, some I knew from my own home in Atal. There were at least fifty, most in small groups and deep discussion.

Not all of them were though, no few were... flirting. That almost surprised me, but then I remembered who we were. Many of ou...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 191 Return to Rolan's

We did not make it to Rolan's tree before we were intercepted in a major way. A flying wing of elves rose from the canopy, heading straight towards us looking none too pleased as we closed in on the city. Well, a wing might have been an exaggeration, there were only eight, and they were hardly in any kind of formation I could identify. At least our guests didn't attack before getting closer to investigate.

On Earth we'd have had to radio down, use call-signs, get permissions on where an...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 123 Confrontation

“How old are you!” I asked my irksome teacher.

“Old enough,” he replied without even looking up.

“Like five or six thousand years?”

“Something like that. Honestly for some of it I didn't count.” The elf didn't even look up from the book he was pursuing as he spoke to me, seeming not in the slightest bit surprised that I'd come to see him, nor that worried that I was unhappy. Then again, did he need to be worried?

“Can you take this seriously?” I sai...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 190 Road Trip

“Weapons?”

“Secured.”

“The doors are open, time to do this,” I intoned, nervous chills running up through my body.

Today was the first day people on this world would fly via machine. Sure, some powerful spellcasters like myself could, but this would be something else, something anyone would be able to use in time. We were ready, there would be no test flights, no time sadly, and so with a sweaty hand I waved to the people outside our craft.

As one mean heav...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 189 Messages

Shorin's message had been short and disturbing.

“Prepare weapons to fight Ancient level opponents, come as soon as you're ready.” Such things never bode well for anyone, much less whole societies.

“There's got to be more than that,” I told the messenger as he stood at attention.

“No, that was all he said.”

“I have problems with this,” Chien piped up from a corner.

“Agreed,” I told him. “Tell me what else you know,” I said to the messenger....

Machinist of Mana Chapter 122 Comparing Pictures

I had a terrific day off from my torturous tutoring, so of course I was spending part of it helping another study.

“I do hate history class,” Rowenna grumbled. “Our teacher is so terribly boring.”

“Fair,” I admitted with a smile, happy just to spend time with someone else.

“And I feel like I'm falling behind too, never caught up.”

“It is difficult to catch up on history, they're always making more of it.”

My comment got my irritated girlfriend...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 188 Summit

Shorin

Three weeks I'd traveled, which in the long run wasn't all that bad, but it was a horrid trip. Only a few of us had come, with a leaning towards speed. Several of my escorts were strong or fast enough to keep pace while I simply used my inner fire to push and pull myself at high speed.

Now we neared a massive tree, that just yesterday had been a speck poking out of the horizon. Guides were joining us, making sure that we both didn't cause trouble and didn't get lost, as if ...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 187 Blimp

We walked through the workshop, Chien's eyes drawn up to the blimp above us.

“It's massive,” he said under his breath.

“Not really no, a full one should be several times this size.”

“For what possible fucking reason?” he asked.

“Moving across landscapes full of explosives,” I informed him.

My blimp was still massive by any scale, but they really all were. I was also pushing what I knew more than a bit, since I'd never actually been on one before. ...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 186 Adia Comes Home

It had been too long for me, but finally my child was back. Well, I guess Chien was back too, but he could well take care of himself.

“Adia!” I called, scooping her up as she ran to me.

They'd just gotten back into town, and luckily I'd been home to meet them. Adia was crying, going on and on in jibberish I tried, but sadly failed to understand. Rather than try to fight it I let her go, keeping her close and trying to calm her down a bit. From what I gathered she was just happ...

Machinist of Mana Chapter 121 Aggravating Instructor

“I'd like to take you where we need you immediately kid, but there are some things you need to learn first,” the minister said as we met in the small home he'd been assigned.

“What kind of things?”

“Language for example, see there are a few different dialects of the elven language, and while most are... at least mostly comprehensible between one another you need to learn what we call the Southern dialect,” he explained.

“Never even heard of it, but I think the ...

Elevation of Mana Chapter 185 Final Test

Adia

Uncle Chien and I slipped through the underbrush, him pointing every now and then at tracks or something. Some of it I could see, most of it I had no clue what he was talking about.

“See here, look at the way the hoof splits, and not too big. This is what we should be after.”

“But it looks deep,” I complained. “You said deep means it's big.”

He smiled a bit. “Deep means heavy, these are all heavy, but don't worry, if it's too much I'll be here.” 2025-05-05 06:44:37 +0000 UTC View Post