My son is doing well, though we still have a long road to go as the doctors still can't pinpoint what's wrong with him. He's going to an extra specialist in June. Apparently the only place he can have certain tests done in the UK, so we're hopeful things will start moving then. Otherwise he's home and doing okay.
I've been back writing properly the last few days and I have chapters to start uploading over the next few days.
But, having been thinking about the story a lo...
After depositing Jurien's men in Far Reach for recovery and rest, I had Jurien and Malinor accompany me to meeting hall in my temple. As soon as I entered the hall, Natom was on his feet.
“You shouldn't have taken us away from the Akomoka border, Clive. Without you or us there, we’re asking for trouble. Devotion and Life are too soft.”
“I left Peace there. I dare you to say she’s soft. And in any case if you stop whinging and start listening, we can get to work an...
2024-05-10 06:43:57 +0000 UTC View PostHey everyone. I'm still struggling at the minute to get back into any sort of rythym. I'm hoping for an uptick in pace as my son has finally made it back home -for now-. I intend to pause billing now until Creation's Bane Book six is complete.
Hope you're all doing well and thanks for your patience.
"Chosen of fucking death? I thought that's what these cloaked bastards were?”
Despite the situation, Destruction actually flashed a wide grin at me.
"Not those, Chosen Mal. I refer to the originals, Aslan and Andalar."
My eyes damn near popped out of my head as I threw up another shield against Death. "You bloody what? Is Clive here too?"
"No, but Danivra certainly is."
"Well shit. It's not Clive, but it's better than just us two." ...
2024-04-07 16:53:23 +0000 UTC View Post“They’re not back yet. But I mean it Dani, don’t take any fucking risks,”
The overprotective rant had become stale a long time ago, but I listened patiently. He always deserved that at least.
“Of course we won’t, Clive. It is an honor to be asked to carry out this duty. We have the skill now to totem into Talitus under stealth, and right back out again. We will not be caught.”
“I know. I know. But it’s more than that. Even if the entire population of...
2024-04-07 16:50:40 +0000 UTC View Post
There was as many groans and looks of disgust as there were of hope as Jurien informed his army of what had transpired in his conversation with Light.
The small army did well not to voice their opinions too openly as he explained that he would be accepting a bond with me, though he did have to field a few questions and he came up short a couple of times. Mainly around how we’d go about liberating Holse. He eventually turned to...
2024-04-07 16:30:40 +0000 UTC View Post
I stepped back out of her Void Storage and into a very red, very gothic room. With vaulted ceilings, plush couches, a roaring fire that took up half one side of the room it was pretty much everything you would expect from the living room of a demon goddess.
I gave her a thumbs up before settling into a well-padded chaise lounge. "This is nice."
“It will do,” she replied taking a seat across from me. A servant came running in a mome...
2024-04-07 16:26:17 +0000 UTC View Post
Destruction’s head appeared in the dark void before I could work out what had happened. Now the answer was obvious. I was in her Void Storage.
Her voice was hoarse, her words fast. “I’ve escaped, but we’re still running.”
“Running where? Oh, and thanks for saving me back there.”
“Of course. And I’m obviously trying to get back to the Administration Hub. But neither Hakan nor Death are foolish and they’ve made ...
2024-03-26 22:20:32 +0000 UTC View PostNothing could prepare me for what we saw as we reached the first populated area on Talitus. An army of deformed and distorted creatures ran rampant through the scream filled streets. They looked a little like the armies back in Vemerak, but… worse. One thing that did stand out was that despite their differences, they all moved with the same juddering, staggering gait, like something straight out of a particularly warped nightmare. Another thing they had in common was the scent...
2024-03-24 21:52:05 +0000 UTC View PostI teleported to Sania, eager to see her again and to meet with the ex-Chosen of Light. To my surprise, I wasn’t in Holse at all, but deep within the forests of Cethain. A mild flare of irritation struck. Why hadn’t I noticed Sania had moved out of Holse? After everything we’d been through, I really shouldn’t have missed that she’d moved into Life’s former domain. Being preoccupied wasn’t a good enough excuse.
As our sphere didn’t cover any of the southernmos...
2024-03-22 21:57:12 +0000 UTC View PostWhen the attack on our Sphere finally started, Hakan was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t like his absence one little bit, but at least War was there, shouting orders over the heads of his wicked looking army. He stood around two hundred feet tall, larger than the next tallest warrior under his command by a good fifty feet, and he looked sublimely confident.
I smiled at the sight. That confidence and pride would make it so much easier to find and chop his fucking head off lat...
2024-03-19 22:35:08 +0000 UTC View Post“So where will you build your temple, then?” I asked Danivra as we slowly made our way down to meet Joel.
“You need to ask?” She replied with a ferocious expression. “Where else but Far Reach?”
I shrugged. “Thought you might have chosen Helvien if I’m honest.”
“Far Reach is my home. It is the place where I died and the place I was reborn.” She drew herself up, proud and powerful and more than a little terrifying. “It is the place where th...
2024-03-17 20:38:10 +0000 UTC View PostSania was waiting in my temple with Grigor and Wind of the Wild. Joel was there too, but we were otherwise alone.
Wind and Grigor both bowed. Sania hugged me quickly then stepped back and met my eyes. “We’re ready and eager to get on with our task!”
I met her intense gaze and smiled. “I need to run something by you first.”
“Don’t back out of this now, Clive. We need to be useful.”
“I’m not backing out Sania, but I have someone who wants...
2024-03-16 11:57:36 +0000 UTC View PostSo... my son Will is back in hospital. This has been a hell of a start to the year and my plans to write have been somewhat throttled. I haven't gotten half as much out as I'd have hoped to.
I intend to keep getting out what I can in the coming month, but I realize it's not ideal for you fantastic folk even though you've all been incredibly understanding. So, with that in mind I'm pausing the billing for the coming month to try and balance things out a little.
As I say, I do intend t...
They are in a meeting room deeper into this complex, Clive.
“Cheers Aly," I replied, heading towards the main double doors that opened to reveal a long metallic corridor. As I walked through, she spoke again.
The third door on the right. There's a large meeting room....
2024-02-27 20:40:50 +0000 UTC View Post“I take it she didn’t manage to convince you?” Sania asked as I left the Void Storage. I was very surprised to see her lithe form sprawled out atop my Altar as if she’d been asleep. That was pretty unlikely as I’d only been gone a few minutes.
“She wasn’t very convincing,” I muttered. “How did you know?”
“Danivra just told me. She said you might not be in a very good mood after your conversation with the others. Devotion told me you were speaking...
2024-02-26 20:32:01 +0000 UTC View PostI wanted to wait in Toukal for the verdict from the Guardians as to if, and how they could help us. But extending our Sphere over Falritas was just too important to hang about on if it was possible. Once Life and Devotion activated their Spheres and added them to mine, we would be able to add Sania’s to the mix. I just hoped that would be enough to cover the planet.
With that on my mind and having no idea how long the Guardians would need, we headed back to Far Reach and ...
2024-02-24 23:30:36 +0000 UTC View PostWe came out in the basement of Toukal’s Transport tower. I was relieved to see the refugees had carried on out of the place. My friends, however, were lined up waiting for me to return. The guardians here were all active now, and thankfully offered no threat, though they did become a little agitated a minute or so after our arrival.
One of the Silvers told me why. “We have divulged what we know to those who guard here.”
I nodded with what I hoped for compassion ...
2024-02-22 19:51:39 +0000 UTC View PostI helped them for around fifteen minutes, and only stopped once I saw they were coming to terms with their new attacks… and Destruction’s group was getting dangerously close to the Transport tower.
I pulsed out a message to warn everyone again of the danger of destroying our only means of escape before creating a shield around the structure, as I probably should have done twenty minutes ago.
I followed the contours of the building rather than the throw-up spherica...
2024-02-20 19:06:50 +0000 UTC View PostActually getting people out of Onnekus was far easier than I’d expected. They had very little to take, and they really hadn’t settled in after their homes had been destroyed. Which meant moving somewhere that was almost identical in appearance didn't really affect them too much. Though, I doubted their ordeal of having to move again gave them much faith in their new home. I’d have to encourage the goddesses to put them at ease.
Or you could have faith in them and no...
2024-02-19 18:47:13 +0000 UTC View PostI repeated the process for accessing the Portal ring in the basement of the transport tower in Toukal. Dropping down to find an almost identical layout below, with the same amount of armor and boxes laid out around the portal.
I paid them no mind this time and quickly activated the Portal before teleporting back to the top of the tower.
When I returned, some of my friends had already started to appear. Destruction had come with Hakan, Kraeyuk and Rakle. Peace brought ...
2024-02-08 21:43:51 +0000 UTC View PostUnfortunately, my son took ill last weekend and on Monday he ended up in hospital. Which means this week has been a bit of a shitshow and on the couple of occasions I have been able to sit down in front of a computer, I've just been empty.
It's looking like he's starting to pull around now and I hope to dig back in to writing later in the week, but I don't think I'll be able to get a worthwile chapter out this week.
I'm sorry for the delay, but I hope to firing on all cylinders ve...
On Galess I activated the Distortion Field and waited with bated breath for it to form. Ready to react should I need to.
The Field is active, Clive. Hakan is certainly not here.
“I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. But…I think I’m sad. We were so close. Fuck it. I think I’ll head to Onnekus and quickly set a Field around there. See if we can fish the bastard out again.”
What will you do if you capture him?
“...
2024-01-25 17:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostA quick check with Spirit Sight showed me a lot more of Hakan’s followers had shown up to defend his trapped body.
I opened a portal a little way from the outside edge of the gathering and brought out my attack squad.
“You guys ready? We’re going in hot?”
Eager roars, and flying past me like they were possessed, was all the answer I received and all the answer I needed as I followed them through, palms blazing as I fired Spicy Ball after Spicy Ball.
<... 2024-01-24 17:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe Transport Totem on Talitus took me directly to my temple. The one I’d converted from Desolation. The one filled with high-tech goblins emitting yelps of surprise as I appeared unexpectedly.
I offered a wave. “Heya guys! Gotta rush, but I’ll be back to talk to you soon."
Before anyone could respond, I teleported around a mile away from where I sensed Hakan. As eager as I was to get to him, it just wasn’t worth the risk of appearing too close.
Eight Me...
2024-01-23 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostOver the next few days, there was a flurry of activity with people moving into the Sphere through portals we set up. Hakan was nowhere to be seen in that time, which probably had me more worried than if he did harry our people.
As the Sphere filled up with refugees and the bonds from the people of Elvia, Cethain and Malatia all flowed in to me thick and fast, I was now inundated with an incredible amount of Ethereal Neuma. My follower numbers had even swollen on Talitus, an...
2024-01-22 17:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post"On the way out of the Void Storage, they noticed the suspended figure of Light. I opted to ignored her entirely and I was getting good at that.
If not for Devotion and Life's chattering, I would have been able to make it all of the way out without giving the arrogant ass a second thought.
Life spoke to me first. "How long has she been in here, Clive? She looks terrible."
"Approximately the same time your lifeless bodies have been here. Now come on, we have a lo...
2024-01-19 16:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostI pulled my hand back around the same time as Devotion’s eyes shot open. She gasped out a scream and for some reason tears filled my eyes. Unbidden and unexpected they began to fall as she drew in deep lungfuls of air.
As she brought her breathing under control I wrapped her up in a hug and said in a completely manly, non-sobbing way. “Thank fuck that worked.”
“What worked, Clive?” Her voice was weak and raspy. “Where am I? What’s going on.”
“D...
2024-01-18 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostMy people were already opening portals as Hakan and War disappeared and the people of Ceres were flowing through them at fair old pace, hastened by the barked orders of Inez. I doubted they needed all that much encouragement after what they’d just witnessed.
Meanwhile, Dawnsinger had flown up towards me and a haggard-looking Peace, her eyes darting between us. She said nothing and neither did Peace, who only had eyes for me.
Unable to bear the uncomfortable silence ...
2024-01-17 16:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostMy aspirations of heading straight back to Far Reach were dashed as soon as I returned to the Sphere. An agitated Sophie was in my mind the moment I materialized. “Clive!”
A second later, she was in front of me. “We’ve got someone from the US government on the radio. Lucas is talking to them, but they want you. It seems your message has been received loud and clear.
"That was quick. I suppose we better go and see what they have to say for themselves." 2024-01-16 16:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post