ElaraFiction

B5 - Chapter 7: Big Problems

Before he could even think about it, Zeke's feet were already moving. In one swift motion, he scooped up Snow, slung her over his shoulder, and dashed for the shrubbery. He ignored her shrill shriek of protest and the questioning glances of the others — none of it mattered.

The only thing on his mind was the fear he had heard in the Dragon’s voice. It was the first time since they had known each other that the Dragon expressed anything other than contempt for anyone. Not even when ...

B5 - Chapter 6: Unseen Danger

A cold shiver ran down Zeke's spine, causing the hairs on his neck to prickle. Initially, their journey through the jungle had proceeded without incident. However, upon passing a small pond of fresh water, an unsettling sensation began to gnaw at his consciousness. An inexplicable sense of unease settled over him, hinting at the presence of unseen dangers lurking within the depths of the dense foliage.

He peered into the darkness, his gaze sweeping over the gnarled trees, twisting vines...

B5 - Chapter 5: Into the Jungle

As Zeke stepped out of the carriage, he immediately noticed the sun's position on the horizon, indicating that more time had passed than he had anticipated. However, the fading daylight became the least of his surprises as his eyes were greeted by a panorama of lush trees extending as far as the eye could see.

For a long moment, he simply stood there, marveling at the vast expanse of greenery before him, a sharp departure from the barren desert he had become familiar with. The jungle's ...

B5 - Chapter 4: The Scariest Race

The Caravan was back on track, making good time. Vulcanos’ performance, though unexpectedly ferocious, had cleared their path at record speed. If nothing unforeseen happened, they would arrive at the border before nightfall.

Meanwhile, Zeke was inside the carriage looking after the unconscious Chimeroi. It had been a couple of hours since the fight, and Akasha’s words were already proving true. After the initial weakness from Blood Boil subsided, Vulcanos was healing at a discernibl...

B5 - Chapter 3: Blood Boil II

With the ascent of the morning sun, the stifling heat of the desert once again enveloped the land. Zeke could feel the intensity of the sun's rays penetrating through his clothing, baking the ground beneath his feet. The air shimmered, distorting the horizon, and even the occasional plant seemed to wilt.

However, today, the oppressive heat of the desert didn’t manage to dampen his mood. The night before, he had taught the Chimeroi his Breathing Technique and instructed them to practi...

B5 - Chapter 2: Blood Boil

As the sun descended below the horizon, their small caravan set up camp nestled within a natural rock formation just beyond the territory of the crawlers. They opted to wait until daylight to confront the creatures. Upon emerging from the carriage, Zeke found his group already bustling with activity. Setting up camp had become a well-practiced routine.

As usual, Vulcanos took charge of the fire and cooking duties. He arranged a circle of stones before conjuring a smoldering ball of Magm...

B5 - Chapter 1: A New Journey

A rhythmic clatter broke Zeke’s concentration, making him open his eyes and blink around in confusion. The surroundings had been relatively silent, causing the noise to feel all the more jarring. He got up from his seat and looked out the small carriage window. It became immediately clear where the noise originated from.

The wide wheels of the carriage, which had previously glided like sled runners over the sand, were now gripping onto firmer ground. The seemingly endless desert terr...

B5 - Prologue: A Piece of News

A man smoothly glided between the trees, barely disturbing a leave as he hovered from crown to crown. His green-tinted uniform seamlessly blended with the foliage, rendering him almost invisible. Every inch of skin was covered, making his camouflage nearly flawless.

For all intents and purposes, it was a very sneaky approach, and he would normally have gotten away with it. However, on this particular day, his efforts were not enough.

A concentrated beam of light emerged from a ne...

Update!

Hey there!

It's high time for another update and to address your concerns.

Here's what's been happening:

You may have noticed fewer chapters over the past two weeks. Don't worry; I'm perfectly fine and not suffering from writer's block. The reduced output was due to my focus on crafting a detailed outline for book 5.

You might have noticed I went on a few tangents during book 4, and the finale wasn't as amazing as I had envisioned. As an author, I aim for my writing ...

B4 - Epilogue: Dear David

“Oi, laddie!”

The messenger’s voice was barely audible over the clanging of metal. As a result, none of the men looked up from their anvils. Frustrated, he was left with no choice but to enter the large smithy.

One by one, he passed by each of the roughly a dozen apprentices. They worked in pairs, a Metal Mage to work the steel and a Fire Mage to work the forge. Smithing pairs, they were called. Each and every one of them was a dwarf with an exceptional affinity. Otherwise...

B4 - Chapter 86: The Essence of Man

The moment Zeke came into contact with Jaihar’s Soul, it was as if a dam had broken. Images and impressions streamed into him like an unending flood. It was a strange sensation, distinctly different from observing one’s own memories.

All of a sudden, Zeke remembered why he had wanted to avoid doing this again after the last time. The memories streaming into him were not just information but a lifetime’s worth of experiences. In those memories, he saw what Jaihar saw, felt what Jai...

B4 - Chapter 85: Ending A Dynasty

Jaihar gazed up into the sky, squinting at the sunlight. If he didn’t know better, he would’ve thought the lizard familiar was purposefully positioning himself in front of the sun. However, he knew such a level of intellect and strategic thinking was impossible for the familiar of a measly True Mage.

But did he really?

He shaded his eyes with his left hand, trying to make out the silhouette of the giant, flying reptile. His right, he raised above his head, palm out. He was pr...

Update!

Hey there, I thought I'd give you guys an update. Yes, I am still alive! Let me explain. The reason the current chapter is dragging so much is twofold:

First, I had a ton of extra work this week and couldn't spend as much time writing as I would have liked.

Second, and much more importantly, I've struggled to write the last few chapters while trying to tie up all the loose ends. I've made a few spur-of-the-moment changes to the plot while writing this volume, and now I am trying...

B4 - Chapter 84: The Yuddha

Zeke's words were met with a temporary silence, soon interrupted by a single clap echoing through the hall. All eyes turned to Veer Varun, the person responsible. The old man had a pleased smile on his face as he addressed the crowd.

“Excellent, excellent. It seems both parties have willingly agreed to the Yuddha. It has been quite a while since the sacred duel was called, and it would be my honor to host this event. I invite all of you to stay and watch.”

Zeke regarded the ma...

B4 - Chapter 83: The Confrontation

Upon hearing that name, Zeke’s eyes opened wide, and his jaw went slack. Jaihar? The person who had been running for his life for the last couple of days had outbid him?

This… wasn’t possible…

“Are you okay?” Aisha asked from beside him, the concern clear in her voice. She had been with him during their trip to the vault and knew how much importance he placed on Snow.

Zeke startled awake, her words enough to snap him out of his stupor. This development had caug...

The change about Purebloods

Some of you have voiced your doubts or discontent about the change in the reason for which the Purebloods were being bought.

Let me explain my thought process:

I removed the breeding theme from the story not out of any moral concerns but because it didn't make sense given the world I've established.
For one, this system of slavery is very different from the one in our world. As an example, children of Slaves are not automatically Slaves. Therefore, it makes no sense to breed t...

B4 - Chapter 82: The Auction IV

Pre-chapter note:

We first learned about purebloods in chapter 23 (The Veergati I). At the time, I told you guys they were used for breeding. However, that is not the case anymore. Don't worry; you'll not have to go back and read up on anything, as the changes will be explained in this chapter.

I think this fits the story far better, and there is no reason to have something as gross as 'Chimeroi breeding' in the story if it is not even going to play a role, so I took it out. Ple...

B4 - Chapter 81: The Auction III

Happy Easter!

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“The starting bid for this item is 500 gold, with each subsequent bid needing to be at least 100 gold higher. Any interested parties?”

This time, Zeke waited for the others to move first. He wasn't sure how much interest there was in an item like that, and he didn’t want to seem too eager. After all, if even the Varun family couldn't decipher its content, what chance did others have?

Aisha, seeing his intense stare, s...

B4 - Chapter 80: The Auction II

The servant led them to a room on the second floor and gestured for them to enter with a practiced bow. There were dozens of similar rooms on either side, most likely each meant for a group of distinguished guests.

“Your lounge, honored guests,” the man said.

Aisha entered without a second thought, but Zeke paused. For a moment, he thought he heard something peculiar in the man’s tone, but when he checked his expression, he found nothing amiss. The servant still had his hea...

B4 - Chapter 79: The Auction I

The days rushed by in a blur, particularly for Zeke, who found himself getting little sleep during this time. Balancing his responsibilities as the leader of the Ember Scar Cartel and the owner of the Blackthorn Covenant with his plans for the city left him with scant moments for anything else.

Zeke was standing on top of the Black Tower, which served as the headquarters of the Blackthorn Covenant. His gaze was directed at the street below, watching the people going about their busines...

Sorry for the delay!

I had a hard time writing this chapter and planning the pacing for the ending of book 4. There was much rewriting and reshuffling over the last few days, and it just didn't want to come together the way I wanted.

But don't fret! I am going to make up for the chapter I've missed, and you guys are most likely going to get a second one over the weekend.

BTW: I can't wait for this chapter to go up on RR. The haters are going to loose their shit about Zeke's take on "Freedom"<...

B4 - Chapter 78: Saying Goodbye

Leo was leaning forward, studying the three pieces of parchment arranged on the coffee table. Zeke settled onto the couch in front of him, patiently awaiting the conclusion of his perusal. It took him a few minutes to finish, and when he did, Leo sank back into the plush sofa and met Zeke’s eyes.

“About time it happened,” Leo said, a wide grin on his face.

Zeke studied Leo’s expression—joy, anticipation, and a hint of anger—an odd mix of emotions. Yet, overall, Leo di...

B4 - Chapter 77: Taking A Step Back

Zeke didn’t have to wait long for a human to be brought before him. Evidently, human Slaves were quite common around here.

With furrowed brows, he scrutinized the boy. He appeared to be around eight years old, with the caramel-colored skin typical of Korrovan natives. His body was thin, bordering on skeletal, a common sight in Undercity. Fortunately, there were no other visible signs of mistreatment on his body. Not that Zeke could be sure without the use of his Magic.

The boy�...

Elder Council

I made something for you guys. enjoy :) 

B4 - Chapter 76: Flipping the Board

For a prolonged moment, silence lingered. Yet, Zeke knew all too well that many members wouldn't accept such an accusation lying down. Before they could voice their objections, however, a new voice interjected.

"Would you be willing to elaborate on your objectives?" a woman's voice cut through the tension, her tone soft and warm, reminiscent of a mother speaking to her favorite child. Unlike the others, she appeared entirely devoid of hostility towards Zeke on account of him being a hum...

B4 - Chapter 75: Facing The Council

For the first time since Zeke had woken up, he felt like the elders were taking him seriously. Until now, he had been treated like a prisoner to be interrogated, but now, the atmosphere had shifted ever so slightly.

Zeke wouldn’t let this chance slip by. It was time to get started on his plan. “I am the leader of the Ember Scar Cartel, an—”

“Bullshit,” somebody spat. Zeke recognized the voice as belonging to Elder Dragon. “I know what the leader of the Ember Scar Car...

B4 - Chapter 74: The Venomous Cabal

Zeke found himself in the very same hall where he had negotiated with Naida and Hilda a few days earlier. Now, it was already time to say goodbye.

Ever since that day, he had spent all his time conducting interviews with the Slaves of the Blackthorn Covenant. The offer he extended to them mirrored the one he had given to the members of the Ember Scar Cartel: three meals a day, decent pay, and a place to rest their heads.

To him, it felt like a relatively modest offer. However, t...

B4 - Chapter 73: Harsh Negotiations

At his blatant threat, many Chimeroi standing opposite Zeke clenched their fists or gripped their weapons. Even so, he wasn’t fooled. Their tense postures and flighty eyes told him all he needed to know. They weren’t confident in their chances.

It was highly likely that the only thing that had allowed the Blackthorn Covenant to rise to their current position were the two Archmages. However, compared to Ravi and Moros, they didn’t seem all that formidable.

“If you think tha...

B4 - Chapter 72: The Blackthorn Covenant

“Where are we going?”

Moros finally broke his silence. He had been following behind Zeke without a word, but now that the central district had come into view, curiosity seemed to have gotten the better of him.

“Why ruin the surprise?” Zeke asked with a cheeky grin.

Moros fell silent. The Death Mage had not asked anything about his plans so far and had obediently followed his arrangements, but Zeke knew that it was primarily out of curiosity. If he actually tried to m...

B4 - Chapter 71: Meeting A Death Mage

A few minutes later, Zeke arrived at the parlor. When he entered the room, he found that his core members were already present, and he immediately noticed the tension in the atmosphere.

Gravitas was sitting in a lounge chair, her eyes fixedly staring in one direction. Vulcanos was pacing around, circling the room like a shark. Ash was sitting close to their guest, his hand on the dagger at his waist. Kruul and Kraal were standing on either side of the door, ready to use their abilities ...