ElaraFiction

B6 - Chapter 2: Meeting the Messanger

Zeke dismissed the servant with a nod and made his way to the waiting chamber. His steps, however, remained unhurried, his thoughts clouded by curiosity and caution.

It wasn’t surprising that the Merchant Union had learned of his return to the city since the king himself stood at the head of the council, but the speed of their response caught him off guard. Barely a night had passed since his discreet arrival, and he had taken every precaution to avoid detection.

Yet somehow, th...

B6 - Chapter 1: Casual Stroll

Zeke extended his hand, letting a ray of light streaming through a crack in the closed window dance across his fingers. For a while, he had

Zeke extended his hand, letting a ray of light streaming through a crack in the closed window dance across his fingers. For a while, he had felt its warmth on his shoulder as he lay in bed, reluctant to move. However, it had now moved to his face, making it impossible to ignore any longer.

The day outside was flawless, the sky a clear, endless...

B6 - Prologue: Undercurrent

Start of the new book. The next chapter is coming soon!

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The grand chamber was a monument to absolute power.

Vast and gilded, its marble floors shimmered beneath fractured light streaming from stained-glass windows. Each pane depicted scenes of triumph, conquest, and dominion, but always with a singular motif at their core: the elements—fire, water, wind, and earth.

Towering columns adorned with runes of conques...

Update

With the new book starting, I have a lot of planning and outlining to do, so I might not be perfectly on time with each chapter in the short term, but I'll try my best to put out three chapters each week.

B5 - Epilogue: Return

Sorry for the delayed release! I've been struggling a bit with what to put in the epilogue this time.

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“Who do you think it is?”

“No idea. The Mana doesn’t feel familiar at all.”

“Could it be an enemy?”

The second figure paused, then shook his head. “Highly unlikely. This doesn’t feel like a powerful Mage. I’d guess we’re dealing with a Grand Mage—a newly ascended one, at that.”

Hearing this, the firs...

B5 - Chapter 84: Brainstorming (Bonus)

I hadn't originally planned this chapter, but after hearing some of your doubts about the last one, I thought it might be worthwhile to show Zeke’s thought process behind his decision to use the new Ritual and to clarify its details.

Let me know if you think this was actually necessary—and if it changes your perspective on his decision.

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Zeke was pacing his room, a troubled look in his eyes.

He had persuaded Winter to grant him half ...

B5 - Chapter 85: Prisoners

Two weeks had passed since Zeke's meeting with Snow, and now, nearly all his preparations were complete. He had solidified his deal with Winter, reached an understanding with Snow, and secured the safety of his base within the Tribe.

Now, only a few tasks remained before he could leave—and one of them was staring him in the face at this very moment.

Before him lay the makeshift prison camp, where the surviving Frostscale tribesmen were gathered. The once fierce warriors now appe...

B5 - Chapter 83: Promise

Snow had been in seclusion ever since the day of the final battle. The last time Zeke had seen her, she’d been nearly catatonic. But now, she’d come to find him of her own accord. This wasn’t something he could ignore.

He nodded at Gravitas, signaling he’d be right there.

“Mom, I have to go,” he said, feeling a pang of guilt for cutting their reunion short.

“Did something happen?” His mother asked, the worry clear in her voice.

“Nothing bad,” Zeke s...

B5 - Chapter 82: Mother

“Mom?”

His call was greeted by a moment of silence, but then as if to spite his nervous thoughts, a clear, female voice was heard.

“Zeke?! Is that you?”

Zeke’s eyes grew moist at the sound of his mother’s voice. Only now did he realize how much he had missed hearing her call to him, with that caring undertone only a mother could have. The moment she spoke, Zeke felt at peace.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, a feeling of complicated feeling settling in his heart. 2024-11-15 14:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post

B5 - Chapter 81: Crafting Spells

As the days passed, the fort’s reconstruction moved steadily forward. Collapsed buildings were rebuilt, the fractured wall was restored, and eventually, the blocked mine entrance was cleared. Yet, all this progress went unnoticed by Ezekiel.

From the beginning, he had never once left his room, quietly engrossed in his work. He sat cross-legged, his eyes closed and his brows relaxed. His current state was no different from a man who had fallen asleep. However, that couldn’t be furthe...

B5 - Chapter 80: The Path Forward

Zeke stepped into the empty hallway, a weary expression on his face. Hours of negotiation had taken their toll. The Progenitor wasn’t an easy man to bargain with. Yet, despite his exhaustion, Zeke felt a quiet satisfaction—he had secured most of what he wanted.

First, he had bargained for a steady supply of the precious plant needed for his Mana purifying device. Though he couldn’t entirely conceal its importance from Winter, the Progenitor had agreed to provide a generous amount�...

B5 - Chapter 79: Marriage Talks

Zeke, usually confident in his poker face, found it severely lacking this time. His jaw dropped, eyes wide with shock. For a long moment, all he could do was gape at the man before him, who still looked as if he’d made a great sacrifice.

Marriage? To Snow?

Seeing his unexpected reaction, Winter tilted his head. “That is still your custom, is it not?”

“What?” Zeke asked, even more confused.

"It’s been many centuries since I last had contact with the human...

B5 - Chapter 78: A Treasure Like No Other

Finally caught up with the release schedule! Friday’s chapter will be on time, I promise. I also tried a different style for today’s image—definitely leaning more into an anime feel. Let me know which style you prefer!

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Zeke felt momentarily startled by the Progenitor’s words. What kind of relationship did he have with Snow?

The question was surprisingly hard to answer. During their travels, he had felt responsible for her, and the lively little girl had...

B5 - Chapter 77: Meeting Winter

Zeke looked up at the clear blue sky, so different from the stormy clouds that had loomed over their great battle a week ago. Every time he saw it, he couldn’t help but sigh. It wasn’t that he disliked the weather—it simply reminded him of the scene that had unfolded on that day.

Winter, in his massive wolf form, had returned from battle, carrying his fallen rival’s rigid corpse in his jaws. He dropped it in the center of the fort, then looked up at the stormy clouds with a hin...

B5 - Chapter 76: Winter's Wrath

Sorry for the late release!

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Winter rose to his full height. Now that his ruse had been uncovered, there was no need to keep up the act—not that he had tried very hard. He’d never been a good actor. No, that wasn’t quite right; he simply found such tactics beneath him. Instead, he had merely remained stoic, not too different from his usual expression, and had restrained his full might. However, it had been enough.

The reason was simple.

Someone who was...

B5 - Chapter 75: A Force of Nature

The silence stretched across the battleground as Winter and Shassra squared off, the air thick with a blend of frost and poison. Winter's hackles rose, his massive body radiating a cold so intense that frost spread underfoot, forming an intricate lattice of ice beneath his paws. Shassra's tongue flicked in and out, tasting the biting chill but unbothered by it. His scales shimmered under the sun, each blue scale seemingly imbued with a dark, oily sheen as a toxic vapor began to seep from his ...

B5 - Chapter 74: A Biting Cold

The moment her spear pierced Polaris's heart, Snow awoke from her trance as the effects of Blood Boil faded. Her eyes, once wide with animalistic fury, softened to their usual gentle look, and her feral smile faded.

She gazed at her sister with a complicated expression. Polaris had sunk to her knees, still clutching her broken spear, blood spurting from the wound in her chest. One glance told Snow she had pierced her sister’s heart—a fatal injury.

“Don’t look at me like th...

B5 - Chapter 73: Frozen Heart

Snow stood motionless, watching as the massive form of the Dragon lunged at the enemy commander. It was the first time she’d seen the true form of the mysterious Dragon she’d encountered during their travels through the dark jungle.

The sight was mesmerizing.

Even from a distance, the Dragon's majestic aura sent a shiver down her spine. She could only imagine the pressure its opponent must feel right now. If she were in that man’s place, she’d likely have knelt in surrende...

B5 - Chapter 72: Fight Poison with Poison

The Dragon’s wings beat the air with a thunderous rhythm as he hovered, the plaza trembling beneath its powerful presence. Razeth's expression shifted from surprise to grim determination. He steadied his stance, his spear gripped tightly in both hands. The blackened tip gleamed with a faint blueish tint—poison, ready to strike. Yet, despite his confidence, an undercurrent of unease coursed through him.

The Dragon, however, wasn’t waiting for any declarations. With a deafening roar...

B5 - Chapter 71: Frost's Plight

His breath was ragged, his limbs heavy, and a pervasive cold seemed to seep into his body. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t cold—it was the sensation of his vitality draining away. He had lost a lot of blood.

Frost smiled wearily. How ironic that just as his father had finally returned, he was about to meet his end. Did that mean he had fulfilled his destiny? Did fate no longer need him now that the Progenitor had returned?

Frost quickly dodged to the side, rolling into the ...

B5 - Chapter 70: Flipping the Board

Zeke stood at the center of his puppet army, observing the tense standoff between the Frostscale commanders and the Icefang warriors. He could see the commanders whispering among themselves, their eyes darting nervously between their own forces and the unnatural calm of Zeke’s controlled soldiers. The battlefield, once a storm of chaos, had stilled to an eerie quiet, with only the distant clash of the elders echoing from deeper within the fort.

Zeke knew he needed to act quickly befor...

B5 - Chapter 69: A New Spell

The chapter took me a little longer than anticipated, but I am already working on the next one, and I am going to publish it as soon as it is done (likely today or tomorrow).

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Standing in front of his target, Zeke channeled his Spellform, infusing it with Blood and Mind Mana while adjusting his Intent to match its new function. However, the spell fizzled out upon contact with the warrior—a failure. Determined, Zeke adjusted the ratio, attempting to cast it with more Mind M...

Please be patient

Hey everyone, just a quick update: today's chapter will be a bit delayed. I've been recovering from a nasty flu, and while I'm feeling much better already, I may not hit the usual release time. I'll do my best to get the chapter out later today.

Thanks for your understanding!

B5 - Chapter 68: Vultures of War

Zeke stood there, surrounded by a field of corpses. Dismembered bodies lay scattered, blood pooling on the ground. It was a scene of horror and nightmares, yet Zeke felt an unsettling sense of comfort, as if he was meant to be here. He had never felt as powerful as in this very moment. The feeling was intoxicating.

No wonder Blood Mages were called the vultures of war. They participated in most of the larger conflicts across the continent, and many of them were likely drawn to the battl...

B5 - Chapter 67: The Snake and the Wolf

His declaration was met with stunned silence. Neither the Icefang nor the Frostscale tribes knew how to react to such a cryptic statement. The quiet only lasted a moment before an astonished murmur began to rise from the tunnel's entrance.

The noise quickly grew, drawing the Progenitor's attention. For the first time, Shassra looked past Zeke and toward the army behind him. His eyes narrowed as the crowd parted, and a look of shock replaced his focused expression. Striding toward them w...

B5 - Chapter 66: Changing Seasons

Despite Zeke’s concerns, Akasha’s precautions proved unnecessary. The scouts patrolling the corridor encountered no enemy forces, and even Ash, who dared venture further than anyone, found no signs of ambushes or enemy movement.

The night passed peacefully, with Zeke treating the poisoned while the tribe celebrated their victory. The atmosphere grew even more lively whenever one of the injured rose from their sickbed to join the festivities. It was as if the dead were returning, on...

B5 - Chapter 65: Love and Fear

Zeke blinked, processing the words as Frost’s revelation settled in. His hands paused mid-motion, still clutching the shoulder of the next warrior in line.

“Retreated?” he echoed, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and cautious curiosity.

Frost nodded firmly, the earlier gloom gone. His posture sagged with relief, as if the weight of those words had drained the tension from his body. “Yes. They retreated. Our frontline held strong, thanks to your... tactics.”

Z...

B5 - Chapter 64: Ultimatum

Before Elder Fang could respond, Zeke raised his hand, stopping him mid-motion. Zeke’s voice dropped low, cutting through the tension like a blade. “Before you answer, let me be clear. If you refuse my help, I will take my people and leave.”

The gathered Elders erupted into a chorus of angry mutters, incredulous at his brazen declaration. Several jaws tightened, eyes blazing with fury. Frost clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as his remaining pride warred with the stark truth ...

B5 - Chapter 63: Ending Negotiations

“Who are you?” the leader of the Frostscale tribe hissed, eying him warily as he and his people took on defensive stances.

Yet, Zeke paid him no mind for the moment as he swept his gaze over the gathered crowd. He recognized several familiar faces—Frost, Elder Fang, Elder Claw, and... Polaris. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Winter’s eldest daughter, standing apart from her tribesmen and next to the man who had just spoken.

“So it was you, after all,” Zeke said. 2024-10-02 13:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post

B5 - Chapter 62: New Terms

The tribesmen waited in tense silence as the minutes stretched on, their nervous shuffling and steady breaths the only sounds in the vast tunnel. This was their last moment of calm, their final chance to make peace with themselves. Once the snakes arrived, there would be no more rest—for mind or body.

Some of the younger tribesmen, in their naïveté, even dared to hope the enemy wouldn’t return today. Their expressions brightened as the minutes ticked by. But Frost didn’t share i...