Chapter 174 - The Battle of Pyrindel
Eve stood atop the city’s northern wall, staring across the empty fields and farmland at the wall of unnatural mist rolling in. It moved far faster than fog had any right to, which was to say a bit slower than a person’s normal walking pace. But it came.
The Man of the Mists didn’t show himself. He made no threats, no grand speeches, no declarations of their doom. His fog simply crept inexorably onward, death obscured in its opac...
2021-11-22 21:45:54 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 173 - The Eleventh Hour
Eve awoke to cool silence as the guest wing of the palace slumbered around her. If she ran Mana through her ears, she could pick up the ongoing bustle of the distant city streets as Pyrindel hastened to accommodate refugees from the surrounding area and bolster its defenses. She opened her eyes, expecting to see her suite dark and unlit.
The world came alight.
The room around her glowed in every color Eve could imagine and some she previously ...
2021-11-20 04:31:47 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 172 - One Last Upgrade
Eve didn’t wait to fully catch up Alex and Preston. She didn’t pause for a moment to explain the fight with the Muffin Man nor the strange nefarious plot they’d interrupted. She didn’t even bother to loot the room, leaving that task to the others.
Eve dove straight into her notifications.
Unique Upgrade Available: Aspect of Rebellion
Unique Tier 5 Aspect
Requirements: The Defiant Unique class. Reject ...
2021-11-17 23:35:05 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 171 - A Quick Muffin and Muffout
The stench of sewage assaulted Eve’s nose as the narrow tunnel spat them out into a cylindrical passage. Unlike the Lynthia sewers Eve remembered all too unfortunately, the Pyrindel sewers actually functioned. A stone walkway lined each side of the space, leaving Eve plenty of room to walk without having to wade through the river of waste below.
“There’s no way this is sanitary,” she complained as the smell sent another wave of naus...
2021-11-14 23:52:25 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 170 - If You Didn’t See This Joke Coming, You Haven’t Been Paying Attention
Riverwest was quiet.
No wagons carried cargo along the bumpy cobblestones, no laborers loaded crates into the warehouses that lined the street, no merchants hawked their wares to the few passersby that went about their business.
The warm glow of the afternoon sun fell comfortably on the side of Eve’s face as she and Lumy made their way down the empty street. Faded paint labeled each bui...
2021-11-13 00:14:59 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 169 - Okay, Maybe One More Side Quest
As Eve cautiously swung the door open to the Maple St. Bakery, she braced herself for anything. Preston stayed close, ready to blast her with healing should the need arise. Alex stood guard out on the street, her shield raised and ready to repel the forces of the third hell itself should they come to stop them.
Lumy floated above it all, glowing an amused pink.
The bakery’s one patron—a well-dressed man sitting at a table wit...
2021-11-11 21:30:14 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 168 - The Same Side
Eve had expected all sorts of responses to Alex and Mila popping out of hole in the ground in the middle of a palace courtyard. After seeing the guards react to Reginald’s appearance, a circle of spears leveled at the new arrivals would’ve made sense. Since, by nature of their arrival point, Alex and Mila had already made it past the gates, Eve would’ve understood if the queensguards had established some sort of defensive perimeter around them. Alternat...
2021-11-09 20:13:22 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 167 - Like Old Times
Eve awoke to the intensely familiar experience of a throbbing hangover and the noise of somebody pounding on her door.
You have a visitor.
“Lumy,” Eve groaned, “I can hear that. Why are you in my room?”
Well, like I said, where exactly I am is more a matter of opinion.
“Well right now it’s my opinion that I never invited you in here.”
Alright, alright, Lumy sent. The pounding at the door ...
2021-11-08 19:40:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 166 - Making an Entrance
I got your shadowgram, Emily sent, taking to telepathic communication surprisingly easily. How much danger are we in? Where are you?
A shitload of danger, Eve replied. We’re in a shitload of danger. As for where I am… your buddy Lestrad is giving me a guided tour of his brand new secret prison cell. I’m excited to see it.
Godsdamnit, Emily cursed. I specifically instructed him to let me k...
2021-11-04 21:21:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 165 - Commanding Presence
Eve and Lumy hovered in the air above the city of Pyrindel, appearing, incorporeal as they were, to be no more than a particularly bright cloud to anyone below. I missed this place, Eve sent.
It smells like shit, Lumy replied.
You don’t have a nose, Eve snapped back. Besides you’re thinking of Lynthia. Lynthia smells like shit. Pyrindel smells like piss.
Ah. Of course. How could poor old me w...
2021-11-02 18:39:44 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 164 - No More Side Quests
Daddy says it’s all Uncle Calibax’s fault. He keeps saying if Uncle Cal hadn’t researched the all-cleansing Mana, the mist-man wouldn’t be coming for us. Uncle Cal thinks he was plenty careful—he even set up those extra dimens-whatever incursion warnings in the enchantments. Daddy says that wasn’t enough.
I’m scared.
Uncle Cal left three weeks ago with some plan to trap the mist-man’s army, but daddy say...
2021-11-01 22:17:32 +0000 UTC
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[cliff ahead]
Chapter 163 - Getting Rid of the Damned Thing
“For safety’s sake, I want to check the leyline first,” Eve said as she turned away from the vault door and towards the side passage from which echoed the familiar roar of rushing Mana.
Lumy flashed confused purple. What? Putting off the immediate reward in favor of doing things carefully? That doesn’t sound like you.
“Always check the exits, or whatever,” Eve replied. “Mostly I...
2021-11-01 20:14:03 +0000 UTC
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[Surprise second chapter!]
Chapter 162 - Harvester
Eve started by doing the sensible thing.
Level ?? Skeletal Rock Worm
Following up with her out-of-character trend of doing the sensible thing, Eve didn’t stop to wonder why it was called a worm when the thing clearly had bones and a spine. She didn’t waste a moment considering the fact that worms were supposed to be invertebrates, and despite its circular mouth, the thing...
2021-10-29 20:48:47 +0000 UTC
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[This chapter's a bit later than I planned because I needed the extra day to come up with an idea this stupid.]
Chapter 161 - What Do Undead Do All Day?
As Eve cast the light of her eyes around the dark tunnel, four more notifications blazed into view.
Legendary Quest Milestone Reached: Break Into a Bank!
+ 4.288t exp!
Level Up!
Ability Upgraded!
Active Ability - Mana Burst
X Mana
2021-10-29 18:24:38 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 160 - Do Hive Minds Commit Grand Larceny?
You realize we’re not actually robbing this place, right? Lumy asked as she hovered above Eve’s hand-drawn map of Annie’s bank.
“Not even a little?”
Eve, no. How does one rob someplace a little?
“You leave stuff behind, obviously,” Eve answered. “Instead of robbing them a lot, you’re robbing them a little.”
I’m not robbing anybody, Lumy replied.
2021-10-26 20:39:03 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 159 - There’s a Wayo
Are you sure this is a good idea? Lumy asked as Eve walked with purpose to the closest restaurant.
“Of course it is,” Eve replied. “All my ideas are good ideas.”
The fact that you think that explains so many things, Lumy sent, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m not an accredited psychiatrist. She flashed red. My point is that Dave warned us their tastes might be different than yours. These same hundred mind...
2021-10-25 20:36:31 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 158 - Where There’s a Willow
The crystal willow towered over the wetlands, a glimmering beacon guiding Eve towards her destination. She couldn’t even fathom attempting to gauge its full size, its vastness playing tricks on her eyes at such a distance. She could already tell that before she got close, it would more than fill her vision. As Eve ran, she absolutely believed one could fit a city beneath it.
She and Lumy shot across the marsh like from a cannon, the sunken ...
2021-10-22 21:02:25 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 157 - Forgetting Someone?
By the time she awoke the following morning, Eve knew the others had already left. Her reasoning had nothing to do with any confidence in Wes or Preston’s ability to wake up earlier than she, but everything to do with the hideously blue box floating before her eyes as she blinked them open.
Legendary Quest Milestone Reached: Go Solo!
+ 2.144t exp!
Level Up!
Statistic Growth Upgrad...
2021-10-21 21:47:20 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 156 - What Happens Now?
Returning to the wedding reception was never going to be on the cards, not after everything that had just happened. They’d already spoken with those they’d needed to at the event, and the prospect of celebrating felt so outlandish as to be not worth considering. Instead, Wes and Preston climbed onto Reginald’s back, Eve absorbed the crown and stowed any loose items within its storage, and the party took off towards Dragonwrought Hold.
Eve read...
2021-10-19 22:01:21 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 155 - I Always Cry at Weddings
Contrary to the new arrival’s direct request, the air in lungeon stood still. The music stopped. The dancers froze. Human, rusalka, and dread beast alike all watched with bated breath.
Artemiev? Is that you?
Eve glanced sideways at Preston. “His name is Artemiev? Did you know that?”
Preston shook his head.
Wes exhaled. “No wonder he goes by Art.”
Art charged in, taking the steps two at a tim...
2021-10-18 23:28:12 +0000 UTC
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[Quick note: I've realized so far I have two Carls and a Carly. Since both Carls appear in already-published books, I'm changing She Beneath the Earth's name to Mila.]
[Oh, also, cliff ahead.]
Chapter 154 - Quest Hint
“Mawwige…” Preston coughed. “Excuse me. Dearly beloved, family, friends, we are gathered here today to join two peoples, two worlds, but just as importantly, two loves in the bond of marriage. Lina, you’ve overcome your basest of instin...
2021-10-15 22:38:26 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 153 - Nothing Like a Wedding to Bring People Together
The party arrived in style.
Eve grabbed the attention of everyone milling about outside the venue as she came plummeting out of the sky, shimmering sapphire dress billowing in the wind, only for her fall to stop short six inches from the ground, allowing her to land is if from a small hop. She patted down her dress just in time for Reginald to appear in the sky above the clearing.
The wedding guests didn’t need ...
2021-10-14 21:59:36 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 152 - Every Day is a Gift
Upon their swift return to the safety of Dragonwrought Hold, the party unanimously voted to take something of a short break. Eve liked to think the decision motivated by important things like the need to train with the new items and abilities, Reginald’s need to make up for the sleep he lost on their trek back from through the Dead Fields, or the fact two of her friends had just gotten engaged and could perhaps use a bit of time to themselves...
2021-10-12 21:19:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 151 - Getting the Hells Out of Here
The party traveled through the night.
It was Wes’s idea, originally, to forego a night’s sleep or two for the sake of building distance between them and She Beneath the Earth on the off chance Carly had lied about or misevaluated how long she’d need to break out of the control room.
Of course, he’d made the suggestion as they first mounted one of spiral roads up and out of the giant cylindrical pit that marked the ...
2021-10-10 22:41:55 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 150 - The Crown Jewels
Eve hopped off the throne just in time for the lights to come back on, starting the whole overdramatic ceremony all over again. Not bothering to try and speak over the deafening fanfare, she simply gestured the others back into the main hall. Shutting the door behind them only managed to muffle the heraldry enough for her to explain.
“Long story short,” Eve said once she’d relayed the encounter with Carly, “unless she thought it was worth lyi...
2021-10-08 21:40:15 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 149 - Long Live the Queen
A horrified look spread across Alex’s face, though she didn’t direct it at the door trapping them inside. She directed it at Eve. “What have you done?”
“That’s it,” the obsidian woman growled, “I’m killing her.”
Eve snorted. “You can try.”
“No!” Alex shrieked, rounding on her boss. “Carly, you promised! If I could keep her here, you’d let her live.”
“That was before she trapped us too,” Carly...
2021-10-06 21:36:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 148 - The Worst Possible Place to Have This Conversation
The third of the particularly important-seeming doors opened up into a spiral stairway that Wes decided he absolutely hated the moment he set foot on it.
“It’s not a circle!” he griped as they rounded the first bend. “Look at this.” He placed a hand on the curved wall. “The curve is tighter here than a few steps ago, and it loosens up again down there.”
Eve gave Preston a sideways glance. “Are y...
2021-10-05 22:04:23 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 147 -What Are Ancient Deadly Ruins For If Not Quiet Self-Reflection?
Alvin sent them on their way with packs newly brimming with cloth wrapped bundles of bacon, sausage, crepes, and other goodies to keep them exceptionally well fed over the coming days. Against his protests, Eve paid in gold.
Wes and Preston had justifiably spent the rest of breakfast—brinner? The party had lost track of time since entering the ruin, and had honestly thought it to be early evening—fawn...
2021-09-30 21:56:01 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 146 - Save the Date
“What’s going on?” Eve asked audibly knowing full well the trellac was going to tell them anyway.
The door changed, Art relayed. Lumy watched it. One second it was a normal Burendian side door, now it’s something else. There was a puff of smoke and everything.
“Alright, let’s take a look,” Preston said, ushering Art, Eve, and Wes out of the throne room. He didn’t bother asking the trellac to share what Lumy saw di...
2021-09-28 22:40:40 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 145 - What’s Behind Door Number Two?
Ar-iron letter opener and little girl’s diary tucked away, the party made their way back to the open entry hall to find Reginald had decidedly not waited for them by the door. Instead, he and Lumy had embarked on some particularly intense game of cat and mouse in the exact opposite manner one would think.
The large, winged drake bounded across the wide chamber, leaping and darting to and fro as the phantasmal remnant dogged...
2021-09-24 19:47:27 +0000 UTC
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