xkarnation

86. Nightly Screams

The oversized moon hung silently in the starlit sky, casting its silver glow upon the mortal world. Nights were mostly peaceful in Blackthorn; with a lack of light, the peasants went to sleep in their shabby homes and prayed that tomorrow would be better.

Tarlington hill that loomed over Blackthorn was usually silent; apart from an empty fortress, moonlit lake and a sparsely populated forest, there wasn't much else to note.

That's why Damien's ear-piercing scream was so out of pla...

85. A GOOD HUNT

Due to the dream, the moonlight felt strange and primal to Damien as he basked in its light. To other Vampires, it brought safety, but for him, it was a reminder. He was supposed to be a creature of the night, not some human in the skin of a monster.

"But Damien Nightshades' worries were not misplaced." Damien mumbled to himself while stroking Fay's sleeping head, "Vampires do not learn magic but instead focus on a bizarre form of cultivation that drives one mad."

A small rift in ...

84. Blood Cultivation

"With the political malarkey out the way, it's time to study! So wake up, sleepyhead!"

The bundle of bedsheets groaned, "Five more minutes..."

Damien frowned, "I thought you loved magic?"

In a voice so small he almost missed it, Fay whispered, "I can't feel my legs..."

Damien surveyed the rest of the trashed room that still stunk of sweat, blood and sex. "Oh, I see... well, I will be out in the courtyard when you are ready."

A small snow-white hand emerged from t...

83. Watch the World Burn

Damien swirled a glass of red wine while struggling to meet the eyes of the stunning elf that sat opposite, "Princess Emilia, I must offer my sincere apologies for the embarrassing lack of control I displayed during our friendly spar."

One of Emilia's attendants passed her a steaming cup of tea. Neither spoke for a while as Emilia enjoyed the tea's fragrance and warmth. Eventually, she sighed, "You are one terrifying man Damien, but it would be boorish of me to reject such a heartfelt a...

82. Nightshade Citadel

Damien left the trashed room in a foul mood. He scowled at the faded red carpets and the cracked sandstone walls as he strode through the castle's ancient hallways. Filthy humans scurried passed or hid in rooms as he passed; they smelled of fear. He ignored them.

Eventually, he stood tall on the fabled bridge where his first slaughter of humans occurred. It transpired weeks ago, yet he still remembers their screams and hatred filled eyes.

The morning wind that smelled of fresh flo...

81. A Vampire's Insatiable Hunger

Damiens clawed hand pinned Fay's neck to the cracked stone. Despite the situation, she grinned. Shark-like teeth were on display, and her scarlet eyes flickered with lust.

'I am not in control'

"Where's my meal? Where's my prey? HONOR THE HUNT. WHERE IS MY FEAST?"

"Right here, husband~." Two snow-white arms carcass Damien's cheek, calming his mind.

Useless.

A vampire's wrath is hard to calm, an...

80. A Duel under the Starlight

Everyone stopped and held their breaths as a blade of moonlight swung in a dazzling arc.

Imyrll's detached head fell to the floor with a sickening thump, and her now headless corpses slumped to the side in a clump of robes and blood.

As Damien met Emilia's calm eyes, utterly devoid of emotion, Damien realised something.

'I'm a fraud. I could never execute one of my own without hesitation. That is the decisiveness only a natural-born ruler could possess.'

Emili...

79. Silvermoon Blade

"ᚷᛟᛞᛞᛖᛋᛋ ᛟᚠ ᛏᚺᛖ ᛗᛟᛟᚾ Goddess of the moon ᚺᛖᚨᚱ ᛗᚤ ᛈᚱᚨᚤᛖᚱ hear my prayer ᛋᚺᚱᛟᚢᛞ ᛗᛖ ᛁᚾ ᚤᛟᚢᚱ ᛚᛁᚷᚺᛏ shroud me in your light ᚨᚾᛞ ᛟᛒᛋᚲᚢᚱᛖ ᛗᛖ ᚠᚱᛟᛗ ᛗᛟᚱᛏᚨᛚ'ᛋ ᛋᛁᚷᚺᛏ and obscure me from mortal's sight."

Celestial mana radiating from the hidden moon wrapped around the elven woman's form as she vaulted over the side o...

78. Madness is but an illusion of the mind

Roselyn carefully manipulated a vine around a young woman's arm. Although a thousand meters of rock and mud separated the two, Rose could feel the woman's warmth, heartbeat, and nervousness.

Making sure to be careful, Rose directed the vine like a coiling snake around the woman's wrist. A tiny thorn pricked her skin, causing the woman to yelp. The procedure was quick and mostly painless.

A slight sense of euphoria invaded Rose's mind as blood trickled down the vine and into her bo...

77. Angel Tear's First Victim

An hour away from Blackthorn, an enormous campsite of white wood carriages stood in silence. Only the whistling wind and occasional screech from the giant ravens disturbed the peace.

A man sat in a majestic carriage; he wore a cloak of raven feathers that obscured his thin frame. He shuddered from the cold as his sunken grey eyes darted around the empty room; schizophrenic voices whispered inside his skull. They howled and cried, never stopping.

The Aurel hovered motionlessly in t...

76. Kingdom of Blood

The mid-afternoon sun sat high in the sky, signifying the passing of hours since this morning. Discussions that would shake the peninsula and possibly the entire continent occurred within a shabby conference room.

Around a wooden table stood a kingdom's future leaders.

Damien pointed with his cane towards a crude model of the surroundings on a large stone slate, "We need to move the capital city as far north as possible. Marquess Cunningdal's territory and Blackthorn will act as b...

75. A Noble's Pledge

"Richard Cunngindal, unbreakable wall of the north," Damien spoke while laying back in his chair; his eyes remained closed as he played with the silver dagger he had taken from Nicholas. "You should not be here."

Damien slowly opened his eyes and scrutinized Richard, "You bring an army to my gate. Enter my office with silver weapons and knights... Please tell me, Marquess, has there been a grave misunderstanding?"

The silver dagger snapped between Damien's fingers before falling t...

74. Surprise Attack

Ignoring Kieran's odd behaviour, the Marquess continued down the central road of Blackthorn.

"Backwater shithole..." Nicholas spat on the muddy ground, causing the Marquess to frown, "Commander Nicholas, please refrain from such comments and open your eyes. Blackthorn has been under the most brutal storm the wastelands have seen in years." The Marquess pointed his muscular arm towards an overhead walkway with a few men carrying planks, timber and nails, "Even in such dire circumstances,...

Aurel

Here is a picture of the Aurel (The people floating behind Kieran Ravenhall)

73. Blackthorns First Visitors

The ominous clouds that shrouded Blackthorn for a week finally parted as if signifying the start of a new age. In the wake of a week-long storm, the once dry and barren lands had transformed into an endless swamp.

The barely visible pathway out of Blackthorn acted as an imaginary barrier between two conveys that had no business being outside of such a small town.

Dave knew nothing of nobles as they rarely appeared so far north, but he was confident that an army sized convoy was un...

May Announcement (01/05/2022)

Hello! I have been snooping around some other authors' Patreons and appreciated when they made these public posts, so I thought of doing my own, especially since this next month will be an interesting one.

So what's up with me? I am currently in the 3rd year of my computer science degree and will be 100% finished with University on the 13th of this month (maybe the 20th if I can get an extension with some fake illness).

Due to covid, I couldn't travel with my...

72. The Five Fanged Purple Eye

A man sat with his knees huddled to his chest and his back resting against a grey stone battlement. A large brimmed hat covered his eyes and protected his face from the freezing rain and howling winds. A symbolic red-eye with three fangs below, haphazardly sewn onto his clothes, signified his status as an Overseer for Duke Nightshade. His job? To valiantly protect the walls and Blackthorn from outside threats while also observing for potential suspicious individuals or those slacking...

(In Development) New novel; Psychic Mage [Urban Portal Fantasy]

Hi, my Patreons, just wanted to give a sneak peek at a project I'm working on. It's still in its early stages of planning and won't be out for a while but would appreciate any ideas and feedback.

FYI: This book will be written alongside Damien as a side project initially and then depending on feedback may pivot into my main focus after Book 1 of Damien is complete. We shall see...

The overall concept is inspired by 'Solo Leveling' but with the twist that the MC is the one who made...

71. (Interlude) Infamous Vampire Prince

"Blackthorn." A broad-shouldered man who gave off a seasoned warrior's presence muttered while gazing at the horizon where dense black clouds gathered with the occasional flash of white followed by roaring thunder that echoed across the barren lands.

A campfire sat in the middle with a group surrounding it, the embers dimly illuminating the people's faces. A man clearly past the prime of his life sat in full plate armour; only his aged face was on display for all to see. He turned to fa...

70. Roselyn

The cavern trembled as an ancient being once again made its presence known on this mortal plane. Mary's body was suspended in the air by a thick column of black vines emanating from her hair; her abyssal eyes gazed at Damien, and her twisted smile sent shivers to all who bared witness.

"For years, I have been trapped in these walls of stone, awaiting my ascension! Yet who would have thought that the gates of the beyond would bare my entry due to negative karma! Centuries went by while I...

69. Wiggles

Within a vast pitch-black cavern, two well-dressed nobles watched with slight interest alongside many little pink spides at Mary's body that floated within a sack of flesh surrounded by black vines.

However, many spiders paid little attention as they were busy comparing the various items that the silly humans had created for them.

Julius, the blacksmith spider, proudly showed off a rather fancy iron sword that floated in the air. Two spiders stared in awe at the human-made creatio...

68. Earning Loyalty Through Negotiations

A middle-aged woman wandered into an office that didn't match one of a town mayor but rather a runaway noble with an unusual habit of collecting anything expensive looking. She glanced around with strained curiosity at the various paintings, sculptures, artefacts and even noble style clothes; her eyes then lingered on an open chest overflowing with mana stones and coins with longing before she finally met the eyes of the room's other occupant.

Damien coldly appraised Mary. 'Average ...