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The half-orc cracked her knuckles. “Well, that was a good little fight,” she said, turning to Thundar as the minotaur cleaned his mace. “That was a good idea you had. Waiting for those demons to catch up to the others really gave us an edge.”

“Wait, what?” Alex demanded, snapping out of his revenge-fuelled joy. “What does she mean by, ‘waiting ...

2023-02-19 00:19:05 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 525: A Dish Best Served by Way of Many Pointy Teeth

Alex was painting Elder Blodeuwedd’s symbols along a glass enclosure in the trophy room of Kaz-Mowang’s palace. “If I can drain the mana, we’ll be in business. Watch the doors. All of them. Tell me if anything’s coming.”

“Gotcha, we’ll keep watch,” Ripp said. “Get that case open quick.”

“And try not to be killed by some devilish trap,” Kyembe added as he let go of Alex’s shoulder.

“I’ll do my best.” The young wizard said dryly.

In his ...

2023-02-18 01:16:26 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 524: Death Comes to Jaretha

Alex could hardly contain himself.

After nearly two years of wondering, searching, and running into dead ends…he’d found something. Something that could give him some answers was near, yet still just out of reach.

Dread was gnawing at his belly.

Getting the Traveller’s information in his hands felt a little…too easy.

It seemed like all he had to do was reach out, smash the glass and claim the object for his own. But how could it be so simple? Would Kaz-Mowang�...

2023-02-17 00:42:58 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 523: The Rescue Begins

“Stop, mortal!” one of Kaz-Mowang’s demon guards bellowed, pointing an immense spear at the staggering, purple-clad man. “You are trespassing in the depths of Kaz-Mowang’s halls! Flee, or die!”

“Please, mercy, I beg of you, great and mighty demons!” Kyembe cried, his voice cracking as though he were about to weep. “Do not send me back alone! I am frightened!”

More eyes turned, scrutinising the mercenary, demonic maws twisted in disgust.

Alex watched their...

2023-02-15 22:46:47 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 522: Chaos in Jaretha

Burn-Saw began moving with urgency while whispering to his master.

Thundar’s stomach dropped.

Things were about to go to hell.

Literally.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me ladies,” he laughed. “I gotta go and get my friends together for uh…a party.”

“Oooh,” one of his admirers pouted. “We were hoping you’d show us another impression of the mighty Kaz-Mowang.”

“Of his stamina.” The word dripped from the other female demon�...

2023-02-14 21:42:41 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 521: The End of Patience

“Do you think I am here to risk myself, or to allow you to risk my position?” Zonon-In’s eyes flashed, her voice falling so low that little sound seemed to come from her lips. Yet her voice echoed through Alex’s mind. “I am here to enjoy the party, mortal. Your affairs are your own.”

Her gaze burned into the jester as he prayed to the Traveller that she wouldn’t recognize him. He was nearer to her than he would have liked—closer than he’d anticipated—waiting for the ...

2023-02-12 01:19:51 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 520: A Performance among Fiends

Alex’s scar itched under his shirt sleeve. Normally, the old wound wasn’t prominent in his thoughts: he had more important marks on his body, after all, but this evening, a creeping sensation kept running through the long, raised scar on his arm. He scratched it absently, while sounds of revelry reached him through a thin wall and the door to the chamber the troupe was waiting in.

Hours had passed since his conversation with the archivist, and the time had been filled with frantic a...

2023-02-10 16:05:24 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 519: A Symbol of Fruit

The archivist, to no one’s surprise, was a horrible creature.

Twice as tall as Alex, with the bloated body of a bipedal pig—dripping with mucus—and the head of an enormous, filthy fly. The creature’s odour burned Alex’s eyes and churned his stomach.

It took every bit of his training to keep his face neutral, and thankfully, the carrot strapped to his face limited his sense of smell; but, he also had to keep blinking to stop tears from pouring down his face.

The mas...

2023-02-09 23:30:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 518: Old "Friendly" Faces and New Unfriendly Ones

For a few heartbeats, Alex’s nerves threatened to fray.

Memories of what had happened in Crymlyn Swamp came back to him: the demonic magic ripping through his mind, the war-spear slicing Claygon’s body, the terrible blows raining down on his friends…

He shuddered as anger and uneasiness crept up his spine; expecting Zonon-In to recognize him. Would she attack him? Probably not: the greater demon knew that these ‘performers’ she had helped ‘arrange’ for Kaz-Mowang wer...

2023-02-09 00:59:03 +0000 UTC View Post