Crack!
The pillar sped toward them at a frightening rate; the sheer amount of mana raging from it was incredible.
But something was off.
That surge of mana…was it-?
“The worm’s mana’s getting closer!” Alex shouted as the group flew higher into the sky. He popped the lid of his second flight potion and chugged it, the others did the same.
“Why would-Oh, that sneaky bastard,” Thundar said. “Alex! Can Claygon smash that tower?”
“Wh...
2021-10-08 00:13:32 +0000 UTC
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“It will sense us soon,” Khalik said, nodding to Najyah and sending her into the sky—above the range of the worm’s sensory abilities—to act as another pair of eyes. “It likely already felt the earth’s vibration when we were teleported in: our collective weight would have suddenly displaced this area we are standing on.”
“Then let's get off the ground as fast as we can,” Alex said quickly, pulling out his potions of flight and passing them to Isolde, Theresa, Thundar,...
2021-10-06 23:14:46 +0000 UTC
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“You kind of gave me the idea, Thundar,” Alex said. “Remember when that mana vampire got you?”
The minotaur glared at him. “No, Alex. I completely forgot that a monster nearly sucked all the mana out of me like a giant leech.”
“…yeah, okay, stupid question, I admit it,” Alex said sheepishly. “So, when that happened—and when we fought the xyrthak—we were given a mana soothing potion, right?”
“I remember how well it calmed my mana pool
2021-10-05 21:15:23 +0000 UTC
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“This is paradise,” said The Fool of Thameland as he stretched out on the grass.
A glowing crimson hand floating beside him picked up a dried, candied pineapple ring from a basket and gently placed it in his mouth. The basket was also floating in midair, hanging from a glowing red orb: the first spell he’d ever learned, forceball.
It was a cool spring day and a sun-shower was coming down lightly, but another spell—wind and rain shield—blocked the droplets from wetting hi...
2021-10-02 22:43:36 +0000 UTC
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“This isn’t working!” Drestra’s cry swept through the night.
The Sage of Uldar floated high above a circle of standing stones that rose from a misty hilltop. She chanted spells in a voice that crackled like fire; her golden, reptilian eyes seemed to glow above the veil covering her face. Her form was ringed by a golden globe of force, while spells poured from her outstretched hands like an endless river.
Fireballs shot down the hilltop like a meteor shower...
2021-10-01 20:39:04 +0000 UTC
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Alex’s eyes flicked to the map. “Where did the book say the creature was from?”
“Oh, the author had no idea,” Baelin said. “But there was a sighting, which one of my librarians found.” The book hovered in front of Baelin, flipping its pages to a spot in the middle of it. The chancellor made a face. “Ugh, charming.”
“What is it?”
“Some of the library books are cared for with little care by students who use them, and considering where this book is from,...
2021-09-30 22:51:13 +0000 UTC
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“A dune worm is a very dangerous opponent for the unprepared or…anyone,” Baelin said. “Partly because of its size. It grows to the size of a whale. Not the greatest of whale-kind, but certainly large enough.”
He waved his hand, and an illusion of a map appeared.
“Their territory lies deeper in The Barrens, and—thankfully—they cannot survive close to the edges. These creatures require a great deal of ambient mana to sustain them, or put another way, to prevent their...
2021-09-29 21:31:03 +0000 UTC
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“You know what?” Thundar grunted. “This is getting easier.”
He flipped through his notebooks—filled with notes and reminders in his own handwriting and that of his entire cabal—and grinned.
“A lot of this stuff gets a lot quicker to get into the ol’ skull when I’ve got you super geniuses helping me out.” He chuckled.
Isolde sighed, giving him a look from across Khalik’s table. A veritable ocean of paper, notebooks and pens filled her side of the table. ...
2021-09-28 22:52:34 +0000 UTC
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If there was anything that would never cease to surprise Alex about people, it was how quickly many bounced back from just about anything.
In the days following the attack on the patrizia’s estate, Giuseppe had seen to the few wounded who’d stayed on at the manor, put them back on their feet, then escorted them to their homes. Then he’d begun a single-minded hunt for any Barrens-monsters that had attacked his home and guests but had escaped. He and a group eager to avenge themselv...
2021-09-25 20:58:40 +0000 UTC
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The flight potion released in a cloud, mixing with the dust and spraying over Alex and his captor. The monster continued assaulting him, desperate to get around his shield with its claws.
Alex’s mind raced in confusion
Why wasn’t-
‘Breath!’ he thought. ‘It hadn’t cried out when Claygon had hit it! It's not coughing from the dust! The bloody thing is holding its breath!’
He shot the forceball behind his head and began spinning it around, whipping the dust ...
2021-09-25 00:19:03 +0000 UTC
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Alex and Claygon chased the monster as it loped ahead, suddenly disappearing into a building with its doors wide open.
The young wizard recast lesser force armour as he guided his way through The Mark’s interference. The spell briefly glowed with a crimson light then reformed as his mana raced through the magic circuits.
Casting the spell and getting around The Mark while chasing the fleeing monster took extra effort, but better to have the protection in place befor...
2021-09-23 22:02:44 +0000 UTC
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The bonedrinker’s remains blackened and sizzled: a monster that had taken Baelin’s class everything they had to kill,had been destroyed with a single blast from Claygon’s fire-gems. Their power seemed to have grown since Alex implanted them in the golem.
And Claygon wasn’t finished.
Following the last order from Alex as it came rushing to protect him, the golem raised its left palm toward the garden: red light and heat built up in the fire-gem embedded in its palm.
2021-09-23 00:01:53 +0000 UTC
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The lean hunter moved through the winding paths within the hedges, stopping at the edge of the maze and peering onto the battlefield.
It was almost time.
The first hunter and the scarred one were moving into position as well, slipping up beside their sibling with practiced silence. They had plenty of cover: their monster horde flooded over the walls, striking at the mortals with unrestrained ferocity. The three watched their plan unfold.
Sword, spear and halberd struck flesh...
2021-09-21 22:23:37 +0000 UTC
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“Are you all enjoying your evening?” Giuseppe strolled up to Theresa and Alex, smiling behind a mask that looked like the face of a regal hound. “I was very intrigued by your dancing earlier and have to compliment your uhm…vigour.” He laughed. “I was telling Isolde during your…uhm display, that she certainly has some rather…exciting friends. It isn’t often that one group draws so much attention at one of my little parties.”
“Oh, we’ve been having a fantastic time...
2021-09-19 00:06:47 +0000 UTC
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The hunter crouched low in the tree, studying its quarry while keeping its senses sharp.
Mortals moved around wearing face coverings and strange garments that seemed heavy. Good. They would be less mobile; this was to the hunter’s advantage. The quarry spoke with another human, one with a sword belted at the waist.
Another mortal also stood nearby with a sword.
The hunter’s eyes continued to scan the large crowd below.
Many were armed with sw...
2021-09-17 23:45:19 +0000 UTC
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The sky-yacht cut through the air, soaring above the countryside at speed. It banked as it approached the Patrizia’s grounds, slowing as it did. There were a great number of sky-yachts and gondolas pulling up to the airspace above the manor, and the road below was filled with fine carriages conveying their wealthy passengers.
Theresa sighed as she looked over at the evening sun slowly making its way toward sunset. Alex couldn’t help but stare at her graceful neck and shoulders, left...
2021-09-16 21:48:34 +0000 UTC
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As the days passed, the group of friends kept visiting Thundar as his health steadily got better. Meanwhile, Alex continued to improve his dancing skills. He’d actually gotten to the point where he was pretty good at a number of popular dance moves, and he and Theresa would practice together.
He was getting more excited as the evening of the party drew near, even though that excitement had soured a bit when he had to fork out more coin than he’d planned on for a suitable doublet and...
2021-09-15 20:57:19 +0000 UTC
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The time for the Patrizia’s ball had completely snuck up on Alex. He couldn’t really blame himself for almost forgetting about the upcoming party: life had been busy.
Very busy.
But in good ways.
“2,950, 2,960,” the city’s accountant counted out the small mountain of gold coins on his desk. “2,970, 2,980, 2,990 aaaand 3,000 in all. Divided amongst all of you…”
He looked up, peering over his lenses at the small crowd filling the hall in front of...
2021-09-14 17:28:46 +0000 UTC
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The Ravener’s hunter emerged from the sea, shaking the salt water from its iron-hard hide. Two splashes followed right behind; its two siblings quickly surfaced on the isolated beach. In its travels far and wide—pinging for its kin—it had only managed to join with these two. Another was found, but it had been mortally wounded by a powerful wild monster far to the north.
The others were either too far or too spread out to locate. Or, they could even be long dead.
The three hu...
2021-09-11 21:51:27 +0000 UTC
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Alex washed his hands then turned to Claygon.
“Professors, would you mind uh…helping me with the activation process?” Alex asked. “I know I’m supposed to do this alone, but I’ve never activated a golem outside of a team of four: a crafter and three assistants. I’m not sure if I can do it by myself, especially with the special nature of the core and the mana that I’m using.”
“Of course,” Baelin said. “You have solved the major hurdle and have learned from it...
2021-09-10 12:45:55 +0000 UTC
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[Author's warning, just as dark as last time]
Horror lay in the mana vampire’s eyes.
It looked semi-conscious and partially delirious, but seemed to comprehend—at least in part—what was happening to it.
The creature tried to divert some of the processed mana to self-heal, but the mana vacuum was draining it directly from the organ that processed the mana. It had nothing to use.
The wild mana in the rest of its body was still burning it out, now even faster than ...
2021-09-09 21:25:25 +0000 UTC
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The wind whipped through their hair as Lucia drove the sky-gondola at its maximum safe speed. Alex hadn’t known that the boats could fly that fast, but was glad that they could since time was a factor tonight.
He looked at the mana vampire in the front end of the sky-gondola. Theresa had hog-tied the thing—wrenching its damaged limbs as she did—then wrapped the rope around its knees for extra security. The creature could only moan in its unconscious state, and did not wak...
2021-09-08 22:52:08 +0000 UTC
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To say that the mana vampire had seen better days would be an understatement. It would likely be dead already if its battered body weren’t using its last dregs of stolen mana to cling to life.
One of its arms had been torn away, leaving nothing more than a stump from partway down its bicep. Its other arm—while still attached—was broken in three places and had been shredded by cerberus fangs. Mana had been able to only close the wounds slightly, leaving a discoloured mess of thin-l...
2021-09-07 21:50:28 +0000 UTC
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Khalik gasped. “Theresa! Brutus! Get away-”
Boom!
Mana blasted toward the huntress and cerberus in a telekinetic wave.
Brutus yelped as it slammed into him, pushing the massive cerberus back along the cobblestones; his nails scraped the uneven surface. His entire body shook as he tried to clear his heads.
“Brutus!” Theresa cried, spinning out of the worst of the wave and darting forward, thrusting her great-grandfather’s curved blade.
The...
2021-09-04 13:29:05 +0000 UTC
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The group quickly moved through the streets toward the sky-pier, the atmosphere growing more tense with every step.
The jingle of guards’ armour as they searched the city was punctuated by the sound of doors slamming all throughout the surrounding streets. Folks kept moving, looking around nervously at shadows.
Hunters—both amateur and professional—from all across the city were starting to appear, boiling out of alleyways with weapons drawn....
2021-09-03 21:56:03 +0000 UTC
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Alex was using every ounce of will to try and get himself to his feet; his breath was laboured and his body felt like it weighed a thousand tons. The mana drain was still hitting him.
His head swam, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Thundar and the creature draining his precious mana.
Panic surged through his thoughts.
Khalik was showing no sign of movement: his mana had been drained twice, first through Najyah, then as he defended them. When the creature had grabbed th...
2021-09-02 19:54:40 +0000 UTC
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Khalik ran ahead, weaving through the crowd.
“Move aside! Move, I tell you!” he roared, drawing his short sword. As he shouted—in his panic—he switched back and forth between Tekish, his mother tongue, and the common tongue.
Thundar and Alex were right behind him, with the minotaur casting a body enhancement spell on himself and drawing his mace. “Mana vampire!” Thundar roared. “The mana vampire’s close! Help!”
“No wait-” Alex started.
But i...
2021-09-01 23:10:56 +0000 UTC
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This was it, the day Alex and his fellow xyrthak hunters would be meeting up at the restaurant to celebrate. It was cloudy, but the air was its regular Generasi warm and he and Selina were having a brother and sister only picnic beforehand.
He watched his little sister for a long moment while trying to pick the best time for their talk. In a way, he was still dreading the conversation. She’d been pretty calm and relaxed lately, except for a few rare mornings and evenings when sh...
2021-08-31 23:07:52 +0000 UTC
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Alex was having a pretty damn good day.
He was laying on his back beneath the almost always sunny Generasi sky with a bed of soft grass cushioning him. Above him, an experiment with spellcraft was bearing fruit.
He watched as his crimson glowing force shield turned and pivoted by will and mana manipulation. One thought sent it spinning in circles like the xyrthak had after inhaling his potion. Another flipped it like a coin until it turned to face him.
He examined his modifi...
2021-08-28 21:11:15 +0000 UTC
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Alex appeared in the stadium just before Baelin and the rest of the group shimmered back into being. An exhausted, but triumphant cry rose from all around.
Theresa raced up and caught him in a tight hug, actually lifting him off his feet and spinning with him. Khalik surged in next, turning it into the start of a group hug. Isolde merely smiled warmly beside them.
…until Thundar came roaring in and tackled her into the hug.
“Ah! Release us you big brute!” she cried, th...
2021-08-27 18:22:03 +0000 UTC
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