VoidHerald

The Perfect Run 111: Past Fragment: Origins of the Species

• December 12th, 1992, Antarctica.

Eva Fabre loved watching the night sky.

She couldn’t see the stars in Paris, but Antarctica had no light pollution to hide them. Auroras danced in the heavens, while the Milky Way shone brightly above her head. The night seemed alive and full of wonders, the darkness of space overwhelmed by islands of light.

Was there ever a more beautiful sight?

Eva had wanted to become an astronaut when she was a child. But bein...

Kairos 44: The Lord of Riddles

Father.

The word rang heavy in Kairos’ mind, as he rode Rook above the western plains. “I’m going to be a father,” he whispered to himself, the thought making him feel both anxious and excited.

“I am so happy for you!” Rook congratulated his best friend, his snake-tail wagging like a dog’s. “I am so proud, Kairos! You are finally an adult!”

“I am older than you,” the [Griffin Rider] pointed out.

“I’m more mature!” The griffin peeked over his...

Patreon Update: Story Poll, NDT, Fan Arts

Hi guys, something of a large update about the Patreon's future after the Perfect Run's incoming conclusion, news on Never Die Twice, and a collected fan art collection.

1) Plan for the next story after the Perfect Run

At the time of writing, I am 90 percent sure that the Perfect Run will conclude in late August (around chapter 125-130).  To avoid a situation like Vainqueur's conclusion where there was a month-long gap between my stories, I'v...

Kairos Volume One PDF

Hi there,

Here is the long promised PDF compilation of Kairos' first volume available to all patrons for download. 

Since the book will be eventually put on Kindle Unlimited due to my partnership with Aethon Books, chapters might be taken down at some point, so download the book while you still can ;) you will get a warning before the book will be put on KU, don't worry, and it won't be before Fall.  

Best regards,

Voidy. 

The Perfect Run 110: The Truth Beneath the Ice

Snow. Snow, everywhere.

Antarctica was a land of ice without end, a white expanse of glaciers, frozen mountains, and plains so white that sunlight made them almost blinding to look at. It was utterly silent too. The few penguins and wildlife living on the continent nested along the coasts, and left the continent’s interior utterly lifeless.

Clad in the Saturn Armor, Ryan flew above the frozen wasteland with only Leo Hargraves for company. The courier remembered making a stop in ...

Kairos 43: Legacy

Cassandra came back with a catch.

Standing on the crescent-shaped harbor of Histria with a small group of bodyguards, Kairos watched on as ships crowded the wharves and piers, taking on grain shipments, off-loading fish cargo, or letting new colonists take their first step on the island. Others moved through the mouth of the local Eosian river’s mouth, to transport merchandise to the new settlement of Taulas.

Once nothing more than a shore of sand and stone, the port ha...

The Perfect Run 109: Carnival Town

Monaco’s shores came into sight on the third day of travel.

Sitting on a deckchair atop the submarine’s tower, Ryan observed the scenery with a phone in hand. The forbidden land hadn’t changed in the years since the courier last visited it. The city was all pristine and colorful, a nice cover for the horrors inside. Even after facing more than a dozen apocalypses, superpowered tyrants, and other horrors, this place still unsettled Ryan on a bone-deep level.

Thankfully though...

Kairos 42: Winter is Here

Winter was coming, and the monsters arrived early.

All civilizations north of the Sunsea feared the winter season, the most dangerous of them all. Navigation slowed down to a crawl during that period. Winter storms were as dangerous as their autumnal counterparts, and cloudy skies made it difficult to use the stars or sun for navigation. Mists and fogs obscured reefs and dangerous straits. Very few maritime routes remained relatively safe to travel, and only the bravest of sailors dared...

The Perfect Run 108: Go Daddy Go

The dragon cop let out a mighty roar, and the robber centurion answered with a spear to the eye.

Wyvern deflected the projectile with her scaled hand, the spear’s shaft snapping in half on impact. Determined to fight the LAW, Mars continued with his attacks, assisted by Sparrow. The Olympian and his accomplice launched javelins and lasers at the dragon above their head, while Mortimer outpaced them to chase after Ryan’s Plymouth Fury.

Wyvern, or Drago...

The Perfect Run 107: Black Dinner

Ryan wondered how many lives Felix ‘Atom Cat’ Veran had left.

He had died at the Meta-Gang’s hands at least twice, once to Fallout’s bombardment of Len’s underwater base, and probably alongside everyone in New Rome when Bloodstream escaped confinement. Which should leave him with five lives out of nine?

“Felix!” Narcinia almost rose from her seat, only for Mars to put a hand on her shoulder and force her back to her seat. The young teen looked at her adoptive brother...

The Perfect Run 106: Mice Trap

Mars and Venus’ home embodied everything wrong about their organization: rot festering beneath a nice veneer.

Oh, at first glance their manor looked like the height of casual opulence. Venus had tastefully decorated her home with luxuries such as English furniture, hardwood cabinets from Spain, Turkish carpets and Tunisian tapestries. The manor also housed billiard tables, private poker rooms, and even a Roman-themed art gallery. Ryan guessed they couldn’t help but pucker up to Ligh...

Kairos 41: Volume One Epilogue

Out of all the things Kairos had seen in his life, a gorgon officiating a wedding ceremony would rank among the strangest.

And yet Euryale stood before him, the ancient horror having raised a stone altar beneath a colossal, twisted thorn tree near her house. Kairos could feel reptilian eyes watching them from the shadows.

Andromache held Kairos’ arm with her own, wearing a refined peplos dress, immaculate and woven with golden strands. She wore no jewelry, except the necklace th...

The Perfect Run 105: Miracle Cure

Bacchus returned to his factory to find it in ruins.

The face he made upon seeing his base burning would forever remain one of Ryan’s most cherished memories. Such a subtle mix of disbelief, anger, horror… the priest had clenched his jaw so tightly that the courier worried he might break his teeth.

Augustus’ reaction had been far less amusing though.

After landing on the island to see things for himself and hearing reports of the Carnival’s involvement, the ...

Kairos 40: Sun and Moon

Kairos had to give it to the gods, they knew how to receive guests.

Prometheus hosted the banquet in his villa’s open hall, which provided a magnificent view of the sea. The stars reflected in the sea, the horizon shining brightly like a tide of silver. The moon was almost full above them, providing enough light for Kairos to see without torches.

The marble room itself was a wonder of architecture. It included a large pool deep enough to swim, with a golden sphere statue magical...

The Perfect Run 104: Return of the Cashmere

Ryan thought this run would have been an Augusti one. Joining the mafia organization, climbing the ranks, perhaps challenging the Big Thunder Man for his daughter’s hand.

But as he prepared to assault the Bliss Factory with a ragtag band of misfits at his back, Ryan understood he had been mistaken. This run was a hidden, yet unexplored route.

The Carnival route.

Ryan and Shroud floated far above the Bliss Factory, hidden inside a cloud; the former carried by his armor’s ...

Kairos 39: Hindsight and Foresight

Kairos left Histria as a village of mud, and returned to a town made of stone.

Dispater’s builders had earned their pay and raised dozens of buildings through magic. Aurelia had boasted they could raise a house per day, but if anything, she had undersold their talents. Not only did they produce twice that amount in the three weeks Kairos had been away, but they also created cobbled roads. They had redirected the nearby river into the sea to allow ships to move inland, raised watermill...

Kairos June Poll: Olympic Games or Atlantis?

Hi guys, Kairos' first volume is coming to end soon and I will be outlining the second one, 'War of the Pirate Kings.' As thus, you get to choose one arc that will be showcased in the next volume. 

1) Lost Atlantis

In the end, the Foresight learned to swim before it could fly. With the ability to move under the sea, the Foresight's crew embarks on an adventure in the mermaid kingdom of Orichalcos. Their goal? To find the ...

The Perfect Run 103: Drug Bust

It was May 14th in New Rome, and a handsome secret agent flew above the Mediterranean sea.

The wind brushing against his mask and magician's hat, Ryan peeked over his jetpack to look at Vulcan. The Genius was hot on his trail, piloting her slow, bulky mech. “Come on, you aren’t even trying!” the courier taunted his favorite dwarf over the intercom. It was the second round of the race, and she couldn’t catch up to him. “Then again, your mom was so slow, it took her nine months ...

Kairos 38: Veni, Vidi, Vici

Cassandra Bato was no stranger to death.

Few people lingered in her life for long. She had buried parents, siblings, lovers, friends, and foes; outliving them all. She had served under three captains of the Foresight over two decades: Chron, strong and shrewd; his brother Panos, daring and reckless; and Kairos himself. All three she had loved.

Two had perished on her watch, and the third might follow.

Even now, while Lady Julia and priestesses sang an ode to Queen P...

The Perfect Run 102: Moving On

The conquest of Mechron’s mainframe could be summed up in one sentence.

They came, they saw, they lucked out.

“That’s painful to watch,” Bianca said, as Ryan played a movie montage in the recreational area. He had set up a large screen TV near the bar, allowing Sarin, Eugène-Henry, and the orphaned children to watch ‘The Adventures of Lucky Girl’ in high definition. Shroud also talked to Fortuna away from the group, or rather at her; the Augusti scow...

Kairos 37: Flames of Tartarus

The winds were Kairos’ battlefield, and the birds his soldiers.

“Flock!” The Travian warlord shouted. “To me!”

Horace and other Stymphalian birds croaked as they took to the skies. Though a few followed Kairos from Histria, most came from Achlys itself, their fickle loyalty bought with meat and promises. Hundreds flew after Rook in a great flock, while their foes were twins.

The Boreads looked beautiful even in undeath, more swans than men. Great white wings carrie...

The Perfect Run 101: Lover's Breath

Lightning Butt’s burns ached on Ryan’s chest, as he parked the Plymouth Fury west of New Rome.

Triton’s Resort was a large complex on a small hill, built between the infamous Colosseum Maximus and Little Lilith, the city’s red light district. Glass domes and tall white spires coexisted with elevated pleasure gardens, tennis courts, and thermal pools, while the wealthiest clients could enjoy an unbeatable view of New Rome’s coast. Like almost all properties owned by the Augusti...

Kairos 36: Blood Moon

Every minute, he was getting a little better at riding Rook.

Kairos had Thales and his spear to thank for that. The automaton genius had modified a horse’s saddle to fit a griffin’s back, with chains keeping the rider’s legs attached to the beast. The [Hero] couldn’t climb down quickly, that was true, but he no longer risked falling off his friend’s back with every flap of his wings. It was a clumsy, difficult ordeal, but at least Kairos could fight on griffinback.

The [...