Despite Argrave’s concerns, Rowe caused no significant disturbance. By the time Argrave had arrived at the inn they were staying, Rowe had already elected to rent a room and spend the night. Galamon decided to spend some time to be sure he caused no trouble and attend to his own blood-related needs. Like that, Argrave and Anneliese retired to their dormitory, ready to sleep.
As Argrave sat in his bed, holding the spellbook that contained the [Electric Eel] spell, Anneliese walked over...
2022-02-27 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Stain straightened the ribbon he wore around his neck. His entire outfit—a gaudy thing of red and white—was quite stifling, in his mind. The stifling came from two aspects. It was mentally difficult because Stain loathed wearing the red and white of House Jast. It was physically difficult because the outfit had been made for him one year ago when he was fifteen, and it did not fit as well as it had then.
It had taken some time, but Stain had managed to track down Elias. It was impor...
2022-02-26 08:01:01 +0000 UTC
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“Look at him,” Rowe said, stepping towards Argrave. Elaine and the people with her shifted cautiously beside the shipment of illusion spellbooks. “Goes white as a sheet when he sees me.”
“That’s just my complexion,” Argrave returned.
Argrave wanted to grit his teeth. Rowe being here did not exactly scream peace and prosperity. He was an unpleasant zealot with the power of S-rank magic to back his zeal—it was a wonder Argrave didn’t enter to find that a fight had ...
2022-02-26 07:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Argrave approached Anneliese, who’d slumped against the wall, and put his hands on his knees.
“Feeling queasy, or is it something else?”
She nodded to his open-ended question with her hand still covering her mouth, so Argrave did not know what exactly was wrong. He knelt down, perplexed, and looked to Galamon. He did not seem to have any idea of what to do, either.
“Those creatures,” she finally said, her voice no louder than a whisper. Argrave turned his head back...
2022-02-25 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Argrave’s hand came alive with a spell matrix and a small ball of flame jumped up into the air above his head, illuminating the stone passage ahead. Thorngorge Citadel was distinct from the previous places they had explored. The tomb of metal guardians had been wide and spacious, the ruins hidden within the Cavern of the Lily’s Death had been meticulously carved, but the Citadel was surpassingly simple in design.
A straight cube-shaped hallway stretched ahead. Every so often, iron b...
2022-02-24 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Argrave tipped back the large glass bottle and drained it of the last of the black liquid mana. His gaze stayed locked on the ceiling of the inn as it fell into his mouth. He winced at the familiar taste, twisting his lips about as though to dispel the flavor from his tongue. He felt its magic surge within him, replenishing his diminished supply.
Expending one’s magic was one of the few ways to increase its size. By channeling his magic power to pay off Erlebnis’ debt caused by the ...
2022-02-23 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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In the days to come, Galamon was strongly reminded of back when he and Argrave had been planning for the assault on the druid’s camp. Argrave led them through the city as adroitly as one who lived there, heading to obscure shops and famous shops in equal measure and setting various things in motion. They were unbothered by any, though Galamon was acutely aware of the people watching them. At times, they would be accosted by irate people suspicious that they were Veidimen, but when Argrave r...
2022-02-22 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Argrave walked into the Jast branch of the Order of the Gray Owl, adjusting the strap of the satchel bag off his neck. He looked behind his shoulder briefly. Anneliese and Galamon waited at the entrance, unable to enter as they both lacked a badge. It reminded him of a pair of parents watching their kid to go to kindergarten, and Argrave briefly chuckled.
His mirth very quickly died when he saw Elaine standing just before the central spire elevator, staring at him. Argrave figured by an...
2022-02-21 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Argrave peered past an iron fence into a well-managed estate garden. It had a fountain, a very brief hedge maze, and at the very back, a rather grand mansion. Evidently a smuggler and a branch manager of the Order could grow very wealthy working together. Argrave nodded in recognition then turned away from the fence, gesturing to Anneliese and Galamon to follow. He made his way to the gate. A lone knight guarded it rather idly.
“Hello,” Argrave greeted, voice somewhat dull. He had n...
2022-02-20 10:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Argrave walked into the branch of the Order in Jast with long, confident strides, though he had to admit that he felt rather isolated without his two companions shadowing him inside. They were just outside, waiting patiently. Provided Castro sold Argrave’s proposition well, Anneliese would be given membership to the Order of the Gray Owl soon enough.
The Jast branch of the Order was quite a grand place in comparison to the one in Mateth. It occupied one of the taller towers in Jast. T...
2022-02-20 07:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Argrave neatly placed a single piece of paper atop the table in the center of their inn’s room. They had rented a rather large room with six beds intended as a dormitory. It had been more expensive, but Argrave thought it would be best if they slept near each other and no one protested to the idea. He might’ve found another abandoned house as he had in Mateth, but most ‘abandoned’ places in Jast had some ties to smugglers or criminals.
Galamon handed Argrave a small metal rod wi...
2022-02-19 10:00:11 +0000 UTC
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A man walked down the streets of Jast with his head hung low, brown hair covering much of his face. Rather than sad or dejected, he seemed to be lost in thought. He wore somewhat rugged clothing that matched very well with the color of the buildings throughout the city, enough so that it might be impossible to see him at all in the dark.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t swing it. All of them were ready and eager when I told them about the score, but they changed their tune in hours,
2022-02-19 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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So, I was laid off on the 14th of this month. I'm not too torn up about it. My first reaction was just to start searching for another job, but after some introspection, I've decided to take some time to relax and focus on things I actually enjoy-- namely, writing. This is a luxury I can even consider because of everyone's generous support thus far. So, thank all of you very much. I hope you'll continue to enjoy the stories I create!
Consequently, I'll be doubling the release rate next m...
2022-02-18 17:07:26 +0000 UTC
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The man masked in a bandana held up a small stone rod, and the lock on the iron gate clicked open. The man opened the gate quietly and walked in. Ahead, an overgrown garden waited. Argrave walked through, and Anneliese and Galamon followed shortly behind him. Argrave looked up, seeing several giant black towers looming above. He briefly turned back to the stone tunnel behind them, poorly lit by magic lamps.
“Welcome to Jast,” the man said. “That wooden token we gave you: hold onto...
2022-02-13 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Anneliese blinked open her eyes, dispelling the morning haze over them. For a brief moment, she entirely forgot what they had experienced yesterday, but when she moved her arm she felt a brief twinge of numbness. She was covered in sweat, and her head throbbed.
She shifted her head, looking about where she was. A cold and damp washcloth fell from her forehead. Anneliese first spotted Argrave in his freshly cleaned black leather clothing. He sat just beside her in a chair, reading a spel...
2022-02-12 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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After Galamon’s direction to move, it did not take further encouragement for Argrave to turn and rush down the hallway. The lack of light made him mind his steps, and he ensured Anneliese was moving ahead before coming to a jog himself. Argrave’s arm felt hot, both from the surging pain and the warm blood dripping down it. Behind, the slow rattling of the waking Lily Lurkers escalated into a terrifying sound that consumed the entire ruin—it sounded like metal fragments banging around in...
2022-02-06 07:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Staring at the great horde of immobile Lily Lurkers, Argrave first froze as his two companions did. His rationality took over, though, and he reached out to grab both of their hands. Galamon held a dagger, so Argrave settled for his wrist.
“Just back away slowly,” Argrave whispered. “They haven’t moved yet. No logical reason they will now, unless we do something dramatic.”
His calm words brought them out of their stupor, and both backed away further down the hall, led by...
2022-02-05 07:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Argrave stood at the edge of the Cavern of the Lily’s Death. The dirt beneath his feet was loose, and his feet sunk into it like beach sand. Some of the soil was still damp with the poison they had poured over the entrance. He wore a full set of leather gear with long sleeves, but it still did not feel protective enough.
“Jesus. Everything on me is going to get dirty. I hate this,” Argrave waved his hands about as though trying to shake off bugs.
“You want to lead?” ques...
2022-01-30 07:01:00 +0000 UTC
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An attendant opened a glass door, bowing humbly. Induen paid the attendant little heed, ducking through the glass structure and entering the greenhouse proper. The place was incredibly beautiful and well-kept. The plants were bright and colorful, yet they did not block off the marble pathway winding throughout the entire place. A small brook wound its way around, letting off faint babbling sound. Small bugs no bigger than a coin flew about everywhere, letting out small sparks of multi-colored...
2022-01-29 07:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Argrave watched atop a hill where the trees ended, fading into the lily fields beyond. In the far distance, he could see the entrance to the Lily Lurker’s cavern; the entrance was shaped like a canoe, and the earth looked recently overturned. Closest to the entrance, the lilies wilted, but as they grew further away, they turned a dark red hue.
Argrave knelt down with his left hand pressed against a tree for support as he watched what exactly was occurring. The lily lurkers romped abou...
2022-01-23 07:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Dawn light fell onto the village of White Edge. Argrave sat with legs dangling off the floor of the carriage while the door remained opened, watching the still-visible red moon dip behind the canopy of the forest. His eyes had dark bags beneath them, and he felt generally miserable. Despite that, he knew there was much to do today.
Last night, they had laid out the poison-laced deer flesh throughout the lily fields, leaving distinct marks by each to determine which poison had been effec...
2022-01-22 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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“Such a cruel world,” said a deep voice in lamentation. “That the gods should take these hands from you, it is their test. You must stay strong.”
Orion wrapped a bandage around the disease-ridden hand of a farmer. The man, likely a common laborer, laid on the floor in a simple mat of blankets. Orion knelt by his side, long black hair bound in a single braid behind him. Throughout the rest of the simple warehouse, the royal knights tended to the other sick. Some of them were alre...
2022-01-16 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Anneliese looked out the window of the carriage, her head resting on her hand. The carriage rode across a field of lilies, leaving a trail behind in the pure white flowers. The fields seemed unending. As Argrave recalled, one could only see this field at certain times in the game—fall. They were near the end of fall.
“A pretty sight,” Anneliese commented. “Like snow, but… alive.”
“Yes, very beautiful,” Argrave agreed, looking at Anneliese. “As we move ahead, they...
2022-01-15 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Anneliese held a coin in her hand, twisting it through the light passing into the carriage. Though the coin was a metallic pink, its surface shone with a great many colors as it grappled with the light. It was not a mere reflection from a crystalline surface. Its projection of light was indeterminable and unending, moving to create beautiful images indefinitely. It was, after all, a magic coin.
“How do these rose gold coins function?” Anneliese asked.
Argrave lifted his head f...
2022-01-09 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The two suns were just beginning to set behind the mountains, the red moon rising to take its place. At a point in the vast ridge, two mountains converged to form a narrow valley. Uneven rolling hills occupied one side of the mountains, covered with infrequent patches of dormant grass. If one went through the valley, moving beyond the mountains, one could see an unending expanse of black sand marred by a single half-buried stone road.
In the middle of the valley, a wall of smooth taupe ...
2022-01-08 07:01:00 +0000 UTC
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Argrave watched the village of Barden from horseback. The metal men had been stacked in a great pit off the side to the village. All along the coast, devastation was apparent. Few villages were left untouched, and even now, refugees moved to Mateth. The great fields outside of the city had been trampled, crushed, burnt, and more. This place might be wracked by famine in the years to come.
In the corner of his mind, he could feel the consciousness of the pigeons under the control of his ...
2022-01-02 07:10:01 +0000 UTC
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Argrave scattered bread across the streets, watching as the pigeons dropped down and chewed on it without care for the abundance of people walking about. He looked one in the eye, and then his hand shone with a spell matrix. Argrave felt a bizarre sensation in his chest that felt as though some carbonated liquid was bubbling about near his heart.
After, with his will alone, the bird flew up and joined a flock of six. They acted just as ordinary birds, but there was a certain connection ...
2022-01-02 07:01:01 +0000 UTC
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“Just Argrave, no Vasquer,” Argrave corrected. “And you’re Castro, Master of the Order of the Gray Owl,” Argrave continued quickly. “Nikoletta informed me you were looking for me. Beyond that, I don’t know much. Although I have an inkling, I’m not quite sure. Why don’t you come in? I have no refreshments on hand, but you can at least sit.” Argrave stood aside and gestured to the table in the corner of the room.
Castro nodded. “Please and thank you.” He entered th...
2022-01-01 07:10:01 +0000 UTC
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“…and after the tomb guardians rolled in on Barden, one of their arrows hit the palisades. I was knocked unconscious by the wood splinters,” Argrave explained. “Anneliese here can tell you what happened afterwards,” he finished, tapping the snow elf’s elbow as they walked through the gates of the Monticci estate.
Ahead, two knights carried a chest up through the estate’s front door. Anneliese was observing everything around her with a great deal of interest. Though she fei...
2021-12-31 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Nikoletta sat by her father’s bedside, staring down at his steady breathing. His injuries were healed, leaving not even a scar, and his breathing was steady and unlabored. Still, he refused to awaken.
“It’s been two days, Master Castro. Can you not awaken him yet?” Nikoletta said, trying to keep her tone polite, but finding it difficult to do so in light of her worry.
The old tower master stood beside her, watching the Duke Enrico. “As I told you, the spell to do so woul...
2021-12-30 07:00:03 +0000 UTC
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