hcmills

Chapter 299: Like a brick house

The fabric wobbles and trembles as we slowly pull it into the Yin-Yang Realm. Or on top of it, is perhaps a better way to put it.

Regardless, it doesn’t seem to hurt Elysia, just make her uncomfortable. Like wading into a cold pool of water. In response, I slow down my crew, giving her some time to get used to the ‘temperature’—so to speak—of the Laws of Being.

However, her hesitance isn’t the only source of resistance. As the overlap between the Realms becomes greater...

Going to Buitenkunst Drenthe next week!

Buitenkunst means 'outside art'. ^^

I'll be sleeping in a tent in the woods, taking creative workshops between the trees; it's great fun! However, since I'll have no WiFi, hardly any power, and no time to write, I'm afraid I'll be taking a mini-break from posting chapters.

Next new chapter (after today's) will be out on the 21st!

Chapter 298: Science, bitch!

“If you haven’t closed your eyes yet, then close ’em now,” I instruct the crew I’ve gathered on Herman’s sandy shore. “Get a firm grip on your tether—your own tether, Whiskers!”

It takes a bit more wrangling to get the deep-blue jungle cat to let go of Sal’s fiery tether, but I eventually manage.

Finally, everyone is quiet, and hopefully focused on the collective Imagination we’re about to undertake.

“I’m going to count to three,” I say s...

Chapter 297: If we knew what we were doing...

It takes some more discussion for us to figure out who should be doing what right now, but we get there. We decide Dave ought to be permanently stationed in Trisha’s Teahouse, so he can keep refining our plans and coordinate through her.

An unexpected boon comes to light when we ask Trisha to take good care of him. It turns out she’s come up with a new, experimental technique based on the Blank Space.

“I started to think, rather than constantly transferring Espir, why not tr...

Chapter 296: The little engine that could

I stare at Dave, the gears in my head whirring. “Use the Voidcannon against them? That’s a pretty bold idea. Suri, could it be done?”

Suri is silent for a moment, her conjured humanoid face considering. “It won’t be easy, but it’s not outside the realm of possibilities,” she concludes. “We’d have to infiltrate its command centre and take control of at least some of the Peilor operators, I’d imagine. The more pertinent question, perhaps, is should it...

Chapter 295: Under pressure

We bid goodbye to Kirri and Koko, and move through interstitial space to Trisha’s Teahouse, ferrying over Dave, Alec, Jacob, Loudmouth, and—for convenience—Akir.

Other drones from Trisha are already present upon our arrival to take over providing Espir to our friends.

Hiveminds sure are convenient.

With all the new faces and additional drones, our room in her teahouse is getting rather cramped, but we manage to bunch up most of the blue dragons on the couch, with Alec ...

Chapter 294: Ain’t no party like an...

While Akir sets up his bar, the rest of us drag over some of Herman’s folding chairs and collect firewood from the sparse trees on the outskirts of the pocket dimension.

These are all things we could conjure, of course, but there’s something satisfying about doing it by hand. Besides, I’d rather not accidentally let my chair Fade while I’m plastered, and end up on my behind.

Soon enough, we’re seated around a nice little campfire, drinking Akir’s creations and eating t...

Planning a trip to New York!

Yes yes, I know; I only just got back from Barcelona, but ya gotta plan ahead. ;)

Barcelona was lovely, by the way, if rather hot this time of year. We saw a lot of great architecture, ate a lot of great food, and just had a fantastic time overall, despite the heat. ;)

Anyway, right now we're thinking of heading to New York in the fall, specifically in October, as Marleen is a big fan of Halloween, and it's just not celebrated to her standards in the Netherlands. :p

So I was...

Chapter 293: Just a hairy guy

Using my tendrils, I drag the glittery, white crystalline spiritform of Yog through the interstitial space, until we pop out in Herman’s Haven.

And I do mean drag, as he’s not exactly done struggling, and keeps conjuring more pure-white blades to hack at my glowing purple appendages.

“You shan’t get away with this!” he yells, disturbing the serenity on the idyllic beach. “Your little rebellion is doomed to—”

“Do you ever shut up?” I snap at him, hitting h...

Quick announcement: No new chapter coming Friday and Monday!

I'm going to Barcelona for a long weekend, and I've decided I'm not going to post while I'm there, in part also because I've been so busy with the German translation that my chapter buffer has shrunk a little. ;)

That means the next chapter will come Friday the 21st!

Chapter 292: Megamind

My awareness expands, and all of a sudden, I have limbs again, and eyes, and a sense of smell.

Plus a terrible itch in an unmentionable location.

Thankfully, the sensations are muted, like phantom limbs and senses rather than real ones, but they’re there. More importantly, I can hear thoughts. Thoughts that aren’t mine.

Man, this is so weird, Alec thinks. I hope I can manage not to think about—

I cut him off right there, by sen...

Chapter 291: The most desperate measure

My Imaginary stomach sinks as Yog expertly uses a mix of regular and Inverse Gravitational Energy to smoothly float himself and Dave up to the top of the cavern, while Alec only just resurfaces in the lake below.

Damnit, he’s getting away!

I quickly spin up some Inverse Spatial Energy, but find it impossible to warp to a spot near Dave, as the area is full of Gravitational Energy.

My panic rises as Yog approaches the spout and the powerful flow of Hydrum easily pa...

Fourth Audiobook just released!

Well, the title says it all, really. ^^

Go check it out here if you're interested! https://books2read.com/WhisperingCrystals4

Chapter 290: What does the scouter say...

Gravity loses its grip on us as we’re pulled into the icy grip of the Warptunnel. Because it is, in fact, a short tunnel, as Suri explained it.

While Inverse Spatial Energy is capable of connecting two distant points in space together, it does so by bridging the gap between them with a short, sub-dimensional bridge.

As it happens, this particular bridge has a bit of a bend in it, leading to a hole...

An instant later, Alec and I come out of what looks like a tear in space ...

Unnatürliche Gesetze!

That's German for Unnatural Laws. 

In case you didn't figure it out yet, this is the announcement post for the release of the German translation of my first book! :p

Clara Ostendarp did a great job on translating it (from what I've been told; my German isn't that good :p) and I'm very excited about seeing what the German-language market has to offer. ^^

If you enjoy reading in German, please do give it a try. Or send it to someone who does! And of course, revie...

Chapter 289: All the world’s a stage

As Yog has Dave casually stroll into the courtyard, walking with more swagger than I’ve ever seen him do, I almost have trouble believing how well our plan is going.

In front of us, a twosome of hosts steps into the portal, and gets whisked away to the Yin-Yang Temple in Hub Two.

“Any chance I can get a hint of where we’re going, at least?” Yog chimes. “Now that we’ve lost the crowd?”

Sudo has Jacob glance around suspiciously, before he leans in so she can stag...

Chapter 288: In da club

Another Hoig stands before us, this one with an amethyst crystal planted in his forehead. Unlike the last Hoig, however, this one is a male, and moreover, huge. His form towers over us, reminding me of Hoigzilla—the female Hoig chieftain we took out in Hub Three to secure our own island—except with more friggin’ muscles. Webbed hands that look ready to tear apart steel fold together before he bows at me and Alec.

“Pardon my manners,” the amethyst Peilor chimes. “You...

Chapter 287: All around me are...

The days that follow pass in a flurry of preparations. Suri goes with Farouq and Alec to get his invitation sorted, and to retrieve a spare host from Farouq—a white-skinned female Hoig who goes by the name of Longlegs—that has Loudmouth wide-eyed and drooling, much to the annoyance of Bulging-Eyes and the amusement of Smooth-Cheeks.

The reason Suri didn’t take one of Loudmouth’s consorts, by the way, is that they’re lacking in combat capabilities. With their small Lavi Pools, ...

Chapter 286: When opportunity comes knocking

“We captured one of Mara’s secret agents,” I elaborate when Trisha looks at me curiously.

The fact that I say that in front of Farouq is naturally no accident.

I carefully study his reaction. It’s hard to tell from his facetted face, but he definitely seems to startle for a moment, and the sand finally stops flowing up towards the palace he’s building with Trisha.

“Oh my!” Trisha says. “Well, I’ll let Goddess know first chance I get.”

And with that,...

Chapter 285: Sweet ride o' mine

I exit the pocket dimension with a frown, and it’s not due to having to knock on Kaitlynn’s anti-Espir barrier and politely wait before I can leave. Honestly, I could have broken through in a second if there was an actual emergency.

Sudo being part of a secret police force doesn’t count as one, even if it’s messy and dangerous. Still, if we can get away with taking control of her, this could also turn out to be a massive win.

Outside I’m met with a rather wholesome scene...

Chapter 284: The Infernal Grave-ity Piledriver

Following Jacob’s example, Alec tosses his Darksteel staff aside, where it silently plunges into the viscous Hydrum.

I guess Sudo doesn’t care much for her equipment. Or more likely, expects Lyrack’s servants to clean up after her.

Before the weapon has even completely gone under, Jacob lifts his head and lets out a dramatic roar, the unleashed Vibration Energy forming cymatics patterns on the surface of the small lake.

Then he leaps forward onto the lily pad we’re s...

Chapter 283: The stage

The basement—let alone Suri’s pocket dimension—did not seem like a believable stage for the promised sparring match. And frankly, it didn’t seem feasible to expect someone as paranoid as Sudo to accept entering the latter anyway.

So from the start, we decided to maximise our home-ground advantage by practising in the intended arena.

To be honest, I felt a little guilty seeing Loudmouth squirm at the idea of a fight taking place in his little private sanctuary, but it reall...

Chapter 282: Cooperation is ducking hard

“From the left!” I warn Alec. “OTHER LEFT, YOU BUMBLING—”

The bag of sand launched by Kaitlynn smacks against the back of his blindfolded head, hard enough that he ends up stumbling off the lily pad.

“Sorry!” Kaitlynn yells from a distance as Alec plunges into the Hydrum with a yelp.

Stuck on his forehead as I am, there’s little I can do but let out a mental sigh as we go under again.

The purpose of this rather frustrating exercise is supposedl...

Chapter 281: Hello

“Ah, yes,” Suri chimes. “I took the liberty of entering your friend’s Core to remove Farouq’s Commands. I hope you don’t mind.”

I shake my head, lost for words.

“Hey Nonya,” Alec says with a hoarse chuckle. “Long time no see. I would hug you, but, well, I already tried that with Kaitlynn, and nearly ran into a wall, so...”

I laugh wetly. “It’s good to see you, too, Alec. And you’ll get to give me that hug soon, I promise.”

In spirit, at le...

Chapter 280: The medium way

On the other side of Suri’s closing portal, I find a small, spherical void that’s free of gravity, bordered by dark Spatial Energy. There’s very little light coming in from outside, but that’s okay. Peilor are their own light source when they need to be.

Not that there’s much to see here either way. The only things this pocket dimension contains are Loudmouth, with Lyrack’s glowing yellow crystal in his forehead, Alec, with Farouq’s deep-purple one, and now Bulging-Eyes, w...

Chapter 279: The Final Countdown

Gathered in Lyrack’s home cinema, the six of us—three Hoig and three floating spirits—quietly watch the commercial being projected in the Aether in front of the seats.

Dramatic music with a sound not unlike rising strings plays over a backdrop of a dark sphere, while a deep voice does the announcement. “The age of Hoig, is past. There is a new host in town, and its name is... Human!”

A number of figures appear in front of the dark sphere. A shudder passes down my spine a...

Chapter 278: A class act

For a couple of long, tense seconds, as Kaitlynn slows us all down to hover in front of the otter, it remains eerily silent.

The problem is immediately obvious to me: this is not something we’ve prepared for. Kaitlynn doesn’t even know this Peilor’s name, let alone how Lyrack used to interact with him.

Did he chat politely with his neighbour? Did he crack terrible jokes? Has his neighbour been to the show before, or did Lyrack always offer him tickets which he politely refus...

Chapter 277: All night long

The wall-mounted black crystal still offers some resistance, but this time, I manage to push the jagged end of my chain through it, and into its interior.

The moment it enters, a connection snaps into place, and before I know it, a pulling force erupts from the crystal which starts to suck me in. My spiritform, which I would never have been able to condense to the size of this crystal myself, is gripped by the laws of this Realm, and seems to lose its structural integrity as it collapse...

Chapter 276: Making connections

Still hovering in front of him, Kaitlynn withdraws her hand from Loudmouth’s, going pale as a sheet. “Lyrack showed you? We’re... we’re so sorry, Loudmouth.”

“You saw, and you still want to help us?” I ask softly.

Loudmouth sighs, sinking deeper into the plush chair. “Ah... Loudmouth admit, Loudmouth confused at first. Mister Lyrack very convincing, show many footage of Friends sneaking into village, killing Hoig. Said Blue Dragons not Loudmouth’s Friend...

Chapter 275: I was elected to lead, not to read

I stare down at the lifeless yellow crystal still embedded in Loudmouth’s forehead.

At Lyrack’s corpse.

Guess his gamble of purchasing Loudmouth didn’t pay off after all. Unlucky bastard.

Anyway, this is... this is a problem.

In my defence, holding back wasn’t really an option either. If Lyrack had managed to alert the theatre’s security somehow—

“Emma?” Loudmouth croaks through my incorporeal hand—which still covers his mouth—as he l...