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Chapter 355 - The Goblin Horde and the Frost Elf

Zeke stepped through the gate, appearing a moment later before the tower. Wind and mana swirled, bearing with it jagged shards of ice that, if he hadn’t been in his armored form, would have easily cut through the natural defenses of his endurance.

“I think you’re overestimating that ice,” Eveline said. “You would have been fine. Probably.”

Perhaps she was right. His endurance had continued to progress, so it was possible that his perception was a little skewed. In trut...

Chapter 354 - Responsibility

Zeke paced back and forth, worried about Pudge. He’d been gone too long, and through the increasingly tenuous connection of their bond, he could tell that the former dire bear was in trouble. Normally, he couldn’t feel anything through the soul bond unless he focused on it with the entirety of his mind, but during Pudge’s scouting expedition, Zeke had felt brief spikes of pain, panic, and fear on more than one occasion. It was mostly quiet now, but he was on pins and needles as he waite...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 27 - Reunion

I don’t think anyone would ever call Mira a people person. She would describe herself as no-nonsense, but I think prickly is probably a better word for it. Whatever the case, she often rubs people the wrong way.

Patrick Ward

Freddy’s camp was only a couple of miles away, and despite the untamed nature of the terrain, it didn’t take us long to cover that ground. Not for the first time, I appreciated the fact that ev...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 26 - Stalker

Pressure is a funny thing. For some people, it’s a prerequisite for greatness. They can’t thrive unless something is pushing them. But for others? That constant pressure is a detriment, preventing them from ever reaching their potential. And then there are people like Mira, for whom pressure is just a way of life. She barely acknowledges it, and it’s gotten to the point where I’m not even sure she feels the weight on her shoulders.

2023-09-02 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 353 - Ferocity

Once Pudge had recovered, he recentered himself and began his exploration of the castle. As he progressed throughout, he discovered that most of it was completely uninhabited. Though it could easily accommodate a thousand people – or more – it was almost entirely empty.

Or most of it was. There was a portion of the castle devoted to housing the goblins, and those areas had a distinctly different flavor. Not only were they missing the artful tapestries and ice sculptures that decorat...

Chapter 352 - Ninja Bear

Pudge crept closer to the ice palace, carefully placing one foot in front of the other as he traversed the frozen courtyard. Cloaked in [Concealed Steps] and within the embrace of his path of stealth, he was all but invisible. And it was a good thing, too, because the entire area was absolutely infested with little blue-skinned creatures that Pudge could only label as goblins.

Each one was only about four feet tall, thin, and roped with rangy muscle. Their general shape was a familiar o...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 25 - Investigation

I’ve never seen someone work as hard or as long as Mira. Sometimes, I wonder how she does it, but then I remember who raised her. I remember the stories she’s told me about her training. And then, it becomes all too clear.

Patrick Ward

I spent two days in that disgusting room, and only once was I forced to dissuade someone from disturbing my privacy. Fortunately, dust fiends are particularly vulnerable to some of my more lethal Ghosts...

Chapter 351 - A Palace of Ice

Zeke led a column of hardy warriors – both former slaves and kobolds alike – across the tundra, using his colossal form to break a trail for the group. He would have preferred if everyone had simply remained in the tower where they would be safe – or more importantly, so he wouldn’t have to worry about them – but when he’d brought his wishes to light, they’d been met with scoffing derision. A few of the former slaves had even been offended that he thought they needed his protect...

Chapter 350 - Sky Pirate

Tucker adjusted his tricorn hat, which brought a hiss of derision from his companion. He glanced to his right to see that Athis was just as pale as he’d been when last he looked at the giant Kirran five minutes before. And considering that the big dragon-man was covered rigid scales, that was quite a feat.

“What?” he asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“That hat looks ridiculous,” Athis stated. He scratched the spiny protrusions on his chin, then added, “In fact, tha...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 24 - A Great Big World

Mira believes the world is doomed. I hope she’s wrong, but everywhere I turn, I see evidence that if the aliens don’t get us, we’ll just do the job ourselves.

Patrick Ward

I stepped through nothing, using Teleport to avoid a hail of gunfire aimed at my previous position. Even as a wave of vertigo assailed me, I kicked off the ground and sprinted away. The pounding of my heartbeat echoed the sound of my feet hitting...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 23 - Looking Into Things

Mira tries to be understanding. She wants to be a good person. She just doesn’t really know how. She grew up with a man who saw only the worst in people. Jeremiah had his reasons for being the way he was – and he loved her in his own way – but he was ill-equipped to be a parent.

Patrick Ward

I greeted the next day with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. Part of that was because Patrick had spent much of the night trying ...

Chapter 349 - The Price of Sorcery

Panic suffused Pudge’s heart as he saw Sasha collapse, and, suddenly, all he could think about was racing to her side. He tore across the battlefield, trampling struggling juvenile kobolds and shoving aside their larger seniors along the way. Someone shouted his name, but he paid the call no mind. Indeed, he could scarcely see anything but Sasha’s crumpled form, much less respond to whoever was trying to get his attention. In seconds, he’d reached her side, where he crouched next to her...

Chapter 348 - Endless

Zeke’s steps thundered against the frozen ground, his increased size rendering the deep snow into a trivial inconvenience. Each stride covered almost a dozen feet, so he quickly outpaced his allies.  He summoned his hammer, its immense weight comforting in his earthen grip.

“Most people would consider leaving your army behind as you charge into battle to be incredibly stupid,” Eveline remarked, her unspoken words cutting through his impending battle frenzy.

“I’m not...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 22 - Not My Problem

I only met Caden a few times, but it was clear from the very beginning that he didn’t like me much. I think he was jealous of me, of his sister’s affection. Or maybe he just didn’t like the idea of seeing someone his own age actually succeeding. With me around, he had evidence that success was possible, and so, his excuses for why he’d never done anything note started to ring untrue.

Patrick Ward

Cyrilla Montague...

Chapter 347 - Treasures

With Pudge and Silik flanking him on either side, Zeke watched the defectors stride across the tundra. In all, nearly half of the former slaves had chosen to depart, though most had gone on good terms. There were a few malcontents, like Mika and her lackeys, among the group, but that was unavoidable.

“I would have simply killed them,” remarked Eveline.

“Shall we hunt them down, Ak-to?” asked Silik, obviously thinking along those same lines.

“Because he’s pragmati...

Chapter 346 - Something to Learn

Sasha tried to ignore the powerful currents of mana all around her. She even told herself that it was good practice, meditating in such an environment. However, she was only mildly successful in convincing herself that she really believed it. The fact was that Pudge had guided her into a nest of predators, trusting all the while that his brother would protect them. But given that Ezekiel was even lower-leveled than her own father, who was nowhere near the pinnacle of power necessary to offer ...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 21 - Fortune and Glory

Cyrilla begged me to stay. She said a hundred horrible things about Mira, some of which were objectively true. But I knew she just couldn’t see past the person who’d brought Nova City to its knees. All she saw was the woman who was responsible for the deaths of thousands. I knew Mira was more than that, though. She was a good person, just one who’d been forced by circumstances to do a lot of bad things.

Patrick Ward

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 20 - Life Goes On

Mira and I don’t always agree on everything, but I think we understand one another. We’ve both lost so much, and I don’t know how I would function without her. I tried it, and, looking back, I know I wasn’t happy. So, as much as she sometimes frustrates me, I can’t imagine a world where we weren’t together.

Patrick Ward

“I didn’t even know they were there, Pick,” I said, still shaken up after the encounter wit...

Chapter 345 - Laying Down the Law

After hearing Jasper’s report on the dissidents, Zeke decided to confront the would-be rebels. In truth, he didn’t really blame them for wanting to take the Crimson Tower for their own. It was a remarkable treasure, and as far as he could tell, he’d only barely scratched the surface of its potential. That they might want it for themselves was all but inevitable. However, he was also annoyed, largely because he’d gone out of his way to free the former slaves from their captivity, and n...

Chapter 344 - Heaven, Hell, and Everything in Between

“Wait – I can change the names of the floors?” Zeke asked aloud, his hand still on the control crystal that allowed him access to the administrative functions of the Crimson Tower.

“It appears so,” said Eveline. Zeke had released [Bulwark of the Triumvirate], letting her free. So, she had manifested her illusory form as a succubus. He still wasn’t certain whether or not it was reflective of her true body’s appearance – not that it mattered, really. But it would have been...

Mistrunner 3 - Chapter 19 - The Exchange

I’ve never had a normal life. Not really. Even when I was with Cy – brief though our relationship was – I know now that I was just looking for a way out. So, when Mira came back, I was more than ready to believe that she had turned a corner. Now, I wonder if I was just being optimistic. Has she come to terms with what happened in Nova? Or had she just buried her feelings beneath a new façade? She always was good at pretending to be other people. In fact, playing a ...

2023-08-16 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post