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Weekly Check-In (8/13/2022)

Another week's in the books, and I have to say that I'm really excited about the chapters I wrote this week.  I can't wait for you all to read the upcoming arc.  As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, here's where to put them.   I'll do my best to respond as soon as possible.  Thanks for reading!

Chapter 127 - Reunion

Zeke paced back and forth on his balcony, which was a new addition suite of rooms, probably prompted by his persistent complaints that his porch had disappeared when it had evolved from a cottage and into the tower it had become. The pair of rocking chairs Abby had bought back in Beacon sat unused and gathering dust, while his book of runes lay open and ignored on the railing. He’d discarded his armor, and it, along with his mace and shield, was safely stowed away in his spatial storage. 2022-08-12 13:01:03 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 126 - Vengeance

“You want me to do what, now?” Abby asked, leaning back in her uncomfortable seat among the sharp branches of the metallic nest.

“Is there a problem? Perhaps you do not wish to give up your weapon?” asked Mrwyska. “I assure you, the Framework rewards sacrifice, whether it is putting yourself in danger or something more material in nature.”

Abby wiped the perspiration from her forehead; even atop a mountain, where the air was almost frigid, she was dripping with sweat. ...

Chapter 125 - The Easy Path

Come to us, child, came the thunderbird’s intrusive thoughts. The way is clear, and we will be undisturbed. This mental connection is…tiring.

Suddenly, Abby’s mind bloomed with knowledge, and she became acutely aware of the temple’s layout. More importantly, she knew precisely how to reach her ultimate goal, which was the thunderbird roost. But as much as she wanted to take the thunderbirds’ thoughts as truth, she wasn’t so naïve that she would trust them ...

Chapter 124 - The Climb

Abby trudged up the shallow steps, which had been crudely cut into the mountain itself. The gnolls were a lot of things – vicious, territorial, and powerful, among other, less savory characteristics – but they were not expert craftsman. Their handiwork left much to be desired, a fact which Abby discovered anew every few minutes when one of the poorly chiseled stones came loose under her feet. More than once, she’d almost lost her footing, which would’ve sent her tumbling down the long...

Weekly Check-In (8/6/2022)

I think this week was pretty awesome, not least because I was finally able to release the new artwork.  I wish I could release the artist's name, but he wanted to remain anonymous for now.  The story's coming along nicely (I really enjoyed writing the Myconid caves), and I'm eager to show everyone what Abby's getting up to (next week).

I've been thinking about growth, lately, and I think I made a mistake when it comes to that.  That's not surprising, considering this is s...

Chapter 123 - More than a Distraction

Talia skirted the edges of the cavern, carefully keeping just far enough away from the walls so that their creeping vines couldn’t reach her. She wasn’t certain if they were connected to the patriarch in the same way as the more ambulatory myconids, but she wasn’t going to take the chance. Slipping around the perimeter, she hoped she remained unnoticed. Otherwise, her plan would require a few adjustments.

Not that there was much chance of that, of course – not with Zeke roaring ...

Chapter 122 - The Nest

Pudge tackled a humanoid myconid into the tunnel’s wall, his momentum enough to shake loose enough spores to infect an entire village’s population. In an instant, his claws arced out, slicing through the monster’s fungal flesh. There was no blood; it was too far gone for that. However, with every subsequent attack, more spores filled the air. If Zeke had had a little more time or space, he might’ve felt a deep sense of gratitude toward Tucker, who’d given them all a potion that woul...

New Art!

I just got the cover art for the first book in this series, and I was eager to share it with you all.  I think it's pretty awesome, and I hope you will too!

Chapter 121 - Dashed Expectations

Abby peeked out from behind a boulder, taking in the scene before her. Laid out at the base of the mountain was a crude village, comprised of wooden huts, communal campfires, and a few crude totems that were clearly meant to depict majestic thunderbirds. Whoever the artists had been had clearly failed on that count, because to Abby, they looked like nothing so much as wooden carvings of roosters. Throughout the village ranged gnolls of various levels and labels. Some were simple Gnoll Workers...

Chapter 120 - Myconids

Zeke strode forward, his booted feet making a squelching noise with every step. Luckily, the effect from his [Greaves of the Spider Queen] remained just as noticeable as ever, keeping his footing sure. The same couldn’t be said for his companions, who were struggling with the swampy terrain. And poor Pudge was a bundle of annoyance and anger that threatened to erupt the moment some unfortunate enemy drew his ire. But as frustrated as he was, he couldn’t fight a swamp.

“Swamps aren...

Weekly Check-In

As I said earlier in the week, Death: Genesis is going to be coming to Audible and Kindle soon (November 29).  It's been in the works for a little while, now, but I wasn't sure if I was clear to announce it until now.  It'll be narrated by Audie Award finalist Eric Michael Summerer, who's about as prolific a narrator as anyone could ask for.  So, I'm super excited about that, and I hope each of you are as well.  

Like always, this is a good place to ask questions, ma...

Chapter 119 - In Pursuit of Power

Abby pressed her back against the wide trunk of the tree, praying that her stalker would leave off its pursuit. It was a vain hope, born of nothing but wishful thinking. Never was that more clear than when she heard it splash through the shallow stream that cut between them. Abby had hoped it would be enough to disguise her scent, but she hadn’t had time to use the running water to its fullest extent. As a result, she had only managed to get a little further than a dozen yards downstream be...

Chapter 118 - A Side Quest

Tucker stalked through the heavy vegetation, hacking back and forth with a machete he’d bought in Salvation. It was useless in combat, but it had been enchanted with the ability to cut through vegetation with relative ease. In his travels, which had taken him all across the Radiant Isles, it had served him very well. But despite its ability to slice through the thickest vines without issue, each swing of the stubby blade was powered by every point of his strength. He even grunted with the e...

An Announcement

I just wanted to take a moment to let you all know some great news.  The first volume of Death: Genesis is going to be coming to both Kindle and Audible in November.  This shouldn't really affect the content I put out on Patreon, so don't worry about that.  However, it's really exciting for me, especially because we're getting a pretty recognizable name to narrate the story for the Audible release.  I won't say who just yet, but let's just say that if you listen to audio b...

Chapter 117 - Shadows

Carlos perched in the rafters, shadows clinging to him like a second skin as he watched the exchange taking place far below him. Shafts of soft moonlight illuminated the interior of the ruined building, allowed access via a gaping hole in the roof. Carlos paid it no heed; he was too focused on the task before him. Besides, he’d seen it all before. Jariq wasn’t the best maintained city, and given its location in the heart of the Red Wastes, it experienced its fair share of hardships. Unlik...

Chapter 116 - Wisps

“How far is it?” Zeke asked, glancing back the way they’d come. They had been following a game trail for a couple of miles, which meant that their companions were well beyond shouting range. If he and Abby got into trouble, they wouldn’t be able to count on the others for help. Even Pudge was off exploring a cave that he’d said, “smelled interesting,” whatever that meant. The thought had been accompanied by a host of vague impressions, but Zeke was ill-equipped to make much sens...

Weekly Check-In

Another week's in the books, and I'm really happy with the progress in Death: Genesis.  I'm also super excited about the last few chapters I've written, and I'm anxious to see how they're received.  Anyway, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, this is where to address them.  I'll do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

Chapter 115 - Moving Forward

Abby sat next to Zeke, her fingers intertwined with his underneath the table as she looked from one member of their impromptu party to the next. Whatever surge of life Talia had experienced after consuming the Jotun heart had disappeared in the two days since they’d fled the giants’ territory, and she was back to her old, eerily motionless self. Abby couldn’t help but feel a little wary of the girl, though. After all, she’d seen just how powerful the young woman had become, and she ha...

Chapter 114 - A Second Path

Zeke wasn’t certain how he managed to maintain his grip as Pudge carried him through the mountains. A few times, the group had to defend themselves against stray giants or ambitious monsters, but they managed to proceed without much in the way of delay. Soon, the sun dipped below the horizon, plunging them into darkness. They couldn’t afford to stop, though. Not until they’d left the giants and zombies far behind. So, they continued along through the night, not even stopping once the su...

Chapter 113 - Breakthing Through

Using the lightning storm as a distraction, Zeke barreled into the nearest Jotun, his shield connecting with the giant’s waist. He moved with such momentum that he knocked the creature from his feet, flipping him over as he pushed forward. Even as the giant landed with a sickening crunch, Zeke’s mace was already descending upon another surprised frost giant’s forearm. The moment Voromir connected, Zeke was rewarded with a loud crack of the Jotun’s forearm shattering under the blow. He...

Chapter 112 - Rescue

Tucker knelt beside the beaker, eyeing the concoction on which he had spent the past eighteen hours working. The liquid contained within the glass was thick, almost solid, and a deep, angry red with tendrils of darkness running through it. He tapped the glass, listening to the sound before thinking to himself, “Almost ready. Another hour, and you’ll do what I couldn’t.”

The potion was so different from anything else he’d ever created. Until now, Tucker had always been focused ...

Chapter 111 - Jailbreak

Like a marble statue, Talia knelt in the shadows. She didn’t move, not even to breathe, the necessity for which had faded with her transition into undeath. Even now, weeks later, she found the transformation both jarring and imminently comforting. The act of breathing was a perfect example of the duality of her emotions; on the one hand, she had spent her entire life taking one breath after another without thought. It was instinctive. Reflexive. It was natural. However, after her transforma...

Chapter 110 - Among Titans

Zeke leapt down the scree-covered incline, kicking up a rooster tail of rock fragments as he slid down the slope. His armor held up to the sharp rocks, but it screamed in protest. If the giants didn’t already know which way he’d gone, then they certainly did now. Zeke could only hope they were still following him as doggedly as they had for the past couple of hours. Throughout his flight, he’d periodically positioned himself on an overlooking cliff to peek back at his pursuers, but he h...

Chapter 109 - Tight Spaces

Abby felt the walls shake as she slowly inched her way down the air shaft. Suspended in midair, held in place by her outstretched hands and feet, she couldn’t move very quickly, but her heart felt as if it was beating out of her chest. Above her, Talia clung to the rocky wall like a spider, her claws digging her own handholds into the stone. For that, Abby envied her. Though, she would never have paid the price for such an ability. Regardless of how strong Talia had become, the transformati...

Chapter 108 - Distractions

Zeke peered down the exposed airshaft and felt a rush of warm air. “Do you think we’ll fit?” he asked, extremely aware of just how narrow the space was. He didn’t think of himself as claustrophobic, but those close confines definitely sent a shudder up his spine. He wasn’t afraid. Just uncomfortable.

Yeah, that’s it. Uncomfortable, he thought, standing to his full height.

“Probably not,” Abby said. Then, she peered back at Pudge. “Definitely not the furb...

Chapter 107 - No Man Left Behind

After going back and forth on whether or not to do it, I decided to go ahead and skip ahead of my plan and increase the number of chapters available on Patreon (by five).  So, now, Monarchs can read twenty-five chapters ahead instead of twenty.  For those of you who're at the Boss-tier, I intend to do the same for you all the next time I increase (probably in a month or so).  Hope you all enjoy it.

Talia knelt on the cliff overlooking the shallow...

Weekly Check-In (7/16)

This week, we covered a few chapters.  Judging by the comments, they were a little divisive (which was kind of the goal), but if you want to discuss it further, this is the place to do it.  It's also cool to go ahead and post any comments, concerns, or other questions here; I'll try to answer as well as I'm able.

All that said, I have a pretty cool surprise that I'm going to reveal on Monday.  I hope you'll all enjoy it!

Chapter 106 - A Bad Decision

“We should let her go,” said Abby. “She hasn’t done anything wrong. Keeping her would be –”

“Just kill the monster, and get it over with,” Tucker interjected. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“She is a person,” Abby growled, glaring at the big, dreadlocked man. Her fingers twitched with a need for violence. “Not a monster. We have more call to kill you than the frost giant.”

He barked a harsh laugh. “You could try, girl,” he said, a globe ...

Chapter 105 - History

Tucker leaned against the cottage’s wall, his beefy arms crossed over his chest. Like always, he wore what appeared to be a simple, tailored shirt and a pair of sturdy breeches. Over the shirt was a leather vest, sewn into which was a series of pockets with various alchemical ingredients that he could combine on the fly to create emergency potions. It wasn’t ideal, and the resulting potions were useless to anyone without an [Alchemist’s Constitution], but that wasn’t ...