DB Lazarus

61. Further Inroad - I

Somehow, I started the following day in both the same and a completely different manner.  I woke before the bell marking the shift change, though today I was refreshed, my muscles without a hint of an ache. I threw a sweater over my undergarments, though now that layer consisted of my new gear courtesy of Kyria Rhaptis.  Dorian met me at my door, though now he carefully examined my garb.  As I trudged through the entrance tunnel, I drew attention, though now some of the Volkski...

60. Acquired Immunity - IV

Hi, this was a double post (none this Sat). Make sure you have already read the previous chapter (III) before reading this one.

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That was the only invitation he needed.  He was charging before the red light of his marks hit full brightness.  Yesterday he would have been too fast, but hitting the second tier had changed something.  More Energy coursed through my channels, and I had more control over where it went.  My mind thrummed like it had found a new ge...

59. Acquired Immunity - III

Hi everyone, I am posting both Wed's and Sat's posts today since I got them both done and the first chapter ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Enjoy.

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The trip to the healer's lodge was shorter than the one to Kyria Rhaptis’s home, but it was no less disturbing.  I couldn’t shake that odd sensation on the back of my neck.  I kept sneaking looks, but I found nothing but shadows cast by the smattering of light stones in the camp.  I was alone on the walk up t...

58. Acquired Immunity - II

I had taken longer than I should have in the bath.  By the time I had left, the sun had long set.  Dinner was wrapping up.  My food had long since become cold. The only consolation was that nobody was around to bother me when I ate it.  Still, I ate quickly.  The other welcome surprise this evening was a note from Kyria Rhaptis.  She had finished my jacket and scrubs.

The walk toward Kyria Rhaptis wasn’t long, but the entire time, the back of my neck ting...

57. Acquired Immunity - I

A pair of calloused fingers snapped in front of my face.

Everything I had done…it amounted to nothing when compared to what she had managed without breaking a sweat.  How could I compete with that?  She fixed the injuries—complex wounds at that—with the ease of breathing.  No struggle.  No concern about his state.  Just a dismissive wave of her hand and poof—fixed.

The fingers snapped again.

How do I compete with that? Was I a fool to expect ...

56. At the Brink - III

The effects of my first attempts at enhancing the healing potion fell below expectations.  If the inefficiencies came from distance, I had no hope of saving him.  However, if pharmacokinetics were the source and my theories held, then perhaps I had a method to make this work.

I turned my mental gaze to his liver and tried to accelerate the consumption of the potion while limiting the adverse effects.  As soon as I attempted it, the feedback fractured my control of the two...

55. At the Brink - II

I touched his shredded abdomen with my blood-soaked fingertips.  The moment my hands contacted his blood-soaked clothes, the potion called to me.  This time, I didn’t deny it, not that I had a choice.  By not closing myself off, I must have opened myself up.  He was too injured, and the potion, too concentrated.  As soon as [Enhance Medicinal] activated, information flooded my mind.

When I had previously used potions on a wound, I could see each individual tis...

54. At the Brink - I

No one stopped me when I left the line.  A few Ættir had used some choice words as I slipped between them, but I had better uses for my skill set, even if most of the company had no desire to take advantage of them.  Also, the Ættir didn’t need my help for cleanup.

I rounded an Ættar and found Dorian against the wall.  I skidded to a stop in the open space in front of him.  Not a single person had taken a break from the fighting to check on him.  I feared t...

53. The Depth’s Wrath - II

Some things are better left unseen. The monstrosity in front of me was one of them.  Worse, if we survived this, I had no doubts that Dorian would explain this thing’s average tier, range of levels, and powers in excruciating detail. But I didn’t need him to tell me one thing—you did not trifle with this monster.

I missed home.  Nature should not be able to produce creatures the length of a bus that could create shotgun blasts out of stone and levitate dust as camouflage...

52. The Depth’s Wrath - I

“—rower.”  In the din of the battle, I missed the first half of what was shouted, but I recognized the voice.  Dorian had made it.  Even the sheer urgency in his yell couldn’t dampen my relief.  He was alive and healthy enough to bellow.  He yelled again, “Burrower.”  This time, everyone heard him. 

A wave of tension rippled through the Ættir.  What would frighten them that much? “Rægnor, what—“

Energy surged in front of ...

51. Surgical Extraction - III

Up next meant going to the tunnel’s mouth and using [Whirlwind].  I would not replace him on the front line, but I would lose my guardian.  I swallowed the bile, or more realistically the stomach juices, trying to escape.  Had he saved me from other terrorvoles?  Hopefully not, or I would be in trouble. I had no faith that the other Ættir would stick their necks out for me, and this fight would soon worsen.  In our group, only Rægnor had yet to use [Whirlwind].&nb...

50. Surgical Extraction - II

FYI, the story is starting to shift into more action/healing. There will still be world-building, but it should be more focused. Going forward, like the next two chapters, there will be more linked chapters with cliffhangers. This chapter has a small one, and then next one ends on a larger one.

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The air was tense as the crew lined up.  We had spent the last few short hours eating lunch and regaining our strength.  It wasn’t enough, not for Dorian, at least. He ...

49. Surgical Extraction - I

It didn’t occur to me all the ways that Dorian’s conversation could go wrong until I had stored the first sample.  I then rushed to store the rest of the samples, leaving cleanup of the rest of the kit for later.  Despite it taking less than a minute, I caught no sight of him in our site’s entrance cavern.   He moved fast despite his short legs, and I had to move faster. 

I ran across the stone floor, only to hear that I was too late.

The Verndari st...

48. Hidden Fault Lines - II

“Here is the thing about Humans: that diversity in their classes is no joke. It’s given them an edge at creating enchanted gear.  It didn’t matter that the Volki outleveled them.  Humans had the numbers and, more importantly, the weapons to equalize the difference.  Adding in their prodigies reinforcing an army, they pushed the Volki back.  Even worse for the Volki, many of the Human prodigies led from behind the lines.  It let the Humans cut down their stronges...

47. Hidden Fault Lines - I

Dorian glanced back at the tunnel’s end.  The tunnel wouldn’t dig itself, and Dorian probably could use an outlet for his frustration.  To me, my request for more information didn't seem like a big ask, but I gave him some time to mull it over. 

I pulled an unremarkable box out of a coarse sack and flipped it open to reveal a set of devices quite similar to a simple chemistry set. Of course, the similarities ended there.  The tubes were wood instead of glass. In ...

46. A New Dawn

Morning broke with my expectations completely upended. I had expected a cough, but my lungs were clear for the first time in days.  I had expected aches and pains, but I moved as if I had rested for days.  I had expected the dull thunks of wood pickaxes striking stone, but instead, shouts echoed out from the tunnel.  And unlike the soft words that had rung like chimes in my head, the words that reached my ears carried an ominous weight. 

Why can’t I catch a real br...

45. An Old Woman's Advice

She opened the door with a “You’re late.“

At least she didn’t give me a severe frown.  I let myself in, embracing the warmth of her small abode.  The air outside had taken on a cold and crisp quality now that the sun had long set, but I had purposely left my sweater at home—one less layer for my bruised body to strip off for her daily sample.

I sat down on a stool and put my wrist out, holding back a wince at the unexpected flash of pain that shot down my arm.&...

44. The Cost of Living

I walked back from the Commons to my house as quickly as I could.  I tried to keep my mood up, but my previous successes with the Ættir a few days ago no longer tasted as sweet.  I had underestimated the toll from amplifying potions, mining, frequent blood draws, and a brewing infection.  Brewing.  I laughed to myself.  This was beyond brewing.  It was full-blown pneumonia—consolidated to one lobe, but still a pneumonia.  I was functioning only because it...

43. Another Customer—Er, Patient

“You okay?” asked Dorian.

“Yeah.”  This short, terse response to Dorian’s first question of the day had become my standard answer—one that had become more and more unbelievable because of my deteriorating state on many recent mornings.  I could no longer hide all the bruises I had accrued.  They numbered more than anyone could justify from mining. 

At least I could obtain water unscathed.  That saved a trip and dirty clothes.  No, getting ...

42. An Offer Accepted - II

Holy… How was he walking much less, working?

He should be in bed hooked up to an IV with antibiotics flowing. I schooled my face and gave away none of my concerns.

Don’t take away hope.  Especially not when magic exists in this world.

I turned him to face the light and crouched down to get a better view.  The long laceration had jagged edges.   Dried blood, scabs, and far too much dirt clung to the edges.  Someone should have washed all that off, but ...

41. An Offer Accepted - I

Dorian’s skepticism was well-founded.  On the following day, more, not fewer, Ættir sported wounds.  They had conserved potions despite facing new battles, but I couldn’t see how this pace could persist.  Yet, somehow, it did.  The Verndari continued to push the company to excavate more despite the consequences.  More and more Ættir walked around with visible injuries, but he got results.  Based on the number of carts full of terrorvole bodies I had cleared...

40. Chairside Procedure - II

In the water, the strands floated, twirling around each other and releasing bursts of light in a hypnotic dance.  They moved so organically.  Perhaps if bubbles filled the glasses, I could have attributed the movement to the effervescence, but even in still water, the strands danced like worms.

Could the Marks be alive? 

I quickly chided myself; I didn’t know anything about the fluid.  Fluid mechanics alone could explain the phenomenon.  If not that, the...

39. Chairside Procedure - I

“That was more than I needed,” Kyria Rhaptis said while standing in the door and staring up at the mass the salve had spawned on my Mark. 

“As long as you can remove it.” 

The mirror in my home had done nothing to disprove my worst fears.  Denial was a powerful thing, but even it had limits.  At home, I would have jumped to study the impressive specimen with its mixture of iridescent veins and angry red tissue. However, with it attached to my face, I wa...

38. Callus Formation

By the time I left the tannery, the sun had set behind the tree line, casting a shadow over the camp.  Judging by the line’s length, plenty of people had already filed into the dining hall for dinner, but food would have to wait.  Enough light persisted to keep the camp from falling into complete darkness, but it wouldn’t last long. I needed water, and dragging heavy buckets in the dark was a recipe for disaster.

I grabbed buckets from my longhouse, purposely avoiding the ...

37. Hidden Threats and Rewards - II

The final count of monsters exceeded the fifty terrorvoles.  I knew this because I picked up all seventy-four of the carcasses.  Not a single Ættir had even tried to talk to me while I tossed terrorvole body after body onto a cart.  That almost changed when I grabbed the spider-like creature. No one told me its name, but it had some importance.  The Ættir kept stealing glances at it before I hid it under a layer of terrorvoles.  Their attention only further encourag...

Author's Update

Hello everyone! I wanted to provide a quick update. First, thank you all for your continued support. I managed to get more writing and planning done over break than anticipated, so I'll be resuming regular posts next Thursday (tomorrow) rather than this weekend.

I'd also like to share a general roadmap for where the story is heading. While I'll avoid specific spoilers, if you prefer to go in completely blind, you may want to stop reading here.

The Story's Structure

I've conc...

36. Hidden Threats and Rewards - I

When I arrived at the cavern, the battle had already started even if it hadn’t yet spilled into the main cavern.  A crew must have found a sizable, new deposit in one of the two other new tunnels extending from this cavern.

A cry for help preceded a dust-smeared Ættar exiting the tunnel’s mouth and dragging another Ættar by his armpits.  Those two weren’t alone.  A fight still raged down the corridor.  Judging by the inhuman screams, someone was holding back ...

35. Mining Redux

 Dorian was right to hurry me.  The Verndari didn’t have a clock, but he had some way to keep track of when our shift should start.  His glower deepened when I entered our section. 

“Being on time makes you late, Human.”

However, he didn’t add anything else, and I kept my mouth shut and hurried to grab my pick and mining gear.  Unsurprisingly, my pick, with its damage at the junction, was the last one left.  I grabbed it and then headed for th...

34. Fel Wind - II

Merry Xmas everyone


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I was awake before Dorian knocked on the door. I never slept well when I drank, and last night was no different.  Frequent arousals had plagued my sleep, and each time, I had awoken with a characteristic dry mouth and mild throbbing in my head, hinting at something more.  It was the price I paid for indulgence, though I had managed to wake up not a complete wreck the following morning.  On the third excursion of stagge...

33. Fel Wind - I

Rather, I tried to make an exit.  However, as soon as I unlatched the door, it swung open.  My face had done little to slow down whatever force had propelled the door, and I stumbled backward.  It continued to swing on its wood hinges, slamming into the wall with a bang. A howl filled the room, and a dark cloud carried by a fierce wind followed on its heels.  Dust devils formed along the edges of the doorway, ready to advance on the pristine cloth.

Dorian moved befor...