DEADALUS author of AETHERBORN

CHAPTER 52

Thorne awoke in a void of complete darkness, the oppressive silence pressing against him like a physical weight. His head throbbed, a dull, relentless ache radiating from his temples. Something made his thoughts sluggish, like trying to wade through a thick, viscous fog. Instinctively, he tried to move, but the harsh bite of cold metal against his wrists stopped him. His arms were bound tightly to a chair, the cuffs unforgiving, and his ankles were secur...

CHAPTER 51

Thorne stood alone in the dim, cavernous warehouse, the familiar training ground where he had spilled more sweat and blood than he cared to count. The air held the stale, thick scent of old wood and faint traces of metallic tang—a testament to countless sessions spent sharpening his skills under Sid’s grueling instruction. Thin streams of moonlight spilled in from high windows, casting long, distorted shadows that stretched across the empty space, pooling into pockets of dark...

CHAPTER 50

Thorne walked through the unattended western gate, his thoughts still consumed by his encounter with the elves. He had been incredibly lucky all these years not to run into any scouting party. The new threat posed a significant problem for him.

Hunting aether beasts was his main source of income. Without it, neither he nor Jonah would be able to get any coins. Would he risk it and continue his hunting or abandon it altogether? The dilemma gnawed at him as he made his way th...

CHAPTER 49

5 years later

Thorne perched on a sturdy branch of a massive oak, his eyes locked on the elk beneath him. The beast pawed at the ground in agitation, huffing as its wide eyes scanned the surroundings for the unseen predator. The elk's iridescent scales shimmered in the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense forest canopy.

This wasn’t just any hunt. Thorne had tracked this particular elk for over a week. Its horns alone would fetch a hefty...

CHAPTER 48

Thorne slumped against the attic wall, the ache in his bones finally settling in as he let himself relax, the tension he’d been carrying seeping away with each breath. The soft morning light crept over the room, highlighting the dust motes swirling gently in the air, making everything seem oddly peaceful—almost as if the events of the night had been some feverish dream. But the lingering smell of smoke clinging to their clothes and the dull throb of his injuries reminded him ...

CHAPTER 47

He watched the raging battle unfold before him, an indistinguishable whirlwind of cloaked figures, each locked in a vicious dance of life and death. It was nearly impossible to tell allies from enemies as gravediggers and cousins clashed amidst the roaring flames and swirling smoke. Thorne, however, had little room for sympathy or worry over the bodies that fell. All he could think of was getting Ben out of this nightmare.

Grabbing Ben's arm, he pulled him forward, guiding ...

CHAPTER 46

Thorne awoke to the sight of Ben’s frantic gestures, the boy’s hands moving urgently, silently pleading for him to wake up. His eyes cracked open, and notifications blinked insistently in his vision, a reminder that he’d leveled up, though he barely registered them over the pounding in his head. He felt sore, hollow, and yet somehow heavier than before. But what truly seized his attention was the lifeless face of the gravedigger staring blankly at the ceiling.

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CHAPTER 45

The gravedigger sprang up, dagger flashing. Thorne had no time to waste—he kicked the vent cover out and dropped to the floor, landing in a low crouch with his poisoned daggers poised. The gravedigger lunged, blade aimed straight for Thorne's chest. Thorne ducked beneath the attack, rolling away and springing up behind the man. He slashed low, his blade biting deep into the man’s calf.

The gravedigger grunted but spun with shocking speed, his d...

CHAPTER 44

Thorne slipped further into the belly of the Gravedigger hideout. Each step was calculated, each breath measured as he tried to blend into the shadows. The cold stone underfoot was uneven, every creak and groan of the ancient structure amplified in the silence. His eyes darted around, taking in every detail. The corridors stretched like veins through the ancient stonework, twisting and winding into shadowed corners, each turn revealing some new layer of decay.

His eyes scan...

CHAPTER 43

Thorne huddled in a small alley with Darius, Rafe, and Eliza. The night was cold and the shadows seemed to cling to the walls like dark, foreboding shrouds. Darius leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper.

"We've found the place," Darius said, his eyes gleaming with determination. "It's whispered that the Gravediggers use it as a hideout."

Eliza clutched her arms tightly around herself, her whole body trembling. “My friend told me ...

CHAPTER 42

“Sid!” Thorne gasped, his heart hammering as he turned to face the older man. “You nearly scared me half to death!”

Even in the dim light, Sid’s smirk was clear, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “If that scared you, boy, then you’re in for a rough night.”

Thorne exhaled, forcing himself to steady his breathing, though the rush of adrenaline still tingled in his limbs. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still recov...

CHAPTER 41

As the door clicked shut behind Uncle, Ben remained rooted to the spot, his face pale and eyes wide with lingering fear. Thorne stepped forward, placing a steady hand on Ben’s shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. “Hey, Ben, it’s okay. He’s gone now.”

Ben blinked a few times, coming back to himself slowly, a series of low grunts escaping his throat as his hands moved in a hurried attempt to communicate. Thorne watched, trying to follow the gestures, but the frustra...

CHAPTER 40

For the next few days, Thorne stayed away from the Elven forest. He needed time to recover, plain and simple. His body still felt like it was dragging through fog, heavy and reluctant to move. Every muscle protested, each bruise and half-healed cut reminding him of just how much he’d pushed himself. Even breathing felt like it tugged at something sore, a raw reminder of the boars’ fight and the punishment he’d put himself through with Aether Surge.

The pull t...

CHAPTER 39

Thorne came to hours later, blinking against the groggy haze that clung to him. Darkness had settled thickly over the forest, and the nocturnal symphony of rustling leaves and distant animal calls filled the cool night air.

For a moment, a pang of panic flared—Sid would scold him for being late! But as the memories filtered back, he remembered that the rogue was still bedridden, recovering from his own brutal battle. The thought calmed him, but a wave of sor...

CHAPTER 38

Thorne felt a rush of excitement as the new skill settled into him. This was a tool he’d only dreamed of—an instinctive knowledge guiding him toward valuable materials in a kill. Focusing on the snakes, it was as if invisible hands were leading him, making clear which parts would be most prized. The wings, laced with aether, would serve well in alchemical concoctions, enhancing potions or strengthening charms. The fangs and venom sacs—potent ingredients for poisons, antidot...

CHAPTER 37

Thorne decided to take it easy the next day, staying in his attic for most of the morning. The small room was silent save for the distant hum of the city below, and he let himself drift in and out of thought, savoring the rare quiet. As the sun climbed higher, casting a pale glow through the single attic window, he ventured outside, stretching his legs with a stroll to the nearby fish market. The air was thick with the briny scent of the sea and the sharp tang of fish, and for a ...

CHAPTER 36

Thorne's feet pounded against the cobblestones, his breath coming in jagged gasps, lungs burning as he sprinted through the dark, winding streets of the city. Sid’s life depended on him getting help, and with every step, his mind raced with fragmented thoughts and fears, each one urging him to go faster.

He took every shortcut he knew, his Escape Artist skill kicking in, guiding him through the maze of alleys and side streets. He va...

CHAPTER 35

Thorne lay sprawled on the cobblestones, his body aching from the brutal training he'd endured. He was filled with dread, the whistling echo of the arrow that had struck Sid still ringing in his ears.

His vision swam as he tried to process the scene. Sid, despite the arrow embedded in his side, had already sprung into action, his stance low and poised, blood seeping through his tunic but his gaze fixed and lethal.

Three figures emerged from the shadows at the mouth of...

CHAPTER 34

Thorne’s eyes blinked open to the sight of Jonah crouching over him, his face twisted in horror. “What happened to you?” Jonah’s voice was an odd mix of shock and genuine concern, thick with disbelief as he took in Thorne’s battered state.

A faint grunt was all Thorne managed in response. He tried to sit up, but his body screamed in protest, a thousand bruises flaring up in painful unison. He collapsed back onto the unforgiving floor, every rough wooden board digg...

CHAPTER 33

Thorne stood in the dimly lit warehouse, his pulse quickening in time with the storm outside. The rain hammered relentlessly on the roof, each thunderclap making the cold, damp air feel even heavier. But none of that registered. His entire focus was on the man standing a few feet away, cloaked in shadows and menace.

Sid's silhouette flickered in the dim light of the torches lining the walls, his black leather armor blending into the darkness. His hood obscured most of his f...

CHAPTER 32

Thorne sat inside the dimly lit warehouse, his right foot tapping nervously on the cold concrete floor. The weight of his uncle's revelations pressed heavily on his mind, transforming a lingering headache into a full-blown migraine. His vision blurred at the edges, and his thoughts felt like they were slipping through his fingers, hard to catch, harder to hold onto.

Sid was due any moment, and Thorne knew he couldn’t afford to be off his game. Failing to show up, or worse...

CHAPTER 31

Thorne returned from the fish market grinning from ear to ear, savoring the crispy fried fish in his hands, his fingers and mouth drenched in oil. His pockets clinked with the weight of freshly earned coins. Jonah had finally managed to sell the magical ingredients to the alchemist, who, according to Jonah, had gone as mute as Ben when he laid eyes on the green stone. Twenty-five silvers—an absolute fortune! Even though Thorne had a nagging suspicion that they were played for f...

CHAPTER 30

Thorne trudged through the wreckage of Alvar City, his thoughts as broken as the shattered buildings around him. The streets were lined with destruction—shops reduced to smoldering ruins, homes reduced to ash, and bodies being carted away in grim silence. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke, blood, and decay, turning his stomach with each breath. Several times, he had to stop, retching by the side of the road as tears stung his eyes. People had died because of him....

CHAPTER 29

Thorne spun around, heart thudding in his chest, and saw Sid emerging from the shadows like a ghost. Clad in black leather armor, his cloak's hood was drawn up, and a mask covered most of his face. Sid pushed the mask down to his chin, revealing a stern, unreadable expression. Just as Thorne opened his mouth to speak, two figures landed silently behind Sid, moving with the grace of predators. They appeared so suddenly that Thorne instinctively took a step back, his exhaustion mom...

CHAPTER 28

Thorne dashed through the chaos-stricken city, heart hammering as his eyes scanned for any path out of the carnage. Every corner of the city seemed engulfed in destruction, bodies scattered across the cobblestones like discarded toys, their vacant eyes staring up at a sky tainted by the glow of burning homes and shops. The acrid stench of smoke mixed with the coppery tang of blood assaulted his senses, making it hard to focus. He had to keep moving, had to find his uncle.

H...

CHAPTER 27

Thorne’s return to the city felt like a slow, painful march. Each step was a reminder of the battle he’d barely survived, the weird cat’s glowing green eyes still haunting him. Just thinking about the way it had moved, fluid and unnatural, sent a shiver down his spine. It was a miracle he was still alive.

His legs felt like they were made of lead, each muscle heavy with exhaustion, and his hand throbbed with a sharp, persistent ache. The skin...

CHAPTER 26

Thorne moved silently through the dense underbrush of the Elven Forest, each step deliberate and cautious. It was his third time venturing into the forest that week, and each previous attempt had ended in frustration, coming back empty-handed. He had been searching for the boar mother and her piglets, the creatures that had eluded him since their first encounter. Despite his best efforts, they seemed to have vanished.

He hesitated to venture deeper...

CHAPTER 25

The kitchen was a warm and bustling haven, filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meat. Copper pots and pans hung from hooks above a large wooden table laden with an array of dishes. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting a cozy glow around the room. The walls were lined with shelves holding jars of spices, dried herbs, and other cooking essentials. The sound of bubbling pots and the clatter of utensils created a symphony of culinary ac...

CHAPTER 24

Thorne hopped from rooftop to rooftop, feeling the wind sting his face with each leap. His body was screaming for rest, but he had to keep moving. He needed to put as much distance between himself and the Thornfield estate as possible. The noble quarter was mostly silent now, with only a few stragglers walking the streets. The tall, ornate buildings stretched like shadows beneath the moonlight, offering him a perfect escape route.

Beneath him, the cobblestone streets were q...

CHAPTER 23

Thorne knelt on the floor, the dim light from the crystals placed at each corner of the room casting long, eerie shadows that seemed to stretch and twist with his every movement. His heart raced as he unsheathed the dagger Sid had given him, the cool metal reassuring in his hand. He set to work prying at the floorboards, his hands trembling with exhaustion and anticipation. Almost there. After what felt like an eternity, he managed to loosen two planks, ...