carrarn

Kernstalion 2 - 40: Rats

High pitched screeching came from a rusted, metallic, bearded head as I stomped on it with my foot while slashing sideways with my ax to keep the rest away.

"They are slow! Attack them from behind!" I shouted as I jumped backward before a metallic arm covered in rust slashed through the air I'd just stood on. Blue lightning in their eyes, the three metal-dwarfs slowly turned my way and shuffled forward.

"Easy for you to say," Candlewick roared as she sliced across a metal arm. Her...

A quick status update

As you might have noticed, I've been updating my Patreon infrequently. The reason for this is that I'm busy with many things, not the least trying to find the time to write NBB3. Also, I'll be going to the HSFcon in the Netherlands. Right now, I get the chapters for Kernstalion ready barely a day before I want to release them, and this is slowing down my NBB3 writing too much. So, this NaNoWriMo (November) will see no Kernstalion. 

I'm putting it on hold for a month as I write NBB3...

Kernstalion 2 - 39: Boglodon

"Casiron will stay with you... there is no need to be afraid," I said as I looked at the two small girls clutching Bearra's legs.

One was her own daughter. The other was Lileth, the little girl that we had found. Both were shivering, not just from the cold, as they occasionally glanced at a spot beside one of the openings. Bearra ruffled their hair gently, looking at the other girl with a sad smile. She had taken her in almost as soon as she had found out the girl was alone. She followe...

Kernstalion 2 - 38: Through the hills

"They will reach the next town in a few days," Dibidi whispered as he lay crouched on the hill beside me.

A long line of soldiers, carts, and Cindermares moved below us, heading further west.

"There's not a lot we can do about that," I said, wishing Dibidi would correct me and present some perfect, foolproof plan.

"No."

Well, fuck, I thought as I took one more look and began crawling back from the edge.

"Let's get out of here before someone spots us." 2021-10-15 07:58:22 +0000 UTC View Post

Kernstalion 2 - 37: A trail of death and destruction

The sounds of the Howling Forest spilled around me as I sat in just my new leather pants. It was slightly too large around the waist, and I'd remedied that with a leather band. A smooth wooden breastplate and two matching pauldrons lay on my lap, now attached to the leather harness I had bought.

Should have bought some clothing for underneath, I thought as I looked at the ragged shirt I'd worn beneath my old armor. It was as clean as I could get it, mostly dried but covered in ...

Kernstalion 2 - 36: Demon anger

It took us only a minute to drag a dozen wagoneers and guards into a pile in front of one of the wagons, but it felt like forever. When we were finally hiding on top of the wagon, I had a flask of blood in one hand and my new ax in another and was trying to listen for the Riocin. It was still quiet, but as they could fly, that meant little. I took a quick reassuring look behind. Casiron stood there, ready for me to jump on and get us the hell out of dodge. Libidi and Dibidi lay on his neck, b...

Kernstalion 2 - 35: War and chaos

Some hundred meters from the town, Galir stopped. A thick stench of soot and burning meat wafted over us every time the wind turned our way, and with it came a buzzing. Deep imprints and tracks covered the road that joined ours from deeper in the plains. Wagons, mounts, and many feet. Far too many for a simple caravan.

The wall that surrounded the village was cracked in many places. As I moved closer, I saw that the thick gate had been broken open by force. Half of it lay abandoned beyo...

Kernstalion 2 - 34: Smoke

With the morning sun only just peaking across the forest’s edge and the wagoneers preparing to set out on what would finally be our final trek through the Howling Forest, I knew it was time to see what my level two Vengeful Mount was like.

Wondering what the others would think, I looked at the crouching dragon and focused.

Please be something special, I thought as I drew in a vengeful spirit. A mass of spirits swirled around me instantly, but to my surprise, they just h...

Kernstalion 2 - 33: Pantheon

I lay on my back on the almost finished dragon statue, looking at the clouds that passed overhead, still bright against the quickly darkening sky. The last things needed to finish the statue were such minute details that I'd have to finish them when we stopped tonight. The same counted for the two daggers I'd crafted and parts of a set of armor. The last things I'd made for myself had turned out much better than I'd imagined. My mind was slowly swirling as I thought of ways to bind them toget...

Kernstalion 2 - 32: Wyergin

The next day I woke up to find Dibidi and Libidi curled up like cats beside my chair. While sleeping it was easier to differentiate one from the other. Libidi's face was a bit softer, and her eyebrows curled up more. Dibidi's were a straight line, almost like he was frowning, and he had a tiny bit of drool hanging from the corner of his lip.

Voices and shouting from outside indicated that the wagoneers had started getting ready to move out, but there was a different tone to it compared ...

NBB3 - chapter 4: Zombra

The powerful mind hung above the planet, unable to move too far away but able to watch what happened beyond the crisp blue barrier. It vaguely remembered having been here and watching for a long time. At first, it couldn't think, but at some moment, a ripple had come from its body, and conscious thought flickered into being once more.

--

What? Where am I? Solus?

A disembodied mental scream tore through the cold space as Tirella woke. Her mind was like a cloud, sprea...

Kernstalion 2 - 31: Boom goes the lightning

My knife slid gently across what would soon be the edge of my new ax. Was it the fourth or the fifth I'd made since coming to Kernstalion? I'd lost count, and the one I remembered best was till the first one Agga had given me.

The story Libidi had told me was still gestating in my mind, as was their request. A world that had been destroyed due to some conflict between Deities that no longer existed. It sounded awfully familiar. Some sole deity that had been partially destroyed but was s...

Kernstalion 2 - 30: Leralion

"Do you think he could make me something?"

"Why would he? He's a Prime… you know how they are. They only do their Deity's bidding or go after the young men and women."

"Quiet, fool. What if he hears you?"

I groaned as the trio of guards ran forward to walk beside one of the other wagons, casting furtive glances at me. They had been ten feet away and not whispering. Of course, I'd heard them. Still, was this how the common people saw Primes? I'd never really talked much wit...

Kernstalion 2 - 29: Familiar Eyes

I backpedaled, raising my hands in self-defense, ready to defend myself as I looked at either Dibibi or Libidi, which of the two I had no idea.

The Isirow backed up, one hand on a dagger and the other in an odd position.

"Are you going insane again?" he asked coldly, his face as emotionless as before.

"No," I said before slowly leaning back and sighing. "You just startled me."

"Why?"

I opened my eyes, raising my eyebrows as I looked at the other in wonder. What d...

Kernstalion 2 - 28: A way out

I gazed around the stone corner to make sure nobody had followed me and found only the empty corridor I had just come through. Galir should be busy with getting the caravan ready, and Linery was hopefully with him.

Crazy enchantress, I thought as I remembered how she had found me before and just interrupted my conversation with Galir. It had taken twenty minutes of lying to make her believe that I couldn’t contact Ulderion and that she would have to go there herself. Galir ha...

Kernstalion 2 - 27: Creepy panting

As I stepped across the dirt of the central area of the midway point, I looked around at the guards standing around in groups. Most of them were staring at me, and many had their hands on their swords.

"What's wrong with them?" I muttered.

"You've been screaming all through the night," Galir said as he stepped briskly beside me towards the other tower. "It's a miracle you can even speak normally."

I didn't have an answer for that, but my throat felt fine. It was my hands and...

Kernstalion 2 - 26: Hanging by a thread

A few hours later, I was lying in a room I'd had to clean up myself on a stack of fresh hay. What remained of the bed, after the goblins had ransacked the place, now lay in a mangled heap below the window, outside the tower. Besides the hay, there was only a door that remained, which was now locked. I'd slammed a borrowed dagger under it to keep it shut, but sleep wasn't coming. It could be the tickling of the hay or the fact that I had just trained my mindscape and still felt sore, but whate...

Kernstalion 2 - 25: Cold, focused anger

Galir blinked, then he continued forward as if nothing was happening.

"No. What do you see?"

"There is movement in the western towers."

Galir nodded, then turned to the woman who had been quietly riding beside him on the other side.

"Linery, warn the rest. Tell them to wait for my sign, then raise the barrier and ready the Ballorbow."

The what?

The woman gave no response, but a few seconds later, she turned to him. "Everyone is getting ready. Give ...

Kernstalion 2 - 24: The caravan

The waves lapped across the back of the turtle statue as it shot through the water, away from where I stood. Rathica's statue was hidden away in a compartment inside, an anchor point, as Rathica named it. I followed it with my gaze until it disappeared into the distance, then turned and looked at the Wirg mount.

"It's time to head out!"

I climbed on its back and directed it towards the denser jungle. I'd filled up my lifeforce, although the memory of enlarging my mindscape made me...

Kernstalion 2 - 23: Transitioning into what?

I woke up feeling slightly better than before and focused on my surroundings. I didn't hear or see anything below the tree or on the bank and pulled up the countdown. The statue was crouching beside the tree, unmoving. I quickly climbed down and pulled a new Vengeful Spirit into the inert wood. As soon as it moved, I climbed back into the tree. I needed to do some other things before leaving.

> Death will occur in fourteen hours and two minutes

So, I slept for over seven ho...