On Sunday morning, Alex strode through the kitchen to the back of the western wing of the house, where Gabby and Edwin had rooms. His footsteps echoed off of the marble floors, filling the silence. He found that it was a bit strange to not see Gabby in the kitchen humming along to a pleasant tune only she could hear.
He found Edwin’s quarters and knocked.
“Come in, Master Moore.”
Alex smiled, excited by the day’s plan. He pushed open the door to find Edwin already dr...
2025-01-02 14:00:13 +0000 UTC
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***
Congratulations, [Mana Thread] has leveled up!
***
Alex smiled at the screen. It was becoming more and more clear that the System rewarded someone for pushing the limits of their skill, especially the last few levels before advancement.
For the last few hours, Alex sat with Sam on the steps leading from the living room into the gym. While Sam had been practicing his meditation, Alex had been testing different ways to alter his [Mana Thread] skill.<...
2025-01-01 14:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Take your pick from the options below!!
Everyone can have multiple votes, but I will only be starting the commission with the top three votes from the Patreon Poll!
I hope to have some fun with this. If you don't see something in the options that you would want to vote for, let me know, but this definitely works best if I'm not adding options after the fact. Don't expect all comments to get added as an option, but I'm open to hearing suggestions!
These will almost all be s...
2025-01-01 00:00:56 +0000 UTC
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Hey everyone! Hope you're all enjoying the holiday season. Happy New Year's Eve!
First off, if you have plans tonight, have fun and stay safe!
Next, I’ve got a few cool updates I want to share with you:
Update on Valtherion
This is just a quick heads-up, but I thought you’d like to know it’s happening soon! I had a blast writing yesterday’s ch...
2024-12-31 23:49:26 +0000 UTC
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“You can put that one over here,” Alex called as he waved the workers over. He was endlessly impressed with how much could get done if there was enough money.
He’d been burning through some of his available funds to get the backyard set up and ready for training, despite the cold weather. More than half of what he wanted to order was unavailable due to shipping and supply issues. Even with the limited availability, it felt worth it, though, as the final touches were coming togethe...
2024-12-31 14:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Alex stepped into his new office, cluttered with boxes and stationary items that had been moved in. Sam peered in from behind Alex at the door.
“What are you going to do first?”
Maybe get the computer started up? I really need to organize my thoughts.
Alex felt some uncertainty through Sam’s feelings.
“Relaxing is important.”
He knew that Sam was right, but he was beginning to feel antsy in a way that he’d never experienced ...
2024-12-30 14:00:12 +0000 UTC
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“Come on, dude! Just spill it already.”
Alex let out an exaggerated groan from his spot in the backseat of Mark’s SUV. The car was filled with the sound of rustling jackets and the low hum of the heater, providing a warm refuge from the cold outside. The mood was light, with a sense of anticipation. Next to him, Sam was squeezed into the middle of the row between him and Olivia. Sarah was in the front and giggled as Mark looked into the rear mirror.
“I mean, Alex. Really. ...
2024-12-27 14:00:13 +0000 UTC
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Well, this should be interesting. Huh?
Sam nodded as the two of them climbed the stairs to the large wooden doors. The sky was clear, and the morning air was cold and fresh.
I haven't trained properly in days. Alex's thoughts wandered as they reached the top of the stairs. This house is exciting, but I need to get everything settled soon. I can't let my progress stagnate. He was itching to get back to leveling up and pushing his skills further....
2024-12-26 14:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Alex sat on the couch in his apartment, scrolling on his phone. The articles on the AG app were filled with useful information, and he found himself wanting to spend hours at a time reading through various articles. The most recent one was a passing fancy that made him curious about how Sam’s class worked.
At the thought of the teenager, Alex looked up from the article and into his room. Sam was lying on his bed with his head hanging off the end; he was tossing a Mana Stone up and dow...
2024-12-25 14:00:12 +0000 UTC
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An hour passed as Alex talked with Elana and Derrick. Alex told them a bit about his time in the Epic Rift and explained the politics that were happening within. After explaining the dynamic between the two sects and how much they could learn from Eura, Elana gave an assurance that they’d attempt to make contact with the Celestial Lotus Sect after entering and asked if he would mind meeting with Derrick at a later date to go over the Rift information in more detail.
“Uh,” Alex sai...
2024-12-24 14:00:10 +0000 UTC
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After the fight, Alex was approached by many of the Guild Members and Recruits. He was surprised by the number that seemed to know him from one thing or another and the fight seemed to solidify his strength in their minds.
In truth, he’d been a bit embarrassed by the whole thing, but he couldn’t deny that the recognition felt good and rewarding for everything he’d been through in the last two months.
When most people continued on their way to the dining room, ushered by the ...
2024-12-23 14:56:31 +0000 UTC
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Alex leaned against the wall of the small preparation room, listening to the muffled chatter on the other side of the door. The tournament had been interesting, if not challenging.
Watching the world continue shifting around him in the weeks since he’d returned from the Rift felt surreal. People’s builds were becoming more creative, and it was fascinating to see how the System worked with their intent to make combinations work. He’d faced a guy who used a bow enhanced by a wind sk...
2024-12-23 14:00:11 +0000 UTC
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Volume 1 - Finished
Really not sure what else to put for the title to this.
It's so damn cool to me to see several hundred people have finished my entire first book. It's actually wild and really cool.
I just wanted to take a second and thank all of you for being here and supporting the story. I love seeing people join the Discord too, really fun to start seeing the conversations in there.
Aethon
Just to be clear, no...
2024-12-13 02:46:30 +0000 UTC
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Alex took a deep breath while he sat with his back against the brick wall. It wasn’t a normal spot for him to sit, but with his back to the far apartment wall, sitting under the window, he was next to the tree and could see the entire open living area and kitchen.
After all of the tension and fight-or-flight moments he had in the last two months during the Celestial War Rift, that moment made it all feel worth it. He looked to the left, just past the sparsely decorated tree, and saw ...
2024-12-12 14:00:06 +0000 UTC
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“No way!” Mark yelled. “How the hell is this kid so good!”
Alex laughed and tossed the control onto the coffee table after he died. He reached into the chip bag in front of Sam and chomped down on a chip before ruffling the teen’s hair.
“Man, I don’t know, but he kicked both of our butts.” He stepped over Sam and walked to the kitchen counter, where he’d left his phone. “Alright, it’s about that time. Sam, you’re sure you’re good to stay with Mark?”
...
2024-12-11 14:00:10 +0000 UTC
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My Week
Hey, everyone. I hope you're having a great Tuesday. I'm sorry the weekly update is coming out today instead of yesterday, but I've been doing a bunch to try and get the start of Volume 2 touched up and ready to post here!
I am trying to help draw some lines for myself regarding responding to and absorbing some of the negativity that comes with posting the story on the internet. Yesterday's chapter was not super well received on Royal Road. I think that I will gradually...
2024-12-11 00:29:14 +0000 UTC
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Sarah had been watching Alex closely for most of the evening. While Alex had never been helpless, she'd seen him struggle with self-doubt and a lack of confidence for almost ten years. After hearing of his harrowing tale from the Rift, her professional instincts were on high alert.
She and Mark were both surprised by the person they saw across the cocktail table. The number of life-and-death situations he'd been in would break most people. She expected to see the sort of trauma that cou...
2024-12-10 14:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Alex felt bad for the waiter, who was berated for entirely too long. While he didn’t feel the need to step in himself, he found it odd that none of the Peacekeepers stepped in to make Rylan back off.
Is it because he’s Elana’s brother?
When the man had his fill, and the tension in the room had built to a peak, Rylan excused himself and said he needed to go get entirely new clothes. The waiter hung his head low and walked into the kitchen.
The buzz around the r...
2024-12-09 14:00:11 +0000 UTC
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Hey guys! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
I just realized that there is a bit of a mistake in the last 3-4 chapters that were uploaded. I uploaded the original version of the chapters and did not update them before they got posted.
For the most part, the chapter content stays the same, but there are some minor details in each that I had wanted to add for what is happening in the world. And quite a bit did begin to move forward in the world in that week that Alex was gone ...
2024-12-07 14:11:56 +0000 UTC
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Alex looked at his phone to kill time, flipping through videos about the big event Taker was streaming the next day. Sam stood next to him with Mark and Sara paired up behind them. He looked up from his phone to see the line still had close to 30 people in front of them.
Glancing at Sam, he couldn’t help but smile. In the days leading up to the meet-up at the Voss Estate, they’d gone shopping for clothes. Alex had been slightly annoyed to find that a lot of the modern clothes felt f...
2024-12-06 14:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Alex paced back and forth in the park. There was a small path leading in a circle with some benches in the middle where Sam was sitting.
“Alex.” Sam sent him the feeling of an exacerbated sigh followed by a feeling of comfort and confidence.
Hey, hey. Don’t you start! You weren’t even there to see it. She made me wait two days before wanting to meet up, I’ve got to try and explain what happened.
Sam sighed, causing a cloud of smoke to float f...
2024-12-05 14:00:01 +0000 UTC
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“Alex?”
Val, everything is fine. Don’t attack him.
“Yes. Mark, I’m sorry, I know-”
Before he could even finish his sentence, the big man crossed the room in a few strides and absorbed his half-dressed friend in a bear hug.
“You’re alive, you crazy bastard!” He shook Alex back and forth a few times before setting him back down.
Alex coughed as the hug was released, and he was barely able to hold on to his towel. He gave his friend a smil...
2024-12-04 14:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Alex stumbled out of the Rift and into the small opening in the woods. There was snow on the ground, and even though the Rift had been chilly, it wasn’t nearly close to freezing.
Sam sat a few steps away. Blood from his clothes had smeared onto the undisturbed snowfall. Despite the horrific scene, he sat halfway up. His waist was still strapped down to the shield while he wrestled off the weakened threads around his upper body.
The two of them made eye contact and there was a te...
2024-12-03 14:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Good morning! Sorry to ping everyone again with a post when I just had two yesterday. It was brought to my attention that the Discord link was broken that was posted in yesterday's Weekly Update.
Please use this link: https://discord.gg/bPevj9An2C
Hope to see you there! Have a great rest of your week!
2024-12-03 13:08:26 +0000 UTC
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If you have the time, please leave a bit of feedback or at least vote on the poll!
If the only people answering this poll are those who have an issue with the chapters, and those who enjoyed it stay silent, to me it's going to look like these chapters should likely be changed before going live on Royal Road!
---
As I mentioned in the previous poll, I was struggling to find some sort of balance between a straight-up time skip and actually taking a ton of cha...
2024-12-02 19:51:35 +0000 UTC
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Spell Weaver & End of Arc
Hey, everyone. I hope you're having a great Monday. If you celebrate Thanksgiving, then I hope you ate your fill over the weekend!
It feels good to have my full focus back on Spell Weaver! I got a good bit of writing done last week. I hope everyone has enjoyed the shift to five chapters per week.
ALSO, Congratulations!!! Alex (and his faithful readers) finally made it out of the Rift this morning. Whew, I know that was a...
2024-12-02 19:38:44 +0000 UTC
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Alex’s mind raced, and a plan began to form. He stepped away from the sect warriors, knowing that they would be able to hold for now with their increasing power and the immediate attention turned to the ambushers. He jogged the short distance to kneel next to Sam. The boy was crying, and his hands were shaking.
Shit, he already used the mana Val gave him too.
“How much mana do you have left, Sam?”
The blonde teen flinched and looked up at Alex with watery eyes...
2024-12-02 14:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The small group of six crept through the tall grass, and Alex could see his breath as the sun began to rise.
The encampment was less than 100 meters away, and he could feel his heart beginning to quicken once again. He noticed that at different stages in their prep and approach to the encampment, his body would begin to ramp itself up as if the fight was about to start.
From this distance, Alex could see that the Shadow Serpent Sect had taken the time to create small wooden walls ...
2024-11-29 14:00:12 +0000 UTC
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Alex could feel the tension building in the spot between his shoulder blades. With the timetable for the assault being moved up, the evening before the attack had suddenly arrived.
While Alex was ready to go home and he’d gained confidence in his fighting abilities, he suddenly felt a lack of confidence. He remembered the strong presence of the Firstborn and wondered what level the giant serpent was. He felt underprepared to take on such a fight, especially with a plan and allies to s...
2024-11-28 14:00:05 +0000 UTC
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The following two days passed in a similar routine, with Sam and Alex continuing their training and personal projects.
Sam began to get more comfortable about using his skills as he realized that people weren’t going to try and kidnap him for his abilities. Alex was surprised to see his {Nature’s Refuge} manifest during the sparring session. The guards had stopped to look, even Alex was impressed. When seeing it in the dark several nights before, Alex didn’t realize that there was...
2024-11-27 14:00:05 +0000 UTC
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