Magic_Smithing

Having trouble with this chapter

This chapter is kicking my butt.

I knew what I wanted in this chapter right after I posted the last one. The problem is every time I type a scene out and reread it, it just comes off wrong to me.

I'm going to be working on it the rest of the night, but I don't see myself having it done until tomorrow.

I want to say I'll have another chapter out on Sunday, but I won't make that promise until I get your feedback on the chapter I'm working on no...

Ch: 87

Master Pacore the Deathless’ Point of View:

It's hard not to skip down the road. If I weren't surrounded by my men, I'd be dancing with joy.

“Sir, you’re smiling like that again,” young Jason points out to me.

“I can’t help it,” I chuckle.

“You’re worrying the men,” Jason reminds me with a strained look on his face.

I ignore him and continue to strut down the road with a pep in my step. It isn’t my problem he’s feeling embarrassed walking ...

Ch: 86

"Must you continue to look at me like that?" Pacore tries to make a puppy dog face, but it's just weird seeing an old man trying to look meek on purpose, especially after he handed us our asses yesterday.

With a sour look, I choose to ignore Pacore, knowing he will only be spurred on by anything I say. After a minute of Pacore holding his ridiculous expression and me trying not to laugh, I feel myself about to break. "Can you stop playing around, so we can get this over with?" I snap be...

Ch: 85

Master Pacore the Deathless’ Point of View:

"Your armor is topped-off, Master Pacore," mage Lilian bows her head. She's the senior of the two mages I brought with me, and it's her day to charge my armor. The two mages alternate each day, making sure my armor and gear are always at their best.

I’m not sure how the day will proceed, but I have a feeling it’s a good idea everything is full for my meeting with Aaliyah.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Master Pac...

The chapter will be up late tonight.

I will be posting the next chapter tonight, but I'm not sure how much longer it will take.

The chapter will be longer than the last few and I need to edit it to make sure it lives up to what I promised.

No matter what, a nice chapter will be waiting for everybody in the morning.

You know the chapter is tomorrow, right?

That is all.

No spoilers! 

Ch: 84

If this old man weren't wearing an invisible helmet right now, I'd try socking him in his creepy face.

I knew the old man and lady would be trouble the second I saw them, but things are turning out for the worst. Being the second strongest person in the village, I was responsible for standing front and center when Scholl arrived. And if Scholl sent anybody else to our village, I would've gone unnoticed.

I would’ve liked nothing more than to remain back at the front of the villag...

Chapter Tomorrow

Making sure it lives up to everyone's expectations.

Ch: 83

Master Pacore the Deathless’ Point of View:

As my men tear my tent down for me, I adjust my armor and take in the morning air. The smell of the forest enhances the spring breeze.

I hear the forest birds chirping in the distance, creating a soothing melody anybody would enjoy.

“Do the flying rats never shut up?!” Young Jason complains nearby. “Is it too much to ask for some peace and quiet?” Poor Jason curses, starting to develop dark circles under his eyes from the...

Taking some extra time on the next chapter

Is it considered extra time if it comes out at the same time as the last couple of weeks?

Philosophical debate!

On a random note, is anyone having trouble finding Pokémon cards?

I've been watching unboxing videos and wanted to recapture a piece of my childhood. I can not find a pack of Pokémon cards in any store I go to. I want to get some packs from the set dropping tomorrow and I have a feeling I'd have to pay an arm and a leg for them. 2021-02-19 03:57:32 +0000 UTC View Post

Ch: 82

I channel my inner Shaolin monk, switching from a monkey stance to a crane position. The forest is warming up as spring progresses, and you can feel the vibrance of life in the air.

Of course, I have no real idea if what I’m doing is anything related to actual monks, but practicing my sense of balance in weird positions is a staple for my training. I set aside today to practice all my mana skills, focusing heavily on my mana roots. And this time, I can train in the woods without being...

Ch: 81

Master Pacore the Deathless’ Point of View:

“Jason! Which of these blasted papers has the city’s food figures?” I snap at my young aide.

“The one on your left, sir.” He points out a piece of parchment covered in numbers.

“And the schedule for the patrols?”

"That's this one," Jason pulls a piece of paper from a stack that was partially leaning off my desk.

I grit my teeth in frustration, trying to decipher the many figures I’m reading.

"Wow...

Ch: 80

My arms tense.

My eyes narrow.

I pull back my arms while digging my feet into the forest floor.

I yell, exhaling the large breath I've just drawn in, and swing my new axe in a downwards diagonal strike. This time I won't mess up!

My muscles tense just as my strike is about to hit my target.

When I hear the bark crack from the tree I'm swinging at; I immediately know I failed again.

“Gods damn it!” I swear in frustration.

“Language, Aaliyah,” m...

Ch: 79

Master Pacore the Deathless’ Point of View:

"This is revolting," I remark as I kick my boot through the charred remains of the field. "Did your nobles not think about the people they left behind in the city?" I turn and ask General Pitz, who's silently standing behind me, also looking over the fields of ruined crops.

Judging by her face, she also doesn't agree with these scorched earth tactics.

My spies told me the city was rushing to harvest everything they could, but I n...

Ch: 78

?????????? Point of View:

“When will they be here!? We’ve been sitting here for two days!”

“We should’ve moved closer to the village.”

"Quiet, all of you! I paid you, so you do what I say! Now shut up, or I'll cut your tongues out myself!" I snarl at the two filthy bandits, releasing a small part of my killing intent to establish my authority.

The two bandits next to me cringe back in fear.

It's annoying I have to deal with such rabble. Once this job ...

Ch: 77

Reel/Four’s Point of View:

“That’s the contents of her contract,” I finish explaining to Boss Giovanni.

"That son of a bitch!" A loud thumping sound echoes through my communication device, most likely from Giovanni slamming his hands against his desk of throwing something. "Does that bastard think he can screw me!?"

"Boss, calm down," I hear Marshall try to reel in Giovanni's anger. I can only imagine what the boss must be feeling right now. I would still be angry to...

Ch: 76

"Don't you think some flowers would go perfect right here?" Mom and I watch smiling from Richard's kitchen table as Sandra directs brother on how he should rearrange his house now that he has all this extra furniture. "If you open the window behind them, it would brighten up the room."

“I can see that,” brother nods along with Sandra’s idea but mother and I can see he’s just resigned himself to do whatever Sandra suggests.

Mom and I came over this morning to see how Richar...

Chapter Tomorrow (but read bellow)

The header is self-explanatory but I want everyone's opinion on something.

A lot of nice people have been messaging me, saying I should commit to two chapters a week but leave the scheduling open.

I want to thank everyone for their concern but I know I'm a pretty bad procrastinator and feeling bad about missing a deadline makes sure I sit at my desk and write more. It may not be the healthiest solution, but it works for me.

I'm always going t...

Ch: 75

"So, which is more fun, helping your mother clean your brother's house or clearing trees with your old man?" Dad gives me a goofy grin as he drags the tree trunk he just fell over to the cart.

"Honestly?" I ask dad with a straight face, looking like I'm about to drop a major truth bomb on him.

Dad freezes as he's lifting the lumber into the back of the cart, not expecting my reaction.

I can't hold my straight face for long, and I quickly smile at his duress. "I'm just messin...

Ch: 74

"I want to thank all of you for coming today." Camden stands slightly above everyone, addressing the whole village with his family standing next to him for support.

I’m standing with my parents off to the side, more interested in everyone’s reactions to Camden’s speech rather than its contents. Having a village meeting around the start of spring isn't unusual, but it doesn't look like anybody is expecting good news after this last year.

"We've had a challenging year, but we'...

Ch: 73

Quick Update:

I forgot that Aaliyah used her magic to clean her parents at the end of Ch 62, so I went back and rewarded the last chapter to reflect that.

**********

RUN AWAY!

My highly trained instincts scream at me to flee as soon as possible. I know better than to turn around and glance back at the monster behind me. Digging my boots into the ground, I prepare to launch myself into the distance with everything I have.

Just as I’m about to execute my escape, ...

Ch: 72

Come on, Aaliyah, you're almost there. I push myself a little faster, trying to catch up to the disappearing sun in the distance. I recognize the terrain around me and know I'm almost back at the village.

As I get closer to home, I can’t help but think about whatever stew mother has made tonight. After three days of near-constant running, coupled with a few biscuits and rubbery strips of jerky, I’m ready to eat a real meal for a change.

I slow down to a jog when I finally reac...

A quick shout out to everyone! Happy new year!

I'm waiting for the ball to drop as I post and release the last chapter for 2020.

I just want to say how thankful I am for all the support you guys have given me over this challenging year.

I wish each and everyone of you the best for the coming year.

Here's to 2021.

Ch: 71

Master Pacore the Deathless Point of View:

"You would think a man of my age would be able to handle anything, but we're only two days into the march, and I'm already bored," I complain out loud.

The gentle rocking of my private carriage makes me want to fall asleep. This is the only part of my job I hate; if I could simply teleport from one battlefield to another, my life would be complete.

“Is there anything I can get you, Master Pacore the Deathless?” A female attendan...

Ch: 70

“So, how does this work?” I lean across Mr. Grey’s desk, watching his every movement with an excited smile on my face while bouncing on the tips of my toes.

Mr. Grey recoils away from me and drops his skill, but Acting helps me keep up my happy façade. He must have thought his skill was working too well on me and wants me to back off.

I stop acting like I just ate a bag of sugar and back up a bit, but just enough that I’m still considered quite close to Mr. Grey.

"F...

Ch: 69

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” I continue to kick myself as I run down the final strip of the forest.

What is wrong with me?

I completely lost it for a second there when my brother demanded I return to the village with them.

After our confrontation, I used my anger to fuel my running for a while and covered a lot of ground, but when I finally stopped to rest, and my emotions evened out, I realized how in the wrong I was.

I mean, I even used Sense Soul on my brother and ...

Ch: 68

Sandra's Point of View:

It's nice to see Aaliyah hasn't changed that much in the last five years. Watching Richard fail to catch her reminds me of the good old days before leaving the village; only Aaliyah is much bigger now.

She was in her growth period when we left, and it's a little unreal to see her taller than me now. Like Richard, she gained her father's height and looks to be only slightly shorter than her brother now. But that is only the most apparent change in Aaliyah's ...

Ch: 67

Looking over my shoulder, I make my way towards the front of the village.

I was expecting my mother to burst into the house as I was preparing to leave and demand that I stay, but she never showed up. Now I'm paranoid she'll spring up out of nowhere to claim my soul when I least expect it.

The strap of my axe starts to slip from my shoulder as I keep my head on a swivel, and I'm forced to adjust it for the millionth time. It'll only become more annoying after I start my run.

Ch: 66

“And right there, I’ll put a tree. A happy tree,” I try and give my best Bob Ross impression.

Waving my hands around, I manipulate the experience around me to form an oak tree. It's hard to create one based only on my memories entirely, but oak trees were pretty common in my past life, and I only need to get the outward appearance to match the shape in my head.

I hold my fingers up like I'm looking through a camera and marvel at my handiwork. This is my biggest project to da...

Ch: 65

Cristopher’s Point of View:

“General, come back!” I lean over the ramparts and shout at her departing figure. My heart feels like it's about to beat out of my chest. I watch General Pitz walk towards the man who drew in all our siege spells and walked out unscathed. Even though he’s so far away from me, my skills tell me he’s as dangerous as the general.

I bite my lower lip until I taste copper in my mouth. Bringing my hand up to my lip, I see that I'm bleeding. I wipe m...