As the hissing sound of the approaching pythons got closer, Sam’s talons flexed and the crystal spiral around him intensified. At the same time, he glanced toward his father to make sure he was ready. Jeric was also looking toward the front now, his muscles rippling beneath the tattered rathide tunic that he was still weari...
2021-08-09 00:42:11 +0000 UTC View Post“Let’s head out,” Sam suggested as he looked around the cavern. The desire to see his family again was strong as he looked at everyone and then down at the amulet in his hand. “But first, let me activate this amulet and see what it can do.”
Now that the amulet was charged, he wanted to see how it worked. If it...
2021-08-08 17:24:10 +0000 UTC View PostSam was so focused that he only came back to himself when he felt a surge of power clicking into place as he connected the last rune. He looked down at the amulet in front of him, his gaze doubling as he compared it to the design.
He was worried for a moment that he had made a mistake, but as he checked it over...
2021-08-07 15:23:47 +0000 UTC View PostIt took the better part of a day for the amulet to finish cooling and by the time it was done, it absorbed nearly 500 points of Earth mana. It was far more than he’d expected.
He had the feeling that the capacity had something to do with the attunement he’d added through his aura. There was a sense of crystal flame ...
2021-08-06 20:36:47 +0000 UTC View Post“Tell people the church blessed you with that star as a sign of the truth.” Krana added, as she studied Sam. “That you’re a good person and such. It won’t help if they attack immediately, but if you get a chance to talk first, it’s worth a shot. Persuade and Preach can help as well, if we’re all together.”
... 2021-08-05 19:26:20 +0000 UTC View PostOn the way back to the cavern, Ayala’s gaze was fixed ahead of them. It looked like she was more relaxed than before, but the determination had become a permanent fixture. It was just a little quieter now, running beneath all of her actions.
“You didn’t want to be a priestess?” he asked after a minute. He’d ne...
2021-08-04 20:54:28 +0000 UTC View PostThe trio had to stop shortly before they reached the mana pool cavern, since the path was blocked by a stone wall. It covered it from one side to the other, and if the stone hadn’t looked so new and oddly straight, it would have been easy to think the tunnel ended here.
A moment later, the stone began to slowly recede...
2021-08-04 05:14:40 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the three of them could go any farther down the tunnel, a strange figure came jogging around the curve, its footsteps thudding into the ground as it ran. It was...some version of Ayala, but formed from a dark stone that matched the cave walls.
Given his current mood, only the fact that it looked like an ...
2021-08-03 04:03:58 +0000 UTC View PostThe crystal spiral of flame condensed in front of Sam into the familiar diamond-edged blade. His Essence Shield dissipated as the attack sliced forward, heading for the spiders in a wash of spiraling flames.
KkrriiisshhHH.
The five spiders in the new wave huddled together in the same defensive reaction as...
2021-08-02 20:56:52 +0000 UTC View PostThe scream was coming from just outside the entrance to the cavern. It rose to a high-pitched shriek of pain that was accompanied by the dull thud-clank of an armored body striking stone and falling to the ground.
The skittering sound of clicks and metal scraping against stone filled the tunne...
2021-07-31 20:32:16 +0000 UTC View PostSomewhere...
The two Outsiders were sitting across from each other inside their dimensional bubble, looking gravely at the orange spell sphere in front of them. Their efforts to pierce into the World Core were encountering new difficulties now that the Core was aware of their interference.
“The World Co...
2021-07-30 22:46:16 +0000 UTC View PostJeric looked toward the scroll in his son’s hand and tears stung his eyes. It was a symbol of hope, a message that they were alive and better days were coming. He walked forward with shaking hands to take it as he thought about his wife and daughter.
“Just infuse your mana into it, speak what you want into the cente...
2021-07-29 22:35:43 +0000 UTC View PostAyala’s eyes were wide as she stared at the sight in front of her. They reflected the silver-white glow of the mana, almost as if she were seeing a vision of her new life. She walked forward in a trance until she was standing at the edge of the pool.
“This..., I’ll find a way to pay you back,” she murmured as sh...
2021-07-28 22:27:58 +0000 UTC View PostSam looked at his dad and nodded as he agreed to stay. The only option was to salvage what they could of this encounter.
“What about the guards?” he asked, as he turned to look towards them. Yeres and Lesat were a problem. Yeres glared back at him, as if daring him to come closer.
“They’re bound to secrecy...
2021-07-28 01:15:09 +0000 UTC View PostI want to say thank you so much to everyone for coming over to Patreon to support the work!
Since we hit the $500 goal tier this month, I'll be ordering some art of Sam and Jeric, probably the scene in Ch 30 where Krana sees them. It's nicely dramatic, so I'm looking forward to what the artist can do wi...
2021-07-28 00:38:19 +0000 UTC View PostAfter the explanation of the church’s stance on Outsiders and demons, Sam felt a dawning realization of what he was up against with his new appearance. It wasn't comforting.
Looking like this would end up with him being attacked on sight.
He shook his head as he tried to think of a way to fix it or to hide his a...
2021-07-27 15:33:51 +0000 UTC View PostWhile Sam sorted through the wizardess’s equipment, his father continued to speak with Ayala and Krana in the cavern behind him. He kept one ear on their conversation, but it was still mostly focused on calming Ayala down and basic introductions.
He searched the wizardess, but as he’d expected there was no aura on h...
2021-07-26 04:57:21 +0000 UTC View PostSam was staring around the area, his thoughts muddled. The two guards settled down on the opposite side of the cavern and were muttering to themselves, but they stayed out of the way.
It created a clear division between the two sides.
Only the shocked girl was still undecided, but she continued to stand next to Je...
2021-07-24 15:30:56 +0000 UTC View PostThe blue lightning streaked across the cavern, heading directly towards Sam. It was a glowing, cobalt blue bolt of force with trailing tendrils like fingers that stretched across the ceiling.
It was accompanied by the dwarf’s panicked shout and the furious scream of the wizardess.
A flash of rage hit Sam as he s...
2021-07-23 17:42:29 +0000 UTC View PostThe spiral of crystal blue flame around Sam compressed into the triangular point of an Essence Blade as he shaped the spell as quickly as possible. He had to take down that warlord before it could harm his dad.
The Earthen Shield around his father was already flickering on its last legs as it tried to absorb the overwhe...
2021-07-22 20:43:00 +0000 UTC View PostSomewhere in the Tunnels
“We’re getting very close now.” Krana turned to speak to the group following her. “If nothing else happens, we’ll be there sometime today.”
“After so long...,” Ayala smiled, as her mood started to look up. It had taken the better part of two months, but it looked l...
2021-07-21 22:47:42 +0000 UTC View PostThere was another gnomish wall blocking the exit from the tunnel, but it was twice the height of the last one. It was also much more imposing, making it clear that the gnomes had put a lot of effort into it.
It was practically a fort.
There were large, stable boulders at the base, and it was tall enough that Sam c...
2021-07-20 22:18:43 +0000 UTC View PostThere were six gnomes and two salamanders scattered across the tunnel.
Sam’s energy was higher than it had ever been after a battle, which made reclaiming the auras from them much more likely. With the added seven from the new levels, he had 21 points of aura left.
He bent down next to the first gnome, his hand ...
2021-07-19 21:44:13 +0000 UTC View Post
The cover has arrived! Here's a larger version.
2021-07-19 10:21:18 +0000 UTC View PostIt didn’t take Sam and Jeric long to pull apart the blockade. They tore down most of it in less than an hour, and then they paused to take care of a few last matters before they headed out.
Sam divided up the spell scrolls they had left. Three went into his belt pouch and the other two went to his dad. They each had a...
2021-07-18 22:53:28 +0000 UTC View PostJeric headed towards the silver-white glow of the Earth mana pool as his idea for how to get the Merchant subclass ran through his mind.
His idea to trade it for the hammer should work, but you couldn't always predict how things would go.
One of the most basic ways to get the Merchant profession was to complete a ...
2021-07-17 22:54:45 +0000 UTC View Post“Scion of the Crystal Flame,” Sam murmured to himself as he thought about the subclass the Guardian had left for him. It had been on his mind constantly, in between working on the hammers. His father was standing by his shoulder, waiting for him to accept it.
There was a sense of building excitement as he thought ab...
2021-07-17 22:01:40 +0000 UTC View PostSam had murder on his mind as he looked at the two hammers in front of him.
That marauder had nearly killed his dad. He was going to make sure that when they faced the gnomes again, they were as strong as possible.
It wasn’t going to be easy to deal with the village, but they had to do it if they wanted to get h...
2021-07-16 17:52:41 +0000 UTC View PostJeric gave Sam a steady look as he considered the ramifications of everything he had just learned about this...seal and the Guardian.
There were still some things he needed to ask to make sense of all this. Sam hadn't told him everything yet.
“Wait..., Earth Vision is obvious,” Sam interrupted, pulling Jeric's...
2021-07-15 18:50:40 +0000 UTC View Post
Just got in the cover concept here! What do you think?
2021-07-07 19:37:06 +0000 UTC View Post
