As they led us through decidedly not-flat terrain to our destination—causing Aerion to fall several more times and my anger to spike another few notches on her behalf—I had to wonder what all this secrecy was for. I supposed it was a good sign. That they cared about what we saw meant they were planning on letting us live after. Not that I thought they’d really manage to kill us before we ...
2025-02-28 19:00:14 +0000 UTC View PostMaiya waited patiently alongside Princess Ira and Ashani as Lord Reth paced back and forth, waiting for the other two of the Tribunal to arrive. It was, interestingly, Ira who received the bulk of Reth’s glances. Ashani was in her demon form, and so, aside from an initial appraising glance, Reth paid her little mind. Ira’s presence, however, must have had all sorts of thoughts flowin...
2025-02-27 18:46:35 +0000 UTC View PostI was wrong—the trip wasn’t bad at all! It was downright godawful.
It had been so long since I’d felt so sore, but the endless hours of jostling and bumping defeated even my stat-enhanced body. By her grumbling, Aerion wasn’t having an easy time of it either, though her lighter weight must have made things a lot easier for her. That, and the fact that she wasn’t decked out in pl...
2025-02-26 19:52:25 +0000 UTC View PostWhen Maiya pitched her plan to Vir, she knew she had a monumental climb ahead of her. Forget saving Riyan—merely getting the Pagan Order to aid her with nothing more than a note? While Maiya was certainly not averse to tackling a challenge, convincing the Tribunal to aid their sworn enemies would be a taller task than most.
Luckily, she wasn’t alone. Maiya was joined by her two...
2025-02-25 19:33:12 +0000 UTC View PostVir rushed to the throne room, chest fillled with anxiety. Why had the mad Thaumaturge decided to appear now, of all times? Didn’t they have an agreement? That his reintroduction to the world be a gradual process, handled with utmost care? What did that old demon hope to accomplish with this?
“Well, go on then,” Vir said, bounding from roof to roof with Cirayus. “Tell me yo...
2025-02-25 18:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostNOTE: We'll continue with 2 chapters a week per story for now. I will make an announcement when we return to 3x a week. Thank you all for your patience.
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“Aerion!” I snapped, finally getting her to regain her wits. Upon realizing our predicament, she lithely jumped off me, assuming a defensive stance with Aurora already drawn.
I was a bit more unceremonious, but i...
2025-02-24 19:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostVir watched the army disperse with a measure of bitterness. Though he’d harassed them as much as he could on their way out, it amounted to l
Vir watched the army disperse with a measure of bitterness. Though he’d harassed them as much as he could on their way out, it amounted to little more than nipping the smallest leaves off a thickly growing weed.
Annas would regroup and retu...
2025-02-22 18:38:02 +0000 UTC View PostHello everyone!
As announced previously, I will be climbing Everest during the months of April and May. I had planned to halt patreon & RR serialization during this period, pausing patreon so nobody was charged. However, I've realized that I'll likely need to pause it earlier than planned, to ensure I'm able to dedicate the time and effort needed to ensure I'm able to climb safely. 2025-02-21 23:09:53 +0000 UTC View Post
Aerion sobbed in my arms until she ran out of tears to shed and her knees went weak. Then we sat on the grass, and she just shivered against
Aerion sobbed in my arms until she ran out of tears to shed and her knees went weak. Then we sat on the grass, and she just shivered against my chest as I stroked her head. She was like a small animal. I couldn’t even imagine going through...
2025-02-21 19:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostDance of the Shadow Demon was no mundane art. Indeed, there were many who claimed the Iksana ought to treat it as a second Ultimate Art. Or third, rather, if the tales were to be believed of their Lost Art, Reality Inversion.
When placed next to the Gargans’ Lionheart or the Bairans had Giant’s Hide, Dance of the Shadow Demon seemed to be in a league of its own.
Upon seeing the ...
2025-02-20 18:22:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe days passed merrily enough, at least until the party ended when Richard headed out, bound for Passion’s territory to the east. That was not an easy farewell, even if we were relatively certain we’d see each other again soon.
Due to the nature of the diamond-shaped Axius, traveling between territories was much faster if you headed toward the center—pretty much analogous to how pl...
2025-02-19 20:13:18 +0000 UTC View PostVir patrolled Samar Patag’s streets ill at ease. Every time he glanced at the city’s long-decaying walls, he wished he could be out there, helping his demons scout villages in danger of being attacked.
Yet now was not the time. Attacking the amassing Chitran armies too early would simply force them to disperse, possibly regrouping again at a later date.
No, to be...
2025-02-18 18:21:42 +0000 UTC View Post“Got nothin’ against the elves, personally,” our caravan leader, Grug, said. “Just that I can’t abide by criminals poaching on the innocent, you know?”
“Still, I have to wonder why they’re suddenly attacking people,” I replied. “I’m guessing this is a relatively new thing, or Domininum would’ve put a stop to it a long time ago.”
We’d pitched camp for the ...
2025-02-17 19:44:15 +0000 UTC View Post“Ashani? If you wouldn’t mind?” Vir asked, having just returned to his throne.
“It would be my pleasure,” she said. “Ladies? If you’ll follow me?”
Ashani led Ira and Maiya out, while Maiya brought the princess up to speed on her daring plan. With Ashani and Vir’s wolves present, he wasn’t overly worried about Maiya’s safety. Especially not since she’d ...
2025-02-15 18:04:46 +0000 UTC View Post“We never discussed this!” Maiya huffed as she paced around the low-ceilinged room adjoining the audience chamber. The Chitran had used this
“We never discussed this!” Maiya huffed as she paced around the low-ceilinged room adjoining the audience chamber. The Chitran had used this as a war room, and the large table at the center was full of maps and wooden pieces of various colors...
2025-02-15 18:00:16 +0000 UTC View PostOur trip out was a hell of a lot more comfortable than our foray to the Cataclysm Dungeon. No sneaking through the forest at night on foot. No murder squads and ambushes. In fact, my only real complaint was this horse.
“Seriously, how do normal people not get their asses pulped?” I asked, shifting my position on the saddle. The saddle was a custom job to accommodate Aerion, the lighte...
2025-02-14 19:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostThe reaction to Saunak’s Automaton was somewhat more than Vir had expected. “You think I overdid it?” he asked, scratching his cheek. Ciray
The reaction to Saunak’s Automaton was somewhat more than Vir had expected.
“You think I overdid it?” he asked, scratching his cheek.
Cirayus guffawed. “I’d say that ship sailed when you outed yourself ...
2025-02-13 21:14:55 +0000 UTC View Post---
“Took you bloody long enough. Where’ve you been?” Richard asked as we approached his table.
“Well, y’know, trip preparations!” I said amiably. “Backpacks to so...
2025-02-12 19:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostIra’s head was still swimming as she followed Maiya and her two friends to a large, underground cavern of sorts. She gazed up at the space i
Ira’s head was still swimming as she followed Maiya and her two friends to a large, underground cavern of sorts. She gazed up at the space in a daze, idly wondering how the cultists had managed to construct such a thing, but her thoughts were cut...
2025-02-11 18:27:30 +0000 UTC View PostNOTE: I messed up the collection arc numbers - we've been in arc 4 until now, not arc 5. I just created a new arc 5 collection with this and the past couple of chapters. Everything should be good to go now, just that the arc numbers have shifted by one. Sorry for the confusion!
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As Aerion and I threw on nondescript robes and darted away from the procession as quickly as possible,...
2025-02-10 19:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostPrincess Ira was more than happy to allow Maiya be the first to step through the shimmering oval Gate—well, the first person, anyway. Vir’s terrifying Ash Wolves boulder through, presumably securing the area.
Ira only hoped they wouldn’t cause a scene. From all that Maiya had told her of them, they sounded intelligent enough to know not to, yet Maiya’s knowledge ca...
2025-02-08 18:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostAs it turned out, thinking of building my own personal empire served quite well to distract me from the absolute torture that was being paraded around the city.
Seriously, if I wasn’t absolutely certain I’d done the right thing hiding my identity as a Champion before, I was now. I couldn’t even imagine being regularly trotted around cities on a parade float, on display like some tro...
2025-02-07 19:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post“A-Ashani,” Ira squeaked. “As in…”
“As in the living deity from the Age of Gods I mentioned earlier, yep,” Maiya said with a smirk. “The one in the scriptures, said to have ruled the highest echelon of the gods with Janak and his daughter Siya.”
“Pfft,” Ashani blurted. “All these silly tales. I truly wonder where they came from?”
We ran for the temple, hoping to get out of the rain. Because for all our stats and abilities, pouring rain still sucked and I had the sneaking feeling it always would. Unless I Initialized an energy umbrella or something. An idea for later, maybe…
For now, we were happy to find refuge within Dominion’s temple’s halls. The thunderous rain diminished to a background white noise as we...
2025-02-05 20:06:25 +0000 UTC View PostPrincess Ira Kin’jal awoke disoriented and confused. Where was she? On a bed—that much was obvious. She was alone in a tent-like structure. How had she gotten here? Where was everyone? Where had Maiya gone?
The sounds of voices and activity outside prompted her to rise to her feet. Finding a pair of slippers conveniently placed nearby, she slipped them on and left the tent.
... 2025-02-04 19:06:43 +0000 UTC View PostCosmo put down two whisky glasses and poured out some 30 year old Scotch that probably cost more than I made in several months at my old job.
“Cheers!” Cosmo clinked his glass against mine, and we both took a sip. It was quite possibly the tastiest whisky I’d ever had. For how much they charged, it better be.
“So, why Tokyo?” I asked. “Hawaiian beach I can understand, bu...
2025-02-03 19:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostVir re-entered the tent after his conversation with Balagra, mind swirling with thoughts of the upcoming battles to be fought. Both on the f
Vir re-entered the tent after his conversation with Balagra, mind swirling with thoughts of the upcoming battles to be fought. Both on the field and in the royal audience chamber, where matters of state were to be decided.
Seeing Maiya...
2025-02-01 18:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostThe white ‘congratulations, here are your rewards for not dying’ room looked identical to how I remembered it, with a massive projection of Dominion’s head and shoulders looming over us, telling us how we’d conducted ourselves with honor and… yadda yadda.
One could only listen to the same canned animation so many times before losing interest. I felt like something like ...
2025-01-31 18:00:13 +0000 UTC View PostVir wasted not a single moment returning to Ashani, flying through the Gate without slowing. On the other side, Vir found a fabric medical tent and Tara’s team of nagas in their half-serpent form, assembled and waiting out front. Even Balagra was there.
“Who, uh… Wow,” Tara said, freezing in her tracks as she stared up at Vir’s horns. “Vaak? Is that really you?”
Vir re...
2025-01-30 18:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe journey was worth it. After climbing down the stinking, fleshy wall of the whale’s mouth, we finally reached the glowing green thing. Which was, in fact, the whale’s core. It must have been dislodged when we blasted a hole out of its brain, because it was just sitting there, not connected to anything.
“Is it just me?” Aerion asked, staring at the orb in her hands. “Or is thi...
2025-01-29 19:25:20 +0000 UTC View Post