∼ The Archduke ∼
Chapter - 114
Frozen in place, Aria could not respond. The man. The enemy. Was standing before her, asking her for a dance. He wasn't supposed to be here. Zechariah had sworn that the man could not stand noble gatherings and only his daughter attended them to gain influence. But... here he was.
"I apologize for being presumptuous," he said, meeting her eyes from his bow. ...
2022-07-19 14:30:11 +0000 UTC View Post∼ From Across The Room ∼
Chapter - 113
Stressfully, a nervous-looking Aria fidgeted with her dress. It was a gaudy thing, meant to catch the eye. A white accentuated with a deep red, it contrasted her wavy mane of scarlet hair. It covered her from head to toe, leaving only her pale neck and face exposed. And by only the graze of her voluminous hair, her pointed ears were hidden.
Unsurpris...
2022-07-11 21:44:00 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Manipulation ∼
Chapter - 112
The following days were uneventful for the young herald of pride. Nyx found himself under house arrest while Zechariah figured out how to deal with the Guild situation. Having nothing better to do, he worked on his mana pools. At least enough to allow the summoning of both his familiar at once. As it stood, he barely had any left after calling upon either, let alo...
2022-07-11 21:43:04 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Kingpin's Scheme ∼
Chapter - 111
"Enter," A tired voice called out from beyond the door.
Hesitantly, Aria glanced at Nyx who, in turn, just shrugged. Entering the office, they both immediately noticed the lack of one cranky old man and one silent secretary. Tonight, it was only Zechariah and Shank, sitting by the desk. Shank was in his chair to the side with his feet kicked up on the ma...
2022-06-29 21:21:26 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Auras ∼
Chapter - 110
Arms folded, stance straight, Zechariah held himself as a man of substance, despite his humble and harsh origins. This was but one of two qualities that kept The Orphans cohesive, the glue, making it capable of standing toe-to-toe with the giant that was The Stained Tooth. Zechariah watched silently, observing the hooded elf engrossed in her work, green particles twistin...
2022-06-20 22:11:04 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Night Fishing ∼
Chapter - 109
Slimy, wiggling, and splashing around, fish strained against the wooden confines of the barrel. In the dead of night, these were the only sounds on the still lake. Eric and Crowley simply sat there and enjoyed the silence, fishing and sharing a bottle of liquor. Eric had to admit, he had gotten quite the taste for both Crowley's whiskey and company. He doubted th...
2022-06-16 22:00:15 +0000 UTC View Post∼ A Sea of Stars ∼
Chapter - 108
The one-horse pulled wagon creaked along the streets in the dead of night. Watching the city life go from nicely-paved roads and lantern-lit streets to the darker side of Boreas, slums crawling about with desperate women and sour men, Eric and Crowley rode in silence. Through the Ivory Lanes, The City Square, Merchants Quarters, and all the way down to The Dregs...
2022-06-07 22:33:17 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Tea and Gossip ∼
Chapter - 107
In the corner of an ornate lounge hall, populated by only the highest echelons of Borean society, a trio of girls sat around a table, sipping tea and making giggling small talk. Few nobles dared approach the table, knowing the unspoken truth about the three. But even for those daft enough or too foreign to know, the dark-clad guards keeping an eye over the proce...
2022-06-06 22:07:46 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Stone Ravens ∼
Chapter - 106
Looking back in surprise, the dwarf lieutenant understood immediately what had to be done. "Threat, beware! Keep an eye out for the warlock!"
If there were demons, a master would always be nearby. The real threat and the source of the problem. In the dwarven cities, the use of magic in any other form than the ancient ways of rune-forging and inscribing was h...
2022-06-03 23:04:46 +0000 UTC View Post∼ The Third Stratum ∼
Chapter - 105
In a situation comically similar to where his real body still remained, Nyx's was now within another dome. The veil between the storm and his projection. He got up and ran his fingers against it, feeling the demonic mana lash at him only to be absorbed. This was no longer an obstacle to him.
Without as much as the slightest resistance, Nyx passed throug...
2022-06-02 22:04:52 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Six Feet Under ∼
Chapter - 104
"By the Grey Mother's tits! What in the abyss happened 'ere?" Short, stocky, and with a beard as mighty as the stench of rotgut wafting off him, a dwarf stood on the precipice of a cliff along a mountain pass, staring down into the valley that was once lush and grand. Now but a pile of rubble. A cloud of dust rose high to the sky, blotting out most of the mornin...
2022-06-01 00:05:15 +0000 UTC View Post∼ State of Mind ∼
Chapter - 103
Laying against a half-shattered pile of rocks that had once been a mighty golem, Nyx panted, looking worse for wear. The moment he dispelled [Embody], all the strength and vigor he had gained fled from his body, the rapid changes back to his previous form doing so with little finesse or care for his well-being. He was mana-exhausted and his body ...
2022-05-27 21:24:57 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Embodiment ∼
Chapter - 102
Toppling over, a loud boom shook the cavern, stalactites and rubble falling from the ceiling in a hail of debris. The golem that had just fallen over, cracks and fist-sized indentations riddling its body as it slowly regenerated, groaned in a distant hum as it laid on its back.
Battered, bloodied, and beaten, Nyx by the mouth of the cavern also had seen some d...
2022-05-22 00:15:52 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Fighting Rocks ∼
Chapter - 101
In a gorge formed in-between two towering mountains, a robed figure walked, inspecting the ground which was riddled with odd tracks. The odd thing out was the fact that the tracks were in solid stone. Something very large, and very heavy had been through here. Nyx looked up, pulling down his hood to reveal his now dashing demon visage.
Li...
2022-05-19 22:00:31 +0000 UTC View Post
∼ Born A King ∼
Chapter - 100
Glowing red runes lit the large hollow of the cave. Forming a portal to the infernal beyond, large clawed hands pulled a short-statured demon out. Fisty. Although there was little to no light, the thrasher as a demon shared a similar affinity for peering through the dark like Nyx. So when the small demon whirled on her master, she froze in place.
Admitt...
2022-05-19 21:20:39 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Waking Anew ∼
Chapter - 99
Waking from a deep slumber anew, a wave of demonic mana used to evolve was expelled in every direction as if burst from a bubble. The newly inaugurated Vainlord felt himself brimming with power. He had barely moved, yet he knew he fundamentally was different - strange new sensations coursing through body and mind. It all felt... changed. Stronger. Prideful.
He...
2022-05-19 18:40:23 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Bastion ∼
Chapter - 98
‹ Artorian Lucius ›
"Flyers incoming!"
A sequence of drums rang out, rolling down the battlements, signaling both an alarm and command to the vast host of soldiers lining the fortress's numerous levels. On a bartizan overlooking the stretching sea from nearly by the clouds above, a pair of hardened eyes looked to the horizon. Waiting. 2022-05-15 12:03:05 +0000 UTC View Post
∼ Demonic Omens ∼
Chapter - 97
Arrayed with such a varied choice, Nyx was more than pleased.
Although all ...
2022-05-14 22:26:48 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Class Specialization ∼
Chapter - 96
Nyx's eyes opened slowly, something he hadn't expected he'd be able to...
Had he not just... died? The imp pushed himself up on his palms then frowned. Something wasn't quite right. Then he remembered it—his arm was back! In fact, it seemed to have never been lost to him. Completely without wound or scar despite the visceral sensation of ripping it ...
2022-05-10 13:01:26 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Evolve ∼
Chapter - 95
It was sufficient to say that Nyx was rather flabbergasted at these most unexpected developments. Yet real they were. Currently glaring with utter contempt down upon him. The Vainlord...
2022-05-09 22:11:50 +0000 UTC View Post∼ She Watches… ∼
Chapter - 94
Blinking, Nyx felt a little overwhelmed. His glued gaze on the screens was slowly torn away as laid eyes on what each evolution represented. Atop the left-most pedestal was the first creature. The Wretcher, which looked... well; wretched.
Standing on gangly limbs set on a wiry frame of wrinkly dark gray skin, it definitely wasn't a pretty sight. Bu...
2022-05-01 16:22:20 +0000 UTC View Post
∼ Fabled ∼
Chapter - 93
In the dark but shallow depths of a cave, its crooked, winding nature shielding it from the morning light outside, Nyx sat, attempting to center himself. The demon, for one, definitely has had enough of strange old men on these godsforsaken mountains. So when he made the final preparations for his upcoming evolution, he made damn sure to find some remote and isolated pla...
2022-05-01 16:19:29 +0000 UTC View PostA/N - Hi! I just wanted to make sure I notified you all that there had been a change to the story's skill system. As I've recently felt it didn't feel nearly rewarding enough just giving random 1-level-up to every skill whenever appropriate, going to 1-10 on a superfluous scale that didn't truly mean anything, I've gone back changed the entire way skill-leveling and mastery-leveling works.
This new leveling schem...
2022-04-20 18:37:59 +0000 UTC View Post∼ When Is A Risk, An Opportunity? ∼
Chapter - 91
Eyes wide at the sight before her, Erain muttered to herself. "You've got to be kidding-" Then she suddenly burst into ruckus laughter. "This must be a sign! Almost too good to be true! The gods must be taking pity on me, I can't believe it." As those golden eyes swiveled to her, the warlock tilted his head in confusion. This caused Erain's sudde...
2022-04-11 17:10:47 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Fortune Favors the Bold ∼
Chapter - 90
"That'll be one gael, and two drel." The barkeep said, working away at polishing a glass, not paying the robed figure much attention. With a mouth full of stew, Nyx just retrieved a pouch and simply poured out its contents on the wooden bar, not bothering to look up as he was occupied with eating his fill.
The barkeep slowed as the polishing stoppe...
2022-04-09 22:05:52 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Fathers ∼
Chapter - 089
Walking down the damp cobbled stairway into what reminded Eric of his first and very bloody meeting with the man now fatherly speaking with him, their voices carrying down the damp walls and the torchlight flickering across the guards stationed down here like unmoving gargoyles in black leather armor, Eric could feel the sweat bead at his palms. His fists tightened eve...
2022-04-04 17:01:20 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Purposed Ambition ∼
Chapter - 088
Edging himself towards the end of the wagon, Eric grunted at the vehement protest of his body. "Sir," One of his subordinates said deferentially, holding out a hand. But he ignored the proffered help, teeth clenched as he made to stand on his own. The subordinate, one with a bandage strung over an eye, quickly stepped back and made way, though still keeping j...
2022-04-04 16:58:31 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Weary Bones ∼
Chapter - 087
Weary old bones supported on but an old walking stick carried the old man. Up the ever-reaching mountain. How this old man had managed to get this far up in the perilous peaks of the Spine of Argon - no one quite knew - but the old man himself. Even as his frail and gaunt frame was hidden beneath fine but dirty robes, his weathered face of pale and wrinkly skin alo...
2022-03-28 22:34:32 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Feathery Vengeance ∼
Dreaming of impossible heights, flying across the cloud-packed sky, and feeling the cold wind part for his aerial freedom, Nyx shed all worries. His large feathered wings beat at the air, carrying him across previously insurmountable peaks. It was a pleasant dream.
Darkness moved to claim Nyx - for perhaps another dream? A sudden rough sensation shook Nyx, however, distinctly unpleasant. ...
2022-03-23 23:12:32 +0000 UTC View Post∼ Reckless Abandon ∼
As tall and punchable in the face as Nyx remembered him, Eric towered over him. He noted Eric's dark leather clothes and intimidating air. He certainly had grown. But so had Nyx. In the surge of excitement that followed this realization, the demon didn't even waste a moment's breath as he launched himself at the surprised human.
"Nyyy-!?" Eric blurted out in his best attempt at a h...
2022-03-13 11:34:43 +0000 UTC View Post