West of Ten Kingdoms - Sea Fang Tribe - Original Enclave
Yøtál wiped her son’s blood from her face but couldn’t take her gaze from his shattered remains. Their plans to regain control of the tribe were in ashes now with his death. Dying clutching at his head while screaming about a piercing sound no one else could hear had left her family’s reputation in tatters. That his body had erupted into a gout of blood and...
2022-02-02 19:51:06 +0000 UTC View PostIlya’s PoV - Eighty Kilometres North by North-West from Ecbatana - Kingdom of Darius
The sight of people going about their lives during our travels only heightens Isa’s joy at the sunlight. She delights in colourfully decorated buildings that fill the various villages and hamlets despite our purpose. Not that she’s alone in enjoying the journey. The wind dancing and playing about me slowly eased a pain that had eat...
2022-01-30 15:33:57 +0000 UTC View PostSidero’s PoV - Grasslands
“My, what a big hole you’ve got there!” Klipyl squealed upon cresting the rise before she started giggling. It was a mischievous sound that turned into full throated laughter while slapping a hand against a thigh. “A fisting wouldn’t even touch the sides.”
The pit resembles a sinkhole and—except for the rain faded scent of acid—might pass for one. “You have an odd sense...
2022-01-27 13:13:55 +0000 UTC View PostCurrently working on Chapter 159 and 160
159 is close to complete, so it will probably be the third chapter I post this week rather than one of the side stories.
Trying to expand my backlog of Abyssal Road Trip so that might be the case every second week for a while.
2022-01-27 05:16:32 +0000 UTC View PostZenya’s PoV - Limbo - Monastery of Will’s Hand - Evening Meal
“Stop,” cried Nomein, and Zenya froze the image in the psi-crystal’s projector. Before the pair an image showed a furrow opened in Amdirlain’s shoulder. On the floor, the fight had progressed through more attacks and counters than she could guess since the snippet they were currently studying. The tattered remnants of her robes now showed more skin...
2022-01-25 11:04:14 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Limbo - Monastery of Will’s Hand
Master Tallis glared at Amdirlain and shot a look of hatred at Master Jarithä before she rose to her feet. “Know your challenge is accepted, and I declare it’s to the death for having insulted the Grand Master’s honour. Know we are fortunate that the Grand Master’s Champion accompanied the delegation, so we will not have to wait for her arrival.”
“...
2022-01-23 08:08:02 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Limbo - Monastery of Will’s Hand
Master Tenzin started when she entered the courtyard, and Amdirlain immediately appeared behind her. Her surprise vanished back into stillness, too slowly for Amdirlain to miss.
“Master Tenzin,” said Amdirlain politely, and noticed the meditation mats appearing under the direction of Tenzin’s will.
Tenzin looked over at Amdirlain again and frowned. ...
2022-01-20 23:37:56 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Limbo - Monastery of Will’s Hand
Amdirlain caught the fatigue in Elliyna’s sigh and opened her eyes to look over at the elderly Githzerai. “I’ll head back and continue this deconstruction.”
“Know that some nights my old bones need more sleep than others,” replied Elliyna. “Know soon enough I’ll be merely another within the Fortress of Memories, but hopefully that’s years enou...
2022-01-18 00:58:53 +0000 UTC View PostMentally groaning at the thought of immediately attacking another horde, I gesture at the crescent blades. “What’s the deal with the ones that aren’t rusted?”
“No Mana in them, so likely some alchemical process used in refining the metal,” Ilya says dismissively, and motions towards the towers clockwise around the city. “Teleport above the second one along.”
“How many do you what to do?”
Ilya’s smirk is ...
2022-01-15 01:05:59 +0000 UTC View PostEbusuku’s PoV - Duskstone - Moradin’s Hall
The glances don’t worry me, but being in this place is odd. I wouldn’t have been able to cross the threshold before, yet now it doesn’t merely tolerate me it welcomes me. The steady thump of hammers occasionally punctured by shouted instructions—or cursing—vibrates through my entire body. A steady wall of sound rumbling against my skin from the forges within Moradi...
2022-01-14 01:36:12 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Limbo
Amdirlain sat cross-legged, floating above the pallet bed—Telekinesis rather than Flight keeping her aloft. The minds asleep around her tried to press across her awareness, but she kept clear of their broadcast dreams. Mental barriers extended by the High Anarchs surrounded the monastery, intermingled with their arcane protections. The supporting thoughts and Mana blended an interwoven tapestr...
2022-01-11 06:40:12 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Limbo
Duurth silently led her across a sky bridge between buildings and down a path that ran to an inner courtyard. There he had introduced her to Master Tenzin and excused himself.
The expression on the female’s Githzerai face had been initially one of sceptical distaste, but Amdirlain caught the hint of a mental exchange with Master Duurth that washed it away. With Duurth’s departure, Tenz...
2022-01-07 14:30:49 +0000 UTC View PostMother’s instructions about my classes hadn’t been about control but preserving her legacy. The higher my level as a Kyton, the greater my Endurance, Dominator increases Willpower, and Fighter my Strength. Now I’ve taken classes to add to my Quickness and Intelligence, but I need to get back to progressing Willpower as soon as possible to keep up with my growing chains.
The jittering movements of the chairs last night plays within ...
2022-01-07 12:38:01 +0000 UTC View PostRunning a touch behind this week, as I'm back to work and fighting a bug at the same time.
Presently working on writing Chapter 152, Chained 11, and Hell's Songbird 9
Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands
Klipyl’s Spirit Bridge had taken hours to progress to where it could reach across Planes. When Amdirlain returned, the change in Frey made her glad it had given her the time to talk quietly with Solveiga. Though Frey had a hard road ahead from all she’d endured, she looked calmer at present.
Determination and guilt flitted across Solveiga’s face when she approached Amdirlain, made...
2022-01-02 10:52:31 +0000 UTC View PostKlipyl’s PoV - Catacombs
Claws caress in quick strikes that slip along my breasts and make them jiggle but can’t gain purchase.
“Oh, are you hungry, little Ghoul?”
Frey retches in time to the wet slapping noise its tongue makes coiling around my arm. “Just kill it, Klipyl.”
“But it’s hungry! Look, it’s trying to chew my hand,” I say. Moving to give Frey a better view scrapes the Ghou...
2021-12-31 12:25:45 +0000 UTC View PostAmdirlain’s PoV - Desolute Elven City - Cemna
“Is it complicated, or are you making it complicated?” Isaac teased.
Amdirlain winced, uncertain what the truth was herself, she tried to explain. “He’s a Celestial-”
“A Fallen interested in a Celestial—that isn’t complicated. It’s trouble,” Ilya interjected.
The words of explanation that had slipped from Amdirlain’s lips to be greete...
2021-12-27 04:17:18 +0000 UTC View PostAdventurers’ Guild - City of Ecbatana - Kingdom of Darius
The northerly wind swept down from the lakes and brought a storm that lashed the city. Rain and wind constantly slapped against the front door and soaked the deserted street. Arrivals had slammed the door so often over the morning that its noise blended into the background. The clerk didn’t even look up when someone forced it shut yet again.
A soft knock...
2021-12-23 01:10:20 +0000 UTC View PostRuna’s PoV - Material Plane
“Oops.”
The moment I utter the word, Klipyl’s gaze snaps around. “What do you mean, oops?”
I can see in every direction, yet my meshwork twists about the moment I consider facing her. I can’t tell if my body turns as well, but it’s so odd if it didn’t, but I’m just a glowing light now, so weird sums it up. “Nothing, I mean, I got a message from Amdirlain, and ...
2021-12-20 07:28:40 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 147 - the weekend was busy with family, but I finished writing it yesterday evening. Need to do my editing passes today and then get it sanity checked.
Chapter 148 - Had started on writing it yesterday.
Not had time to progress the next chapters in Hell's Songbird and Chained - hopefully will do more on them tonight.
Events occur at the time of Abyssal Road Trip - 122 - Born this way.
I’d just sent an achievement update when the IM’s ping makes me want to headbutt the desk.
“A full report in three hours! Is it fucking with me?”
The words are already out before I can stop them, and of course, they fall straight into silence. Is there a rule that heated words always occur that way? The surrounding desks had been lively wi...
2021-12-17 23:11:40 +0000 UTC View PostQuasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning
The battlefront flexed around them repeatedly. The pair were skipping about with Teleport forcing their foes to chase them. Lightning Elementals’ blinding speed pushed to keep up with their sudden position shifts. Spells and arrows tore enemies apart while the black clouds around them started gaining tinges of green as the battle progressed and more Elementals joined the fray. Element...
2021-12-16 14:33:39 +0000 UTC View PostPit’s PoV - Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning
The grey cloud ahead of us is more comforting than the vast emptiness we’ve travelled through, but it’s also unlike anything I’ve ever seen. A sharp odour tickles at my nose and my fur—yeah, that’s still a new thing—tingles strangely, tufts of it standing upright, oddly pressing against my clothing. The closer we get to the clouds, the more solid they look, and...
2021-12-14 14:07:13 +0000 UTC View PostThe grass is soft and almost ticklish underfoot beside the pool, and I shift my weight, but Ilya stays at a distance. Both hands filled with sheathed daggers, I shake my head wondering why I grabbed them both for practice.
“You can toss one aside for now; let’s make sure you understand the basics first,” Ilya instructs, and I set one sheathed dagger carefully aside. Even though I hadn’t followed her order, Ilya nods. “Good. Res...
2021-12-12 23:01:05 +0000 UTC View PostUnsure of the time at Aggie’s location, Amdirlain used Spell Waiting Message to ask her to summon Pit.
The view here is why I created the platform; maybe I should ask Malnar to build a house. If the Domain expands more, it will be on its inside before long.
Amdirlain opened Gates to let three Archons through again to help the Erakkö healers, and two others asked to assist O’Nai in gathering materials. Hours flew by in...
2021-12-10 05:13:08 +0000 UTC View PostOn holidays, so of course, I get sick when I wanted to be writing lots this week, still have made progress on various chapters.
Chapter 144 - Is being edited
Chapter 145 - is in progress
Chained 11 - is in progress
Hell's Songbird 8 - is in progress
2021-12-10 00:31:56 +0000 UTC View PostGreece - Aegina - Paláti of Apollo
The slap of leather sandals driven by quick, heavy footsteps echo through the still halls, causing the woman dozing by the bedside to state awake. Blinking fatigue from a grey gaze that matches her patient’s skin tone, she lays the back of a hand against the forehead of the man tossing on the bed. Wrinkling her nose at his vomit and filth-stained clothing, she reminds herself to get ...
2021-12-06 06:54:55 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 143 - Is currently being edited.
Chapter 144 - In progress
Chained 11 - In progress
Hell's Songbird 8 - In progress
Livia Short Story - Planning
Planning bits and pieces of the Archon segments.
“We’ll start slow, but things will get progressively faster, so wear these.”
The goggles aren’t much, more metal wrap-around sunglasses with a narrow slit to prevent anything significant from taking out an eye. I can’t even claim credit having lifted the idea from a museum exhibit. Since they all have protection from the cold, none of them should get skin stuck on steel.
“What are these for?” Gaius asks, taking it fro...
2021-12-04 17:52:35 +0000 UTC View PostWith her health restored, Amdirlain returned to the first temple site and, after orientating herself on the advancing teams, started mapping with Clairsentience. She confirmed Ebusuku’s find was twice as far as her initial explorations had gone from the shoreline. A mental map of canyons prepared—but the others beyond Telepathy’s range—she sent it out via their Oath link and received a sense of acknowledgement back. Cutting across the ...
2021-12-03 11:48:33 +0000 UTC View Post