“What in the Under Realm are you talking about?”
Ros stabbed a small yellow potato with his fork before repeating himself in an excited whisper. “I can get an affinity! I got a message from a time traveler, and they told me how.”
The affinity-less youth knew that wasn’t the most important part of the message, but it felt that way. Jonas was currently alive and wel...
2024-02-29 02:49:49 +0000 UTC View PostI narrowed my eyes at the redactions made by the dungeon. Master Kairos had told me about the existence of healing hot springs on every floor, so he was either using this to illustrate the dungeon’s interference with messages or the message alluded to something entirely different.
I refused to believe a Tier Ten Time Mage would have forgotten what he’d already told me about. But just ...
2024-02-27 22:36:52 +0000 UTC View PostI spent the next several weeks exploring the low-tier areas of each zone as I waited for a response from Master Kairos. Most of that time was spent alone since any groups were already well established by the time challengers reached the third floor. It didn’t help that I was clearly an outsider with both the Earthborn and the native dungeoneers.
The people living in Trinity – the dung...
2024-02-22 15:52:15 +0000 UTC View PostAs we approached the border between the forest and the stormy mountain, I felt the urge to head in a different direction. Recognizing it as a ward effect, I grinned.
“That’s a nice, subtle way of preventing unwanted guests,” I commented.
Greta grinned. “I thought you’d figure it out since you’re an Enchanter. I bet you can do something similar.”
I didn’t deny i...
2024-02-19 18:12:31 +0000 UTC View PostI watched from within the intertwined strands that made up the trunk of the tree. It wasn’t completely hollow, but the root-like ribbons left large gaps that were sufficient for me to hide within. My biggest concern was that my white robes would draw attention against the brownish-gray of the tree – a problem I could easily fix with an [Invisibility] talisman.
I frowned as I considere...
2024-02-15 22:31:51 +0000 UTC View PostAfter adding my outbound messages to the queue, I decided to test out my new inventory. It was smaller than my ring but still a decent size for someone who otherwise wouldn’t have storage. The space held roughly three cubed meters. It was about the size of a small room, and I suspected I could expand that significantly if I focused Space mana toward the microscopic bits of crystal making up t...
2024-02-12 15:30:53 +0000 UTC View PostI contemplated using Rewind to save the anti-alien guy for several minutes as I nursed the delicious carbonated fruit drink the golem had made for me. Brightberry soda was something I’d missed since returning to Earth and tasting it again made me miss the friends I’d left behind in the other timeline.
While a small part of me felt guilty for being part of the man’s ...
2024-02-08 16:50:10 +0000 UTC View PostI stepped through the portal and found myself in the center of a small Town Square. I only noticed a handful of people among the pristine buildings but assumed more must be hidden within. It was also entirely possible that the majority of the current floor’s residents were outside the village.
I suspected the buildings were dungeon creations, given their uniform construction and well-ma...
2024-02-05 14:23:27 +0000 UTC View PostThe fifteen-year-old boy looked at the clerk strangely. “Are you sure I have a message? I just arrived here.”
The clerk gave the boy a blank look. Having just registered the newly awakened youth at the Training Tower, he was well aware the boy had just arrived. “Yes. I am quite sure. The instructions were very clear. If you do not wish ...
2024-02-01 16:04:16 +0000 UTC View Post“I’m going to kick that elf’s ass one day,” I grumbled as...
2024-02-01 15:50:14 +0000 UTC View PostHe’d rushed… just a little bit. It wasn’t by much. Given his graciousness in extending additional time to his most awaited subject, he didn’t feel the least bit guilty about retrieving her a few hours early.
As was standard, the Epikairos disciple appeared already restrained on the designated bed. The devices he had primed instantly began scanning the human female. She looked aggr...
2024-01-29 18:23:17 +0000 UTC View PostI shuffled anxiously just inside the teleportation room. My family – including Bell – were just outside the room. I tried to hide my nervousness from them, and I was sure they were doing the same thing for me. But I knew I was failing miserably.
Would I even get to spend time with Justin before being taken away?
I’d already exch...
2024-01-28 21:44:52 +0000 UTC View Post“So, you don’t want me to worry about killing the Harpies?” I asked to clarify.
Rhona shook her head. “No. There’s no need for you to bother. I have people trained for situations like this. Besides, you have other things to focus on – like your family and preparing for the dungeon.”
“And work,” I added jokingly.
...
2024-01-25 16:42:15 +0000 UTC View PostIt took half a second to cast Barrier and block the cold. I quickly put on and activated a temperature control talisman to avoid spending extra mana before addressing my Space magic mentor.
“I thought we were going to St. Louis?” I said, confused about why she’d brought me back to the frozen tundra. “When you said you wanted me ...
2024-01-22 22:49:07 +0000 UTC View Post“I feel bad for everyone left without power, especially those living in extreme climates,” Bell commented as she handed me a hot chocolate. “Especially the children.”
We watched Amie play with a few neighborhood kids as we sipped our warm drinks. As the children laughed, I glanced at the changes that had already manifested around us.
My attempts at levity were only successful because they involved food. That was okay. As long as they worked, that was what mattered.
The mood lightened significantly as various dishes were prepared using raw materials I had collected from rifts during the last few years, though I was peppered with questions from everyone during t...
2024-01-16 00:23:34 +0000 UTC View Post“Where’s Justin?” Mom blurted.
I nodded. It made sense that she’d focus on that after my parting comment. I quickly explained the basics of what had happened, my involvement in facilitating Justin’s early awakening, and the fact that I’d been the first native to awaken ‘naturally.’ Aside from my experiences in the other timeline a...
2024-01-11 23:09:55 +0000 UTC View PostMy gaze turned to my mom, who was sitting in one of the chairs holding Amie. Tears were trailing down her face as her eyes looked at something invisible to those around her.
No wonder Amie had been concerned.
“Mom?”
Her eyes regained focus and turned to me. A radiant smile bloomed on her face. “I can actually heal them now,” she sai...
2024-01-08 21:26:54 +0000 UTC View Post“I know it was sudden,” I told my parents after being bombarded with questions as soon as I let them know. I’d taken the lead in explaining Justin’s absence because I knew how much Bell hated lying. I didn’t like lying either, but I had to get used to it since my return.
“Bell and I were briefed on where he is. Justin...
2024-01-05 00:23:08 +0000 UTC View PostI watched nervously as Master Kairos began tapping the tablet on his desk to contact the Senior Researcher I’d heard so much about. I wanted to step around the desk to see the elf in question, but I wasn’t nearly so bold as to take the initiative.
Master Kairos’s recommendation for me to join Justin instead of negotiating for his return had be...
2024-01-01 21:54:09 +0000 UTC View PostThe Realm Dungeon.
I wondered if that’s where Justin and Amie had gone during the other timeline. With their sudden disappearance at the onset of the apocalypse during the other timeline, it seemed possible. I just couldn’t understand why the Senior Researcher would have chosen him both then and now.
Was it Fate? Considering an ‘element...
2023-12-28 20:19:41 +0000 UTC View PostSir Eri’Non had been sanctioned by the system months earlier after taking a few newly awakened natives after they’d signed system-enforced contracts with the Alliance’s shell company on Earth. He’d...
2023-12-25 21:13:03 +0000 UTC View PostMy thoughts were somewhat prophetic as Xavier became increasingly attentive toward my movements, both within the office and outside. I noticed him following me several times when I left the buildi...
2023-12-22 15:33:35 +0000 UTC View PostNatalie rushed forward, swinging her staff in a high arc as she knocked the leaping feline mob from the air. A net of hardened Light pinned the aggressive creature to the ground before tightening and cutting into the protective fur of the Shadow-attuned creature. The feline yowled in pain and anger as blood began seeping from the wounds, causing its thrash...
2023-12-19 02:03:46 +0000 UTC View Post“Make sure you’re at the warehouse by eight o’clock tomorrow morning,” Stella said as I collected the formation markers.
Because each rift influenced the ambient mana in the area, I’d had to place the last rift on a ledge instead of having it along the cavern floor. Not paying attention to mana flows was a great way to cause unintended conseque...
2023-12-15 01:55:25 +0000 UTC View PostI was a little nervous when I headed to the teleport beacon to meet with Stella the next morning. ...
2023-12-11 22:22:06 +0000 UTC View Post“Are you sure you’re okay to delve?” Robert asked several hours later as we stood outside the Tier Two rift in Antarctica. I’d taken a short nap after my bout of inspiration, but it hadn’t done much to alleviate my mental strain. I still hadn’t fully processed the first augment. The second was still in my ring, waiting for me to absorb it.
The outing to celebrate Bell’s ‘promotion’ was fun, though the break felt far too short. Aside from Deni, Ger, and Mesmer, Justin and our parents also joined us to celebrate Bell’s good fortune. As the person of honor, Bell got to choose what we did. I was completely unsurprised when she announced we were going to the massive virtual theme park that ha...
2023-12-04 22:42:30 +0000 UTC View Post“You know, I’m hovering between being grateful and being truly pissed at you right now,” Bell said the next morning when she exited her room. “On the one hand, you made it so I can have a real impact on saving people in the future. I now know what’s coming and can prepare, which will let me protect my loved ones. So, for that, t...
2023-11-30 19:00:51 +0000 UTC View Post“Emie, can you wait a moment?” my boss said as Bell and I stood up to leave a few minutes later. “Artificer Vasilla is coming to get Bell to get her situated in R&D. I’d like to talk to you while they handle that.”
I glanced at my roommate, not for permission, but to gauge her reaction. Bell’s demeanor had been subdued since we arrived, an...
2023-11-27 22:10:42 +0000 UTC View Post