Zachary Scott

Chapter 48 - Hard to Come By

Rake

“Of course we’ll split it even,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

The man across from me was supposedly some kind of “poison” mage. He claimed he was only a quarter Forsaken, but there were some signs he was further gone than he let on. I saw the black at the edges of his eyes. I saw the twitch in his face.

Fuck it, though. I’d take a damn <...

Chapter 47 - Claiming the Loot (Pt. 2)

I held the purple, metallic coin between my thumb and forefinger, turning it over in the torchlight of Lyria’s personal space.

Both sides of the coin showed a slightly raised plus symbol but nothing else. The metal was a deep, satisfying color. Back on Earth, I had always enjoyed collecting things like unique rocks and paperweights. I spared a moment of thought for the crazy idea of tel...

Chapter 46 - Claiming the Loot (Pt. 1)

We were given a “temporary” personal space key for five silver from an innkeeper, and then headed downstairs. The hallway leading to the personal space in this particular building was downstairs. 

“So the key will magically vanish after a day?” I asked. “But what stops us from just staying in our personal space for days? We only need the key to go in, not stay in, right?”...

Chapter 45 - Dark Mana

“Dungeons are a different beast?” I asked. “How so?”

My question had drawn the attention of some of the Riverwell townspeople, who were now shifting their attention from Bloody Steve’s story to Kass.

Kass grinned, clearly enjoying his new audience. “Well, you’ve seen an infestation, so let’s start there. Infestations are places where rotten, corrupted mana dwells. Th...

Chapter 44 - The Clock is Ticking

Bed bugs? Seriously?

I reread the stats several times, quietly trying to convince myself I hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.

Lyria stood beside me, one arm folded over her chest and the other lifted so she could gnaw a nail, eyes locked on the ominous bedroll.

I had barely looked at the bedroll itself, but it definitely looked cursed. It somehow gave the...

Chapter 43 - Claiming the Vouchers

After what felt like two or three solid minutes of walking downhill, we reached a simple door. My sense of direction was completely thrown off, but I thought we must have passed all the way beneath the street and entered through the rocky, underground mountain the city of Thrask was wrapped around. 

Grimbo slid a key in the locked door, turned it, and pulled it open.

We walked ...

Chapter 42 - What is a Grommet?

Our group of fifteen headed for a huge table in the back of the tavern’s common room. More people were playing Vice inside the tavern, and a small crowd was watching and placing bets. Vice and betting went hand in hand, it seemed.

I eyed the game with jealousy but knew I didn’t have time for it.

As hungry and in need of rest as I was, I decided there was something I cou...

Chapter 41 - Comm Cards

Everyone was waiting outside Trustworthy Quillon’s shop when I stepped outside.

Kass rolled out his neck as I emerged. “Finally, Helmet. I thought maybe we’d have to heroically go in there and stage a rescue if you took much longer. Steve said you were probably just in the can. Perch thought maybe you found yourself a willing woman. Minara thought—”

“Don’t you dare,”...

Chapter 40 - Trustyworthy Quillon

The alchemist’s shop was loaded with things I wanted. Exotic scents filled the dusty air, drifting from packed drawers, shelves, and crates. There was an entire section of mushrooms and fungi, where a wart-covered tomte and her small, bearded child were browsing. A pair of young human boys were laughing as one of them lifted a spikey, slightly phallic plant that looked like a cross between wa...

Chapter 39 - The Descent and Arrival

When we made our slow way across the crowded bridge, the sunlight was already fading fast. The strange blue planet in Eros’s sky was tinged pink from the receding sun. 

I stood on the bridge and watched the crush of strange races, suddenly struck by how strange this all was.

Strange, maybe, but there was an odd feeling in my chest.

I was excited. I wanted to se...

Chapter 38 - The Rolling Woman

I was beyond exhaustion by the time we finally reached a road. Maybe the word “road” was generous. It was a flat stretch of dirt, packed down tight by what looked like countless pairs of boots and wagon wheels. The road bustled with life.

Carts drawn by creatures that looked like horses and cattle rumbled by. Tomte and human riders rode up front and some of the covered wagons held cra...

Chapter 37 - The Prize

I followed the group, feeling completely wiped out. Minara had patched up my wounds, I had chugged all my remaining recovery potion vials, and I still felt hollowed out.

I pulled up my notifications and my accomplishments, giving them my full attention for the first time since escaping the carapax village.

You’ve reached level 42!

…

...

Chapter 36 - Impossibly Filthy

Lyria

I paced at the center of camp, gnawing on one of my nails. Brynn left to get firewood almost an hour ago. Before that, he’d been dumping poison all over his body, screaming bloody murder, and then repeating the process until I’d strongly suggested he take a break and gather some wood. When I decided to protect him, I had no idea I was also going to be protecting him fro...

Chapter 35 - Bug Town

Musky pheromones dripped from my chin, fingers, and clothing. I stood in complete silence, eyes wide beneath my helmet as I watched the largest carapax of the group approach me. It was holding a two-handed ax with blades almost as big as my torso.

I held my breath, watching and waiting as I leaned on the huge halberd, trying not to slice my hands open on the sharp edges. I didn’t have m...

Chapter 34 - Pheromones

The carapax guard came toward me, halberd drawn back as if it was planning to cut me in half from my nose to my crotch.

I didn’t know if it was my adrenaline, my steadily increasing experience levels, or repeated exposure to terrifying shit, but I was ready for it. I’d already spent hours practicing my abilities, and I’d already faced several different sizes and shapes...

Looking for some advice from you guys!

There's a major spoiler in this topic if you haven't reached chapter 21, yet. So warning, warning, warning... Anybody who has not read past chapter 21, don't read ahead unless you want spoilers.

Safety space.

Buffer zone.

Spoilers below.

Continue at your own risk.

I warned you.

Still warning....






Okay. So this will require a bi...

Chapter 33 - Who Needs Pinky Toes?

Minara was surprisingly willing to be on hand to heal me if anything went wrong. Bloody Steve was happy to watch—not that I asked him to—as long as I agreed to let him have any blood that might result from my little experiments. When I got set up in the center of an area where Bloody Steve had knocked all the trees away, almost everybody was gathered around in a circle to observe, ...

Chapter 32 - Tier Two

The morning was unusually cold. I wondered if it was a lingering effect of the briarwraith’s presence. As usual, I drifted toward the back of the group and spent time practicing my abilities. I was happy to see my progress in summoning a fully formed Forge Echo of my weapon had lingered. I could now call it up with near physical-like properties. The skill’s description made me believe it wo...

Chapter 31 - The Terror of Gods

Lyria, Minara and Bloody Steve leaned over me. I was on my back in the cave where we’d left the townspeople.

“What?” I asked. The last thing I remembered was the briarwraith, freezing everything and drifting toward me. But no… That wasn’t true. I’d had a dream. Or was it a memory?

“Hey,” Lyria said. She crouched down, gently pushing me back to lay. “Don’t be a br...

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1 - Jinglefoot

• Chapter 2 - Prestige Level 1 [Path of the Fertile Seed]

• Ch...

  2024-06-25 17:11:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 30 - Compatible Memory Detected

The Acolyte ran for the cauldron of liquid bait, lifting it and nearly sloshing it on his tunic. He was headed for the rest of the party, who were on their feet but still too dazed to see what was happening.

I ran to cut him off.

Frozen, fast-crawling trees tore through the woods toward us, shedding clumps of ice as they came. More and more were rising in the wake of the slowly drif...