Henri coughed from the light smoke as he tried to stand to his full height, only for his legs to buckle. A glance down revealed that his prosthetic leg was bubbling and melting, a white-hot line drawn across it as perfectly as if it’d been done with a quill and protractor. “By the system, I h...
2025-01-06 12:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe swords in mechanical hands stopped swinging. Steam, fire, and acid was held back instead of constantly being released at the attackers in great clouds. What only moments ago was unceasing motion began to falter, coming to a halt as Comte LeKrout sent out frantic instructions for them to stop ...
2025-01-03 12:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThere was an uncertain air about the soldiers in Gasteel company, and they shifted uncomfortably as they tried to come to terms with their commander’s defeat. They stood in uneasy formations, their weapons raised half-heartedly, their eyes darting between the Beast who still had a blade to the ...
2025-01-01 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post“Resorting to trickery? Why am I not surprised?” Gasteel sneered as he hefted his longsword, voice dripping with disdain. “All he's ever been able to do is hide behind his machines and send them out to do his dirty work! But you know what?”
He turned to his men, his gaze sweeping ac...
2024-12-30 12:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostGasteel’s bellow of rage was accompanied with his battalion surging forward, their anger a near-physical thing on behalf of their liege lord. The automatons immediately responded with everything they could bring to bear, scythes swinging out, mauls cracking into shield or flesh, and flames bill...
2024-12-27 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostAn alarm started blaring, only for the Artificer to lift his left hand and snap his fingers, immediately silencing the sound. The lights remained a concerning red, but the momentary distraction allowed Danielle to pull away and compose herself. “I feel like we should have a longer conversation...
2024-12-25 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostTo Danielle's great surprise, the Beast didn't throw a temper tantrum or do anything other than release a sigh of steam and step close to her father—blocking her view. There was a brief cry of pain, and when the automaton stepped away once more, her father had lost both of his pinkies, but the ...
2024-12-23 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post“Don't say something like that!” Danielle tried to shove the Beast’s extended limb to the side, only to find herself pushing against something with as much give as a stone wall. “Get out of the way. If there's nothing you can do, at least let me!”
“I'm sorry… I ca...
2024-12-20 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostWhen Danielle finally stepped out of her bedroom—after sleeping like the dead for nearly a dozen hours—she almost ran smack-dab into the hulking form of the Beast.
“Good, you're finally awake.” Immediately, the creature turned and started floating down the hall. “Secure your fathe...
2024-12-18 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe next few hours turned into several days passing in a flurry of activity. Danielle churned out blueprint after blueprint, switching to doing the actual task of making the toys she’d designed when the system swapped the requirements for her level to increase. After reaching the Basic...
2024-12-16 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostThough they had plenty of cause to celebrate, Danielle fully understood they were working with a deadline approaching with the swiftness of an executioner's axe. Unfortunately, when she pressed the Beast for additional information on what the Artificer planned to do, he came back with an explanat...
2024-12-13 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post- Danielle -
The door to the library burst open, causing Danielle to look up from where she sat at an oversized oak table, scribbling away at a design she’d been working on since breakfast. Thick books and handwritten technical manuals were blocking her view of the Beast floating toward h...
2024-12-11 12:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post- Gasteel -
The town of Frontière was practically buzzing with a twisted festival mood, a hint of excitement mixing with a palpable bloodthirst. The townspeople, conscripts, and soldiers were already shouting and jeering in eager anticipation of the day’s entertainment. Gasteel stood on ...
2024-12-09 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostDanielle found herself walking down the stairs to the enormous underground workshop once more, though her heart was heavy with extreme trepidation. It had taken the Comte offering her extreme reassurances to convince her not to immediately leave the estate and chase after the baron, surrendering ...
2024-12-06 12:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostDanielle sprinted up the stairs, knowing she was already far behind the Beast. Sneezy was right behind her, shouting for her to slow down. She refused, though not out of anything other than simply not hearing his words. Her mind was already too full, to the point where her questions spilled from ...
2024-12-04 12:00:11 +0000 UTC View PostDanielle watched the image of the young man as his face and clothes subtly shifted. His cheeks filled out slightly, his uniform turned into a pure white overcoat which would show any hint of dirt or oil which splattered upon it. She recoiled ever so slightly as the man turned and seemed to stare ...
2024-12-02 12:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post“A masterpiece, you say?” Sneezy rubbed his chin as Danielle explained the requirements for her skill increase. “Too bad you didn't get that before you made my new form, eh? Ehh? Now the real question is, was it a masterpiece with a lowercase, or an uppercase ‘M’?”
“U...
2024-11-29 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post- Danielle -
“Coming, coming!” Danielle sprinted along the vast hallway of LeKrout’s manor, a bundle of blueprints and sketches in her arms. Today was the beginning of a daunting yet exhilarating task the Artificer had graciously offered to allow her to participate in: retrofitting th...
2024-11-27 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post- Gasteel -
Not for the first time since he’d arrived in this miserable excuse of a town, Gasteel found himself slamming his fist onto the table of the Local Tavern—an uninspired name for an uninspiring establishment. “Abyss take that woman! She should’ve fail...
2024-11-25 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostThrough the entire process of the stylus scraping against the inner metal casing, the entire room was filled with the faint hum and sparkle of pure, unadulterated magic. Though Danielle could hear the Artificer muttering to himself as he worked, occasionally letting out a burst of steam in frustr...
2024-11-22 12:00:13 +0000 UTC View Post“Calling the core the mind of the automatons is a bit of an oversimplification, but it's close enough that the lord of the house is shifting some of his priorities to study the potential of your hypothesis.” Danielle took the information the Beast was saying in stride, knowing it was practica...
2024-11-20 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostAfter nearly a solid week of being allowed to pursue her own proclivities, not once being called back to motion capture or be a part of the artificing process, Danielle was starting to get on edge. Though it turned her stomach, she needed to have contact with the Artificer in order to make progre...
2024-11-18 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostAs Danielle stepped off the platform and into the vast subterranean workshop the next day, she was shocked to find the Beast meticulously adjusting the final details of a new automaton. At first glance, the sleek design looked almost exactly like a normal human—if that person’s skin had been ...
2024-11-15 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostDanielle gripped the light, wooden practice sword, her hands steady though her heart was racing. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she prepared for another bout against the unnerving figure standing on the motion capture pedestal across from her. The suit of armor was featureless and devoid o...
2024-11-13 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe Beast led Danielle to a large, heavy metal entryway in the grand hallway the next morning. After slowly pulling it open—unintentionally demonstrating exactly how heavy the armored door truly was—he began walking down a set of winding stairs. Danielle followed after him, and as they spiral...
2024-11-11 12:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post“Tell me when I’m wrong. You're not just a recruiter, you're an assassin-”
“What could possibly make you believe that I’d do anything to damage your trust after you've given me so much and saved me from having to marry a man I have no interest in marrying?...
2024-11-08 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi all! I've got in the final art files, and we're closing in on setting release dates for all these books next year! I took a lot of feedback from a select group of you, so I hope you enjoy the art :D
2024-11-06 16:38:35 +0000 UTC View PostDanielle awoke to the gentle humming of machinery, a strange, rhythmic background noise. Strangely enough, it was a comforting reminder of the strange twist of fate that had brought her into such a wondrous location, as though the walls of the manor itself were welcoming her into a new day. ...
2024-11-06 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
