Thundar cast spell after spell as the trio stalked toward the battle.
Body enhancement for strength.
Body enhancement for endurance.
Body enhancement for agility.
His magic swept through Theresa; strength flowed into her limbs, her heart thundered, and her muscles tingled....
2021-12-30 23:33:31 +0000 UTC View PostBattlecries echoed through the air.
Weapons were drawn from sheathes.
Thundar chanted his body enhancement spell as the seven dwarves roared as one, lowering their spears and charging the trio. Blunted axes hurtled toward the minotaur.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
...
2021-12-30 00:30:56 +0000 UTC View PostTheresa stepped out of the forest and into a clearing flanked by Alex and Brutus. Her deathstalker expression was now replaced by one of complete shock. Her boyfriend looked as stunned as she did, like someone had just randomly slapped him. His eyes were darting around, which was exactly what the...
2021-12-28 23:20:54 +0000 UTC View Post“Who were you talking to?” Thundar asked as Alex sat back down, fish skewers in hand. “It sounded like someone was yelling down there. Kinda looked like it too.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Alex said.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Alex hadn’t been able to conf...
2021-12-25 18:03:45 +0000 UTC View Post“I was hoping I’d run into you again,” Alex said, stepping far enough out of his line to avoid shouting, but not far enough to lose his place.
He stood tall, squaring his shoulders and setting his feet. Everything about his body language was meant to display confidence and ease.
The group went quiet at Isolde’s words; all watched the three centaurs heading for the line of entrants on the field.
“Oh dear,” Mrs. Lu said. “They certainly look…formidable.”
“Indeed,” Khalik said. “Look at their coordination: they move as one.”
“Yeah…y...
2021-12-24 00:17:36 +0000 UTC View Post“Good job, you prize-winning bastard!” Thundar roared.
Wham!
He clapped Alex on the back so hard that he almost knocked the wind out of him.
“Oof!” Alex grunted. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Not before The Grand Battle,” the minotaur grinned. “W...
2021-12-22 21:55:10 +0000 UTC View PostClaygon tightened his grip on Vesuvius’ shell.
Both golem and vulcanchelone shot into the air; flight magic granted the gigantic tortoise speed far greater than normal, and the wind seemed to roar around him.
He swung from side to side, trying to shake the golem off, but Claygon’s...
2021-12-21 23:53:37 +0000 UTC View Post“Okay, let’s review what we didn’t know and what we know now,” he said quietly to himself.
Before, he had no idea that Vesuvius had a club tail, no idea he could breathe fire, and no idea what spells Tyris favoured.
Now, he had information about all three.
‘Tyris had u...
2021-12-19 02:15:27 +0000 UTC View Post“Well, looks like our companions will be dancing together a little earlier than I expected this evening,” Tyris said as Alex and Claygon approached her. “You think your Claygon can handle my Vesuvius?”
Alex shrugged, wearing a mask of indifference as he examined Vesuvius closely. ...
2021-12-18 02:19:46 +0000 UTC View PostBang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fists slammed into Claygon from shifting directions. Shaleleath wasn’t as fast as Shining Slash, but he was still faster than Claygon.
Alex chewed his bottom lip, and considered the situation.
Had this been a real fight, dropping four fis...
2021-12-16 23:44:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe scores came up.
10-6.
10-7.
10-6.
“Alright, there’s one round,” Alex said as the crowd roared; he waved toward his friends and family, making sure it was less ‘awkward little greeting’ and more ‘Khalik addressing the crowd.’
Claygon and Shining Slas...
2021-12-16 00:08:37 +0000 UTC View PostAlex and Sim shook hands in the centre of the chamber.
“You should’ve told me you’d be here!” Sim said.
“Well, I don’t think there was really a chance to,” Alex said. “We’ve had, what, maybe ten conversations since I started working at Shale’s?”
“Yeah, go...
2021-12-14 22:38:37 +0000 UTC View Post“Next time,” Kybas said. “Next time.”
“Yeah, you gave Khalik a real run for his coin,” Alex agreed. “Damn, I wish you’d gotten third, though. The prize for third was still really good.”
He and Kybas were standing near the entrance to the arena. The others were chatti...
2021-12-11 23:57:44 +0000 UTC View PostHarmless and Najyah squared off across the arena cage. The eagle looked regal and deadly, while Harmless looked…well, not very bloody harmless.
Khalik was watching the crocodile closely with his hands clasped behind his back.
Kybas’s large eyes darted from Najyah to Khalik. ...
2021-12-10 23:17:36 +0000 UTC View PostKhalik strode to his side of the arena with Najyah perched on his arm. He moved with confidence, waving to the crowd like he was stepping out for a coronation. Even Najyah looked poised today, like a symbol atop a kingdom’s banner with all traces of her usual mischievousness gone.
The cro...
2021-12-09 23:55:30 +0000 UTC View Post“No, no, Ozzie!” Mad Stan cried. “To the right! Throw him off balance, girl!”
It was no use.
The gigantic bear-mammoth flailed as Grimloch casually lifted her off her feet and raised her up above his head.
The colour left Mad Stan’s face. “What in all the gods? She w...
2021-12-08 21:27:17 +0000 UTC View PostThe arena for the Duel by Proxy hadn’t existed a day ago, but here it was: a small arena built of bright red wood. Painted across the outer walls were gigantic, murals of realistic looking monsters fighting other monsters.
Dragons fought giant, white-furred wolves. A kraken grappled with ...
2021-12-07 17:04:51 +0000 UTC View PostIn spite of all the tension the demon summoner’s attacks had caused throughout Generasi, the venue for The Games of Roal was one of the cheeriest looking places Alex had seen in a long time. Well, maybe not as cheery as the Rainbow Tower with literal rainbows shimmering inside, but close enough...
2021-12-04 23:10:20 +0000 UTC View Post“Non-aggression?” Roderich cocked his head. “That goes a bit against the spirit of the tournament.”
“Is it against the rules?” Alex asked, glancing at Isolde who was sitting beside him.
They were meeting with certain members of the Hydra Companions in a remote gazebo on ca...
2021-12-04 00:39:15 +0000 UTC View PostMr. Lu winced.
Theresa looked at her mother as though she’d just slapped her.
Alex grimaced: he’d kind of expected this might be coming, with how worried she’d been.
“I don’t want to go!” Selina cried. “I don’t want to run away again because of some dumb monsters...
2021-12-03 00:54:39 +0000 UTC View PostAlex took a deep breath. “What does how fast I got here have to do with you investigating a demon summoner?” he asked the officer. “Are you accusing me of something?”
“Oh, no, no, of course we’re not making accusations, it just seems curious that you got here so quickly, and acc...
2021-12-01 22:08:40 +0000 UTC View PostWizard jail—as it turned out—was an ominous, oppressive looking place.
Alex stared at the structure looming ahead of them.
It resembled The Cells on campus: a big, grey, somber building with few windows, all sealed by metal shutters. Actually—now that he thought about it—he wo...
2021-12-01 00:15:07 +0000 UTC View Post“I am not fond of treachery,” Baelin’s wrathful voice filled the room.
Everyone, even Professor Jules, shrank in their seats. Isolde’s eyes looked down at the table, while Alex grit his teeth. He heard Amir’s loud shaky breaths nearby.
A line of senior Watchers of Roal—alo...
2021-11-28 00:43:31 +0000 UTC View Post“Mother, it’s going to be fine,” Theresa insisted. “Just fine. Just like going out for a summer hunt. Actually, it’s even safer than that.”
Her mother paused at the window.
Theresa was alone with her mother for the first time since her parents had come to Generasi. Her fat...
2021-11-27 00:06:08 +0000 UTC View PostTo say that Amir Abu Saleh looked bad was an understatement. It wasn’t like he was a guy that always looked good since he always looked stressed, rushed and desperate to get himself organized. So if he looked especially bad, he looked bad.
He’d been a helpful—but usually late...
2021-11-25 23:47:31 +0000 UTC View PostInside the circle, the shimmering intensified.
Hairs on the back of Alex’s neck rose.
The incantation tumbled from his mouth, seeming to complete itself as the final words echoed throughout the summoning room. Suddenly, the temperature dropped, washing the room with a cool wave of a...
2021-11-25 00:26:03 +0000 UTC View Post“Earn some what now?” Alex blinked. “Let me get this straight, you want to pay us to join your team?”
“Is that so strange?” Roderich asked. “There’s a long tradition of hiring mercenaries to participate in The Games. In your case, the benefit is doubled: your team would join...
2021-11-23 22:34:39 +0000 UTC View Post“The first fourth-tier spell we will have to worry about is, ‘Planar Doorway’.” Isolde pulled out her notes. “I was not able to get the spell-guide, but I do know that it is a teleportation spell which activates quickly, and can transport the caster up to a thousand feet at a time. It a...
2021-11-21 00:52:52 +0000 UTC View PostMr. Lu and Alex leaned against a nearby tree, both men watching their loved ones, friends, and friends of friends enjoying each other’s company as they watched Selina running around, playing with the messenger construct.
Alex could have sworn that Najyah—perched in a nearby tree—was g...
2021-11-20 00:47:05 +0000 UTC View Post