carrarn

NBB - A sphere's tale - Prologue

** authors note **

This is the start of the short story I said would come. Expect a chapter a week at first, anywhere between 1400 and 2200 words.

** -- **

In the middle of a vast stretch of dusty wasteland, a stream of small white skeletons poured out of a crevice in the ground...

Kernstalion beyond book one and Nothing but bones

Kernstalion:

So, I hope you've enjoyed Kernstalion book one! Chapter 82 marks the end of what became an over eight hundred pages long story that started with a simple idea I had. It's also my longest book and the first one I plotted instead of pantsed. For those who don't k...

Kernstalion 82: Earthless

As the temperature rose, the scent of grass after a rainstorm was what finally jogged me awake, and I turned to the trees. The small ones were slightly wilted, the green leaves curled on the edges. Those on the large tree were still green and healthy, and I was stunned by the number of pulsating ...

Kernstalion 81: Last stand

Est, they are coming through!

Rathica's voice jogged me from my frenzied scraping and cutting, and I looked up. The finished Manticores stood in front of the portal. The second one hadn't turned out like the first but remained a simple and jagged wooden construct.

A steady st...

Kernstalion 80: Rathica's realm

I had expected many things, a massive green world with a towering city or some infinity hall of training rooms, but not what we arrived in. By my best guesstimate from the curve that I saw running away on all sides, we were on a hundred diameter ball of dirt. Above us was a thin blue shell beyond...

Kernstalion 79: Battle of the deities

Without the weight of the pack and with just my ax on my back, I surged forward, my feet ripping out chunks of the grassy soil. Within seconds I was a hundred meters away and still speeding up. Even the wind seemed intent to help me as it pushed me forward. My eyes constantly looked for a smidgen...

NBB2: Epilogue

Sumil listened to the loud thudding and shuffling of her pursuers as she crept stealthily from shadow to shadow. Her gaze was fixed on the jagged opening of the box canyon she was hiding in, her skeletal body coiled and ready to spring up and flee. There was no sign of the telltale glow that usua...

Kernstalion 78: Sprinting a marathon

"Est, slow down!"

I turned around to see the others struggle forward, even Laurel's head hanging down, her breathing coming in sharp, ragged bursts.

A trickle of morning light filtered down the dark foliage above us, enough for Haltir and Eliandra to see where they were going.

S...

Kernstalion 77: Late night visitors

We continued running for a long time, although we had to slow down within minutes as Eliandra and Haltir couldn't keep up a high pace. When Haltir couldn't move past a tottering jog, I called Laurel.

"We have to stop and rest! Or we can't even fight if we run into something!"

Laurel s...

Kernstalion 76: Traveling with hurdles

To my slight astonishment, nothing happened during the night, nor as we traveled through the morning. Haltir seemed in a great mood, jumping around more spry than someone his age had any right to be. Even Laurel seemed less agitated, and the two hadn't had a row since waking up. She and Eliandra ...

Kernstalion 75: Constant irritation

"This will be fine," I said, holding onto the rope dangling down the hull with two hands. To my relief, Lark began slowing down and stopped a good distance away from where we had seen the Worg. I didn't know if it would get us out it's territory, but it was worth the try. Any further would take u...

Kernstalion 74: Back in the Howling Forest

I woke early in the morning, alone. I felt small wood chips poke my arms and belly, wondering how they hadn't woken me in the middle of the night. Shuffling and heavy breathing came from somewhere nearby, and I rubbed my bleary eyes to look around.

Eliandra stood in the middle of the room, ...

Kernstalion 73: Small gains, big consequences

Laurel stared at the door. She was standing as far from the door as was possible on the small ship. Loud chopping and mad roaring came from inside.

"He isn't really listening, is he?" Haltir muttered.

"Quiet. He is distracted now, but if he hears us, he might come charging outside. I'...

Kernstalion 72: Planting

Lying on my sleeping bag, Eliandra snug against me, I stared at the dark ceiling. Laurel and Haltir had taken the first watch after a day of sailing and keeping a lookout for any ship in pursuit, though none had come. There were also barely any demons, which was mostly thanks to Lark's navigation...

Nothing but bones 2 : The chaos rifts pre-release

So, after a gruesome day of battling with the great demons called print margins,  amazon book upload timeouts, and wrong cover dimensions, I have come out victorious!

Book two in the Nothing but bones series has been uploaded successfully and is slated for a release this coming Friday....

Another Patron

Thanks, Joseph, for supporting me! The previous two Kernstalion chapters were extra to show my appreciation. I'll release two on RR early tomorrow.

 I can't promise chapters for each new Patron, but I'll try as long as my backlog keeps up. 

Kernstalion 71: Uninvited guests

I started by examining the main cabin but found it empty. Staring at the empty room, I sighed and left. Even if Eliandra brought back a ton of stuff, Lark was still going to be empty.

Outside, I scanned around the deck and stamped with my foot. A hollow sound came up, so there had to be som...

Kernstalion 70: Pirates

I woke slowly, my mind seeming to resist the process. At some point, I realized I was lying in a soft bed, covered in blankets. For two seconds, my fuzzy mind convinced me that I must have had a long day at the office and was sleeping in. Then a finger traced the curve of my leg, and my mind snap...

Kernstalion 69: Meeting Worthood

After walking through the city for a whole afternoon, we eventually returned to the crossroads with the bookstore, as I still wanted to check it out. We were planning to find a place to eat after that before returning to the temple. If Eliandra's heated gaze meant anything, we were likely going t...

Kernstalion 68: Preparations

"Come again," I said as I scrambled up and looked at Rathica in disbelief. She had not just said what I thought I heard.

"You heard right, Est," Rathica said as she looked at me in sympathy. "Most of the other humans are either dead or captured by Preyatar or Lischen."

"How? ...

Kernstalion 67: Inter deity conflict

"No, you divine failure. When you showed up, I helped you against those three old monsters, and look what it got me." Flowheart spoke in cold, even tones, frost crystals hanging in the air around her. "She is my Prime. When you came and asked me to make her one, I agreed as she showed pr...

Kernstalion 66: Drawing a crowd

The trip back to the temple district took half the time, but it was almost completely dark when we arrived. The only light was provided by the sconces set in the walls, a yellowish glow to guide our way. Well, Eliandra and Haltir's way.

Looking around, I could see almost as well as during t...

Kernstalion 65: Staring daggers

I strained to push the rear of the three-meter wide cart forward, trying to ignore the awful smell of the two guards beside me as they groaned and cursed. The cart was moving like a snail as we pushed from the back to help it across the last part of the slope leading to the temple road.

"Al...

Kernstalion 64: Temple requirements

Laurel fell in line with me as we walked through the massive room.

"So, you do know they won't just let us inside a temple to look around?" she said.

"Don't worry, I think I know the perfect temple to go and have a look," I replied, quickening my step as I realized Eliandra might be h...

Kernstalion 63: Iz the all-knowing

"Come on, Lisle! You know how good my cooking is. Accept already. You know you want to!" Crow-feet said, smiling at the nimble-looking waitress who stood beside our table. She shook her head, her partially purple-dyed pony-tail flailing around aggressively.

"No! Last time was horrible," the...

Kernstalion 62: The Pit

The water took forever to rise; at least, that's what it felt like as we stood on the deck. From above us, dozens of heads kept poking over the edge to stare down on us. Some seemed impressed, but not all. A helmeted man's face was the one that had me most worried. He looked down at regular inter...

Kernstalion 61: Orlion, the city of waves

For an entire day and night, we continued underwater, beset by demon-squids on all sides. When it was late in the morning of the next day, I sat wearily on the prow, looking ahead for the next batch of demon-squids. Redtooth was swimming beside the bubble. The Manytooth had found us in the middle...

A status update on Kernstalion, NBB2, and... the cover!

Hey guys,

First, a big shout out to WorkForFood for supporting me! Welcome, and I hope you enjoy the things I write!

Beyond that, Kernstalion has almost caught up with Royalroad, and I'm going to release those and all of my (edited)backlog here Sunday. After that, I'll post the chapte...

Kernstalion 60: Breaking through

I stared silently at the sleek vessel that hung motionless in the water in front of us, stunned by the voice that had just bubbled up in my mind. It was cold and slimy and brought images of swamps and coiling slithering shapes.

"You created a sentient ship?" Laurel said in awe.

Do...