Showing posts with label Mortaevum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mortaevum. Show all posts

Friday, January 5, 2024

I am alive! And I've returned with not only a new novel, but my first actual physical release, with both paperback and hardcover editions available. Getting both of those set up was a real pain in the ass, though, as the program I usually use for image editing (an ancient version of Paintshop Pro) simply couldn't process images big enough without slowing to a crawl. And even when I did seem to get the covers made properly, converting them into PDF documents didn't work as intended, as their resolution ended up being so huge that only a tiny portion of the image showed up on the cover. Apparently because I was supposed to crop the background even though the rest of it wasn't visible beyond the image borders anyway. But hey, I finally got it done and learned something for the future, so that's something, at least! And since I plan to buy a new PC sometime this year (after having used my current one for about eight years), I hopefully shouldn't have to struggle with as much performance issues in the future.
 
To make sure the actual interior of the book looks good, I also spent some money on Atticus, which makes it incredibly easy to format both physical books as well as e-books, though I still spent considerable time fine-tuning all the settings and trying out different dividers. Though I ended up going with none of them, as all of them take up too much space for my taste, especially if they show up near the beginning or end of a page. And even a two line break looks off to me, so I ended up going with a single line for every scene break instead.
 
Apart from that, my only real gripe with the program would be that it doesn't offer a fully functional offline version. Sure, you can work on your latest book while offline, but only if you signed into Atticus while you still had an internet connection. And the most important part, converting the book to pdf and epub, can only be done online. Which may not be too much of an issue in this day and age, but if the site ever went offline, it would also render Atticus useless.
 
Aside from that, I can wholeheartedly recommend it, especially since it requires only a one-time payment. Though anyone that owns a Mac might want to have a look at Vellum instead, which is also supposed to be really good and seems to work entirely offline. So it may have been a better option for me too ... if I actually owned a Mac, or ever planned to buy one. But I can't even justify buying a game console since they always end up gathering dust, so a Mac would be even worse off.
 
Anyway, as for the book itself: here's the cover, whose blurb should hopefully be all I need to say about it! The only thing it doesn't mention is that it also takes place in my Mortaevum universe. Haven't gotten any of the physical copies myself yet, since I tinkered with the cover until the very last moment, and author copies would take a while to arrive, which could be a problem since I'm supposed to move sometime in the near future. Might have to get some retail copies instead to make use of my free Prime membership before it expires.

Mortaevum Fantasy Horror Novel



I've done more than just finish a single book, however. I actually decided to participate in NaNoWriMo last November for the very first time. And I hit the 50k goal with time to spare! Though I didn't manage to actually finish the book, which will most likely end up twice as long, at the very least. As to what it is: an indirect sequel to Lifelines, part murder mystery, part killing game, and somewhat inspired by the visual novels Zero Escape, Ever17 and Dei Gratia in the fifth day. The last two especially, since the story also takes place in the deep sea, but is supposed to offer a bit more tension than either of these visual novels, which have way too many slice of life moments. No idea when I'll manage to get the book done, however.

And since I finally released a physical book (because someone urged me to), I want to do the same for Grim Memoria and Lifelines, but that will also take some time. Partially because I might want to create new covers, but also because I want to look through them again. And also write a whole new ending for Grim Memoria, as I no longer like how vague I left it in the original release.

And that's about everything of note. So let's see if I'll manage to re-release these books and also finish that Lifelines sequel. Getting at least one of my full length Mortaevum novels out there also couldn't hurt, but will most likely require more revisions, as I plan to rewrite an entire chapter, and also make some changes to the one directly afterwards, so that something that happened early on in the book actually has a proper payoff (instead of none at all).

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

And here's yet another chapter, one of three I've written while being on vacation. Although the third of these is actually not finished, which is why Chapter 30 will only be posted when Chapter 31 is done. Afterward, there's only two more chapters till the book is finally done. So it shouldn't take too long ... hopefully. Getting all of that ready for release is a different story.


Wednesday, June 7, 2017


And here's another chapter of A Decaying World! Slightly longer than the previous one, but not by much. And I see the title formatting has actually worked this time. No idea why the previous one refuses to let itself be centered...

Anyway, the ending was originally supposed to be a little different, but that might have been overkill. And also dragged things out too long. The next chapter might be a lot longer ... or maybe not. We'll see!


Saturday, June 3, 2017


And here we go again after way too much time has passed. The chapter is also rather short, but that's just how it worked out. More should be following soon. And I actually found a better way to display this than by simply copying the text in here. I'm not going to update the old postings again, however, as that would mean posting my revision, which isn't even finished. So this will have to do. Especially since the drafts will most likely be removed when I finally get around to publishing the actual book.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Hey guys, sorry for the absence, but there wasn't much to say about my writing projects. Which doesn't mean I stopped writing, but most of it had nothing to do with the my Jack de Nileth pen name. And while I'm trying to get back in the grove, the last year wasn't easy. And there are still days when I don't feel motivated to write anything. The summer heat doesn't help in that regard. Really wish I had some window shades...

But hey, I finally got rid of my student loan some weeks ago! Takes a bit of pressure off. Which doesn't mean I can focus 100% on my projects, as I have others running that need to be finished. The Way of Darkness should be one of them, but I don't feel like focusing on a serial for now. Which is why I started adapting another of my games: Grim Memoria. And man, the dialogue was awful. The written version should hopefully be an improvement. I'm about 20K words in but have no idea how much is left. Maybe another 20K, but I know my writing can get a bit excessive.

Afterwards, I'll finish some other projects and maybe then I can focus on getting the first Mortaevum book released. And then I'll see about the second half. Can't make any promises, though. I just hope my motivation doesn't take a nosedive again. Being depressed sucks.

I also made a cover for Grim Memoria, by the way. An artwork made specifically for the story would have been nicer, but this one has to do for now, even though it doesn't totally fit the character it's meant to portray.

Mortaevum

Thursday, April 30, 2015

How long has it been since my last update? Two and a half months? Oh well. No point in writing any posts when I don't have much to say. You can get more updates on twitter, but still not all that many.

Anyway, what I have achieved since my last update? I've finished revising everything up to chapter 9, which means I got rid of a lot of useless exposition and hopefully tightened up the prose. It might have led to a few sudden scene transitions, but I'll see about that later on. Really need to get the revision done first.

If everything goes well, I could finish the remaining 44K words in the latter half of May. I don't expect that to happen, though. Why? Because of all the fighting going on at the end. Chapter 9 has been quite an ordeal in that regard, as it took me almost a week to get the ending done. I really wasn't happy with how the original turned out, so I had to rewrite basically the entire finale.

So yeah, I might be done in May, but more likely in June. But that's when I really need to finish this, as I also need to look over it once more (especially since I tend to omit words way too often) and hopefully get some input from beta readers. The first revision wasn't exactly fruitful in that regard. I don't think anyone read more than the first few chapters, with most never even giving any feedback.

And that's about it for now. Haven't really managed to write much else, as I'm also busy writing a lot of reviews. But I'll get to that when the revision is done. There's no need to finish the second half of the book just yet. Would be nice, of course, especially for anyone that hates cliffhangers. But I really want to get more stuff out there. Most likely on Kindle Unlimited, as it might be a better platform for short stories and novellas.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

And here's the final chapter for this year. Be aware, that this is more of a draft than any of the chapters before. I normally edit these before posting them, but there's not enough time left before my vacation. There's also going to be another short story today. Didn't want to post these all at once, but that's just how it happened.

 

Chapter 22: The Asen Fall


From atop the hill overlooking the Sanctuary, only a small fraction of Mimeidr could be seen. No tree in existence could ever have hope to challenge its splendor. Neither in a thousand years, nor in a billion. Its sprawling crown had loomed over Meceruun's soil long before life decided to crawl from the oceans. Its position had changed over the aeons, however, as was evident by the ruins crushed beneath its roots. They disturbed the tree's precarious balance and gave its form a crooked appearance. Not that anyone would have noticed from up close.
Pulsing light emanated from Mimeidr's bark, invisible to the naked eye. It traveled across the land to confront the approaching darkness. Yet halfway there, the power waned and fizzled out. The tree had simply exhausted too much of his power. And the longer it tried to hold oblivion at bay, the more of its leaves withered away.
Looking at the fields leading up to the tree revealed a more immediate threat, however. An army of darkelves had surged up from beneath. They were dressed for battle and armed to the teeth, with swords and spears and claws and flails. Similarly dressed lizards were scattered through their ranks, only made visible due to their impressive size of at least 8 feet.
A beast made of wood and earth, with white moss spread out like hair, clombered along behind the army. Its body consisted of two giant faces opposing each other, with noses long enough to impale a human from top to bottom. They had no mouths to speak of, as that area was connected to small, tendril-like arms holding onto giant spheres with eyeballs in their center. Yellow, pulsing veins covered their circumference like a net.
Corpses of their surface-dwelling brothers lay in the darkelves' wake. Most seemed to have died without being able to offer resistance. More of them were gathered in front of Mimeidr and preparing for battle, despite being severely outnumbered. A group of mages sat around the entrance to the sanctuary, with their fingers were interlocked and their eyes closed. Whatever they were planning could not yet be deduced.
The thunder of the army's footsteps suddenly came to a halt. Two pillars broke through the ground and a dome of darkness expanded from within. It remained for about five seconds before fading away, unveiling Ri'zzar's bandaged form.
Crimson light emanated from within the Splinter of Desolation and forced the army to back away, lest they be consumed by its power. Ri'zzar clenched his fist to dim its influence and peered at the elves gathered in front of Mimeidr. They talked to each other in hushed whispers and held their weapons at the ready, apparently realizing that the time of battle drew near.
“Where did these maggots come from?” said Ri'zzar into the void.
A darkelf dressed in obsidian armor squeezed himself through the ranks and stepped onto Ri'zzar's right, avoiding the Splinter.
“They must have sought shelter after seeing Golgotha rise again.”
Ri'zzar chuckled and the Splinter flashed. His voice echoed across the field like the laughter of a demon. Some of the elves backed away, looking at each other in fright.
“As if the crippled spirit of Mimeidr could save them.” He raised his left hand and stared at the fire burning within the Splinter. “I could put them out of their misery with only a thought. But I can't afford to waste the power that I need to destroy the tree.” He clenched his fist shut again and turned his head to look into the unseeing eyes of the army's commander. “Crush them and stop anyone who tries to enter the Sanctuary. I cannot afford to be disturbed.”
A wide smile crept onto the commander's face. “As you wish.” He drew his sword and raised it high. Darkness trailed behind. “They've driven us into the darkness to silence our faith. Yet we grew stronger, even when robbed of our sight. They had to sacrifice Elvone just to kept themselves afloat. But now the time of reckoning has come.” He swung his sword forward. “Kill every single one of them and the surface will be ours again!”
The bandages around Ri'zzar's mouth deformed into the hint of a vicious smile. Opening his hand once more transformed him into a flash of light that shot past the elves and penetrated the barrier erected around Mimeidr's Sanctuary. It took him only the fraction of a second, therefore preventing anyone from noticing his passing. The army now charging towards them was too much of a distraction anyway.

Monday, December 8, 2014

And one more chapter of A Decaying World. Not much else to say, really. I hope I'll be able to release one more chapter before the year is over, as I'll be away on vacation shortly after christmas. No idea how long the next chapter is going to be, however, as it is a finale of sorts. Not quite as final as Chapter 12 might have seemed, though.

 

Chapter 21: The Voidwalker


The arbiters could have struck hard and fast, preventing their prey from gathering their thoughts. Instead, they fanned out, with Halath walking clockwise and Aquis the other way around. The earth gushed out behind the Arbiter of Nature and rose into the sky like a waterspout. Its surface was coated in barbs whose tips were secreting a green, slimy substance. Nauseating fumes ascended into the air wherever it hit the ground.
That barrier was all that would have been needed to prevent our heroes from escaping. But Aquis created yet another layer by transforming the earth beneath her feet into sludge. It corrugated long after the arbiter had passed, as if a billion worms were moving beneath its surface, desperately searching for something to devour.
Mordred spread her arms when Halath's barrier sealed itself and a myriad of wyrms shot into the sky. They danced around each other and merged into a blistering tempest of fire that rose far above the arena. When not a single body remained to be seen, a shockwave ripped it apart, enveloping the wall in a fiery net that no one could have passed without suffering life-threatening burns.
Maximilian watched all of this happen with trepidation, ready to unleash Elegnis' power at the first sign of an attack. “What now? Do we run or do we fight?”
How could we fight someone who already defeated us not long ago?” said Feyadal. “But escape is no option. They'd simply create another barrier further away.”
Not that it matters.” Alyssa followed Halath's every step with an arrow resting between the tip of her fingers. “Reaching Mimeidr before Ri'zzar is impossible without a portal.”
There has to be something we can do. Drake looked at the arbiters, as if hoping for a miracle. Yet all he saw was Mordred's haughty gaze, who was still waiting for the final touches of Halath's barrier at that point. Maybe turn powers against each other. And how would you possibly do that? Invite them to stand next to you and hope they attack without a thought? If you put it like that...
The vampire's gaze wandered over the billowing steam. It grew thicker when the slime came into contact with Aquis' mud, offering only rare glimpses of the arena's outer shell.
Drake, any ideas?” Maximilian turned towards his friend, who showed no sign of having noticed his name being spoken. So he stepped closer and tried again. “Hello, are you listening?” When even that accomplished nothing, he raised his hand in annoyance.
Ouch!” Drake screamed and rubbed the cheek Maximilian had struck. At that exact moment, his eyes opened wide, lit up with inspiration. While not of his own making, he remembered a method that could allow them to escape while also catching up to their enemy.
The vampire turned his head and flinched. Maximilian had almost slapped him again and only caught his hand inches from his face.
What are you doing?”
Just trying to get your attention.”
You could have said something.”
I did!”
Oh … anyway, I think I might have found the perfect solution for our predicament.” Everyone's eyes focused on him while Mordred's firms ascended into the sky. “Remember our trip through the desert? When we helped the villagers by defeating that giant scorpion?”
How could I forget jumping into the maw of a beast? What about it?”
The creature came into this world by escaping the Void, which we then used as a shortcut into the swamp. That's how we could escape while also reaching Mimeidr in time!”
Maximilian nodded and a smile flashed over his lips, but his expression darkened immediately after. “Good idea, but how should we cross over when there's no tear in the fabric of reality?”
I'm sure the Alp could help. But I haven't heard from him since he went missing.”
Alyssa joined them moments before Mordred's net closed off the arena. “What is this Void you're talking about?”
It's a place for our souls to gather when we're asleep.”
But you did enter with your physical bodies?” They nodded. “Then there's only one thing—”
Are you done yet?” A wall of fire as wide as the chasm rushed towards them. Drake and Maximilian jumped into opposite directions while Alyssa propelled herself into the air. It would have been too soon to evade the attack entirely, but she managed to keep herself afloat by unleashing a short bust of air. Feyadal, however, could not get away. Claws created by the earth itself had latched onto his feet and were keeping him in place.
Halath smiled from beside her sisters. “One down, three to go.”
No, not with such a halfhearted attempt.” Mordred spread her arms. A fiery bubble displaying the events beyond the fire came into focus.
Drake saw Feyadal's dilemma before hitting the ground and propelled himself backwards. The elf gasped and buckled over when the vampire's arm connected with his stomach. That's the only reason he didn't scream when his feet were wrenched loose at a painful angle.
Are you okay?” A pointless question, as Feyadal could barely take a step without faltering. “Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.”
Better than turning into ash.” Kneeling down, he traced his fingers over his covered feet. He grimaced once, then raised himself into a standing position by reaching for Drake's offered arm. “They don't appear to be broken. But I won't be of much help.”
No one will. You're all too pathetic to stand up to the likes of us!” Halath leapt from beneath the earth and pointed her palms forward. A myriad of barbs ejected themselves from beneath her dress, tearing it to shreds and revealing a wooden body underneath.
Drake stepped in front of Feyadal, dug his feet into the ground, and conjured a barrier. But the arbiter's attack was as powerful as the fist of a giant, easily pushing him backwards and into the elf. Feyadal pressed his hands into Drake's back, but without magic, there was nothing he could do.
The barrier shattered as they both toppled over. Yet Halath could not enjoy her victory. An arrow had pierced her face with perfect timing. Its force was powerful enough to push her skull upwards, almost severing the strands of flesh keeping her body connected to her head.
Nice shot.” Drake scrambled to his feet and pulled Feyadal with him.
Thank you. But it won't deter her for lo—”
Mordred's body wreathed in fire shot from the sky like a comet. The ground shattered upon impact, propelling Drake and Feyadal into Halath and Alyssa dangerously close to Aquis' barrier.
Huge bubbles rose from beneath the mud and splattered Alyssa's dress upon popping. A minor inconvenience compared to the foul-smelling odor assaulting her at the same time. It coiled itself around her brain and clogged up her cerebrum, slowing down her thought-processes. One could say she felt horribly drunk. A sensation entirely new to her.
She pressed her right hand onto her skull and toppled forward, constantly opening and closing her eyes. Blue and black shadows were moving in the distance, but she could neither make out what they were nor logically connect the dots.

Monday, November 24, 2014

And yet another chapter of A Decaying World, the events of which are only possible because the last chapter added something that wasn't originally planned. But hey, the game this story is based on wasn't particularly exciting. So this might be for the better.

 

Chapter 20: Splinter of Desolation


Beautiful crimson hair fluttered in front of Drake's unseeing eyes while someone pressed a wet piece of cloth onto his aching flesh. It corrugated like the ocean, slowly repairing the damage done by Feyadal's devastating attack. He could have been healed minutes ago, but everyone present was either screaming, howling, complaining, demanding, or simply sitting in the grass and staring off into the distance, with a horrified expression etched into their skin.
Upon realizing that, a question popped into Drake mind: if no one was paying him any attention, then who was the person whose flesh smelled like roses and whose hands were caressing his burning cheeks?
He forced his eyes open and just about caught a glimpse of a face long gone.
Wait!”
His right hand reached for the retreating figure and the sky burst into flames. It was accompanied by a gust of wind that carried the stank of decay right into Drake's nose. He chocked and reached for his throat as his vision blurred, turning dark at the edges as if smoke was seeping into his eyes.
Why don't you just give up? The end of the world is rapidly approaching. There is nothing anyone can do to stop it.” Drake remembered this voice from before everything went to shit. But he found himself unable to place its origin.
No, you have to belie—”
Metal streaking through the air and cutting through flesh scattered Emily's voice into the wind, replacing it with the screams of all those who had perished at the hands of the black lightning.
All you can believe in is your impotence. Just look at the corpses lining your path.” The flames began to swirl, twisting themselves into burning renditions of the past. “The soldiers of Pagan, who were nothing more than cannon fodder. A respected general. A powerful wizard. All those who died in the fire, and all those who perished soon after. Not to mention your father and girlfriend.”
Drake tried to close his eyes when Glenn was being consumed by smoke that took the place of shadows, but all he achieved was to flutter with his eyelids. The scene then shifted to his unconscious form, with Emily hunched over him. Arlington had already been destroyed at that point, which is why Drake stopped resisting and stared intently at what happened next.
Emily shook his body, yelled words the fire didn't replay. And during all that, she never noticed a figure approaching her from behind. Drake couldn't make out who it was, but his muscles tensed when the person extended a hand towards his girlfriend.
It only took a second for her form to fall apart.
No! This can't be true.
Laughter as sharp as a knife cut right into his flesh. “But why would I lie when my goal is to hurt you? She was alive … and then she was dead. All because you couldn't protect her. And while you may not have cared about them, you're also responsible for the deaths of Alyssa's brethren, most of whom never even realized that they were part of a ritual to raise Golgotha from oblivion.”
Would you stuff it already?”
Drake's shaking hands clawed into the ground as he tried to move his mouth, but all he accomplished was to open it wide, signaling his presence with an unearthly moan.
We have to do some—”
Shut up!”
The unending complaints were momentarily silenced by Maximilian's stressed scream. But they resumed after he had taken a single step into Drake's direction, whose body he had placed within the shadow of a rock.
You have no right to—”
Enough already!” yelled Alyssa. She was sitting next to a bush, with her hair blowing in the wind, and flexed the muscles of her injured arm while keeping an eye on Feyadal. His chin was resting on his arms, which were in turn propped up by the knees he had pulled close to this body. He did not pay any attention to the bickering, however. Instead, his gaze was focused solely on the black castle and the forest burning around it. “We won't accomplish anything by screaming at each other.”
Alyssa unglued her eyes and looked at what little was left of her group. Only the most skilled of fighters had survived, which wasn't saying much, given her experience in the War. At least twice as much had been alive at the end, but their bodies were now burned to a crisp. And everyone knew who was responsible for their demise.
There isn't much we can do now,” continued Alyssa. “So we either investigate the castle or try to get to the nearest village and save as many as we can.”
What about our village?”
What village? Don't you see where Golgotha has risen? There's nothin...” her gaze fell unto the earth as her voice failed her.
Are we sure this is Golgotha?” asked Maximilian, who was kneeling in the shadows and pouring blood into Drake's quivering mouth. “I've read the books written by the heroes who fought in its depths, and while they do embellish their actions, they all agree on the fact, that the castle crumbled on their way out.”
Drake choked and coughed up blood. Maximilian quickly raised his left hand, with his forefinger pointing into the air, while wiping his friend's mouth with the other.
Sorry, I should have paid more attention.” He turned his head back to the elves. “What I am getting at is: couldn't this be an illusion meant to drive fear into our hearts?”
Alyssa shook her head with her eyes closed. “No, it's the genuine article. The power emanating from within might not be as strong as it was back in the day, but there's no mistaking its source.”
But that was also destroyed!”
The elf's head threatened to unwind when her icy stare pierced Maximilian's flesh. “Don't you think I know that?” her voice was as shrill as the screech of a banshee. The other elves eyed each other nervously and moved away from Alyssa, lest she blow them all away in her rage. “But this”—her finger slashed through the air and came to land on the structure towering even above the World Tree—“is without a doubt Golgotha, the same castle that has brought devastation upon Meceruun a thousand years ago!”
No need to freak out. I was just trying to make sure...”
Alyssa growled and faced the earth, repressing the urge to scream by keeping her lips pressed together. Cold air with a hint of smoke entered her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. Only when her lungs felt like they would burst did she release it. She repeated the process for about a minute, slowly draining the tension that had built up within her flesh.
Someone cleared his throat next to her, but she kept her eyes glued to the ground and pressed the tips of her left fingers against those of her right. Magic began to flow from one arm into the other, coursing through her magic circuits and then returning to the starting point. It was a technique she had been taught in trying to focus her power and was supposed to take her attention away from the physical plane. But her concentration was so scattered that sparks of pure magic erupted from her hands and burned the grass beneath her feet.
More annoyed than ever, she raised her head and looked at Feyadal. Just a quick glimpse to see how he fared. Their eyes met for a split-second and his turned wide. He rapidly averted his gaze and scratched his head as if nothing had happened.
Alyssa's body lifted off the ground like that of a predator who was about to assault his prey. Magically enhanced steps carried her to Feyadal with lightning speed, upon which she grabbed his arms and pulled him up. He yelped in surprise and reached for her shoulders to steady himself, but she pressed her arms against his chest and chucked him onto the ground.
Ouch!” He staggered to his feet and rubbed his back. “What are you—”
Stop looking at me like that! How do you think that makes me feel, when all you do is avoid me otherwise?”
His lips turned into a thin line and his eyes drooped. He had thought about a thousand scenarios that could unfold upon his return, but this was so far from his imagination that he didn't know how to act. Most likely because he had stopped thinking about it after losing what little magic he had.
Eventually, he took a deep breath, stepped towards her, and looked her in the eye. His right hand was about to touch her shoulder before she slapped it away.
Some of the elves had already pressed their hands onto their mouths when Feyadal hit the ground, but now they couldn't contain themselves any longer and broke into laughter.
Alyssa's body trembled and her eyes flared up. She raised her arms into the air and immediately slammed them back down, ramming all of her brethren into the earth, even those who had remained silent. They whined and yelled, but only until they noticed the threatening glare she cast at them over her shoulders.
Aly, you have to calm down. This isn't the time for—”
And when will there ever be time?” Her hair fell over her face when her head turned back, covering half of it. “You might not have noticed, but a castle full of monster has just risen where our village lay! We'd be lucky to survive the coming weeks.”
If at all,” came the hoarse voice of Drake from beside her.
If you don't have anything useful to add, then just shut up!” Her eyes appeared to be consumed by fire while Drake was being helped into a standing position by Maximilian.
But I do have something to add.” He looked at where the castle lay, then peered even further into the distance. “Haven't you noticed the storm clouds hovering above the mountains? The ones unleashing black lightning unto the earth?”
The elf furrowed her brow and followed his gaze. A few seconds passed, during which more than a dozen lighting bolts were unleashed on areas hidden by the mountain range.
What about it? The color might be weird, but—”
Keep looking!”
Everyone but Maximilian and Feyadal were now looking into the distance. As if to reward their attention, the storm clouds moved further inland, which allowed the lightning to slam into trees and rocks and mountaintops. And everything it came in touch with exploded in rain of dust.
Alyssa scrunched her face in incredulity and shushed her gasping brethren before facing Drake once more. “What is that?”
The End of Time, the harbinger of Meceruun's destruction. My hometown has already fallen victim to it.” He clenched his fists, replaying the scene of Emily's death in front of his eyes. “And it seems to have followed us all the way here.”
Fury tarnished Alyssa's beautiful face as she pulled an arrow from her quiver and raised her bow into the air. Maximilian drew his blade and Feyadal lunged forward, grabbing Alyssa's arm before she could take aim.
Don't!”
He has to take responsibility for what's about to happen!” said Alyssa without looking at Feyadal.
But I came here to stop it! How was I supposed to know that it would follow me?”
Stop it how?”
Drake opened his mouth, then closed it very slowly. “I don't know … find someone who can help defeat the cause.” He looked at the ground and rubbed his head. “But that person seems to have been the darkelf I met near our camp.”
The one who slew my men? Who trapped us with his magic and got even more of them killed? And you didn't think this was worth mentioning?” she screamed and elbowed Feyadal to free her arm. Then she aimed at Drake.
You didn't need to kno—”
Alyssa let go and Drake ducked out of the way. Maximilian tried to hit the arrow in mid-air, but he only sliced through one of its feathers.
Come on! How was I supposed to know what would happen? And the one who made a deal with him was Modera, not me. I rejected his help!”
Alyssa's held her trembling hand above her quiver. Drake hadn't gotten up yet, making him an easy target. But Maximilian looked like he would cut her down before she could fire once more.
How did you even survive your previous encounter with this … this thing?”
Drake gathered himself from the floor, with his arms raised high and with his eyes focused on her bow. “It wasn't moving the first time, so I just ran out of its range. The second time … I don't know. It started following our ship a few days ago but seemed to have disappeared by the time we crashed.”
The storm in Alyssa's eyes turned into a sparkle of inspiration as she lowered her bow. “It … disappeared? So that's why Mimeidr unleashed its power. I should have thought of that.” She turned to the remains of her group. “Listen up! You will hurry to the World Tree and see if it can banish the storm once more. Me and the others will investigate Golgotha in the meantime.”
Milady, you can't be serious,” interjected the elf with the golden armor. “The vampire got our comrades killed, while that … elf burned them to death!”
Her features hardened and her hands began to sparkle. “Do I look like I'm joking?”
No … of course not. But what if Mimeidr can't repel the storm again?
Then we're all doomed,” replied Drake in Alyssa's stead.

Friday, November 14, 2014

And here's another chapter of A Decaying World, which turned out a bit different than originally planned, which is also why it's called Resurgence. Although I could have easily called it something else and moved the ending to the next chapter, as it will most likely not have the impact it could have. But whatever!

 

Chapter 19: Resurgence


As soon as the group returned to the camp, Alyssa stopped moving and pressed two fingers onto her throat. “Wake up!” Her voice was as loud as thunder. “We have to return to the village at voice. I'll explain everything on the way!”
Within less than a minute, all tents and campfires crumbled into dust and merged with the earth, wiping all signs of the elven encampment from the face of Meceruun.
Do you always destroy your camps?” asked Drake and faced Alyssa, but she had already disappeared from his side and made sure that no one else had gone missing.
We don't destroy,” said an elf who had overheard Drake. “Everything you saw was given to us by the forest. And now it's back where it belongs.”
I see...”
Good. Then start moving.”
The vampire looked over his shoulder and the elf backed off. His skin was as smooth as that of a child and his sword looked like it had never seen a serious battle.
You should teach him some manners! I'd rather not.
You heard what lady Alyssa said! You're coming with us. So move.”
Yeah, yeah.”
And so began their journey through the darkness of the night. But as luck would have it, dawn was less than an hour. At least it should have been. Yet no matter how long they walked, the darkness prevailed. And it wasn't the fault of the trees lining their path, as even those would have allowed the light to pass through.
What's gotten into them?” asked Maximilian after catching up to Drake. “First they want to wait until dawn, now they're running as if the reaper himself is chasing us down.”
Drake looked at his companion out of the corner of his eyes. “Two elves were killed while you were asleep.”
Shit!” The knight cursed and looked over his shoulder, but his eyes weren't able to pierce the darkness. “Are we being followed?”
Drake jumped over a slug-shaped root protruding from the ground before facing Maximilian once more. “No, and to be honest, I'm not sure why exactly we're running.” He sighed. “But the dead elves are the least of our problems.”
What do you mea—”
A branch bent forward by one of the elves snapped back. It was thick enough to leave at least a nasty bruise, but while Maximilian tried to duck, Drake swung at it with his bare hand and ripped it off, propelling it forward. A wail followed, as it hit the same elf who had reached for it in the first place.
Thank you,” said the knight, slightly out of breath.
You did that on purpose, vampire!” yelled the elf, who was now cowering on the ground and pressing glowing hands onto the back of his head.
And you didn't?” Maximilian recognized the elf by his golden armor. The wild look in his eyes was more than sufficient to tell him the truth of the matter.
Would you please shut up?” screamed Alyssa from up front without pausing for even a second.
Both companions looked at each other and shrugged before moving on.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

And here's the next chapter of A Decaying World. Took a lot longer than it should have, due to me going on a short vacation, finishing up Aedis Tenebrum, working for Textbroker etc... but I'll try to get the next chapters out a bit faster again. Loop is kinda on a backburner right now.

 

Chapter 18: The Messenger Of Chaos


Drake's feet lifted off the ground when the light receded. He was gripped as if by a tornado and flung through the air, momentarily catching sight of the setting sun before getting entangled in a soft fabric upheld by wooden sticks.
Guess I should have warned you that this might happen,” hissed Belia as he freed his paws. Light as piercing as the sun's lit up his ashen paws. The fabric was blown apart away and torn to shreds.
The cat freed himself from Drake's grasp and leapt onto a looping branch, just about evading the sight of a dozen elves who came running to investigate the commotion.
It's the vampire!” yelled the same guard who had been about to fight Maximilian back in the village.
Within seconds, a circle of swords and spears had formed around Drake, with a few archers visible on nearby trees. One of them decided to jump onto the same branch Belia was sitting on, which resulted in him getting smacked into the underbrush without anyone noticing.
There's no need for that,” said Drake, keeping his voice calm and his movements slow as he stood up with raised hands. “I'm entirely in control of myself.”
His right hand began to twitch and the urge to slap himself welled up within his mind. Only when he bit onto his tongue did the feeling recede. Do you want to get us killed? Just trying to have some fun. And what's so funny about us getting impaled or sliced to pieces? We would have managed. The force keeping your powers in check has calmed down. And even if it hadn't, you could still access the darkness I have amassed within your mind. I'd rather not. Suit yourself. But now that I have gained a bit of control, don't expect me to watch you bumble around.
We should just kill him. No one would be able to tell if he was about to attack or not!” whispered one of the elves, before an arm landed on his shoulder and turned him around. Alyssa stared at him with cold eyes and he backed off. His feet came into contact with Drake's and he fell over, forcing his companions to pull their weapon's out of harms way, lest they impale him too.
The beast utilized the momentary confusion and catapulted Drake's body to the other side of the camp, where an enormous but artificial-looking tree rose into the sky. A sign with the words “Do not enter the Riddle Tower!” stood next to a gaping hole that seemed to lead nowhere.
An arrow lodged itself into the point of the exclamation mark, narrowly missing Drake's head. He flinched momentarily, then followed its course back to Alyssa. She had already readied another one.
Don't you dare run away.”
I didn't plan to.” So stop using my body as your plaything! “But I don't like being threatened.”
Are you back to your old self?”
Drake turned his head and saw Maximilian standing in front of a tree, with his arms crossed. Feyadal could be seen sitting on one of its branches, but instead of threatening Drake with his bow, he was holding his sword in hand.
Mostly, yes.” He bent his arm and clenched his fist, constantly feeling a slight pressure coursing through his muscles. “I might even be stronger than before.”
One more reason to get ri—”
Alyssa lowered her bow and flung her arm sideways without breaking eye-contact. A sticky glob rose from the ground and shot towards the elf. He looked shocked for a moment, then smiled and moved his head out of the way. The projectile instantly corrected its course and slammed onto his mouth, gluing it shut.
That's not for you to decide.” She lowered her hand and stepped forward, until she was just out of arm's reach. Her other hand was still holding tightly onto her bow, ready to snap back into action at even the slightest hint of danger. “Congratulations on surviving. Not many can claim to have bested that madman's challenge.”
You meant to say no one, right? They would have had to get through—” Belia's paws shuddered as he collided with the ground, barely missing Alyssa's shoulder. “Hey, you didn't have to step away!”
The elf looked at the cat out of the corner of her eyes and an almost inaudible grumbling noise surged up from within her throat. “Belia … how 'nice' to see you again. I thought you couldn't leave the tower.”
Maybe not out of his own accord, but carrying him outside proved to be surprisingly easy,” said Drake and smiled.
Alyssa's eyes locked onto his as her lips tightened for a moment. “Looks like I've chosen poorly. I should have killed you instead of risking this beast to attain freedom.”
Belia purred as his fur turned pink and his ass plopped onto the ground. “How dare you call me a beast? What have I ever done to you?”
You mean apart from ripping off my dress, stealing my jewelry, and being a general pest to anyone who ever dared to venture into the tower?”
But it's been ages since then!” Belia's ears twitched and his hind paw landed on his head, scratching it furiously.
About 600 years. Not long enough to forget about your mischief. You could have had at least had the dignity to die of old age by now.”
Ha, you wish! I'll still be around in a thousand years. But if you'll excuse me, I'll have a world to see.”
Be my guest. And don't come back.”
Belia's fur turned into a mixture of green and brown, making him almost invisible if looked at from above. Then he sped off into the distance, jumping over sticks and stones like an excited rabbit.
The forest seemed to fall silent for a moment, as if every elf, human, and animal was mesmerized by the cat's departure. Only when his body vanished in the underbrush did everyone's thoughts return to the situation at hand.
Back to you,” began Alyssa, but she stopped herself when Drake held out his hand.
I'm Drake.” He smiled and stood there like a puppet, yet her arms remained frozen in place.
I know.”
His eyes dropped and he mustered his hand, almost expecting something disgusting to be stuck in his palm. It looked perfectly fine, though. Just a bit dirty. He retracted it nonetheless, absentmindedly wiping it on his clothes.
Sorry, I don't remember us being introduced.”
We weren't. I was too busy sending you to your inevitable death.”
A few elves chuckled on the quiet but stopped when Alyssa turned her head halfway into their direction.
Drake glanced at Maximilian. A vague smile played around his lips as he shrugged. “I hope you're not planning to finish what the tower failed to do.”
I stand by my word. You and your companion are free to go. But not until I know what your plans are.”
The vampire opened his mouth and came up empty. All he knew was that Modera had marked this place on a map, as she had done with Arlington and Pagan.
To be honest, I don't have a clue. We're looking for someone … I guess. But I have no idea who it is or where to find him.”
So you came here all the way from Pagan, looking for someone you know nothing about, with only a general location to go on?” She furrowed her brow and smirked. “That must be the worst plan I've ever heard.”
Drake scratched his head and eyed the ground. There was no denying her words, but he had acted on the spur of the moment, unwilling to waste even a second, just in case the same event that destroyed Arlington followed him to Pagan.
Whatever the case, I doubt that anyone would be willing to help you out, even if the fate of the entire world might be at stake. We're busy enough as it is.” Alyssa rubbed her neck and relaxed the hand clutched around her bow. “However, you can follow us back to the village and try your luck if you want. But you'll have to wait until dawn. It's too dangerous to travel at night.”
I thought the animals wouldn't attack you,” interjected Maximilian.
They don't,” she replied without turning her head, “but there are other creatures lurking in the woods. You've already met some of them,” and with those words, Alyssa turned around and walked towards the rest of her group, who rapidly stepped aside to let her through. “Oh”—she stopped upon reaching the other side and looked over her shoulder, focusing on Drake once more—“I'm Alyssa Mirazzal. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” The vague hint of a smile flashed over her face before she moved on.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Here's another chapter of A Decaying World. And that's about all I have to say for now. I should really try to realize my horror collection soon, but I'm not sure I'll find the time to finish it up in the coming days as I've got some things coming up.

 

Chapter 17: In the Depths of Belia's Tower


Drake hadn't had a good night's rest since the destruction of Arlington, but when the beast overpowered his mind he was plunged into darkness, into an almost comatose state. He could see flashes of reality when the vampire's hold on his body was compromised, but they never lasted for long and quickly faded like a dream. Only when a radiant light penetrated every corner of his mind did he finally resurface.
Cold wind howled past his ears when he sat up. It had already chilled his body to the bone, so he rubbed his freezing hands while inspecting his surroundings. Grey rocks could be seen in every direction. They were illuminated by a ghostly flame floating above. Similar flames could be seen in the distance, but the area in-between was filled by impenetrable darkness.
Look who's finally awake,” said an awfully familiar voice from above. Drake's own voice, just more deeper, more menacing.
What the...?” Drake jumped to his feet and looked up, discovering his spitting image floating through the air. It was sprawled out on a disc made of darkness. “Who are you?”
His doppelganger chuckled and brushed through his slicked-back hair before he spared him a glance. His crimson eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. “Come on, have you already forgotten me? I'm the darkness slumbering within your mind. The source of your power.”
Drake furrowed his brow and looked around in confusion. “Why does it looks so different this time?”
Because we're not inside your head.”
Then why are we separated? Have I been cured?”
The beast laughed and his voice reverberated throughout the darkness, echoing back and forth from barriers unseen. “There is no cure. The only way to destroy me is to destroy us both.” He raised his right hand and snapped it shut, as if grasping onto something that couldn't bee seen. “But there's magic in air, magic so powerful that it was able to split us apart. Don't get your hopes up, though. It's only temporary.”
Drake sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “How did we even end up here?”
Some elven bitch threw me through a portal. Said she'd let me go if I survived this place.”
So why haven't you left yet? Couldn't you just float to the exit?”
I tried, but whoever created this place must have made sure that his puzzles aren't circumvented.”
What puzzles?”
See that lever over there?” The beast pointed towards an object that Drake had mistaken for a stalagmite. “Give it a shove and you'll see.”
Drake had no reason to trust the beast, but seeing as the rest of the island was empty, he didn't have much of a choice. So he strolled towards the lever, wrapped his arms around its top, then gave it a good push. The darkness seemed to grow brighter and a faint hum filled the air.
Look behind you.”
A path paved with glowing platforms had appeared in the air, connecting this island to another in the distance. It faded out of existence the moment Drake let go off the lever.
See? None of us can cross over unless the other holds onto the lever.”
Couldn't you have used your magic to hold it in place?”
Do you think I'm retarded? I've already tried everything I could think of, but I can neither float away nor manipulate the lever without actually touching it.”
Drake wrapped his arms around his body and rubbed his freezing flesh. He might as well have not worn anything, so easily did the cold penetrate his body. “What did the elves hope to achieve by throwing us in here?”
I guess they want us to cooperate so that I don't take over your mind again.”
You did what?” Drake looked up, his voice mad with anger.
The beast shrugged with a smile on his face. “You're the one who lost control and almost got himself killed. What choice did I have? If you'd simply accept what you are, we wouldn't be in this situation.”
I accept that I'm a creature of the darkness, but I'll won't let myself be consumed by my hunger!”
And that is why we will always wrestle for control.”
Whatever. Let's just get this over with,” Drake grumbled and turned around, activating the lever again.
The disc below the vampire dissipated and he fell gracefully, his descend slowed down by his fluttering robes. “You're letting me go first? How nice of you.” He vanished instantly, accelerating faster than the eye could see.
Another path appeared in front of Drake, prompting him to let go off the lever. He stared it for a moment, trying to conjure the energy needed to cross it as fast as his counterpart, but whatever magic had separated them had also returned him to his original state. So he sprinted across instead, just in case the beast decided to drop him into the void.
Two levers were waiting for Drake on the other side. One of them occupied the northern edge, the other the southern edge. It was only logical to assume that these were part of a puzzle, but they looked identical to each other and there were no hints to be seen.
Hey, did you also—” You don't need to scream. We're still connected. Okay. Did you also have two levers to choose from? No, the island looked like a reflection of the first. Hmm...
Drake squinted into the darkness, examining both directions thoroughly. There was a single island up north, about as far away as the first. He couldn't see anything in the opposite direction, however.
Could it really be that easy?”
He walked to the northern lever and gave it a slight push. It refused to budge. So he wrapped both hands around it and applied all of his weight, which still accomplished nothing. Only after kicking it a few times did it finally relent. As soon as it snapped into position, a distant growl echoed through the cave.
What did you do? I pushed the lever, what else? And made the entire ground shake in the process. I didn't feel anything. Must have been too weak for a puny human to notice. Stop trying to insult me and go to the next island! I'd like to, but there's no path.
Drake let go off the lever, yet it remained in place. He stared it for a moment, then peered into the darkness. The sound he'd heard only moments ago had sent a shiver down his spine, so it seemed like a good idea to undo whatever damage he'd done. But the lever refused to be pulled back and was too close to the ground to be kicked again.
Dammit.” What is it? Nothing.
He walked towards the other lever and pushed it down without encountering any resistance.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

And here's chapter 16 of A Decaying World. It's relatively short with only 4k words, which is why I decided to continue with the next chapter instead of switchting back to Loop. That one might be a bit longer, but I doubt that it will go over 10k words. Which means that my plan of having 26 chapters overall will most likely fail. Not that it really matters.

 

 Chapter 16: Losing Control


Drake's slumped over figure rested in front of a pillar that a dozen enchanted ropes bound him to. He had been thrown into a small, dank chamber devoid of furniture. Its exit was located far above and inaccessible by normal means. Even a rope would have been insufficient as there was nothing to affix it to.
A rectangular section of the wall flared up, transforming it into a door made of stones. When it swung open, a tall elf dressed in white stepped through. A small clearing could be seen above his shoulder, but the walls wobbled when his feet touched the stones, swallowing the portal.
The elf raised his right hand and turned its palm skyward, conjuring a pea-sized ball of energy. It exploded from the inside out, doubling in size, continuously repeating the same motion until he could wrap his fingers around it.
“I'm ready.”
A ripple of energy tore through the walls as the elf aimed at the vampire, leaving a series of white concentric circles behind. They pulsed in anticipation as the elf let go, propelling the orb into the vampire's chest.
Drake's body reared up and his muscles spasmed as his consciousness was pulled from the darkness. He slammed his head into the pillar and let out a gut-wrenching scream as the sacred energy tore through his flesh, partially destroying the corruption within his blood. Repeatedly bombarding him with such power could have cleansed his vampirism, but the chances of surviving such therapy did not exist.
His screams echoed from wall to wall for an entire minute before his voice died down and his head dropped onto his chest. Fluttering eyelids unveiled a mixture of light and darkness coursing through his pupils, wrestling for control. His fingers twitched, his chest convulsed, and his flesh began to emit smoke, which caused the ropes around his body to glow.
“Why are you here?” said the Elf after pulling a chair out of thin air and planting his behind on its seat.
The vampire raised his shaking head, still unable to keep his eyes open. His mouth opened and closed, as if crunching something into a million pieces.
“Why”—the elf raised his hand and conjured yet another ball of sacred energy—“are you here?”
Drake's eyes open wide, as did his mouth. He shot forward, as far as his shackles would allow, and his flesh changed, fell in on itself, transformed into a mask of pure horror. Blackened, dripping, grotesque. Huge eyeballs atop an even wider mouth. Fangs so sharp they could have crushed a skull with ease.
The darkness dissolved when the orb of light penetrated the vampire's chest, revealing Drake's unchanged face. His head slammed into the pillar once more and an even louder scream fled his throat. Wisps of smoke followed the sound and turned solid upon coming into contact with the air, lashing out at the elf.
“Fool!” The elf vacated his seat as a dozen tentacles tore through it. He landed close to the wall and slammed his palm into the nearby circle before rolling away, evading yet another attack.
A deafening buzzing noise filled the room as a myriad orbs were disgorged from the walls. They honed in on Drake and spun around his screaming figure, dissolving the darkness and hiding his body from view.

Monday, September 15, 2014

And here's chapter 15 of A Decaying World. It could have gone a bit faster, but I've worked on another project a few days ago, where I ended up writing about 10K words in only three days. If only all my projects were progressing so fast...
Anyway, I'm going to return to Loop next. I've already had it lying around for too long without progressing the story. And I'm still going to release short stories during the next few weeks before I release the entire horror-collection.

 

 Chapter 15: Amidst the Ruins

A hundreds tiny grains of sand dug into Drake's skin like crystal shards, slowly rousing his dormant consciousness. His eyes fluttered open and fell upon two massive legs connected to a beast made of stone, a lapucuz. Its leathery tail entwined the vampire's chest, dragging him from the wreckage of his ship to a nearby forest.
Wha—” It was a mistake to open his mouth. A load of sand invaded his oral cavity, eliciting painful rattling coughs.
All motion came to a halt. The beast turned around, sluggishly moving one foot at a time, until half of its hideous face could be seen. One lidless eye focused on Drake while a giant mouth opened up, freeing the beast's snake-like tongue. It darted forward and connected with the vampire's skin, ramming a dozen tiny needles into his flesh.
Within seconds, he was paralyzed, incapable of offering any resistance. But his eyes were still open, able to take in his surroundings. He had never been on this continent, but the endless sea of trees and the giant one towering above them revealed that he had reached his destination, despite plunging into an icy grave.
Need a hand? Yeah, but not yours. Still defying me, after everything I've done for you? Modera might have crushed your mind if I hadn't pulled you back from the brink of despair! That doesn't mean I have to like you. Why don't you go back to sleep? No chance!
Another beast had joined the first, with Maximilian in its clutches. He was still unconscious, unaware of the sand cutting into his face. But it was only a matter of time until his skull would bang against the stones scattered across the forest floor.
So, who's going to save you now? Feyadal might still be out there. And if he's not? Are you just going to let them kill you? They could have done so a long time ago. Maybe they're using us to stock up on supplies. Why wait when we could be free within seconds?
There was no reason to wait, yet Drake refused to change his stance. He didn't want to depend on his inner darkness unless it was absolutely necessary. But when the beast could set him free, he should have been able to do so by himself.
He tried to close his eyes, but his captor's poison had frozen his lids in place. Even such a motion as simple as breathing was impossible. If the same applied to Maximilian, he might have already been dead. Good riddance. Fuck you!
Grasping the power trapped within his body, he tried to imagine a wave of energy surging through his body, dissipating the paralysis. A tingling sensation rippled through his flesh, but when it died down, only his fingers had come back to live. His arms were still trailing behind him, so the best he could have accomplished was to throw a fireball into the sky. A few more attempts might have done the trick, but both beasts stopped dead in their tracks, releasing fulminant roars from their cavernous bodies.
I could be mistaken”, said a squeaky voice from nearby, “but those creatures don't look edible at all.”
But we to them!” replied a much deeper, rumbling voice. Its owner seemed to have trouble using Meceruun's common tongue, as every sentence came in quick bursts and every T ended up sounding like a D. “Else they wouldn't grabbed those guys.”
The lapucuzs roared once more and raised their tails into the air, allowing Drake a glimpse of the newcomers, none of which were human. One could have been mistaken for a human child, if not for his sallow and wrinkled skin. A giant schnozzle was poking out of his face while the rest was covered by unkempt hair. The second creature was the complete opposite: tall, muscular, hairless, and dark-skinned. His four beefy arms could have easily crushed a human's skull.
Since the lapucuzs had no intention of letting fresh meat get away, they flung Maximilian and Drake into the sand and hurled themselves at the newcomers. The smaller creature, a gnome, shrieked and sped away, swirling up the earth beneath his feet. But his companion, a gialuk, was not inclined to take flight. He slammed his fists together, then pulled all arms back and propelled them forward. A shockwave rippled through the lapucuz's shell, partially rupturing it. But the impact hadn't been powerful enough to reach its fleshy bits.
It slammed into the gialuk and pushed him back, but the creature reacted quickly and rammed his feet into the earth, stopping their movement. A manic smile crept onto his face as he slung his arms around the lapucuz's body, lifting the beast from its feet.
Knowing that it couldn't land a direct hit, the lapucuz opened its mouth. Its poison was powerful enough to take most creatures down, but even though gialuk's aren't the brightest of creatures, this one was quite crafty. He threw the lapucuz into the air, grabbed its tongue wit its upper arms, and began to spin the beast like a lariat.
You like that?” yelled the gialuk derisively. “Or do you want down?”
The lapucuz screamed and snapped, as if trying to bite off its own tongue, but there was nothing it could do. And then the gialuk let go, sending it off into the sky. It ascended in a wide arc and them came hurtling down like a comet, audibly taking at least half a dozen trees with it.
The gialuk laughed and stretched his limbs just as the gnome came back, screeching for help. The second lapucuz was close on his heels, rolling through the sand like a cannonball.
Get behind!” bellowed the gialuk as he twisted his body halfway to the right. Then he pulled back his arms, taking a big swing. If timed correctly, the lapucuz's momentum could be used to smash through its shell, maybe even strike it down with a single move. But if the gialuk screwed up … well, it wouldn't be pretty. The lapucuz was moving too fast to be stopped like the first.
The gnome reached his companion and grabbed onto his burly legs as he slithered over the earth. When it came to a halt, it peered over a mountain of muscles at the rapidly approaching threat.
You got this?” asked the gnome, not quite as loud this time.
I do!”
The gialuk concentrated, focusing all power into his right arms. Any other member of his clan would have sidestepped the attack, but Gorn was more than confident in his abilities. He would not lose to a mindless beast that had to coat itself with stones to survive.
Moments before impact, his arms shot forward and time seemed to freeze. Neither did his fists penetrate the lapucuz's shell, nor was he squashed. Then, a crack appeared, followed by another, and then another.
The lapucuz screamed in agony and flew off, cutting a swath into the forest. Gorn smiled at this glorious sight, spread his arms, and let out a mighty roar. His companion chimed in, despite sounding like a broken whistle.
Drake would have been thankful for the rescue, but the gialuk gathered him and Maximilian from the sand and slung them roughly over his shoulders while the gnome stared at them with a watering mouth.
Their captors might have changed, but their fate was still the same.