Ace_the_owl

Chapter 85. Auction

The Aurium Auction.

In a city of institutions like Arkhos, this auction stood apart.

Everything about sounded expensive.

Held monthly in the Adamant Gallery, the auction stood as ...

Chapter 84. Atchoo

"You're sure this is the right way?" Deroq hissed, pulling his hood lower as they navigated the narrow passage. Water dripped from the ceiling, each drop landing with a maddening plop that echoed t...

Chapter 83. Good Guard, Bad Guard

"You haven't touched your sandwich," Valiant said, gesturing with a small paw toward the untouched plate. "It's quite good, you know."

The young man across the table—Rennik—glanced nervou...

Chapter 82. And So It Begins

Adom had been in the library for four hours already, and the nerd in him still wasn't tired of it. The smell of old books, the quiet rustle of turning pages, the occasional whispered consultationâ€...

Chapter 81. Game Changer

Adom watched Cass's face carefully. No screaming. No gasping. No demands for immediate explanations. Just a calm, measured assessment of the armored golem now standing in her hospital room.

T...

Chapter 80. Partners In Spite

Adom coughed, his lungs burning. The smoke clogged his nose, his mouth, his thoughts.

For a second, he wasn't in the warehouse anymore. He was back in that research camp at Matheran Ridge, th...

Chapter 79. Welcome To The Market

"How?" Adom stared at the glowing blue bottle in Cass's hand, the question hanging in the air between them.

Cass's lips curved into a satisfied smile, her usual composed demeanor giving way t...

Chapter 78. Grasshopper

"This is him? The Spear you've been raving about?" Coach Viriam squinted across the pitch, voice pitched just low enough that he probably thought it wouldn't carry. "He's barely taller than the Kro...

Chapter 76. Best. Friend. Ever.

Adom stared at Naia's outstretched hand. Time seemed to slow as his brain processed what was happening.

Being singled out wasn't unusual for him, but being challenged to a duel by a Tirajin d...

Chapter 75. Monopoly

Crafting magic wasn't dissimilar to cooking, Adom had always thought. It required precision, patience, and a willingness to burn your fingers at least twice before getting it right.

He arrang...

Chapter 74. Wangara

The sun had already begun its descent behind the city's western towers by the time Adom reached the meeting point.

The Imperial Bank loomed ahead, all cold marble and rigid columns. Late afte...

Chapter 73. Control

"Dream walking?" Adom asked, the words feeling strange in his mouth. "What are you talking about?"

Biggins studied him. The playful shopkeeper was gone, replaced by someone sharper, more focu...

Chapter 72. Shadows

Adom stood in line at the post office, tapping the envelope against his palm. It felt heavier than it should have, though it contained just a single sheet of paper. He counted the people ahead of h...

Chapter 71. The Talk

"Does it hurt?" Valiant asked, dabbing antiseptic on the shallow cuts across Adom's shoulder.

They were back in Valiant's living room. The place looked different now—more alive. Extra lamps...

Chapter 70. Brawl

"–uck!" Valiant's curse hung in the air, cut short as his tiny jaw dropped open.

Adom smiled down at the stunned mouse beastkin. There was something oddly satisfying about watching someone'...

Chapter 69. Almonds

"Are you okay?" Adom asked, watching Cass's face in the dim light of the cave.

"Shh," she replied, not taking her eyes off the mountain of gold before them.

The only sound was Zuni chir...

Chapter 68. Schemes and Plots

Adom stifled a yawn, blinking in the afternoon sunlight filtering through the brand new park's canopy of elm trees. Westgrove Park was one of Arkhos' newest additions, built in the elven style with...

Chapter 67. The Dream

Danner stumbled over a fallen log, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood soaked his left trouser leg, turning the fabric a sticky, rust-colored brown.

"Run faster!" Lissa shouted from ahea...

Chapter 66. Apeshit

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

Adom muttered the curse with each pounding step as he retreated from the ridgeline, moving with all the stealth of someone trying very hard not to become a four-armed ape'...

Chapter 65. Picnic

"Mother-loving, son of a—" Adom ducked as fangs snapped shut where his throat had been a heartbeat earlier. "—dung beetle!"

For someone who had lived a couple lifetimes, his curse vocabul...

Chapter 64. Hunting

"LAST CALL FOR MISTY VALE! Final entry before permanent closure! LAST CALL!"

The guild officer's voice boomed across the small clearing by the old mill where a shimmering portal stood within ...

Chapter 63. The Perfect Build

Power.

In this world, it came in countless forms. Some subtle as a whispered secret, others as obvious as a thunderclap. Magic that bended reality, wealth that moved nations, knowledge that o...

Chapter 62. Potential

The warm, rich aroma of fresh pastries and roasted coffee beans enveloped Adom as he settled into a corner table at the Crimson Leaf Teahouse. The establishment was relatively new, having opened ju...

Chapter 61. Bonding 101 (Is this working for you guys?)

"It bit me! That thing just bit me!"

A shrill voice echoed through the sunlit classroom as a gangly third-year student backpedaled frantically, nearly tripping over his own feet. His right in...

Chapters Updated and new ones coming today

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the lack of chapter today. I was quite sick and just got home. Feeling much better now though! I've been able to edit the chapters I wrote while recovering and will be...

Chapter 60. Krozball

"And for your fifth elective..." Crowley checked his notes, "Advanced Combat Applications. Bold choice."

Adom nodded.

"And I'd like to add two extracurricular electives as well," he sai...

Chapter 59. Butterfly Effect

Adom's third yawn in five minutes earned him an elbow in the ribs from Sam.

"You look like death warmed over," Sam whispered. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not really," Adom admit...

Updates about the edits

Hey everyone!

I wanted to give you all a quick update on the revision process. I kind of underestimated the amount of time it would take to properly edit the chapters one by one, but I'm almo...

Chapter 58. Badges and Consequences

"I'm innocent! You can't do this to me!"

Kev's voice cracked as he strained against the guards holding him. His face had gone from defiant to desperate in the two hours since they'd arrived a...

Chapter 57. Gankers

Shit.

Dain Kattis had made a lot of bad decisions in his thirty-two years of life, but getting caught by a team of mages had to be near the top of the list. What had he been thinking? All tha...