“Gideon, Viney is starting to come out,” Elian said, shaking the floramage out of his meditative state. “If you have any concoctions that can help, now is the time for me to drink them.” 2025-06-28 14:39:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Elian tweaked his daily routine after they left the Sabyn Mountains and continued their journey to Ohmenstrat. He woke up early, with the last of the stars still twinkling in the sky before daybrea...
2025-06-22 07:48:21 +0000 UTC View Post“Verily, I grant your petition!” The boy’s voice suddenly turned deep and loud, as if the mountain itself spoke.
The ground rumbled as the Herbalists surrounding them chanted prayers. R...
2025-06-17 09:43:08 +0000 UTC View PostOn the afternoon of the second day after leaving Golden Grove, Elian and Reese met with Gideon. The floramage, eager to administer Viney’s cure, was shocked to see what had happened to his precio...
2025-06-15 02:38:49 +0000 UTC View PostLast night, part of Elian became increasingly unsure that they’d survive the darkness. And yet, here they were, several hours later, looking at the sun peeking over the horizon. Elian was with Ma...
2025-06-07 11:46:36 +0000 UTC View PostElian gripped the Warkodon mace with both hands and kept it close to his chest, activating its enchantment to cover himself with a shield made from Energy converted to Health. He tucked his chin to...
2025-06-03 13:55:25 +0000 UTC View Post“There it is! The colossal abomination heads for the castle!” Reese led Elian to the giant shadow beast that took on the form of a centaur. The horns of its head were taller than the spire atop...
2025-05-31 01:14:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe night of shadow beasts rolled on.
Elian and the defenders were pushed to their limits as the fighting continued for hours. The Grovenians rotated, with Maveron and Reese taking short rest...
2025-05-26 09:29:24 +0000 UTC View PostElian and the Grovenians returned to the top of the walls. They gazed at the smoldering horizon. The clouds of smoke, both from the flames and the decomposing shadow beasts, obscured the hills. The...
2025-05-25 07:22:18 +0000 UTC View PostElian’s shoulder collided with the spiked head of a shadow beast bigger than his body. Spikes shattered against his skin, unable to penetrate it. His massive Armor attribute nullified the force o...
2025-05-16 10:06:18 +0000 UTC View PostElian was pleasantly surprised by how much they accomplished in half a day. He thought convincing the townspeople to help would be difficult because it entailed venturing outside the walls for hour...
2025-05-13 10:38:50 +0000 UTC View PostMaveron rolled out a map of Golden Grove and its surroundings. “The town is situated in the flattest area among these hills,” he said to Elian, standing beside him. He frowned at the squire who...
2025-05-12 12:59:45 +0000 UTC View Post“Look yonder, esteemed Penitent!” Maveron yelled over the thunder of hooves. Elian, riding behind Maveron, could barely hear his words. “See the towers of Golden Grove!”
We’ve a...
2025-05-07 03:32:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Wha-what?” Maveron stammered at the unexpected answer. “Vanquish the Lost Souls?”
“Can you not understand Angloise, human?” said the boy twin, emerald eyes staring blankly into s...
2025-05-05 14:54:41 +0000 UTC View PostOw, that kinda hurt, Elian thought, examining his palm with a bloody cut. The slash wasn’t stronger than the power of his current Tribulation. Far from it. However, the force of the trem...
2025-05-04 14:13:11 +0000 UTC View PostHours passed, and Elian and his party continued their climb, joining more than a hundred others intent on meeting the Sabyn Twins of Autumn.
Besides hating humans, the books Elian had read ab...
2025-04-29 23:48:02 +0000 UTC View Post“Are you the floramage who created this abomination?” Abbomyr softly said, though his voice was tinged with contempt.
“Didn’t I mention it a mere second or two ago?” Gideon drew up ...
2025-04-28 11:52:57 +0000 UTC View PostA couple of hours before the sun would go to rest, Elian, Gideon, and the Grovenians reached the base of Sabyn Mountain. There was still plenty of light, but the mountain’s shadow made it appear ...
2025-04-27 10:19:43 +0000 UTC View Post“Why did you agree to their request?” Gideon asked Elian.
They were inside Gideon’s undrawn carriage, following behind Maveron and a dozen of his men. The other half of the Grovenians b...
2025-04-26 12:38:12 +0000 UTC View PostHinter Engall of Golden Grove wore a chest plate displaying that distinct tree design. He never replaced that piece of armor, no matter how battered it got. He was a formidable swordsman wielding s...
2025-04-21 13:56:18 +0000 UTC View Post“Another day, another Tribulation.” Elian Ward, with his Warkodon mace in hand, jumped off the top of the carriage as soon as it came to a stop beside a small pond and landed on soft grass.
... 2025-04-21 03:05:47 +0000 UTC View PostIt has been almost three months since I published the first chapter of Sealed in Steel on Royal Road. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for accompanying me until we reached the end of Book 1....
2025-04-19 13:48:28 +0000 UTC View PostElian had one last errand for the day—visit Gideon for Viney’s check-up.
“Oh, wait. I have another one,” he muttered to himself. “I still need to do my Tribulation. I should’ve as...
2025-04-19 10:12:59 +0000 UTC View PostIhadir introduced Elian to the weapons master of the temple, a stout but muscular man with a woven white beard that spoke of his age. “Something sturdy enough to withstand Tribulations, eh?” Th...
2025-04-18 15:14:52 +0000 UTC View PostStunned silence met Elian’s proposition. None of the priests had considered his suggestion as an option. Even the Magistrate closed itself into a fist and gently landed on the ground, appearing t...
2025-04-11 02:27:48 +0000 UTC View PostElian sighed. “Oh, well. Another penalty later. Going to be tough on my body in this state.” His hands, which were about to reach for the curtains, tingled. “What’s this? A seal?”
H...
2025-04-10 07:42:53 +0000 UTC View PostElian didn’t waste any time either.
He hastened his climb, flinging himself from ledge to Aether block to statue, and so on. He didn’t care what he was jumping on. No hesitation. No fear ...
2025-04-09 10:32:57 +0000 UTC View PostThe catfolk portal was the yawning mouth of a gigantic cat statue. Thalman chanted words with bizarre pronunciations, almost snarling and hissing. It might be the language of the catfolk. Sure enou...
2025-04-06 13:07:12 +0000 UTC View Post“My meeting… with the Magistrate?” Elian wondered if the crazy truth would be believable to Thalman.
“You couldn’t have been Cursed any other time because that was your first and on...
2025-04-02 12:55:53 +0000 UTC View Post“You make it sound like you’ve been hoping to meet me for some time already,” Elian said. He engaged in random chitchat as he organized his thoughts on how to proceed with Thalman.
“N...
2025-04-01 12:02:56 +0000 UTC View Post