Zarthos posts
Posts: 274
Files: 366
138 - A Portal Between Worlds
First- Previous- NextThe edge of the rock where it had broken off felt unnatural. The fault line was too straight, and Qin Yun could see something resembling chisel marks on the stone. There was no doubt someone had intended for this rock to fall.As he pondered the implications, Qin Yun explored the summit of this mountain. Although its area was quite substantial, it was as barren as the desert below. He found nothing except the slight protrusion...
137 - Reaching the Summit
First- Previous- NextWith a powerful kick, Qin Yun's foot dug deep into the rock, snugly entrenching itself between two stable masses as his only hand wrapped around a protuberance slightly over his head. He hung there, hundreds of meters above the desert, dangling from the sheer cliff that rose toward the sky.He felt the dry wind blow across his now bronze skin as the sun slowly rose from the south, only to be reflected by the white-washed w...
038 -Through an Ocean of Leaves
First- Previous- NextFar away from the Capital, nearing the border of the Imperium where the twin horns of the devil rose from beneath the earth, a small convoy of barely five individuals rode along a secluded dirt road away from one of the more active arteries of the Nation.They wore nervousness on their faces as they did the armours covering their body. Clutching at their weapons, eyes darting all around while their ears perked, searching for f...
037 - A Tearless Farewell
First- Previous- NextWhile preparing for the next step of his research, Ethan was forced to put it on hold as the day of departure was finally upon him. He stood near the back gate of the Academy alongside a multitude of reinforced wagons filled with the supplies and armament he had secured weeks prior.Countless men and women stood alongside him, some in full armour while others merely wore the Academy's colours. Still, there was no trace of ...
136 - Imprints on the Sand
First- Previous- Next“So, what do you plan to do about all this?” the young man said, pointing at the grey flesh slowly wriggling on the ground, tendrils rising up to slowly pull the chunks together. “Should we try and burn it?”Qin Yun paused, looking at the torch in his hand, then back at the morsel of meat slowly regeneration, pondering something, yet soon came to a decision."That would be a waste, wouldn't it?" Qin Yun repl...
135 - Pulling Strings From the Void
First- Previous- NextAt the edge of the void, on an altar floating over a grey abyss, three dried-up corpses faced each other. The eternity of time left vestiges on their skin, deep crevasses that told stories of the eons they had lived."He is getting bolder," one of the men said, the Second of the three. His voice was hoarse and dry, yet the strength hidden within each word couldn't be denied. "Does he truly think he can deny our...
134 - The Edge of Mystery
First- Previous- Next“What do you mean they are already gone?" Qin Yun screamed back as he went to fetch his extinguished torch.In the brief moment when his sword intent impacted the rock wall of this underground chamber, a flash of light occurred, giving him just enough time to locate it. As he reignited it, the young man's voice travelled again through the newly formed tunnel.“I mean just what I said! I followed their tracks, but as...
036 - A Spell on a Page
First- Previous- Next“What is this black tome, exactly?” Ethan murmured to himself.Despite delving deep into its mysteries for over a year, Ethan still hadn't even scratched the surface. Up until now, most of the pages remained blank, except for a few denoting the ritual he did a few weeks ago and the newly unveiled information concerning spirits.He flipped through the rest of the pages until there was no more, yet he didn't find anyt...
133 - Battle in the Dark
First- Previous- NextThe cave in which Qin Yun now stood was pitch black. Now that his torch had been extinguished, he had no way to find the location of the two men assaulting him. Worse yet, they didn't even make any sounds as they moved, almost like they were gliding over the ground. The only thing he could rely on was the slight airflow created by their movements as it struck his bare skin. However, that was enough.Qin Yun leaned to the s...
132 - Below a Starless Sky
First- Previous- NextThe two men stood at ground level before a large entrance that led deep into the rock formation. The sky was now fully dark, and the world was black as far as the eye could see, except for the massive river running through the two regions.From what Qin Yun could understand, the light was created when the sparse qi remaining within the water was extracted into the atmosphere before being destroyed into miniature flashes of lig...
035 - A Change in the Black Tome
First- Previous- Next“What kinds of complaints?" Ethan asked tentatively. He could understand why the young ones, barely out of adolescence, would latch on to these rumours if only to break the monotony of their training. However, for the faculty to do so, there should be something more."What do you think?" the man shrugged. "It's about your sister, like always. They feel threatened by her presence. These idiots thought they...
034 - Reunion After Two Years
First- Previous- NextFollowing his blind guide, Ethan walked halls he hadn't in a long time. He had missed this atmosphere. Unlike the conspicuous opulence of the main building, this secluded division displayed a more austere aesthetic. There were no priceless works of art adorning every wall nor flawless creations sculpted into every column. The structure seemed to be filled with military pragmatism, and the students he saw along the way ref...
131 - A Glimpse of the Southern Desolate
First- Previous- NextWhen they both reached their destination, the sun had almost disappeared beneath the land. According to the young outsider, they were deep into the Land of Exiles, located at the extreme south of the Western Desolate. As proof of this, Qin Yun could see a massive river, easily hundreds of miles wide, cutting through the land and flowing southwestward.On the other shore, Qin Yun saw the same verdure he had seen from further af...
033 - Endless Preparations
First- Previous- NextFor the next few days, Ethan ran around with barely a moment to himself. He had many things to do before the Academy's seniors were informed of the campaign they would wage against the hordes of beasts streaming down the Devil's Horns.He first visited the Academy's storehouses, where most of the supplies were collected. While his sister had told him the Academy possessed its own supply chain, he needed to ensure t...
032 - Unavoidable Assignment
First- Previous- Next“Wait! What do you mean by that?" Ethan said as he ran before his sister, prompting her to suddenly stop.He looked her up and down yet saw no jest in her expression. She was perfectly serious. However, the mere thought of someone like him being ordered to the front lines was outrageous. While he had been trained somewhat in the way of the sword, compared to those who could wield magic through their spirits, it was incon...
130 - Standing on Damp Ground
First- Previous- NextThe sun rose and fell one more time over these arid lands as the newly transformed Qin Yun and the young outsider remained safely tucked away within their stone shelter from the ever-blowing abrasive winds that slowly chipped away at the rock.During this time, Qin Yun spent all his waking hours swiftly learning to speak in the Outsiders' dialect. Yet, even as he relied on his extensive experience in different and obscure ...
031 - The Eye of the Storm
First- Previous- NextProfessor Bridgette looked toward the end of the corridor. Her brows were slightly creased as her eyes adapted to the sudden change in luminosity. It took her a few seconds to regain her sight, but once she did, she couldn’t help but frown.Gloria stood tall in the middle of the hall, a single hand on her hips. Her white contract stone was prominently displayed, pulsing with the remains of this explosion of light as it slowl...
030 - Encroaching Nightmare
First- Previous- NextAt first glance, Professor Bridgette wasn't an intimidating woman. If compared to Ethan's sister, they would be the complete opposite. She was far from young, in her mid-fifties. Her once-dark hair had almost all turned grey, which gave her an air of wisdom and experience. Additionally, her slight wrinkles only added to it.She dressed modestly despite her status as an academy professor. She made more than enough money...
029 - Hitting Where it Hurts
First- Previous- NextMany ideas spun in Ethan's mind, unravelling many thoughts as he tried to figure out how to approach the subject. He couldn't very well admit he was the one who sent him to an early grave. It would be the same as admitting he possessed powers unknown to the wider world."I assume you are referring to the young man who was found dead in a secluded cave, right?" Ethan said tentatively. "Forgive me for saying ...
028 - Between a Rock and a Hard Place
First- Previous- NextEthan frowned and couldn't help but sigh in his mind, knowing full well what was about to happen. Still, before either side could get a word out, his small guard stepped before him. Her sword was an inch out of her scabbard, and she had daggers in her eyes, prompting most of the new arrivals to recoil ever so slightly, giving the two groups some much-needed space.Seemingly unperturbed, Nicholas Howe didn't even deign ...
027 - Stuck with a Guard Dog
First- Previous- NextFollowing his short stay within the Academy’s infirmary, Ethan had been released without much trouble, except for one thing that weighed on his mind.“How long do you plan on following me?” he asked, turning to face the woman staying just a mere step behind him.Despite merely walking through the Academy’s halls, her hand remained on the hilt of her sword, and her spirit was on full alert. It even growled at the passers...
026 - The Peak of Spirit Magic
First- Previous- Next“Do you even realize how much leeway I have already given you, yet you want even more? Your soldiers patrol my Academy like they own the place, and both the faculty and the students alike are becoming uneasy. This has to stop," said a small woman seated at a large desk at the back of a luxurious room. She had an unobstructed view of the whole Academy and most of the capital through a floor-to-ceiling pane of glass takin...
025 - Unexpected Caretaker
First- Previous- NextEthan's eyelids were heavy. In fact, so was the entirety of his body. He could barely move a muscle, almost as if they had atrophied from the time he had remained unconscious. His nerves felt like thousands of ants crawling around, yet it felt more strange than painful. No matter how hard he tried to rise, his body refused to obey him.As the first rays of light struck his retina, his vision was hazy. It took him a while t...
024 - Lost in Translation
First- Previous- NextThe forest was silent, with only a slight breeze rustling through the leaves. Small pearls of morning dew moistened the damp grass and refracted the dim light of the sun piercing through the canopy, which was slowly drying under its warmth.A pack of wolves stood near a small pond, a smell of iron wafting from it, coming from the slight streaks of red that had yet to dissolve within. However, those wolves ignored it, opting fo...
023 - Blending of Light and Shadow
First- Previous- NextWhile completely unaware of the uproar he had caused, Ethan now stood in a familiar place: a world of darkness that extended as far as the eyes could see. Except he was now fully aware, his thoughts concise and clear, unlike the last time he had been here.This place again...Ethan stood in place, unbothered by the long, blackened road stretching before him and the dim light taunting him. As he knew this was but a dream, he fel...
022 - From Beyond Time and Space
First- Previous- Next“So this is what you’ve found?”Following the trails left through the lush vegetation, the old Sergeant backtracked back to where Ethan had confronted the young man, ultimately taking his life. There was blood everywhere: his own but also his opponent. Many trees were left with deep scars that would take years to fade. There were also a few that had fallen, and a shallow trench was left by a body being dragged along the ...
021 - Smouldering Inferno
First- Previous- Next“Bullshit!” Gloria exclaimed, barely able to contain her temper. If not for Gilbert restraining her, she might have burned a portion of the Library down, extinguishing countless years of accumulation of knowledge. She took a breath and calmed down—barely.“What makes them think so? What evidence do they have for this claim?” Gilbert asked steadily, yet his eyes were slightly narrowed.The room's atmosphere shifted...
020 - A Tryst Under a Starry Sky
First- Previous- Next“Gilbert! You must know something. He couldn’t have just disappeared without a trace.”A tall woman leaned over a cramped desk, showing her ample cleavage as she slammed her fist onto stacks of papers. A few documents spilled to the ground, yet the man behind the desk merely smiled, unfazed."You worry too much, Gloria," Gilbert said. "He's not a child anymore. Why not let him live his own life?"The wo...
019 - Facing a Harsh Reality
First- Previous- NextEthan wiped his tears and tried to keep calm. He didn't have much time to feel sorry for himself or the corpse below his feet. He had no idea if the sounds of the fight had reached the Academy, yet the lack of a sudden outburst of lights seemed to prove it hadn't. Still, he wasn't willing to take the chance.How am I supposed to deal with this?Ethan looked down at the corpse and couldn't help but find the sight...
018 - A Tear for the Departed
First- Previous- NextEthan's vision began to blur as his blood slowly fell from his various wounds, yet the pain in his arm was the only thing keeping him lucid. It was deep and sharp, but it came and went with each motion of the shadow boring into his skin.He felt slender tendrils slowly rip his flesh apart, urging him to scream, yet he muffled it in the depths of his throat by biting on a wooden branch, almost snapping it in half. His eyes ...
