《RETURN, A Dark Lord story.》Chapter Six. A Brief Respite.
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Emotionally spent but now safe at the pirate hideout Watchers Rock Jenna of Christos finished all the checks of the bridge systems that she thought necessary and left the Master Moon. On her way to the tavern where the rest of the crew were expecting her, she sourly noted the announcement of a space craft's appearance and sneered openly as several of the Companions ran to activate their own defensive positions. Others ran to their particular spacecraft to start the process of preparing the craft for flight or fight as necessary. Turning she continued her progress into the combined tavern and eatery to join the crew who were already there.
"Will you not come to pilot?" asked one as he ran by. "If this is the Empire...."
"If this was the Empire coming to finish us off, there would be a fleet, not one ship, you fool," she laughed bitterly. "And if they did come in a single craft, it would be well cloaked and undetectable until it was too close to matter."
Another grabbed her, “Then let’s have a romp! If we ...” There was a crash. Angrily disengaging herself from the arms of the unwashed pirate, Jenna had thrown him onto a table. Swiftly drawing her sword in the same motion, she swung it over her head and brought it down with lethal force. The pirate screamed as the razor sharp edge sliced through his upraised left leather arm guard and he slid of the table onto the floor.
Kicking the table aside, Jenna moved forward with deadly intent.
“Touch me you fool!” was spat at the unfortunate individual as he scrambled to his feet and fell back towards the doors. Some of the remaining pirates and onlookers watched in amusement or indifference while others placed bets on the likely outcome. Such scenes were not uncommon in this nameless tavern. In any case tensions were high and a little bloodletting was considered a release.
“Fifty credits on Jenna.” Someone called.
“A hundred.” Came from another corner, to general laughter. Few placed any money on the other combatant.
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Scrambling for his own sword with his good hand, the pirate barely parried Jennas blow aimed at gutting him and swung in desperation at Jenna. Missing with his own blow he aimed a backhand at Jennas head only to feel her sword cut across his wrist. Dropping his sword and screaming, he never saw the blade as it slide into his gut and sliced upwards to his heart. With a hiss, the sword was withdrawn followed by a gout of blood.
Applause sounded as Jenna stood over the lifeless body of the pirate. At a call she swung around with a glare, sword at the ready. Most of the spectators laughed and loudly admired her skill, some raising glasses to her. Seeing no further danger, Jenna wiped her sword clean on the dead pirate before thrusting it into its scabbard and joining her companions.
*********
“Findus sparkling water,” Jenna was met by Fastos of Connor at the table where some of her compatriots were sitting, “your usual.”
Recovering her calm, Jenna took the water from Fastos with a nod of thanks and slipped into the remaining seat. Glancing back at a sound, she saw that house cleaning droids were taking care of the mess that had been the nameless pirate.
“Anyone know who he was?” Amard Petter asked, slouched in his chair.
“I think that he was a mercenary with Costos,” Tyrone volunteered. “Just a temporary one. If he has not been paid off Jenna, Costos will probably thank you,” he shrugged, “but maybe not,”
“If he has a problem he knows where to find me.”
More alarms sounded as another space craft arrived. Tension hung in the air until an announcement of a surviving pirate ship was made. Even at this lawless outpost such procedures were necessary as pirates tended to shoot first then ask permission.
"Maybe they want to take us alive to feed the Zylions. They must be getting hungry by now." Amard the second pilot muttered.
"Be silent Amard" Jenna spat. "Have you no regard for the dead?"
"The dead are dead, Jenna.” Fastos spoke soothingly. “Remember that I was there too and saw what happened. You have nothing to be ashamed about. We all agreed that it was a good plan and none suspected a trap such as was sprung on us by the Empire."
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Since Jenna had joined their ship a year ago, Fastos had seen Jenna in action numerous times. While he did not normally fear her and considered her one of the most level headed members of the companions, her mood at this time was fey and dangerous. Not unexpected considering the surprise that the empire had sprung on them at the ambush site.
"It was your skills that got us out of the trap." he continued, hoping to keep the group from exploding. "The Empire has never brought so many ships together before to strike at the pirates. In the path that we took, I saw at least 20 or 30 heavy cruisers. I didn't see any Battle Stars but I wouldn't be surprised if they were around but kept under cover so we could not detect them."
Fastos shook his head sadly. In realty he was badly shaken by the Empires surprise in carrying out such a concentrated ambush.
The other of the group sat silently, although their reactions were wildly different. Looking around as the diverse crew members sitting and drinking, Fastos-Of-Conner felt he could almost read their thoughts.
Example; Lista Thursta clearly was not unhappy at Jenna's mood, indeed, she seemed almost euphoric over Jenna's depression. Tyrone on the other hand appeared almost as depressed as Jenna. The others, senior soldiers and crew technicians, Fastos dismissed as unimportant. Generally they just appeared satisfied to be alive.
Little was known about Jenna, other than that she was from a distant galaxy and had arrived with a pirate crew more than four years before. She had joined Master Moon after a disastrous attempt to pirate a large cargo ship. The fact that the ship had taken a mercenary company onboard was a bad surprise and the pirate captain was killed along with most of the bridge and boarding crew. Only Jenna and the engineers survived unscathed, Jenna because she had been left in command. Not known outside the pirate circles, Jenna was recognized as a superb pilot and her services had been courted by several of the most powerful pirate leaders. Fastos was happy that she had joined Thurgods crew. Others were less happy.
Recently displaced by Jenna, Lista hatred the pilot. As if she needed a reason, Fastos thought, knowing that Lista saw all other entities only in their capacity to serve her needs, or as obstacles to be disposed of if necessary. Jenna better watch her back, he felt.
The only one of note missing from the ships crew was Thurgod Drista, the acknowledged leader and Captain of the group. Fastos wondered where he was. Not missing out of respect for the fallen, he thought cynically, Thurgod was not known for his delicate regard for any entity other than himself.
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Jenna watched Fastos covert appraisal of the group. While he was no warrior, she remembered that she had profited by Fastos shrewd counsel on several occasions. In any case, anyone who had defrauded the Empire and was still alive to tell about it was no fool. Nor a coward, Fastos had been a high level diplomat until it had come to light that he had been taking bribes and selling secrets. Convicted, he had contrived to escape between trials, the first trial had resulted in a sentence of detention but a death sentence was demanded by the prosecutors and a new trial scheduled.
Why is he here? Jenna wondered, knowing that Fastos had sufficient funds and probably identification, to be able to live wherever he wanted. What is keeping him in the companions? She mused, even as she realized that she would never ask.
*********
Lista Thursta stirred in the comfortable seat that she had appropriated upon entering the lounge. Stretching sensually, aware of the eyes watching her and enjoying the sensation of being the focus of attention, she turned to Tyrone, Fastos felt a sinking sensation in his gut but before she could speak Thurgod arrived.
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8 491Sages of the Underpass: Battle Artists Book 1
In a world where everyone has power, Nikodemus Kowalczyk was always destined to be a loser. Nikko has long since given up on his dreams of being a world class Battle Artist. Thanks to his crippled core and dysfunctional family, he never stood a chance anyway. With money, fame, and untold power on the line, the corporations decide who wins. End of story. But when a mysterious group, calling themselves the Sages of the Underpass, threaten to upend the entire system with their unorthodox training and cultivation methods, Nikko soon learns that what was once a handicap might be his greatest asset. The only thing standing in his way is a bitter, hard-hearted veteran, who would like nothing more than to see Niko stay in his place. Right at the bottom. Rocky meets Dragon Ball Z in this underdog redemption story from Dragon Award Finalist Aaron Michael Ritchey. Sages of the Underpass is an epic blend of Urban Fantasy, Cultivation, and Magical MMA that captures the passion, the power, and the perseverance it takes to follow your dreams—no matter what kind of artist you are.
8 92Runicka: Tournament of Monsters (A GameLit Card Game Fantasy)
The runes are changing, and with it, the game itself changes. Taygion Ardwella finds himself stranded, alone, and on the run from some very determined guards who claim Tay's stolen from them. They're right, but that shouldn't mean Tay has to give back what he took. He's only been in Stormwall for a week and already, he's earning the ire of the most powerful and notorious House that controls the city's underground. And when their scion challenges Tay to a duel of cards, Tay will find himself thrust into a game of sorcery and strategy as he attempts to both find a way out of this mess and find his own way in the world. To do both, he'll need to learn to accept guidance and coaching where it's sorely needed, craft a deck of unimaginable power, and not die whenever his opponents try and cheat him out of a hard-earn victory. But not all is as it seems in the shadows of Stormwall, and if Tay can figure out the importance of what it is he's stolen, he may just have a chance at saving the game of Runicka. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Runicka: Tournament of Monsters is a high fantasy, card game-based adventure novel with enough magic, worldbuilding, and characters to fill a Sanderson series. I would consider it a part of the GameLit subgenre. This series in particular is not an isekai, and will start and end in a high fantasy setting complete with its own lore and backstory. It is a progression fantasy, and I am writing it inspired by all the Yu-Gi-Oh mangas/animes, and all the hours I've invested/wasted (depending on who you ask) playing TCGs like Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: The Gathering. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a work in progress. In your journey through Stormwall alongside Tay, you'll probably find typos, grammatical errors, and maybe a confusing sentence every once in a while (although I hope to keep these to a minimum). That said, comments and suggestions on where I can improve are not only encouraged but greatly appreciated. And finally, expect new chapters every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Currently on a small hiatus. I have a bit of a workplace crisis going on. I'm still writing, but I don't have time to polish and publish. Chapters will return on a regular basis soon though!!**
8 326The Ginsu Mage
Currently in queue: Episode 13 in progress. Set in the Aurora: Apocalypse universe.Updated every Friday. If it's not updating, I'm working on my other fictions.If nothing's updating, I ran out of whiskey. Be patient. The Gunsu Mage is a hot mess of garbage that should not be taken seriously by anyone. It’s a vaguely-GameLit spoof of Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomoni (In Another World With My Smartphone) where the MC ends up in another world and fused with his kitchen applicances, mashed up with fantasy western elements. Dungeons & Dragons meets the Wild West in an alternate high-fantasy timeline. Guns & Goblins. Cowboys & Wizards. Locomotives & Dwarves. Don’t expect great writing, accurate numbers, or common sense. Hell, don’t expect anything — just relax and let it happen.
8 209Luck And Chronomancy
Time Magic is the best magic as everyone knows, although there are lots of unique Talents in the world. Most people only remember Haste because it is hard to get to higher Phases of Chronomancy. That is still enough to make the Talent iconic. A lucky enough Aleatory Talent can position you for greatness or leave you languishing in obscurity. The only true equality in the world is when that glowing message pops up at 8 years old. Even if it doesn't activate until you are an adult at 16 you still know. Sure you can find a new dungeon spawn and get another chance at a rare Talent, even this one, but you have to already be ready to delve into the *Far Wilds*, which is far easier with wealth or family power. This is the story of where my good fortune took me and the difference it made, even among a party of 7 others including an Arcanist. It is a journey of magic and monsters but also math, which some think is actually worse. Luckily I was born with Intelligence and Focus as my personal traits, and my parents were scholars. Of course Chronomancy can also be a frontline combat talent. Versitility well beyond other Elder Talents like Gravity, Abstraction, or Arcana. Might could have worked for me, too. I also met a runaway princess. All the best adventures have a princess. She hated being a noble and we didn't get married but it still counts. Besides she really filled out our front line. All that Leadership training came in handy. I still don't know where she's from. Who cares? How well Haste goes with giant hammers is what's important. I never learned much about anyone in the party, except the one I grew up with. I'm not a people person. I just wanted to optimize dungeon clearing time. *******Story Details******* No romance, politics, or traumatizing content, slice of life, or even dialogue. 1st person narration, like a guide/adventure log. 2000-7000 words a day, maybe 40-60% rpgish combat log with some reasoning on combat decisions, with the rest character Talent discussion and progression stuff. 8 person party with a decent variety in roles. Party members usually have 2 primary functions. Told from the support/control Chronomancer's perspective. Each party member will have 6 Basic/Background Traits, then 3 actual Talents with abilities. Capstone from their Educational Institution, Arbritrary as a gift from the temples, and Aleatory which is decided at birth, revealed at 8, and activated after adulthood at 16. Aleatory Traits ignore requirements and are random why is why they are so important. They'll gain new Talents from finding Dungeons to consume in the *Wilds*. Mature dungeons in cities can provide *Challenges* to raise the Phase of a Talent, up to 3 times from 1 to 4. Each character will get to roughly 8 non-Trait Talents. Attributes come exclusive from Talents, are required by Talents, and provide various effects as well. I designed about 220 Talents with abilities, 4 in each of 4 phases. "Traits" are just Attribute stuff. I'm not sure how many will be detailed in the story, more than 100 for sure. I used Talents because I want to be free of the legacy of tabletop. Half those rules are just because of the limitations inherent in a pre-computer ttrpg. This story mostly uses combat Talents, although like 1/3 of the 220 are for crafting and other society and economy stuff. If you really wanted to be a Thief you might take Intuition, Awarness, and Might for Basic Traits and Deftness, Manipulation, and Trickery for Family/Education. Then you'd pick Acrobatics, and Climbing for Educational Capstone and Arbitrary traits. You Aleatory Trait might be Shadow(Light/Dark) Magic, Umbramancy. A Bard might swap Dexterity for Charisma, Music for Acrobatics, and have gotten Illusion(Shadow/Sound(Air/Force)) for their Aleatory Trait.
8 177The rise of the Dragon Age!
A story about a young prince, that got everything taken away from him, due to him being too ignorant and caring. Even to his enemies, he would bestow upon them light punishment. Thus, he was betrayed by his closest allies and ended up being slaughtered with his family like cattle, so while he was watching everything happening in front of him. He abandoned his principles and swore to never trust humanity again. even later on in the spirit realm he was still driven mad thus, he started absorbing other spiritual souls. However he got the attention of a certain Dragon God, the ancient entity amused by such a powerful soul driven by hate by its own kin, granted it a new body and power beyond normal means. Making it an overpowered to the extent of bringing chaos to the universe and even him being more powerful than the gods. LOL!Yup people, i am bored and i want to write something about a dragon thats OP and insecure :D Oh lets not forget a psychopath. Because who doesn't want a mad dragon :PMight have some mature content, such as intercourse. However gore and swearing will definitely be there!
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