《Judas Valiant: Chorus of the Machine Giants》Chapter 6-3: Arrival Into New Dwarden, A New Journey Begins!
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Trudging through the crowds with Leo didn't change a thing, in fact, I believe it raised my chances of being caught. Even after sifting through the thickening crowds, I still felt as though Leo never truly broke eye contact with me, at least not for long. His frisking gaze was nothing short of uncomfortable, like someone searching for some sort of facial deformity. Ditch or slap the kid, or both in either order, his inability to blink suggest some-sort of impairments or ill intent. You are no babysitter. You were but a child mere moments ago.
“Uh, something on my face little Leo?” I tried asking discreetly.
His voice only grew vacant as he nodded his head. Leo appeared to be confused of my suspicion. Is the boy so scared he can’t look into the crowd?
“You little scamp! What are you playing at!?” I whispered angrily, grabbing his little shirt,
"(*cough) Little Leo, aren't you looking for your parents?" I asked Leo, slowly loosening my grip.
These little outbursts are getting out of hand, for a moment...Was I really about to shove a little boy...What's wrong with me? Why...
"Uh-huh. A-are you mad!? Please don't be mad!" Stuttered Leo.
"No… pardon me, I was simply reminded of something bad ya know. Nothing that is your fault." I said with an uncomfortable grimace.
Leo only nodded his head in fear. After a couple of seconds, Leo warmed up to my smile. Difficult as it may be, he was still only a little boy. Staring or not, I was out of line.
"Sorry about that kiddo. Forgive me?" I asked with a gentle nudge.
My voice dripping with guilt. Everyone around me seemed too pre-occupied to see my weird outbursts, luckily even Leo appears to have forgotten about it.
"Maybe you should help me look in the crowd? Your parents could be anywhere." I asked, weary of Leo.
"I’m looking mister! I am! See?" Said Leo nonchalant, his fixed gazed temporarily scanning the crowd.
This boy is playing you harder than a drunk stumbling dice, stupid boy. Shut up! SHUT UP ... I hate to admit it, but I’m hoping that Leo somehow let’s go of my hand and gets swallowed by the thick crowds, not only because of my leaning suspicions but this bickering Evan presents is really shredding my ability to think straight. I am afraid that the moment I turn around, this so-called Leo will turn into some kind of lemur-frog monster and devour me in an alley.
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After walking for several more stretches of sidewalk, Leo’s eyes would occasionally drift into mine. Albeit he was a bit a more careful this time around, but I could see his swiveling eyes in my peripheral. It's almost like Leo now knew that I was in some sort of a really bad situation where I had to keep things under wraps. Things began to just feel creepy.
"Hey, uhm... I think I see my Ma's house! Yeah, it's the uh... eggnorples statue! We are close!" Shouted Leo very excitedly.
"This is the Parade Plaza? I suppose walking in a general direction did get us pretty far huh?" I thought out loud.
It seems that Parade Plaza is some sort of a big clearing. The plaza was a little void of skyscrapers and more populated w/ large buildings and run down shops. Parade plaza was littered with old tattered balls, broken benches, and what appeared to be tiny make-shift sporting courts. The crowds here were also noticeably thinner too, as most of the vendors here appeared to be selling to locally known clients and their friends. It was only moments of walking into Parade Plaza when I began hearing two people being denied service because of there lack of “integrity”. I couldn’t get the whole jist of what the vendor was trying to say but it appeared that his “clocks” were not the standard appropriate for these civilians. Even the civilians appeared just as confused as I was when they were told the news. What do they mean integrity? Vendors across the stall are selling what appeared to be rare meats, but just like those people before, they declined many people for the same strange reason. The food’s “integrity cannot be comprised of those who do not understand.”
"Racist bastard..." Mumbled one of the guest
"C'moooooon guys, how much!? Why can't we just take my money?" moaned a drunken man at the vendors.
Everything here had a suspicious secrecy to it, like an exclusive club shoved involuntarily into the public. Why? Even the lighting here in Parade Plaza was different than the rest. The lights appeared to be a combination of gears and a lamp, like a rotating metal Chinese lantern, I suppose. Each of the many lights illuminated tiny patches of confetti and streamer's that rained from nearly every inch from the sky above. Parade Plaza was a dangerous circus in one corner, and an Ignorpa sales stand in the next. Even Leo held my hand a little bit tighter as we walked past the seemingly overly aggressive Ignorpa salesman, his Ignorpa with an attitude to match. I didn't think it was possible but the food here also smelled particularly greater. As I walked deeper into the crowds, the smells consistently bounced from sweet roasted nuts to slowly simmered steak and everything in between. The plaza was always smelling of meat and sweets, despite some individual's who smelled quite uhm...interesting otherwise. I was always surrounded by a consistent barrage of hypnotic aromatic foods and yet...sometimes I would get blasted with random foul scent's, sometimes so weird I reeled back into deeper into the food stands. These smells appeared to be coming from the larger people, some of them in hoodies, others in masks, all of them over 10 feet tall. I found them to be in the minority of people, as most people I walked next to reeked of oil, meat, alcohol, and sweat. I don't know if everyone here is poor or if they partied too long, all I do know is that I have a baby to heal so for my best interest I best not question them.
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Out from behind a skyscraper grew a shadow that slowly loomed over my head and far beyond it. It was enormous! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Above me hovered a circular object, with a Giant sitting peacefully on it! More Poam?! Another Borboohas?! Perhaps there is another of Granas’ kind on it, another Xi-Fu!
The giant hovered gracefully over everyone's head on a familiar yet slowly spinning platform. I couldn't help but feel hypnotized by the platform's beautiful spiral patterns. The Borboohas before me is not any less beautiful than the one I was on before. This one had a more abstract design yet every rotation made each spiral pattern feel more and more alive, like a painting that came to life the more it moved.
"That's a...that's a... big person right Leo?" I said trying to compose myself.
"Oh yeah, really big." Said Leo nonchalant, shrugging off my comment.
"So why aren't we moving mister." Continued Leo eager to move past the Ignorpa statue.
The Giant above my head was clearly nothing new to this child. It's difficult not to lock my head upwards but I’m doing everything in my power not to fixate myself onto the Giant as he continued to weave through the Cherubim and the crowd below. The giant sat upright and crisscrossed on the platform while smiling and waving into the crowd. Every now-and-then the giant would toss confetti, streamers, and other decorations while people roared and cheered him on from below.
"Shall we move...!" I said forcefully while my eyes remained glued to the giant.
When I realized that people weren't afraid of the burly giant, I began to relax. One deep breath turned into two, and soon enough I began to smile again. I don't know what or where New Dwarden is, but it was nothing short of amazing, and the giant was no exception. I took a good look at the giant's cheery face, and to my surprise, he appeared to be an older middle-aged male. He wore a scraggly white beard, seemingly had mechanized body part's, and has numerous scuffs of dirt and soot around his body. The giant had large mechanical arm's riddled with gears and orange pipes that spewed steam. He was so large, it appeared as though he had mini Cherubim for arms! Needless to say, the giant was at least a towering fifty foot tall. Lucky for him, the giant still seemed to have both his legs. He wore patched up dress pants held up by suspenders and a ripped a white shirt with weird subtle designs imprinted in it. He also appeared to be very fit as well. This could only be described as some topsy-turvy Santa Claus back home.
"Look what I got!" Yelled Leo.
Leo broke my attention with the giant with a handful of confetti. He cracked open his hand and blew it towards my face. Despite almost sneezing my brains out, even the confetti he blew into my face was also nothing short of amazing. It was like pieces of fuzzy paper that would break into colorful glowing fireflies went you touch them. They were like the Fire-Musca Granas described, only these were not as bright and would disappear upwards into the night sky fairly quickly. Were they alive?
"While you were thinking and talking by yourself, I was uh... grabbing these." Said Leo with a smug smile.
As the Giant began to drift away and back behind the Cherubim once more, I was once again refocused into the mysteries of New Dwarden. I couldn’t help it, like the Borboohas, my mind began to drift at the thought of what I may encounter in this strange new cities. This...this wasn't time though, it was time to move.
"C'mon Leo, let's get going. We are almost past the Ignorpa statue, your parents shouldn't be too far from here." I sighed.
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Tim the Engineer
Summoned against his will to a world of swords and magic, an engineering student struggles to find a way home under the shadow of a world devouring threat. ***************************** Updates: 5/13/19: Revisions to several chapters for clarity, grammar, and style. 4/29/19: A short side story and artwork has been added to the blog. 4/8/19: A Side Story has been updated on my new blog (every writer is required to have one). https://talesfromliahar.wordpress.com/ ***************************** “The summoning scenarios are broken down into groups of ten.” Emi Ito stated. “Don’t, don’t you dare say another word.” Muttered Genzo Uchida. His eyes had turned bloodshot and his hands shook with rage. “The first thirty…” “Shut up!” Genzo bellowed “How dare you help these disrespectful gaijin?” Flecks of spit and madness flew from his face, his fist raised ready to strike. But Emi did not flinch, instead she was about ready to continue when Yuma Takeuchi interrupted her. “Uchida, please,” her sweet sounding words could melt ice. “I think we will have a better chance of getting home if we all work together.” When she glanced up with her sleepy looking eyes at Genzo Uchida he deflated visibly. “Were not getting home.” Uchida said coolly. “Group summoning, large, that puts us in the 60 series. No one came to greet us after five minutes of arrival. That leaves scenarios 68 and 69. In scenario 68 there is something that binds the large group together; they are all classmates or a single family. But thanks to the gaijin” he spit out the word “I think we are scenario 69 with no way home.” Ikko Inoue’s eyes went wide, while Katsukno and Hayata started muttering to themselves. Tim took on a serious look and rubbed his scruffy chin. Emi maintained her stoic expression while trying to find something to refute. McKenzie glanced at Randall and giggled. Randall took the prompting of his teammate and followed up by approaching Genzo. “Uh, so we are in a sixty-nine?” “Yes.” Replied Genzo with the seriousness of someone who’s life was about to end. McKenzie covered her mouth and snickered. “You and me, were stuck in a sixty-nine situation?” Randall pushed with a grin. “Yes, we are all stuck in a sixty-nine scenario together!” Genzo retorted in anger. McKenzie fell on her butt laughing. “What the hell is so funny?” Demanded Genzo, whose face had turned red. “It’s a problem with the automatic translation.” Retorted Tim. Randall, who seemed unable to quit started in again “So, about this sixty-ni…” Genzo interrupted Randall with a swift punch to the face. But, because of their height difference it was a bit of an uppercut that left Randall rattled. Tim and Ikko moved to step in between the two, but Genzo showed no further hostility. Instead he just stared at his clenched fist with such intensity it grabbed the attention of the room. “I unlocked a skill.” He said bluntly. ***************************** This is not a light novel, but people who like light novels should enjoy the themes of this book. ***************************** A Map of the Region
8 164Roulette: A Random Tale
Waking up in a strange world with amnesia? Not good. Having no access to the System or Status Screens that everyone else seems to be using? Not great. Randomly gaining powers that you have no idea how to control? Not super. Said powers changing/replacing themselves at random and inconvenient times, usually when you're just getting used to them? Not cool. Not being able to control this constant change in your powers in any way? Not awesome. People considering your random powers - that can range from completely useless to nigh godlike - to be a threat to the world as they know it? Really bad. The local ability stealing Big Bad taking an interest? Even worse. But you try. You try to make it through your life, even when things seem to be stacked up agains you. You got dealt a bad hand, but you're gonna make the best of it. Or die trying. Link where I got the image: https://www.wallpaperflare.com/artwork-of-female-wearing-black-hat-aoi-ogata-digital-art-women-wallpaper-pfes
8 130Gold Coin Tower (paused)
The world of Vanion. A world of magic, monsters and different races. In this world lives a young man named Vanroc. While he is driven out of his village for an unknown reason, he sets off to look for work. What will he become? A simple field worker or maybe a merchant? Will he follow the influence of others or find his own way while learning about the most powerful weapon in the world: money! Time will tell what will be most important to him. Maybe money? Knowledge? Or is it his conscience? --- A (big) part of this Novel will focus on the economy and business of this magic world. --- [ paused ]
8 178Wave form
A normal boy obtains virtually unlimited power. Suddenly, he is wedged in between the human society with its greed, envy and power lust and the Gods wanting to prevent another rival from rising.
8 77The Coming of Nico di Angelo
Three demigods shall travel to the followers of Hecate,The monster inside lets the dark one blood see,On the brink of destruction, Poseidon and Athena unite,The father of blackness has a great insight,The friend is an enemy, the enemy a friend,Against a weak but powerful army, the child must reveal his true self in the end...A year after Gaea's Awakening, Nico di Angelo is chosen to lead a quest to Britain in order to find Tom Riddle, a man who has defied Hades and cheated death twice. With Percy and Annabeth accompanying him, Nico must find and destroy seven horcruxes, navigate through his fifth year at Hogwarts, and deal with his own problems back at Camp Half-Blood, all while hiding the fact that he's a demigod from all the wizards in England. Between a budding romance with a certain son of Apollo, a burning desire to make his father proud, and an old vow against killing mortals, the son of Hades is going to do whatever it takes to outwit the Fates and succeed... or die trying.
8 252Rise of the Night Witch
Demons, vampires, witchcraft, abandonment; Marissa Carter has problems others don't see. As the daughter of a banished witch and a normal human, she lives between two worlds.Once the Veil breaks and demons attack, she must decide. Will she learn magic at the Cunning Folk Academy or continue her normal high school life?She has time until Halloween to find the leader behind the monsters' invasion of the human realm. Life's a witch.[-]Updates on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Also on Geeke. (If this book is on a site other than Wattpad or Geeke or a Wattpad account other than "Auraptor" or "PASharp", it's likely stolen. Also, there are now thousands of accounts claiming my book is stolen. If you check them, you'll see they have no followers and no conversations. They're fake accounts, don't listen to them.)#123 Creepy out of 40.3K stories (30/08/2022)#98 Paranormal out of 86.6k stories (21/11/2022)#406 Anxiety out of 60.7k stories (29/08/2022)#53 Darkfantasy out of 7.9k stories (09/08/2022)#306 Monsters out of 37.5k stories (19/08/2022)#75 Demon out of 55.2k stories (19/08/2022)#70 Fae out of 7k stories (19/08/2022)#22 Secret Identity out of 4.9k stories (05/09/2022)#14 Superpowers out of 26.2k stories (09/10/2022)#255 Magic out of 254k stories (27/09/2022)#73 Supernatural out of 177k stories (21/11/2022)#100 Witch out of 80.7k stories (27/09/2022)#38 Urbanfantasy out of 7.4k stories (21/11/2022)#16 Horror out of 302k stories (21/11/2022)
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