《Secret Books of Seth》Chapter Seventeen: Mine and Yours
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The trail was a dirt path several feet wide. Plenty of room for me and Ira to walk side by side as we entered the forest.
“How far does this thing go?” I asked, watching the way it curved out of sight.
“All over the place,” Ira said. “It branches off by the lake, goes deeper in the woods, and the advanced trail goes all the way around the mountain to the other side of the town.”
“Wow,” I said. “Have you ever taken it?”
“Actually, no,” he said. “I’m not really from Rossberg.”
Getting him talking about himself might reveal something I could use. “Oh, yeah?”
He nodded. “There’s this little town wayyy on the other side of the lake. I grew up there.”
“So you’re just a small-town boy, huh?”
“Something like that,” he laughed. “How about you?”
I hesitated. If he was Damned, I would have to kill him. If he wasn’t, I would never see him again after this case. Either way, there was no reason I couldn’t be a little honest.
“I’m from all over the country,” I said. “ My dad moves around a lot for work. We never really settled in one place.”
“Did you like that?” Ira asked. “My family’s been in the same town for--generations. Always wondered what it would be like to travel.”
“I loved it,” I replied. “I've been to every state in the lower 48. Seen everything from major cities to a single gas station that called itself a town.”
And had found the Damned in almost all of those places. Why wouldn’t they be in Rossberg?
His voice was wistful when he said, “That sounds amazing.”
“Why don’t you travel?” I asked.
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The tour guide flickered over his face before he said, “Family stuff.”
“You’re doing it again,” I said.
He sighed. “It’s just the family convo is more like a third or fourth date thing.”
Convo must mean conversation. Then it hit me what he said. “...Date?”
He cast me a wry glance. “Oh, are we still pretending I’m just showing you the sights?”
Called out, I had to look away. “Why did you come here then? Don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Don’t you?”
“...Touché.”
“We’re open, by the way,” Ira said. “Me and Zo. What about you and…?”
“Beni,” I said.
“And?” he asked. “Are you open, are you cheating, or is she a beard?”
“Beard?”
“Yeah, a girl you date so no one knows you’re gay.”
“Oh,” I said. “Um, Beni knows. It’s just...family stuff.”
“That ‘real religious’ one you mentioned?”
That’s when I saw my opportunity.
“I’ll talk about mine if you talk about yours.” He squinted at me, and I flashed a winning smile. “Isn’t that what dates are for? Getting to know each other?”
“You drive a hard bargain,” he grumbled, but his real face was back.
“I already told you about my dad,” I said. “Your turn.”
With slanted lips, he said, “Good thing you’re so cute.”
“If you say so,” I demurred.
“I do.” Then he went on before I could object. “My parents are divorced. Haven’t talked to my dad in years.”
“Like, at all?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“That must be hard,” I said.
“What about you?” He asked. “You’ve mentioned your dad, what about your mom?”
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With as little emotion as possible, I said, “She died when I was a baby.”
He winced. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago,” I breezed. “I don’t even remember her.”
Cautious, he said, “Can I ask...does that make it easier or harder?”
“Some ways, it’s a little of both,” I said. “What about yours? She owns the truck stop?”
“Yeah,” he smiled. “When she divorced my step-dad, she used the settlement money to start a business.”
I laughed. “Sounds like a badass.”
There was a soft, little-boy smile on his face when he said, “She is. Okay, your turn. Any siblings?”
I shook my head. “I have a cousin named Harley. We grew up like brothers, but we haven’t really spoken since I tried to come out to him.”
“Damn,” Ira said. “That’s harsh.”
“Other than that,” I continued, “just Beni. We’ve been best friends my whole life.”
Evan would stay a secret for now. Ira hadn’t seen him, so there was no reason to mention him. Keeping a surprise may prove crucial to the mission.
As we’d been talking, the woods had deepened. The further in we went, I started to wonder if it would darken enough to see his Shadow. I was learning things Espy could put to use, but nothing that could confirm his status.
A rushing sound started rising, and I tilted my head into it. “That water?”
“Yup,” he said. “There’s several falls that feed into the lake. We’re nearly to the first one now.”
Almost as soon as he said it, the trail led us around a large outcropping of rock and the roar of a waterfall intensified. I stopped dead.
Water plunged down the rocky face, had done so for millions of years judging by the canyon it had carved through the earth. A quaint wooden bridge spanned the divide. Nothing rickety or decrepit, just floating above a river that was merely a ribbon of light beneath it.
Slowly, I walked over and peaked down. All...the way...down.
Ira saw my reaction and asked, “You aren’t afraid of heights, are you?”
“If you had asked me in the parking lot, I would have said no,” I answered. “But that is a long way down.”
And then his fingers were weaving through mine (getting fresh, he went straight for the interlace), surprisingly warm for what I suspected about him.
“Don’t worry,” he rumbled. “I’ll protect you.”
I rolled my eyes. “How gallant.”
But I didn’t pull my hand away.
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The Accidental Archmage - BOOK 9 (THE DRAGON HOUSES)
The Accidental Archmage Series (BETA CHAPTERS) NOTE: DRAFTS OF EARLIER BOOKS (BOOKS 1 to 8) HAVE BEEN POSTED BEFORE ON RRL. THEY ARE NOW ON AMAZON AND HAD ATTAINED BESTSELLER STATUS IN THE FANTASY-MYTHOLOGY GENRE. ACTUALLY, MANY RRL STORIES PUBLISHED ON AMAZON HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME BESTSELLERS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. HOWEVER, AMAZON KDP RULES REQUIRE THAT MOST OF THE DIGITAL CONTENT AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE BE REMOVED. GENRE: CLASSICAL EPIC FANTASY An epic mythological fantasy in another world. Immerse yourself in a grand and dangerous adventure. In a world both familiar and strange. A world where magic and gods still exist. Meet deities, beings, and exiles from Earth’s pantheons. Encounter warriors, huskarls, satyrs, hoplites, dark and evil mages, and strange beings from myths of pre-history up to the age of iron.Match wits with the likes of Loki, Zeus, Athena, Odin, Amun-Ra, Coniraya, Viracocha, and even Dionysus. Escape plots and schemes played by powerful gods of life and death.Find the truth behind the dark and otherworldly beings from the Lovecraft mythos.Play with dire wolves, drakontes, lamias, keres, amphisbaenae, a sphinx, ice giants, creatures of nightmares, empusas, gigas, minotaurs, vrykolakas, jotnar, dokkalfr, to name a few.Survive being in the middle of wars between civilizations and races. Suffer the arrogance and stupidity of gods and men alike. Cross paths with beings who don’t like you. Thor, Ares, and the Incan death god Supay, to name three.Be burdened with a quest to save yourself and your humanity in the brutal and primordial world of Adar.A world where scientific pursuit will get you a lightning bolt or two. Probably five. All at the same time. Book Nine - THE DRAGON HOUSES His beloved Eira rescued, the rogue Titans have been defeated, and Tartarus sealed. Yet as the rising Archmage tries to escape the Forbidden Isle, events have been set in motion that would embroil him once again in the tides of war engulfing Adar. Escaped Titans, a rising power in the South, vengeful adherents of the Elder Gods, and more have him in mind. Least of all, a far from defeated Loki. New players have come to the fore, each with their own purpose in mind. The lustful drive for power, the search for a release of one's soul, and the companions' storied pasts all come to drive the world deeper and further into chaos. Add a powerful demon determined to open a portal to its own dimension. It's enough to drive a mortal man mad. (Cover image used under license) Book Eight - WHERE TITANS WALK Now in the land of the damned below the underworld domain of Hades, Eira awaits the company and battle portends. But first, they have to find the fortress of the Titans. Above them, Loki's war is going well as the internecine war among the pantheons continues. An old foe rises in the south, more powerful than ever. Astrid finds herself the subject of a wife's rage and the murky past of the companions now comes back to haunt them. Yet amidst it all, a dying Elder won't wait as plots and new players bedevil Havard Ulriksson, formerly Tyler West of Earth, now the Archmage of his adopted world. Cover Image used under license from shutterstock.com. Alterations by the writer. Book Seven - DRAGONS AND DEMONS https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08122Y739 An urgent rescue and the path to vengeance are not easy in a magical, myth-filled world. Nasty roadblocks and unexpected complications have a way of rearing their wicked heads along Tyler's route across the dwarven lands and into the infernal realm of Tartarus. More myths and legends cross the First Mage's path as Loki's war and Asag's emergence stir up mortal lands and magical domains. Cover Image used under license from shutterstock.com. Alterations by the writer. Book Six - TARTARUS BECKONS Gifts, curses, and problems. The unfolding of Loki's mad and complicated scheme results in a war between and among pantheons, empires, and kingdoms. From Ymir's Domain down to the far south, conflict engulfs Tyler's world and the magical gate to Tartarus is starting to break open, threatening to add mad Titans and other powerful beings to the chaotic mix. And on the forbidden isle of Banna, a dying enemy awaits. (Note: NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON) Book Five - LOKI'S GAMBIT With the promise of the First Mage not to act against him, Loki now accelerates his plans. A plot millennia in the making, spanning the length and breadth of Adar. Like a spider spinning its web, the trickster god now puts the finishing touches on an audacious scheme. A revolution to change the balance of godly and mortal power in the world. Book Four - VOID LANDS The Void Lands. A place where gods fear to tread. Where strange creatures and hostile beings emerge. A nexus of dimensions, the origins of which are lost in the mists of time. To stop the Aztecha Empire’s march to power and domination of the eastern lands, Tyler West, now a High Mage, must confront and defeat the empire’s mysterious patrons. Beings of incredible might and magical knowledge. An imperative path which leads him right to the Void Lands. Though a few detours are required, each dangerous yet crucial. The only problem is that the Void Lands are on the other side of the continent. And to get there, he may have to ask a favor from the Trickster God himself, the Norse deity known as Loki. Book Three - BLOOD WARS Continuing our lost mage's epic journey through the magical and extremely dangerous world of Adar. Escaping the convoluted schemes of the Greek pantheon, Tyler finds himself with an old acquaintance, the Incan deity Viracocha. His son, the sun god Inti, is dead. With the Aztecah Empire and its powerful pantheon of deities on the bloody road to more conquests, the deity asks for his help. A request he could easily refuse. Except Viracocha is not alone is asking for his aid. Two other pantheons have made their presence known to the young mage. And the Egyptian deities are watching how he will decide the matter. To add to his burdened conscience, the rise and dominance of the Aztecah pantheon would mean a million or more new human sacrifices. Resulting in extremely overpowered bloodthirsty deities. What's a newly minted Elder apprentice mage to do? Involve himself in a blood war? Book Two - GIFTS OF THE GREEKS Tyler's journey continues. New land, misadventures, friends, foes, skills, and knowledge. Confused encounters of the female kind. More deities become aware of Tyler as he continues his quest to survive, reach his potential, and carry out his burden. Amid convoluted plans designed by divine acquaintances of old and newly met gods, what's an ordinary guy from Earth to do?The god of wine wants to be his friend. Ares and his sons are coming to say hello. Book One - RAGNAROK RISING What if you fell through a crack in reality? Like those people disappearing in plain sight you've read about. What if you find yourself in a strangely familiar world? A world full of Earth’s mythological beings, lost civilizations, and people from its primitive and brutal past? Where magical energy still exists. Where gods play games among themselves, with the fate of mortal men as pawns. A land where a sword is deadlier than a five-inch thick contract drawn by a hotshot lawyer. Would you survive? That's Tyler West. Alone, lost and bewildered, the three moons in the sky made it clear he wasn’t on Earth anymore. It’s not a game. It’s real. And there's no coffee, pizza, fries, or his favorite show on HBO. *** All Rights Reserved. 2017/2018/2019/2020. Cover Images are used under license.
8 141Zarif's Story
Please note this is a 18+ so it will have descriptions and scenarios that only a grown up would tolerate and be capable of handling without feeling repulsed. Zarif, a demi-human slave of orcs and goblins is brutally murdered when he does not accomplish the impossible - awakens to find himself resting within the arms of an elderly woman with tears in her eyes. ____________________________________________________________________________ As I like to be a little creative in the way I write, there might be a few mistakes per chapter - so be sure to notify me in the comments if you think something seems wrong. You might be confused as you read on since I switch about constantly, but please continue reading and maybe leave a comment on why you did not like what you read and decided to drop the story.
8 88I can't believe my fiance chose me to be her cheat when she was summoned to another world
*Updates Weekly on Wednesdays
8 183Return of the Sith.
Y/n Rose was the first born of the roses but was abused by everyone all because he wasn't a girl like his parents wanted him and soon he ran into the forest at night and was found by the emperor of the galactic empire and was trained by him and after the training was complete y/n returned to remnant with his armada to bring it under his masters rule.I own nothing but the cover art.
8 83God's Eye
Lorenzo, 17 years of age. Now facing probably the biggest crisis in his life, being summoned to another world together with his entire class. Not really a crisis though, but still...As the whole class was summoned inside the Castle of one of the 4 Greatest Kingdom of the Continent Asha to seek help from now on so called 'Heroes' and train them for the upcoming War of the Kingdoms. The whole class was summoned in the Castle except for one, who is falling who knows where, thus isolated him from the group and didn't gain the title 'Hero' but instead gained the title 'God's Favorite'
8 310The Shy Demon(Valak x Reader)
Could a lonesome trapped demon ever honestly be capable of a human feeling called love? Or will it fall into its sinful ways and twist love into a simple quickie in the night, for its own selfish needs of revenge and bitterness.
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