《Schwarz -‖- Der Wille zur Macht》Arc II Chapter 17
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II
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Arc II Chapter 17
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Aurora disappeared among the rubble and recruited her newest underlings. The will-o-wisps were pressed into service on an involuntary basis. Duty called and they would obey.
The sprites were far from innocent. Their thoughtless behaviour responsible for the entire disaster. No pardon would be given.
Aurora narrowed her eyes. Her icy gaze froze them solid.
“Zzzz.“ The will-o-wisps gulped. They sensed the approaching misfortune, but they knew it was too late. They wouldn't escape their punishment. Their mistress didn't negotiate.
Aurora scrutinised them. “Listen, my friends, we both know who is at fault here. We both know who provoked the wolf. It certainly wasn't me.“
The will-o-wisps lowered their head, confessing their guilt. They buzzed in shame,“Zzzzzz.“
Aurora approved of their repentance. “We will fight the beast together. And when I say together, I mean we, and when I say we, I mean you.“
Her new friends looked puzzled. Them?
The will-o-wips tilted their heads. “Zzzz?“ They didn't understand. The evil princess made no sense.
Aurora offered a benevolent smile. “Yes, you. You caused the problem. You will take responsibility.“
The spheres suffered a near heart attack. Their aether froze in their veins and their confidence dropped visibly. No sparks. No joy.
They had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling. Their mistress didn't intend to send them out against a vengeful beast, did she?
This was madness! This was insanity!
The sprites protested in unison, “Zzzzzz!“ They didn't sign up for dying!
Aurora sighed. Such pessimists. “Worry less, you won't die. At least, I hope so.“
The sprites grumbled. Their dissatisfaction rose. “Zzzz. Zzzz. Zzzz.“
“Zzzz. Zzzz.“
“Zzzz.“ Her last part didn't escape them. They heard the evil princess loud and clear. They were no cheap cannon fodder!
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Aurora ignored their meek protest. Their complaints were dismissed and countered with her experienced glare. “Do I sense rebellious discontent among the nether ranks?“
...
...
...
Her glare proved effective and restored discipline. Order was maintained.
The will-o-wisps whimpered and submitted. Their aether wavered. Her eyes ... The girl was intimidating.
The sprites realised they have gotten themselves into something beyond their control. From here on, there was no way out. Their fate was irreversibly linked to the girl.
Aurora gifted them an encouraging smile. “Do not despair, though, because you are not alone. I have a plan.“
The will-o-wisps blinked. “Zzzz?“ She did?
Aurora clapped her hands. “I do. It's a simple plan. It's an effective plan. We will use the crystals against the enemy.“
“I will inject my mana and destabalise the crystal formation. This will trigger a chain reaction and set off the crystalised aether.“
“Zzzz.“ They were unable to follow, but the girl radiated confidence. Hopefully, she knew what she was doing.
“But preparations take time. That's where you come in. You will create a diversion while I set up the explosion.“
Aurora elaborated. “You will engage the enemy and act as a living decoy, attracting its attention. After establishing contact, you disengage and fall back.“
“I recommend you run and capitalise on your numerical superiority. Split up and disperse. Less likely to get caught. Less risk for anyone involved. Grouping together is always a dangerous business. Trust me, he won't get all of you.“
“Next step, you lead him back to my position and my little present finish him off.“
Aurora beamed. “In short, nothing complicated. Nothing elaborate. The least that happens is you getting eaten. You might end up as a snack, but life is a dangerous affair.“
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The sprites declined to comment. Their blank stares told her enough.
“Any questions?“
...
“None. Excellent. Now off with you. The enemy is waiting.“ Aurora sent them off and took cover behind her wall. Aurora doll accompanied her.
“Courage! Show no fear!“ Aurora clenched her fists to demonstrate her resolve. “Never forget, I am behind you, right behind this wall.“
“Even my doll supports you. Aurora, wave at them.“ Her doll waved at them, and so did Aurora. Her wave carried a bitter aftertaste, a parting gift of dubious benevolence.
“Good luck. I believe in you.“ Her declaration sounded hollow and offered little consolation. The demon in human skin lied through her teeth.
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The sprites gulped and faced the wolf. Time to confront the enemy. Time to die.
The will-o-wisps followed her command without as much as a complaint. They never doubted her authority.
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Aurora peeked over the wall. Her comrades floated towards the enemy. Brave little sprites. A pity their chances of survival were minimal, but such information shouldn't be divulged.
Her heart almost pitied them, but the realities of combat were tragic. Casualties were to be expected.
Aurora consulted her doll. Her counsel was appreciated. “Do you think they will make it?“
“...“
“I agree. Poor creatures. I hope they are fast.“ Aurora withdrew, biding her time. It was now on the fluffball brigade to prove their worth.
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The Dungeon Calls for a Sage
Archimedes was the ego behind one of the most powerful dungeons ever created. He grew and developed his halls, filling them with powerful monsters and beasts, over the course of thousands of years. He was a grand structure of ten thousand floors which even heroes had failed to defeat. However, an Evil God had come from another world, calling himself the Demon King, and a party of heroes were sent to do battle with it. Through their victory, they obtained enough strength to breeze through Archimedes' dungeon like it was nothing. Forseeing the end of his life, and realizing how pointless his pursuit of power had been, Archimedes destroyed himself, taking the heroes down with him. Still, Archimedes felt despair that he had lived a worthless life as something as pitiful and futile as a dungeon. Sensing his regret and potential, the voice of the world presented Archimedes with the chance to start anew and live a more meaningful life. Thrilled and hopeful for the first time in eons, Archimedes accepted the offer, only to be reborn again as a dungeon core with not a single room or monster to his name. Just what was the meaning of this?! Archimedes couldn't figure out what the voice of the world was thinking. Somehow, he would have to draw a sage into his dungeon to figure it out for him. _______________________ DCS is now a member of the WriTEr's Pledge, which means I have sworn to see it through to a satisfying end.
8 202The Invisible String
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8 157Enter Darkness
"Here in the mountain we train those who will one day take our places. We do the jobs others find impossible. Our clients are ever different. We never turn down a job, and we never fail. I hope you take my words to heart. I would hate to kill you myself one day. Now listen carefully." As Master Thrass spoke I listened. He told me that the process was fairly simple but very dangerous as well. This is after all Black Hive Mountain. Home of the greatest Assassins in the world.
8 92The Melancholy Of Yamamoto Yuuto
Yamamoto Yuuto is second year highschool student who has been hated and despised by others his whole life due to his intimidating appearence. Wherever he goes he is ignored and is viewed as a violent delinquent. But in contrary to his appearance,he's an otaku who loves to cook and has a dream of building the best chain of restaurants in Japan. He loves his family and is willing to do anthing to protect his loved ones. When he finds out he is transferring to 'Tokiwadai Private High School' an elite school,he hopes to have a peaceful life there without any problems and possibily even make a friend or two. But his hopes of a normal school life are shattered when he drives a classmate to the edge of despair and threatens to kill another classmate on the very first day. After making an enemy of the whole class he believes that he will never get a normal school life but his whole life is turned upside down when he meets 'Kisaragi Yuzuha' and joins the "Japanese Entertainment Club". Follow Yamamoto Yuuto,as he meets other girls with traumatic experiences of their own and becomes the cataylst to save them from their past and current circumstances. But can he save another when he himself has to face his dark past
8 272Mary Susan Oceanrunner and the Brutus Saint's Academy
Join Mary Susan Oceanrunner on her quest to do... erm... something really important for the world... probably... Ahem. Long gone are the days when every hero could do whatever they wanted - now, we are civilised. We have government. Law. And proper forms. Lots of proper forms. (Final episode 25/07/2022. Also - beta readers far into the book rate the 'gore' degree as below 2/10, so the warning is a bit much) Mary Susan Oceanrunner is a poor girl from the orphanage, who like many others before, has to fulfil her destiny. The prophecy had been told, and she is the only one who can make things right. Erm... probably. Anyway, she can't just go and kill monsters like in the middle ages. First, she must apply for the appropriate permissions, fill the forms, learn about the proper loot taxations... Hey, no one said adventuring would be easy, right? Disclaimers: No claim made by any character by the book should be treated as the author's or anyone else's opinion on any subject. Most likely, it was just the funniest thing the Author could think of at the time of writing. This book contains many references to other works. It will probably be best enjoyed by individuals familiar with at least some of the following: 1) Computer games2) Fantasy in general3) Science fiction4) Tabletop RPGs5) Conspiracy theories6) Corporation work life7) Long forgotten prophecies uttered millennia ago in almost as forgotten languages under a starless night three dusks before the great convergence8) Filling any government-mandated form9) School10) EnglishMy ultimate goal is to make as many people experience something akin to joy while reading (think ~a bit louder exhale through the nose). It doesn't mean every scene will be funny or joyful because that's not how this stuff works. I can neither confirm nor deny having any other hidden agenda outside of that. (11.01.2022 NEW COVER by Philippa_and_art. You can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/philippa_and_art/)
8 116Accidental Time God
In a world of swords and magic, one man strived for the perfect clock: a pocket watch like no other. Supported by intricate gears within the casing and innovative magic formations etched onto the mana core at its center, never would it rust as it ticked along in perfect sync for eternity.But mana is a tricky thing, so incredibly simple yet far more complex than anyone will ever be able to grasp fully. After many years and many owners, powered by a constant flow of raw magic energy, the uncountable memories and emotions directed towards the little watch since it was created with such devotion finally took form. Fragile and naive, a new type of being came into existence in the midst of war. Watch him as he learns about the world, his owners, the effects of time, and, most importantly, himself.
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