We're officially caught up.

This is your only warning.

IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS, YOU SHOULD BE READING THE REWRITE INSTEAD! NONE OF THE FOLLOWING WILL BE SPOILERED.

Okay, we good?

Good.

Book 1... there's a lot of changes to the early parts of this, but scene wise, the biggest change is that the first half of chapter 1.00 has Lexi start at the clinic where her Papa's in a coma instead of her stumbling out of bed.

She still stumbles, there's just no bed this time.

Lexi also does sketches of her own unique wizard patterns, and there are more mentions of her doing tabletop with Sab. As well as her being kind of intentionally bad at gaming by other people's rules.

There's been a shift in tone for how Lexi first treats Roberts, which will be different depending on when you read the first chapters, as that was one of the first edits I made. There was a bit more added to the initial folded photo scene with the missing Mr Thompson (her Papa's detective buddy who Roberts reminds her of)

Lexi is also more forgiving/apologetic in tone towards her mom, despite her mom still taking all her savings. There's a few more hints about what her mom's done in the past too.

Josh gets a bit more personality in the first two books, instead of the super silent version I was trying for in the original draft. (Which can be interesting, but I didn't do right. At least not with him)

The second half of chapters 1.00 to 1.31 (what I consider the first volume/book) is mostly unchanged, except a minor edit just before Lexi does her flashbacks, where Roberts cleanses her fear just before she deals with the flashbacks and Ivicka.

Book 2 has an entire new scene at the start, with the K'tharn named Kythee. She is one of Ivicka's lieutenants, and her chapter sets up the Fallen triplets and reveals the transport network the Aetherium uses to maintain control. And that Ivicka uses to get around as quick as the party.

Lexi asks Raz about class upgrades.

The relationship between Tipan and Sel'dast (her Fallen sister!) is given more screen time. To the point that Tipan gets a whole new class! This is the start of a bunch of changes around the chapter 2.24, Deep Cleansing, Soul Deep.

There's a tiny bit more to the exploration of the spaceship engine/ silver bullet, including actually checking out the engineering compartment. Which was destroyed. (Who woulda thunk after the whole thing was obviously shoved to the side?) Inside, they find a functional micro-core, which generates a whole bunch of special energy. They also check out another silver bullet.

Bel'dast has been renamed to Bel'ther for clarity, and doesn't get completely ganked during the big battle, escaping in a bolt of lightning. She shows up a couple times as they complete the rest of the quests, but isn't much of a threat.

There is an entirely new mini-arc that starts at chapter 2.29, Tallest Tower which goes all the way to chapter 2.32, No Checkered Flags.

This arc starts by using the micro-core they found in the engineering bay of the silver bullet combined with Sel'dast's knowledge to teleport directly to the Builder's Library. Where they encounter a book-dragon, enter into a race-escape to avoid Ivicka and acquire a new collection of knowledge for Lexi to study. Including a set of Copper-locked portal instructions. The race is created by Tipan and Rufka combining the micro-core and Tipan's race System to create a giant escape tunnel. During which, Lexi uses her magic to yoink creatures through space. It's very yucky.

Chapter 2.33, What Friends Do is a new epilogue, from poor little Cristha's POV. She mostly just worries about her lost friends, Tipan and Kythee, and her new friend Ivicka. This is the first hint of how Ivicka kept finding the party.

Chapter 3.00, Change of Plans. An entirely new chapter from Minsiter Traxla's POV. (the Fallen slave that fights off Genitha later). This shows her going about her day before getting looped into a trap by one of the other ministers. Then she's delivered to Ivicka and shown being turned into a Fallen, and that the Fallen lose partial control of their actions.

The beginning of book 3 for the party, which was just after they exited the Fallen Dungeon of Lescado in the original version, has been modified to take into account the fact they were just racing at the end of the previous book. And that they emerged into a valley ringed by waterfalls.

Travel times were fixed for their journey to Glimmering Sands. This includes the use of Tipan's new area of effect class ability to go zooom! Along the way there was a sighting of a new creature. Also, Lexi spent time learning fireball in the chapters before she actually used it. Ivicka mentions the fact that Tipan's super white fur kinda stands out.

There's also been a teensie bit of foreshadowing for the dolls, some slight change in the way they affect his leg (it's more like a slow infection/conversion than instant floppiness) and there's a build-up of sound before the fight. Ivicka uses the remains of the micro-core strapped to a hapless Fallen to explodie Lord Thansome.

Minor change for why Lexi didn't try to teleport Josh out. She didn't want to have it fail and turn him into meat chunks.

There's a mention that Bem summoned Ivicka when they first arrived. Because, you know, invaders and she's like family before this point.

Bit of backstory on Minister Traxla when Lexi scans her, revealing she grew up in the M'tari ascendancy.

Little bits of extra dialogue/improved sentence flow and the use of Tipan's new class. A mention of the fact that the 'World will end' message wasn't broadcast was added.

In chapter 4.01, there's a scene where they mention becoming citizens and plans to get Restoration.

There's an additional scene of Lexi teleporting the former prisoners in chapter 4.02, Living Dead Guards, alongside the Fallen to a rivership. They're escorted by Demo.

Just before the System locks down teleportation, Lexi picks up Lightning Warp. It doesn't work.

Lexi discovers her class is at least Epic when Rufka tells her about the requirements for her unlocked class upgrade in 4.16. (super short)

Addition of a scene where Lexi overhears some K'tharn talking about her in Glimmering sands after she scans Bem and Qern, getting her face plastered all over the Aetherium. They mention the Ascendancy's rules against bothering celebrities and are also the ones who call it the 'baby boon'.

Slight adjustments to account for Tipan's new class and the soul-stones.

There are MAJOR changes to Pogell. The new scenes are all in the author's note in chapter 5.31, Can't Stop, Won't Stop. There's a new short scene in chapter 4.27, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea where he's polite and talks with them. There's an even bigger change to chapter 4.37 and how the ambush goes down. As in, Pogell tries to get a bunch of Ravnors (knock-off T-rex's) to attack the party, and has spread a bunch of webs everywhere. And he fails the first attack. So instead, he sends more jungle monsters to distract the party, and knocks out Tipan, kills Beth and steals the book while they're distracted. Lexi and Rufka still track his butt down and Lexi teleports close and blasts him. They're even less certain he survives this time.

Chapter 4.41, an unusual vigil. When they're building the tracking array, Tipan realizes she forgot she had her 'find me' feature left on. There's a scene where she reveals she was on Ivicka's friend list the entire time. And she forgot about it. Just like Lexi forgot about her mom being on her joint account.

Slightly embellished their time in the underwater city at the end of the arc.

Okay, whooo boyza, changes in book 5. You can read the scenes in chapter 5.34, That Doesn't Delegate, Delegate, Delegate's author's note.

Chapter 5.00. Talkith the not-so-smart father of Tipan gets a bit of an upgrade. She has an extra scene at the end of the chapter where she sits around and checks out the current situation in the Aetherium. She still thinks she's all high and mighty tho.

The encounter with the squad of Desh'ila (the lore based name that has replaced Flights in the rewrite) in chapter 5.04 and 5.05 has been rewritten to have more deference to Lexi because of her 'hero' status. Also, the Aetherium is no longer trying to arrest Lexi. Just everyone else. Also, also, they're afraid of being turned into Fallen, not Lightbound. And they get more intel on the current state of the Aetherium.

Added a section where Lexi checks her status when Smoulder disappears and Smoulder's pane is still there.

When they reach the Builder city of Pelwerd, they find Trellani from the cleansed Awoken/Fallen instead of an otherwise unknown Fallen enchanter. This includes several small additions for her interactions with the party.

The second half of the conversation with Talkith is changed in chapter 5.14, Nightstar Rising. This time, Talkith is listening, and is considering taking them to the M'tari first. Then Tipan reveals she has the Reaper's guide to hacking the System. Her shoving Lexi and Tipan also seems less aggressive, as Beth kinda shoots first.

In chapter 5.23, Thunderstruck, when they escape the dungeon, they go to the shrine where Smoulder's ashes remain before exiting the World's End Palace. Which aren't her ashes. They're a mixture of dragon and insectoid.

After being reunited with Rufka, Tipan and Wyonna, when they're all looking at Wyonna's scans, Lexi realizes she's mostly healed, at least physically. She's only missing the end of her arm just before the hand and her eye is scarred and missing, but otherwise she's intact.

When Lexi's visiting Lady Thinnesq, the most marvellousest of M'tari, there are a couple signs that her System's becoming less stable even when she's not poking at it.

After the windbad K'tharn who calls themselves the Minister of Relations comes to visit in chapter 5.38, Very, Very, Un-dignitary, there's a conversation between Lexi, Tipan and Talkith where they hash out their differences.

Chapters 5.39, Best Laid Plans and 5.40, Of Women and Monsters are split and increased versions of the old 5.39, Critical diagnosis. The events are mostly the same just... better. Roberts starts treating Lexi right away. Instead of acquiring all the cities, they've only finished the preparations to do so. Lexi is preparing to delete her System, instead of being caught totally off guard. The beginning of chapter 5.40 has a new scene with Kellica where the Taken reveal they're basically looking to join up.

And... I think that's all of it. This was almost a chapter of words, all on its own. And it was more than a chapter worth of effort, jee willickers.

Still, I hope it helps a few of you.

Looking forward to having you join us over in rewrite land.