Drifting Embers

[MGM]: 90 - Inferno

Arcane Arts—or Magic, as some would call it—is said to be the lost art of civilization, dating back hundreds of thousands of years to a time when even the System hadn't existed. Was there any truth to this statement? I didn't know. Did I care? Not one bit.

Before leaving the Inn, I had voiced my concerns to Cassia and suggested that we...

[MGM]: 89 - Different

"The most strange thing is that the lady suspects the Baron of doing illegal activities," Aldrin said.

Cassia replied with a shake of her head. "No," she said, "the most strange thing is that she knows the Baron is in cahoots with the Cult."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Aldrin asked, frowning.

"It's not," I replied.

For a...

[MGM]: 88 - Heavy Rain

There was a harsh wind running up the mountain that day, gusts thick enough to plaster the cloak to my back. I would occasionally readjust it, but the wind proved more stubborn. The daylight caught us at an angle, and it was my improved Perception that stopped me from shielding my eyes.

Up ahead, a thin cloud of dust swirled idly, pulling ...

[MGM]: 87 - Interlude Luna

Luna was a hunter—she knew she was; there was no doubt about that. She thought like a hunter, moved like a hunter, and felt like a hunter. She was, in essence, more an animal than a human. Though, to be fair, she wasn't human at all.

The halls of the Feylance Keep were still and quiet; even the dust stood frozen in time. Luna walked with...

[MGM]: 86 - Interlude Jacob

Jacob felt the bumps and dips as the carriage rattled along its journey. The woodland was silent, slumbering like a giant beast made of green. But the journey was nearing its end.

"Are you nervous?" Sir Zeke asked him.

For a quiet moment, Jacob found himself staring at his superior. A man built like a mountain, with arms the girth of...

[MGM]: 85 - Interlude Zyra

Zyra knew that her treatment had been unfair—knew that they couldn’t simply accuse her of gross incompetence—but because she understood the rules by which the world operated, she knew that any resistance on her behalf would be met with decisive retaliation.

That was the law of the jungle, the rule of life and code of honor by which t...

[MGM]: 84 - Planning

Under the dim moonlight filtering through the window, I found myself sitting opposite Cassia as she scribbled in her notebook. Her handwriting was neat, almost artistic in nature. I found her focused expression particularly charming. There was no denying she had the most exquisite facial features among my summons—and not the least of it was re...

[MGM]: 83 - Complications

Stars dot the sky like tiny marks of paint on an inky black canvas. Blinking in dim and high intensity, they appear simultaneously far yet near. It was under this cosmic blanket that I found myself wondering about the life I had lived, and what I had done to deserve this moment.

There was a warmth to this contact, a reassuring touch that p...

[MGM]: 82 - Flame

If the world were a body, then mana would be its voice. If mana were a medium, then skills would be its expression. A medium. A connection. But most of all, its intention.

Fire is transitional—a medium to carry the voice of its user. It melts and molds, conforming to the desires that drive it, and it offers results in the form of an expr...

[R&R]: 4. Winds of Change

I didn't run into anything troublesome after running away from the alley. For whatever reason they had let me leave, I was grateful.

Instead of returning to the train yard, I found a covert spot that was empty for the moment. Normally, taking risks like these wasn't something I'd advise—least of all to myself. But given the nature of the...

[MGM]: 81 - Politely be my Servant

"What do you make of that?" I heard Amara ask me.

"Perseveration?" I offered, uncertain.

"Nothing but instincts out of control," she replied. "Thankfully, we are here to bring some order to this chaos."

We watched from high above, perched on a length of stone jutting from the wall. Down below, goblins of all shapes and sizes mi...

[R&R]: 3. Copper Money

I shivered against the cold night air of Gotham. There was an unnatural quality to it, the unsettling feel ofsomething creepy brushing against my skin. Sometimes, Gotham felt less like a city and more like a dank, mechanical beast—eating away at the desperation, hopelessness, and misery of the masses and breathing poison that choked us to deat...

[MGM]: 80 - Old Memories

Night had fallen, darkness creeping around the edges and creating a dual shade near the entrance. We sat around the campfire, the simmering coals offering comfort against the cold winds. Though heat and cold bothered none of us, there was something homely about sitting around the fire and feeling its warmth against your skin—it evoked feelings...

[R&R]: 2. Welcome to Gotham City

For the first time in three weeks, I felt the Celestial Forge glow. It was like a radiant canvas in my otherwise pale imagination, covered in cosmic paints of every conceivable notion. Yet, these paints weren’t on the canvas itself but in the space that surrounded it.

There was life in these colors—a breath of force and nature. They pr...

[MGM]: 79 - Rune

Our entrance into the infamous forest was met normally—and when I say normally, I mean the monsters welcomed us with open claws and snapping jaws. It was unlike the last time when Amara and I had cruised through the woodland, finding nary a monster until we had reached the periphery.

I had taken this opportunity to test out the fruits of...

[MGM]: 78 - Departure

Our decision made, we each confined ourselves to our individual rooms and waited for sleep to take us. That was when I heard the creak of the wood as the door opened inward, trying—and failing—to avoid making any noise. I sprang up from my lying posture to stare at the intruder.

Amara made a shushing motion with her finger to her lips ...

[MGM]: 77 - Learning Truth

"You're saying that you want to help me—are going to help?" Baron asked.

"Mm-hmm," I nodded.

"And all you're asking for is some information in return?" he inquired.

"That's right," Amara replied.

"And you're sure that your friend can do what you claim she's capable of?" he pressed.

"Definitely," we answered in a s...

[MGM]: 76 - Problem; Solution

We moved into the room in single file and surveyed our surroundings. The group was there, occupying a corner or a chair, all together looking at us with expressions clouded in gloom. For some reason, the intensity of their gazes made me feel pressured.

I watched as Tania moved to stand next to Pyra, who was nibbling on her thumbnail and bo...

[R&R]: 1. Prologue - Gotham's Survivor

Synopsis: Nearly drowning and surviving, David Foster woke up in a world both familiar yet utterly unfamiliar. In this world, where forces of good and evil fight to prevail, his only reassurance lies in a power that promises great potential—but demands patience.

2025-04-03 15:05:08 +0000 UTC View Post

[MGM]: 75 - Hidden

We settled into our chairs, the tension thick in the air. As I looked at Tristane Feylance, I saw a storm of emotions brewing underneath his hardened eyes.

To be honest, I could understand some of his burden; he was after all dealing with the situation that could potentially lead him to getting charged with treason at best or publicly exec...

[MGM]: 74 - Mystery

I would like to say that I had anticipated the silence, but that would be a lie, of course. Lost in the throes of pleasure as we were, it had never crossed our minds—the fallout we would have to shoulder. Though, perhaps even if it had, I doubted it would have made any difference.

Or so I would like to think.

The silence stretched ...

[MGM]: 73 - Passion

[Longer than usual chapter; Enjoy!]

"His intentions had always been clear," Pyra said. "Otherwise, why would he bother providing us shelter?"

It was a well-reasoned argument, I thought, and it certainly fit the circumstances. I didn't deny her, though I also didn't offer my opinion.

"I wouldn't mind offering my help, esp...

[MGM]: 72 - A Proposition

Morning began as usual, almost mundane by this point. We had our breakfast in the common room and gathered our requisite items for the spars to follow. Everything was going normally, and I could feel a noticeable improvement in my skills.

The first thing I did after arriving at the training grounds was show all my available talents to Amar...

[MGM]: 71 - Recorded

Round two didn’t last as long as the first. It was partially because I was physically drained, but also because I had managed to keep my emotions in check. The prospect of losing control didn’t appeal to me, and sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if accepting the Dragon Heart had been the right choice.

Yet, even as I sat breathing ...

[MGM]: 70 - Feisty

A crimson bolt whizzed past me, and I leapt to dodge the attack. More bolts followed; the attacker was relentless.

Despite possessing high agility and the advantage of my Mana Sight, I struggled to maintain control of the battle. But perhaps that was intentional, considering the main purpose behind this exercise.

The bolts struck the...

[MGM]: 69 - Choices

I managed to settle my companions down, though with the expansion of our group, we needed a few extra rooms. I decided not to share with anyone—partly to avoid sparking another battle, and partly to take a moment of respite. Truly, it was incredibly difficult for me to rein in my impulses like that.

But the most important reason, of cour...

[MGM]: 68 - Silver Moon

Summoning another summon began no differently from the first, though now we had an extra audience. So, there was that.

I stood in the same spot, my hand held forward and pointing at the wall. Focusing, I guided the mana, urging my talent to respond. Almost instantly, I felt the familiar expansion and the subtle dip in my reserves.

Th...