Zachary Scott

Chapter 57 - Threads

Krete

“More?” I whispered.

More.

A shrill laugh echoed around me. Where had that come from. Had I made that sound?

I stepped over the bodies, heading deeper into the dungeon.

2024-07-26 17:48:12 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 56 - Plan B

I was getting used to keeping an eye on the map in the corner of my vision. Small stories played out all over the dungeon, represented by dots and “X” marks. I found myself getting invested in certain clumps of dots and their struggles—inter...

Chapter 55 - Soulbound

Lyria’s face was a picture of pure concentration. She sat cross-legged, chest heaving as she took deep breaths through her nose. Her eyes were closed.

Come on, come on. I watched her, silently rooting for her to succeed.

She...

Chapter 54 - Through the Hole

My map showed no nearby enemies, so I decided to let Lyria keep resting.

I gave the opening in the cave-in one more close look. There was an opening at the top of the pile, and a large, flat rock was balanced on rounded boulders above the ho...

Chapter 53 - First Steps

One huge, clawed hand pushed away dirt and rocks, punching straight through the rubble.

“We have to get farther away,” I said. I imagined the Silver Scream arrow had plenty of time to pump the creature full of explosive liquid already. I...

Chapter 52 - Explosive Results

I got my first real look at the creature. It was massive—at least seven feet tall—with a hunched back and long, sinewy arms that dragged on the ground. Its body was covered in matted, filthy fur with patches of skin visible through the tangled...

Chapter 51 - Into the Maw

Our footsteps crunched on loose dirt as we descended into Beastden.

Ahead, I heard the muffled sound of voices and clattering armor. I heard hammering, too, rhythmic and piercing through the relative quiet. 

I paused mid-step as s...

Chapter 50 - Locked and Loaded

[Hunger 41%]

The area outside Beastden reminded me of a video I had seen of the base camp at the foot of Mount Everest back on Earth—minus the snow, of course. Oh, and if all the climbers were cosplayers with really legiti...

Chapter 49 - Beastden

[Common] Active Skill: Devour Mana. [Tier 1] Cause your target to devour their mana in exchange for health. 

[Rare] Active Skill: Mana Shield. [Tier 1] Create a barrier of pure mana. 

2024-07-16 17:43:13 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 48 - Hard to Come By

Rake

“Of course we’ll split it even,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

The man across from me was supposedly some kind of “poison” mage. He claimed he was only a quarter Forsaken, but there were some signs he was fu...

Chapter 47 - Claiming the Loot (Pt. 2)

I held the purple, metallic coin between my thumb and forefinger, turning it over in the torchlight of Lyria’s personal space.

Both sides of the coin showed a slightly raised plus symbol but nothing else. The metal was a deep, satisfying c...

Chapter 46 - Claiming the Loot (Pt. 1)

We were given a “temporary” personal space key for five silver from an innkeeper, and then headed downstairs. The hallway leading to the personal space in this particular building was downstairs. 

“So the key will magically vanish...

Chapter 45 - Dark Mana

“Dungeons are a different beast?” I asked. “How so?”

My question had drawn the attention of some of the Riverwell townspeople, who were now shifting their attention from Bloody Steve’s story to Kass.

Kass grinned, clearly enj...

Chapter 44 - The Clock is Ticking

Bed bugs? Seriously?

I reread the stats several times, quietly trying to convince myself I hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.

Lyria stood beside me, one arm folded over her chest and the other lifted so she could gnaw a na...

Chapter 43 - Claiming the Vouchers

After what felt like two or three solid minutes of walking downhill, we reached a simple door. My sense of direction was completely thrown off, but I thought we must have passed all the way beneath the street and entered through the rocky, undergr...

Chapter 42 - What is a Grommet?

Our group of fifteen headed for a huge table in the back of the tavern’s common room. More people were playing Vice inside the tavern, and a small crowd was watching and placing bets. Vice and betting went hand in hand, it seemed.

Chapter 41 - Comm Cards

Everyone was waiting outside Trustworthy Quillon’s shop when I stepped outside.

Kass rolled out his neck as I emerged. “Finally, Helmet. I thought maybe we’d have to heroically go in there and stage a rescue if you took much longer. St...

Chapter 40 - Trustyworthy Quillon

The alchemist’s shop was loaded with things I wanted. Exotic scents filled the dusty air, drifting from packed drawers, shelves, and crates. There was an entire section of mushrooms and fungi, where a wart-covered tomte and her small, bearded ch...

Chapter 39 - The Descent and Arrival

When we made our slow way across the crowded bridge, the sunlight was already fading fast. The strange blue planet in Eros’s sky was tinged pink from the receding sun. 

I stood on the bridge and watched the crush of strange races, sud...

Chapter 38 - The Rolling Woman

I was beyond exhaustion by the time we finally reached a road. Maybe the word “road” was generous. It was a flat stretch of dirt, packed down tight by what looked like countless pairs of boots and wagon wheels. The road bustled with life.

Chapter 37 - The Prize

I followed the group, feeling completely wiped out. Minara had patched up my wounds, I had chugged all my remaining recovery potion vials, and I still felt hollowed out.

I pulled up my notifications and my accomplishments, giving them my ful...

Chapter 36 - Impossibly Filthy

Lyria

I paced at the center of camp, gnawing on one of my nails. Brynn left to get firewood almost an hour ago. Before that, he’d been dumping poison all over his body, screaming bloody murder, and then repeating the process until...

Chapter 35 - Bug Town

Musky pheromones dripped from my chin, fingers, and clothing. I stood in complete silence, eyes wide beneath my helmet as I watched the largest carapax of the group approach me. It was holding a two-handed ax with blades almost as big as my torso....

Chapter 34 - Pheromones

The carapax guard came toward me, halberd drawn back as if it was planning to cut me in half from my nose to my crotch.

I didn’t know if it was my adrenaline, my steadily increasing experience levels, or repeated exposure to terrifying shi...

Looking for some advice from you guys!

There's a major spoiler in this topic if you haven't reached chapter 21, yet. So warning, warning, warning... Anybody who has not read past chapter 21, don't read ahead unless you want spoilers.

Safety space.

Buffer zone.

Spoi...

Chapter 33 - Who Needs Pinky Toes?

Minara was surprisingly willing to be on hand to heal me if anything went wrong. Bloody Steve was happy to watch—not that I asked him to—as long as I agreed to let him have any blood that might result from my little experiments. When ...

Chapter 32 - Tier Two

The morning was unusually cold. I wondered if it was a lingering effect of the briarwraith’s presence. As usual, I drifted toward the back of the group and spent time practicing my abilities. I was happy to see my progress in summoning a fully f...

Chapter 31 - The Terror of Gods

Lyria, Minara and Bloody Steve leaned over me. I was on my back in the cave where we’d left the townspeople.

“What?” I asked. The last thing I remembered was the briarwraith, freezing everything and drifting toward me. But no… That w...

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1 - Jinglefoot

• Chapter 2 - Prestig...

  2024-06-25 17:11:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 30 - Compatible Memory Detected

The Acolyte ran for the cauldron of liquid bait, lifting it and nearly sloshing it on his tunic. He was headed for the rest of the party, who were on their feet but still too dazed to see what was happening.

I ran to cut him off.

Froze...