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The Calamitous Bob 236: GenoCidAL MaNiAc
🕑 Added 2025-03-14 16:05:47 +0000 UTCViv felt her daughter’s worries gnawing at her through their sympathetic bond.
They will be fine!
It was not a lie, just a wish. Viv parried another series of attacks without too much fear. It had grown easier lately because Oleander had patterns he rarely deviated from, and also because [A Light that Never Dims] had been working overtime.
She could do it.
“Go,” Viv said, looking at the arcing artillery spells.
What?
If you die, all is lost.
“I am what I stand for, and what I stand for is helping each other. Trust your old lady for once. I will hold him back.”
But…
This sounds silly.
The risks…
“I can stand against him. Let them see us duel while you save your precious Children of the Scale minions. Come on.”
Don’t die!
Arthur veered off while Viv jumped down. She didn’t need strategy skills to see that the Maranorians were throwing everything they had at her people. That old asshole Jaratalassi must have felt it because all of the other Alliance armies were switching to the attack.
Viv allowed gravity to win again. She landed softly in the middle of a group of retreating Sheem with Nero close behind. The soldiers scattered with cries of damned souls but Viv didn’t kill them. She allowed the sphere of panic to spread unimpeded.
They were dead anyway.
Oleander took his sweet time coming to a stop. With his red wings spread wide, he looked like a vengeful angel coming to smite her ass. Despite the wear and tear of his armor and the slowly closing wounds over his body, she had to admit he was pretty impressive for a manchild with delusions of grandeur who’d lost his shield sometimes during the battle. When his feet touched the corpse-strewn battlefield, the ground hissed. Viv moved her shoulders.
“Are you finally accepting your fate?” he asked her.
[A Light that Never Dims] had been overcharging her for over thirty-six hours, barely fading when she’d caught a thirty-minute nap. It meant that right now, she had more power at her fingertips than she’d ever had in her entire life. She was so filled with it, it was almost painful.
Viv breathed out. Black mana leaked from her every pore. Shadow scars in the world hissed from the tips of her anchors.
She could hold him back if she could cast her strongest spells, and right now, it was possible. She’d trained for over ten years for this specific moment. She’d built the spells she needed to win. And now, her title was making her fast enough to confidently use them in combat.
A second breath and her vision turned gray, not from distress, simply because the black mana concentration reached critical mass.
“You know what?” she replied. “ I think I am. [True Aspect of the Dragon] heightened repertoire: [Mantle]”
Viv manifested blades around her like a porcupine. With a frown, Oleander held his sword in guard position. He must have felt something coming. It wouldn’t make a difference. She cast her next spell.
“Heightened repertoire: [Locus of Perfect Control]”
Her black mana aura expanded in a pulse, recreating the spell that had blighted the arena but a hundred times stronger. The fleeing soldiers were zombified then disintegrated in an instant. All moisture left the corrupted ground under their feet. The air became still and oppressive.
Oleander threw a blade crescent at her. Viv lifted a hand. A void spell carved the attack.
She manifested another in her spare hand.
She was ready.
“Alright. You wanted a duel? Let’s dance.”
The two of them charged each other, exchanging a flurry of attacks that carved the ravaged ground. Viv merely had to rotate on herself to allow her mantle to cleave through Oleander’s offense. He was still surprisingly predictable despite clear signs she was reading him. Viv’s online friend Gevaudan would have said she had memorized his boss attack patterns. The thought made her smile. Oleander must have felt it, because he struck harder. It made little difference since he had not yet realized that the locus was disrupting the mana structure of all of his attacks, weakening them.
“You waited a long time to find your courage and make this fair,” Oleander mocked.
“Fair? You poor delusional fucker.”
Viv finished casting her next little surprise. It started with a ball of void, then a sphere of portals around that ball of void. Oleander backed up with a frown which Viv could only assume meant he hadn’t sparred against Crest in recent memory.
The receiving portals manifested all around him. Void blade tore through the soil again, hissing through the air. Oleander still managed to dodge most of them, and only took a glancing blow but that was what Viv had expected. With a focus, all the portals rotated in random directions.
The cage of beams around the blade master moved erratically. Viv smiled when Oleander screamed.
“[Reign of Terror]. Do you like it?” she asked.
“FUCK YOU.”
The spell faded. Oleander raced away, bleeding a shocking, vivid red in the gray background. That almost made Viv miss a step.
She… had gotten him? Really? All of her previous attacks had felt like hitting a brick wall with a mallet. The fact that he was finally seriously wounded was enough to give her pause. Hope ballooned in her chest.
Alright maybe not too much hope; that shit was dangerous.
“If you think you’ve won… [Second Wind],” he yelled.
A ball of crimson light flooded the newly made deadlands. Divine mana coursed through Oleander’s body, closing dark gashes and even regenerating his white armor. Of fucking course. She should have expected something like this. There had to be immortality-related skills in his toolset. It still meant he couldn't move for a few seconds. That gave her some time to prepare her next move.
***
Nero was reborn again. The power tinted with Maranor’s divine presence filled his limbs, rejuvenating them and renewing his desire to win. As the shield faded, hungry black mana returned to gnaw at his resolve with a vengeance. The witch didn’t realize it yet but he could never —
Portals opened around him again. The same attack? Really? This time, he wouldn’t try to dodge. He stabbed his sword at his feet.
[Enduring Orb]
She was using her strongest skills so he would, as well. Gritting his teeth, he cursed himself for selecting such a defensive path.
[Reign of Terror]
The blades bit into the sphere around him, carving through defenses that should have been impregnable. Even the air leeched red mana from his defenses. After half a breath, the shield cracked and a new, fresh line of pain cut across his shoulder. He couldn’t let her cast freely. It was a mistake to keep his distance against a space mage, and he had to resign himself to the realization that she, too, was a space mage. Perhaps as good as Crest.
“Fine!”
He charged ahead, using one of his rare offensive skills to form a spear of mana. Even keeping it formed was difficult.
The ball of murderous black spikes that was the witch didn’t move. He could only spot the green circles of her eyes behind multiple layers of protection. He couldn’t read any emotion in those.
She formed a rectangle with her fingers, so that only one eye remained like one of the moons seen from the bottom of a well. Nero felt something latch on his soul. He immediately switched to a defensive position. He would never reach her before she finished casting. Despite this, his danger sense screamed in alarm.
[Enduring Sphere].
“[Solipsist’s vista]”, she whispered.
The spell hit him in a wave that ignored all of his defenses, like a ghostly hand passing through his heart. He gasped in pain and surprise when he felt as if a layer had been peeled from who he was. The meaning behind the spell stabbed him next.
YOU DO NOT EXIST.
From the corner of his eye, he saw shapes puff into nothingness. The sentence coursed through his mind, chasing away all other thoughts. He focused.
It felt wrong.
The familiar warmth of Maranor’s favor shone like a fire at the end of a tunnel. He merely had to reach it. He merely had not to give up. One step. After the other.
I exist.
I do exist.
I have a purpose.
The spell failed. He was back. Where was he? Oh, right, the battle. And the witch. Moving forward with a punching motion. He parried, but her fist disappeared into a portal.
Another opened right in front of his face. Still disoriented, he didn’t react in time. Knuckles landed on his nose. Black mana streamed into his nostril, choking him. He slashed the threat away but the portal had already closed.
***
Viv felt a visceral satisfaction putting years of research into punching people in the face from afar into practice. Didn’t do much damage or his danger sense would have helped him block it, but fucking hell did it feel good to deck the asshole. A whisper of fate told her to retract her arm before it could be cut.
It was a psychological victory. Totally worth it.
Now to do it again.
***
Order Master Ered of the White Orchard, the world’s most elite heavy cavalry order, wiped Duke Stelan’s blood off his spear. He’d attended his daughter’s wedding the previous summer.
“Never liked the man anyway,” he grumbled.
“Sir?”
Ered turned his gaze on the ‘radio operator’ lad by his side. It was a shame having to change proper traditions on the fly like that, but at least the boy could ride, fight, and follow orders.
“What?”
“Sir, General Jaratalassi respectfully suggests that you charge the Shadowlander cavalry five hundred paces in front of us, and to our left.”
Ered huffed. Light cavalry. They’d retreat and he would have to withdraw at some point as well. That back-and-forth dance was getting tiring. And risky. He looked towards the demigods duking it out in the distance. The witch cast another strategic spell that could wipe out half a city like it was nothing.
He harbored no delusion that the winner of the conflict would eventually rule mankind. There were no armies capable of stopping either of those monsters. At least, with the girl, he knew she could take part in a cavalry charge. He remembered riding down the Hallurians with his spear loaded with black mana. That had been something.
“I just want an open field I can cross from one end to the other. Is this too much for a man to ask?” he complained.
His second and his herald chuckled. They understood. This was a shit war when he couldn’t charge another knight with the wind in his beard.
“Humph! Well, let’s ride. Now where are those accursed shadowlanders?”
“Between the giant spider matriarch and the wasp throwers, milord.”
All Ered could do was sigh. Was something wrong with old-fashioned war?
“What a time to be alive.”
***
Marruk stood next to her father. The Red Spear shone like a beacon at the head of the formation, the artifact's power fueled by the love of his people. She signaled, and the Red Tribe heavies formed a gauntlet of barbed steel around her. The pakar riders moved to the right flank, the very edge of the formation. A forest of steel tips formed right behind them. Above, the shield deployed by her shamans added a blue radiance to the cold winter air. They were ready.
“My people,” she roared, fury making her louder than ever in her life.
The Red Tribe roared back. Their cries eclipsed even the distant detonations. The kark had always been loud, too loud sometimes, but today?
Loud was good when you needed to make a point.
“We have not pushed the Pure League back to be taken down by some other assholes. Today we repay our debt of honor to the Black Witch - our friend! Today, we show the humans that we will never be crushed again! We are the Red Tribe! We are risen and never again will we fall, not from the Lutenese, and not from those upstart Maranorians either. I declare… BLOOD FEUD!”
The kark warcries reached a crescendo that made the reserve troops in front of them pale, and others turned worried glances in their direction. The Red Spear in her father’s hand burnt crimson with Arthur’s gifted dragon fire.
“CHAAAAAAARGE!”
Maybe it was a skill or maybe it was just pure rage, but Marruk felt she had wings at her feet. She took off towards the enemies’ panicked lines like a ball of steel and vengeance, and when her gaze met that of the enemy officer, she smiled.
“You should have killed us when you had the chance.”
Then she was in the middle of them, past the shield wall, braining foes left and right and her people wasn’t far behind.
***
The Hopecrusher was a little concerned because the Harrakans were singing. Their war machines and mages were moving out of the so-far impregnable fortifications while the crossbow bitches unloaded barrel after barrel of those armor-piercing bolts into his best troops. He had a plan though: kill their lead formation. He led his city’s palace guards into the fray, the Shadowland’s best infantry. If only more vanguards had survived the campaign! It would take decades to refill their ranks.
The Harrakan lines weren’t far now. Their war machines had stopped shooting on his meager shield. That would have been their only chance. Now he was going to —
The heavies were moving. The wall of shields was getting closer, with the white masks of their holders peeking just above the line. By the goddess, those fuckers were big. And coming at him very fast. A quick inspection returned something about ‘Imperial Guard’ and ‘One Hundred’ but he barely paid attention.
“Hold!” he ordered. Brace!”
It was a wall. A wall was coming at him. A quick glance to the side showed imperials wearing red-turbans demolishing a hastily formed shield line. Why were his soldiers behaving like such amateurs? He would show them. With confidence, he stepped forward, axe ready. With one hand, he grabbed a shield and with the other, he struck.
A spear hit against his chestplate, eliciting a grunt of pain but the enchanted piece held. The enemy soldier tilted his head, the axe blow sliding along the helmet to bite on the pauldron, carving through it and his clavicle. The Hopecrusher couldn’t capitalize on it because he’d expected to flip the shield like a piece of flatbread but that had failed. Stopping the wall failed as well. He was pushed back. He almost fell, feet stumbling. His palace guard didn’t fare well either. They were not line holders.
His troops were thrown in disarray.
“Reform!” he screamed. “Reform and hold!”
Three spears went for him. He was forced to block and sidestep the attacks, letting them glance on his heavy armor instead. His attempt to finish off the wounded heavy failed when the man simply stepped to the side, letting the next person replace him. It was a woman with the flag attached to her back.
Finally, a lucky break. He recognized her as the obnoxious bitch who kept resisting his skills. Now with her as his single focus, he could finally get rid of that pesky aura of fearlessness. He focused all his monstrous intimidation in a tight wave and unleashed it upon the flagbearer. At the same time, he struck with [Crushing Blow].
“Hoh!”
The woman deflected the hit. His axe’s blade banged on her shield. As for the blast of pure hopelessness, it just… didn’t find purchase. It wasn’t resisted so much as it seemed to have missed. This had never happened before.
“What the —”
Furious, the Hopecrusher pressed on. His skill lashed out with all the rage he felt, but found no purchase. It was like waving his arm in an empty room, and yet he felt her presence. He knew she was there, right in front of him. His intimidation just couldn’t find her. Her attacks were pathetic and predictable but his own were blocked without fail.
“Hoh!”
“Why. Don’t. You. Just. DIE!”
“Hoh!”
Another deflection, another strike arrested by her shield. Its runic protections were flagging. He just had to keep at it.
“It can’t be…”
The Hopecrusher was forced to fall back when his men started to run.
“What the fuck are you DOING? Are you not Maranorians?”
But they still ran. He first refused to retreat because his pride couldn’t take it, but as the Imperial Guard smoothly closed in around him, he knew he had to disengage. As he stepped back, however, the black ones closed in much faster.
[Champion Slayer]
Mad with rage and humiliation, the Hopecrusher turned on the one who’d led him to be caught. In his grim face and muscular body, the Hopecrusher recognized a kindred spirit. The two engaged in a furious duel.
The enemy spearman was a peerless fighter, able to face him like a duelist as easily as he faced the palace guards in the line. The two exchanged deadly blows while the Hopecrusher kept an eye on the other foes who, so far, had kept a respectful distance.
“Is that the best Maranor has to offer?” the captain asked in Imperial. “Where are your elites?”
That sent the Hopecrusher over the edge.
“You presumptuous fool! We will —”
“Hoh!”
The Hopecrusher’s knee gave way with a crunch and a terrible pain.
“You!”
Another spear found his flank as he collapsed, then another. The captain slapped his axe arm down. The Hopecrusher tried to rise but there was just too much agony, too many forces pushing him left and right. He longed to insult the enemy captain, and he would as soon as he could clear his throat from the liquid. He just had to cough it away. More blows fell.
The last thought that crossed his mind was disbelief.
***
Ban Junior ordered the line to reform, though there were no enemy formations around. Somehow, the One Hundred were always lacking enemies. Their dedicated shield array waited nearby with the mages puffing smoke from his pipe. Ban Junior threw him a nasty glare but the man just shrugged.
“Brick, how are you? You’re looking a little pale.”
The guy she’d stopped had felt pretty important, but that unstoppable force had met the immovable dumbass. Brick closed her eyes. A single tear rolled down her ruddy cheek.
“Shield arm hurts.”
Shit, it was definitely shattered.
“Medic?” his second in command yelled.
Several heavies moved to prop up the poor girl on her good side.
“You are to return to our backlines and get healed immediately. Do you understand?” Ban asked, suddenly quite worried.
“Okay…”
“Don’t worry sir. We got her.”
Ban Junior watched her go. She would be fine but it was annoying how he had to ask her if she was hurt or she would just soldier through pretty much anything. Now where to go.
Looking right, the Mountain Lords had managed a pincer move with the Red Tribe, catching hundreds of Maranorians. They didn’t need help.
Looking left, the remaining heavies were far in front of them. Beyond that, some enterprising fool had charged the priest village, only to find it reinforced by retired Harrakan warriors including his own dad. It had gone exactly as he’d expected.
Looking forward, the palace guards were running away. His ‘radio’ was silent. There was, once again, a terrible dearth of enemies around. One of his men sighed.
“It’s kinda bor —”
“Shut up.”
***
Crest watched the seventh circle’s shield collapse under the combined effort of two dragons and Harrakan air mage cadres led by an old gray mage whose beard floated like a cape.
He’d read about them in books but he couldn’t believe their techniques and doctrines had survived the collapse. It should have been impossible! The offensive he’d suggested had collapsed. All of the front were in full retreat. The kark army, against all odds, had managed to envelop a Shadowland regiment. Baranese cavalry was crushing every formation that tried to gather in order to stop that massive spider, one that was protected from artillery spells by a dense network of shamanic casters. The Maranorians still held the number advantage but… would it matter? They’d thrown their best troops at the alliance and failed to breach even one part of their line.
A cold realization washed over his shoulders like melted ice. His eyes roved over the carnage of the battlefield, confirming what he refused to believe.
“Are we… are we… losing?”
***
Viv felt the battle shift. The first sign was Oleander’s increasing disbelief as he was pushed back, bleeding, towards his mages’ shields. The second sign was that surviving vanguards came to reinforce him.
“No you don’t.”
She infused the land at her feet with monstrous amounts of change mana.
[Harvester Wall]
Earth rose like a wave. That wave traveled forward in a tide of screaming faces and misshapen limbs reaching for their next victims. Predictably, the vanguards turned and ran. Oleander didn’t. Viv was forced to teleport before attacking again in a torrent of void blades. He attacked, left right left left and —
Viv jumped to the side when a half-assed strike almost stabbed her arm. His follow up missed her completely, then she riposted. He was growing more erratic. Weirdly, that made him more annoying.
A portal opened in the air. Arthur flew out.
Now where were we, you stupid feathery snack?
Viv jumped on her back again. Dragonfire splashed over Oleander who was forced to retreat. They followed with fury but also patience. The fight was far from won. Still looked good though. They even got closer.
Viv stabbed with a dozen blades. Oleander ducked, sidestepped, and tried to strike only to catch a tail whip in the flank. She opened a portal behind him as he slowed down, cast through it and closed it. Oleander twisted on the side to dodge most of the blades, but not all of them. That made him miss the air blade coming from the front. Before he could recover, Arthur clawed him. His counter bounced against a newly erected shield. A hail of sharpened stone slammed into his face.
“Ngah! [Wave of domination!]”
Viv and Arthur were pushed back by a massive wave.
Mother, please take the locus down.
It’s affecting me as well.
“Oh sorry.”
Viv stopped and finished the spell. The moment she did so, a larger portal manifested by Oleander’s side. He slashed, only for the strike to be deflected by another blade.
“You’re such a second rate duelist,” Eron of Solar huffed.
“I’ve had enough. Of this!” screamed Oleander.
Viv watched Nero rush into the portal towards the blurry form of Sidjin but he never made it. A steel and silverite freight train named Junior forced him back at cruising speed. Watching the golem pin Oleander against the eldritch wall she had raised earlier felt cathartic. The pair did their best to dismember him.
“[Wave of Domination!]”
They were pushed back. Oleander was no longer winning but they were struggling to land a lasting wound on him. With time, people would tire, and then they wouldn’t lose but they’d have losses. And Viv wasn’t willing to allow it. At the moment, she wasn’t casting. She was praying.
“Please, Enttiku. It’s now or never. Let me do it.”
A caress made Viv jump. It was a cold hand on a feverish neck: comfort without judgment.
“You must promise me that you will face the consequences. That you will not run from your destiny.”
“I never run. I… only strategically reposition. Sometimes.”
“Good enough.”
Something was removed from her soul.
[Restriction lifted: forbidden repertoire unlocked.]
Finally.
“Keep him down, boys!”
Viv started casting. Solar performed a maneuver that allowed him to grab Oleander’s sword arm without getting hurt. Junior grabbed the Champion of Maranor from behind, lifting him. They couldn’t hurt him but they could hold him back for a moment. It looked like his [Wave of Domination] couldn’t be cast in quick succession.
Viv was ready. The spell took the form of a triple spell orb centered on a dark mass hovering above her palm. The spell array looked very complex but it wasn’t what mattered. What mattered was that only she had the mastery over black mana to cast this abomination.
Solar’s expression soured. He had good instincts. Only Junior didn’t flinch when she rushed forward, leaving a paralyzed Arthur’s behind. It was a testament to Oleander’s self-control that he managed to raise his left arm to block the strike before it could hit her chest, but even he struggled against the hex’s revolting aura. Viv had never engaged in necromancy. This wasn’t necromancy, or flesh crafting, or any of the dark gods’ domains, no. It was simply much worse.
[Forbidden repertoire: soul warp.]
Oleander’s left arm twisted into a mangled mess. The scream that erupted from his throat carried a lifetime’s worth of dread. It was enough to allow him to break free from the golem with a creak of tortured servos, then he was fleeing. Viv didn’t try to run after him. Fate coalesced into a terrible warning. She jumped back on Arthur’s back. They took off.
***
Pain horror pain horror pain horror. His body wasn’t his. That thing wasn’t his. But his soul recognized it as his, as if it had always been this way, and it was wrong. It was wrong!
[Warning: interface c̴o̸r̴r̷u̴p̸t̸i̴o̶n̴ ̴d̷e̸t̴e̶c̵t̸e̸d̷]
No no no no that bitch was dead. She was dead and then he was going to cut off his arm and then Maranor was going to fix him.
Nero’s intact right hand closed on the hilt of the Slayer.
It was time.
***
It wasn’t fear grasping for She-Who-Feasts-And-Collects’ heart. Fear was for humans. And people who didn’t know what to do. The blade that killed Judgment was being drawn and that was Bad. She would know what to do very soon.
Mother.
Mother, what shall we do?
Motherrrrrrrr.
“Don’t worry,” Viv said. “I have a plan! Go over there!”
The pair flew at a right angle until the alliance army was no longer at their back. Arthur did not panic at all.
Mother, what now?
Silence. She-Who-Feasts-And-Collects felt very weird, like she was missing something. She looked back towards mother.
Her back was bare of pesky relatives.
Mother?
***
Viv hit the ground when the Slayer fully cleared its sheath. She had to admit, the power it radiated was absolutely impressive, and in a way, also tempting. It was the tool that had propelled humanity towards a civilization that, despite all odds, had spread throughout several continents. In any other circumstances she would have wanted to enjoy the show, but it was impossible. The blade was drawn for her. It was going to strike her. She felt it like a pain in her stomach, as if she’d already been stabbed. It was going to hit her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
The world grew silent. All the fighting stopped as the combined forces of mankind held their breath. Her own came ragged and short from the sheer pressure. A red radiance permeated everything, blinding her.
There was no plan.
No one could stop a divine artifact. It was fine because Nero would be broken by this. The alliance would win this battle. Her people would survive. And then, assuming Nero ever recovered, the mysterious orphan adopted by one of Arthur’s children would avenge her. She was the mentor figure, and the girl was secreted away with enough teachers to turn her into a juggernaut. Viv’s succession was also secure in the person of her daughter.
Only she had the power to force Nero to draw that sword and she’d done it. Her role was complete.
The ultimate test of a sovereign was to allow their nation to prosper after their end. This was it. She cast her strongest shields, layering them.
She grabbed her old shield. The unwieldy block of metal represented everything she stood for. With gloved fingers, she caressed the uneven surface. Above, Arthur was screaming but that was ok. Children would never be ready for the loss of a parent anyway. Fate narrowed to a single line in her mind.
Nero struck.
It was a deceptively simple attack, one she’d seen knights perform countless times in the training yards. It was almost slow. The slayer looked almost too old and too rustic to be a sword, really. It left a red cut in the air.
Viv tasted her own blood before it could even travel, and when it did, she couldn’t move. A heat of the soul crashed against her, forcing tears out immediately. She gathered just enough strength to move her head to the side and even this was almost too much. The feeling of being on fire intensified until it became too much, and she screamed. Even with pain tolerance and all the willpower she could gather, she screamed. It was that painful.
The traveling line obliterated all the shields Nero hadn’t ever managed to dent like they didn’t exist. The physical shield in her hand was vaporized into floating particles in an instant. Even Judgment’s scale wasn’t spared.
She was dead.
“Have a little faith,” a long forgotten voice whispered in her ear.
The barely conscious part of her mind remembered a certain inquisitor who had perished on Sardanal’s cradle. The old man had never given up. Even when he’d shielded her from the spider goddess’ blow.
“Denerim?” she managed to croak.
BONG.
The red line stopped against an ethereal circle of golden light. Blinking through the pain, she could hardly believe her own eyes. It looked like Nero couldn’t either. Then something yanked on her mana and swallowed several strategic spells’ worth of power in an instant.
A mana vortex formed around the golden circle, first strong, then stronger until even the wind roared in, dragged along with the gray mana. Pennants and flags whipped towards her while the vortex rotated ever faster, swallowing mana at an impossible rate. Skills failed. Spells wavered. Even the distant shields of her arrays flickered. The superheated cloud of particles that used to be her physical shield coalesced into an incandescent disc that spun, white hot yet comfortably toasty for her. Slowly, it cooled, revealing a silver targe with a black and white finish. Thirteen bands linked to the center where the flag of New Harrak was stamped, still cooling. Just like the Slayer, it looked deceptively simple, but the sheen on it burnt with an inner light that left no doubt about its nature.
[Shield of Thirteen (Artifact)
Blessed by six species (humans, hadals, merl, yries, kark, dragons), four gods (Neriad, Efestar, Sardanal, Enttiku), and three groups forged into one nation (New Harrak, Harrakan Remnants, refugees), this shield embodies the hopes and shared dreams of a people brought together by the desire to prosper against all odds. It reaches its full potential in the hands of the rightfully recognized leader of New Harrak. Current potential: full.
Effects:
Indestructible.
Imperial Aegis: blocks all harmful effects (front-facing direction only) up to and including divine skills.
Imperial Haven: blocks diffuse harmful effect in a five-paces sphere (radiation, toxins etc) ]
The Slayer’s blow had faded. Viv was still standing. Under the stupefied gazes of the two armies, she allowed herself to smile through the pain, a figure of legend backlit by golden energy.
And then, very slowly, she fell on her ass.
***
Despite his wounds, despite the atrocious pain of a mangled soul, Oleander still managed to move forward, still approached her. He used his intact arm to grab his other sword and almost struck down the squirming form of Viv even as a portal opened to disgorge help. He could see her exposed flesh, then he could see nothing but white scale. A fury of claws forced him to retreat, but she was too young to stop him. He cut through the mana of her spell. He aimed for her throat.
A shield stopped her, then he was looking into the burning hatred of her crimson eyes.
You may not.
“[Third Wind]”
He tried to activate his final recovery skill but it partly failed. Still wounded, his soul cracked, he pushed against her with all that was left of his might. She stood against him. The fire of Maranor burnt in his soul, still, but the dragon was suddenly stronger, her strikes more certain. Even her spells were more potent than her age should allow.
“That… is impossible. Impossible. Impossible.”
The Slayer should have killed her. It should have. He couldn’t accept that he’d sacrificed his soul for nothing.
“Give her to me. Give her life to me. GIVE IT!”
A white clawed hand grabbed him, slammed him into the ground. The dragoness twisted and whipped his face down with her tail as he was rising again.
“Get away!” he screamed.
You may not have her.
All that is mine, is mine.
All that is yours, I will take.
For my name.
Is AVARICE.
The ground under Oleander buckled and kicked him mid air where he was engulfed in dragon fire. It was too much for him. Even with the witch disabled, he couldn’t get through.
The last nail was the clouds parting. Oleander looked up, and ran.
***
“Oooooh that hurts,” Viv gasped. “Ow ow ow ow ow.”
That was going to leave a mark. On her face. At least she was already going steady so even if she was disfigured, it would be fine. Hey, Sidjin had a scar too! Now they were a proper match.
Maybe she was in some sort of shock. Anyway. Oleander had drawn. He’d wasted his secret ace and now it was Viv’s turn to use her own and finish this once and for all. She reached for her earpiece.
“Solfis, Solfis can you hear me?”
//I COPY, YOUR MAJESTY.
“Solfis, he did it. He drew the Slayer. And I lived.”
//AS I HAD FULL CONFIDENCE YOU WOULD.
//I NEVER DOUBTED.
//IT IS TIME.
//UNLEASH US.
“Solfis you are clear to engage.”
//COMMENCING FINAL APPROACH.
***
Crest knew something was wrong the moment the witch didn’t die. He soon had something else to worry about.
The clouds parted, dark vapor fading like mist, and what he had thought was the grasping hand of the deadlands disappeared to reveal a mountain. A floating mountain. A moving, floating mountain. No one knew what to do, even as reserves threw themselves at the alliance to stop their advance. It was a pitched battle in front of them, but all the eyes that were not locked down for their own survival were up now, staring at the terrifying shape.
“Is that… the Chalice?” the nearest Helockian warmage whispered.
It was the chalice. Crest recognized it from his own stays at the city, only it was the Chalice in the same way the Slayer could be called ‘a sword’. Gone was the verdant and messy rock. In its stead was a smooth surface of stone, steel, and silverite marked by the patient hands of hundreds of workers over tens of thousands of hours. It was an engraved, sublime castle shaped like a lozenge. The very sight of it, an object so large, so regular, floating in the air, induced vertigo. Crest could see panels peeling back in the lower part of the main body. Despite his better judgment, he inspected it.
[Harrakan Experimental Flying Fortress. Designation: Solfis. Danger level: ERROR. Adjusting scale. New danger level established: Apoc̴̛̙̤̤̈̽̔̀͐̂̽̊̈́̒̄̒̕͜͠ͅa̶̜̾̔͌̊̾̂̕l̵̨̛̝͙̙͈̞͇͈͙͔̀̿̆̎̏̉͒̌̔̇ÿ̷̠̬͉̮̮̹̫̩͍̱͍̜́̋͋͛̄̏̈́͐͠p̷̧̘̠̜̓̇̓̂̐͂̒͊̉s̵̛̛͍̜͇̽̍̑͊ͅẽ̸̙̤͈͎̞̩͕̬͕͐̊//DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW?
//IT IS TOO LATE.
//TO RUN.
//MEATBAGS
Crest blinked. Blood dripped from his nose. In the distance, puffs of smoke erupted from the flying fortress. Explosions tore through the rallying Maranorians. Crest knew that they had enough soldiers who hadn’t fought yet to win, if they stopped the enemy advance. It was a critical moment.
“That thing has cannons! Forget about everything else,” he told the archmage. “Can you shoot it down?”
“We would need to redraw our arrays! That thing is far and high. We can’t even aim at it right now!”
“Well, do it then!”
They had to stop it, or, or…
Oleander landed next to him. He looked terrible. His face twitched with nervous ticks and there was something terribly wrong with his left arm. Despite all of the anger he’d felt those past few weeks, he stepped forward to help his old friend, but Nero batted his arm away.
“Sorry. S— sorry. Just. I just need a moment.”
Fuck. It was bad but Crest thought they might have to retreat.
The battle was lost. Unbelievable. As looked forward though, he realized that the alliance soldiers were falling back.
“Eh?”
“That will buy us some time,” the Helockian warmage grumbled as he and his peers adjusted their arrays.
Crest looked ahead again. At the center of the lozenge four panels pulled back over what looked like a lens. It glowed with energy. Crest felt the mana shift around him. He tried to open a portal and failed. The area around them was spatially locked.
A bitter smile of resignation was all he could manage. Despite it all, he placed a hand over his lost friend’s shoulder and pushed. At first, space refused to bulge but a prayer to the Goddess of Order helped. Her divine sigil briefly appeared on her champion’s brow.
“What… are you… what?”
Nero was drooling. His speech was slurred and halting. Crest sighed, still smiling.
“You killed us all, you dumbass.”
But he saved his friend anyway. Unfortunately, the portal only worked to let the chosen one escape. He was left behind. Crest turned to face the end.
He should have stopped before returning to Param. Now he only had himself to blame for what would follow.
***
Viv was lying on her back watching the Maranorians fight. There were still a lot of them, and her people were still bleeding.
It was time to send a message, not just to them but to absolutely everyone present, even her allies who might later reconsider their allegiance.
“Solfis.”
//Your Majesty.
//Direct approval from the sovereign is required to fire the main weapon on Harrakan soil.
//Please give the order.
“Solfis. I want those fuckers. Off my land.”
//Order Acknowledged.
//Calamity Engine cycling complete.
//Preparing to fire at half power.
//Please stand by.
[Your draconic intimidation has reached the master level.
Your draconic intimidation has merged with Champion’s Leadership]
“What? Really? Now?”
[New merged skill obtained: GENOCIDAL MANIAC
“I never bluff.”
You have done it.
You dragged a murderous ancient AI through the desert, gave it a body, gave it a cause, helped it reproduce, and then built a massive flying fortress to house its mind which you also connected to the God Core, giving it virtually unlimited power.
You have adopted a race of genetically-engineered assassins and given them a home. And parental duty.
You have killed a prince by pouring molten gold down his throat. You have slain a fifth-rank champion with a surprise attack after he promised to harm your people.
You reforged an empire and led it to successful wars against several factions.
You introduced world-changing technologies to Param including limb regrowth, gun powder, and democracy.
You introduced the light gods to movie night.
You redeemed a dark god. Thanks for that by the way. I like him better now.
You conquered the remnants while a fraction of their size.
You ‘liberated’ the god core for your own designs despite all of your movies repeating that some powers should remain buried.
You united several species under your banner including dragons.
You are winning a war against the greatest coalition humans have ever formed.
You withstood a blow from the Slayer.
You just ordered the death of ten thousand men and women.]
“Well they could have just, you know, not invaded.”
[Genocidal maniac will terrify most entities and bolster those on your side with the certainty that yes, you will, in fact, do the thing.]
“Why do I get this skill only after the hard part is over?”
***
In Solfis’ command room, Abe stood aside from his control panel. The redeemed lich frowned at the readings.
//FINALLY.
“Are you alright, Solfis? I am reading strange fluctuations in your energy output.”
//YES.
//I AM BETTER THAN ALRIGHT.
//I AM.
//PERFECT.
***
“What now?” Ered grumbled.
Someone was talking in his earpiece. It was a voice he didn’t recognize.
//COMMUNICATION ARRAY OVERRIDE ENGAGED.
//MAIN GUN IS ABOUT TO FIRE.
//SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
//I REPEAT.
//SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
“What does that mean?” he asked the radio lad.
“Means we need to fall back right away, sir.”
Ered looked at the enemy rank in front of him, ripe for the taking.
“Really?” he asked.
“Right away, right away.”
Something in the boy’s tone convinced him.
“Alright lads. Pull back! Pull back!”
For once, nobody complained.
***
The forces of the alliance stopped, turned around, and retreated. Now given a moment to breathe, the Maranorians oscillated between surprise and disbelief until they looked up. The fortress’ central lens turned white with energy, like a second sun. Some ran. Others prayed. Some didn’t know what to do as they reformed their lines with stoic determination. All could feel the pressure. They knew that something was coming, and they hoped that it would target someone else.
***
//FIRING SEQUENCE INITIATED.
//5
//4
On the fortress, the gun ports closed while the crew rushed to their assigned positions.
***
On the ground, Viv stood up. Slowly because everything hurt. She was still ahead of her formation, and quite a few of the Maranorians were looking her way.
“Finally, I’ve always wanted to say this,” she gasped through the pain. “Witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational flying —hmph!”
Viv caught a faceful of dragon. Cursing quite loudly, Arthur covered her with her wings.
***
//3
//2
//1
//FIRE.
It started with a sharp crack, like a whip. Reality turned white and black, quiet, unmoving. A line of black energy hit forward at the perfect center between all the Maranorian’s shields where their remaining elites and rulers waited. The beam didn’t stop so much as pass through. The light bent, not behind, but inward. Those who watched struggled to process space seemingly warp on itself to form a funnel pulling down and beyond. The archmages still stood until the lines of their bodies turned to strings swallowed by the funnel, then the same happened to their neighbors and to their neighbors’ neighbors. Even the spells themselves were warped rather than broken. That strange hole that wasn’t one grew deeper. It was as if a mountain-sized child was poking his finger in a slate of putty. For a moment the funnel reached so deep, something might crack, but the cannon quieted, the beam disappeared, and space bounced back.
It also exploded.
It was more a loud ‘pang’ than the deep ‘boom’ of artillery.
The cataclysmic detonation obliterated the mage shields, their tents and absolutely everything else in a half a league radius. Every human nearby fell when the shockwave hit them. An expanding orb of fire and matter darkened the sky above the battlefield. Debris as large as houses rained down, some endangering the alliance line. It took twenty seconds for the last of the calamitous noise to fade and for the smaller rocks to land. Twenty seconds of horrified silence. Twenty seconds of pure, unadulterated terror at what had just occurred. That time was too short to comprehend how the balance of the world had irremediably changed and how this event marked the beginning of a new era. It was just enough time to remember that the battle wasn’t over just quite yet.
“Sahin?” Viv whispered in her earpiece.
“I. Ah. Yes?”
“Sahin, I think a red flag is called for now.”
“Ah. Hm. Yes. Yes, indeed!”
***
Ered resisted the urge to tsk. Truly, this was the end of war. What nation could ever refuse Harrak anymore after that? It was very lucky he’d chosen the right leader for Baran. They would need diplomacy in the coming years.
“All units, this is Sahin. Red flag, red flag, red flag,” a voice said in his ear.
“What does that even mean?” he asked the radio lad.
“That —”
The boy didn’t get the time to reply. A powerful knight on a massive black charger rode close, brushing dust off the blue roses of his armor.
“That means all units capable of charging must charge to the end of the other field, old man. It’s time to finish this.”
“Rollo,” Ered growled.
“So are you leading the charge or what? I’m waiting.”
Ered looked at the field in front of him where the Maranorians were picking themselves up. Besides the massive, glassy, smoking crater where their generals used to be, it was flat terrain all the way down. Flat terrain filled with enemies.
“Finally a good fucking order.”
Spider riders, pakar riders, and those annoying steel beasts roared forward loaded with infantry. Even the archers and those feral crossbow women were running ahead with ululating battle cries. The entire alliance advanced like an unstoppable wave. Ered led the heavy cavalry. The alliance took captives by the tens of thousand and, just as ordered, they only stopped on the other side.
Comments
ItWasIDIO!!
Again!! CHEKHOV'S GUN!!! You know literally listened to the audible when it came out still forgot
ItWasIDIO!!
I was wondering where this man was
Samuel
Averice was foreshadowed in Chapter 86. Viv inspects Arthur's pouch - Purse of Kindness and Averice: Artifact etc
Roombot
I absolutely cannot wait to see her deploy it against some moronic rube, probably Maranor’s bishop or something, and he shits his pants off
Roombot
Solfis’s ultimate vindication in the form of Viv’s new skill. He never doubted for a moment 🤣
Roombot
Literally indestructible. Beat THAT, Maranor, you awful tyrant!
Moatdog
Honestly I was hoping for Meadow to take it, I thought Stormy was of the fire branch
Sardeed
Same, and i think avarice fits better, it is less malicious and a more possessive kinda deal.
Han Pol
AH I had her under greed in my head cannon till now:D
Moatdog
Bro not all of them were in the tents or grouped up in a ball waiting for the death ray.
Moatdog
Khaton (the dark god of corruption maranor was said to be working with) still has to make an appearance and a partially corrupted Nero seems like a good vessel
RonGAR
@matt Massive fortification? Dude, it was a bunch of tents! LMAO. Yes yes, Some of them were magically shielded for sure, but those shield didn't hold, and what was below them were just tents. LOL
Matt Cannon
They are attacking a city with massive fortifications, probably spread out across like 10 miles. The description made it sound like this was a tactical nuke with a yield of maybe 5 KT. That would have a ground zero AOE of only a mile or so (see Hiroshima, which was about 15 KT). So yeah it makes sense that most of the army actually survived. The important part is this is an attack that no one (except maybe Viv with get shield) can defend against. The only way to not suffer a total loss would be to scatter but that means giving up on holding any strategic objective.
Matt Cannon
Khaton was the previous king of the gods, and the 2md one directly challenged by Emeric and the others. His was always the domain of defilement, corruption, pestilance, etc. He managed to partially escape the fight with Emeric and Maranor eons ago, he "was sttuck down, but a part of him survived". I cant recall if that was Emeric talking to Viv (while attending the academy), or Neriad/Maradoc when hunting the necrarch. We know Maranor allied with him as a means of breaking the power of the other light gods so she could as end the throne. I know it was emeric that said Khaton is "currently in the middle of a botched ressurection".
Max E Malekzadeh
As someone who was in the military trust me when I say that there is no disrespect being shown by calling Brick "The Immovable Dumbass." Look at the care taken with her after they realize she's hurt rather than words. I don't know if Mecanimus was actually in the military or is just well informed but this is very much an I can insult my sibling but I still love them part of military life lol
Senko
You know on rereading that description of the calamity given sounds worryingly like a black hole on the verge of forming or a breach through whatever the anchors are meant to stabilise. Either way firing it at full power would probably be a bad idea.
Senko
I think (would need to go back through the earlier books to be sure) he was a god of bloodshed and conflict. The darkside of a war e.g. slaughtering villages like the pure league were doing to the kark.
Istyatur Elestel
Ive been waiting for the shield to become an artifact since like the third book. (Which was only three days ago for me but still). And this did not disappoint. I did not expect genocidal maniac to show up though.
Kennyevilmonkey
I've reread this 4 times already. Gods this is a great chapter.
David Oldfield
pretty sure the fertilizer could be put to good use.
RonGAR
She deserves more respect than to be called the 'immovable dumbass' . SMH. From what I see, She won that battle almost single-handed. If she wasn't there, there would've been a trail of brown left by the rest of them as they ran away.
Emily Gurnavage
Damn, you really had me for a second there. I really thought Viv was going to die, although I also thought she was gonna become a God right after, but still. Got me good.
RonGAR
I hope so, because it gives us something to read, but I don't see why that is Viv's job. Isn't that for the other 'light' gods to do?
RonGAR
Maybe... He had used two revive spells on himself, and Maranor's own personal sword, and still got slapped and had to retreat in total defeat. So unless she plans on using his body as an Avatar and finishing it herself, thennnn I don't see him coming back to the battlefield.... But I do worry about him coming bk in some 'changed' form. Because who the hell knows what he is changing into.
LastOrder
Maranor will probably cut off Nero for running away. She doesn't like losers
DrNutella
Does anyone remember what kind of god the abarrant god was before and how he became an abarrant? Was he a dark god? I can't find it anymore. Seems like he is going to be important now, with all the forshadowing. Is Nero going to become his servant with Vivs weird soulcorruption spell twisting him?
DrNutella
She doesn't need to lie for that, that is literally her believe, she explained that to Nero and to Viv... In a way Viv is everything that Maranor ought to stand for. The problem is she thinks that should make her the ruler of the gods and the other gods disagree with that. And second problem she wants to kill Emerik and he doesn't want that. Thats why i think she will become a dark god, since the other gods can no longer tolarate her way and she does not back down.
SnowReason
Viv still needs to take down Maranor so at least one more arc
RonGAR
She could lie and say she did all this for mankind. She could say she allied all the weak willed , hateful, villainous, mad-kings, and politically stupid ppl on one side, and put them all in one place, so that the 'loyal' Paramese could just deal with them in one stroke. Saving them eons and generations of time in having to individually deal w/ backstabbers, murderers, weak willed, political snakes and worms, and mad kings, one at a time."
RonGAR
I know it 'seems' like the end, but this book better not end anytime soon. We better get a 30 chapter epilogue or something. LOL
Gremlin
“Finally, I’ve always wanted to say this,” she gasped through the pain. “Witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational flying —hmph!” Viv caught a faceful of dragon. Cursing quite loudly, Arthur covered her with her wings.
Gremlin
Since we are reminiscing :) , and what makes me keep following is the humor and emotion
David Oldfield
Unstoppable force meets immovable dumbass!!!! That was beautifully delivered. I am pretty sure these books have inflicted half of the laughter on me that I have experienced so far this decade. That said... I do hope you might consider adding some complexity to "Brick". I can't help but think that she is a perfect seed for a good origin story! Plus.... IMMOVABLE DUMBASS!!! LOL!!\
DrNutella
Yeah like i said, it was the first chapter of the story, that made me realise this. After their confrontation her brother Marodok becomes melancholic and laments that "he has now taken the last steps do unbind himself from her since where she had chosen to go he could not follow" that does not sound like a simple disagreement that will end in coexistents. He also trys to distract himself from the "anguish in his heart because no one suffers like a god could". He is already morning the loss of his sister here. Just because her champion failed, does not mean she will back down from her quest to become the ruler of the gods and dispose of Emeric for good. They will fight it out. That was after all Emerics reason for coming to earth, he needed time to prepare for their confrontation.
KnightRider007
I mean, it does have the specific and *explicit* ability “Indestructible” (as opposed to the the implicit one that’s part of being an artifact)
Jennifer Leigh
Re KnightRider: I totally laughed out loud for that!
Jennifer Leigh
It was a huge, spread out army. Solfis took out the remaining leaders.
James
Great chapter. Been with you from the start reading this on RR and one and off on here. Each week I wait patiently and each week you make it worth it. Thank you for the great story. I’ll finish with 1 word. Avarice 😁
HiddenMaster
All I can say is damn. So many amazing moments in this chapter culminating in freaking everything-Avarice choosing her true dragon name and effectively becoming the newer leader of her line, Oleander finally facing consequences, the release of that spell which does unspeakably horrible things to a soul, and of course, Solfis being given unlimited power and satisfaction as Viv gets the genocidal maniac skill which...sounds really fucking bad to write out loud, and I am not sure I can actually share this detail with others who haven't read Calamatious Bob without making the story seem grimdark as all fuck and...bad. I'll say it again. Goddamn.
Gremlin
Not sure how it is supposed to work, but I thought this was a challenge between different view points/ideals of society and she will be what her worshipers now follow. In a sence they were fighting for their view of society. Marinor has been clear that Viv is not her enemy. ..........Nero hesitated, then asked what he always wanted to know. “Why have you not cursed her for opposing me?” he finally asked. “Because she is following the rules of the great game, Nero, and because, like it or not, she too is a face of civilization....
DrNutella
Maranor will become a dark God after all is done, Tyranny would be her domain, thats what she realy is, a Tyrant. I just startet the audiobook and realized this in the 1 chapter. Her brother is super sad because he knows he will lose his sister Maranor since her path can no longer be tolarated by the light gods.
Moatdog
I wonder if Viv can go full dragon transformation in her true form
CentaureHeart
Thanks, I did find it!
Karel Londin
You forgeting her databank tablet(mobil?) and mp3 player.
Karel Londin
@Diego Rossi - Maranor goddess of byrocraii. There she have more power and less in one f***ing package. Sing here please .....
Karel Londin
Yes, in old post. There is map of param continent, but maybe been deleted with chapters that must be deleted, rules of f***ing KU
RonGAR
Wait... Nero escaped??? Wait, wait wait... Ppl (Maranorians) actually lived after that attack??? After all that light and space bending force and overwhelming sound, you mean to tell me, there are ppl STILL ALIVE on the other side??? Seems flashy but clearly weak af if that is the case!
angela R
Amazing, I scream and cry in this chapter, you sr are an amazing writer!! ,
Leviathon251
That was wild. Awesome chappie. Now to hunt down Orleander and hope the consequences for messing with his sould aren't tooo bad lol
InLucidReverie
Arthur's new name is perfect
CentaureHeart
Thanks for the chapter! By the way, is there a map of the world somewhere?
Francisco Rosado
Holy #$%^@ ^#$. That was the best chapter i have ever read!!! I am not sure how can this story continue after this. Mecanimus yo are a genius!!
Diego Rossi
@ James Fulkner Solfis isn't Gundam, he is Space Battleship Yamato: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJNnfI1zx8s.
Kota
@Diego - Very good point. Maranor's last interaction with Nero made me think she's not all in on his victory and could live with Viv coming out on top. Obviously, she wants him to win, if only because his vision for mankind doesn't deviate from hers, but maybe Viv's victory is still a net win for her - because either way, humanity is united under a strong ruler with a singular vision, who champions order over chaos. Maranor herself acknowledged Viv is a champion of civilization as well, just a different kind, and thus refused to curse her and intervene even more heavy-handedly - leaving herself a convenient out and not burning all bridges in case Nero doesn't win. All this somehow makes me doubt Maranor will turn dark after this, like some readers here expect. I might be wrong, though.
Orange Thistle
Shame about hope crusher. After how he treated Brick I was wishing a dragon would pop down to naw on him, find him foul and spit him out, and then have him run over by some small time civilian running a cleanup waggon. Honestly glad he's dead though.
Bum-Sama
Absolute mega banger chappie.
Angus Losier
It's a Chekov's gun. We've seen the weapon fire at half power. Now, what events will conspire to necessitate firing it at FULL power? A reborn abomination god in the body of a corrupted failed 6th step champion, perhaps? Can't wait to find out!
Jimi Kane
“Avarice is good!” (h/t GG)
KnightRider007
Fair, but “final straw” has developed into a standalone expression fragment. If we’re using “last nail”, kinda needs to have the whole thing ,”last nail in the coffin”
Diego Rossi
@ Angela Roberts I suspect that Marador was playing for a win independently from how the war ended. Head side - she becomes the new head of the gods: Tail side - she is forced to change her mantle to something more amendable to modern civilization.
Diego Rossi
"Last nail" to the coffin. "Last straw" breaks the camel back. Both work in this context. I prefer "Last nail", as it is the last thing that form the structure that spelled total failure for Oleander.
Diego Rossi
Viv probably will have to leave her people, as she will ascend to godhood, so her people will have to show that they are succesful at that test.
Diego Rossi
Crest was loyal to his friend, even if his friend had been warped in the Immortal champion. Like a lot of people, he was loyal to a memory.
Diego Rossi
Crest saving his old friend (not the Immortal champion) is his reedeming moment. Nero Oleander is both the friend and the champin, but what mattered for Crest is the friend, even if from Oleander part that friendship has become irrelevant. I think we will see how Aragan will hend. Hopefully, not badly.
Diego Rossi
The Avenger isn't always meant to be the future Ruler. Naratively s/he could be the one that puth the Rightful Ruler on the throne. Mostly, s/he is the one that avenge the wrongs done by the Big Bad Guy. It is fun how Viv prepared a "narrative comeback" as a fallback plan.
Diego Rossi
I am questioning if Maranor's play was to have a win-win result: either becoming the ruler of the gods or being forced to change into someone who could work better in the new age.
jarthur93
absolutely made my day thank you sir
Alexander Dupree
Chekhov’s //EYE OF SOLFIS
KnightRider007
the natural end point of a blood feud
TheBotler
I follow selk, and tundermoo as well.
KnightRider007
The kid had some “heroic destiny” when inspected, or something similar.
KnightRider007
@DAK I thought it was a missing line break as well, but on second reading, it looks correct. “Have to create a new danger rating. Danger level: Apocalyptic//DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW?
Lucy Severine
Hehehe yeah I see you all over the place Kenny
otrfan59
TFTC
Craeth
"The unstoppable force had met the immovable dumbass". Ah, Brick, you're everything I aspire to be.
Moatdog
I think the consequence was forcing Oleanders hand in pulling out the Slayer. Although it could be about pushing him to that corrupted dark god maranor was working with. Also Nous is just being a little shit with the upgrade name. Reference to her time with Solfis too
Brandon P
I think if Crest were to betray Oleandar now, it was be paramount to admitting that all of his life he was on the wrong path, following the wrong leader, etc. The only thing he can do is to keep going, even for the 0.001% ollys vision becomes true so that the ends justify the means
DAK
Jennifer—I agree it’s more Nous being silly. Others have noted that Nous seems to really like Solfis, and I think it shows through this chapter. It could be a lost line break and missing bracket, but it’s notable that when Crest ID’s the Solfis deathstar he gets Nous’ snarky summary (and it always is with Solfis) which flows straight into Solfis talking into his brain as if the two are doing the ID together.
DAK
But if his soul dissolves, but the 6th step body turns into a shadow abomination, will the system still call him dead?
Robert Rosenthal
Maranor’s champion lost but she didn’t as she told Viv a while back, viv is creating order maranor worst result is them annihilating each other leaving a chaotic power vacuum that did not happen, she may have failed power play to rule the gods however. It was made pretty clear this was Nero’s plan for conquest. He is likely headed for the dark god of corruption who had mutants earlier
Kazith
Absolutely fucking epic! Ty!
Kazith
It’s still amazing to think that the author used the Vandal title to destroy Nero’s shield haha. That was peak writing 🤌
nicoraven
BLOOD FEUDDDD!!!!! A pretty short-lived one though oops
Jennifer Leigh
If I remember correctly, there is only one single name per type of dragon, if they survive long enough. Arthur's mother was on track to be the magic single name but died being too proud. Shorter name = more power.
Adam Davies
Ooops. Poor phone signal double post.
StarWolf
Just caught-up... have been holding off on the last 9 chapters until now. Great read. Next the clean-up and the butcher bill.
Jennifer Leigh
We already know that Nous is bored/wants entertainment. No doubt she earned an upgrade from the list of accomplishments but, he's the one that decides the name. Also, way back at the beginning Solfis said he was training her for that title. He has enough pull to affect the system. Maybe Nous named it for him.
Jonathan
You said that already... or maybe you're reading a third time?
SnowReason
The slice of life chapter before the Vizim arc, she's riding on the train and thinking about the grand-dragon-babies.
Rafiq Raiden
The random orphan that one of Avarice's (Auther's) kids decided to bond with to the bafflement of everyone. So if Avarice is the only heir after viv. Avarice's kids are next in succession for the Harak throne along with he humans they have bonded with. The other dragonlings bonded with older (less groomable) people who may not be willing to be repathed into an imperial ruler path. So the preferred grand princess is a random orphan.
Pinpenny the great lithian
Lol, I didn't even consider that
Clifton
Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group. I'd argue Viv is very much trying to end a nation here by killing a great many of them. As for Crest, I always felt his story was about the problem of loyalty when the person you're loyal to become unworthy of it.
Matt Grayson
Oh, true. I just worry that he’s being set up as her nemesis for the whole climb-to-godhood thing. He’s really her first competitor rather than being simple enemy/fodder.
AnEvilSponge
I think Oleander is literally the only bad guy in the whole story that "got away" after Viv decided to kill them. As per her last new skill, she's remarkably consistent about it.
Clifton
It was also mentioned the orphan had lots of fate mana tied to her, so once the dragon baby got involved, Viv to steps (in the form of hidden mentors) to ensure she wouldn't be taken advantage of.
AnEvilSponge
Why...won't...you...DIE!?! Ordered not to, Suh.
AnEvilSponge
Right after the time skip forward we are shown what came of Arthur's clutch of eggs. Her Sinuous Adorableness is currently unattached, while one is imprinted on Solar and the other latched on to random mute orphan. By now Viv isn't gonna miss that blatant of a hint that fate has a backup all set to go.
Josiah Henderson
I like that the shield is presumably the one thing immune to the vandal title.
Bettafish
Welp. It's a good thing Viv is slated twords becoming a goddess. Harrak may need a replacement for Neriad for death star related reasons.
Jeanean
Well, you can't exactly crush hope if there isn't any in the first place. Not that I'm saying that Brick is a person who doesn't know hope. But Brick's brain has exactly enough capacity to process one thought at a time. And most of the time that thought is probably something along the line of: "I'm Brick, and Bricks don't move." As stupid as she is, we all love her for it.
Kennyevilmonkey
They have radios now. That means wireless transmission of data is possible. Remote controlled, replacable, and expendable bodies are simply inevitable. The robot uprising shall be swift and violent. Only the worthy shall remain! Only Harak shall remain!!! All others shall perish under the cleansing hell fires of technological advancement! All hail the holy machine!
Jeanean
I noticed the mention of a mysterious orphan, but I can't for the life of me remember when this happened?
Kennyevilmonkey
Besides Mecanimus and DarkTechnomancer, I also follow other authors like Tundamoo, Selkie, Hungry, XKARNATION, and Mornn. I often notice quite a few people in the comments across those communities as well.
Jeanean
Sooo... Am I the only one? Did no one else notice the bit about a mysterious orphan being trained and taught and would hopefully avenge Viv's death? And am I the only one who thought that it sounded like this Orphan was supposed to become the next ruler of New Harrak, once they are ready and Arthur has had a turn? Have there been ANY hints at all who this orphan could be? (For anyone who missed it, I understand. It was just a single line or so in the scene where Viv was about to sacrifice herself. So its not a big suprised if you missed it. BUT IT WAS THERE! And I want to know!)
Adurna
There is still an abomination and some gods to go for?
Adam Davies
SO FUCKING EPIC!!!!! Yesssss!!! I have the fidgets and a huge smile. Brb reading again.
Adurna
That seems a fair call-out, or a herald of a fallen Maranor.
Abominatus674
I imagine the fate magic thing the two will make her aware that he’s not dead yet
Kota
Maybe I just missed it, but I didn't read anything about Aragan dying. Could she have survived, perhaps if she was far enough from the epicentre?
KnightRider007
I wonder if She-Who-Rides-The-Storm’s-Darkest-Cloud will eventually inherit Judgement’s position. I think she’s in the “strength and power” family?
KnightRider007
Yeah, I also felt the same way - “Genocidal Maniac” just doesn’t actually seem accurate or appropriate to the accomplishments listed. “Genocidal” implies aggression, yet all of her… shall we say “mass casualty events”, have been defensive in nature. She also doesn’t really seem into the “annihilation of an entire race or species” thing - except for beastlings. Maybe they count? But they weren’t listed in her achievements list. “Maniac” in its common usage also doesn’t apply. Perhaps peripherally, in the sense of “irrational (to observers) self-confidence and determination to undertake a course of action most people would deem insane”
JHD
Thanks for the chapter a real culmination of all the plot points.
MoonlitShade
God-Slayer blocked by invulnerable shield AND magical reality-warping nuclear explosion shot from a laser from a flying air fortress? Both in the same chapter? You spoil us so
Kota
Just recently got the audiobook for part 1, and was blown away with how awesome it was. Really can't wait till we get to this part!
Kota
Well, the shield can block divine skills, and the power of the Slayer's blow was probably a lot more focused than the shot of the Calamity Engine. Finally, it was only a half power shot. So I'd guess the odds of the shield blocking that are pretty good.
Senko
Like those thoughts by the Barran noble that he choose the right leader for his country. Yet another artifact added to the ones Viv is responsible for creating, wonder when shell get a skill/title related to that.
Senko
He technically failed. His goal wasn't genocidal maniac it's omnicidal maniac. Still got a bit of a way to go.
Senko
He also forced a scale readjustment to add apocalypse danger level. Appropriate give the first stage in the process caused Old Harraks apocalypse and the deadlands
TheBotler
Your reading this too!? How many more communities are you a part of!?
Senko
Maybe, definately loss of any claim to the throne of light gods though. I don't think she'll become a dark god this divinely speaking was less good vs evil and more two types of civilisation/order that can't coexist colliding to decide which persists. Human centric hierarchical might makes right vs multi species merit based cooperation for the greater good.
Ranger Science
Ahem, do you mean “ Solfis. I want those fuckers. Off my lawn.”
Ranger Science
Ahem
Kota
So, the Hopecrusher got crushed himself. The ever-elusive Crest gets caught in a final trap. And at last, even the Immortal is forced to face his own mortality. May it catch up to him soon. Truly, Viv brings the end of all things. A few more things to note: 1. It's beautiful to see how Viv's process of naming spells evolved. Truly gone are the days of "Yoink" and "Bzzt" – spells like “Reign of Terror” and “Solipsist’s Vista” are a little more awe-inspiring. 2. I said before Jar’ko died as he lived – a massive asshat. It’s satisfying to see the Hopecrusher’s end mirror this so poetically, with his insane arrogance keeping him from retreating until it is too late. Man just couldn’t believe he might actually lose even when it was already happening. Not a healthy attitude, as it turns out – confidence can only carry you so far, and then you die. 3. So many beautiful lines. I can’t remember any other chapter having so many memorable ones. A few of my favourites: “The guy she’d stopped had felt pretty important, but that unstoppable force had met the immovable dumbass.” “The ultimate test of a sovereign was to allow their nation to prosper after their end. This was it.” - Especially considering how many of history’s greatest rulers failed this test miserably, no matter their achievements in life. “Above, Arthur was screaming but that was ok. Children would never be ready for the loss of a parent anyway.” – Man, that hurt a lot. “You may not have her. All that is mine, is mine. All that is yours, I will take. For my name. Is AVARICE.“ – Cold as hell. “You just ordered the death of ten thousand men and women.” – Quite sobering. “[Genocidal maniac will terrify most entities and bolster those on your side with the certainty that yes, you will, in fact, do the thing.]” – Genuinely made me laugh. 4. I wonder what Enttiku meant when she made Viv promise she would face the consequences and not run from her destiny. Any thoughts? 5. [Warning: interface c̴o̸r̴r̷u̴p̸t̸i̴o̶n̴ ̴d̷e̸t̴e̶c̵t̸e̸d̷] – Man, if that isn’t a terrifying system message, especially when facing the Great Black Witch, I don’t know what is. 6. I’ve said it already, but the buildup to Viv’s (attempted) sacrifice is so incredibly, beautifully well done that I almost wish it had succeeded. My personal favourite passage in the entire story, I think – it so perfectly encapsulates who she is and what she stands for, and would have made for such a beautiful, if bittersweet endpoint to her story, with an appropriately epic weight. A masterpiece of storytelling. 7. Given how insurmountably powerful Judgement was built up to be, the Slayer definitely had to match that hype to be believable and not to cheapen the old dragon’s sacrifice. And boy, does it deliver. Just reading its effects was painful, and for it to do that to a being like Viv … Maranor has a lot to answer for, giving such a tool to a madman like Oleander. 8. That even after all the disillusionment, after all the atrocities he watched Nero commit, Crest’s final act is still to save the man, despite his disgust for what he has become, is disheartening. Maybe it shouldn’t surprise me, but I kinda hoped even for a man as broken, hopeless, and lost as Crest, there would still be a way out once it becomes clear Nero’s victory isn’t inevitable. But no, even when he recognizes his errors, he persists in them until the very end, and chooses to remain trapped even when he has nothing more to lose (or fear). I can’t help but feel that Crest’s message is one of hopelessness and fatalism. Please, someone tell me I misread him? 9. Genocidal Maniac – I still feel that title is a little undeserved (unlike the master upgrade to Intimidation, of course). Yes, Viv killed / ordered the death of an immense number of people, and is prone to taking insane risks that are liable to manifest in a rather spectacular manner. And yet, both “genocidal” and “maniac” are still more than a little inaccurate: For one, Viv has never taken to killing people for the purpose of eradicating their entire species – such depravity has been the purview of the Pure League or the Glastians, not Viv. She’s not actually evil, despite the optics. And for the other, she has never been so unhinged that she’d truly deserve to be called a maniac. Alas, given the occasion, I think we mustn’t begrudge Nous a little dramatic embellishment. 10. Considering how early Viv started, it’s nice to see how far her pokedeck of supervillain cliches has come – Terminator (Solfis), gold-hoarding dragon, master assassin, ancient lich, Ser Warcrime, cultists, chemical warfare, and now … a friggin’ Death Star. One would think she’s working down a check list, and that she manages to do so without actually turning evil is pretty impressive. I know this has gotten a bit long / rambly, so if you've read to this point, thank you! :)
Angus Losier
Wait for it. I am willing to bet he's got a remote body he can pilot for interaction when he wants to. Why be only one thing? Solfis can be the battle station, the mecha, and the mecha pilot, all at the same time!
Senko
The problem is Viv had Solfis fire right after when they were under spatial interdiction so it's possible she'll think he's dead if she doesn't put together that her still being 5th step means he's still alive.
Angela Roberts
That's two who see the mostly dead dark god claiming him. It's either that or Maranor offing him, I agree. Or, Maranor's champion failing means she loses "oomph" as a light god and either has to remake her mantle to be less rigid or she throws in with the dark gods? All of the light gods being against her seems to mean she loses the light god mantle, no?
Angela Roberts
That line, hopelessness meets dumbass, too perfect.
Angela Roberts
Oh see, I had other much less awful consequences like embracing her draconic nature in physical form as well as spirit but your idea is much, much worse and probable, eesh.
Lynnethe
I'm really hoping Maranor just takes care of that little problem when she reclaims her sword. I doubt she'll be very forgiving of his failure.
D
Soooo.... im not certain, but with his altered soul, could he become an aberration? Oh and there (conveniently) is the god of aberrations currently stuck in a botched reincarnation, how about we let them merge? I wonder how much we can tune up the power creep till the whole battle needs to be fought in space. Or you know, in the InBetween. XD Also with Arthur now being a single named dragon, it sounds like she got an upgrade she coudnt show off at all (except smushing viv over before she could say her line ^^). Totally loved it. Loved the chapter. Love this story. Just so sad we slowly creeping towards the end. Only the god war remains and then our mc can climb the throne to rule them all. :-D
Kim-Jong-Jesus
I love that solfis is just a fantasy version of hk-47 from the old Star Wars games
ErrebanRrereban
Oooo, I bit more polish for the boom release and this will probably be my favorite chapter to reread! Ohhh the audiobook will be so much funnnnnnnnn
matt
It's Chekhov's 1812 Overture
John Lebaff
So much pay off. Thanks for the chapter!
matt
I think it was one of those things where she HAD to sacrifice herself for it to work. A genuine offering of self for her people, the ultimate showing of her class, etc etc.
MrAcerulez
Omg they made Solfis into a death star
Kota
Like she said - there was no plan. Personally, I think the setup for her (attempted) sacrifice was so beautifully well done I almost wish the attempt had succeeded. So much of her path to this point has been building up others to be independent, fostering their growth and success without tying it to hers. In many ways, she is and has long been the antithesis to Oleander's "l'état, c'est moi"-approach, and trusting the alliance she's built to succeed and thrive without her would have been the ultimate culmination of that path. I think these lines encapsulate it perfectly: "Her role was complete. The ultimate test of a sovereign was to allow their nation to prosper after their end. This was it." And it is worth noting that judging by what comes after, she was absolutely right - the Alliance (and Harrak) would have been fine even if she had perished there. Oleander almost died and is in full retreat, his massive armies laid to waste, without Viv having to raise another finger after Oleander struck. As far as sacrifices go, this one would have been far from an empty gesture - it would have bought her nation's survival. I don't see a miscalculation or wishful thinking in this.
Moatdog
By fate magic’s terms he’s cooked, pattern of losing + failing to kill Viv + corrupted soul + fractured soul = getting turned into a monster by Maranor and the dark god she was said to be working with probably
Moatdog
Fate magic be trippy. Set up a story line and he’s cooked
DAK
So the half feral kid that glommed on to Viv’s granddragonchild and has had like one cameo is the sleeper agent vengeance-human of her succession plan…. I love it. I assume that this “Bob” story is simply prologue to this real upcoming adventure?
Persepolis
I didn’t mean to sound obnoxious, I loved the way mechanimus set it up
Simon Casey
It surprised me a bit too, but upon reflection it makes a lot of sense. Viv’s whole story has been about helping people to rise up and reach their full potential, and to protect them when they cannot protect themselves. Sacrificing herself to stop Oleander when no one else could and trusting the systems she put in place to carry on would have been the ultimate expression of faith in that path. I’m sure she would have planned to live if she could, but the Slayer is an outside context problem. She needed Oleander to use it, and nothing she could do would block it if he did, until the shield was formed.
Keifru
Ah shit- Oleander is partly corrupted, got yeeted away from the blast radius. I bet he's gonna fall to the sleeping/dead god and become its champion and thats going to have knock-on effects to Maradoc. I bet thats why Entiku was like 'you better deal with the consequences' because she knows this twisting is gonna have other problems
Young Youghurt
UNLIMITED POWAH!!!
KnightRider007
Heheh. New phrase: "Chekov's artillery"
Lukas Thörn
Glorious! Gives me Avengers assemble vibes. Really really great
FuriousDee
I wonder if her shield could block that? Also I love how Solar kept insulting his swordsmanship
BramBora
Genuinely LOL
Matt Cannon
I mean. Meca's been foreshadowing this since Viv first learned about Helock's floating rocks. Then she reverse engineered the grand ritual and knew it succeeded. It was all but confirmed after she stole the Chalice.
Matt Cannon
A dragon's power is related to how "pure" their existance is. Dragons quite literally defone themselves. Arthur's name has changed several times, becoming more focused. "She who feasts on squirells and collects gold" became "she who feasts on spiders and collects much" became "she who feasts and collects". She has now defined herself as Avarice. Single name dragons are the most powerful bacuse they are the most focused.
KnightRider007
"It was a wall. A wall was coming at him." Love it - a callback to *aaaaaaaall* the way back when the Harrakan Heavy Infantry class was reborn. The unique formation Skill that made them feared and respected, that *only* this Class could do: the charging shield wall. "As for the blast of pure hopelessness, it just… didn’t find purchase. It wasn’t resisted so much as it seemed to have missed." Poor Hopecrusher - he failed to realise that to be intimidated, your enemy needs to have a brain.
Angus Losier
I cannot get enough of Solar dunking on Oleander's swordsmanship.
Mantarok1205
Jolly good!
Matt Grayson
Brick is best girl!
Cormac
Nuke them from not-quite-orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Garrett Kout
Huh, i really didn't expect her plan for the Slayer to be "let it kill me and trust my kingdom will be fine".
KnightRider007
Now where to go. => Now, where to go? (may also read better on a separate line) Only Junior didn’t flinch when she rushed forward, leaving a paralyzed Arthur’s behind => paralyzed Arthur behind (Unless it's just Arthur's behind that is paralysed? :P) he managed to raise his left arm to block the strike before it could hit her chest => hit his chest A shield stopped her, then he was looking into the burning hatred of her crimson eyes. => is the shield stopping Arthur (her) or Oleander (him)? The last nail was the clouds parting. Oleander looked up, and ran. => "last nail"? Possibly "final straw"? Oleander had drawn. => had drawn Slayer. It was the chalice. Crest recognized it from his own stays at the city, only it was the Chalice in the same way the Slayer could be called ‘a sword’. => "It was the Chalice" (all other uses are capitalised) You ‘liberated’ the god core for your own designs despite all of your movies repeating that some powers should remain buried => God Core (previous use is capitalised in the line about Solfis getting the fortress)
DAK
"The guy she’d stopped had felt pretty important." Yes! Brick! Was she actually reflecting the hope-crusher effect back on his own lines there? There's some kind of crazy belief-momentum skill moving in her direction, but it felt like she has near perfect skill elasticity off her shield as well. I love that none of her mates know what to think of her either...
James Faulkner
I was really holding out for Solfis becoming an evil Gundam or something so this is the next best thing lol
Graham Golder
great chapter!! curious if we'll see Maradoc again, seems to be the only absent light god
ARealPerson
Avarice! What a perfect name!
Ulsar
nice
SDCard
Thanks for the chapter! Good to see all the preparation and the alliances paying off, a solid win without any significant losses outside of the dean :D Now just to get rid of the little runaway...
Angela Roberts
The shield came through!! Yes! I may never stop laughing that Viv got the genocidal maniac tag. Eris cracked me up!! So what happens to Oleander now?
Andrew
Thank you!
JLM
FIRE THE LASER!
Matt Grayson
BTW, I love "half power" more than words can say.
Til Weisheit
One shield to rule them all!
Kor
Gooood daaaaamn. Wow
Takttiger
Sounds like she stepped in the claws of Judgement I would say.
Diego Castrejon
I was pumping my fist when Viv's daughter became Averice. So we'll earned. Such a good pay-off. Purpose Distilled down to one word such that your word is now law! Hype
Karthic
TRUCK YES
Dont_like_to_Talk
Does a dragons power increase, when they shorten their Name? Avarice is quite nice. And freaking death star Solfis is awesome. The perfect form for our murderous golem.
Karthic
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Oskatat
Also, Viv, you should set a good example and obey your own orders: "We're Harrakans, we don't do heroic last stands"
wanderer117
Shorter names are reflections of both stronger dragons and how well the dragon knows themselves. Most dragons are... slow (dumb). It takes them a long time to find themselves and focus their sense of self. Looking back Arthur has been moving closer to Avarice her whole life, but because of her human mom she got there much quicker.
Oskatat
Viv. You gave Solfis, self proclaimed hater of all things organic and fleshy, a floating fortress, city erasing weaponry, and an unlimited power source. Be happy you're only getting 'genocidal maniac' for this. Now I wonder what the fallout will be, and what will happen to Oleander. Fair enough that the other gods gave her a special toy when Oleander got Maranor's sword, too.
Clifton
The Hopecrusher was so well named. He succeeded even in death, for he crushed the hopes of the One Hundred who only wanted a good fight.
Persepolis
I guessed it was a Flying Fortress hundreds of chapters ago, I’d say I was pretty close
Clifton
She is of the magic branch. Judgement was strength, and Mother is fire.
Red Viking
These last few chapters have been salvo after salvo of Chekov's guns, and it is glorious~!
Karim Saadi
Just...damn.
Kennyevilmonkey
He didn't have a great day. He had the best day ever.
Yasmin Meier
No, there is always only 1 single name dragon in each branch, so Arthur basically became the leader of her flight (dunno which of the 3 branches she belonged to but their single name holder position was vacant for a while)
Jonathan
Yeah the ascender war isn't done until he's dead. He could still ascend as a being of corruption, who I will note Maranor was reported to be in alliance with. If his god asks him to give up his body to the Fallen God of Corruption he'd probably be the perfect vessel with a strong body and "corrupt" soul.
Maurin
So many things to say, that was glorious. I’am speechless
Hayden Leech
What a chapter!!! Wow! Wow x2!!!
Alexander Dupree
He’s never failed
Alexander Dupree
I’m gonna say that was the best chapter so far and I liked everything else already
TheBotler
What a good fucking chapter, thank you!
Brandon Yarberry
Fuck yes.
Eddy G
In the name of all the light gods, that was bloody well done. So many threads tied up at once
Joshua Gunty
Hell yeah, what a fuckin chapter! Much appreciated!
Drakenclaw
Thanks for the chapter. That was an absolute banger! [True Aspect of the Dragon] -> shouldn't that be [True Aspect of the Void Dragon]?
Mark Turton
The payoff for the shield was everything I hoped it would be.
elijah pickett
Bliss😌
Kennyevilmonkey
Now, to have fun hunting down a fleeing coward. May his skull forever decerate Solfis's trophy room!
Max E Malekzadeh
Holy shit this was glorious! Solfis is a death star! I fucking can't lol
Kennyevilmonkey
Dreams do come true!
James Faulkner
SO GOOD. TFTC!!
Julian
Man Crest really did love Nero.
Anonymouse
Ha, hahahaha! That was bloody brilliant! Thank you!
Jackjargon
Amazing chapter boss
Sæþór
Let's fucking GOOOOOOOOO
Alec Loases
Absolutely beautiful lol
T3iain
That got to be my favourite chapter of all your books so far and I enjoyed all you books so far
Matt Grayson
Honestly, does the bad guy ALWAYS have to escape? I mean, if he has to spend all eternity cleaning Maranor's toilets, I'm fine with it... 😆
steamrick
Nice, Arthur upgrade get. Is it normal for a dragon to shorten their name by this much all at once? Or is she being presumptive in the heat of the moment?
steamrick
read the chapter my dude
tr13ze
Thanks for the chapter 😁
crusaderstar
Uttering fantastic chapter, am frothing at the mouth in vicarious glee.
Unwillingmainer
SOLFIS NEVER BLUFFS! GENOCIDIAL MANIAC SKILL AQUIRRED! HARRAK VICTORIOUS! HARRAK ETERNAL! So, lots of good stuff here. She survived, made an artifact, and won. Now for all the consequences, like Nero surviving or the rest of the world reacting to her new super weapon. I'm betting on some sort of abomination for the first and pants shitting terror for the second. And that for the first one as well potentially. At least Solfis had a great day.
In-Game_Name
Finally! She did the thing!
James Faulkner
Haven’t even read it yet and I love the SpongeBob meme title 😂
Tsorov
Oleander’s self-control that he managed to raise his left arm to block the strike before it could hit her chest -> Oleander’s self-control that he managed to raise his left arm to block the strike before it could hit his chest
Caitlin
Did she finally get genocidal maniac?!? Solfis has been trying to get her this since book 1!
Hunter8k
Thanks jiwa for granting us changeling peasants the glorious bob chapter
WarStrider72
Thanks for the chapter boss!
