The High Priest, infuriated by Akari’s growing influence and the success of her divine artifact, realized that subtlety was no longer an option. His previous attempts to undermine her had failed, and worse, they had only solidified her resolve and earned her more support from the academy. It was time to escalate his efforts and strike directly.

Hope's Light

Chapter 29

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Need

“You good?”

Ignoring the immediate prostration of the giant and reptile-skinned elephant (who this time had forgotten to first bang the gong), I steadied Camael as he attempted to stand. The sudden shift had certainly unsettled him, but at least he hadn’t thrown up.

Though maybe that was because he hadn’t eaten in a ridiculously long time.

Worse of all, Ozzie had to admit that there was something at work here
that he didn't understand. He didn't understand it at all.

Hope's Light

Chapter 28

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Questions

There, hovering before what only pretended to be the blackest of clouds, lurked a sinister metallic sphere. How, one might ask, does a smoothly specular ball floating within an emptiness pressing against the true Void of Voids earn such a moody description?

The answer is simple: it emanates a hum of resonance filled beyond the brim with barely restrained violence, like a coiled spring which required industrial machinery to press into place and then held back only by a worn and rusted clasp on the brink of snapping. The tension so mighty that, if unleashed, the sphere would launch itself across a cosmos and plow through any stellar object foolish enough to happen to be in the way.

Rules of physics literally be damned.

Chapter Seven: Returning Home

The drive home was quiet, the tension in the car palpable. David leaned against the window, watching the familiar streets roll by, but his thoughts were far from comforting. The doctor’s words echoed in his mind, and though his parents tried to keep the conversation light, the weight of the unknown loomed over them.

Keagan will make his play, take his shot at Cam, but for what reason? Is she buying what he's selling her? Is there a temptation yet to be had?

Fucking brute.

That was the only thing Jim could think as his Dad pontificated on all matters of life and love while he drove them both in his beaten-up white van to the job site.

His dad cleaned septic tanks for a living, and Jim was home on summer break for college, so he had been roped (read: forced) into accompanying him to today’s job, while his Dad’s regular guy, Simon, was out sick with a stomach bug, the product of some bad beef empanadas he had had for dinner the night before.

"Your Highness, it is such an honor to have you on the show," Annie said to Nick a moment after filming began.

Nick and I sat close enough that he could take my hand in his with Annie positioned just opposite us forming a semi circle.

The lights were bright, the cameras were rolling, tonight, Lenoria and the rest of the world would get its first glimpse of us as fiancés.

"Happy to be here on such a wonderful occasion"

A group of people wake up in a video game world and are forced to work together to survive and find out how to escape.

Artemis completes the mission with the help of an ‘ally?’

Chapter 15 Recap.

It hesitates, its tone softening even more. “I want what you want, Artemis,” it says. “To survive to thrive. To protect those you care about. But to do that, we need, each other.”

Transformed But Never Redeemed

Chapter 1: Transformed

The First Curse

"Magic?" Laura repeated. "If you mean like stage magic, then no.
And it's not a joke. I mean, at the prices they charge,
it's not a joke that could go very far."

It was 3:00 AM, and the Thief…opened the large, ornate door. That was it. He couldn’t believe it. If his trusted Agent of so many years hadn’t been the one to tell him, he wouldn’t have. They had met earlier that day, in the busy food court of the local mall, the smell of bad Chinese food heavy in the air, stale, tinny pop music playing from some hidden speaker above their heads.

Chapter Six: A Subtle Shift

David woke to the soft rays of morning light streaming through his window, casting a warm glow over the room. The scent of fresh morning air filled his nostrils, and he could hear the distant chirping of birds. His mom was still asleep beside him, her breathing steady and calm. Smiling to himself, he climbed out of bed carefully, not wanting to disturb her. He could feel the softness of the sheets against his skin as he gently pulled the covers up over her shoulders before grabbing a fresh set of clothes and heading to the bathroom.

Cameron is back in command and it might be going easier than she expected - even with some tiny bumps along the way. Easy can become difficult in a flash and that might just happen with her ships smuggling client. She may have a vision after all these weeks away from the Exhibit Housing, question is was it purposely planted in her?

"What are– what you doing up?" he asked her, trying to sound casual, but failing.
He sounded nervous, gave off guilty vibes.

"I had to pee," she said. "What else would I be doing up?"
She gave him a suspicious look. "What are you doing up?"

"Nothing, nothing," he answered, a little too quickly.
"Just couldn't sleep. That's all. Heheh."

A group of people wake up in a video game world and are forced to work together to survive and find out how to escape.

Artemis struggles with what to do while she relives moments of her past and future?

Update fixed naming for a character.

Chapter 14 Recap.

Hope's Light

Chapter 24

by Erisian

Book 6

Chapter Twenty-Four - Leap

When I was a teenager, I once made the mistake of tossing uneaten candy into the plastic bin besides my bed. During a hot summer’s night, up through the floorboards small black ants had acted on the report of whichever scout had discovered the bounty, and all swarmed the can.

They also hadn’t stopped there.