Novels by Manuel Sterling

Zen walked into Willow’s office, the door clicking shut behind him. She was already looking up from her desk, a slight smirk forming on her lips."Chief," Willow greeted with an air of familiarity and subtle amusement. "It’s been a while. You look… different."Zen’s eyes flicked over to her, but he didn’t immediately respond. He slid into the chair across from her, setting his iPad down on the desk. His voice was cool when he finally spoke. “Been busy.”Willow leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, studying him. “I noticed. You’ve been avoiding me?”Zen’s gaze remained steady. “Avoiding is a strong word.”“Not if it’s the truth,” Willow replied, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve barely seen you around. You know, I thought I’d have to send a search party to find you.”“I don’t need searching,” Zen said with a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He picked up the coffee mug Willow had placed on the desk earlier. “I’m here now.”Willow’s smirk widened. “Yeah, you are.” She lean

Zen’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as the car sped toward the Mega Group headquarters. The morning traffic was surprisingly light, and his mind raced through everything he had to do. His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking his concentration. He reached over and answered it without hesitation.The screen lit up, and Sinclair’s face appeared on the other end of the video call. His usual sharp expression was replaced by a look of intensity, signaling that he had something important to share.“Zen,” Sinclair said, his voice low, “I’ve got the findings you requested.”Zen’s attention sharpened as he settled into his seat, focusing entirely on Sinclair. “Go ahead. What do you have for me?”Sinclair glanced to the side, clearly looking through his notes before he spoke again. “Raquel—this company you’ve been asking about—is owned by a French businessman. They’re known for producing computers, but...” He paused, his fingers tapping on the screen. “After deep research, we discover

The next morning, Zen woke up early and was already by the patient’s side. He noticed Diane was awake now, slowly into the room, her eyes heavy from sleep but filled with relief. Her father had improved overnight, and Zen’s work was done.She walked into the room with her hands clasped in front of her, looking as though she wanted to say something, but hesitated. “Tom,” she said quietly, her voice filled with gratitude, “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done. I know we agreed on payment, but—” She paused, clearly hesitant. “I’ll pay you back in installments, just like we talked about. It’s the least I can do.”Zen didn’t look up from his packing. He continued organizing his things. “Diane, it’s not about the money,” he said in a neutral tone, his voice steady. “I’m just glad I could help. Your father needed it.”She took a few steps closer, her eyes softening. “I meant it when I said I’d pay you back,” she insisted, her tone more earnest now. “I—I don’t think we can eve

Somewhere in the Docks, Zen approached a ship. “Hey! This place is off limits,” a tall imposing guard barked. Zen stopped in his tracks and looked up to the figure, “Do you want the boss to come to know that you stopped me from delivering the warehouse reports?”That line immediately led to the reaction of the guards. They moved aside, clearing a path for Zen.The tension thickening by the second. He felt every eye on him, but he kept his expression neutral, even as the men circled around him. He could sense their suspicion growing, their postures tightening as they waited for something from him.One of the men, a tall figure with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward, eyeing Zen with cold calculation. “You’ve been given the right instructions, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice low but firm, like a challenge. “You have the code?”“Code?” Zen smiled. “So that’s why he spilled faster than I expected.”His hands were still behind his back, but his mind was racing, thinking through e

Zen looked at her, his chest tightening as she stepped closer. He didn’t want to admit it, but seeing her like this, so determined, was making everything harder. He could see how much she cared, but the last thing he wanted was to put her in danger. “Rosalia, you need to go. This... this is too dangerous,” he said, his voice low, trying to sound firm, but there was a crack in it. She shook her head, not budging. “You can’t just tell me to leave,” she replied, her voice steady but full of concern. “I’m not going anywhere. You think I’ll just stand by while you face this alone?” Zen’s gaze softened, but he wasn’t ready to give in. Not yet. “It’s not like what you’ve dealt with before. You don’t understand what you’re walking into.” “I understand more than you think,” she said quietly, her hand finding his. “I’m not scared of what’s going on here. I’m scared of losing you.” The words hit Zen like a punch to the gut. He had always kept people at arm’s length, always controlled th

Zen's breath came out in steady bursts as he looked at the workers sprawled across the floor, the fight now over. The room fell silent, save for the soft groans from the defeated. Zen stood still for a moment, his body still humming with adrenaline, savoring the rush of the confrontation. But the job wasn’t finished.He glanced over at Rosalia, who had been standing back, watching him. Her eyes were wide, but there was something else in them, something that Zen couldn’t quite decipher.“Are you alright?” Zen asked, his voice softer now, though there was still an edge to it.Rosalia met his gaze, nodding slowly. "Yeah... just a little shaken. That was... intense." She took a step forward, her eyes scanning the room as if making sure everything was truly over. “You don’t do things by halves, do you?”Zen gave a dry laugh. "I prefer efficiency," he said, wiping his hands off on his jacket, though the blood didn’t seem to faze him. “I don’t waste time.”Rosalia watched him closely, her l

Luna stepped forward, her Wind magic spiraling around her as if she were a tempest in human form. Her eyes were filled with disdain, but there was an edge of curiosity too. “So, the so-called weakling has more up his sleeve than we thought,” she said, her voice smooth, almost mocking.Miko’s gaze remained steady. “You think this is surprising? You haven’t seen anything yet.”Jace, standing beside Luna, clenched his fists. He stared at Miko with disbelief. “How did you… how could you…” His words faltered. He was so sure Miko was just some Ash mage, barely able to do anything. But now?“You can’t just have fire,” Jace continued, his voice rising. “It doesn’t make sense. You’re supposed to be an Ash mage! This isn’t possible.”Miko smirked. “That’s your problem, Jace. You think things should make sense. But I never cared about what you thought. I just do what I want.”Luna stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. “So you think you can just show up and take us down with your tricks?”Miko’s f

The stadium was in complete silence, the only sound the distant echo of the commentator’s voice still ringing in the air. The crowd murmured in disbelief, their voices rising in volume, some in awe, others in confusion. The spectacle of a mage with two elements. They had always known Miko as the weakling with the Ash element, barely able to conjure a puff of smoke. Now, he had just summoned fire. Pure, blazing fire.“Wait… did he just… use fire?” someone whispered, their voice trembling in disbelief.“He’s an Ash mage… Ash, not fire!” another voice, filled with confusion, responded.The murmurs grew louder, echoing through the stands, bouncing off the stone walls of the arena. Even the respected Professor Ryn was taken aback, his eyes wide in astonishment. He exchanged a glance with another professor sitting nearby, both of them still processing what had just happened.“Impossible…” a voice from the back of the stands stuttered. “You need two separate affinities to use two elements…

The sun blazed high above the academy’s arena, casting a golden hue over the expansive grounds. The stands were packed with parents, lecturers, and students, their excited chatter building an almost tangible energy in the air. The Transfer Trials had officially begun, and everyone was eager to see which clans would prove their worth—or disgrace themselves further. In the VIP section, Gerald Valon, dressed in a finely tailored suit, took his seat with an air of authority. His piercing gaze swept over the crowd before settling on the lecturers and parents who approached him with deference. “Lord Valon, it’s an honor,” A Professor greeted, his tone laced with respect as he shook Gerald’s hand firmly. “The honor is mine, Professor,” Gerald replied smoothly, his expression calm and unreadable. “I trust today’s games will be as enlightening as always?” Professor Ryn chuckled lightly. “Indeed. It’s always a spectacle to see the determination—or lack thereof—of the students.” Gerald

“Whit whee whoe whoe whoe whit whee,” Miko whistled as he washed in the shower.“Hahh,” he exhaled softly as he washed his face, finally turning off the shower.He sat down on a bench, looking around at lockers before fixing his gaze on the large mirror before him.“After the encounter with the abyss,” he shivered. “Think I might have mirror-phobia,” he said as he giggled.**Soon after, he stepped out of the school bathroom.“Well, now that I’ve officially got no place to return to, I guess the school is now home,” he said as he looked around.“Hiyahh!““Hiyuh!”“Wind spike!!!”“Fire ball!”“Looks like the school is busy today, not everyone went back home,” Miko wandered through the quiet halls of the training arena late at night. As he approached the large doors of the practice room, faint sounds of combat echoed from within—fire crackling, wind slicing, and bright light beaming. He hesitated before pushing the door open slightly, peering inside. Akiya stood in the center of the

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual energy, filled with the clatter of trays and the chatter of students. Miko stepped inside, his return after weeks of being missing met with curious glances and murmurs. He ignored the whispers, keeping his head high as he scanned the room. His gaze landed on a table near the corner, where three students sat—Akiya Ren, Liam Draven, and Anna Elsin. He took a deep breath and walked toward them.As he approached, Akiya leaned back in her chair, her fiery red hair as vibrant as her sharp glare. "Look who finally decided to show up," she said, her tone cutting but not entirely hostile. “Thought you were gone for good, Miko.”Miko paused, unsure of how to respond. "I had... things to take care of," he said carefully, setting his tray down and taking a seat at the edge of the table.Liam, slouched in his chair with his arms crossed, smirked. "Yeah, 'things to take care of.’ Sounds like code for hiding from the clan games," he teased, his lazy demeanor faili

The heavy silence in the room was cut by Miko’s voice. “I have another question,” he said, his tone was cautious yet firm.Miss Rose raised an eyebrow, her hands still crossed tightly over her chest. “What now, Miko?”Miko hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking between the three adults. “What are wraiths that can talk called?”As if rehearsed, the principal, Miss Rose, and the other teacher turned to face him at the same time, their expressions shifting from curiosity to alarm.The principal’s voice was low, almost a very low whisper. “What did you just say?”Miko scratched the back of his head, feeling the weight of their stares. “I said… What are wraiths that can talk called?”Miss Rose stepped closer, her face pale. “Why are you asking that, Miko? Did you—” She stopped herself, as if afraid of what she might hear.“I saw one,” Miko said bluntly, not waiting for her to finish.The male teacher adjusted his glasses and took a step forward. “You what?!”Miko sighed, already regrett