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All Chapters of Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

26 chapters

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

Emily's POV.---"I never imagined it would get this far."Jared’s voice was flat.He didn’t care.He leaned back against the brick wall behind the school.He folded his arms across his chest.Eyes narrowing from the afternoon sun's glare.I shifted on my feet. I could feel his words weighing heavily on me.My stomach contorted into a ball. I was unable to meet his eyes. “You didn’t think what would go this far?”He raised his shoulders. Like it was nothing. “Orion. You know, him disappearing.? All this weird stuff?”I swallowed hard. My throat dry. “I didn’t think he’d actually—”“Yeah. Well. He did,” Jared interrupted. His voice cold.He tilted his head. Studying me with those sharp, calculating eyes of his. "You don't feel horrible, do you?" My heartbeat became faster. Of course, I was.But I couldn’t say that. Not to Jared. Not with the others watching.“No.” I lied. Forcing my voice to stay steady. “I just... I didn’t realize he’d leave. That’s all.”Jared smirked. Like he

Chapter 12

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

Orion's POV --- “You’re going to die if you keep standing there.” The voice was smooth. Almost bored. As if the person behind it had seen this a hundred times before. I gave a blink. Still in shock. Still trying to process the fact that my energy blast. Hadn’t done *anything* to the beast in front of me. “What?” I managed. My voice hoarse. “I said.” The voice repeated. Closer now. “You’re going to die. And probably in a very unpleasant way.” That snapped me out of it. I stumbled back. My eyes darting around for the source of the voice. A figure stepped out of the mist. Tall. With long white hair that shined in the weird light of this place. Her eyes wer

Chapter 13

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

“You’re holding it wrong.” Seraphina’s voice cut through the stillness of the clearing. Sharp. Direct. I looked down at the energy ball that was whirling around my hands; it was glowing. My fingers trembling slightly. “I’m holding it exactly how you told me.” I said. Trying not to let the frustration show. *** Weeks had gone by. I know you must've been wondering. Where was Ben? Well, we teleported back home that day together. He was tired out. Well. More like shocked to silence. He was numb. But he made it home safe. In case you were wondering. Anyways... *** She sighed. Stepping closer.

Chapter 14

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

“You’re asking too many questions.” Seraphina’s voice was sharp. It parted the forest's stillness. She said it without even looking at me. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon. She was scanning for something I couldn’t see. “Well, excuse me for trying to understand the place that’s constantly trying to kill me.” I shot back. Crossing my arms. “Maybe if you’d explain things without me having to drag it out of you." "I wouldn’t have to ask so many.” She looked at me. One eyebrow raised. Like she was amused by my frustration. “You think this is me *not* explaining things?” I threw my hands up. “You’ve told me. Like.

Chapter 15

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

“You hear that?” I asked. Only a whisper could be heard above me. Seraphina didn’t respond right away. Her head was tilted to the side. She squinted around. Focusing on the trees. The forest had gone quiet. *Too* quiet. Even the hum of energy that I had grown accustomed to was no longer as strong. The world itself was holding its breath. “Yeah.” She said finally. Her voice low. “We’re not alone.” I swallowed hard. Oh dear. “More system beasts?” “No." She said. Her voice trailed off. "Something else.” That sounded worse than it should have. “Define ‘some

Chapter 16

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

Pain shot through my leg as consciousness crept back. The world spun into focus one pixel at a time, like an old computer struggling to load. "Stop moving," Seraphina's voice cut through the haze. "You'll tear the stitches." I blinked several times. We were in some kind of cabin. Wooden walls. A single window. Dust particles danced in the sunbeam that cut across my bed. "How long was I out?" "Six hours." She pressed a cold cloth to my forehead. "You were muttering about system updates in your sleep." That got my attention. The memory of the fight rushed back – the glowing sword, the explosion of power, the mysterious upgrade. "Where'd you find this place?" "Safe house. One of many." She sat on a rickety chair beside the bed. "Now tell me what happened back there." I tried to sit up. Bad idea. "Help me first?"Read more

Chapter 17

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

I counted the people following me through Brno's cobblestone streets. Three of them. No, four.Amateur hour.I ducked into a small café, ordering coffee I didn't want.The place was empty. Except for an old man reading a newspaper."Rough morning?" the barista asked in Czech."You could say that." I smiled, replying in the same language.My followers scattered outside, trying to look casual. They were good. But not good enough.I sat by the window, watching their reflections in the glass. Two pretending to window shop. One checking his phone. The fourth—"Mind if I join you?"I nearly jumped. Marcus stood beside my table, coffee in hand."Those are your people outside?" I asked.He sat down without waiting for an invitation. "Insurance. Nothing personal.""Four seems excessive.""Six, actually." He smiled. "You missed two."I took a sip of coffee to hide my surprise. "What do you want, Marcus?""Direct. I like that." He leaned back, studying me. "How's the leg healing?"My hand tighte

Chapter 18

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

The first seizure hit at 3 AM. My power went haywire, reality fracturing into a thousand different moments all at once. I saw myself die seventeen different ways in the span of a second. When it passed, I found myself curled up on the bathroom floor of my cheap hotel room. Blood dripped from my nose. The percentage in my vision read *52%*. My hands shook as I dialed Marcus's number. "That was faster than I expected," he answered on the first ring. "It's getting worse." "Where are you?" "Hotel Avion. Room 412." "Stay there." He paused. "And Orion? Don't use your power. Not even a little." He hung up. I dragged myself to the bed, fighting another wave of nausea. Fifteen minutes later, someone knocked. Not the door – the window. I opened it to find Marc

Chapter 19

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

The spiral staircase creaked with each step. Our footsteps echoed off stone walls that looked older than civilization. "Please tell me there's a bottom to these stairs," I said. "Technically, yes." Marcus's voice floated up from below. "Practically? We haven't found it." "What do you mean haven't found it?" "The stairs keep going," Elena said behind me. "We stopped exploring at level seven." "Which level are we going to?" "Three. That's where the machine is." My percentage flickered. *54.3%* The air got colder as we descended. Older somehow. Like breathing in history. "Found this place by accident," Marcus said. "1897. A Habsburg duke's wine cellar collapsed, revealed the first level." "And nobody noticed a massive underground complex before that?" "Oh, th

Chapter 20

Orion's Rise: From Zero to Hero in Two Worlds/Arylnn East

"Whatever you do," Seraphina said, adjusting my collar, "don't mention the war with House Vex." "There was a war?" "Three, actually. The last one ended Tuesday." We stood before a shimmering portal in her apartment. My percentage read *60.1%* "Any other family secrets I should know about?" "Just the usual." She counted on her fingers. "Don't stare at Uncle Dominic's third eye. Don't ask why the portraits move. And whatever you do, don't eat the blue fruit." "Why not?" "Because it's not fruit." She grinned. "Ready?" I wasn't. But I stepped through anyway. The portal spat us out onto marble steps. I stumbled. Seraphina landed gracefully. "Welcome to House Lira." I looked up. And up. And up. The mansion defied physics. Towers spiraled imp

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