The atmosphere in the grand hall remained tense as the nobles whispered among themselves, trying to come up with different theories regarding the identity of the shooter.Although Marquis Desmond’s and Marquis Sullivan’s families were close, the two had never seen eye-to-eye on matters of the court, especially those involving military policies and issues of national security.Since they were two of the most powerful nobles at the court and represented two reputed houses, they tried their best not to air their conflicting opinions in public, but by now, their supporters and close allies had already figured out they had contrasting ideologies.The undead invasion had dealt the final blow to their relations as they were unable to reach an agreement on the matter. This led to Marquis Desmond joining the loyalist camp while Marquis Sullivan strengthened his ties with the opposing faction, the ones who were against the king’s policies.The mistrust breeding for many weeks now was gradually r
When Tanya and Ezra returned from the palace, Count Gressil was already waiting for them in the living room of the mansion. News of the king being attacked had already reached the Count, and he was eagerly waiting for more information.After changing into casual clothes, Ezra and Tanya narrated all that had happened at the ball, including their discussion with the rebel faction headed by Marquis Sullivan and their little rendezvous with Esmeralda."There are many gangs in the city that would like to see the king dead or replaced. But it takes guts to send an assassin after him,” Count Gressil remarked, stroking his beard. “I would wager it could be the work of the Bleeding Roses or the Black Nightshades.”Ezra had heard about the Black Nightshades, but the mention of this new gang called ‘Bleeding Roses’ piqued his curiosity. Tanya looked equally clueless about it all. “You mean to say there are multiple gangs operating within Magaravia? How is that possible?”“You will be surprised t
Slowly but surely, the hours had ticked by one after another, and the day Ezra had been waiting for had finally arrived. He was tired of dabbling in politics and hiding in the shadows within the walls of this indolent city. And now that Tanya had entrusted him with such a great responsibility, he was ready to prove himself once again.Not even the bravest adventurer or the proudest Gunner would dare to set foot inside the ruined city since it was riddled with deadly traps and rumored to be haunted by evil spirits. But Ezra had grown so accustomed to looking death in the eye that he did not care about what lay within the crumbling walls of the ancient settlement.In Ezra’s mind, this was just going to be another treasure hunt, and if successful he would be able to return with lost items which could turn the tide of any battle and re-write the course of history.Only a few hours separated Ezra from his first solo expedition outside the walls of Magaravia. The last time he had left the c
The Wind Rider soared through the blanket of morose gray clouds, and the world below soon disappeared into a hazy blur. Ezra looked on to catch one last glimpse of the capital as it was swallowed by the morning fog.Flying over the walls of the great city, the airship picked up speed as Zala turned a knob to fuel its magic flames with crystal dust. Being so high above the clouds kept the airship out of harm’s way by preventing the guards and towers from detecting it. And its silent engine ensured that it was quieter than a bird in flight.With the wind on its back, the Wind Rider sailed the sky like a weightless ship, its bulbous frame drifting through the clouds and bobbing up and down as the pressure kept rising and falling with each little turn of the knob.As the Wind Rider soared over the barren peaks of the Marauder Mountains, Ezra caught a glimpse of the treacherous pass snaking across the rocky ridge. It was here the old kings of Valaria had held back the elves during the ear
Ezra narrowed his eyes on the Tower of Corruption as Zala turned the knob and dropped two sandbags to reduce the drag and take the airship higher.The tower erected on the ground roughly resembled an ancient watch tower with a wooden framework and black stakes jutting out of its sides to make it appear more formidable.A raised platform on top served as a shooting deck for the Skeletal Archers housed within, and a black gem glistened on its crown, hoisted by two severed human hands crossed at an angle.Each time the gem vibrated, it released a corrupting pulse that contaminated the surroundings, tainting the minds of living beings unfortunate enough to be caught within its sphere of influence.Ezra watched as the vultures circling above fell from the sky, struck by the corrupting pulse. But instead of staying dead, the birds underwent a terrifying change. Their bones burst out of their chests, and their beaks turned black and grew larger. Every feather on their body became coated with
The Vespid Swamps had always been notorious for their terrifying wildlife which included several kinds of deadly reptiles and amphibians. It was the reason why most people chose to avoid going anywhere near it.Glenn would have preferred to take the longer route and go around the swamp, but the two roads on each side were guarded by Towers of Corruption.Although the airship could fly above the clouds to avoid detection, the magic crystal powering it had expended most of its energy, and trying to boost its power and increase the altitude again would slow the airship down and prolong their journey.To shorten their travel time, Glenn and Zala had decided to take the quickest route by flying over the swamps. However, this treacherous path also brought them closer to the monster lurking in the depths of the tarry black bog.As the Wind Rider approached the Vespid Swamps, Ezra leaned over the railing and looked below. The wetland was festering with corruption, and every single tree was cho
A creature like the Ancient Garnock did not belong in the human world. It was a being tied to the abyssal realm, but the scourge spreading across the lands had destroyed the barrier between the planes, tearing open a dark rift that allowed the monstrosity to cross over to the other side.There were no books in Valaria that described the Garnock and no tales on the lips of the oldest adventurers that narrated an encounter with this abyssal being. Yet, Ezra found himself face-to-face with the monstrous abomination.With two of its tentacles holding onto the airship, it looked like the Garnock had its hands full, but as soon as it spotted Ezra flying away from the gondola, its other tentacles emerged from the slimy bog. Wriggling like gigantic worms, the tentacles prepared to catch another prey as the Garnock locked its eyes on Ezra.Thwip!The largest tentacles lashed out straight toward Ezra. But before it could jab him in the head, he blasted it with a hail of magic bullets. The Garno
Glenn lauded Ezra’s efforts as he returned to the airship while Zala looked on in disbelief. He was among the few dark mages who knew about the powers of the Ancient Garnock and the threat it posed to any magic user.“Not even the most powerful Elementalist could have survived that encounter. But you came out on top and even managed to kill the Garnock,” Zala spoke with a note of admiration in his voice. “I never believed Glenn when we told me about you, but now that I have witnessed your power with my own eyes, I cannot deny you are truly Ishani’s favored sword. Perhaps there is still hope left for humanity.”“I have to admit I have never seen a Gunner using such advanced skills in battle at such a young age. You are truly a prodigy, Lord Ezra,” Glenn added.Ezra brushed the praise aside and looked westward. “The Garnock was powerful, but it wasn’t too smart. I am more concerned about the three necromancers.”“You will need the help of Elementalists and sorcerers to deal with their da