Andrew Thompson
Stories
8
Chapters
3,542
Words
1.4 M
Comments
0
Reading
4 d, 23 h
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The protector appeared just as Dallion had predicted, flying down from the sky the instant Dallion’s foot touched the first step to the dais. The entire sky exploded in cyan light, after which a large form swooped down, landing in the middle of the staircase. This was the second protector Dallion had faced, although for all practical reasons, it might well be said to be the first. The being was a cross between winged armor and swords. Bright cyan light shone from within, connecting the pieces of metal,…-
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The realm turned out to be composed almost entirely of the city. The sensation was both fascinating and slightly spooky. It didn’t help that there weren’t any people to be seen. Dallion couldn’t help but wonder what the realm had been like when it was full, and more importantly, what had caused it to become abandoned. No doubt the people of ages gone were far more adept at item creation than the current generation of awakened. In the past, Dallion would have rushed to the tower as fast as possible…
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Continuing as if nothing had happened proved to be more difficult than Dallion expected. The suspicion that there could be a copyette in the inn he was staying, as well as chainlings walking freely in the city kept Dallion up the next few days. Euryale had fixed the kaleidervisto box in less than an hour, but that hadn’t helped. On the contrary, it had made him even more on edge than before. Each time he’d use it on a crowd—either in the city or during his performance at work—he subconsciously…
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The boundary between the city realm and the wilderness was like a gate to another world. Each time someone entered—awakened or not—they felt a faint sensation of change, similar to the feeling of finally returning home after a long day. Now that Dallion had passed the third gate, he could see the actual difference. There was a giant bubble of control surrounding the city, forming a literal line in the sand. Beyond that line was the wilderness—the place where the city’s rules ended. “You’ll…
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Despite everyone having heard the word, general knowledge about chainlings remained almost non-existent. Everyone had heard the name of the monster, those who travelled in the wilderness, even were aware of how vicious they were. Other than that, though, the creature’s true nature remained a secret known only to the Order of the Seven Moons, and possibly the Imperial family. As Dallion stood in the plaza, waves of fear passing through him, barely anyone in the crowd reacted. Dallion’s music skills,…
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“What changes?” Dallion asked the Moon. The first gate trial was linked to the ability to create and handle the creation of an echo. The second—to link, and potentially invade, awakened realms. Each trial had unlocked capabilities relating to awakening, and each next set of abilities had a greater impact than the last. “Does it matter?” The deity seemed amused. “In order to make a choice, I need to know what options I have,” Dallion replied. “Otherwise it isn’t a…
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“And promise you’ll call every day,” Dallion’s mother said. “And if you can’t text.” “I promise,” Dallion smiled. Leaving for college felt more awkward than he imagined. It was bad enough that he felt anxious about the upcoming changes. His mother made things far more complicated, almost crying. His father had turned out the smartest of the lot, avoiding the entire goodbye scene under the pretext that he had to check the car. “I’ll be in touch,” he said, avoiding looking her in…
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“There’s another room added,” Dallion said as he walked back into the corridor. One down, three to go. While it seemed just a game, Dallion felt quite drained, as if he had done everything the tokens described. This was probably why it wasn’t recommended that anyone did multiple leveling levels in one go. Part of Dallion wondered whether he shouldn’t take his chances with the copyette in the real world. Gen stood in the corridor, leaning against a wall when Dallion walked out. The echo had…
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There was no prize offered for the final round. Dallion had quick the last round, just as the general had suggested he do. It was not the initial shock that had caused him to do so. Dallion’s gamer mind had already determined that it would come to a showdown, whether that would be the fourth or final round. Under such circumstances, he preferred that his opponent had four attacks less. “All in,” Dallion said, placing all stats and skills on the table. “You’re betting everything?” the general…
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Dallion kept staring at the golden box, as if by doing so he’d gleam what’s inside. It was obvious that the opponent standing across from him wasn’t the general—it was merely an echo created by Dallion’s realm, which meant that his skills were no better than Dallion’s. And still, there was a deep sense of fear, as if Dallion had brought a knife to a gunfight. The easiest thing to do was play on the assumption that the “general” had the same skills at the same level. And yet a voice in the…
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