Kimberly had always considered herself a quick study. She entered college with multiple credits already under her belt and could have graduated and gone into a career already. Heather’s medical degree was still a year away, so Kim had gone for her Doctorate. It also let her study several other fields that drew her interest if only to pad out her schedule. None of that ...
2025-11-07 19:38:19 +0000 UTC
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Saturday May 14th, 2011
An Endbringer, dead.
It was a dream come true, and a nightmare all the same. He had longed to be the one to finally strike down one of humanity’s greatest foes to prove himself to be the best chance they had against Scion when the time came. Now he knew better. All for nothing. That was the summation of his life. ...
2025-10-30 20:00:09 +0000 UTC
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“I’m eager to wrap up this farce,” Viola continued, her gaze sweeping back over the council.
Poor Kim looked like a frightened hare about to be butchered at the market. A far cry from the resurrected Lilim everyone kept insisting her to be. Something she very much wasn’t from their limited interactions so far. Whatever the ritual’s intentions, it hadn’t...
2025-10-24 08:57:39 +0000 UTC
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Saturday May 14th, 2011
Madison Clements, a name that felt less true to themself with each passing day. It was the name of a girl who attended school and played at being cute and harmless to great effect. A mask, no different than the one she wore to work with the Wards.
Browbeat had come closer to the truth. Masculine presenting, but without a...
2025-10-15 20:00:23 +0000 UTC
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“Council?” Kimberly asked.
“Yes,” Viola said in English, sipping her tea. “They govern Arcadia. I am member.”
“A member,” Kimberly said, frowning. “They meet me want?”
“Want to meet me,” Viola corrected. “And yes.
Correcting one another’s word choice had ...
2025-10-10 09:02:54 +0000 UTC
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The return of Viola had kicked the proverbial hornet’s nest. Dozens of robed individuals hurried about, some pulling books and scrolls from the archives, others gathering staves and other such items. Soon there were a dozen people standing in the courtyard, all holding some sort of rod in hand.
Viola had stepped away after delivering the news and returned cleaned up; w...
2025-10-08 04:13:05 +0000 UTC
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Lacking anything else to do, Kimberly followed the robed woman as she led the kids inside the structure. The entrance led to a hallway that ran alongside the building and then to a door that went below ground into a basement or crypt. The halls were lit with the same glowing crystals that the street lamps and homes used, casting a soft glow over the length.
Multiple door...
2025-10-06 09:11:34 +0000 UTC
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The confusion lasted for several moments; the children glancing between one another as Viola’s brows scrunched. Yes, the language barrier was still a problem, but Viola had demonstrated that she was every bit the quick study that Kimberly knew herself to be. Maybe even better, given that she had at least a few years on her.
“Help?” Viola asked, picking out the most...
2025-10-04 10:12:17 +0000 UTC
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Each time I think I have a plan for how I want this to progress the characters just laugh at me and run off to do their own thing. XD
---***---
A grinning monster looked down, his blade slick with crimson blood. He laughed as he pushed, sending everything into freefall. Heather leaned over the edge, reaching, yet cold darkness claimed—
Kimberly shot up with a ga...
2025-10-03 23:09:14 +0000 UTC
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Another chapter in the story set shortly after the prologue (In what may become a volume one of the story) This time we get to see the beginnings of Kimberly learning the language!
---***---
Rain continued to fall well into the night, leaving Kimberly soaked despite the cloak offered by Viola. It did a decent enough job of keeping her dry on the walk through the city streets,...
2025-10-01 23:40:52 +0000 UTC
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Friday May 13th, 2011
Thoughts drifted as though filtered through a thick gel, coming in bursts of lucidity that passed more like a dream than reality. In each, only darkness greeted her. Was she in hell? It would have been fitting given the horrors she had allowed to be unleashed upon the world. Despite all her best efforts to prevent it, she had failed.&...
2025-09-30 20:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Doing something a little different here and testing a potential different start for the story. This one picks up immediately after the prologue and if continued would cover how she got settled into the world and introduce elements at a more steady pace. Better imo for a webnovel, but less so if I wanted to write a one shot fantasy tale that sticks to the original prompt of the series. Let me...
2025-09-30 01:48:27 +0000 UTC
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This is where the big changes really start to kick in. It's also where I'm up to with reworking the original ending. (Lots of big changes coming) Any feedback on this is appreciated, especially compared to the old version.
The bite of Guiana’s blade was a sensation that Nicole was well familiar with, yet it was still satisfying to watch the smug satisfaction of a battle all but won ...
2025-09-29 02:24:24 +0000 UTC
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Much larger changes to this chapter that set up a swifter resolution to the volume.
The Progenitor’s teleportation wasn’t instantaneous to those within the effect. They had attempted to explain it before, something about being accelerated to near the speed of light caused some form of time dilation. It didn’t make any sense to her, but no doubt Becca would dig into the m...
2025-09-28 08:02:01 +0000 UTC
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I'm sharing what I have edited so far to feel out the adjustments and changes I'm making to the end of volume two. I'll likely need to tweak things much earlier in volume two in order to make it truly work, but hey, gotta start somewhere if I'm going to get this story updating again.
Yes, this is largely the same as the previous version, but the ending has been changed to flow into the ...
2025-09-27 19:39:58 +0000 UTC
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The sight of those eyes and the cold depths hidden within stirred the darkness within into a roiling maelstrom that just itched to be let loose. Often Kimbree wondered how she would react if she were to meet Rory again. Would she cower in fear of the pain she once experienced, or would she lash out with the dark powers of a supposed goddess? She wanted nothing more than to tea...
2025-09-24 09:07:40 +0000 UTC
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Cheers rang across the city as the procession advanced through the streets. The heroes had entered through the eastern gate and were progressing around the city perimeter before turning towards the administrative district where the Council would greet them. Well, Kimbree would greet them along with Maester Chandler.
Dancers proceeded the parade, throwing out flower pedal...
2025-09-23 00:50:48 +0000 UTC
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The rough draft continues!
---***---
The Council Chamber was a large room directly beneath the atrium, sequestered away in the event the city came under attack. The room itself was lit up by magical light bright enough to confuse it for being outdoors. The polished marble floors reflected that light, amplifying the effect to the point that it was almost blinding.
2025-09-20 02:31:02 +0000 UTC
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The cool breeze of spring blew through the streets of Arcadia, rustling the early blooming flowers planted through the streets of the Administrative District. It was such a small thing, but totally worth it for the color it brought to the otherwise drab cobble streets. Despite the hustle of early morning workers moving to and fro, it was strangely peaceful compared to her old life.<...
2025-09-18 00:23:42 +0000 UTC
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Content Warnings: Blood and Gore. (Depictions of death and dying)
---***---
Blood spilled forth between her fingers as she clenched at her shirt where the blade had pierced her. It was almost comical how little pain there was considering the size of the blade he had stuck her with. Then again, she had also been drinking most of the evening and even smoked a joint with...
2025-09-17 01:47:23 +0000 UTC
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Friday May 13th, 2011
Though the expression would never carry the same weight for anyone other than me, I finally knew how to describe the aftermath of an Endbringer battle: even the Butchers were silent. Well, mostly silent. There were occasional wistful remarks about destroyed bars and pubs alongside commentary about the capes we were saving, along with my predecess...
2025-09-15 20:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
The regenerated form of Leviathan should have come as a surprise, but it really didn’t. This monster wanted me dead and was apparently willing to put everything into making that happen if given the chance. The building behind me was deserted, the only people in my range were locked in the shelters below.
I could only hope that would be ...
2025-08-30 20:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Sorry this isn't immediately a new chapter, but I figured a proper update would be preferred ahead of that given some of the changes coming. The Reluctant Ranger isn't dead, far from it. What happened was that in editing book 2's rough draft I made too many changes and lost the plot. Much as I wanted to course correct, I'd strayed too far from some core scenes to fully correct. This led to ...
2025-08-28 18:28:36 +0000 UTC
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I'm trying to get back to writing and working on my original stuff, so here's a new Legend's Echo draft chapter! (Not entirely happy with it, and if this story ever gets published elsewhere, I'm fairly certain this will get a major whack with the edit stick)
Enjoy! I'll be posting an update on The Reluctant Ranger's status soonish.
----
The early spring day was delightful, ...
2025-08-27 19:46:38 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
Lighting crackled through the atmosphere above as a howling wind whipped at my soaked hair. There I stood; in the shadow of one of the most terrifying monsters to ever exist. Leviathan loomed over me, close enough that he could reach out and cleave me if he so desired. Behind me, Vista twisted space as she pulled the broken form of the Pr...
2025-08-15 20:02:32 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
Rain beat down against his visor as composite boots cut through water. Steam hissed from his halberd, the plasma edge overpowering even the might of the torrent beating down upon them. Colin was no stranger to the horror of an Endbringer battle, but this one was proving to be the worst in his storied experience.
Behind him, the crys...
2025-07-30 20:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
Oh goddess. No, not like this…
The blood streaked down her pale face with each drop of the pouring rain, disappearing as fast as it leaked from her. Bloodsight flickered, showing what I already knew to be true. Her heart had fallen silent, not a drop of blood pulsed through her veins. The armband was screaming out warnings, ...
2025-07-15 20:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
Spree deceased.
“THE HELL WAS THAT?” “Fuck!” “DID YOU REALLY JUST?” “Damn, and he was a good lay too.” “Crispy Christ!” “Boom! Headshot!” “Pretentious prick.” “REALLY TAYLOR!?”
I wasn’t sure who had said what within the chaos of my ...
2025-06-30 20:00:06 +0000 UTC
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There was something profoundly wrong about seeing her Foci attached to a weapon meant to cause harm. It was supposed to be an instrument of healing, not pain! Sure, Robin had accepted that she would need a weapon if she was going to fight Goblins tomorrow, but this…
“Oh wow, you managed to increase the resonance!” Lia exclaimed, almost bouncing in place.&n...
2025-06-23 19:45:48 +0000 UTC
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Thursday May 12th, 2011
The mutated parahuman thundered forward in a charge, heading right for the hospital as if it knew exactly where we were. Hell, she probably did given she had several figures following in her wake. I was still moving bugs in to get a better picture, which was a challenge given the storm, their senses weren’t built to handle such heavy rainfall...
2025-06-15 20:00:06 +0000 UTC
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