I was tempted to go for my wand. More than anything, which surprised me heartily as I stared at the embodiment of petty evil, as commonplace as bangers and mash. I didn't think I could feel the extent of anger I was experiencing now but after a moment, I forced myself to relax as I smiled thinly and remarked.
"Imposter? Oh no... I'm the upgrade. So, what exactly are you supposed to be th...
The room is dark. Immediately, I flick my wand and light shines bright, brighter as the doll covers her face before peeking cautiously. A sentiment I can certainly get behind as I look around in turn, a little confused. The door has vanished behind us, leaving us in what looks like a vast lake. The water laps at my feet, and despite it we don't sink beneath the water. A glimpse downward gives m...
2024-05-04 07:01:43 +0000 UTC View PostWhat two stories should I focus on for next week?
2024-04-27 08:47:16 +0000 UTC View PostThe food was ready. As it all came together, the doll made me a bowl and held it out expectantly and I gingerly took it, feeling compelled to speak aloud.
"Thank you."
Unchanging as her expression was, I had the impression that if she could, she'd be beaming right about now. Still at this point, I was halfway expecting Baba Yaga to yell 'psych!' in my face or for Thatch to have p...
Hello folks. So I'm basically working on quite a few projects and so forth. So I've decided to ask you lot what you'd like me to focus on now for this week. Vote now, get what ye want as the priority, yadda yadda.
All seriousness, thanks again for your support. Hope you're enjoying this as I make it up as I go along.
Vasilisa's Doll worked on the door, pale hands stroking gently along the side as the lock clicked and she entered. I was a bit distracted to really see how she did it, as Baba Yaga kept swearing up a storm in several languages I didn't know and one which I was reasonably sure was Mermish. Or she could have just been angry, who knows? I certainly didn't because having a migraine the size o...
2024-04-16 10:58:58 +0000 UTC View PostShadowheart stared on with an ever-increasing incredulous stare. The firearms used by the locals were beyond what she was passingly familiar with. They were obnoxious in their noise, swifter to be sure but overall, the speed and skill with them was what drew her eye as the children rushed forward to attack. The creature let out a roar, one of its tree-trunk arms slamming to the boy knight who w...
2024-04-11 20:39:46 +0000 UTC View PostAs they began to attack, I focused on what I could do to have a chance of victory. First would be the numbers. I had to cut them in half, reduce the fight to something I could deal with much more easily and with that in mind, I blew up the train. Well, not entirely. Just enough that I forced the wizards on my right to put up shield charms as I aimed at their feet and let gravity and the weight ...
2024-04-11 19:43:01 +0000 UTC View PostI sent the Basilisk away for her safety. As powerful as she was, all it'd take was a lucky hit and that would be the end for her. As it was, she was far more useful as both a deterrent as well as a tool for retaliation than as an overt weapon in a fight. Not that I wasn't already working on something similar to fill that niche, but it was still untested. Then again, not many had parseltongue no...
2024-04-11 03:10:33 +0000 UTC View Post"Ah, bollocks." I said aloud as I rushed over to see the following.
Aurors were generally well trained to deal with most situations, whether that be dark wizards, angry werewolves or similar. Even so, there was nothing in the human brain to prepare you for a laughing mad, near naked man with a sword chopping away though more survived than I thought.
Four of the aurors had been cho...
I very gently, tucked Natya into bed and sighed out.
I felt a little bad, essentially drugging her to put her out of the way, but I'd need her space in order to conduct my investigation. That had always been the point of course but putting it into practice left a bad taste in my mouth. She had been kind enough, patient if a little confused and I reached into my bag and set down from my b...
"You were out rather late last night." I paused, glancing towards Natya as she served breakfast, a hot meal of buckwheat porridge with fruit slices, fresh baked bread and some fried mackerel. With a newspaper in hand, I had been glancing over and wondering if my little escapade drew eyes, but for now it seemed I had gotten off scott free, as I let out a bashful smile and glanced away.
"A...
I know what you're thinking. 'Oh Tom, why don't you just kill her and be done with it? What's the difference between before and now?' Well, my murderous shoulder devil, the reason was very simple. Killing Nazi's is basically a national past time and I feel like if they included snacks, a lot more people would be involved. The second one involved human and magical beast trafficking, among other ...
2024-04-11 01:54:40 +0000 UTC View PostThe first week together was a slow one.
Natya didn't know me, nor did she know what to think of me. All she knew was that 'Anton' was a friend of her brother, who worked in a rather gray and violent area of the law per se. So, for the first week, I simply familiarized myself with the area. I cleaned her house when she was at work, I took out her trash, I de-gnomed her garden area and got...
My head hurt. I was seeing double, and the horseman was about to give me the last tan I'd ever get, if I stayed still. But nor would I be able to outrun a horse, especially not a flying one. So, I did what all wizards do in a situation like this.
I cheated.
I swirled my wand about, creating a cloud of smoke that billowed and expanded and flicked my wand as I produced a cracking, d...
Three months had passed since my time in the Philippines. In between my explorations of the worlds arcane sites and secrets, I would return to Wolftown in America and find rest and respite for my mind. While the name was a bit on the nose I feel, it was a location swiftly finding its feet as I'd bring in whatever materials I managed to harvest from various magical creatures, as well as whatever...
2024-04-11 01:50:51 +0000 UTC View PostMy first meeting with Anton Trese could have gone better as he spoke aloud.
"You sir, have been nothing but a pain in my side."
I blinked. Next to me, Nagini stared on coldly, much of a serpent's gaze about her though Anton Trese took it head on unflinchingly as he turned his attention to me. It had been a few days at this point, as much for our own recovery as it was for all the ...
I woke up to the splash of water on my face.
Also, I was naked. Tied to a chair bolted to the floor, in the midst of a room where a light shone in my face and outside of that circle, nothing but darkness as someone paced around. Slowly, quietly before they finally spoke in a local accent.
Tagalog first. Asking if I understood him, though I made sure to look knocked out and dazed. ...
I was quiet.
Nagini grew more wary, looking at my expression that was likely familiar to her. That closed off, cold sensation as serpentine as her other form as I looked at the woman who became Voldemort's only friend, if such a term could apply. I also knew that she had also been involved in the second world war against Grindelwald, had even set foot in Hogwarts while still human.
I pulled my hood up and over to obscure my face as I entered the market proper. Luckily, it seemed to be a fashion trend here as I walked among the crowd, just one among many and not even the only humanoid as I saw far smaller figures likewise using the same. Around me, while English seemed to be the main language of commerce, the accents and other tongues I listened to seemed to come from all ...
2024-04-11 01:41:52 +0000 UTC View PostWhat is Magic?
Was it a set of near-scientific laws, following set rules and imposing their effects upon the material world? Was it an intuitive power, warping reality and drawing it from some nebulous force? Was it drawn from powerful, eldritch beings and trickled down upon the world as cultures did their best to understand and live among it? Could it be all these things or none of them...
This was not how I wanted this to go nor how I expected it.
Anton Trese might have been suspicious, but I could hardly blame him for that. From what little I heard about his job, it seemed to be a full-time occupation and giving him the high ground would have put him at ease, allowed him to ascertain the foreigner that the Chinese Ministry recommended to him to work with. Oh certainly, Z...
"What are you even doing here, Dumbledore?"
We stood at the docks, him and I as the fireworks continued to explode in the skies. It was now Nineteen-fifty four, and despite the fact we were in the tropics, the wind was blowing across the seas and would have chilled us both if we hadn't cast our respective spells to prevent just that. Dumbledore hummed in thought, casually staring out at ...
Manila City.
This was actually a place I had visited in my life before. And after that entire debacle with the Naagloshii, I wanted someplace a bit more familiar where the snow was nonexistent, and the food was cheap and plentiful. The air was hot and muggy, the streets were crowded with bus's, trikes and vendors and goddamn, I loved it. I admit, I was likewise curious as to what exactly...
The Naagloshii roared and smashed Conan through the table with a shattering crash that would have done the same to any human caught in it. Conan growled, snapping and slashing as the damage was mitigated by my own swift actions, as a shimmering set of armor gleamed into view from my spellwork as he kicked out with clawed feet into its throat, causing it to stumble back enough he could scramble ...
2024-04-11 01:34:58 +0000 UTC View PostThe cry echoed behind us. Conan, spurred on by a healthy survival instinct flung Clint over his shoulder and began running faster as he yelled behind at me. "FIENDFYRE WOULD BE VERY NICE ABOUT NOW!"
"I CAN'T BURN IT HERE, THE ENTIRE PLACE WOULD COLLAPSE!" I yelled back as I pumped my arms and ran like my life depended on it. I spun on my heel, wand out as I pointed back at what awaited i...
Out of everything I had expected to find, it certainly wasn't this. But offhand comments, behaviors and more I had seen before suddenly collided and became all the clearer as I stared at the patient in the bed. She looked like a burn victim, wrapped up in bandages and as she laid against the bed and watched us, my eyes would flick to the picture as I examined it more carefully. I could see why ...
2024-04-11 01:32:58 +0000 UTC View Post"The MACUSA thanks you for your aid. But it's time for y'all to leave. We'll be holding negotiations ourselves and we wouldn't wanna accidentally have you get between us. Accidents happen after all."
Conan actually growled, a deep rumble in his throat as his flesh fingers turned white, clutching his rifle tightly. With eye contact with Jeff, I made ...
After that impromptu performance and the shaman's somber speech, the settlement began to prepare themselves for war. As they did, Conan and I sat and watched in silence, both of us simply digesting what we had seen before I spoke aloud. "When a doctor goes wrong, he is the first of criminals." Conan glanced at me, his silver hand tapping gently to a beat on the log he was sitting on as he raise...
2024-04-11 01:30:26 +0000 UTC View PostThe Lakota camp proved much more welcoming once it became known that we were guests. Though tensions were still high, most of it was focused outside of the walls of the tribes home rather than within as dinner was prepared. I could smell whatever was brewing elsewhere, the scents normally mouth-watering but for my current frustration. I had to send a message to the caravan, a warning to keep th...
2024-04-11 01:28:51 +0000 UTC View Post