And so ends another arc…

~ Calcium Oxide ~ Leave a comment

Seven years. It’s been more than seven years since I started posting my story on WordPress, and undoubtedly it’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. The third arc has taken the majority of that time, and I don’t regret a single second. To everybody who has stuck with my epic from beginning to end, I want to offer you my sincerest thanks. No words could ever describe what you’ve given to my life. Thank you for everything.

That said… this arc took way too bloody long! I could blame work and pandemics all I want but it doesn’t change the fact something needs to change. That’s why I’m planning something drastic. Turns out, constantly hammering my head against the same hobby stops it from being a hobby. So, the solution to my slow progress is… to write even more?

Now, hear me out. The main problem isn’t time but motivation, because honestly, I want to write other stuff sometimes. That said, my plan for the story is far too grand. I will have to trim it down, but more importantly… I want to write at two different points in the story. Arc 4 that will follow from Chapter 131 and be mu~ch shorter than Arc 3, while Arc 5(?) will be set five years after that. Writing at two points will be tricky, but the different tone and themes will provide the variety I’m after. Moreover, I’m planning to work on a pilot chapter for a new story… as a web comic (probably posted on my WordPress site).

More than the euphoria from finishing Arc 3, I’m now more excited for the future. There will definitely be delays and hiccups, but you can be damn sure I will never give up. In the meantime, I’m going to take a four month hiatus to plan this stuff out, maybe go back and furnish the second and third arcs.

Again, to everybody who has made it this far: thank you. I hope to continue to entertain.

Sincerely,

Calcium Oxide

Interlude: At River’s Bend

~ Calcium Oxide ~ 1 Comment

The sun has hidden itself behind Rever Point. The town guards that remained with the holy knights are busy preparing the camp for the night ahead. Tascus and his ilk are preparing to seal the Great Ark forever, but for its last teleportation, a cart of bodies emerges from the entrance. Holy Knight Mavel passes his eye over the corpses, and upon recognising Brother Johan, he offers a brief prayer before returning to his crucial work. Continue reading →

Chapter 129: Bane of Cultists

~ Calcium Oxide ~ Leave a comment

“What’s our status, Donovan?”

“Unchanged, Father Kory. We still have limited access to the Great Ark’s systems. Although teleportation is still possible, our current layout of quadrants is unknown and we are unable to change it. It will take time to rally the others.”

“And our forces around Rever Point?”

“Still no contact. Somehow, the holy knights detected and disabled our line of communication.”

“… This bodes ill for us, Donovan. Station lookouts in the immediate quadrants and report any movements. Send a scout to map the rest of the floor and collect any of our scattered flock. Our brothers on the outside will move in on the mountain if the silence persists, but until then, we must stand defend the ritual room with our lives. His Holiness should be finished with Enbos soon, so the Ascension must be ready at any moment.”

“Understood, father.” Continue reading →

Side Story: Fiety

~ Calcium Oxide ~ Leave a comment

There are some character interactions I wished I realised sooner, so that later events could feel more fleshed out. Although this side story was written after Chapter 128, chronologically, it is set after Chapter 101.

 

 

Fourteenth hour, twenty-seventh day, fifth month, sixteenth year of Pope Othniel.

Several hours have passed since the interrogation of the enigmatic Enbos and I am currently operating from Catorrem’s city garrison. Maximillian has thrust several tasks onto my platter and asked for them to be completed before dusk. While it is not the first time he has asked something unreasonable, the priory is currently short-staffed until the decoy team returns. To maximise my efficiency, I’m currently pouring over the city maps… while supervising Enbos’ apprentice. Continue reading →

Chapter 128: Gold-Hearted F(r)iend

~ Calcium Oxide ~ 2 Comments

“<Ray of Heaven>!”

 

Making the first move, Tascus conjures a massive pentagram and fuels it with his near limitless mana. I prepare to block his holy attribute attack, only for a desperate voice in my head yell, “Get away!” I instantly oblige … just as a column of dark mana brushes past me. Every bone in my body rattles from the blast as it continues to puncture half a dozen rooms. Livid, Tascus takes to the air and conjures an even wider magic circle overhead. Recognising the symbols, I create a <Spell Shield> just before his attack.

Continue reading →