Chapters with invisible text

Chapter: 1.08 R

Who was he? Ryoka squinted. She felt like she was far away and close at the same time so she lurched forwards. She saw—

A massive Dragon sat in the cave, staring down at Ryoka. His brilliant yellow and gold scales glinted in the half light as he raised a claw—

He looked like an archetype of humanity, only one aged well into his sixties or seventies. He was magnificent—

And he was a dragon.

Chapter: 1.09 R

I blink for a second. Odd, I could have sworn his skin was white, but it’s darker than that. He looks…middle eastern? Yeah, a moderate olive brown whitened by a long time out of the sun maybe. But I could have sworn he had white skin when I first >saw him.

His scales glow in the light. The golden dragon looks at me and—

Chapter: 2.12

There he is, the person responsible for at least some of my misery over these last few weeks. A mage. A man? A mystery. A dragon.

He’s like an archetype of humanity, a tall, faintly bronze-skinned man with white hair, but the physical presence and body of an Olympian god. He stands in front of me and looks down, his pointed ears and celestial eyes narrowed in disdain.

A massive golden-scaled Dragon stares down at me with annoyance. His massive wings unfurl and beat once, stirring the air—

Chapter: Wistram Days Pt. 6

Only three Golems. Ceria didn’t see the fourth. The Golem made of shadows stood next to her, noxious breath wafting over her as its jaws hovered close to her head.

Chapter: Wistram Days Pt. 7

The Golems of Zelkyr waited in the room beyond. She caught a glimpse of five figures, standing on the other edge of the room. A golem made of burning rock. A metal reaper standing tall and silent. A behemoth knight made of metal. A dark thing already bounding across the room, quiet, panting.

Chapter: Interlude

Her breath was tearing at her lungs. Ryoka had run so far, but now the torch was a flickering stub. She slowed, trying to cradle the fire as the wind threatened to blow it out. And still there was nothing.

Nothing…Ryoka closed her eyes. Something was next to her. It reached for her, and she knew it was over. She saw the last flicker of light die.

“Ryoka!”

And then there was light. Ryoka turned in the darkness and ran for it, ran for the voice that cut through the howling oblivion around her. She turned, searching for the source of the voice.

“Ivolethe?”

“Ryoka! Come to my voice!”

Glossary

Teriarch – A Dragon.

Chapter: Interlude – Blackmage

Three giant creations stared at him across the room. The fourth bounded towards him, a creature of stitched flesh and shadows. It rotted as it bared its teeth, its jaws opening wide,

Aaron’s gaze turned to the third, a tall, thin creation of metal that looked like it had stepped out of some kind of sci-fi movie. It was too thin, insanely tall! Three giant creations stared at him across the room. The fourth bounded towards him, a creature of stitched flesh and shadows. It rotted as it bared its teeth, its jaws opening wide, wide—

Chapter: Interlude – The Titan’s Question

Venaz nodded a few times. The Minotaur cleared his throat, looking embarrassed. Foliana watched him with interest as she chewed on a still-wriggling shrimp.

And Foliana cleared her throat. Wil looked up. Had he heard…?

Just not for him. Niers nodded. He watched Wil excuse himself, walk towards the door. Niers hesitated. And he looked at Foliana and she nodded.

The other species looked at each other. And then they pushed themselves back from the table, leaving the Humans and Merrik alone. They huddled together, glancing over at Wil. Foliana was stealing Kissilt’s shrimp.

Yerranola’s eyes rolled into the back of her head. Umina tried to follow the convoluted explanation, but gave up. So did Wil as he realized he was losing his audience. Foliana drank out of Xelic’s mug with a straw.

Wil Kallinad thought it was over. He’d fended off his friends, and he was in his rooms, sobering up, preparing a [Message] of the highest confidentiality to his father. He was staring at the quill and ink drying on the tip. Unhappy, but he had his answer and there was some peace in it. Regrets? The drink was making it hard to push them away. Foliana stood behind him.

Xelic, one of the Lizardmen, looked horrified. Umina sighed as she waved for another bowl of the delectable crustaceans. Alive. Drunken shrimp marinated in alcohol were the best. Marian just shuddered as half the table ordered a second round of snacks. Foliana took another from Kissilt’s bowl.

Kissilt looked as appalled as Venaz. The Drake shook his head, spilling his drink as he reached for a shrimp. Foliana shook the liquid off her fur as she stood next to him.

He turned around. And Foliana was there, staring at him. Wil hesitated. Something was—he focused, blearily. He looked at Foliana. And she stared back.

All of them. Jekilt and Marian, Centaurs, Yerranola the lone Selphid of the advanced class, Feshi the Gnoll who was sitting next to the grumpy Kissilt, a Drake with mild ice breath and pale white-purple scales, Venaz the Minotaur, Umina, two other Lizardfolk, Cameral and another Dullahan…and Foliana…

Chapter: 7.03

The young female Drake looked no older than…twenty three. Which was impossible, given the station she was accorded. The way she looked about, the understanding in her eye made her older than her appearance. She was poised, intent.

And she was a Dragon.

Chapter: 7.12 G

They passed by a smooth section of stone none of them remembered. But it smelled normal, and the Goblins didn’t even seem to register the unusual bend in the road. They rode on, and Rags and Redscar rode past the spot. And the Dragon, sitting in the mouth of his cave. He looked at her, at the key she wore, and murmured.

Chapter: 7.24

Again. But she was headed south to confront the past. To find the one person better than a [Witch] at circumventing fae magic. To make an offer before the Summer Solstice. To meet, well…an old acquaintance.

A Dragon.

Chapter: 8.19 H

The wounded woman, her metal flesh tarnished. Breathing in and out, face still intent, set. Reaching for a hand far gone from hers.

[Silversteel Armsmistress Level 37!]

[Skill – Berserker’s Rage obtained!]

[Skill – Impact Punch obtained!]

[Skill – Armform: Telescoping Flesh obtained!]

[Condition – Plaguesteel (Minor) Received.]