The clock struck midnight, signaling the death of one day and the birth of a new, grueling cycle. The transition passed with a shriek as Raine’s sweeping kick sent Kevinsbakon tumbling across the sand-packed arena. The lanky yet durable Defender...
The swarm of Zyrathaks descended like a feathered avalanche, and the dungeon’s boss stared Raine down with eyes eager to liquify his organs. Yet, a grin split his face. The moment was too perfect. Healing Burst flooded his chest...
“Any further questions?” Raine stood from the conference table in Astra Infernum’s council chamber, beyond ready to conclude the meeting and get on to the next task.
Charles, still seated across from him, shook his head. “No, My Lord...
Can I just take a minute to give all of you a huge round of hugs? This year has been wonderful for our little family and we owe it all to you! We really couldn't do all of this without your support. T...
The crackle of residual energy faded slowly, allowing the distant rumble of a collapsing mountain to reassert itself as the dominant force in all their ears. Salamon, his form shrinking to that of a regular man, offered the two Rattlemeckas a curt...
After the regulars were settled and knew where to acquire their classes and weapon masteries, Raine used a Return Stone to leave for Vile Peak Town. If the Gromglenns had more errands for him before progressing the quest to its next phase, he need...
Raine’s hand came down on Elana’s shoulder, the firm grip offering little comfort. “I know it’s a lot. I’ll help as much as I can. Other than a short break to bring the regulars to Silverlight, I’ll take over training new hires. After ...
The last pose of Resplendence concluded to a collective, whimpering sigh. Bone-deep exhaustion had long ago settled into the assembled cohorts. Yet, not one person quit or complained, and each of their expressions remained alight with the desire t...
From his vantage in the darkened sky, Raine beheld the chaos he had unleashed. The staging ground was wholly transformed into clusters of conflict turned desperate by the momentous stakes. For those with a driving need to progress, this moment was...
High, harsh winds carried Raine over a bristling forest, its tall pines a monster-infested barrier walling off Mirror Lake’s central plains. Emberstone Hollow appeared below—a natural basin with crystalline deposits that caused its walls to gl...
The air inside the spartan office was just the way Raine liked it—uncomfortably chilled by an overzealous climate system. Morty’s drone hovered silently over his shoulder, its single red optical sensor a stark contrast to the lower-floor’s m...
Its been a while since we've tried out the best and 'brightest' image to video. Since they gave Ami and I so many laughs, we figured you wouldn't mind joining in on the fun.
Here's Mel's smile, which is certainly unmatched in its luminosity!...
Seeing him awake, Mel smiled brightly before ducking out of sight. She came back a moment later, pushing Raine’s medical hoverchair in front of her. “Morty left this in the hallway. Did you two get in a fight?”
A bitter snort escaped Raine’s nostrils. “Don’t be so dramatic. I only knocked them out.” His chin gestured toward the crumpled forms of the other aides. “Besides, you idiots attacked me first. Lucky I only rattled your skulls a bit.”<...
The tavern air, thick with the scent of stale ale and fear, was a stage set for a performance Raine had no desire to give. Lucius’s interference, both in the yard and the multiple attempted kill-steals, forced his hand. It was not the boy himsel...
The distant line of blastslits was a hundred pinpricks of darkness against the colossal stone canvas of Celendine’s Shield. Lucius Slade watched from one of them, his face likely a mask of impotent fury after his failure. A Plasma Lance<...
Raine flew beneath the Siege Crandal’s underbelly. The ground shuddered as the colossus stomped in an attempt to end their battle before it even began. An instinctive dodge allowed him to desperately stick to the shadow of the beast. No matter w...
After giving Pamalaiha separate orders to stay and observe from the shadows, Raine gestured for the core group to follow, leaving the seventeen thousand regulars to their fate. His boots found purchase on the scorched ground, the crunch of gravel ...
Raine led his guilders through the narrow streets of West Base Town. The passage of armed soldiers was familiar enough that residents did not panic. Still, the sight of seventeen thousand marching in disciplined cohorts was rare enough to bring th...
Raine sighed, lips pulling to the side in mild disappointment. Hoping for a more revealing lesson on Genesis and internal force wasn't enough to make it happen. Instead, he got another lecture on how to be a normal person.
Among the Phoenix loot, only a handful were Chaotic Gold, and every other piece was Marvelous Gold. Considering how much better chaotic was than marvelous, he was happy to have even one, let alone seven.
A dull, throbbing ache was the first sign of Raine’s return to consciousness. It began in his skull, an all-consuming pressure, as though his brain had swelled to three times its usual size. He recognized the feeling. It was the aftermath of pus...
Every value that could ever exist found a home within the infinite potential of Pi. Every birthdate, every star's lifespan, every instance of death down to the microsecond—the complete code of the universe, distilled into numerical form, rested ...
Nero’s internal force gushed from his body—a deluge of palpable menace that flooded the suite. The force crashed against the distant walls, rebounded with amplified strength before converging on Raine. He felt it as a physical tide seeking to ...