Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Second chapter release!

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Chapter 10: Blood Flint

Regal rides Hades south from Greyhorn Townsend in hopes of finding Piora before she goes too far. He takes a snake-like route to cover more area, but pays most of his attention to the path leading back toward Grand Theore. Despite his increased speed, thanks to Hades, after searching for several hours he still can’t find even a trace of her. Regal tried to contact her through the transmission plate several times during his search, but no matter what he sent, Piora didn’t reply.

Returning to the community late in the evening, Regal returns to their villa, where the remainder of his squad has gathered. Everyone is curious as to where he has been, and why Piora left the squad so suddenly. With a gloomy expression, Regal patiently tells everyone about how he had an argument with Piora, which lead to the latter storming off in anger. Apparently, she was seen leaving the city gate.

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Looking at the clock, I have just spent 8 hours editing! This wasn’t even me cleaning up my writing, but going through edits from our grand editors! Anyway, here is the first of several chapters being posted!

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Chapter 9: Falling Apart

After Regal finished his third day working for the Community Defense Team, his idea of implementing the new defensive layer around the city wall still hadn’t been completed. Only a small few of the city’s crafters have been helping with the production of the new section of the wall as the rest are busy preparing the new iron mine with cart rails and new supports, while they calculate the size of the vein.

Lord Solace owns the mine, as it was located by members of his community, but he has announced that all crafters with the ‘Mining’ skill are permitted to dig inside it at any time and can keep thirty percent of everything they mine. This is a small benefit to the crafters who uncovered the iron ore deposit, providing them with the means to collect ore without having to buy it from the community.

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: One chapter of CotE remaining. The last chapter will come tomorrow. I’m seriously falling asleep here and am struggling to keep my eyes open. You will understand this a little better tomorrow, or whenever I wake up and can finish my to do list.

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Chapter 7 – Mutant Beast Abilities

After leaving the Lost Water Caverns and arriving back at Greyhorn Townsend, both Regal’s squad and the three guards go their separate ways.

Within a dimly lit house near the southern gate that the Greyhorn Guard use as their barracks, Jerule meets with the leader of the guards, Bryn.

“Leader, I have done what you asked and scouted information on the newcomers.”

“Good, give me your report.”

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Two chapters of CotE remaining. These few chapter have been/are considerably longer than the standard CotE chapter, so it took longer to write them. Despite only 8 chapters being written, it is already considerably long. At the rate these chapters are looking, CotE Vol. 2 will be my biggest book yet (again).

I’m feeling considerably tired. I had to go out to pick up mail and do food shopping, but I should be able to get out at least one more chapter today, maybe both of them. There is one chapter of End Online as well, but I need to rework a part of it near the end.

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Chapter 6: Lost Water Caverns

Regal’s squad and the three guards led by Jerule continued travelling west from Greyhorn Townsend. After leaving the dusty area around their community, the sky seems to become a little brighter and the plants more abundant. The originally dry shrubs littering the desolate landscape become much greener and larger. The ground is no longer hard dirt and rocks, but a soft soil begins to reveal itself.

Trees even begin to appear with lush green leaves adorning them. The stale air becomes heavy with moisture, and the blazing sun causes the humidity to rise and stick to Regal and the other party members’ skin. A thin film of sweat forms beneath their leather armor, discomforting those who are unaccustomed to such weather.

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Three chapters of CotE left. Editing is more hands on for me from this chapter onwards, could be up to an hour release between each one. Actually, make that up to two hours, there is a bit there.

A small tidbit of information you may find interesting, The second Mutant Stone Beast was originally called Lorde, which was similar to the first, Lande. I had to change this to Lore however due to when their names were too close together it kept sounding like “Landlord”.

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Chapter 5: Compounding Preparations

The day after crafting all the villa’s basic furnishings, Regal wakes up to the morning sunlight filtering in through the wooden window. The hazy light banishes the nighttime chill and replaces it with a stagnant warmth.

Veronica is sleeping alongside Regal again, her head burrowed in his chest to escape the nighttime chill. Her eyes flutter open when she detects Regal shifting around, her eyes slowly coming into focus as her mind becomes more attentive.

“It’s time for breakfast. Is there anything in particular you want?” Regal asks lovingly, replacing his arm around her and holding her close.

Veronica allows herself to be pulled into Regal’s embrace, calmly replying to him, “Anything you want.”

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Fourth chapter release, half way there.

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Chapter 4: Dust Storm

Regal and his squad enter the makeshift Silverstone Temple of Life. The inside is somewhat dim, the area lit by a long line of torches along the wall. Compared to the temple in Theore where Regal revived at previously, which has a golden luminescence that falls from the large stained glass windows and creates a holy atmosphere, this Temple of Life is like a cave.

There is also a detailed map of Greyhorn Townsend and the area around it, extending all the way until the dungeon in the west.

“Would it hurt to at least install some windows?” Aqua says disapprovingly while squinting at the map illuminated only by the flickering flames.

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Editors: Templar, Jack Vanatis, Orang

Author’s notes: Third chapter release. 5 more CotE chapters coming.

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Chapter 3 – Greyhorn Townsend

Late in the night, Regal has finally cut down enough deadwood trees to create the covered wagon. He does it far enough away that the noise won’t wake everyone up. Unfortunately, even though the moon illuminates the night with a silvery glow, it isn’t enough light for him to be able to accurately create the wagon by. Not only that, but chopping apart all the deadwood trees into long timber sections over such a short period of time has completely exhausted him.

Regal sinks down against the pile of deadwood he has prepared. His exhaustion and the long day of travel has mentally and physically worn him out to the point that he can no longer keep his eyes open.

Veronica is currently the person on patrol. She wanders over to Regal when she sees him sitting down against the large pile of deadwood. Regal is already asleep, his hot breath against the cool night air peacefully causes a faint mist to form in small puffs as he sleeps. Veronica finds that looking on his sleeping form causes her chest to feel warmer than it should. She silently stands next to him for several minutes, closely inspecting his face, before eventually letting out an almost inaudible sigh before returning to her patrol.

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Chapter 2 – Mutant Stone Beasts

Regal and his squad take the entire day to reach the north gate. They decide to spend the night near the city’s edge before leaving the enclosure of Grand Theore, rather than walking through the night or camping just outside the city.

The men have one room in the inn to themselves, while the women have another. Astore and Kilde aren’t very talkative, so they end up easily falling asleep in the silence. Aqua and Piora are the exact opposite, talking vibrantly into the night as they get to know each other, occasionally forcing Veronica into their conversation.

The next day, still full of energy, the squad exits through the gate and steps out into the greater world. Regal marvels at how large the sky is, just like the first time he left the confines of the city to learn cartography. Back then, they couldn’t leave the range of five miles from the city in fear of the wild mutant beasts.

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As for my absense, and what has been happening. I will release two posts after the chapter releases. The first explaining what I have been going through lately and all the reasons I haven’t talked about for now. It is a big step coming out with these issues, so I hope you can be patient with me in this regard. The second post is something different, so wait for it to come (Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad).

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Vol. 2 Chapter 1 – Registration

The first night after graduating from Bluemist Academy and being officially recognized as an adult, Regal’s home is intruded upon by two people. These interlopers are Aqua, who independently decided she would be stay with him until they departed Grand Theore and Veronica, who resolutely refused to leave Regal and Aqua alone together.

This night is the longest night Regal can recall. On one side of the room is Veronica, for whom he has strong feelings of love. Standing beside her is Aqua, who is fond of Regal but displeased that her feelings aren’t reciprocated.

Regal stands in the kitchen making a hot stew for them all out of a chunk of meat from a Horned Vice, which is a mutant beast that he was told resembles a cow and has a terrifying charge attack. The entire house is filled with a tense silence, only broken by the sound of the stew boiling and the occasional footsteps passing by outside.

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