Amazon Apocalypse 5: The Story So Far...

I’m Carter, originally from Earth. I was born, raised, and grew up much like any other pre-integration Earthling, with one small exception. My childhood best friend was an Amazonian from another world, and she warned me of the coming apocalypse.

Thanks to her warning, I survived the end of the world, and I was able to save a few others with me. One of them was my old boss, Sakura, who transformed into a part-Oni as soon as the integration awoke her dormant bloodline. And Bridget, an intern, transformed into a part wolf after an encounter with lycans the System pit us against.

With their help, I built a shelter for all the integration survivors. Together, we rebuilt the town of Crownhill into a mighty fortress that could withstand all the System intended to pit us against.

One by one, survivors from other worlds came to challenge us. Goblins, deer-folk, ogres, trolls, lycans, and monsters. As each foe came for us, we battled, negotiated, or slaughtered until we were the strongest faction that remained. But the integration isn’t over, and I have a feeling we haven’t seen the worst the System plans to throw our way.

The battles were hard, and over time, the casualties have mounted. Even I died once, though I got better afterward. Still, I promise to find a way to bring all my old allies back to life so they can join me and fight by my side once more. Ben and all my other fallen comrades in arms, are still waiting for me to find a way to resurrect them just as they helped me come back to life.

My new home wasn’t the only one beset by enemies. Myrina, my childhood best friend, needed my help on her homeworld of Themyscira. Rebels had taken up arms against her family, and old traditions barred her and me from being more than just friends. Overcoming both took blood and sweat, but Myrina’s family’s enemies were defeated in the end, and I’d claimed myself a mischievous Amazonian bride.

With her on my side, we faced off against even greater foes. Next came the golems, undead, the naga, and dragons. At first, we scouted them and thought ourselves a match for them all, but the naga and undead joined forces in the name of the chaos gods they worshiped, the Chaos Serpent and the Chaos Raven. Both dark gods have taken far too much interest in Earth for my liking. A few strange books I found and the ruined city beneath my house might have clues as to why.

Together and borrowing their evil patrons’ power, they used a spell to possess the mother dragon. Defeating it was no easy task. Fortunately, Myrina’s allies and my new trading partners sent us a wizard to aid us. I had my doubts about Reluna, the pointy-eared frost wizard, at first but she could be quite capable when the situation demanded it, and I was glad to have her at my side.

With our enemies defeated at last, we could finally begin our rescue operations to scour these other shards for human survivors. We found people from all over the world in small, monster-ravaged settlements. Those who came to Crownhill and saw what we’d built in the face of all these otherworldly threats were duly impressed.

At this stage of the integration, the only threat to us is a group of rogue golems. My companions and I did a little investigation, and they turned out to be quite territorial, but could be managed under the right circumstances. They seem to be maintaining the ruins of an ancient village abandoned long ago.

Another mysterious individual, the Goddess in Jade, once mentioned that I would encounter a certain shrine of hers somewhere during the next stage of the integration. We’ve already searched the rest of the shards, so it can only be hidden with the golems. The unique magic that powers them is fascinating, and not entirely beyond my understanding. I have a hunch that if I can figure these things out, maybe I can make these golems work for me.

With home secure for the moment, I traveled with Cyra Samhain, another proud Amazonian warrior. I helped her restore the Samhain family holdings to their old glory now that their war had been won, and from there grew closer to Cyra as we traveled to nearby worlds in search of supplies.

On the advice of a wizard the two of us knew well, Cyra and I joined the Dragon Lodge, an organization of wizards, craftsmen, and magicians. We attended a few classes together but were eventually drawn into Samhain family politics.

Cyra’s brother, a prince of the world of Glacia, was building an army to liberate a nearby world beset by invaders from beyond the System. The Dragon Lodge would send magical support for his army, but command of these support forces would be given to the tournament winner.

Naturally, Cyra’s family demanded she win, and Cyra was a woman of duty. Her responsibilities drove a wedge between us, and I was desperate to get her back.

I realized that if I defeated her with an audience to witness it, I could claim her as my Amazonian bride by their own traditions. What better place to do that than in a tournament?

So I entered under a pseudonym, Doomblade, and from there defeated foe after foe until, at last, I was victorious. Cyra was defeated, making me the tournament champion, and her my new wife.

But trouble was only getting started for me. I’d stuck my nose in the Samhain’s business, and now I was involved in interplanetary politics on a scale far too large for my liking. These recruits deserved a good leader. That kind of responsibility had scared me once, but I’d been called to lead all too often as of late.

Between the apocalypse, reviving my dead allies, leading an army of wizards, and surviving the end of the world, I had a lot on my plate. But I wasn’t afraid, because I wasn’t alone.

<Note>

Quick refresher, as usual. You guys know what I like to do. I keep these things as short as possible, skipping over all the finished plotlines and only mentioning the important characters + open plot threads that will (hopefully) be resolved this book.

I don't have a release schedule in mind for book 5 yet. That will have to wait until book 4 is out the door and my schedule clears up. I am hoping to drop a chapter one soon though. It might not be the chapter one I stick with, but it'll be a starting point.