The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom, Part III: Chapter 2
8th Day, Upper Fire Month, 1 CE
“Hey,” a man’s voice filtered through the leaves, “over here!”
Liam looked in the direction of the voice, cranin...
2023-06-24 20:08:01 +0000 UTC View Post
aeridinae posts
The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom, Part III: Chapter 1
Under the light of a full moon, a swell of fog rolled into the port of Vigo, billowing over the breakwater and inundating the piers. The fog washed over the wharves and swirled into the city street...
2023-06-22 23:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Afterword
That was a relatively short one, at least by this series’ standards. Thank you, dear reader, for your continued interest in Valkyrie’s Shadow!
Where did the Afterword... 2023-06-21 03:08:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Stone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 12
8th Day, Middle Fire Month, 1 CE
“All hail Falagrim Felhammer,” Agni’s voice carried from the dais to the far end of the great hall, “King of Khazanar!...
2023-06-19 05:08:03 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 10
It stinks!
Florine had never been eaten before, nor had she ever entertained the notion. Now, she sat very still inside the Spawner’s mouth, praying fervently that it wouldn’t sw...
2023-06-17 07:09:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 10
“Report!” A runner jogged up to the command post in the underway annexe, “We’re two hundred metres from the exit.”
“Resistance?” Falagrim asked.
“We’re fighting for th...
2023-06-15 10:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 9
“…what are you doing?” Velgath asked.
“Escaping reality,” Florine answered.
Sitting at the end of a pier in the recently-occupied Grimmantle port, Florine held the tip of a Kr...
2023-06-13 11:08:54 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 8
“Hmm…this is not very satisfying.”
Florine glanced over at Boobeebee, who was holding the boulder-like corpse of a Gazer Watcher between her forearms. The Zern hero examined the lumpy s...
2023-06-11 13:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 7
Two days later, the fighting still raged on. Inside his temporary-turned-somewhat-permanent command post, Uldun wondered how much longer it would take for the Gazers to reconsider their approach. 2023-06-09 16:08:29 +0000 UTC View Post
Stone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 6
“What’s she doing here?”
“Dunno,” Velgath shrugged. “Sightseeing.”
Sightseeing? We’re about to fight a war here!
Uldun curled his lip at the shee...
2023-06-07 17:18:13 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 5
“Your definition of ‘a while longer’ is a lot different from mine.”
“I’m sorry,” Florine said. “The meeting was a bit impromptu. I didn’t know how long it would take, but I ...
2023-06-05 19:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 4
A review…
Florine stared at nothing in particular as she was whisked from Felhammer to Hardar on one of the Dark Dwarves’ Golem-powered trains. Her passenger car, as with everyth...
2023-06-03 21:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 3
Hunched over her table, Florine worked frantically on a piece of intricate needlework. There was no time. There was never enough time.
They wanted done in hours what should have taken days. W...
2023-06-01 23:08:02 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 2
Florine squeezed through the crowded city street, looking back and forth as she tried to take in the happenings around her. Now that the fighting was over, the streets and the buildings were illumi...
2023-05-30 23:17:32 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 4, Chapter 1
19th Day, Upper Fire Month, 1 CE
Florine stopped to frown at the walls of bones framing the main gate of Felhammer Citadel. Blood dripped from the machicolations from whic...
2023-05-29 01:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 11
On the way to the fifth hold, Falagrim’s forces caught up to the trailing fringes of the council’s forces. They consisted of novice soldiers with poor conditioning, the injured still awaiting t...
2023-05-27 03:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 10
A band of frost ringed the underway exit, creeping down the passage to stop a metre in front of Falagrim’s feet. It was followed by a carpet of crackling electricity that advanced no further than...
2023-05-25 05:08:06 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 9
“They aren’t budging, sir.”
“They’re not supposed to budge…did someone try?”
“That bunch from Grimmantle.”
A loud tsk issued from General Haugh...
2023-05-23 07:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 8
“But why is it falling up?”
“Is there some rule that says that it needs to fall down?”
Florine frowned as she stared up at the wall of water. According to Velg...
2023-05-21 09:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 7
The Realms Below weren’t flat. That’s what Florine quickly found out after they left the cavern at the end of the mines and ventured into the wilds beyond. They were always going up or down and...
2023-05-19 11:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 6
“Moving out in two minutes!”
Florine looked over her shoulder at the sound of Falagrim’s voice. She immediately regretted wasting the precious seconds spent doing so. Her eyes returned ...
2023-05-17 13:08:18 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 5
Is it truly so easy to lease Undead?
Florine knew the process inside-out, yet she was still compelled to ask the question as Falagrim Felhammer submitted his order. The Dark Dwarf, w...
2023-05-14 15:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 4
“Boss, something’s happening.”
Falagrim looked up from his reading, tilting his head slightly to look out of the entrance of the pavilion. The owner of the voice didn’t appear, and ne...
2023-05-12 17:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 3
7th Day, Upper Fire Month, 1 CE
“Are you certain this is safe?”
“No.”
Florine glanced down at the rock beside her foot. The rock didn’t miss her look.
“...
2023-05-10 19:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 2
“What are you dawdling for? Do it!”
The bridgekeepers exchanged one last look with one another before nodding down at the pair of slaves standing by. Their slaves – Stone Giants that st...
2023-05-08 21:10:08 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 3, Chapter 1
2nd Day, Upper Fire Month, 1 CE
The vermilion banner of the Sorcerous Kingdom snapped in the wind and Florine coughed as a cloud of dust scoured the crater in t...
2023-05-06 23:09:05 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 2, Chapter 12
How should I even report this?
Florine tapped her pen against a blank sheet of paper as she sat at the desk in front of her tent, from which an endless stream of loud snores emitted....
2023-05-05 01:09:13 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 2, Chapter 11
Eh? Is that how it’s going to go?
It wasn’t as if she was tied up or anything. And what sort of hostage would smile like her? How would a Noblewoman get out here if they didn’t...
2023-05-03 03:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 2, Chapter 10
It’s spite. It has to be…
Florine cast a sidelong glance at the pair of Dark Dwarves riding the Soul Eater next to her. The two were desperately clutching at the thing as they ga...
2023-05-01 05:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostStone and Blood: Act 2, Chapter 9
The chime of chisels cutting into stone rose into the air over the new ‘market quarter’ in the Dale of Defiance.
Florine drew her fingers lightly over a slab of freshly-polished sandstone...
2023-04-29 07:08:01 +0000 UTC View Post