Earthchild

Chapter 10: Soul Structures

Caen opened his mouth to say something to Zeris, but Ellu snapped her fingers, drawing their attention. 

“Gatherers,” she said without looking at them. “Harvest these fentils over...

Chapter 9: Fundamental Change

As soon as he stepped through the Aperture, Caen felt slightly painful pinpricks all over his skin. This was common enough and happened every time he entered a Plane. 

What never happene...

Chapter 8: Extra Work

Once they were close enough, they put on their armor, and Caen took some more time to gear up properly.

There was one main problem with just waltzing into a Plane: its danger level. 

Interlude I: Collaboration

When he was a naive and starry-eyed six-year-old boy, Caen sat down with the children of his great-grandmother's clutch and listened attentively as she told them a story about collaboration. It wen...

Chapter 7: It Whispers His Name

“What?” Zeris asked.

“I...” he began, the words catching in his throat. His spirit roiled chaotically within him. A tendril came loose, flailing about. The last time his spirit had mo...

Chapter 6: Lying Triangle

He and Zeris took a shared carriage back to the temple. It was a wonky hunk of wood with incredibly terrible suspension and no ceiling. Caen had taken some numb root from one of the pouches at his ...

Chapter 5: Strings Of Fate

A rickshaw brought Caen and Zeris to the plaza in the city where the dance rehearsals took place. 

The Dalat festival wasn't for another ten days, but decorations were already underway, ...

Chapter 4: Curious Arrival

Caen's limbs were shaking from mana exhaustion as he stepped into the helpers’ lounge, coat in hand. He'd long since grown accustomed to the very unpleasant sensation of depleting his reserves. W...

Chapter 3: Affairs Of The Spirit

The train pulled up at the station in Drenlin city. He disembarked with a small throng of people. Many passengers still on the train were going on to other towns and cities farther ahead.

Sel...

Chapter 2: Repetition Number 22,314

Caen got back to the commune, sore from his sparring session with Vensha and the weightlifting that had followed. Even though the weather was still only slightly warm, he was sweating profusely. 2025-08-01 12:31:42 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 1.5: A Plane Called Redshadow

Caen sat atop the sloping roof of his family home, drawing ambient mana into his spirit.

Most nights, Caen drained a small fraction of his mana reserves, letting them refill passively in orde...

Chapter 1: It Happens Today

Clarity sees; he sees.

Spirits stir in young children between the ages of eight and twelve. Talented children from the Ereshta'al line have spirits that sometimes stir as ear...