Vol.6 Ch.135- The Vampire And The Assassin.

I'm back :D

The big announcement at the end of the chapter. Please, please read it.

Also, happy late New years 🎉

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Padraic Whitehelm's POV

"Kaladin! Kaladin what are you doing?! I smell your blood! What happened to the yard?!" Sylvia shouted.

I walked through the door just a few moments after her and surveyed the battlefield. The fresh green grass was torched and decimated in some places. Flower beds were torn up and scattered about in heaps. There was a man-sized dent in a stone wall.

Not to mention these two…

Kaladin's scarred chest and weirdly discolored stomach made me wince, and I almost didn't notice the enormous purplish-red welt that had begun to form on his shoulder. Blood oozed from a few scrapes across his body, and it looked like he got dragged across the ground. One of his arms hung loosely at his side, the forearm clearly broken and already marred with a red bump. And for some odd reason, he was drenched head to toe in what I hoped to be water.

Kaladin's father at least looked marginally better. The man was bleeding from a hole in his arm, but he appeared to be fine other than that. The father and son duo just stood there with blank expressions. As if this was a completely normal situation to be in.

I decided to stay quiet for a moment because I thought Sylvia would explode. She nearly knocked me over in the hallway on my way to get a snack. I thought something serious had happened, so I tagged along, but it was just another day in the life of the Shadowhearts.

This is as common as the sun rising at this point. But why is—oh…heh…

"You looked so worried just a moment ago. Why are you blushing? And is that drool?" I teased.

Sylvia turned her head slightly just to where I could see one of her crimson eyes glaring at me. "Be quiet…I wasn't drooling," she mumbled, turning away from me and wiping her face with her sleeve.

"Uh, huh…then why are your ears red, mmm?"

Sylvia strode over and stopped right in front of Kaladin with her hands on her hips. "Would it kill you to at least ask for somebody to watch over you while you spar? What if you got seriously hurt?"

She completely ignored me! Maybe teasing her is dangerous…she looked like she wanted to kill me.

"I uh…yeah…sorry. You make a good point," Kal said sheepishly.

Mr. Shadowheart flashed Sylvia a kind smile and put a finger up to interject. "Ah, don't worry about it, Sylvia! I'd never let things—"

He stopped talking and sucked his lips in as Sylvia turned her glare toward him. It almost reminded me of the few times I saw Mrs. Shadowheart get mad. The man just clammed up.

Maybe both of them are just really bad at dealing with women. Or maybe they are both into a certain type…

"That applies to you as well. You know that, right? I mean, look at him," Sylvia griped while lifting up Kal's injured arm. "Look! You broke his arm!"

"Hey…that's not fair… he almost broke my arm…" Mr. Shadowheart whined.

"Yeah. You probably deserved it," Sylvia said nonchalantly. Kal's father took a fatal blow at that one as he fell to his knees.

She looked to Kal, ignoring the man she verbally wounded. "May I?" Kal nodded, and I was very confused as to what she meant.

Why was Sylvia asking for permission? To do what—oh, what the—

Slick.

Sylvia opened her mouth wide, exposing her long bone-white fangs, and in an instant, bit down on Kal's arm. A jolt went up my spine, and my heart started thumping in my ears. I had to stop myself from lashing out. I felt the deep-seated need to protect him. It felt like I watched him get hurt. But I also couldn't stop as I watched on with wide eyes.

Kal's wounds…they are just…healing? It's so different from light magic…you can see everything.

"Better?" Sylvia asked as she pulled away.

Kal flexed his fingers and arm. Finally, he gave her a single nod. "Much better. Thanks."

He…ah…of course…this must be completely normal for them.

Sylvia's ears turned red again as she poked him in the chest. "Why can't you wear a shirt like a normal person!" Then she turned her fury onto the recently recovered Alanis. "And you! At least I know where he got it from! Why can't you just be normal!"

Kal's father tilted his head to the side with a confused look on his face. "What's abnormal about this?"

Normal? What's normal about any of this?!

Sylvia covered her face with her hands and let out something between a moan and a groan. "Everything! Gah! Just give me your stupid arm!"

Kal's dad looked worried as his eyes darted to his son and then to me. Kaladin and I just shrugged at him. I wasn't the one with an injury. I wouldn't mind seeing blood magic being used again as long as I wasn't the one getting bit.

He just shrugged. "Why not? I've never been healed by a Vampire before," he said as he extended his arm for Sylvia. "Hey, Kal, what's it like?"

"Not much. Sylvia does a really good job, maybe even better than light magic. Her fangs are barely a pinch when they break the skin."

"Oh, that's—ahhh!"

Pop.

What the?! Did that moan just come for Alanis? What in the world!? And that pop! Why was it so loud?! It sounded like a bone got broken!

"Wha…wa—what are you doing! Why did you make that noise!" Sylvia shouted from embarrassment.

Kal's father was on his knees, looking up at the sky. A blissful expression on his face as tears rolled down his face. "I—I haven't felt this amazing in decades! The dull pain in my back! It's gone! Vanished like it never even existed!"

He jolted up to his feet. The man towered over the small girl, and his giant muscles and large build made it look as if he was going to bully her. Instead, he grabbed Sylvia by the hand. "Sylvia, what did you do to me?! That was remarkable! I'm so overwhelmed…thank you so much…"

Sylvia averted her eyes and stared at the grass. Her ears were almost as red as her eyes. "I—I just healed your arm…and I noticed there was something wrong with your back, so I fixed it! I didn't even pay attention to it!" she said bashfully.

"Oh! So there was something wrong with my back! I never was the same after that charm transported me into the dungeon! I just got so used to it and—"

"Dear? What is going on? Why is there blood on your arm, and why are you crowding Sylvia while holding her hand?" a voice asked from behind me.

Damn…I didn't even hear her coming…it looks like the fun's over…

Kal's father disappeared into his shadow and appeared behind his son, only to shove him forward. "You promised."

Kal turned around and looked momentarily betrayed at his father's antics, but he just sighed. He scratched the back of his head the same way his father did. "Sorry, Mom. We were just sparring a bit, and I wanted to see how much stronger I got compared to Dad, that's all."

Mrs. Shadowheart scanned the area until her eyes landed on her son. "There is a place for this, you know? Why didn't you two just head over there? Mister Bowen is going to be upset…"

Wait…she's not mad? What kind of magic is this? Is this the power of the long-lost son?

Somebody poked me from behind. If I wasn't used to this, I might have screamed. I sort of just got used to not being able to hear her. She often walked around in near-complete silence.

Man…all these people are monsters…why can't they just be normal like me?

<What's going on?> Cerila asked me.

<Just the usual father and son combo making a mess of things. Nothing special.>

Cerila also looked over the yard. She winced when she saw Kaladin but averted her eyes. <How did they manage to do this much damage without anyone noticing?>

I shrugged. <I heard from one of the maids that there are sound-dampening wards built into the walls. I didn't even hear them fighting.>

<Good to know.> Cerila signed quickly before walking over to Kal, who was busy explaining things.

Cerila walked past Kal's mom and placed a hand on his chest. <Are you hurt? Did you win?>

Well…at least she has her priorities straight.

<I'm fine. Nothing Sylvia couldn't fix. And no, I definitely lost. I still have much to learn if I'm to beat my father.> Kal signed back.

Cerila's ears twitched at the mention of Sylvia but she kept her composure. I'm sure she has already noticed that Kal seemed different today. I know he went out to see Sylvia, but I haven't had the chance to ask him what happened.

He seems more…calm…more relaxed even. His eyes don't seem as tired. He looks to be more…here at the moment now. That far-off yet tired look he had been wearing was replaced with a tired yet kind smile. So it must be thanks to Sylvia.

Cerila traced Kal's chest and let her hand fall to the side. <Can I show you something?>

"Hey! What are you doing to him?!" Sylvia yelped.

Although Cerila didn't hear Sylvia, she must have felt the spittle flying from the confused and angry Vampire. Cerila didn't even blink as she shooed Sylvia away with her hands. I felt a bead of sweat roll down my neck as Sylvia locked eyes with me.

"What did she say!" she hissed.

Why are you asking me…there are three people around you that can translate for you. And you don't need to speak Sign Language to understand that gesture…

I shrugged. I might as well have some fun. "Don't know. Something about going away or something."

Sylvia looked mortified for a moment, but I kept my eye on Kal and Cerila. <What do you want to show me?> Kal asked hesitantly.

<I want to spar with you. We never did finish our match back home.>

<Oh. Ye—>

Kaladin was interrupted by Sylvia nudging him. "What does she—"

Kal chuckled, placed a hand on Sylvia's head, and started petting her like she was some animal. Sylvia went bright red in the face, but she didn't lash out, much to my surprise.

"Relax, Sylvia. She just wants to spar with me."

Has Kal managed to tame the wild Vampire? And he did it overnight.

I swear I saw a vein bulge on Sylvia's forehead, the blissful yet embarrassed smile gone. However, a creepy smile spread across her pink lips. "Oh? Well, you must be tired from sparring with your dad. How about I take over?"

"Don't worry. I'm fine. I can keep going—"

"No, no, no, don't worry. This is good for everyone! You get to rest, and I get some training in. So it's a win-win for everyone," Sylvia said with a kind smile.

Although that smile doesn't seem all that kind to me, what is this win-win situation for everyone she is talking about? It looks more like a win-win for you…if you could even beat Cerila, that is.

Cerila looked down at Sylvia. Not metaphorically but literally. The Beastmen was nearly half a head taller than the Vampire and was larger overall in body size. I suppose that's just the difference between a Beastmen and an Elf. And I had to applaud Cerila's ability to stay calm. Or maybe it's just because she's deaf and she can't hear Sylvia that it doesn't bother her as much.

In typical fashion, Cerila shooed Sylvia away again.

The bulging vein returned, but this time on her neck. I thought Sylvia would boil over, and I feared for my life when our savior returned. Well, not sure how she would be a savior with that wicked smile. And what is with that grin?

Mrs. Shadowheart apparently finished with her scolding of her husband, walked over to the group. I looked behind her and saw a defeated Alanis. The man was paler than I remembered.

"Oh my, are we having a little fight? I couldn't help but hear how you want to spar, Sylvia. Would you like to be partners?" Mrs. Shadowheart offered.

Sylvia forced a smile, but her eyes seemed worried. "Huh?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"Mom, you want to fight Sylvia?" Kaladin asked, seemingly just as surprised.

Mrs. Shadowheart clasped her hands together and put on a motherly smile. "Why, of course, I do! I would love to see the strength that was used to protect my son and granddaughter. Unfortunately, it's not every day that such an opportunity arises. Right, Sylvia? You wouldn't mind sparring with me?"

Although Mrs. Shadowheart framed that as a question, there was only one answer. Sylvia chuckled nervously. "Ahaha…I…uh…sure…we can spar. How about a bit of sword dueling? That would work ri—"

Mrs. Shadowheart clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Now, now, Sylvia, that's not very fair. You would have wanted to go all out against Cerila. So why not against me?" she scolded the young Vampire.

"Well…I—uh…you know!"

Mrs. Shadowheart kept her smile. "Oh, but I don't. Care to explain?"

Sylvia started stuttering over herself as her eyes darted around. "It—I—you are Kaladin's mom—what if you get hurt? And—"

Mrs. Shadowheart was still smiling, but the longer she kept it, the more it felt cold. "You won't have to worry about that. You can heal people, right? We also have Doctor Jacobs here, so there shouldn't be a problem with safety."

Sylvia brought a finger up to protest, but she deflated instantly. "That's…not the point."

Cerila waved her hand and pointed towards the black stone tablet. Sylvia's eyes went wide. "Really? You will duel me if I win?"

Cerila gave a half-nod, half-shrug. Sylvia frowned at whatever Cerila's response was. I couldn't see the tablet because its back was to me. Cerila made the "gimmie" motion with her hands and started tracing her finger on the tablet.

The Vampire narrowed her eyes at the new text and quickly snatched the tablet back. After a few moments, she jabbed her finger aggressively at the tablet. Her frustration continued to grow as she let out a groan, her crimson eyes locked onto me again.

What?! I didn't do anything! I'm being a good Dwarf and sitting here in silence!

She pointed a slim pale finger at me. "How do I make this thing stupid rock work?! I can't get it to do anything!"

"Here, let me help you," Kal said softly as he reached over Sylvia's shoulder. "You just need to focus a bit of mana into your fingertips like this—"

He grabbed her hand and guided it across the tablet. Symbols began to formulate and formed into sentences. I checked Sylvia to see if she paid attention to Kal, but her face was red, and she looked about ready to explode for the exact opposite reason from earlier.

Sigh…she really is smitten with this fool. How did he manage to do that?

Sylvia shook her head to clear it while she bit down on her lip. She tried the tablet without the help of Kaladin, but no glowing blue symbols appeared on the black stone.

"This stupid rock…why won't it work?" Sylvia whined.

Cerila sighed while standing over Sylvia. She reached over her and snatched the tablet from her hands. I panicked slightly as a stone tablet was tossed at me like a rock, and thankfully I barely managed to catch it.

<Figure it out,> Cerila signed.

Why me?!

Cerila narrowed her eyes at me. <Because you're the Dwarf.>

<Stop reading my mind,> I signed with a groan.

"I wonder if it's because she is a Vampire…" Kal muttered.

Sylvia was about to say something when she was cut off before she could even muster a word. "Sylvia, it's time! Come on now, sweety!"

"She won't stop at this point. You might as well go through with it," Kal said as he gave Sylvia a light push toward Mrs. Shadowheart, who was waiting with her twin daggers out.

Sylvia grumbled a few times and spun her neck around. "You aren't going to hate me because I fight your mom, right?"

Kal tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What? Of course not. This is her decision, after all. If my mom got hurt, it would be on her, not you. So just uh…please don't kill her…"

Sylvia clicked her tongue and puffed her cheeks out. "I would never do that! Who do you think I am!?"

Kaladin let out a small chuckle and smiled. "Just double checking."

Cerila frowned even more and walked over to me with her arms crossed. <Is there something wrong with the tablet or just with her?>

I fiddled around with the tablet, and it only took me a moment to confirm it worked. As far as I could tell, it was as usual. <Seems fine to me,> I signed with a shrug.

Cerila wasn't even paying attention to my response. Her eyes were locked on Kaladin, and her thoughts were clearly elsewhere. I sighed to myself and shook my head.

Things are going to get more complicated before they get better, huh?

"Are you ready, Sylvia?" Mrs. Shadowheart asked.

"Yeah—yeah…I'm ready, Mrs. Shadowheart," Sylvia said with a lazy shrug.

Oh, is she not taking this seriously? That's not good.

The image of a lightning-clad Mrs. Shadowheart crashing through my ceiling and slicing two people's heads off with a single motion is forever engraved into my mind. That was the only "fight" I had ever seen her in, and it ended in seconds. Those bastards didn't stand a chance.

At that moment, I caught a glimpse of her overwhelming power and her frightening bloodlust. It instantly reminded me of Kaladin. And now that I know more about Mr. Shadowheart, Kaladin made more sense to me. I felt like it explained a lot about his attitude growing up.

Or perhaps not his attitude…maybe his base instincts were so sharp and lethal because of his bloodline? Yeah…that makes more sense. Either way, we are about to have a crispy Vampire on our hands…hopefully, she can heal herself.

Sylvia took a fighting stance, and my heart thumped in my chest. The beautiful silver-white Estoc appeared in her elegant hands. Even from here, I could tell the long blade was expertly crafted, and the red lines running across the middle intrigued me to no end. It made my palms sweat, and I wanted nothing more than to get my hands on that blade.

Maybe I should kill her? Wait! No…that's not right, Padraic…you can just ask her…yes…ask her for the sword later…yes.

I felt somebody watching me and caught a glimpse of Cerila's disgusted face. I could hardly care. If she saw how she looked when she thought about Kaladin, she would probably be disgusted with herself. That's not even the worst part…she doesn't realize how loud she can be…gah…

There was a loud clap from a person, followed by another loud crack. I barely managed to see the white flash speed across the backyard. A small gash spread across Sylvia's cheek, and her crimson eyes went wide as gold coins. Cerila was the first to notice it, but she let out a muffled gasp.

Sylvia's wound had already healed? That quickly? It was a pretty nasty cut…

"So…your self-healing is that fast? I expect nothing less from the granddaughter of The Blood Emperor," Mrs. Shadowheart praised.

Sylvia's jaw clenched her eyes narrowed. "Don't call him that," she growled.

A cold smile spread across Mrs. Shadowheart's face. "Then make me," she threatened.

And with that, white lightning danced across Kal's mother's limbs. She shot off with a crack, and even though there were quite a few paces of distance between the two, it was closed so fast it was like she only took three steps. The sound of metal on metal rang out as the two women traded blows.

The Vampire was immediately put on the back foot and seemed to be recoiling from every strike. There were a few times when white lightning arced down Sylvia's sword and seemed to shock her, forcing her grip to become weakened and lose.

Even so…Syvia's swordsmanship… It's pretty good. She's—wow! Now that's a move!

Instead of letting her grip become weakened from the lighting hitting her, she started stashing her sword into her Spatial Ring and bringing it out with the other hand! She's actually keeping up now! I've never thought of using a Spatial Ring for something like that!

Mrs. Shadowheart stumbled backward on a rock from one of Sylvia's heavy thrusts. She started falling back but was still in the middle of an overhead swing. Sylvia was perfectly positioned to counter the blade and go straight for another thrust!

"Oh, no…" Kaladin's father muttered from beside me.

"Oh, no?" Kaladin repeated quickly.

I was going to ask why but couldn't tear my eyes away from the battle. I swear I only blinked for a moment, but Mrs. Shadowheart had planted her foot into the ground, stopping her fall with extreme precision.

So fast! How? How did she even manage that?! That flexibility is insane!

While still low to the ground, Kal's mom thrust her second dagger toward Sylvia's leg, but the Vampire was aware. She deftly moved her leg out of the way and successfully managed to parry the overhead blow. It appeared as if this fight was over in favor of—

Oh, no.

Mrs. Shadowheart kept her arms extended, one dagger above Sylvia's shoulder and one below her. Suddenly my vision went black and blurry as a white flash blinded me. I could hear the surprised scream of pain, and my nostrils filled with the smell of burnt flesh. When my vision returned somewhat, Mrs. Shadowheart was in the middle of a backflip with her leg extended.

My eyes were still blurry, but I watched as Kal's mom kicked Sylvia straight in the groin. The Vampire was already doubled over from the lighting strike that arced between the two swords, and now Mrs. Shadowheart seemed to be the one finishing off Sylvia.

"Oooo…man, I still feel that almost three decades later," Kaladin's dad said with a grimace as he put a hand to his stomach. "She got me with the same move."

"I suppose that's the difference between a regular fighter and an assassin," Kal muttered while rubbing his stomach with a frown.

An…assassin? Huh? Sylvia? Or…right, I almost forgot…Mrs. Shadowheart…she's an assassin. Or was…

Kal's father closed his eyes and winced slightly. Mrs. Shadowheart was going for the finisher. A single dagger plunged down toward the defeated Vampire. White lightning burned her flesh, and it appeared that her regenerative abilities weren't that quick after all—

"What's with you two? Sylvia hasn't even gotten started," Kal added quickly.

"Huh?" Kal's father and I said in unison.

Slick.

I felt surprised for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Sylvia had extended her hand and allowed Mrs. Shadowheart to pierce right through it. Crimson blood leaked from the wound and trickled down the blade. Mrs. Shadowheart was surprised by the move and tried pulling her dagger back while sending the other one after Sylvia.

But Sylvia didn't let go. Instead, she grabbed ahold of the impaled dagger through her hand and ripped it free from Mrs. Shadowheart's grip.

Mrs. Shadowheart jolted back in a flash and created distance between the two. Sylvia stood up, and I felt like her arms and legs were more prominent, almost like they were bulging with newfound power. I watched on in awe as her wound healed in a matter of seconds. A red vein bulged on the side of the Vampire's neck, and the best way to explain Sylvia's facial expression was…

Beyond pissed off. Seeing these lifeless crimson eyes filled with so much hatred made me afraid for some reason.

What remained of the cobblestone floor below Sylvia's feet cracked as the Vampire bolted off toward Mrs. Shadowheart. The Vampire wasn't moving even close to this speed before, and although her technique was top-notch, she couldn't handle the speed of Kal's mother. But not anymore…

Sylvia's speed wasn't the only thing that got a sudden boost. Sylvia's sword thrusts were wilder now. They lacked the finesse and technique she displayed earlier. But the overwhelming strength…

Mrs. Shadowheart's arm flew back from the recoil of the blow she blocked with the flat of her blade and tried to kick Sylvia in the side, but Sylvia stepped forward, allowing the kick to connect to her ribs. The Vampire snarled in pain, and a loud audible snap sounded off as her ribs broke in multiple places. Her skin and clothes wobbled from the blow, but Sylvia kept her momentum and punched Mrs. Shadowheart in the stomach, sending her sprawling across the yard.

Mrs. Shadowheart regained her footing and had difficulty breathing, but Sylvia was already moving in. Kal's mom sent multiple throwing knives clad in white lighting toward the encroaching Vampire. And one…towards us?!

I flopped to the ground, but there was a wet thud sound, followed by another scream of pain from Sylvia. A shadow loomed over me, and when I looked up, a blood-red wall had sprouted from nowhere, seemingly protecting us from the stray knife.

Or…was it a stray? I couldn't see her movement…but it didn't feel like an accident. Was Mrs. Shadowheart really aiming for us?

Kaladin didn't even seem fazed by the attack while his father's eyes were wide but less surprised about the attack and more about the sudden creation of…a wall of blood? What kind of magic was that?

Cerila just stood there motionless as she had for the entire fight. Her gaze was serious and cold as she glared at the wall of blood. I had to wonder what she felt at that moment because I couldn't make it out.

The wall of blood dropped to the floor and rolled across the ground toward Sylvia. The two women were squared off against each other now. Sylvia had ripped the knives out of her legs, and her frustrations were reaching critical mass. Yet… Mrs. Shadowheart was smiling fondly. But, of course, this seemed to have pissed Sylvia off even more.

Sylvia was the first to move, and instead of waiting, Mrs. Shadowheart moved to meet her. She was moving even faster than before. I just… couldn't make sense of this fight.

These people… their strengths are beyond my abilities…they are all damn freaks. I should have chosen more normal friends…

The two fighters clashed in the center, and a literal shockwave rolled over us. Water drops were kicked up and created a brilliant mist that, for an instant, made me forget the fight entirely. But I was regripped by the sound of clashing blades.

Sylvia dodged a blow and was about to counter again when Mrs. Shadowheart summoned another silver sword from thin air. My skin crawled as a strong bloodlust assaulted my senses. I felt like my eyes would pop out from my skull, and I wanted nothing more than to crawl back inside and pretend none of this had happened.

But I couldn't look away…

Mrs. Shadowheart's recently summoned sword cut straight for Sylvia's throat, but the Vampire brought a hand up to stop it. The blade sliced clean through her hand, and Sylvia let out a growl of pain and gritted her teeth. Blood splattered across their faces, but a wicked smile spread across Sylvia's face.

What the—

The drops of blood that had been sent high into the air from the blow suddenly turned into spikes and were aimed right at Mrs. Shadowheart. Time seemed to slow, and my heart raced in my chest.

What was going to happen? Would Mrs. Shadoweart's sword slice Sylvia's throat? Or would those blood spikes impale her first? What—

"That's enough," a cold voice called out.

A dark shadow manifested between the two women, and a muscular dark-skinned arm shot out from the shadow and grabbed each of the fighters by the head. Dark tendrils of shadow slithered out from Sylvia's and Kal's mom's shadows, wrapped around their limbs, and locked them in place.

Kal's father stepped out from the shadow completely. He wore an emotionless mask on his face. Another shiver ran down my spine as his bloodlust blanketed the area. He was like an entirely different person.

This whole damn family is insane…sigh…

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I have returned. And man, does it feel good to be back.

So... I've got a lot of things to say and to announce, so let's dive right into it.

First and foremost, I plan on writing a second story alongside the main story. I mentioned some time ago that some of you may receive DMs from me. That will be to join a server so you can get access to one of two stories. I'll do a vote, get some feedback, make some changes, and move on from there.

Now, please don't message me for an invite or anything like that. At first, I'll be inviting a small number of people in the community across all platforms, and the number will gradually increase over time as I look for more feedback from more of you. So you will hopefully get more information soon.

Also, to assuage anyone's worries of "Omg, he is going to abandon this story. It's over. The beginning of the end." Let me be very clear. This upcoming story is the secondary story, with emphasis on secondary. This second story is going to be possible because I am going to have more free time, so it will be possible for me to write it alongside the main story. However, if something were to happen to me and I had to cut time/effort/words from a story, this second story would be the first to go.

Kaladin's journey and DWCR are my number 1, and will remain that way until it is completed.

Also, with that being said, I have no intention of half-assing this second story. I will put my best foot forward and make sure I'm putting out adequate content for everyone to enjoy, just like I do with the main story. Although, it will probably be slightly less content. (For example, no extra chapters for milestones and perhaps shorter chapters.) Even then, I can only be sure once I start writing, so who knows? But a return to two chapters a week is coming :)

I think that's enough info for now. I would like to have the second story launched in late February if all goes well. And for a teaser, one story possibility is a prologue to the current story set in the old sci-fi world, while the other is an entirely separate story in a different one.

I know it's weird to say I have another announcement and not make it, but I do. You will find out on Thursday (If you are in Discord) or with the next chapter. So join the Discord so you can see the announcement when it drops (We are almost at 600 members :o)

I have a bunch of things to be thankful for as well. The growth across the platforms is still on the up and up, and your support is still there. But I'll be leaving that for the end of Vol.6, which is coming soon. We are looking at ending Vol.6 around chap 146-48 possibly. Just depends. There were also be a few side stories at the end since I have a few in mind. Even a two-parter side story :D

Regardless, thanks, everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

Oh, and here is some surprising artwork. I didn't even have it commissioned. My artist surprised me on Christmas eve with it :)

https://imgur.com/a/EoJsYCP