ElaraFiction

B8 - Chapter 27: First Deployment II

Leo stared at the stream, his mind dazed.

Slowly, he extended his hand into the waterfall. Warm. Hot. Inviting. Before he even realized it, his armor was off, his muddy boots discarded somewhere across the spacious room. He couldn’t have cared less.

The water soaked his hair, turning from crystal clear to muddy brown in an instant. It flowed down his back and chest, taking on a reddish tint as it carried away the filth of battle. What reached the drain at his feet bore no resemb...

B8 - Chapter 26: First Deployment

Genuine joy.

Those were the only words Leo could find to describe Zeke’s expression in that moment. A look of pure relief at seeing a family member alive and well.

Leo rose. Before he even realized it, he was standing just an arm’s length from his brother. Then, as if drawn by a magnet, he buried his face into Zeke’s Shoulder.

A silent sob shook his entire body.

For everyone else, he had worn the mask: pretending to have answers when he had none, pretending to be...

B8 - Chapter 25: Little brother

Leo had no words to describe the feeling of relief he felt in this moment. His brother had come for him, had arrived just when it seemed that all hope was lost.

But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came, smothered by reality’s weight. They were still in the heart of Rukia—surrounded by the Ehrenlegion and facing a Geistreich. Zeke might have come to save him, but more likely, he’d only join him in death.

Another name. Another corpse on his conscience.

“Run, Ze...

B8 - Chapter 24: Last Stand II

They stepped through the haze in perfect formation. Their boots struck the earth in unison, a rhythm that seemed to make the very air vibrate. Each shield was raised at identical angles, spear points catching what little light filtered through the smoke.

Behind them, more shapes emerged—gray-clad figures whose armor bore no decoration, no mark of rank or achievement.

They needed none. Their competence spoke for itself.

Leo watched them advance from behind the crude barri...

B8 - Chapter 23: Last Stand I

Leo pressed his back against the rough bark, drawing a deep, exhausted breath as he watched the once-distant fires creep closer. So much for this sanctuary—this supposed bastion of freedom. It hadn’t even lasted a few months before succumbing to the flames.

The smoke was already thick enough to taste. The ground beneath his boots trembled—not from thunder, but from something far worse.

He knew what that meant. The Ehrenlegion had come in force.

Through breaks in the ha...

B8 - Chapter 22: Hidden Realm

Zeke led the way, approaching the same door the Bloodguard had disappeared through earlier.

“…After you.”

Zelkara entered first without hesitation. Vulcanos shot Zeke a curious glance but followed without comment.

Zeke stepped in after them, only to find both Chimeroi frozen a few paces ahead. Their wide eyes swept across the space, filled with awe and confusion.

He joined them, taking in the sight with quiet satisfaction.

Beyond the unassuming door—which...

B8 - Chapter 21: Departure

Before the officers could fully disperse, Zeke’s voice cut through the air.

“Zelkara.”

The woman straightened as if struck by lightning. “Yes, Progenitor.”

Her eyes shone with a mix of excitement and surprise. It was clear she hadn’t expected him to call on her—not after he had ignored her for so long.

“After you round up your men, I want you to bring them to the top deck.”

“…All of them?” she asked.

Zeke nodded. He understood her ...

B8 - Chapter 20: Alexandria Reborn

“How much longer?”

Elder Dragon’s massive frame shifted back and forth, the cobblestones groaning beneath his weight—a reminder of how differently the inhabitants of Undercity lived. Built for violence, bred for war, he looked distinctly out of place here in Tradespire, a city that prized comfort above all else.

…Or perhaps he simply wasn’t used to seeing the sun.

The same could be said for Elder Tiger, who couldn’t stop fidgeting, her gaze darting about as if ...

B8 - Chapter 19: Hohenheim Mercenary Company

“…With all due respect, young lord, I do not think it wise to rely on such characters.”

The words were cold, but they still couldn’t compare to the glare Linus directed at the newcomers from Undercity.

“Their loyalty isn’t questionable—it’s nonexistent.”

Zeke rubbed his temples, already feeling a headache coming on as he looked from his guard captain to the increasingly irritated Elder Tiger and Elder Dragon.

In his excitement at seeing his forces fin...

B8 - Chapter 18: Melting pot

Zeke stood at the edge of his estate grounds, taking in the view. Tradespire sprawled beneath him, smoke rising from homes and workshops in thin columns that merged with the morning haze. The third circle hummed with its usual chaos—wagons grinding through narrow streets, voices bartering from every direction, the rhythmic clang of hammers echoing across rooftops.

Today was the day. Or at least, he hoped it would be.

It was the day he had set for his forces to gather. So far, he...

B8 - Chapter 17: Rallying the Troops III

The Black Tower stood deep within Undercity’s heart, carved from stone that had never seen the sun. Dust still clung to the corners where dwarven craftsmen had worked only days ago, shaping the bleak hall into something approaching respectability.

David’s gaze fell on the new support columns—functional yet refined, mimicking surface architecture while preserving the practicality that defined everything built below ground.

Functional yet refined.

It might as ...

Heyo guys.

Sorry that the chapter isn't out yet guys. I went on a motocycle tour this weekened and now im sick (surprise). Im working on the chapter, but it might take me a while to finish.

Gonna be today still though, don't worry!

B8 - Chapter 16: Rallying the Troops II

“Move your scaly butts! Move! Move! MOVE!”

Zelkara’s voice thundered across the mountainside like a warhorn, echoing from the peaks down into the valleys below. If this had been a battlefield, every enemy within miles would have heard.

Maybe that was even her intention: making enough noise to draw out anything bold enough to test them. If something actually dared to approach, it would serve as a convenient training exercise for her troops.

Ash was already moving, takin...

B8 - Chapter 15: Rallying the Troops I

The wilderness stretched in every direction, broken only by the scars left behind.

Ash moved through terrain stripped bare of game, the earth crushed into submission by hundreds of passing bodies. Not a single deer track crossed the path. No rabbit burrows dotted the hillsides. Even the birds had abandoned this corridor of land, their instincts warning them away from the passage of predators.

The Bloodguard had swept through like a flood.

Ash kept his pace, legs pumping in ...

B8 - Chapter 14: Mentor III

"Wait."

Zeke stopped mid-stride. The command carried a weight that had nothing to do with volume.

He turned.

Seraphi had risen from where she had been sprawled moments before. No—risen wasn’t quite the right word for it. One moment she had been on the ground, the next she was standing, as if someone had simply decided she should be upright and reality had obeyed.

Too straight. Too still.

She held herself with the kind of un...

B8 - Chapter 13: Mentor II

Treemother.

Of course Zeke knew who that was—and more importantly, what the name implied. She was the closest thing the Matriarchy had to a queen, the oldest living elf. Some even claimed she was the voice of Yggdrasil itself, the one who conveyed the Tree’s will to its chosen people.

And for once, the person seemed to live up to the fame.

The Treemother looked ancient, which for an elf meant something. Her skin had the texture of weathered bark, and her hair hung in lo...

B8 - Chapter 12: Mentor I

Another year has come and gone, and that day’s here once again. Yep, you guessed it, it’s my birthday! Since you guys can’t give me any presents, I thought I’d turn the tables and be the one handing out gifts this time.

And what better surprise than a… drumroll… BONUS CHAPTER!

Hope you all enjoy it!

Ever since they had entered the Tree, Zeke felt suffocated. There was something terribly oppressive about this place, as if it were telling ...

B8 - Chapter 11: Oath

"Enough."

Lady Goldleaf’s voice carried like a command as she stepped onto the platform.

“You have made your point, Lord von Hohenheim.”

Zeke turned his head, meeting her gaze with a calm, unreadable look. He didn’t answer at once.

It was obvious why she had chosen this moment to intervene. He had proven his strength, validating her choice in backing him. But if he pressed further, the scene would turn from a display of power into outright humiliation for the e...

B8 - Chapter 10: Challenge

Zeke marveled at the steadiness of their ride as he gazed over the wings of their mount. The Moonlight Crow glided effortlessly between colossal branches, carrying its passengers without the slightest disturbance. Somehow, even at such high speeds, he didn’t feel so much as a breeze.

He would have to find out how these birds managed such a feat.

Even Maya, usually clinging for support, stood on her own, her face glowing with awe as she took in the beautiful sights all around the...

B8 - Chapter 9: Ancient Feud

“This is going to feel strange. Are you prepared?”

Maya’s expression was priceless. Excitement shone in her eyes, almost radiant with joy in light of their destination—yet the pale cast on her face betrayed the effect of so much foreign Mana pressing down on her.

Space Magic unsettled most people, or so Zeke had been told. To him, however, it felt comfortably familiar, like an old friend calling his name.

“I am,” the girl replied bravely.

Zeke doubted the t...

B8 - Chapter 8: Parents

The merry sound of giggling filled the room as two young girls listened to his mother, who, in her usual overdramatized fashion, told them how she had haggled for the necklace she now wore.

Exaggerated or not, Zeke had no doubt the story was true. His mother was a terror at the market and loved nothing more than bargaining. Why she cared so much for a handful of coppers, he would never understand. These days, the time spent arguing would cost her more than the savings gained.

Even...

B8 - Chapter 7: Preparations

Zeke lowered his hand, watching the retreating figures. The elven delegation passed through the gate of his estate and disappeared from sight. This time, he could no longer sense their Life Magic as they made their way through the streets of the third circle.

The reason was simple.

He turned his head toward the potent source of Life Magic standing beside him.

“I didn’t think it would be you.”

Raileh inclined her head haughtily. “Why would it not be me? Or have ...

B8 - Chapter 6: The Price of Trust

Zeke allowed the silence to stretch. The three Archmages shifted uneasily, the wooden floor creaking beneath their weight. Only Lyriel remained still, though her quickened pulse betrayed her composure.

“Your offer has merit,” he said at last. “But… do you really understand my position?”

“I do.” Lyriel’s voice carried a newfound confidence, as if weathering his earlier provocations had tempered her resolve.

“Then you understand why I cannot accept your offer...

B8 - Chapter 5: Unable to Refuse

The pendulum swung left to right, marking the passage of time as hundreds of tiny gears drove the mechanism within the clock. Zeke’s gaze was fixed on it, though his mind was far away. Even so, his fingers tapped along with the rhythm as he waited for the elven delegation in the reception room.

They had come to see him.

He had often speculated on how the elves would react after their humiliation at the hands of the human powers. Even their supposed allies, the Alliance nations, ...

B8 - Chapter 4: The Road Ahead

Zeke opened his eyes, recognizing the vaulted glass ceiling of his personal Mana Purifying Device. This third version had only minor improvements in function, but its auxiliary features had changed considerably.

The once futuristic, menacing chamber now resembled a cozy glass room with a mattress inside. At a glance, one might mistake it for nothing more than a decorative eccentricity rather than the highly complex chemical marvel it truly was. The engineered components had been hidden ...

B8 - Chapter 3: The one who can beat me

"Can I ask you for a personal favor?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Zeke could almost see Solon’s guard rising.

No surprise there. Countless people had likely tried to exploit the power and influence of an Exarch for their own ends. That was probably why the three living in Tradespire rarely appeared in public—and if they did, it was with their identities concealed.

Even so, Zeke pressed on. He had no intention of seeking Solon’s influence or protection. What he...

B8 - Chapter 2: An Unexpected Chance

As if waiting for the signal, four Cores flared at once.

Zeke felt a faint draw on the ambient Mana as the four apprentice-level Mages did their utmost to display their progress.

By far, the strongest pull came from Keiran. The boy with the perfect affinity was already handling Mana on par with a weaker True Mage. His Core, working with almost no loss, turned neutral ambient Mana into pure, Space-attuned Mana.

It radiated from him in waves, pleasantly brushing against Zeke�...

B8 - Chapter 1: Human Nature

To clarify what has been going on with recent releases and answer some of your questions:

Has the schedule changed?
No, the schedule has not changed. I have merely struggled to keep up due to the start of the new book.

But Elara, doesn't that mean that you owe us another chapter?
Yes. I owe you another chapter, you cheeky bastard. That is why you are getting a double release today!

But Elara, I only see a sin...