Honour Rae

B2 Ch40: Memory-Keeper

Arthur woke up.

He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, other than something was terribly wrong.

Notifications from his Heart Deck flashed in front of his face. Though he saw the words and recognized them to some degree, he was unable to piece them together. It was as if someone was screaming gibberish in his head. A constant noise he was unable to block out, and he was much too scatterbrained to understand.

But he wasn't frightened. Not even particularly upset. Perhaps t...

B2 Ch39: Compounded Card Effect

Arthur walked.

His awareness came and went in vivid flashes.

One moment he was crossing through the canal, soaked from the chest down. The next he was on the other side, halfway through the next churned field. Another blink of an eye and he stood with others his age all together at the foot of the scourge cone. This close, he had to crane his head to look up and up and he still couldn't see the top. Wait... why was he here? Why was…?

The song invaded his head an...

B2 Ch 38: Truncated Grinding

Arthur almost wanted to ask, "Are you sure?" but he didn't want to give Penn the chance to take it back.

So he moved to stick it in his card anchor.

Quick as a striking snake, Penn caught his wrist before he could complete the movement.

Their eyes locked. Penn's gaze was hard.

"Tell me you're not crossing us."

"If I was," Arthur said evenly, not looking away. Not even daring to blink. "I wouldn't have told you about my escape card."

Penn held him there for ...

B2 Ch 37: Fists of Steel

Arthur's stomach felt like it turned to ice. "Why would he do that?" he said but his words were lost over Penn and Echo's exclamations of horror.

"The king?"

"He's coming?" Echo's face paled. "No... no, he wouldn't. Not for this!"

Penn turned to her. "What do you mean?"

Arthur was just glad that Penn seemed out of the loop for once, and it wasn't just him.

Marion didn't answer. His eyes were still unfocused -- still nearly an hour into the future. Hopefully, he w...

Totem Ch 3: Swallowing Strange Pills

The only reason I got away with hiding the bag for as long as I did was because it was still chaos in the rest of the village.

From the screams and shouts, the battle — or invasion? — Was still going full force.

Mom shot a despairing glance to dad and then transferred me over into his arms. She jumped back through the hole in the wall rather than using the door, like a badass.

And, like a permissive parent, dad let out a long sigh and set me on the bed. The top blankets ...

All The Skills - Book 1 out now, but you get it for free!

Today is All The Skills - Book 1 release day! 

As promised as part of signing as Patreons, you get a copy of book 1 for free! 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/k4hoejxbj8

(I've never used this service before, so let me know if you encounter difficulty.)

It's a pretty cool system. You can download a ePub copy. Or if you don't have device that will use that file, you can read it in...

Totem: Ch 2. Man-Rat

Let me back up a moment.

You know how it is back on ol’ earth in the 22nd century. The only nature you could get would be out in the preserves, rich people gardens, or the elite zoos. The ones with real animals and not the holograms. 

Whenever there was a clear day without a superstorm, I’d request a pass to get out of the city dome.

Rebreather masks were a pain in the ass and there was never a lot to look at once you were outside. Everything had been scoured from t...

B2 Ch 36: 52 Minutes Into The Future

After a moment of consideration, Arthur placed the Wind Release card in his card anchor.

"That's not going to do you any good," Echo said and for good measure added, "Dummy."

"Uh, it needs to go in your heart to unlock the mana," Marion added, slightly kinder.

"Not unless you want that spell to eat away at your life force every time you use it," Penn added, smirking.

Arthur looked at him. "What does that mean, exactly? My life force."

"What do you mean?" Echo ask...

B2 Ch35: Wind Release

Once again, Arthur was torn by a choice.

Marion knew – or at least strongly suspected – Arthur had stolen his card. And it was a very good card.

He didn’t have to stand back. He just had to be a few steps too slow.

Then the mother weasel would have access to a Legendary time card.

More importantly, Arthur thought Marion could be a friend. He missed Horatio. Cressida was great, but he missed having a guy-friend, and he thought Marion could be that… if he didn’...

Totem 1. This Isekai Bullshit

So, this Isekai bullshit is not all it’s cracked up to be.

I woke up buck naked in the middle of a field confused as fuck. Strangely, it wasn’t the field part that confused me: We were all told that we’d soon be planet-side on a new world. My most recent memories were spotty, but one just doesn’t forget all of new-colonist orientation.

Only… the meadow around me looked mighty Earth-like. Just like in the videos before all the biomes collapsed.

Also, ther...

Totem: Prologue

It was a perfectly normal summer’s day, right up until Amara sensed sister alligator on the hunt for a human child.

She turned horrified eyes to the opposite bank of the wide river. A toddler stood at the water’s edge, easily visible with a shock of brilliantly red hair. He was naked, muddy, and clutching a thick cattail stalk to stand as he stared back at the women.

And an ominous shadow crept under the water near it.

Horrified, Amara turned to the other women who were ...

Totem

In a world where people draw magical power from spirit animals, Seth dreams of receiving something powerful: A tiger, a wolf, or even a fox.

He gets a goose.

But he's not going to let that stop him. After all, peace with the monsters raging across the planet was never an option.

Pro...

B2 Ch34: Scattered

It was clear the scourge-weasels could sense the presence of humans nearby. Thanks to Echo’s arcane camouflage spell, they couldn’t pinpoint them. More small packs had joined the others. Together, they ranged across the mud-churned field.

With a relieved breath, Echo dropped her hold on the camouflage spell.

As one, the scourge-weasels looked their way. Some stood up on hind legs, long teeth clacking.

Penn placed himself between the royals and the bulk of the weasels. Ar...

B2 Ch33: Drop the camouflage

If I had posted this yesterday as planned, some of you wouldn't have guessed the twist! That'll teach me.

They couldn’t stay here.

More scourgelings were breaking off with the aerial fights with the dragons and flying on a B-line towards the city. They’d be spotted soon.

Those were the ones Arthur could see. There may be others in the brush waiting in ambush he couldn’t. If they stayed in place, their luck would soon run out.

Arthur’...

B2 Ch32: Saber proficiency (Swordsman class)

It took a few seconds that felt like years for Arthur to realize he hadn’t hit the bottom of this endless fall.

This wasn’t an endless bad dream. He was trapped in an illusion.

Which meant he was likely standing in the middle of the fog, surrounded by scourgelings, assassins, or both.

“This isn’t real!” he yelled out loud, voice shaking. It didn’t seem to help. “This isn’t real. I’m not falling…”

Why hadn’t the dragon riders done anything yet? S...

New Monthly Links (and overall news)

It's a new month, which means a new discord link in case anyone wants to sign up.
https://discord.gg/xwTtAreeTe

Reminder that book 1 of All the Skills will be coming out on Kindle and Audible as of December 20th. However, as my Patrons you get the ebook version for free. I'll provide the download link a few days before the 20th.

Also, we have an All The Skills...

B2 Ch31: Test 3

Arthur had only spent a couple hours in the tent, but the landscape outside had drastically changed. With the silencing magic placed around the area, Arthur hadn’t suspected a thing. The Legendary recruits had been busy.

 Now he stared at a twenty foot high stone wall which encircled the outer edges of the city. The scourge volcano had grown in size, too, but the wall represented an impressive bulwark. A deep moat had been dredged up to the edge of the wall and filled with a veno...

B2 Ch30: Test 2

Chapter 2 for tonight! Check chapter 1 if you haven't yet. :)

Arthur imagined his newly learned skill would be put to good use. He didn't quite count on the pure chaos that existed inside the tent.

Either the weaver guild stitched some silencing runes in the tent's fabric, or someone was using a powerful dampening card because the sight of injured people -- one of whom was holding his own finger in bloody hand, the smell of vomit and blood and all sorts of unspeak...

B2 Ch29: Test - 1

Two chapters today!

Tess and her passengers emerged out of the rip in the sky into blazing afternoon sunshine.

Echo, who sat behind Arthur, let out a girlish scream. She had briefly returned to her natural 12-year-old form at Johanna's request. It meant less weight for Tess to carry.

Arthur twisted around in his saddle to make sure she was still secure. Her eyes were wide as she gazed around. Catching his look, she pointed straight ahead.

Arthur nodded.

B2 Ch28: Team Dynamics

I'll admit up front this isn't a plot heavy chapter. I suppose I'm still in the light-hearted holiday mood. All the fun violence and scourge is coming soon, though! 

Arthur couldn't quite figure Penn out.

When he'd first met his cousin, he was gregarious and outgoing -- no, that wasn't true. The first time he'd met his cousin, Penn had helped ruin Arthur's behind-the-bar juggling act. But of course, he'd been too drunk to link a random bartender wi...

B2 Ch 27. The Echo

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it! 

I know I'm behind on comments. I plan to respond to everything tomorrow. 

Valentina closed her fist. For one heart stopping moment, all of the air in the room… evacuated. Arthur’s ears popped painfully and when he tried to breathe in, he only received a wisp.

Instinct made him glance up. A dense fog had collected at the roof of the room — everything but a bare hint of air, densely packed int...

Chapter Delay! (it'll be posted tomorrow)

Quick chapter delay until tomorrow, everyone. Got all my vaccines reupped because we're expecting a new baby in the house soon (not mine, a nephew) and... I am straight up not having a good time.

Anyway, as there's no scheduled work due to the holiday I'll get that chapter out asap. 

- Honour

B2 Ch26: Elimination

It took every bit of Acting skill for Arthur to look politely interested.

Inside, he was reeling.

He had half-guessed it was something like this, but to have it confirmed meant that Lional had intentionally sold the second card out of a Legendary set. That was a huge advantage to give up. Were they that financially bad off?

Or were they that afraid of the king’s wrath?

Still keeping his expression politely interested, Arthur said, “Sound...

B2 Ch: 25. The Third Choice

The very next instant, Arthur found himself standing, whole, in his personal space.

He looked around wildly. It took him a few moments to realize that he had come immediately here. He didn’t even go through the extra step of standing in front of the bookshelf, first. Apparently, panic was a good way to discover a shortcut.

That was great and all, but it didn’t distract him from the fact that while his mind was suspended in timeless space, his body was under attack.

“Sh...

B2 Ch24: Ah, Fork.

Arthur had to show his formal invitation at no less than three check points on the way. Each was staffed by professional looking hive guards Arthur had never seen before -- likely men and women who worked exclusively in the upper levels. At each waypoint, the invitation was carefully examined as if looking for a forgery.

Surely a forgery would be quickly discovered once someone presented themselves to the Legendary egg. But Arthur supposed that some people might take the chance just for...

B2 Ch23: Symmetrical Duplication

I hope this answers a few questions (and raises others!). :)

The downside, of course, was the headache.

At first Arthur thought he could handle it. Then he stood to put the time-mark candle out. The pain in his head sharpened as he moved. IT was as if someone had shoved a metal bar up through the bottom of his skull, just where head met neck, all the way through and out the top.

He staggered to the candle, unsure if the sudden vertigo was due to t...

B2 Ch22: Game Change

Like most businesses, the card shop was doing brisk business for festival day. There were several around the hive's city, but Kenzie and Arthur went to the one mutually known as the largest and best stocked.

However, it didn't mean that the shops were well-stocked with what he wanted.

Arthur grimaced as he glanced over the shelves. All were of the Common variety -- Uncommon cards were behind the counter where one had to pass through the approval of the store clerks to get a closer...

All The Skills audio and ebook announcement!

Book 1 has a official release date of December 20th on kindle AND audio. 

Somehow my publisher finagled Luke Daniels (Iron Prince, Ascend Online, the back half of the Compleationist Chronicles) to narrate it.

Here's the preorder link for the audio book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLTN97BB if you're inclined. 

However, don't worry about spending your pennies for the eBook. You'll get that...

B2 Ch21: Sea Change

By the time Arthur made it back to his room within the hive, the beginning of dawn was visible along the bare edge of horizon. His mind was still buzzing with revelations, but his body had hit the wall. Exhausted, , he stumbled in, haphazardly tore off his clothing and laid down on his bed.

Knocking at his door woke him what felt like five seconds later.

He stumbled across the room clad in only old trousers. When he cracked open the door, it was to see Kenzie glaring at him from t...

New Discord Link!

If anyone needs the discord link, try this: https://discord.gg/w5bqQ8VY

(And let me know which role you'd like if you want to be pinged for new chapters.)

~ Honour