The Eternal War

I've done my best to include as many content warnings as I can here, but I can't guarantee that I...

Our clash ended more quickly than I'd expected. Maybe Arivor had gotten as weary of our struggle ...

Raimie Life in this corner of the woods had always bored me, but what else should one expect w...

Rhylix If you're reading this, please know that I never hated you. Considering the life I'd...

Raimie When an invisible and impossible force stopped pulling me backward, I oriented to where...

Raimie Huddled on the floor beside a candle, I glanced through Eledis' gifted book with a blan...

Rhylix You weren't to blame for our conflict. The rare times when Allanovian's Council let ...

Raimie   Raimie from the line of Audish kings... Had I heard that right? I couldn't have. It w...

Raimie Water cascaded over me, and sputtering, I tried to escape from the stream. This proved ...

Raimie Intent on getting out of Fissid and the trouble I'd found there, I took a step outside....

Rhylix In fact, if anyone should take responsibility for it, it's me. I wouldn't make it in...

Raimie The patter of distant water droplets in a deep quiet was the first thing I registered w...

Raimie As the memory I'd just re-experienced faded away from me, I stared at a familiar stone ...

Rhylix I'm the one who pushed you toward our lives' destruction. The human boy's body slack...

Rhylix And others, in their hate, took advantage of our weakness. Visiting Salna was always...

Raimie I wasn't sure what woke me up. Save for the occasional spatter of water outside, Rhylix...

Raimie Over the course of my fight, several Esela had crowded into the hall, forming a person-...

Raimie Waiting in a small chamber beneath the mountain, I paced between its walls, rubbing my ...

Rhylix Please, Eriadren, forgive yourself for something you had no control over. Left hol...

Rhylix Before I lose myself again, I must set this into writing. Glancing over the gaping C...

Raimie Having returned to a world of black, I wasn’t surprised to find one of my arms nearly f...

Raimie After waiting for several minutes to regain my energy, I felt ready to stand again. Som...

Raimie I wanted out. Out of this town, carved into the mountainside. Out of this new life with...

Raimie Everything hurt. All of my muscles were crying of overuse, and the small bruises formin...

Raimie The chamber I entered was quite cozy, or it would have been if not for the room’s occup...

Raimie I followed my twin anomalies through Allanovian. Presumably because I’d invited them to...

Eriadren Gasping from my sprint, I leaned on the fence outside of my friend’s estate, willing ...

Eriadren Graduation. The day I’d long anticipated had finally come, and I was running late for...

Eriadren My latest customer departed, leaving his farewell ringing in my ears, and I basked in...

Eriadren The war was over. Four years of fighting, of sneak attacks on human supply lines, and...

Raimie On the third day of our trip beneath the mountain, I’d begun to think that I’d made a m...

Raimie “Hello?” I called into the darkness. “Are you there? I’m sorry it’s been so long.” Gla...

Raimie After Rhylix and I had joined the others in our scouting party, I took note of their fo...

Raimie I didn’t know how no one landed a blow on me before I reached a space absent violence, ...

Rhylix For when I next see you, I may not have control. After the display with the tear two...

Rhylix Since our disastrous experiment, I've been trapped in Corruption's sway. The morning...

Rhylix Every day, its madness overtakes more of my mind. It took a few hours, but when the ...

Rhylix I don't know how much longer I can resist its influence When I caught up, neither ...

Rhylix But in the end, how can I do that? Raimie’s splinters had left, and after another fi...

Raimie For six days, we marched, quickly establishing a routine. The group rose with the dawn,...

Raimie At the end of my next weapons training session, I made my goodbyes while accepting Dath...

Raimie I was back. It had been weeks, and gods, I’d missed this place. Or maybe it was more th...

Rhylix I'm fighting a god. I couldn’t breathe. As I staggered away from the tent, I sucked ...

Raimie Waking up didn’t come as a surprise to me. It should have, given everything that had ha...

Raimie Disoriented, I woke up with a snort. What on earth had happened? I’d only meant to lay ...

Raimie Rhylix still looked like I’d smacked him in the face with an unpleasant truth, but he f...

Rhylix Instead, I marshal the remnants of my sanity to delay Corruption. After Raimie woke ...

Rhylix One last fight to convey my wishes before I no longer can. I was beginning to think ...

Raimie Sev was the strangest place I’d ever seen. To be fair, it was the only human city I’d v...

For the first time in years, Nylion emerged into the world. He took a moment to enjoy it, breathi...

Raimie All I could consider in the moments after waking up was the dull throb behind my eyes. ...

Raimie The fight didn’t last long. I fended off two questing stabs at my innards, noting with ...

Eriadren As I wandered through the ruins of a human village, I searched for survivors, althoug...

Eriadren After Lirilith and I had gotten married, we’d pooled our resources to buy a house in ...

Eriadren Now that things in my shed had gone quiet, I was stuck in place with fear singing in ...

Eriadren I took a breath with sunlight bathing my body, and for a while, I just lay in bed, tr...

Eriadren "I'm worried about Rafe." With the day almost over, I was sitting in bed, waiting fo...

Eriadren As I watched a woman weep over her murdered daughter, my sword was heavy in my hand. ...

Eriadren   I was shoved into a carriage, barely catching myself on the floor before the horses ...

Rhylix I would make a final request of you, my friend. Watching the Zrelnach encampment, I ...

Rhylix When next we meet, please kill me. The next day, I was standing in the closest marke...

Raimie I’d decided that I hated traveling by sea. When we’d left Sev behind, I’d already been ...

Raimie As I scoured the dungeon I’d found myself in, I crept down far too many corridors, but ...

Raimie As soon as I’d returned to my cell, I slammed my back into metal, sliding to the floor ...

Raimie Squaring my shoulders, I stiffly strode to the table, folding into the chair opposite Q...

Raimie When Kaedesa eventually rested her quill atop on top of her notebook, I set my cup down...

Raimie Thinking back on my meeting with her, I wasn’t sure why people thought Kaedesa was a vi...

Raimie “What do you want to know?” Dim asked me, as mischievous as ever. “Hmm.” I had plenty...

Raimie I’d been doing this for three months, but even still, when I opened a window for tonigh...

Raimie Once I was inside the castle, I crept through it on silent feet, perfectly aware that w...

Rhylix I cannot live under the control of a god. After a long day, I trudged into the safe ...

Rhylix Especially not one whose sole aim is to destroy creation. Sneaking into the Zrelnach...

Raimie The military man, looming over Eledis, didn’t seem surprised by my sudden entrance. In ...

Raimie I was half-aware of my grandfather relaxing opposite me, mostly occupied with watching ...

Rhylix I know what I'm asking of you. “They’re here.” Opening my eyes, I stared at Creatio...

Rhylix I do not ask it lightly. Several hours later, I understood why Raimie had seemed so ...

Raimie   With shaking hands, I opened the hatch above my head before climbing the last few rung...

Raimie   After two days of drifting, I met with Commander Marcuset, Eledis, my father, and Capt...

Rhylix   But you're the only one who can end me.   Something was wrong with Raimie. While sai...

Rhylix   I've placed myself in harm's way more times than I can count.   “Raimie?” I said as ...

Raimie   When I woke up to darkness with the comforting noises of maritime life all around, I w...

Raimie, Rhylix   Raimie No other noteworthy events occurred for several days, and during this ...

Raimie, Rhylix   Raimie Huddled between crates, I kept an eye on the hatch that led into the h...

Eriadren   I waited in my cell for the Council to decide my fate. It was taking them a while to...

Eriadren   After the guards brought me home, I couldn’t do much besides lay in bed for who knew...

Eriadren   With a tight jaw, I stood on the city wall, looking over the blanketed spread of ang...

Eriadren   Getting to Arivor was surprisingly easy, at least at first. My disguise got me throu...

Eriadren   I’d finished my recounting of everything that had happened in the last day, and Liri...

Raimie   Bored, I sprawled on neatly trimmed grass while waiting for Alouin. Humming to myself,...

Raimie   Rhylix and I walked back toward the forest, all while I wondered if we’d have to move ...

Raimie   Raising Silverblade, I caught the first blow on it. My attacker, small and lithe, spra...

Raimie Grabbing Ren’s tunic, Rhylix propelled her into a tree, hovering his dagger in front of...

Rhylix I've even attempted suicide as my desperation has increased. She was alive. Even as ...

Raimie “We need to talk,” I said. Nylion and I had nearly reached the top of the well with on...

Raimie With a start, I woke to the forest’s quiet. Sitting up, I gradually recalled where I wa...

Raimie As I approached a familiar head of hair, I stayed behind him, and I must have done it w...

Rhylix But still, I've found no release, only a continuation of life. After three and a hal...

Raimie Ren was determined to lose me and Oswin in this strange forest. In the short time we’d ...

Raimie As soon as we'd stepped through the widened crevasse into Ren’s home, I stopped short. ...

Raimie “So?” Ren’s father said. “Who are you, and what do you want from me?” I waited for a h...

Raimie When I stepped out of Tanwadur’s study, I slumped before crossing the three steps neede...

Raimie It took me longer than I’d like—my body was loudly crying for sleep and any delay in ge...

Raimie I didn’t head toward Oswin after trudging free of the sand. Instead, I retrieved my thi...

Raimie   Dim had been right to direct my attention away from Bright. The people at my back must...

Raimie We found my father in front of a tent, one that was slightly larger than the common sol...

Rhylix We share a unique bond, Eriadren. The signs had stopped. For three hours now, I’d fo...

Rhylix One that might let me slip free of my prison. At my side, Creation numbly followed u...

Rhylix I beg you, for the friendship we once shared, to do what must be done. The dining ro...

Rhylix End my life. Hours had passed, and I was still awake, struggling to paste my mask ba...

Raimie As Rhylix and Ren again explained what was coming for us, I absently tapped Silverblade...

Raimie When the first of my summoned guests arrived, I was as ready as I’d ever be. Tugging on...

Raimie On the tail end of my shout, a knife sailed between me and Oswin, impaling itself in th...

Rhylix Stop the misery that I may, in my insanity, wreak upon the world. As the older gentlem...

Rhylix You're the only one I've ever known with the strength to do what's right. Evening ha...

Rhylix Ever your friend, Arivor The next day dawned clear and beautiful. Any other day, I ...

Raimie, Rhylix Raimie Why had I ordered my friend to do something that would almost certainly...

Raimie, Rhylix Raimie If I’d learned anything from the battle, it was that Daevetch was incre...

Raimie After who knew how long spent running, I had to stop and catch my breath, if I didn’t w...

Eriadren   For what seemed like forever, I aimlessly wandered down the city’s streets, half-hop...

Eriadren   My efforts to murder Doldimar weren’t going as planned. In fact, nearly a year into ...

Eriadren   Finally, I was here. As the last of Doldimar’s soldiers slid off of my blade, I kep...

Rhylix, Raimie Rhylix “…might become a problem,” I finished with nary a flourish. When Raimi...

Raimie When returning to the battlefield, I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but it certainly ...

Nylion, Rhylix Nylion In the dark of night, I waited for my target to come home. Raimie had f...

Doldimar The woman in front of me was making a noise I refused to acknowledge. I’d gotten used...

Mycella, Gaelen   Mycella I’d lost my son again. This situation wasn’t that unusual, as Gaele...

Noblinson, Gaelen   Noblinson I hated having these conversations. The first one was bad enough...

Corsivis, Gaelen   Corsivis “Again!” Despite my trembling muscles and generally out-of-breath...

Noblinson, Gaelen   Noblinson Applications of Magic was the one class that I both loved and ha...

Quincy, Gaelen   Quincy “Please, don’t make me come with you.” When the summons had come, thi...

Gaelen, Mycella Gaelen With a crisp, fall snap in the air, today had dawned bright and beauti...

Eriadren   With my legs crossed, I sat as close to a thin strip of gray as I dared. Across from...

Middle   In the two months since the battle against Teron’s forces on a nearby beach, protectin...

Raimie   The winter months were over, and I was glad for it, even with how much we'd needed the...

Raimie   As I approached the gate, I once more took note of how empty this fort had been. Even ...

Rhylix   To my great surprise, Nessaira had made tracking her a challenge. Not difficult! I’d s...

Raimie   Rhylix looked ready to leave. With his hand on my shoulder, he said, “I’ll bring you ...

Raimie   At Oswin’s prompting, four people joined us at the tower’s top, and Oswin was right. I...

Raimie Eventually, the two of us found the tower’s cell block, and spying Rhylix up ahead, I m...

Rhylix   As I ran out of the tower, the scene I’d left behind kept playing out in my mind, most...

Rhylix   Slowly, I pieced together what had happened to me. I’d died—obviously—and slipped into...

Rhylix   I started with my cursed height. To this point, I’d never bothered with correcting tha...

Raimie   The great stone doors of Tiro cracked open loudly in the forest’s quiet, and on seeing...

Raimie   I didn’t stop for any other pleasantries with my family. Storming through the door, I ...

Raimie   The world had taken on a slight haze. At my side, Ryvolim was happily chattering about...

Kylorian I watched Ren’s new ‘friend’ run after his companion with my head cocked and disquiet...

Kylorian   The route to the meeting point with my siblings was hidden and somewhat frustrating ...

Raimie   It had been a while since I’d been able to sit back, relax, and read, purely for my ow...

Raimie   Muttering a greeting, Kylorian joined me and Hadrion with a glass already in hand, and...

Little   After waiting in a small copse of woods near the Birthing Grounds for six hours, I’d s...

Little   Soon enough, the Overseer faced the Conscripted squad, which made me gulp. The man’s s...

Little   Later, I eased the barrack door shut behind me, backing away from it. Picking my way t...

Little   The hostile Eselan was much too close, so I stumbled backward until a wall halted my r...

Little   Fortunately for me, the Birthing Grounds seemed to follow a day-night cycle. As I daze...

Eledis   The role of the king is harsh and unforgiving. Impossible, even. Your subjects will al...

Eledis   “Where do I begin?” Raimie asked, looking incredibly lost. “How about with a target?”...

Eledis   As if the delay with Ryvolim had never occurred, Raimie said, “With Da’kul’s capture, ...

Eledis   When Tanwadur jerked his eyes to me, I realized that not only had the protest I’d mean...

Thumb This line was advancing at a ridiculously slow pace, one that was clearly wearing on the...

Thumb   No matter how hard I tried, my mind wouldn’t go empty, as I’d like. My thoughts kept re...

Thumb   My next opponent—a stout man, madly smiling—stopped opposite me, and on inspecting him,...

Raimie   We were halfway through the third day of our journey to the Birthing Grounds when Oswi...

Ryvolim   I was in the middle of a pleasant conversation with one of Sanc’s farmers, gradually ...

Raimie   By the time dinner rolled around, I was exhausted in a way I hadn’t been for a long ti...

Ryvolim   And so, I found myself here once more. Standing on the fringe of the forest that sep...

Ryvolim Near where the Daevetch bolt had cracked a cave wall, Kylorian had already straightene...

Raimie Focusing in this place was impossible. With every step I took, I struggled to break fre...

Raimie   Thank Alouin for no further surprises. In the house at the middle of the Birthing Grou...

Raimie   My other half spun toward the noise, stumbling to a stop as soon as he had. At the fr...

My darling, I’m writing to you from Auden, the last stop on my tour of the human kingdoms, and a...

Heir to the Audish Throne Today is a special day. Today, my father spent the morning with me. ...

Heir to the Audish Throne   6th of Fifth, 3461 Recently, I’ve learned that this is the proper ...

Raimie   Securing the Birthing Grounds and returning humanity to the Kiraak had become welcome ...

Raimie   Should I sit beside Hadrion? Should I let this roiling pot of grief and guilt in my gu...

Kylorian   My brother is dead. For perhaps the millionth time, I cast that thought out into th...

Kylorian   I kept going until I reached a dense line of familiar trees. This was what finally s...

Kylorian   Leading the horse closer to the center of the clearing, I dropped her reins and than...

Raimie As Nylion fuzzed over, I started asking, What are you talking—" “—about?” I sleepily f...

Raimie   Turning on Oswin, Queen Kaedesa grinned at him with an almost feral edge to it. “Midd...

Raimie “That was stupid,” Nylion said. With his hands on his hips, he leaned over me, smirkin...

Eledis Caution is an incredible asset in a monarch’s arsenal, but when situations call for dec...

Raimie “Somebody help me restrain him!” With Oswin’s voice roaring through the black of my dr...

Raimie   Daira’s streets race beneath my feet as I flee from my pursuer. Beyond, Nylion urges m...

Raimie   The five days after the return of my memories followed in an unchanging sequence. Ever...

Raimie   In the room's threshold, Ren braced one hand against the doorframe while the other kep...

Eledis   “Laest one fur evening, uld man,” Sigemond told me. His peculiar accent always made i...

Raimie   Pins and needles were running rampant over my leg, but still, I wouldn’t shift Ren off...

Raimie   How could Ren do this? It made no logical sense for her to say she loved me and then, ...

Ryvolim   Raimie had left for Tiro without me. My friend had promised to stay out of trouble fo...

Raimie   I was getting extremely annoyed by how long it was taking to find my father. I’d expec...

Ryvolim The view while balancing atop Tiro’s concealing lattice was, as always, terrifying, mu...

Pointer   Nudging his companion, the plate-mail clad Kiraak ahead of me jerked his chin in my d...

Pointer   The pit’s holding pens were filthier than I’d imagined, and the smell was horrendous,...

Pointer   A big man stopped opposite me, exactly as every other opponent had, and when he met m...

Ryvolim   As usual, Sigemond’s tavern was noisy and packed, strongly smelling of alcohol and ot...

Ryvolim   Seemingly finished with me, Bright craned their head toward their human. “Crisis sol...

Kylorian   Raimie and his army had left Tiro a day or so ago, almost as soon as his people had ...

Kylorian   Unfortunately, turning to their own grief was a luxury only Eliade and Ren could aff...

Eledis When I’d learned about the order to leave Tiro, I’d been irate. Why hadn’t Raimie consu...

Raimie   I didn’t want to catch up with Kaedesa right now. I’d much rather head into the wilds,...

Doldimar Waking to the horror of my life, screaming alongside my mind with my throat a blazing...

My darling, I’ve safely delivered our beloved Illasaya into the hands of the Audish royal family...

Eledis You know the old adage, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’? Bullshit! Always inspec...

Ryvolim   “What is this?” Eledis asked behind me. Ignoring him, I irritably hummed to myself. ...

Ryvolim, Eledis   Ryvolim Raimie had been right about our pacing. Soon, we turned a corner, an...

Heir to the Audish Throne   25th of First, 3467 I met my betrothed today. She was accompanied ...

The Boy   Victory wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Standing over Rhylix’s sleeping form, I w...

The Girl   Freedom wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Standing over Hadrion’s grave, I wondere...

The Boy   I didn’t deserve this. As another woman approached me with her gaggle of children, I...

The Girl   I deserved this. Kylorian had gotten in my face with flushed cheeks, but he wasn’t ...

The Boy For the first time in months, I felt like myself. My companions and I had left Elisk ...

The Girl   For the first time in months, I felt alive. The bandits had taken Kylorian. I’d wok...

The Boy   I’d never met a more intimidating woman. With her laughing eyes and bored demeanor, ...

The Girl   I’d never met a more intimidating man. He was short enough that I could look down o...

The Boy   As they moved through the forest, Pointer and Little made no noise, none that I could...

The Girl   I made no noise as I moved through the forest. I was a wraith, haunting those who’d...

Raimie When I woke up on my twenty-second birthday, I was aware of the day’s significance, muc...

Raimie The study’s door banged open, and in the split second after it had, there was no separa...

Kylorian Sitting across from Besunthet, the mayor of Sotchal, I watched him talk and tap on hi...

Raimie I strode down the now familiar, eerie halls of the palace toward Eledis’ quarters, and ...

Raimie As Ren’s words absorbed into my shocked-to-stillness brain, I could swear time crawled ...

Eledis Most people assume that the person who holds the most power in a realm is the one who w...

Kylorian Well, I’d completely and totally messed that up.  Not that this was surprising. I’d ...

Kylorian   In the city proper, people milled about on the streets, forcing me to duck and dodge...

Rhylix   A powerful gust of wind knocked me sideways, lifting my feet off of the ground. Before...

Rhylix   As Little and I made our way toward town hall, the other soldiers reluctantly let me t...

Rhylix   When we stepped into the meeting room, several voices were clamoring to be heard, and ...

Rhylix   “Miranon?” I said, nudging the girl at Raimie’s side. “Why don’t you show him what you...

Rhylix An hour later, I trudged out of the village of scientists, making for a cluster of figu...

Raimie   Silently, I watched my friend climb a hill, on his way back to Qena. Sending him away ...

Raimie   Swallowing hard, I stared at the broken tear in front of me. “Wow,” I said with a dry...

Raimie, Rhylix   Raimie “—hope!” My shout was drowned out by the howl of the wind. Shivering,...

Middle   Even though it was only halfway through the morning, I was drained, and there was stil...

Middle   I found Eledis on the other side of the palace, but the old man wasn’t alone. Gistrick...

Middle “Ring!” I hissed. I glanced back as the door to her bedroom thumped closed behind us. ...

Middle   Taking fistfuls of Little’s jacket, I pulled him uncomfortably close to me. “You were...

Kylorian As I waited outside the room where Raimie had been taking his meetings for the last t...

Raimie   Kylorian had stopped talking, obviously waiting for my reply. Unfortunately, I was a l...

Kylorian   Around the corner and at the end of the hall, I waited with my back pressed into res...

Raimie   These damn robes were extraordinarily heavy. After Ring finished smoothing out an unse...

Raimie   When I accepted Shadowsteal’s offered grip, the world crawled to a stand-still, which ...

Raimie   I’d almost caught up when the stranger stopped, slumping. “I wondered if you’d detect...

Eledis   Why does the heart betray us so? Even when we know better, it returns, like a hopeless...

Rhylix   Getting Raimie into bed had required far too much pleading and cajoling, but somehow, ...

Rhylix   Raimie's monotone demand to leave his splinter be echoed in the room around me. I stop...

Wife, It is done. Our spy, our Emir, is in position, and I am become nothing more than an escort...

Raimie After a solid month of resting in bed, I was quite finished with lying around, thank yo...

Raimie When Nylion and I reached the gardens, the Sun was kissing the skyline. Thumb took up w...

Raimie   The journey was much shorter this time. In the last month, I’d made it many times when...

King of Auden   2nd of Fourth, 3476 Since my father’s death involved much more frothing at the...

King of Auden   11th of Third, 3478 Forget my doubts. Forget my bravado. The enemy is indeed a...

Rhylix   A Daevetch bolt streaked over my head at such a narrow margin that my hair rustled in ...

Raimie   Again, Nessaira attacked me with her tiny crossbow, so intent on the fight that she en...

Kylorian   When I stepped into headquarters, I was almost immediately ambushed by Larkspur, one...

Rhylix   The tavern that Ren and Raimie had chosen for tonight’s gathering was loud and boister...

Ring   To enter the ballroom was to step into a different time and a beautifully exotic place. ...

Ring   With the royals' announcement over, the musicians in their corner resumed the piece that...

Ring On drawing even with me, Oswin asked, “You don’t really think you need a sanction, do you...

Kylorian   I looked down at the woman on the ground in front of me, who was struggling to breat...

Raimie A picture of strife burned in my mind. The battlefield stretched beyond what I could se...

Raimie   Three days after my fight with Ren, the primeancer students and I stood on Nephiron’s ...

Raimie   I should be terrified. I should be running as fast as Ele would carry me away from thi...

Raimie I trudged into the fire’s vicinity. Retrieving strips of salted pork—a traveler’s stand...

Rhylix   ‘This is impossible.’ As I dazedly wandered down the streets of the city I’d once cal...

Rhylix   When I woke up surrounded by Ele, all I could do was lie still and stunned. “Huh,” I ...

Seer Drena, I thought you might like to learn where I am right now, although let’s be honest. Yo...

Raimie   “We’re going to die here, aren’t we?” Stone, intruding on all sides, muffled my quest...

King Eledis of Auden 18th of Seventh, 3484 My fears have proven true. The peace is over. My son...

Eledis   I told you to inspect that gifted horse with a fine-toothed comb! Now, your entire tea...

Eledis   Storming into the Ministers’ chamber, I roared, “All right, you lot! What’s so difficu...