Cynus

I'm glad we're still surprising you. I think that means I'm doing my job. Well, you won't have to wait for much longer, as we will be posting it tomorrow. Although I wanted Salidar to come across as an antagonist of sorts, I also want him to be human. Yes, he is currently blinded by ambition, but since he is convinced that this move of his is for his son, his motivation, however corrupted it may be, is still to make Maxthane happy. He's just confused about what that means. I believe I've said it before, but the magic tattoos are the reason I wrote this story in the first place. It was a concept that I really enjoyed playing with, and it's what led first to Styx and then to Max, although now their introductory chapters are flipped. We will eventually learn how Grim has maintained his long life (I hesitate to say immortal, since he simply hasn't died. That doesn't mean he's unkillable). Regarding the mark that he showed to the Elroks, on the other hand, we will only get a little bit more information in this book, though it will eventually be answered over the course of the series. I like your theory about Madame Godani, too. "Stane"! LOL Unfortunately, you'll be waiting even longer than that. Grim holds his secrets tightly. We will learn eventually, and there will be a bit more information before this particular novel is over, but it's going to be a while before we get all the answers to Grim and his past. But I do like where your head is at regarding Max and Grim and their new companions. What will they do with their new force? Yep! The mentors are now fully established. All of your questions are great, and I'm excited to see your reaction when you get the answers to some. I also love the dissection of Madame Godani's motivations. I'm glad you loved it! And Grim... I mean, he's my favorite character, so who wouldn't love him? As I mentioned above, Salidar believes he has his son's best interests at heart, he may be unquestionably criminal in many of his actions, and morally obscure in his beliefs, but he inevitably is trying to be a father. The question is, will that be enough? Unfortunately, the mystery surrounding Grim is probably only going to deepen until we get later on in the story. But answers will come eventually! That is an excellent idea! New ideas to keep the world evolving is exactly what these people need! Now, how do I get them to work together... Thank you everyone for your comments! Look for the next chapter tomorrow.

Maxthane looked up as his father stepped into his room. He had been mulling over his situation the whole day, hoping that he would have longer to decide how he would proceed, but the look on his father's face told him that time had run out. "Get ready to go, Max. It's time to move into the final phase of the plan," Salidar announced, confirming Maxthane's fears. "Fasha has returned with news that Prism has escaped into the Everbright City and that Sabreeza's guild has been compromised," he e

Indeed! Though Sabreeza did know more. Styx was mostly an observer, while Sabreeza was clearly a participant. Thank you! I'm glad it wasn't overwhelming. Maybe you fought demons in a previous life and those instincts were just kicking in? I'm glad we were able to override your disappointment with some hot Kirra action. Kirra is definitely the best physical combatant of our three boys. Maxthane's skills lie in other areas (as, of course, do Styx's). More on Kirra to come! Soon... ish. Fasha's full nature is still to come, but yes, we've come across a hint of a weakness indeed. What will the heroes do with that knowledge? And, as for Max, Styx, and Kirra... stay tuned. @drpaladin answered the question quite well. Kirra and Styx together are fun in their own way, but so are Max and Styx. What choices lie ahead of them? Will they even have time in the coming conflict to address that? Ooh... good observation! But what will the final reveal be?

I like where your thoughts are taking you. This moment really helped me determine where I would go with Grim's path in the later chapters, and now I've even written an entire prequel involving both Prism and Grim before the demons arrived. We'll get to see some of the path which brought them here, and add to the understanding of why Grim is bothered by his gift.

Let's hope so! Of course, more opportunities for drama if they're not 100% perfect at that.

Fasha's back, just as Prism expected, and now you know why. He seems rather unkillable, doesn't he? Styx and Kirra have some time ahead of them. Who knows what will happen?

I'm really happy to hear that! Thanks for all the support, buddy.

Kirra was careful to avoid drawing attention to himself as he walked down the busy street. The entire operation hinged on keeping a low profile, and bolting down the street wouldn't do at all, even if his news was urgent. Instead he kept his pace quick and pulled the cloak tight around him, giving the appearance that he was merely seeking a quick escape from the cold wind that swept through Pentalus. He continued the ruse all the way to the top of the steps that led to Mister Swallow's offic

This was the catalyst for the whole story. I had this idea for an absurd way to come out, and then built the boy who would come up with such an idea. His dad just inserted himself without me planning him that way, heh.

I'm glad you're already putting that together between Grim and the demons. I wanted it to feel logical in that way. As for the why on the imprisonment of the demons, you'll have to ask Neredos that question. Salidar is currently blinded by his desire to accomplish his mission. In his mind, he's so close to getting it, he can't see anything else. Grim and Maxthane's conversation here is why I love this chapter... It's also where Grim won my heart. As for his past... well, book 2 will get into that significantly (since it's mostly a prequel) Maxthane definitely has a lot to sort through. The question is, what will he decide? What will he chosse to do with the knowledge he's gained? In Fantasy, there is often the mentor character. The only one who started with their mentor was Kirra. Styx now has Prism, and Maxthane, for however long, has Grim. This was part of what went into the decision to include these characters in this fashion. Max, who has the hardest decision of all, gets to have a conversation with the deepest thinker, the over 800 years old philosopher who knows a lot about making tough decisions. Will it be enough? Ooh... somebody caught on to something here. I won't say any more, but I do like where you're going. Grim's techniques are mainly biological, though he is an expert of his craft. If anyone could teach someone how to do it, it would be him. Styx usually wins the favorite character battle (from everyone surveyed thus far), but Grim is mine. He wasn't even a character in the original outline, but he sneaked his way in, and then the entire plot was rewritten to accommodate his presence. If anyone can give Maxthane perspective, it's Grim. And at this tough juncture for our Prince, he needs all the perspective he can get. I'm glad you love the story! Thank you for the HEAPS! Thank you! Grim lives with the weight of responsibility every day, as Maxthane has been training to do, since he is expected to one day replace his father. If anyone understands the pressure of unique positions, it's Grim, and Salidar does, too, though he's currently blinded by his ambition. Thank you all for your comments! You are all amazing!

And won't that just be fun when Fasha does show up? I'm sure everyone is excited for that wonderful day. Styx hasn't explained what happened between him and Madame Godani (who is not his mother). All Styx knows is that he was found abandoned in the Upper Shade, so he doesn't know who his biological mother is. The simple explanation for the relationship between Styx and Madame Godani is that there was a bit of teenage rebellion, and the culture of The Shade being what it is, she simply let him go and explore on his own, knowing he had the skills to survive in the environment. We may explore the exact details of their disagreement at some point, but it probably won't be for a while. I wanted Styx to struggle. As this is a series, I want him to git gud(Please excuse my Dark Souls slang) over the course of the series, versus starting out as a powerhouse. Hopefully that hasn't detracted from the story at all for you. LOL. Oh, the next few chapters are a lot of fun, I promise you. We'll just have to see how it all plays out, won't we?

@Wesley8890, if you want to see the animated version, it's here: https://cynusthewriter.tumblr.com/post/171683268880

Thanks! My Significant Other made it for me.

This is one of my favorite chapters. I hope you enjoy it!

Sleep escaped Maxthane. The last two days had been a crazy ride of emotions, and he couldn't stop thinking about what he had been through. He sat up straight in his bed as he realized that it had been going on for longer than that. He had been troubled since they had freed the demon. What Styx had done was bring him to an understanding of what was bothering him. Styx; there was another subject he couldn't stop thinking about. He glanced toward his window, wondering what had become of the boy

I'm glad! He's a complicated man, to be sure. I am taking your comments to heart, and they have influenced certain things I am currently writing. Styx's main issue is that he spent so long avoiding combat, that he doesn't really know what to do when it's forced on him. Think you're right, though, he'll have a lot of opportunities to learn by following the path he is currently on. Excellent questions to be sure. I believe the bulk of them will be answered, or at least the story should provide enough information to make educated suppositions. But I'm always happy to know what you're wondering about. Because me the impression you're invested, that is quite satisfying. Good question. I believe most of the questions will be answered in this book, however there are some which will be answered later in the series. We do have a very long road to follow, and hopefully I give you just enough answers that you're willing to keep asking the questions. That's a great theory! But yes, you're definitely piecing together the timeline well. For eight hundred years that Prism has been in stasis, a lot has been happening in the world. Part of Prism's reluctance to share additional information is because he's not sure himself of the current state of the world, based upon Grim's cautioning words. He realizes that some of his information might be wrong, so he doesn't go into full detail. Thank you everyone for commenting! I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow.

"Madame Godani owns this pillar, all the way up to the Upper Shade," Styx explained as he climbed to the top floor of the complex with Prism. They reached a small platform that rested against the giant column of limestone. Small handholds and footholds were cut into the stone that would allow passage to the heights above. Styx inclined his head toward those handholds and continued, "It shouldn't be difficult to reach the cavern ceiling, and then we simply have to make our way through the Upper S

Kobek and Kirra? Or maybe Kobek and Alsha? She's available, too. Bureaucracy at its finest! I'm not fond of those stuffy not-so-gentle men. The sword and I, on the other hand, are old friends. Right? That kid... Makes you want to give him a hug, but ask first because you don't want to traumatize him. Lady Alsha Tremlain is a force of nature in her own right. She knows her way around a bureaucracy. And thankfully Kirra has her. Kirra, despite being in the top 1%, has had a rougher life than anyone ever should. Right? Kirra's trust issues are problematic, but at least he's now in a good place. Alsha is a great Commander who pays attention, and she obviously has had an impact on her troops as well. Will it be enough? I think they show here that they'll be good to him. Of course, as the author, there might be things that get in the way which I'm not telling you, but I wanted these guys to seem good, moral people. Judging from the comments, I think that mission was accomplished. Not all commanders are as diligent as Alsha, and unfortunately when they don't police their troops, bad things end up happening to good people. It just goes to speak of the state of things in the Everbright City, as you've said. Corruption ends up hurting everyone connected to the system.

LOL It's interesting the tunnel vision people can get into when they think they're right, isn't it?

I'll have to look into them some more. They sound fascinating. What does "Unkraut vergeht nicht" mean? I like Styx's dynamic with Godani. They're two of my favorites.

No, I loved it. It's just deep, so I believe it deserves a well thought response.

I'm going to comment on this in detail later, but I want to let it soak in.

"Grand Inquisitor Isean, you're not even listening. We have to do something about this." Lady Alsha stood tall before the panel of three inquisitors, her eyes blazing with fury. Despite the anger that she felt, she had managed to keep her voice composed. There was nothing to be gained by an emotional outburst, and certainly not when dealing with the pompous men in front of her. They were in one of the smaller chambers of the Hall of Justice, but it was no less elaborate than any other room i

Tell me more. Might inspire another story.

Thanks!