ObicanDecko

It's hard to ditch some habits, but hey, at least he's not actually gambling his money away, right?

Everyone's had a lot of interesting theories when reading this story! I always enjoy reading them, tho I hope you won't be disappointed if they don't come true.

I like that theory! Your version of the story would've definitely be fun to read.

“Damn it!” Edwin hissed angrily, smacking his pliers on the counter. The ankle bracelet he was trying to repair was too delicate, and with his nerves getting the best of him, he could not focus and keep his hand steady. As much as he tried to bury himself in work - cleaning the crystals he found in nature and fixing the broken jewelry - his mind kept wandering off to Ida and Lothar. As if his best friend being missing was not bad enough, Lothar had also not appeared in several days. Edwin couldn

Edwin stared at the black gemstone in his hand, his mind racing. The obvious conclusion was right there, but he refused to believe it. There had to be another explanation. Lothar couldn’t have been involved in Mildburg’s murder. It had to be some kind of a coincidence. He couldn’t have killed the old woman, he would never do that. Edwin knew it. But then… did he really know him after all? Lothar was a demon, and killing was probably in his blood, ingrained in him from a young age. Perhaps M

This is an interesting discussion and I liked reading all of your comments here. From my point of view as an author, I welcome and encourage feedback and criticism, as long as it's constructive and not something like "wow it took you 4 weeks to write this crappy short chapter?". I've had my share of positive and negative comments and I don't mind them as long as they are not rude. Even just a short "Nice story so far!" is always better than silence. Sometimes I'll work really hard on a story and get all excited about posting it, eagerly awaiting to see what people will think about it, only to get very few reactions. Of course, then I also have to wonder what I'm doing wrong? Maybe readers aren't 'lazy', maybe my story just isn't as good as I think it is. But then, lack of comments doesn't really help me figure out where the problem is. Anyway, lack of feedback is definitely a bit discouraging, but it certainly won't stop me from writing. I write primarily for myself, so even if I know that a certain genre would be more popular (from what I've seen on this site, it's mostly romance), if I don't feel like doing that type of a story, I won't. I'll simply write what I'm motivated for, even if it's a sequel to a less popular story. But in that case, I'd probably not post the story here because what's the point? I'd just show it to friends who I know would give me feedback. For me, motivation mainly comes from reading really good books and stories by other authors, which then inspire me to write more and strive to be better. Of course, if a story turns out to be popular among readers, it will certainly motivate me to write more. As much as I may write for my own enjoyment, it's always more fun to share it with others and read other people's opinions and theories. As a reader, I leave reactions to all the chapters/stories that I read, but I sometimes don't leave a comment, so I can't really blame others for that. I think this is the case with a lot of readers, and with myself too. If I see that a chapter already has a ton of comments and I don't have anything interesting/original to contribute to the discussion, I won't leave a comment. However, if it's an old story that's been completed a while ago, I will still leave a comment if I feel the need to. And I love it when people do that on my stories. I've had a few people leave a comment on some of my stories that I finished years ago, and it makes me happy to see that they are still being read. As for the 'check mark' reaction, I had a good laugh when I first saw it. It just screams passive-aggresive to me, like "this was not worthy of a like, but here, I'll let you know I read this chapter and was not impressed". I'm not a fan of it, but oh well, I understand why it was introduced. I'm not sure what can be done to make readers participate more. I think the barrier for giving feedback is very low as it is. I'm not sure how other websites for writers deal with this? Maybe they have some tricks that could be implemented here. I do like the new note that appears at the top and bottom of chapters, but I guess we'll have to see how effective it is.

Exactly, taking Edwin's soul was just something Lothar did because he fancies Edwin (demon logic I guess). His job, of course, is to investigate Ida's disappearance and follow whatever other orders Cromwell issues. More on that in future chapters, of course. Correct again! Zelig is an infamous demon spy, and Cromwell is obviously confident in his abilities, so he wants the two of them to find the women and bring them to him. A suicide mission? We'll see. Thank you for the comment!

Hot winds blew across the desolate terrain as Lothar blinked onto the black granite path. None of the demons in the vicinity, near or far, paid much attention to him. He unzipped and removed his black leather jacket, as it was always too hot in this part of the Demonic Domain. The blood-red sky was streaked with black clouds, with a rare raven and vulture occasionally flying across, seeking for food or a place to roost. The volcanic mountains in the distance emitted plumes of dark smoke, a

Lots of good questions (and theories)! I guess you'll have to wait and see how much you've guessed so far.

You are correct! At first, Lothar is trying to trick Edwin into believing he had already traded his soul. The real pact is made at the end of the previous chapter when they kissed. Edwin can't resist it, and he thinks he's already forfeited his soul, so he's got nothing to lose. He is definitely blinded by his attraction to Lothar, plus his desire to be a hero and save Ida at all costs - which stems from something from his past, as we'll discover later.

You always know how to ask the right questions! Hah! That's definitely true, but maybe Edwin will end up not minding it that much?

Heh, I was expecting it to be the other way around. I'm glad you like our resident demon boy! Thank you so much! I hope you'll get at least some of the answers you want - maybe not soon, but by the end of the story. As always, thank you for the support!

As he woke up in his bed at the break of dawn, Edwin wondered what the new day would bring. It seemed as though the period of peaceful, yet somewhat dull life was over, and each new day brought with it something unexpected. Still, he was not sure if he appreciated this change or not. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to even think about himself when he knew that Ida was somewhere out there, needing help. Lothar’s presence was equally distracting. He would pop in whenever he felt

The wind picked up as Edwin and Isolde walked through the fields on the outskirts of Ossvale, reaching the narrow river south of the town. The tall cypress trees that stood on both sides of the water swayed left and right, their tops almost touching the gray sky above. Edwin shivered, wishing he had worn something warmer than the thin shirt that exposed his body more than it covered it. “Who is this woman anyway?” Isolde asked as they passed the mills situated by the river. A row of small w

As his eyes darted around the room in search of anything he could use as a weapon, Edwin felt trapped. The stranger in his bed was sitting calmly, but was he even there or was it all just a dream? Edwin couldn’t tell the difference. He backed up against the wall, unsure whether to fight or flee. “Who are you?” “I told you, my name is Lothar,” the white-haired stranger said, his voice confident, bordering on arrogant. “How do you know who I am? How are you even here?” the shop owne

It's hard writing reviews for the best stories because whatever I write doesn't feel like enough. This is one of those stories. In Southward, we follow Lautaro as he moves to a new country and has to deal with too many changes at once: new culture, new friends, and of course - new boy crushes. All the while, he is coming to terms with leaving his best friend behind. It's one of those stories that you can tell was written from the heart, infused with the author's own experiences. The writing is excellent, and the vivid descriptions of people and places paint a wonderful image of Lautaro's new life in Argentina. The love story between the main character and his new love interest is another highlight - it's touching and feels realistic at all times. Overall, Southward is a brilliant coming of age story that everyone should read, regardless of age and genre preferences.

This was a bittersweet moment - it was a beautiful epilogue to wrap up the story, but I'm sad it's over. As I read the last few chapters I thought we won't be hearing any more about Noah since Lauti has all but forgotten him, but this was a very fitting conclusion considering how the whole story started with the two of them. Also, it gave some kind of closure to Lauti. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of the story and I'm glad you were able to finish it despite less than ideal personal circumstances. I'll definitely be looking forward to more stories from you!

Another lovely chapter! I have to say, this is the best story I've read in a long while. You've created such a wonderful world and a cast of characters, and your writing style is so satisfying to read. I hope we get to see more from you! Lauti and Valen are so cute and quite mature for their age. They have definitely grown since they got together. I enjoyed the truth or drink scene a lot too, and I have to say I'm going to miss the gang. Can't wait for the epilogue!

Lying in bed, in his cozy bedroom above the shop, Edwin stared at the ceiling, sleepless. Outside, the sun was slowly setting on the horizon, painting the cloudy sky red and purple. Inside, three candles placed on a nearby wooden table cast warm light on the old wooden dresser and shelves stacked with books and crystals. Feeling nostalgic, Edwin shifted his gaze to look at the flames dance as the wax slowly melted. As he got lost in thoughts of his childhood, spending time with Marcella an

How inspired was that We'll learn more about Edwin's background later for sure! Thank you for reading & commenting!

Thank you! I think you might be right.

Looking up from the amethyst necklace in his hands, Edwin took a deep breath as a refreshing gust of wind came through one of the cracked windows of his little trinket shop. It was another pleasant, chilly spring morning, which was quite usual for the port town of Ossvale. The young man gazed out the window, as if trying to predict the weather. It certainly seemed like it would be clear and sunny, which was just what he wanted. It was much less fun walking around town with his best friend in the

Edwin is a young shop owner living a quiet life in the kingdom of Wisian, but that peace is shattered when his best friend vanishes without a trace. Desperate for help, he meets a mysterious man offering his assistance - a seductive demon named Lothar. As attraction between the two men grows stronger every day, Edwin finds himself getting entangled in a conflict between demons and angels. Will Lothar be able to find Edwin’s friend in time, and what will be the price of his help?

Hah, seems like Jason is not getting rid of Jon that easily (and he doesn't seem to mind it, as much as he may be pretending). Also, it's nice that he's got at least one family member who cares about him, even if he lives in Scotland. Just like with Jon's company, I have a feeling Jason enjoys the summers with his uncle more than he is letting on. I don't know how to feel about Jenna going out with Mark... Jason doesn't seem to mind it, but I definitely would if I were him. So Mark outed him in high school - no wonder Jason wants nothing to do with him. Really great story so far!

Wow Jason leaving without saying goodbye really hurt Jon. He is very smitten with the guy. I like reading from his pov too, I didn't see it coming. I agree with the other guys, Jenna is kinda bugging me. I personally don't like people with such a personality, and she also doesn't seem like a friend Jason needs. It seems like Jon could be a much better influence. (Although I guess it helps that she's always taking half of Jason's cigarettes, so he smokes less because of her )