Lupus

@akascrubber @drsawzall @Seraph28 Thank you for the comments. Rezak really did have this kind of fate planned for him from the very beginning — and a rather unfair one at that. In the next chapter, we return to the abandoned dyehouse.

For some reason, I had never read this particular story by Geron Kees before. I'm glad I finally did, because Effigy is a truly well‑written piece that gives the reader a lot to think about. It's a deeply thoughtful story, and the ending felt just right.

Rezak The sand field before the Imperial Army headquarters was rarely without people. Even now, a detachment of recruits was practicing bayonet drills along the edge of the field as Rezak rode Starpetal through the main gate. He noticed the recruits turn their heads. Everyone here recognized the commander of the Imperial Army and his night‑black stallion. He could have stopped to exchange a few words with the young recruits, to encourage them and instill courage for the trials ahead. T

@drsawzall @Seraph28 Thanks for the comments. Josel and Bartos are safe now — or at least for the rest of this fourth book. Little by little, we’re approaching the final climax of the book.🫣

The way I see it, the side plots in this story are so tightly woven into the main narrative that it’s hard to even say what the “main plot” is anymore. And now in the third book, it’s no longer possible to clearly name who the actual main characters are.☺️

@chrstphrl Thanks for the comment. If Otello knew Tac Temogam better, he certainly wouldn’t suggest revealing those significant secrets to him. A few plotlines will still reach their conclusion in this book, while others won’t be resolved until the next one.

Since English isn’t my native language, I run into small difficulties every now and then. For example, I only realized now that ship names in English need the article the. So I’ll have to go back and change the earlier chapters to the correct form, the Princess.😅 I’ve also been fixing awkward expressions and occasional grammar mistakes starting all the way from Book 1.

Otello As they entered the hearth room, Otello first studied the men's expressions. Andreuz Sandkan looked — oddly enough — relieved, while annoyance was written plainly across Dareis Monteilon's face. Most likely they had been in the middle of a conversation that Otello and Lae-Sui's arrival had interrupted. At Otello's signal, Lae-Sui brought the wheelchair to a stop beside the armchairs. "Gentlemen, my apologies for disturbing you," Otello began, speaking as clearly as he possi

There's undeniably a lot to keep track of in these plot threads and in everything the characters are doing.😀 I don't have any grand map or set of tables to rely on — most of it lives only in my head. So I've had to go back and check things several times in the parts I've already written.😬 Sometimes it's small details, like a character's eye colour, and sometimes it’s something more significant.

@jaclp It’s nice to see you’ve progressed this far in the reading😊I’ve planned the story as a blend of a coming‑of‑age tale for the teens and the grand, epic events of the fantasy world. I hope the balance between the two feels right.

Thank you for the comment. Good reflections. I try to keep a balance between calmer stretches that build the story, and then faster‑paced sections that push the plot forward more quickly, but since the story is still quite early on, there is inevitably quite a lot of groundwork to lay.😎

@Seraph28 @chrstphrl Thank you for the comments. Dareis truly is an unpleasant man with an impressive collection of bad character traits. He is greedy, power‑hungry, arrogant, cold, rude, intolerant, not very bright and utterly self‑centered. In fact, the only good thing about him is his handsome appearance. And as in this chapter, Franz is once again seeing everything in black and white, unwilling to look at things very objectively because of his own preconceptions. But that’s simply who he is, for better or worse.☺️

Franz It wasn't Ikarr or Kharl, but Tialing who stepped directly before the marshal general. The two of them stood face to face, measuring one another. Tialing may have been a young woman, yet now she seemed to have grown to match the marshal general in height. With her expression calm and her back held proudly straight, she looked exactly what she was: the daughter of the Ruler of the First Serpent Clan. The men took their places on either side of Tialing, Rummo standing a step behind

Thanks for the comment.🙂 Franz’s plotline starts off a little slowly, but it gradually becomes more significant.

Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the story🙂 I’ve started planning a new one, but unfortunately it will take some time before I can get it written. English isn’t my native language, so writing is a bit slow for me.