by Skyler Grant
Divine power flowed through me. It was like a heated kiss upon my neck, the ecstasy of a lover held close. The waters of the pool rippled. The tree in the center changed, green leaves transformed into red and gold.
Selaris was changing before my eyes too. Her robes vanished and while a few vines still wound their way along her flesh none truly afforded any modesty. There was something overpoweringly sensual about her that wasn't there before.
"You have my loyalty," Selaris said.
"Go find your son," Yvera said with a dip of her head.
A swirl of leaves and Selaris was gone, and the world began to tremble. I didn't know what was going on, but I somehow could sense that it was important.
Yvera threw her head back and screamed. Her flames went out and she collapsed unconscious.
Normally when I looked at her she never had a status prompt. She had one now.
Yve the Bard
Level 19: Type: Human HP: 190/190
Yve is a graduate of the Lorelliar School for the Arts and a skilled practitioner of the divine melody. Skillful in glamour magics with powerful charisma based abilities she is never to be underestimated.
When I'd met her in the past she had a prompt like this. This didn't make any sense. Meanwhile I felt power rushing through me, not divine, but something different. Something new. Prompts begged for my attention.
Congratulations!
You are the Chosen of the head of a pantheon that now represents all five elements. As you are also the King of Galea that nation has become an elemental juncture and the magical center of the Crucible Shard. As the rightful ruler of most of the power in the world, you are now the King of the Crucible Shard. You poor bastard.
None of this made sense. We hadn't captured the five elements—we'd never even met the divine representative of Earth. And Yvera, Yvera wasn't looking much like a Goddess at all right now.
There was a flicker in the air and Malachite appeared, her eyes quickly taking in the scene. "Are they alive?"
"Yeah, just beaten almost to death. Listen, this is a bad time," I said.
"Liam, whatever you did just invented a season called autumn and now a silver road is forming. You've caused an area of effect," Malachite said.
"I don't know what that even means."
"Trouble. It means trouble."
End
Coming Soon
Book Five of the Crucible Shard
Area of Effect
Yvera has been rendered mortal while Liam has gained new power and new authority. The power to mold reality is at play and hidden players will finally show their hands. Old alliances will be tested and new battle lines established with old foes.
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Afterword
It is a strange feeling to look over a story that you’ve put so much time into. Liam and the gang have come a long way since the first book, and I think this book has had the most twists and turns yet.
One of the strangest parts of being a writer is the discovery that your characters don’t always do what they are told. Sometimes minor characters fight and claw for their space on the page and characters you had intended to be major players shrink from the challenge and give up. Liam is a scrapper, they all are. Knock them down and they get back up, spit out some blood, and challenge you to try that again. Book five is going to be one hell of a fight.
