{"title":"ALL Print on Demand Books","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"print-bane-of-the-dead-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Bane of the Dead (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Seraphim Revival series.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/bane-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-one\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFueled by the Soul. Commanded by the Dead.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn an empire ruled by the honored dead, seraphs are the ultimate weapons. Fueled by the pilot’s very soul, these colossal humanoid mecha are unstoppable in battle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack Donolon is the most powerful pilot in existence, a hero of Earth with a mind fractured by his seraph. On the far side of the galaxy, he uncovers a terrible truth about the seraphs and their pilots. Now he must return on a mission no one will understand, to face and kill the people who once called him friend and comrade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the death he will bring is insignificant next to the destruction that will follow, should he fail…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom national bestselling author Jacob Holo comes an action-packed read for fans of Gundam, Evangelion, Pacific Rim, and anyone who’s ever wanted to pilot a giant robot!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Do you like Star Wars? Did you think it needed more giant robots? Well if you did, this is the book for you!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you are a fan of Gundam, Robotech, giant mecha you will enjoy this book.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Great and entirely welcome mecha novel!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you're look to scratch that mecha itch (like I was), look no further.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Feels like a love letter to the mecha space genre.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/bane-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-one\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from BANE OF THE DEAD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe voices in his head were right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt may have taken fifteen years to find, but here on the far edge of the galaxy was the terrible truth he sought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly one obstacle remained.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re alone out here,” Jack said, slipping into his uniform jacket. “No hope of support. No chance of rescue. You with me, buddy?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph said nothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s the spirit. Let’s do this!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack clasped his storm-gray uniform jacket at the neck. White six-winged hawks adorned the cuffs and the sides of the collar, marking him as a seraph pilot of Aktenzek. His bright blue armband bore the Earth Nation seal: the moon and Earth within a halo of sixteen stars, a testament to his origins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack rubbed the itchy stubble on his chin. He ran his fingers through an unruly mop of brown hair and jogged towards the \u003cem\u003eScion of Aktenzek\u003c\/em\u003e’s seraph hangar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pressure door slid open, and he watched it part from both sides. With each step, his connection to the seraph strengthened. He entered the hangar and looked up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bay was just large enough to contain the mighty girth of the seraph. Soft white lights illuminated its form. Spindly mechanical arms moved above and around the seraph, transporting its armaments down out of the ceiling and affixing them via conformal pods. When finished, the arms retracted upward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph was truly gargantuan. It stood in the manner of a man, towering high above Jack, who wasn’t as tall as its smallest finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack slowed to a walk. This part of the hangar came level with the seraph’s chest. A slender gangplank extended from the ledge to the cockpit. The seraph’s head swiveled down and watched him approach. Six blade-like wings extended from its back, retracted into tight clusters of three. The armor was a seamless, immaculate white. Designers had given this seraph a smooth set of muscular curves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrings of black runic characters adorned the forearms, legs, and wings. They spelled out the Litany of the Mission, a simple ten-verse invocation held sacred by the Aktenai:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWho are we?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe are those forsaken by our kind.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat is our purpose?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eTo repent for our greatest sin.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat was our sin?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe creation of the Bane.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHow must we repent our sin?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe must kill the Bane.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWho will judge our worthiness?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Keepers of the Gate.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack knew it by heart. The words filled him with dread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, this might be it,” he said. “We could turn back, you know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph did not speak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, I thought you’d say that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack hurried across the gangplank and entered the spherical cockpit in the chest. He turned and slid into the man-shaped alcove. The seraph’s skin sealed him inside, leaving no evidence of an opening. The walls closed in, contracting around his body, entombing him in darkness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack shut his eyes and took a deep breath. The mundane senses of his body faded. The multi-spectral “eyes” and “ears” of the seraph filled his mind. He clenched the giant hands of the seraph and shuffled from one foot to the other, restricted by the cramped confines of the hangar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack didn’t pilot the seraph. He \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c\/em\u003e the seraph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe let a trickle of power flow out from his frail, almost forgotten, human body. Raw, chaotic fury surged through his arterial network, energizing his limbs and wings. The black script of the Litany ignited with blinding blue light. His internal systems came online one after another, sipping at an endless reservoir of extra-dimensional energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeneath his feet, the first of three doors flinched open. Clamps descended on rails and affixed to his shoulders and wings. With a surge of motion, the launch catapult thrust him down. He passed through doors that snapped open and shut in the span of an eye blink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe catapult flung Jack into the dark of space. He floated free of the \u003cem\u003eScion of Aktenzek\u003c\/em\u003e: a white, armored figure falling from the vast cylindrical vessel. He spread his wings and redirected power to them. Edges along each blade-wing flared with light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack flew ahead of the carrier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, don’t keep me waiting,” he said. “You know where I am and where I’m going. Time to finish this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn’t wait long.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Disciple frigate folded space several hundred kilometers away. The sleek, silver-skinned enemy craft materialized within an expanding ring of distorted light, then turned its nose to face the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e. Once aligned, it fired the centerline fusion cannon that took up the bulk of its interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beam of white light smashed into the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e, carving a ragged blister across its hull. Almost immediately, mnemonic armor flowed over the glowing wound, remembering and restoring its original shape. The fully automated carrier had impressive self-repair capabilities, but it was also his only way home. If it fell, so did he.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Here we go, buddy!” Jack shouted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe rocketed towards the enemy craft. The frigate fired again, but this time Jack swung into the beam’s path.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocused atomic energy met his chaos barrier in a brilliant flash of competing forces. White ribbons splashed off him like water, leaving his armor untouched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack aimed the fusion cannon housed in a conformal pod along his left arm. The weapon drank in a portion of his barrier, energized the barrel, and focused the nuclear charge into a tight plasma lance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beam hit with all the force of a capital ship’s main gun, emitted from a weapon one-fiftieth the size. Plasma cleaved the Disciple vessel in half. Secondary explosions snapped across its length and obliterated the rest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo more Disciple frigates folded space, both larger than the first and positioned further out. They fired their main guns and unleashed a steady stream of fusion torpedoes from twin launchers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack turned and sped towards them. He shot the lead ship. His beam hit from the side and punched clean through, blowing the nose off the craft. His second shot stabbed through the center. Two ruined halves tumbled away, shedding life pods like a rain of silver droplets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree more frigates entered the system even further away and commenced their attack runs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eScion \u003c\/em\u003etook hit after hit. Beams seared its armor, and torpedoes exploded against its hull. Damage indicators opened in Jack’s mind. A nuclear inferno breached the outer hull, and radiation flooded two of the aft compartments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good thing that’s not where I sleep.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack closed the alert and fired again. He raked the beam across the closest ship, cleaving it at a diagonal. Explosions brewed up within the wreck, shrouding it in fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFusion beams slashed across space. The \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e spun its hull, spreading the hits across its surface. More damage warnings flashed in his mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack twisted around and rocketed towards the new trio of frigates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“They’re trying to split me off from the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph did not speak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can’t help it! Their cannons have better range!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack flew across their formation and unloaded shot after shot. Beams carved red-hot holes through the Disciple ships. Superheated alloys cracked the first frigate apart, then the second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe last frigate unleashed a swarm of forty torpedoes from its external racks. Jack blasted the ship apart and swung past its spreading wreckage. He deployed a wave of tactical seekers from the weapon pods attached to his legs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiny guided projectiles ignited their overloaded drive blades and sped after the torpedoes, intercepting over half of them. The rest slammed into the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e in one infernal detonation after another. The hull heated and bulked. Damage alerts opened faster than he could read them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut when the translucent gauze of plasma dissipated, the \u003cem\u003eScion \u003c\/em\u003eremained.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whew! That was close.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs if to prove him wrong, a Disciple dreadnought folded space almost on top of the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e. Its reflective armor gleamed in the starlight. Three whole frigates could have fit within its long, flattened hull.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Where the hell did you come from?” Jack shouted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dreadnought oriented its three cannons on the \u003cem\u003eScion \u003c\/em\u003eand fired. A trio of plasma jets scorched the carrier, opening another breach. One of the two engine compartments vaporized. Radiation polluted half the interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack dumped power into his wings and raced in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dreadnought opened fire again. Armor scattered from the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e’s hull in molten globules.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The substructure is exposed!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack aimed his arm cannon and fired. The fusion beam struck the dreadnought amidships. Fierce plasma scarred the armor with a livid orange slash, but it failed to penetrate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can’t punch through that hull in time!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one responded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh yeah? Watch this!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack closed with the dreadnought, diving in perpendicular to its path. He didn’t slow down. Instead, he crashed feet first into the ship, forming a crater. The impact forced the mammoth warship off course. Its shots flew wide, arcs of plasma fading into the depths of space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrive blades along the dreadnought’s rear powered up, reorienting the bow onto its target. Fusion torpedoes deployed from six launch tubes, adding to the incoming fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack grabbed the leading edge of the ship and flipped himself inside one of its fusion cannons. The long tube ran almost the entire length of the craft, lined with gravitic focusing rings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the far end of the dark barrel, the next ignition spark appeared.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, this is going to hurt.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack raised a forearm and shielded his face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cannon discharged. Blinding light filled everything. Plasma sleeted over his barrier, cooking him. He grunted in pain, but his barrier did not waver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cannon finished firing, and Jack ran down the barrel, keeping his arm up. More damage registered on the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e. Its launch catapults were gone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA faint glow brightened ahead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, no you don’t!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack sprinted in. The shunts along his left forearm glowed brighter. Blue energy extended from above his wrist, forming a blade as long as he was tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack stabbed the chaos sword into the ignition mechanism. The spark vanished. Machinery melted and floated away. He cleaved through the back of the cannon, then let the sword fade into a dusting of winking motes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack jammed his hands into the breach and forced the armor apart, exposing over a dozen of the dreadnought’s crewed decks stacked one on top of the other. Startled men and women in dark red pressure suits stared at him. The interior must have already been depressurized for combat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Surprise!” Jack swung a leg through the breach and stepped in, his shin crashing through three decks at the same time. Disciple warriors scattered out of his way as he smashed through the ship’s interior, crumpling the walls and floors of a dozen decks with each stride as if they were made of paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he reached the bridge, Jack clawed the reinforced exterior aside. The Disciple captain stood in the center of a circular room ringed with tactical displays. Red messages flashed urgently on most, but the captain glared defiantly at the seraph, unwilling to retreat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack pointed his arm cannon at the man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Heh. Nothing personal.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe triggered the weapon. A fusion beam vaporized the whole bridge and everything behind it. Jack emptied his cannon with shot after shot, turning the dreadnought’s interior into a white-hot inferno. He spread his wings and flew out through the giant barrel. Behind him, the dreadnought drifted away, its armor bulging out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack arced towards the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e. The carrier was lacerated with glowing crisscrossed patches of superheated alloy, at least where it still had armor. Several molten holes laid its copper-hued internal systems bare to the vacuum. He opened the \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e’s internal diagnostics and took a long, thoughtful look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe sighed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good. Half the seraph bays are intact, two fold engines are still working, and my room is in one piece.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph said nothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No need to be mean. It worked, didn’t it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eScion\u003c\/em\u003e sent him a navigational request. Its fold engines were finally charged for the next jump. His internal fold engines were also ready.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Let’s see if all this was worth it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJack and the \u003cem\u003eScion of Aktenzek\u003c\/em\u003e vanished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45119217828131,"sku":"BANE-PAPERBACK","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/BaneoftheDeadShopifyPaperback.png?v=1686601605"},{"product_id":"print-throne-of-the-dead-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Throne of the Dead (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Two in the Seraphim Revival series.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e***SPOILER WARNING: Do not read further until you have read \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/products\/audio-bane-of-the-dead-audiobook\"\u003eBANE OF THE DEAD\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/throne-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-two\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFueled by the Soul. Exiled by the Dead.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn an empire ruled by the honored dead, seraphs are the ultimate weapons. Fueled by the pilot’s very soul, these colossal humanoid mecha are unstoppable in battle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin S’Kev was a seraph pilot before injuries scorched her mind and stripped her abilities. Exiled by her people for reasons she does not understand, she lives on without honor or purpose. It is an existence so repulsive to her that she openly considers ending her own life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll that changes when enemy commandos kidnap Quennin and bring her before the renegade Veketon. He claims he can restore her talents, even make them stronger, and offers her a place in his army worthy of her skills. It is everything her heart secretly desires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis price?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe must swear allegiance to the worst traitor her people have ever known.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom national bestselling author Jacob Holo comes a fun, fast-paced read for anyone who’s ever wanted to pilot a giant robot.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Do you like Star Wars? Did you think it needed more giant robots? Well if you did, this is the book for you!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you are a fan of Gundam, Robotech, giant mecha you will enjoy this book.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Great and entirely welcome mecha novel!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you're look to scratch that mecha itch (like I was), look no further.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Feels like a love letter to the mecha space genre.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium PAPERBACK.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/throne-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-two\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from THRONE OF THE DEAD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e***SPOILER WARNING: Do not read further until you have read \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/products\/audio-bane-of-the-dead-audiobook\"\u003eBANE OF THE DEAD\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin queried her neural link and requested the time. She’d dawdled too much this morning and quickly headed downstairs for breakfast. The Choir and the Sovereign of Aktenzek had not been unkind in their dismissal of her. They had granted her an estate on Earth: a fabulous beach house that overlooked the Pacific Ocean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLavish accommodations. Sandy beaches. Hot and sunny weather. Plenty of things to see and do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut however pleasant, exile was still exile. Earth would never be her home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe ordered breakfast from the autokitchen underneath a wide circular table. Her plate rose from the hole in the table’s center. She ate through half of the cold idri ball, which resembled a blueberry muffin in taste and texture, then stuffed two strips of Earther bacon into her mouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin pulled a loose shirt over her swimsuit, rushed back upstairs, and slipped her sheathed knife into a pocket. She patted the familiar shape, feeling comforted by its presence, then exited the house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer skin prickled from the mild morning chill. She followed a stone path down to the beach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo Nezrii, pilot of Aktenzek and honor guard to its Sovereign, waved excitedly and rose from the sand. She stood a head shorter than Quennin, slight of build with long, black hair twisted together in a complex weave. Her braid bounced happily behind her as she jogged up the shallow sandy incline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin immediately noticed the swimsuit. It was very hard not to, since there was so little of it. “Scandalous” might have been a good word. It looked like an Earther style.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Quennin! It’s been so long!” Zo hurried over and gave her a tight hug.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You been well?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin broke away and held Zo at arm’s length. “As well as can be expected. Where’s Mezen?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Down by the dock. \u003cem\u003eSome\u003c\/em\u003eone—” Zo bobbed her head towards the dock. “—thought it would be fun to go for a boat ride. He has no interest in swimming but wants to ride in some rickety deathtrap made of \u003cem\u003ewood\u003c\/em\u003e! From \u003cem\u003etrees\u003c\/em\u003e! I swear, some of these Earthers are insane, and I think it’s contagious. We should just pitch Mezen overboard when we get out to sea.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin couldn’t help but smile. Zo hadn’t changed a bit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two women walked leisurely down the beach until they reached the dock. Craggy rock jutted up out of the ground, bisecting beach and ocean. Stairs cut up through the rock to the flattened top, where the wooden dock extended out further into the ocean. Quennin spotted Mezen walking back from several vessels. Some of them were so primitive they actually used wind to move.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMezen, another member of the Sovereign’s honor guard, resembled a slab of muscle in storm-gray pants with a white shirt buttoned up to the neck. A crosshatch of scars peeked out near his throat and wrists: grim tokens from his imprisonment at the hands of the Grendeni decades ago. He had never spoken to Quennin about his scars and probably never would.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo cupped her hands around her mouth. “Are you done finding us a deathtrap to sink in?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMezen looked back at the boats for a few seconds, then turned to Zo and nodded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, we can all die out in the ocean later today!” she said. “We ladies are going for a swim!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMezen nodded again before heading back to the boats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uhh.” Zo gave Mezen’s back a dismissive wave. “Come on. Let’s go.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey followed the shore towards the beach house. Wet sand squished between Quennin’s toes. The morning sun warmed her skin, and a cool salty breeze blew in over the waters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Are Kevik and Kiro stopping by?” Quennin asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, the twins will be around later today.” Zo shielded her eyes and gazed across the ocean. A pair of seagulls flew overhead. “My, real planets are something, aren’t they?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If you say so.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh come on. You have beautiful weather, sandy beaches, and a real sun over your head. A real sun!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can’t tell the difference.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And just look at this ocean! It goes on and on!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Same as ours.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Come on. Ours only look like they’re endless.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin grimaced at this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA familiar shape peeked over the horizon. The fat off-white orb rose into the morning sky, appearing many times larger than Earth’s Moon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was Aktenzek, the fortress planet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMy rightful home, \u003c\/em\u003eQuennin thought with a pang of bitterness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fortress planet’s surface was a random patchwork of pale armor plains and mountainous machines. Lights twinkled across its cold, airless shell, some of them marking passages into the planet’s subterranean labyrinths. Despite its obvious proximity and mass, the tides remained unaffected by the Earth’s artificial neighbor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My, would you look at that,” Zo breathed, grinning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin stared at her feet instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh,” Zo said. “Sorry. I didn’t mean …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t worry. I’m used to seeing it from here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Try not to let it get you down, okay?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Mmmhmm.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You should be enjoying yourself more. Have you been socializing with the locals?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not really.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNot at all, to be honest,\u003c\/em\u003e Quennin thought. The cultural rules were so different on Earth. So much hiding behind false words. She didn’t know where to begin, and even if she had, she still wouldn’t bother.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s easy,” Zo said. “You remember Jared? The weird Earth Nation pilot that keeps hanging around my daughter?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, I remember him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, he explained it to me once. The girl dresses nice and goes to something called a bar. A bunch of guys approach her, and she picks the one she wants.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I somehow doubt it’s that simple.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Come on. You should give it a try. It’s better than sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Have you spoken to … to Seth recently?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No,” Zo said too quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re lying.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Seth is out of your reach. You need to move on.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo’s words stung like a slap to the face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If you won’t tell me about Seth,” Quennin said, “then tell me how the war is going.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo shook her head and let out a weary sigh. “You know, I’ve just spent six months on the front. This is the last thing I want to talk about.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, it’s something I want to talk about. All I get are watered-down news reports. I want to know how the war is really going.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s been tough,” Zo said, her voice growing quiet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Are we winning?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hard to say.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin grabbed her shoulder. “Zo, are we winning the war?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Look, I shouldn’t talk about this, but …” Zo’s lips trembled on the edge of a word.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Are things really that bad?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlowly, Zo nodded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow was that even possible? How could Aktenzek lose when it had the seraphs and their pilots? Were the Dead Fleet and its Outcast allies really that powerful?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin knew the basics of the war, but not much beyond that. Powerful enemies opposed Aktenzek, such as the Dead Fleet: thousands upon thousands of robotic warships controlled from the fortress planet Zu’Rashik. The Dead Fleet answered unswervingly to the Original Eleven: founders of the Aktenai people who were once their most revered leaders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there were the Zekuut: Outcasts from the far side of the Galaxy, whom the Original Eleven had called to their banner. The Outcasts continued to send inexhaustible waves of ships and materiel against the increasingly stretched Alliance fleets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Zo, I can help. You know I can. Even if it’s menial work, just let me contribute. Let me help. I want to help!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m sorry,” Zo said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA firm hand squeezed Quennin’s shoulder, startling her. She hadn’t heard Mezen approach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You should respect the wishes of the Sovereign,” he said in a quiet, gravelly voice. “He placed you on Earth for your own good. Please understand this even if you don’t know why.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin didn’t meet his gaze. She felt suddenly ashamed that she’d made her guests so uncomfortable. Zo and Mezen didn’t have to visit her, and they had. But a small flash of anger heated her cheeks. She’d been exiled for her own good? She didn’t believe that for a second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Mezen said to Zo. “I want to get a few things for the deathtrap.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure thing, Mez.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMezen headed up the stone path and disappeared into the beach house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo sat down on a wide, blue towel, and Quennin joined her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m sorry about that, Zo.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s not your fault. I know this isn’t easy on you. But Mezen is right.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It sure doesn’t seem like that.” Quennin buried her toes in the sand at the towel’s edge. “Can you at least tell me about Seth? You’ve spoken to him recently, haven’t you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You know better than that. Please take my advice, and leave him in the past.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah,” Quennin nodded, accepting her defeat. There would be other opportunities, but she’d lost this one. “Sorry about being a bad host.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s all right.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know this isn’t much of an excuse, but I haven’t felt like myself lately.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Really? What’s been bothering you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I haven’t been sleeping well.” Quennin lay back on the towel. She gazed up at the crisp blue sky. “I keep having these recurring nightmares.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf Quennin had been watching, she would have noticed an immediate change in Zo, who was now listening \u003cem\u003every\u003c\/em\u003e closely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What kind of nightmares?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin smiled humorlessly. “They’re pretty weird. They happen in these surreal places. One is in the sky. The most perfect blue sky you could ever imagine, stretching up and down and to all sides, with magnificent white cities floating serenely through it all.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sounds nice. How’s it turn into a nightmare?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s strange. I feel so at peace in the beginning. And then this woman appears and forces me to the ground. Her face strikes me as familiar, but I’ve never seen her before, and her eyes are cold with these unusual silver irises. She’s so strong. I don’t even have a chance. She kills me, but I don’t wake up. I just lay there slumped against a wall, watching as she rips open my chest and starts tearing out my organs.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Eww …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You have that often?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Once or twice a week.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hmm. Any others?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was another, more terrible dream, one filled with fire and brass and smoke and that same woman, but just thinking about it made Quennin’s heart race. She had no desire to talk about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just variations of the one,” she lied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A hobby. That’s what you need. Something to take your mind off things. Like Jared and those pointless Earther games of his.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll pass on that, thanks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo patted her arm. “Only kidding. Come on. Let’s go for a swim.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two women stood up and headed for the lapping waters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThunder cracked in a cloudless sky. The booming sound stunned her ears and resonated in her stomach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fast, sleek shape suddenly appeared. It streaked by overhead and crashed full force into the ocean. A gust of wind threw both women to the ground. Light distorted around them then snapped back to normal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A fold engine?” Quennin rose to her feet. She rubbed an abrasion on her elbow. “That was a ship folding in!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It couldn’t be,” Zo said. “Not this far into a gravity well. There shouldn’t be enough of it left to fill a spoon.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then what did we just see? Did you get a good look at the ship? I didn’t recognize the type.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo shook her head. “Just a glance. If I were to guess, I’d say that ship was an Outcast orbital flyer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What, \u003cem\u003ehere\u003c\/em\u003e? On Earth?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Doesn’t make sense, I know. Every alarm in the Earth Nation Fleet must be going off right now. We need to get out of here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Right. My aircar’s in the house.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Better than nothing.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This way!” Quennin ran up the beach. Zo sprinted after her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater exploded behind them, and a ship like a silver arrow flew out and leveled itself above the water. Quennin glanced over her shoulder to get a good look. The Outcast flyer’s prow was a forward-facing delta with smooth curves and fat wings, all clad in reflective armor. Weapons bristled from the nose and hung in clusters underneath the wings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBehind the triangular front was a long cylinder, three times the length of the main body and encased in the same reflective armor. Quennin guessed it to be some sort of booster section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt’s built for speed\u003c\/em\u003e, she thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flyer hovered above the shoreline. A rectangular hatch opened along its belly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZo sent out a message over her neural link. Quennin patched in and listened. “Kevik! Kiro! Are either of you near your seraphs?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re both nearby. What’s going on?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Questions can wait! Get on board and get over to my position NOW!!!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Understood.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Help is on the way!” Zo shouted out loud. Quennin could barely hear her over the flyer’s engine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatery blurs dropped from the flyer’s bay, hit the ground softly, and ran towards the two women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOutcast warriors with active stealth fields and gravity harnesses, \u003c\/em\u003eQuennin thought. She turned away and pumped her legs even harder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething struck the back of her knee, and she tumbled. Zo shouted out, but her voice died against the shriek of the flyer’s engine. Quennin found herself on her back with two Outcast warriors standing over her. Colors and light constantly shifted to conceal their position, but this close, Quennin could just barely see a solid outline. They held their stubby weapons single-handedly, barrels trained on her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe closest Outcast grabbed her and effortlessly flipped her onto her stomach. He bound her hands behind her back and lifted her to her feet. His movements were practiced and precise, without waste, and inhumanly strong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs her captor held her bound arms, Quennin counted four Outcasts total: two on either side of her and two in front with weapons trained on Zo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Get out of here, Zo!” Quennin shouted, but Zo didn’t move. She’d stopped running a few strides away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You can’t take her!” Zo shouted. “You have no idea what—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rest of her words drowned in the flyer’s earsplitting roar. Outcasts kept Zo in their sights but held their fire. This was incomprehensible! A seraph pilot stood before them, and they didn’t shoot? It made no sense!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flyer halted directly overhead. Her captor held her bound arms with an iron grip. The air buzzed with the effects of a short-range gravity field, and she found herself lifted into the flyer’s belly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe four Outcasts and Quennin crowded into the flyer’s interior: a space designed for utility, not comfort. Screen-skin covered the walls, granting a view of their surroundings. As the bay door began to close, she spotted a silvery glint approaching along the shoreline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust the sight of it made Quennin’s heart skip a beat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph stood roughly in the shape of a man, but was so large it could crush the flyer in one hand. Six blade-like wings extended from its back, their edges glowing brightly. Its armored skin gleamed in the morning sunlight, so polished and beautiful that the Outcast flyer appeared dull by comparison. Delicate curls and curlicues etched across its chest, limbs, and wings, each burning with a fierce inner fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was one of the six Renseki seraphs flown by the Sovereign’s honor guard, and it bore straight in. The Outcasts had only seconds to make their escape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re all going to die,” Quennin said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bay door sealed, and the flyer accelerated hard towards the seraph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a flash, the two craft shot past each other. The seraph reached out, and the tip of a finger grazed the bottom of the Outcast flyer. Quennin felt the craft shudder and lurch forward before righting itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHe must have launched without weapon pods, \u003c\/em\u003eshe thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Renseki seraph turned about, exhaust from its wings blowing sand off the beach in a great storm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flyer’s booster section ignited with a deafening crack. Quennin instinctively fought against her bonds to cover her ears, to no avail. The flyer punched up through the atmosphere, shuddering so violently she thought it would break apart. Behind them, air friction turned the pursuing seraph into a flaming comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound died down to a low continuous thrumming. Quennin couldn’t believe such a craft was capable of outrunning a seraph. She glanced around, appraising her situation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven in this extraordinary plight, her thoughts remained calm. She observed where a lesser person would panic. Since early childhood, she had been raised as a pilot of Aktenzek, and the long years of discipline and constant battle did not fail her now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe four Outcast warriors had switched off their stealth fields and stashed their weapons. They wore flexible body armor that meshed tightly with their fit physiques. Without the stealth fields blurring color and light, Quennin spotted an ornate design painted like a sash across their chests: orange and black dancing in a diagonal swirl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin didn’t recognize the pattern and took it to represent whatever Outcast nation these four men hailed from. But there was something else, a band across their right arms: black and white in a familiar pattern of tightly packed circles, semi-circles, and arches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe soldiers wore Veketon’s heraldry. These four were pawns of the Dead Fleet and its leaders, the Original Eleven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNone of this makes sense! \u003c\/em\u003eshe thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe closest Outcast removed his helmet. He looked human enough, despite being an Outcast. A buzz cut of black hair framed a square face that, if not handsome, was at least not ugly. Dark piercing eyes appraised her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You serve Veketon,” Quennin said. It was not a question.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround them, sky turned into the black of space. Soon the flyer would be free of Earth’s gravity well and able to fold space out of the solar system. Quennin looked back, watching the Renseki seraph fall further and further behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My name is Plaerion,” the Outcast said. “And yes, I serve the First of the Eleven. By delivering you to him, our nation will gain great prestige.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin shook her head. It just didn’t make sense. What value did she have? Why would the Original Eleven bother with a wounded and powerless pilot like her?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin reached into the flyer’s information network. As a pilot, she’d been fitted with one of the finest neural links in existence. Covertly, her implants hunted for chinks in the flyer’s network security. Perhaps she could find something that would explain her circumstances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flyer folded space. The smiling crescents of Earth, Moon, and the fortress planet Aktenzek vanished from view. Formations of Outcast flyers snapped into existence, glittering in the light of the new system’s star.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Why have you captured me?” she asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Master Veketon ordered us to.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin snorted out a joyless laugh. An automaton’s answer: He did it because he was ordered to. What other reason would he need?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer neural link gained some purchase into the flyer’s network. For now, she could covertly monitor several data streams, though actual intervention would alert her captors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLoud mechanical clanks reverberated through the flyer’s hull. The spent booster drifted away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin found a tactical data stream and examined it. Over one hundred Outcast flyers formed up around them. She was now hidden in a swarm of identical craft, escorted by sixteen powerful warships. Ten sleek frigates and five massive dreadnoughts established a tight defense around a stubby negator, which activated its disruptive field effect, disabling enemy fold engines in range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThey’re going to pin our pursuers in this system,\u003c\/em\u003e Quennin thought. \u003cem\u003eThat will delay the pursuit for when we fold again.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Outcasts were going through great lengths to capture her. Negators were notoriously expensive to build and operate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fold point snapped open, and the Renseki seraph flew out of a ring of twisted light. With her flyer now hidden in a shoal of one hundred, the Renseki hesitated for a moment, then turned towards the negator. Outcast warships came about and opened fire, but their concentrated plasma beams ricocheted off the seraph’s barrier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph rammed the negator like a kinetic torpedo, buckling the warship’s armor and causing it to spin end over end. The seraph clambered across the exterior until it reached the midsection and raised an arm back. It ignited a chaos dagger from its wrist and sunk the energy blade into the negator’s thick armor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith both hands, the seraph forced the hull open.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo more Renseki seraphs folded into the system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuennin closed the data stream. “You didn’t answer my question. Why did you capture me?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Master Veketon will explain his reasons to you in person,” Plaerion said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In person? That’s a strange way to talk about the Original Eleven. They’ve been dead for millennia.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlaerion gave her a smug grin. “I find your ignorance amusing, Quennin S’Kev.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThe shoal of one hundred flyers folded space and vanished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45121218052387,"sku":"THRONE-PAPERBACK","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/ThroneoftheDeadShopifyPaperback.png?v=1686601709"},{"product_id":"print-disciple-of-the-dead-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Disciple of the Dead (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Three in the Seraphim Revival series.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eNew to the Seraphim Revival series?\u003c\/span\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/products\/audio-bane-of-the-dead-audiobook\" title=\"New to the Seraphim Revival series? Start here.\"\u003eStart here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e***SPOILER WARNING: Do not read further until you have read \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/products\/audio-throne-of-the-dead-audiobook\"\u003eTHRONE OF THE DEAD\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/disciple-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-three\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFueled by the Soul. Hunted by the Dead.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn an empire ruled by the honored dead, seraphs are the ultimate weapons. Fueled by the pilot’s very soul, these colossal humanoid mecha are unstoppable in battle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeth Elexen and a small group of elite pilots have tracked the renegade Veketon to the far side of the galaxy. With only one ship and a single squadron of seraphs, they alone must face the tyrant within the heart of his growing power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Veketon is no easy mark. Through perverse sciences, he has been reborn as a pilot of terrifying power, and Quennin S’Kev, a woman Seth abandoned for all the wrong reasons, stands by his side and will defend him to the death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow Seth has one final desperate chance at success, but in order to get to Veketon, he must be willing to kill the only woman he has ever loved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom national bestselling author Jacob Holo comes the gripping finale of the \u003cem\u003eSeraphim Revival\u003c\/em\u003e trilogy!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Do you like Star Wars? Did you think it needed more giant robots? Well if you did, this is the book for you!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you are a fan of Gundam, Robotech, giant mecha you will enjoy this book.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Great and entirely welcome mecha novel!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“If you're look to scratch that mecha itch (like I was), look no further.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Feels like a love letter to the mecha space genre.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium PAPERBACK.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/disciple-of-the-dead-seraphim-revival-book-three\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from DISCIPLE OF THE DEAD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e***SPOILER WARNING: Do not read further until you have read \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/products\/audio-throne-of-the-dead-audiobook\"\u003eTHRONE OF THE DEAD\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeath had come, and she would have her prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer black seraph hovered over the ruined city like a vicious bird of prey, its giant humanoid body full of menace and cruelty. Dark energy crackled about it, cloaking the seraph in an invincible barrier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix grand wings unfurled from its back, flexing and relaxing in a slow play of muscular potential. Its armored body was lithe and sleek, its face an indiscernible mask of darkness. The panicked citizens below were barely the size of its smallest finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That was …” Vierj said in slow, deliberate syllables, “a mistake.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe held another seraph by the stomach, her razor-sharp talons piercing deep into its flesh. The wounded seraph’s body bowed back, bones broken, arms and legs dangling at its sides. Its armor was split evenly down the middle into white and black with the hands and tips of its six wings bearing the opposite color. Crimson blood wept from a deep gash in the chest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj raised her free hand, energy snapping between her fingers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“STOP!!!” Veketon shouted, racing towards the battle, but still over a thousand kilometers away. He swept across the snow-covered peaks of a northern mountain range and headed for the capital. The edges of his six wings burned with black light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe city of Ittai’zen, capital of Ittenrashik, sprawled beneath Vierj like a precise sculpture of glass, silver, and polished stone. Organically smooth towers rose, sprouting walkways and bridges of glass, merging with their neighbors as they reached skyward. Some towers never touched the ground, but simply tapered off above the planet’s emerald fields.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a thing of beauty: a testament to all the Aktenai, the Forsaken of the Homeland, had achieved in the hard years of their Exile. But now, fires raged through six of Ittai’zen’s eleven grandest towers, belching forth greasy plumes of dark smoke. Scores of lesser towers now ended in broken spires or shattered domes, and fleeing aircars blotted out the sky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ah, Father,” Vierj said. “You have finally joined us.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop this at once!” Veketon shouted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Is that all you have to say? How much must I take from you before you give me what I desire?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t do this!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj plunged her hand into the seraph’s chest. She dug deep, blood spurting around her wrist, and found the seraph’s spinal cord.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a sharp jerk, Vierj ripped the seraph in two and cast the legs aside. The lower body crashed through several crystalline bridges before hitting the ground in a gory splash.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj held the seraph’s upper body by the throat. Organs hung loosely below the exposed ribs. She reached up through the bottom of the rib cage and pushed into the seraph’s soft insides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now, where is she? Ah. Here we are.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a delicate twist, Vierj broke the pilot alcove free and pulled it out. She held the spherical chamber out in an open palm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a corner of his mind, Veketon felt Dendolet’s weakened pulse. She lay wounded and unconscious in the alcove, but he could still save her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop, Vierj,” he said. “Just stop this, please. I’m begging you. Haven’t you killed enough of us already?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If you wish this to end, just give me the Gate’s location.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You know I can’t do that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Are you sure? It’s not as if I hold someone like Ziriken or Balezuur in my palm. You’ve always been willing to sacrifice comrades for your ambitions, so I must strike closer to your heart.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Curse you, she’s your mother!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Such connections no longer matter to me. I have grown far beyond any of you, and I tire of your stalling. Give me the Gate.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I …” Veketon stammered. “I cannot.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then she is the first.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“NO!!!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj clenched her fist. A trickle of red oozed through her giant fingers. She flung the top half of Dendolet’s seraph aside, and the giant corpse landed on top of a tower, crushing dozens of aircars and hundreds of people attempting to flee the battle. Its broken remains came to rest on its back, blood draining out of the chest like a grotesque waterfall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No …” Veketon whispered. Within the pilot alcove, tears burned his true eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou must not blame yourself, \u003c\/strong\u003eVeketon’s seraph said, the words echoing across the chaos energy bond he and the seraph shared. Its name was Malael.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My beloved is dead …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVeketon, the others need us. We must stop Vierj before she kills again.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Can we even hurt her?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph paused ever so slightly before responding, and Veketon sensed its uncertainty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe must try,\u003c\/strong\u003e Malael said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yes, of course we must.” Veketon nodded with dark inevitability. He focused his mind and touched the flow of chaos energy inside the seraph. It frothed around him like a great river of power and potential. He guided that raw energy, shaped it, formed it, then sent it rippling outward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith an unbreakable trust built over millennia, Malael relinquished full control of its body to Veketon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon didn’t simply pilot the seraph. He \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c\/em\u003e the seraph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe spread his six wings. Their edges snapped with black lightning, and he surged forward, screaming through the sky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis white armor gleamed under the midday sun, the lines tall and proud, his face concealed behind an armored mask. Black heraldry adorned his armor along the wings and the sides of his torso: a complexly woven pattern of arcs, circles, and half-moons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon hefted the portal lance in his hand, the weapon as long as the seraph was tall. Elegant, continuous writing curled its way around the shaft, the characters now black with his infusion of chaos energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon reached the capital and found that Vierj hadn’t moved. Her black seraph hovered over the ravaged city, and nine seraphs formed a ring around her, waiting just outside the city’s limits, each armed with a portal lance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I will give you one last chance, Father,” Vierj said. “Give it to me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon found his eyes drawn to Dendolet’s broken seraph, its blood still pouring over the tower’s side, drenching the building’s white flank in crimson. He closed his eyes and steeled himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I will not give the Gate’s location to a disgrace like you,” he said. “Not now. Not ever.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You cannot defeat me, Father,” she said. “And I don’t need you. I can defeat the Homeland and crush the Keepers all by myself.” She stretched a hand towards him, palm up, imploring. “Give me what I desire, and I will trouble you no more.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Vierj, you killed your own mother!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Give me what I desire, Father.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop this insanity!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Give me the Gate’s location.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Give it to me!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“NO!!!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj clenched her outstretched hand. She whirled to the right and faced one of the surrounding seraphs. Her wings spread outward, sparking with sudden power, and she bolted towards her target, closing the distance before anyone could react.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe brought her fist around and smashed it through the seraph’s head. Red gore and bits of armor exploded outward. Its body, starkly white with black thorns entwining its limbs, began to fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj raked her talons down the seraph’s torso, tearing through its chaos barrier, armor, and flesh with equal ease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seraph’s ribcage split open. Blood and gore erupted out, splashing off Vierj’s barrier. Vierj slammed her fist through the seraph’s chest. The vitals of both the pilot Xixek and her seraph X’Kuudin flatlined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Two!” Vierj cried savagely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Kill her!” Veketon shouted. “Whatever the cost! Kill her!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery seraph charged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj turned sharply to her left and picked another target.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Give me what I want!” She raised an arm, still far from her next victim. Chaos energy danced around her clenched fist in motes of black light. She swung, and a slender whip of black chaos energy extruded from her limb.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe energy whip sliced through another seraph’s torso at a diagonal. Blood pulsed out of the wounds, and the uneven halves spun down towards the city. Balezuur and the seraph Nepheel perished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Three!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj rushed another seraph, her craft a night-black blur against the skyline. Ziriken thrust his portal lance at her, but Vierj darted above the attack, then grabbed his elbow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer talons ripped through his seraph’s outstretched limb. Bits of white armor, flesh, and bone exploded from the impact. Ziriken flared his wings and pulled back in an attempt to escape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the gesture was useless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj grabbed the portal lance, still held by Ziriken’s severed forearm. Moving so fast everything around her seemed to stand still, she plunged the portal lance into the seraph’s stomach. Vierj forced it in all the way to her hand, then pulled the weapon up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe portal lance cut through Ziriken’s seraph, searing organs and melting armor. Vierj ripped the lance through its head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZiriken and the seraph Rennai died.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Four! Give it to me, curse you!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj threw the lance towards a foe above her. Its tip struck the white seraph square in the chest and transferred so much kinetic energy that the seraph’s chest exploded. The lance flew onward and upward, having surpassed escape velocity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Five!” Vierj growled. “How many of you fools must I kill?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj turned again, and this time Veketon dove at her, his portal lance gripped with both hands, black energy crackling across its length. He stabbed downward, and she raised her forearm in a reflexive block.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tip of his lance struck her forearm and skidded off in a shower of black sparks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Impossible!” Veketon gasped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEven a portal lance cannot harm her now!\u003c\/strong\u003e Malael said, icy terror echoing across their link.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj lunged for him, reaching with her talons, ready to eviscerate her father.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Veketon was not as weak as his followers, nor was he as slow. He was the oldest, the most powerful, and the most battle-hardened. He had led his followers so close, so \u003cem\u003epainfully\u003c\/em\u003e close to victory over the Keepers, and he had commanded those blood-soaked battles from the front lines. Hundreds of Keeper seraphs had been hewn by his lance, and this terrible power served to save his life now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj’s talons struck his lance instead of disemboweling him, but the force of her attack reverberated up through his arms. Armor ruptured, tendons ripped, and bones cracked. Veketon gasped, sharing Malael’s pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon swung again with his lance, even with these injuries, for he and Malael were not to be trifled with. Every part of the portal lance was a cutting edge, and Veketon brought it around, aiming for Vierj’s exposed side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lance struck with all the power and speed he could muster. It was an attack that would have slaughtered any foe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept this one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj didn’t bother to block, and his lance ricocheted harmlessly off her invincible barrier. She sprang forward and sank her talons deep into his chest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon screamed. Every talon burned like a hot iron rod pushing into his body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other seraphs halted their attack. They saw it too. None of them could harm her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You must understand your folly now, Father,” Vierj said. “Give in to reason.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon’s mind swam with pain. He shook his head, trying to focus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Give me we what I want.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj maintained a firm hold on Veketon and raised her free arm. Black energy collected in her open palm and formed a disc of chaos energy. She tossed it down, letting it float leisurely to Ittai’zen while still joined to her by a wire-thin thread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe disc stopped over the peak of Ittai’zen’s tallest tower, then bloomed outward, shrouding the sunlit city in darkness as if it were a giant airborne inkblot. After a few seconds, the disc’s circumference equaled that of the whole city: over four kilometers across.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe black disc thickened, becoming a large coin-shaped cylinder extruding down further and further. The tallest towers sank into its fathomless black surface as if it were thick oil, and the dark veil kept growing until it swallowed the entire city. When the disc finally reached its full size, it vanished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon gasped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe proud and glorious city of Ittai’zen had been reduced to a heap of ruins. Its great towers had toppled into piles of mangled glass and stone and silver alloys, and it was utterly devoid of life. Veketon knew that only a few thousand of the thirty million civilians had evacuated. They couldn’t all be dead! They just couldn’t!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut try as he might, all he found was one corpse after another, each of them gray and cold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What have you done?” he breathed, unable to fully comprehend what he saw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I pushed the city into an accelerated time axis, and I let them taste the cold ravages of eternity. Surely, you must now see the hopelessness of your resistance.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Vierj, you must end this madness. Please, I implore you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This represents the merest fraction of my power. You will give me what I want, Father. You have no other option but to submit to my power.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You know I cannot. I can give you anything else … but not that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj screwed her talons deeper into his chest. Veketon whimpered in indescribable pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You will give me the Gate’s location!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon summoned all the strength he had left and shouted, “I will never let a monster like you into the Homeland!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe empty silence that followed sent a new wave of cold terror through his heart. Vierj finally spoke after almost a full minute of silence. Her tone was completely empty of emotion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“So be it,” she said. “Then you and all your followers will die.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Vierj, wait—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe plunged her talons into the seraph’s torso and crushed Veketon’s true body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e* * *\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon died, but that was not the end of him. His soul, an extra-dimensional structure that did not fully exist in any one universe, detached from his corpse. It floated free, no longer bound by his ruined anchor of flesh and blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat would have happened after this, Veketon did not know. Nor did he care, for he had prepared for this eventuality with an arcane construct of his own design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Choir energized an artificial anchor perfectly calibrated for him and drew his soul towards it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e… pain …\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—discontinuity—\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e… light …\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—discontinuity—\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e… thought …\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Dendolet’s face, a sad smile gracing features that had once been fair and beautiful but were now old and wrinkled, ravaged by the press of time in this universe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe room in which they existed was black and dimensionless except for a large panoramic display that floated before them. The display was divided into eight sections, each showing Vierj’s butchery from a different angle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Choir works,” Veketon said, half question, half statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yes,” Dendolet said. “There appears to have been no degradation in the transfer. We remain who we were in life.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon glanced around. Four other Aktenai turned to him, their faces full of shock and grief. A fifth Aktenai flashed into existence next to them. He looked around with a startled expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Vierj is slaughtering us.” Veketon turned and walked up to the panoramic display. His footfalls echoed loudly despite the room’s limitless dimensions. His fellow Seekers gathered behind him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne by one, Vierj eliminated every last seraph with brutal efficiency. None of them could offer any hope of resistance, and the two that tried to flee were chased down and killed from behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour more holograms flickered into existence behind Veketon. He lowered his head and sighed deeply. The full force of this tragedy had not yet sunk in. All eleven of them were dead, killed by his own daughter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What is she doing now?” Dendolet asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon looked up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj dropped to the cold, cracked rubble that had once been the capital. Only the Aktenai fleet in orbit remained to oppose her. They numbered over one hundred ships, but none of their weapons could penetrate her barrier. And so they waited, their armaments trained on a target even portal lances could not harm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj raised her arms and summoned a sphere of black energy between her open palms. The sphere grew until it was as large as her seraph, then it dwarfed her seraph, and then her seraph was nothing but a speck underneath the vast, engorged sphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whatever she is doing, we must stop it.” Veketon closed his eyes and connected to the fleet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven in this new form, his simulated neural link functioned the same as before. With a mental twitch, he ordered all ships to target the sphere and open fire. As one, the ships in orbit brought their weapons to bear, synchronized, and fired.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo hundred fifteen fusion beams struck the sphere, each a white-hot lance of focused energy, and eight c-cannons joined in a fraction of a second later, invisible projections that, when they struck the sphere, ignited with the blinding light of instant matter-energy conversion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe air around Vierj heated to plasma, and great shock waves rushed outward, tearing through Ittenrashik’s lush landscape. Lakes turned to vapor, and whole forests ignited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sphere continued to swell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Veketon, what are you doing?” Dendolet placed a hand on his shoulder. The physical sensation felt distant, fuzzy. He ignored it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Keep firing,” he said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“All we’re doing is damaging the planet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I said keep firing!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive hundred fusion torpedoes followed the first barrage, each of them erupting into miniature suns against the sphere. Dozens of phase missiles arrived a half-second later, traversing the distance to the target instantly. Phase ruptures drank in the plasma storm, then spasmed it back out again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral phase missiles landed beneath the sphere. These tore mountain-sized chunks out of the planet’s surface, compressed them to the size of pebbles, then ejected them in a storm of speeding matter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj did not move. The sphere did not waver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Veketon, we must stop!” Dendolet said. “The planet’s biosphere will be ruined if we continue! We must think of the survivors!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon watched the attack in silence. The orbital barrage was a desperate act, but it was all he had left.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj’s sphere reached six hundred kilometers in diameter, now a tenth the size of the planet itself. She looped around to the top and thrust it towards the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sphere struck and flattened, and part of it sank into the planet. It expanded into a growing blister that rushed outward, the outer edge becoming a black wave that engulfed everything it touched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No …” Veketon whispered, finally realizing what was happening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What is she doing?” Dendolet asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“She’s pushing the entire planet into an axis of accelerated time,” Veketon said. “She is going to kill our home.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBehind him, Xixek gasped. Dendolet bit her lower lip, unable to pull her eyes away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wave of energy hugged Ittenrashik’s surface. It now covered half the planet, and its wave fronts surged towards each other on the planet’s night side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon shook his head. “Cease fire.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wave fronts met, and for the briefest of moments the entire planet was ensconced within a black egg. And then, with shocking suddenness, the entire field vanished, revealing a desecrated world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGone were the sprawling cities, clean oceans, and emerald landscapes. Now its cities sat in cold ruin. The oceans were drained somehow, and craters pockmarked a bleak landscape. Strange artifices hung in space, impressive in size, but ancient and derelict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe planet was so cold that its atmosphere had frozen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat happened here? \u003c\/em\u003eVeketon thought. \u003cem\u003eHow many years did Vierj make our home suffer?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Any signs of survivors?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDendolet could only shake her head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDead … all of them … a billion lives …\u003c\/em\u003e Veketon felt numb, unable to fully appreciate death on this scale. He had led his followers to their dooms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And the Cherub Crèche?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not even they survived.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon nodded a wordless reply and let out a slow sigh. He focused on the image of Vierj’s seraph, impotent anger welling up within his heart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe image magnified through the haze of thinning weapon plasma, and he noticed a striking change. Her seraph was still black, but it was not the featureless black of her chaos barrier. Rather, it bore the metallic sheen of armor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Vierj’s seraph is visible,” Veketon said, almost a whisper as if he didn’t fully believe his eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDendolet looked up sharply. The other Seekers gathered around and studied the images intently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re correct,” Dendolet said. “Her chaos barrier has weakened considerably.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That attack must have taken a lot out of her,” Veketon said. “Open fire! Hit her with everything we have!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Aktenai ships in orbit fired as soon as the order came in, their guns already trained on the now vulnerable target. Hundreds of fusion beams struck Vierj, tossing her about like a twig in a hurricane. Fusion torpedoes erupted around her, knocking her back with each eruption.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhase missiles appeared next to her and imploded into space-rending distortions. C-cannons struck the barren wastelands beneath her seraph and instantly converted part of the planet into energy. White hot explosions fountained upward with planet-cracking force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Vierj wove through the fusillade. She didn’t want to be hit anymore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re hurting her,” Veketon breathed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj flew up towards the fleet, battered and wounded, but not beaten. She lashed out with a whip of energy and cleaved the nearest ship in two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFusion beams and torpedoes pounded Vierj from all directions, and she tumbled back, explosions blossoming all around her. She regained control and cut through another ship. Its broken halves fell away, rent edges glowing hotly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother coordinated salvo of beams focused on her as if through a magnifying glass, and the armor of her right shoulder blistered and cracked. Black blood trailed out of the wound. Vierj dashed through the heart of the fleet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA volley of phase missiles struck her, warping the space around her, and another crack in her seraph’s armor appeared. Her upper wings bent towards one of the spatial rips, and energized blood poured from the wound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVierj accelerated and flew straight up. She cleared the fleet’s battle lines and shot away from the planet at full speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVeketon permitted himself a tight grin. His daughter was running.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeam salvos, torpedo shoals, and phase blasts followed her, but Vierj fled the planet at reckless speeds. She engaged her fold engine and vanished in a flash of light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Aktenai fleet did not pursue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45122877817123,"sku":"DISCIPLE-PAPERBACK","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/DiscipleoftheDeadShopifyPaperback.png?v=1686618456"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMagic powers? His own mech? A whole airship of gorgeous women desperate for his genes? Yes, please!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eParalyzed by a drunk driver, let go from his job, and stuck in a sad, stagnant town in the middle of nowhere, Joseph Locke was having the worst day of his life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd then he \u003cem\u003edied\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut considering that he wakes up with a brand new body, in the cockpit of a badass steampunk robot, on an airship of nothing but hot babes, his next life may not be all that bad. Especially when he learns that he’s a void mage—the rarest and most powerful of all mages on the world of Haven. And his shipmates want to help him make \u003cem\u003emore\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs if that weren’t enough, they offer Locke a job piloting one of their mechs, which they call Titans. In the meantime, Locke has to learn his way around this exciting world, all while coming to grips with his new—and \u003cem\u003edangerous\u003c\/em\u003e—occupation. Will he be able to master his Titan? How can he best upgrade the machine to become as badass as possible? Why’s a strange parasitic sludge falling from the sky? And what’s up with the ghost of a space witch living in his Titan—and inside his head?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWARNING\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun fantasy adventure containing steam both punk and smutty: raunchy sausage-obsessed mechanics, lusty airship captains, prurient mech pilots, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How many are there?” Locke asked, his body cocooned safely within the massive bulk of Titan Chimera. The war machine towered over two stories tall, a humanoid frame of crimson armor plates over black joints and artificial muscles. Gold filigree—faded from wear and tear from who-knew-how-many battles—highlighted a few edges, accentuating its sturdy, powerful build.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke walked the titan up to the square opening in the floor, where diffused light from the sunrise spilled into the airship’s long central hangar bay. He clenched a gargantuan fist around a support rafter running the length of the ceiling and peered down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMorning mist shrouded the base of Mount Driver, and thick pine forests climbed its craggy slopes, thinning out into bare rock and snow near the mountain’s peak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept for a glint of blue and silver moving along the forest’s edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003cem\u003elarge\u003c\/em\u003e glint. Moving fast for something so big.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ember?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hold it,” she radioed from Titan Long Shot. “I’m not in position yet. Almost there.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Take your time,” he sighed. Or he’d intended to, but his voice cracked at the end. Jitters ate at his nerves, and butterflies fluttered in the pit of his stomach. Fighting monsters in a titan was one thing, but this? This was on a whole different scale of crazy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy did I agree to this? \u003c\/em\u003eLocke thought. \u003cem\u003eWhy did I \u003c\/em\u003esuggest \u003cem\u003ethis\u003c\/em\u003e?!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In position,” Ember reported. The glint settled atop an outthrust of stone on the mountain, almost like a ship’s bow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And?” Locke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, I see them. Right where we thought they’d be.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How many?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“One titan, which we expected … plus two heavy weapon quads. Big ones, too. Maybe thirty tons each.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And how many titties?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe radio fell silent for long, agonized seconds. He could almost feel Ember rolling her eyes at him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“For the last time, Locke, the ‘small titans’ are \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e titties! They’re called rigs!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I know that,” he countered, gazing once more at the drop. “But consider the world from my perspective, just for a moment. I’m \u003cem\u003enervous\u003c\/em\u003e, and I’ve been nervous since I agreed to this plan.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s \u003cem\u003eyour\u003c\/em\u003e plan!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s beside the point. What \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e the point is I made a lame little joke back then in an attempt to make myself feel better. And you know the response I got? \u003cem\u003eNone\u003c\/em\u003e of you laughed at my joke. So guess what? I’m calling them titties until I start feeling better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, good grief.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Remember, I’m about to leap from this airship in a seventeen-ton coffin, and the only thing preventing me from going crunch at the end is an upgrade we’ve never tested!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re not that high up,” Ember jabbed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, you think so? Alyssa, how high up are we?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just a hair under six thousand feet,” she radioed from the airship’s bridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Right. Over a mile up, then. And not only that, but I’m dropping in next to some bad people who want us dead.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Try not to land right on top of them, would you?” Ember warned. “You’ll block my shots.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll \u003cem\u003etry\u003c\/em\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Ember,” Alyssa cut in. “Back to Locke’s question, before he went off on this weird tangent. How many rigs do you see?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ten to fifteen. Hard to be exact. Some of them are obscured by the trees, and the quads will probably have some extra rigs I can’t see from here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a whole lot of titties,” Alyssa quipped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uhh,” Ember groaned. “Not you, too.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That make you feel any better, Locke?” Alyssa asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Marginally.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, shake it out of your system. You’re a titan mage now. You charge in where others fear to tread. Don’t ever forget that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know. And I won’t let you down. I promise.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’ve got this. I know you do.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now brace yourself. Here comes the turn.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe airship banked to the left, and Locke shifted one of Titan Chimera’s feet outward for better balance. He raised an arm, and through the titan’s eyes he studied the catalyst built into the underside of its forearm. The crystalline rod ran from the machine’s wrist down to its elbow, appearing clear in its inert state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke channeled a simple matter-based spell through the catalyst. Titan Chimera’s void furnace roared alive, burning a steady stream of liquefied void condensate and releasing the powerful essence sealed within. Hot air and black smoke belched out of two louvers, one at each of the titan’s shoulders, and the crystalline catalyst darkened to the same hue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilvery swiftmetal poured out of a port below the wrist and spun itself into the wireframe of a great shield, while one of the many gauges in his console wiggled downward. More swiftmetal spooled outward, filling in the shield until it formed a solid, reassuring wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke let the base of the shield thump down against the deck. The magical construct was as solid as wrought iron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e “I’m getting better at this,” he declared privately with a smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re almost on top of them,” Alyssa radioed in. “You ready to jump?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“As ready as I’ll ever be.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Watch it,” Ember warned. “That unexpected turn must have grabbed their attention. Those two quads are swinging their guns your way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Time to go!” Locke let go of the rafter, took one heavy step forward, and let the titan’s bulk tilt over the side. His stomach slammed up into his throat, and Titan Chimera plummeted toward the forest below, wind howling past him, armor plates rattling in the turbulence. Seventeen tons may have granted the machine a degree of stubborn inertia, but a brick still flew like a brick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Warm morning sunlight kissed the titan’s armor as Locke channeled a gravity-based spell into the catalysts in each leg. Crystalline rods built into the titan’s calves glowed a faint purple, and smoke of the same color plumed out of the titan’s louvers in long, pale streamers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis descent slowed and stabilized.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whew!” Locke exclaimed. “That’s one less worry.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe twin gravity catalysts weren’t powerful enough for true flight, but he could use them to fall in a controlled manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich was all he needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good luck!” Alyssa called out. High above, the long, glinting shape of the airship banked away from the battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Luck?” Locke scoffed. “Who needs luck when you can use mag—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beam of blinding yellow light shot up from the ground and blared past him with an aura of crackling magical lightning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Never mind!” He raised his shield, but the act obstructed his view of the oncoming ground. “Damn. Didn’t think this through, did I?” he mumbled to himself and channeled a matter spell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwiftmetal parted to form a narrow viewing slit near the top of the shield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There. That’s bet—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA second beam speared into the shield. Silvery metal turned cherry red around the impact, and the force sent the titan spinning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yikes!” He channeled bursts of gravity thrust, righted the titan, and stabilized the shield with both hands. “Ember, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m being shot at!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Is this a surprise?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Isn’t this the part where \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c\/em\u003e start shooting at them?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hold it. I don’t want to waste my opening shot.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother beam scythed past him, its nimbus crackling against the edge of his shield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Would you fire sooner if I said pretty please?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No need. Aaaand … gotcha!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Long Shot channeled its own magic into a red lance of lethal energy. The beam pierced through the superstructure atop one of the enemy quads, rupturing its furnace. Superheated void essence screamed through the widening cracks like enraged, escaping steam, and lightning forked through the air. Mages and engineers in black livery scurried away from the four-legged weapon platform moments before its furnace blew in a cataclysm of unfocused energy magic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blast ripped the entire superstructure off its turret mooring and flung it three stories into the air before it fell back down and crumpled against the ground next to the quad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s one!” Ember called out triumphantly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second quad swiveled its cannon toward Titan Long Shot and fired, but the crew clearly didn’t have a fix on her position, and the beam bored a ragged line across the stony mountainside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scattering of shots from void rifles \u003cem\u003etinked\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eplinked\u003c\/em\u003e against Locke’s shield, and he channeled one final burst of gravity magic before Titan Chimera stomped feetfirst into a narrow clearing. He stumbled forward, grabbed the thick trunk of an ancient pine, and planted his feet. The titan’s forward movement plowed two grooves through the damp soil and nearly uprooted the tree before it came to a stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Made it!” Locke said, then chuckled with the joy of still being alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Three rigs heading toward you,” Ember reported. “North by northwest.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I see them.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke faced the approaching weapons he thought of as “little titans.” These black-armored rigs stood twelve feet tall, less than half the height of his own Titan Chimera. They were too small to come with furnaces of their own, and instead received power from tanks of compressed void essence attached to their backs, which made them resemble deep sea divers to his eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke channeled through his matter catalyst, and the shield reformed into a massive hammer with a long, sturdy shaft. He gripped the weapon with both hands and charged the trio of rigs with long, thunderous strides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rigs opened fire, and bolts of energy chipped at Locke’s armor. He closed the distance and swung the hammer in a wide overhand arc. The hammer slammed into the lead rig’s head, flattened it, then imploded the top half of its torso. It teetered forward, arms outstretched, groping the air before Locke kicked it over. The rig \u003cem\u003ethunked\u003c\/em\u003e to the ground on its back, its legs and arms thrashing in vain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other two rigs paused, perhaps now regretting their bold charge against this titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who’s next?” Locke asked with a wide grin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49957730844963,"sku":"TITANMAGE-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1728155607"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-ruin-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Ruin (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Two in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/ruin\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA monster-infested ruin? A dangerous bounty? A missing archaeologist? Sign this crew up for adventure!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s been one month since Locke was reborn on the world of Haven, and he’s still learning his way around. But his magic powers, giant mech, and brand new buff body definitely help. Not to mention his three gorgeous crew mates—Captain Alyssa, fellow Titan Mage Ember, and Chief Engineer Bexley—are determined to … help him get used to it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe’ll have to get used to it all fast, though, because their next bounty is a tough and personal one. An entire expedition has vanished at the site of an ancient ruin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn expedition including Ember’s mother, Erudicia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is no small task. On Haven, ruins involve more than lost history. They mean valuable artifacts, ruthless bandits, and magically-mutated monsters, and though Haven’s leading research society usually looks after its own missing crews … for some reason, it’s in no hurry to find Erudicia’s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLocke suspects Ember knows why this particular expedition has been abandoned. He also senses she fears what she might face when forced to reunite with her estranged family. But Ember’s not one to let a little fear stand in her way, and neither is Locke. Not when they have their badass mechs called Titans on their side.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStill, questions remain: What caused the rift in Ember’s family? Why was the entire expedition abandoned? What kind of monsters lurk in that ruin? And have Locke and Ember upgraded their Titans enough to survive the trial to come?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWARNING: Titan Mage Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun fantasy adventure containing steam both punk and smutty: voluptuous airship captains, eager engineers, and lascivious mech pilots. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/ruin\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE RUIN\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was the biggest slimeball Locke had seen since the last election.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, technically not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe’d seen and fought plenty of slime since his strange and fortuitous arrival on the world of Haven. It seemed to be one of the more common forms of monster on this alternative, magical companion to his home world of Earth. (Or, more specifically Grassroots, Kentucky.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow he’d come to be here wasn’t a long story, but it was a weird one. He’d recently suffered a car crash that left him paralyzed from the waist down and lost his job in quick (though unrelated) succession. He'd been trudging home in his wheelchair when he met a strange woman on the street—a headhunter, he soon learned, who was looking to hire someone with his qualifications. It was an unbelievable stroke of luck, so he’d signed the contract she’d offered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he’d died.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he’d woken up inside the cockpit of the giant robot he was presently piloting. Inside a brand-new body that was the exact opposite of the skinny, paralyzed, wheelchair-bound body he’d left behind. On an airship crewed by three gorgeous women, who \u003cem\u003ewanted\u003c\/em\u003e that body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was more to it than that, of course, but considering where he’d started, his current situation was \u003cem\u003eawesome\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if he was presently staring down a giant slime monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost slimes he’d fought before had come in the form of what his crewmates called shadow dregs—a parasitic goo that fell in meteors from the Crystal Moon, which hung full in the sky over their heads even this far into the daytime. Locke hadn’t quite figured out the Crystal Moon yet or why it dropped parasite-laden meteors so frequently that meteorfall bounties were the Harper’s Harriers’ main source of income. But then, his crewmates hadn’t figured that out yet, either, and they were native to Haven. All they knew was that shadow dregs took over beings living and non- and bent them to their will, to destructive ends, and so they had to be obliterated the moment they touched down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut in some ways, those were better than whatever creature was writhing below the airship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis goo wasn’t trying to control anything. It was just eating everything in its path.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Found the source of the distress call,” Captain Alyssa Harper radioed from the control room of the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e. “Get ready to disembark.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Way ahead of you,” a voice Locke recognized as Ember Q’Van radioed from the inside of her titan, Long Shot. “Titan” was the name Havenites gave to their most powerful type of mobile weapon. There was as much magic involved in their running as there was technology, but basically they were two-story-tall robots, and Havenites had fun with their designs. Titan Long Shot was a sleek blue and silver mech with almost athletic-looking lines and a subtle, but decidedly female aspect to the chest and hip areas. It was built for speed, mostly so it could fire the magical cannon positioned over its left shoulder and then reposition itself with ease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Same,” Locke replied from inside his own titan, Chimera. Chimera was the opposite of Long Shot in many ways. Where Long Shot was the obvious product of some refinement, Chimera was—as its name implied—a mess of disparate parts they’d had to scrounge from other titans. (The Harriers frequently operated on a shoestring budget, and it wasn’t even a particularly \u003cem\u003egood\u003c\/em\u003e shoestring.) He’d at least been able to use his matter magic to turn all the pieces the same shade of red—oh yeah, he had magic here, too!—but in general it looked like a weird, gracefully asymmetrical hodgepodge of pieces from different armor suits. Still, it was bulky, manly, built for power and smashing stuff, and that was all he needed it to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke—and Titan Chimera—crouched for a better view through the square opening in the hangar floor, while Ember—and Titan Long Shot—crouched beside him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, the two had been in their titans since the captain had first picked up the panicked radio signal and spotted the weird shape on the horizon, and now they peered through the open door to get a better look at what they’d be fighting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s engineer, Bexley, looked down through the opening in the floor, too, as casually as if it \u003cem\u003edidn’t\u003c\/em\u003e open to a \u003cem\u003ethousand-foot drop\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whoo,” she whistled. “That’s the biggest slimeball I’ve seen since the last time Locke and I f—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now’s not the time, Bexley,” Ember groaned, adjusting her cannon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e that thing?” Locke asked. “It’s not acting like shadow dregs.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a gluttony phantom,” Alyssa replied. “Concentrations of void essence sometimes cause them to manifest. No one knows why.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeering down through his titan’s visual sensors, Locke could easily see why they were called “gluttony phantoms.” Beneath their airship lay an expansive farm, or what used to be one. The resident farmers ran about either shooting ineffectually at the monster or trying to corral livestock away from its flailing, grasping pseudopods, but projectile weapons could only do so much against slime. Locke saw the remains of some poor souls who’d tried to get close enough to torch it—they were currently disintegrating in its gelatinous guts—and there was nothing they could do to save the crops in its path. Wherever it traveled, it left a wide swath of vegetation devoured down to the dirt, and the phantom grew wider as it progressed. Locke could see the point where it had started, too—from this distance, a pinprick in a field of corn-like stalks, perhaps no bigger than a tennis ball. Now, growing ever closer to the cluster of barns, silos, and farmhouses, it was easily the size of a modest building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHalf the size of a titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It grows as it eats,” Locke observed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It does,” Alyssa replied. “Fortunately, phantoms only feed on organic matter.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh! So I can punch it!” Locke said. That was a small relief. He couldn’t punch shadow dregs; Bexley kept his titan well-maintained and sealed, but there was always the risk of the shadow dregs finding a crack and slipping in, and while there were ways to purge them, those same purges would gradually compromise the integrity of the titan’s internal systems. Generally, it was better not to touch them at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Any chance of the phantom reaching me in the cockpit?” Locke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There’s \u003cem\u003ealways\u003c\/em\u003e a chance,” Alyssa replied. “Gluttony phantoms aren’t nearly as persistent as shadow dregs, though. If they encounter something inedible, they ignore it, so they’re unlikely to make it that far inside your titan.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But if it \u003cem\u003edoes\u003c\/em\u003e get inside the cockpit?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Make sure it eats something less important than your dick,” Bexley advised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I see Bexley has her priorities in order,” Ember groaned from inside her titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I \u003cem\u003edo\u003c\/em\u003e have my priorities in order!” Bexley snapped back. “Locke’s a void mage! His is an \u003cem\u003eimportant dick\u003c\/em\u003e!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Can we focus on the task at hand, please?” Alyssa radioed in her most Captainly voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Wait,” Bexley chimed, “by task at hand, do you mean Locke’s dick or the—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The \u003cem\u003egluttony phantom\u003c\/em\u003e!” Alyssa shouted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Fine,” Bexley huffed, and Ember moved to take up a better position behind where the engineer was standing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll snipe from here,” she said as Bexley skittered out of the way. “I can keep the pseudopods from grabbing things, but you’ll need to expose its core.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Core?” Locke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can’t see it from here, but it’ll be a little glowing ball of void condensate somewhere in all that slime. Destroy the core, and the phantom will disintegrate.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Gotcha,” Locke replied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re low enough for you to avoid fall damage. Ready to jump?” Alyssa radioed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready!” Locke replied, and then flung himself and his titan feet-first through the hangar opening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Chimera flashed brilliantly red in the morning sun as it plummeted from the airship toward the ground. In this world, titans looked like giant suits of fantastical armor, but they were more than that. Their insides brimmed with magical technologies that even this society didn’t fully understand, but Locke didn’t care much about those details. The details \u003cem\u003ehe\u003c\/em\u003e cared about were the ones that turned titans into ass-kicking war machines, and those were the details he was about to put to use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49957960745251,"sku":"TITANMAGERUIN-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Ruin_Shopify_Paperback.jpg?v=1728156102"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-dragon-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Dragon (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Three in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/dragon\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorld-shaking mysteries? Secretive aristocrats? Shapeshifting dragons? All in a day’s work for Harper’s Harriers!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix months have blown by since Locke was reborn in another world with his hot new body, magic powers, and a giant mech called a Titan. In that time, word has spread that he’s a new void mage—the rarest mage type—and now every woman he meets wants a piece of him. But only the voluptuous ladies of the airship \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e can claim his heart (and … the rest of him).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’ll need all of him to take on their next bounty, for it promises to test their skills to their limits. A once-simple drake-hunting job has now turned into a dragon-hunting job— but there’s more to this bounty than meets the eye. Something has twisted the dragon, Ultranoth the Organized, from a reclusive collector to a rampaging winged terror, and that “something” might just be the same thing that caused the downfall of civilization a thousand years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a job that only Locke and his crew are qualified to take … especially since his crew includes Chief Engineer Bexley. Or, as she’s more formally known, Lady Beaunessia Valerie Brimble Morton, prodigal (and proud of it) daughter of the distinguished Morton family—and childhood friend to Ultranoth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut will Bexley be able to reach her scaly friend? And if not, what then? Will their two Titans be enough to bring down a dragon?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr is it finally time for their \u003cem\u003ethird \u003c\/em\u003eTitan to enter the fray?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWARNING: Titan Mage Dragon\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun fantasy adventure containing steam both punk and smutty: sexy mechanics, sensuous airship captains, racy mech pilots, curious catgirls, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/dragon\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE DRAGON\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground before Locke roiled with the shape of a monster still forming, and shuddered with the aftershocks of a natural disaster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe meteor had struck mere hundreds of feet from the mine—far enough to miss it, but close enough to collapse it and trap all the miners inside, or worse. He didn’t know if there was anyone left to save so close to the still-smoking crater. He didn’t even know what kind of monster he was about to face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this moment, at his level of skill, Locke was certain of one thing and one thing only:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf he did not make a dramatic entrance with his robot’s arms heroically crossed over its chest, then he was wasting the whole robot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You ready, Ember?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe turned his head—and thus his titan’s head—to the right, where a sleek blue-and-silver mech crouched, the cannon on its right shoulder aimed down for its inevitable sniping. Locke’s red titan gripped a rafter at the top of the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s hangar, steadying itself as their airship floated around the scene. It was probably unnecessary—-titans could self-balance with aplomb—but it looked cool, and over the past several months, he’d grown so used to fighting in this machine that he figured he could safely indulge in a little Rule of Cool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready when you are,” Ember replied from Titan Long Shot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I’m \u003cem\u003ealways\u003c\/em\u003e ready,” Locke replied—then did exactly what he’d been planning to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe let go of the rafter, crossed Titan Chimera’s arms over its broad, shining chest, and then took one step and plummeted down from the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s lowered hangar ramp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSafe inside the cushioning conductor fluid of his cockpit, he felt invigorated rather than terrified by the sudden punch of gravity lurching through his guts. Oh, it had been terrifying the first time he’d practiced this move, but months upon months of airdrops into monster battles had trained him in what to do. He let himself fall for a bit and then, when he was just close enough to the ground, channeled a burst of magic into the crystalline gravity catalysts implanted in the back of each of his titan’s legs. The catalysts flared with purple light. A similar blast of purple excess magic plumed out of his shoulder louvers and trailed behind him like a sparkling cape. And when he landed, it was with all the composed coolness of a veteran mech pilot who was here for one thing and one thing only:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo kick monster ass like it was just one bullet on today’s badass to-do list.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah.” Locke smiled privately inside the cockpit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What?” came another voice from above—Captain Alyssa, calling from her watch point in the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s control room. “Is the situation down there better than it looks?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nah, it’s as bad as it looks,” Locke replied. “It’s just that I’ve been trying to nail that entrance for months and I finally got it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What tactical advantage does that give you?” Ember asked from Titan Long Shot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“None. It just looks cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not as cool as the—what did you call it? The three-point landing?” chimed Bexley, the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s chief engineer. “Even if it did tax the titan’s joints too much. Still, nine out of ten stars, would smash.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Bexley, how would you even smash a \u003cem\u003elanding pose\u003c\/em\u003e?” Ember spat. Locke could practically hear her rolling her eyes over the radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’d find a way,” Bexley replied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m sure you would,” he agreed with a grin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m still not clear on why those ‘landing poses’ are worth expending effort on,” Ember continued.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt once, every giant robot show Locke had watched back home on Earth flashed through his mind, complete with elaborate transformation sequences and epic theme song fights and especially those moments when the robots made their first great appearances on the field of battle, looking so unbearably kickass that even elaborately-animated missiles seemed to stop in their paths just to admire the sheer power of the mech’s presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut he couldn’t explain that to people from a world that had never known television.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s a guy thing,” Locke replied instead. “It’s hard to explain.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, like an alpha male ‘Step into the room and command all the attention’ thing?” Ember asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke was about to object, but then reflected on it and said, “Now that I think about it, that actually makes a lot of sense. You \u003cem\u003edo\u003c\/em\u003e get it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Men are not incredibly hard to figure out,” Ember stated. “It’s what I like about them. You’re very low-effort.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“… Thanks, I guess?” Locke replied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, men are as low-effort as you make them!” Bexley objected. “I, on the other hand—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We know, Bexley,” Ember retorted. “It’s hard to miss the noise.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sorry,” Bexley and Locke replied together, though Bexley’s was in a tone that was decidedly \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e sorry about all the noise she made when she and Locke were together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not that all this banter isn’t fascinating,” Captain Alyssa interrupted, “but there \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e a monster on the field.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nothing we can’t handle!” Locke replied. Now he stretched his arms out in preparation for the fight. (His titan stretched with him.) “We know it’s shadow dregs, and I’ve fought plenty of those before. Just gotta figure out the form.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe finished stretching, then focused on the writhing blob before him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis first few adventures on the world of Haven had been rocky ones, as he figured out the workings and dangers of his new home and circumstances. But their last big adventure had been pivotal. He’d learned a lot about Haven, its weird magical history, its geopolitics, its cultures, the strengths and limits of its naturally-occurring magic, the sheer complexity of its monsters, and the clever lengths to which he could push his titan—and all that had combined to unlock something inside him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix months ago, he’d been Joseph Locke of Grassroots, Kentucky, down on his luck in every possible way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut thanks to a conveniently-timed acquaintance and some weird magical whatnot, he’d since been reborn as Locke—just Locke—void mage, wielder of \u003cem\u003eall\u003c\/em\u003e the magical elements, pilot of Titan Chimera, co-owner of the Harper’s Harriers, dangerous-errand-runner-and-occasional-bounty-hunter, and general inamorato of every woman on the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was, simply put, fucking awesome!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut even he knew that he’d been coasting until that point, trying to find his footing, and now that he’d found his first foothold, he didn’t intend to let it go.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMonster encounters were regular occurrences here, so his first step had been to brush up on the world’s monstrous fauna. He’d started taking notes on every monster he’d encountered, and filled in the gaps with tips from Ember and a titan mage friend he’d begun to make on another ship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrion Havoc (or Rion, as he mercifully preferred to be called) was a distant friend at this point—the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eIndigo Gryphon\u003c\/em\u003e spent so much time in the air that they mostly only spoke by radio, or else when they met at random Arcane Indexes—but he was another part of Locke’s strategy: networking. He knew he was \u003cem\u003ebasically\u003c\/em\u003e powerful and valuable in this setting, but even the greatest people were only as powerful as the allies they kept, and he’d stumbled into some potentially useful ones when they’d returned to the Vasor Arcane Index after rescuing Ember’s mother from a fraught archaeology dig four months ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRion wasn’t even the most useful person he’d met that day, but over the course of their conversations, Locke quickly discovered that, in addition to being a mech pilot, he was also a monster nerd, and had been willing to send some detailed references for Locke to peruse between battles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetween his own experience and Rion’s monster encyclopedias, Locke had been able to put together a much stronger picture of the kinds of creatures he’d be fighting, and the coalescing monster before him was one of the most prominent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShadow dregs were one of the single greatest scourges of the world of Haven. They were not native, but rather fell to the planet in meteors that broke off from the Crystal Moon hanging above in low orbit. No one had been able to explain what they were, except a magic-infused purple-black sludge; all they knew was that, once shadow dregs landed, they sought out things to take over. Living, dead, inanimate—it didn’t matter, and once they took over those things, they would rampage and spread until someone stepped in to obliterate them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke and the Harper’s Harriers made their careers out of being that someone. Meteorfall bounties were always plentiful and urgent, and time being of the essence, they generally paid well enough to be worth the risk. Of all the monsters he’d fought, shadow dregs were the one he was most familiar with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut they were more complex than they seemed. The type of challenge presented hinged entirely on the person, monster, or type of object they took over, and they had an intelligence that, while limited, could also be incredibly dangerous. Most dregs opted to sink into living beings, to take over their muscles and brains until their eyes burned bloodshot purple-black with eldritch magic. But if the victim was large enough, they’d ignore the musculature entirely to home in on the brain, and with a host on that scale, they could wreak apocalyptic havoc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were other varieties, too, but Locke didn’t anticipate those in most instances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor now, he looked at the wriggling, violet mass before him and cracked his titan’s knuckles, unnecessarily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Welp, guess I better light it up before it figures out what it’s doing.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll take the leftmost side,” Ember replied. “Keep clear of my shots.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Will do!” Locke shouted, and then coiled back as if to initiate a running tackle and clawed his hands together like he was holding a huge, invisible globe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis back foot landed with an enormous, earth-tearing stomp. The energy catalyst in his left arm glowed blazing orange with charging magic; the same color again spurted out of his shoulder louvers, and slowly, a dot of crackling bright energy began to coalesce between his palms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was another move he’d been practicing. When he was still getting used to his energy catalyst, he’d either used it as a flamethrower, ice thrower, or beam weapon. He hadn’t yet figured out how his machine concentrated the very physical concept of \u003cem\u003eice\u003c\/em\u003e into a particulate, not-entirely-corporeal beam of light—Haven’s physics were slightly different from Earth’s anyway—but his titan could turn his very \u003cem\u003ewill\u003c\/em\u003e into reality, and so he’d figured other shapes were possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShapes like energy balls. Or spirit bombs. Or—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Gods, Locke, is the screaming really necessary?” Ember shouted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“YES,” Locke shouted back, through a scream that sounded like it should span several episodes and suck all the energy from every lifeform across the planet of Haven. “IT’S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCESS.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I have literally never heard of another mage harnessing the power of screams,” Ember replied, unimpressed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“MAYBE THAT JUST MEANS I’M INNOVATIVE!” Locke roared back. The energy ball throbbed between his palms, growing larger with each syllable until it threatened to envelop his hands. He raised it above his head and let it throb and grow in size until it spanned the width of his shoulders, glowing ferocious orange and crackling with tendrils of white lightning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“HYAAAH!” he finally bellowed, and flung the burning energy ball with all his might.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Impressive,” Ember deadpanned, still unimpressed—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe energy ball collided with the writhing churn of shadow dregs. It blasted along the whole of the spread like an incorporeal meteor making planetfall—and left nothing but a hole of singed earth at the center where it had struck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I take that back,” Ember began. “That is legitimately impressi—\u003cem\u003eshit\u003c\/em\u003e!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Locke could even see what she was shouting about, a blast of searing white shot from Ember’s own titan and stabbed into the left side of what remained of the puddle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt didn’t take him long to realize what, though.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor as the wood burning scent of magic wafted past his nostrils, so too did the acrid scent of burning shadow dregs—and the sickening scent of charred human flesh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shadow dreg puddle writhed more vigorously now, galvanized to action by a direct threat, and as the purplish goo undulated, Locke now saw that it was more than a puddle of mere sludge; there were \u003cem\u003ethings\u003c\/em\u003e inside it. Human-shaped things. And not moving of their own accord.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Be on guard!” Alyssa reported from above. “Something’s happening near the mine!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke didn’t need her warning. From his vantage, he could see the broken earth shifting, as if something enormous was moving it from underneath—-or an enormous horde of smaller things.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuddenly, the ground exploded upward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke felt his stomach lurch as more shadow dregs slithered out of the rocky debris, carrying with them more human bodies, so broken that they looked like vaguely humanoid snakes wriggling across the ground. They all joined with the greater puddle in one sickening glide, and that was when the puddle began to take firmer shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, damn, it’s a clump type!” Locke shouted, and began to blast heat attacks at the shape at a furious pace. Ember joined him at once, adding Long Shot’s powerful ranged arsenal to the mix. This kind of attack wouldn’t stop it, but the more they could whittle it down before it finished forming, the better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClump-type shadow dregs were one of the most uncommon and least fun types to fight. Rather than controlling their victims like zombies, these took their victims’ bodies and lashed them together with their own nasty sludge, forming a single creature that looked made up of magical purplish tar and corpses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Corpse dreg,” Locke specified, intensifying his blasts as the creature grew, as a huge arm splashed out of the shape to claw the ground, then another arm, then a leg, and another leg.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature had grown to one story tall by the time its first arm emerged, two by the time its second arm sprouted. A great cloud of acrid smoke rose from the fury of their titans’ attacks, partially obscuring the creature. But even behind that oily screen, Locke could see the creature rising even higher. The silhouette of a weirdly humanoid head formed atop its still-wriggling shoulders, twice as high as his titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then a fierce gust of wind blew the smoke aside, revealing the creature in its full, terrible horror. Much of the shadow dreg sludge had retreated inward, either into their victims’ remains or behind them, yielding a monster that resembled hundreds of grimy, bloodied human bodies broken and cobbled together into the desired tall, stocky shape, connected loosely by thick, sticky strands of dark purple goop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Corpse \u003cem\u003egiant\u003c\/em\u003e,” Locke corrected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49958117736739,"sku":"TITANMAGEDRAGON-PPR","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Dragon_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1728156532"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-rising-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Rising (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Four in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage-rising\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSinister cultists? A catgirl kidnapping? An elite enemy Titan? Sounds like a job for Harper’s Harriers!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke has finally adjusted to life on the fantastical world of Haven—but with his hot new body, magic powers, and giant mech called a Titan, how could he not? Especially since he flies on a ship full of gorgeous women who call him captain (both of his airship … and in their beds).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoon he’ll have to put all those resources to use because Peth, the incorporeal space witch trapped inside his Titan, has experienced a dark premonition about the Crystal Moon—and in Locke’s experience, “weird moon stuff” is just another way to spell trouble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich proves prescient when moon cultists show up alongside a terrifyingly advanced Titan wielding all four magical elements. They assault the Harriers’ airship and kidnap one of his crew—the shy catgirl Sloan, who has a dark history with these cultists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke is determined not to let any harm come to her, and the Harper’s Harriers surge into action. But why do the cultists want Sloan in the first place? How do these events connect to the ever-darkening shadow on the Crystal Moon? And are their Titans powerful enough to take on this new, mysterious foe?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: Titan Mage Rising is a fun fantasy adventure containing steam both punk and smutty: sensuous airship captains, naughty engineers, shameless mech pilots, mischievous catgirls, and salacious space witches. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage-rising\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE RISING\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe V-fin Locke had added to his titan’s forehead might have been a bit much, but he didn’t particularly care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen again, Titan Chimera was already a two-story-tall suit of bright red armor, with five different magic-channeling catalysts and a fresh polish that made it gleam in the rising sun like it had already won today’s battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the heroic badassery of the rest of it, his little decorative indulgence was nothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd besides, with all the ass he’d kicked these past nine months, he’d earned it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow his titan stood by the open hangar ramp of the airship \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e, arms crossed boldly over its knightly chest as Locke surveyed the scene below him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Harper’s Harriers’ star had been rising, but the success of the bounty with the dragon three months ago had rocketed that star straight across the whole sky. Now they no longer had to compete with other companies for bounty assignments; potential employers competed to hire \u003cem\u003ethem\u003c\/em\u003e by offering pay that matched their reputation. This was one such bounty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut with increased pay came increased challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e had three titans now, and today it would need all three of them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s the biggest bramble hulk I’ve ever seen,” Locke marveled, observing the thing through the visual sensors in his titan’s eyes. “No wonder Lord Argothine’s paying so much.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, it’s eaten at least twenty farmers and two mercenary crews,” Ember said from his right, in Titan Long Shot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The more meat it eats, the faster it grows, right?” added Sloan from Titan Deathly Rhythm on his left.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Exactly,” Locke replied. He’d fought bramble hulks before, but the way Lord Argothine’s emissary had described this one, it was levels above anything they’d yet faced. His original, unabridged copy of \u003cem\u003eThe Encyclopedia of Monsterkind\u003c\/em\u003e had been next to useless this time, so he’d used it as a reason to upgrade to the more comprehensive multivolume edition and had been reading up on the creature ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBramble hulks were a plant-based form of monster, and not only carnivorous but predatory, even in their simplest form. Standard bramble hulks reminded Locke vaguely of the one plant from \u003cem\u003eLittle Shop of Horrors\u003c\/em\u003e, with a fleshy mouth for a bud and vines it could use for locomotion. (Though to his knowledge, bramble hulks didn’t sing.) In that form, they usually subsisted on small forest creatures and didn’t live long before they met a forest creature that would eat them back. But occasionally one would win against the larger attempts at prey and grow proportionally, and a reign of terror would ensue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArgothine was the lord of Greenvale, which was not only the most verdant area of Haven—with plenty of places for even a larger bramble hulk to hide—but its breadbasket. This meant that the population he managed was mostly farmers spending most of their lives outside, and vulnerable to the monster stalking the forests around their crops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature had only eaten ten farmers when the lord had first hired the Harriers, but by the time they’d arrived in Greenvale, that number had doubled, and the creature’s power with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe monster beneath them now had the same basic shape as a standard bramble hulk, but its size towered to nearly the same height as Locke’s titan, and the vines and leaves at its base spread out in a bushy tangle twice as wide and thick enough that it could be hiding any assortment of nasty surprises.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a fully mature monster,” Locke reported to his companions. “It’ll probably have pods that spit digestive acid somewhere in there, as well as sticky nectar beads to trap victims, so be aware. We may have titans, but this thing’s already taken down at least one titan.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How are we going in, then?” Sloan radioed from Deathly Rhythm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Standard opening strategy,” Locke replied. “Ember, you freeze it while Sloan slows it and I whale on it. With any luck, it’ll be as simple as that, especially since it’s still morning.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’d tracked the creature all day yesterday until it settled on the edge of this clearing and then monitored it, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Bramble hulks would go briefly dormant when the temperature cooled, as it did on these autumn nights. They were always at their most dormant just before sunrise, before the day began to warm, and so they’d waited until this moment to attack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ha!” Ember laughed from Long Shot. “When have our bounties ever been as simple as that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“True.” Locke laughed back. “But we’ve gotta start somewhere. We’ll adapt as it reacts. Everyone ready?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I am,” Sloan replied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Let’s do it,” Ember echoed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Chimera’s head nodded. “Then, Alyssa, take us down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Got it,” Captain Alyssa radioed from the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s bridge, and slowly, the airship began to sink toward the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke took a deep breath as he felt the gentle sway of the airship’s motion, and let all the sensation of his cockpit sink into him—the gooey slosh of the conductor fluid enveloping his body, the easy press of the insulating neck ring that kept it from splashing into his face, the strange awareness of his reflex link, as it connected his very consciousness to his mech so he could command it without controls.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe became aware of the energy catalyst in his left arm, the matter catalyst in his right, the time catalyst in his right shoulder and the … oh. He’d almost forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Remember,” he added, as much for himself as his crew, “I’m out both gravity catalysts while Bexley’s building my flight unit.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, I’m workin’ as fast as I can,” Chief Engineer Bexley radioed from her hangar workstation behind them. “You can’t rush genius.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Of course not.” Locke redirected his attention back to his fellow pilots. “My point is, I can compensate for speed with my time catalyst, but don’t expect me to be doing any super jumps or kicks this time around.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other two pilots confirmed their understanding, just as the airship shook with the gentle nudge of landing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Titan Chimera strode off, it was with the bold, heavy steps of a giant machine that knew exactly what it was here to do and how it was going to do it. Titan Deathly Rhythm strode out behind it in much a similar fashion—a welcome change from the timidity with which Sloan had approached her mech three months ago. Back then, she’d still been learning, albeit swiftly. Now she was a time-accelerated ass-kicking machine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the two had disembarked, the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e lifted off with Titan Long Shot still on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Awaiting your signal,” Ember radioed as she rose, and her titan crouched to a more stable position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Long Shot was a sleek blue and silver mech with graceful, athletic lines, but its most defining feature was the great shoulder-mounted cannon that presently rotated from its back to position itself to the right of its head. As an energy mage, Ember commanded energy catalysts in both forearms, but the energy mega-catalyst in her cannon was what saw the most use in battle, and even now Locke spotted the clear honeycomb of its crystalline rod charging to icy white.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready, Sloan?” Locke said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I am!” Sloan chimed cheerily from beside him, and Locke grinned inside his mech.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then have at it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSloan’s mech sprinted into action before he’d even finished his order. Titan Deathly Rhythm was the Harriers’ newest addition, an elegant teal machine with black and silver highlights that moved with grace equal to that of its smooth curves. It only had a single time catalyst in its right arm, but Sloan had adapted to its capabilities with ease, and now it glowed bright green as she sprinted for the slumbering bramble hulk at over double her regular speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bramble hulk stirred, vaguely aware that something strange was coming toward it, but not awake enough to react.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat changed when Sloan snatched a short sword from Deathly Rhythm’s back and plunged it straight into the monster’s centermost fleshy bud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature’s mouth began to open in a startled, agonized shriek—but it could \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c\/em\u003e begin to open. Sloan’s time catalyst flared an even brighter green as she conducted her time magic through the sword and into the monster. Instead of speeding up, the bramble hulk slowed down to half speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke saw its leaves and vines begin to move in slow motion, but they weren’t nearly fast enough to be of use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s ready!” Sloan reported happily. “Shoot it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer tone was like that of a student presenting a gift to a favorite teacher, or perhaps a cat presenting freshly-caught prey to a favorite person, and Ember showed her thanks with a frigid white blast from her cannon. A beam of glowing particulate ice shot into the brambly base of the monster, then crackled up along the thick flesh of the mouth pod.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nice start!” Locke shouted, and strode forward. “Now it’s my turn!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was his turn that would make this battle—had made all their battles over the past nine months. Most mages on the world of Haven were adept with only one magical element. Though they might have minimal aptitude with a second, few were apt enough to use more than one, and that was what made Locke special.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was a void mage, a mage with high aptitude for all four magical elements—matter, time, energy, and gravity—and that gave him power and versatility beyond any other titan mage in his company. Ember could only wield heat or cold; Sloan could only speed up or slow down herself or her opponents—but Locke could do that, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e matter-shift his own weapons on the fly, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e jump and kick (and eventually fly) with wild manipulations of gravity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd now he funneled magic into every one of his catalysts as he stomped toward the titan-sized beast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy now, he had a process for bramble hulks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, a matter-energy combo attack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin his back armor rested a tank of semiliquid swiftmetal, connected to both his energy and matter catalysts. He willed his energy catalyst to charge the swiftmetal with heat magic—all he ever needed was will; the titan did the rest—and then commanded his matter catalyst to spool it out of a barrel under his right hand. The thin wireframe shape of a long blade spun out of the opening, and then flash-filled with glowing white swiftmetal a moment before he reached the monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis timing had been perfected over scores of lesser bramble hulks, as had his techniques, and now he charged his time catalyst and dashed around the monster’s circumference, slashing its leaves and vines away like he was some fantastical (if sloppy) gardener, albeit one that kept killer plants. He didn’t move as fast as Sloan could—his time catalyst was a lower tier than hers—but it was still fast enough to make quick work of the frozen brambles, and soon he’d exposed the monster’s most essential center.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt looked like a root ball positioned just below the fleshy mouth pod. Brown tendrils of wood-hard roots curled down from the pod-like protective claws, encasing what Locke knew to be the vital organs of the monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m to the core!” Locke reported. “Ember, can I get a heat blast? The root armor’s thick.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not too hot, though!” Sloan added. “Don’t incinerate me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a reasonable warning; with Long Shot’s upgrades, Ember routinely incinerated weaker monsters to ash—but she was also precise in every aspect of her handling, from aim to power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready,” Ember reported. “Stand back.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke zipped out of her line of sight, and soon a hot red beam bored into the root ball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn explosion of burning splinters blasted from the wooden knot, and a plume of flame billowed out as the wood began to burn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Eew! It stinks!” Sloan groaned as a cloud of smoke wafted up toward her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke didn’t disagree; bramble hulk smoke always carried on it the unpleasant scent of decomposition and wood rot … but there was something different about the smell of this advanced bramble hulk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt smelled like that, and burning blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What’s the verdict?” Ember called down. “Need another—wait, Locke! Look out behind you!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49958216696099,"sku":"TITANMAGERISING-PPR","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Rising_Shopify_Paperback.jpg?v=1728156673"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-apocalypse-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Apocalypse (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Five in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage-apocalypse\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA world-ending deity? An ancient superweapon? A fight for the future of Haven? Only Harper’s Harriers can save the day!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Locke came to the world of Haven, he didn’t know he’d be called upon to save it one day—but with his god-tier magic, his giant mech called a Titan, and his crew of hot, capable women, he’s the best man for the job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEspecially now that his crew includes the Precursor space witch Peth, whose memories of what destroyed her civilization a thousand years ago have come rushing back. Now that same destroyer is about to break free from its prison within the Crystal Moon. To defeat it, they’ll have to find and activate an ancient Precursor superweapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut reaching the superweapon won’t be easy, for Locke must now lead the Harper’s Harriers to the one place no one from Haven has gone in over a thousand years:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOuter space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHas Locke mastered his Titan enough to face his greatest challenge yet? Will his crew, their Titans, and all their epic upgrades be enough to save the world?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe may not know how his story on Haven will end, but between his harem of badass women and the coming battle with a destroyer god, one thing’s for sure:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever comes next, he’s going to go out with a bang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: Titan Mage Apocalypse is a fun fantasy adventure containing steam both punk and smutty: captivating airship captains, alluring engineers, provocative mech pilots, titillating catgirls, and sensual space witches. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage-apocalypse\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE APOCALYPSE\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Did you literally just fuck Peth’s memory back into place?” Bexley exclaimed from the other side of Titan Chimera’s open hatch door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke quickly readjusted his magesuit as Peth restored her short, witchy dress—what little there was of it, anyway. Until a few minutes ago, he’d been tossed in the throes of hot nasty psy magic sex with a resurrected Precursor witch inside the cockpit of his giant robot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike most experiences of his past nine months on the world of Haven, it’d been fucking awesome, but amazing as the sex had been, it wasn’t the most amazing part of this evening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat had been when Peth convulsed on top of him and then said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I remember. \u003cem\u003eEverything\u003c\/em\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, it’s been firmly established that my dick has incredible talents,” Locke said as he rounded the hatch door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe found the four women of his crew gathered on his titan’s scaffold in the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s hangar, as if hesitant to fully violate his and Peth’s privacy, even though the reason they’d come to the hangar in the first place was to investigate—and perhaps join in on—the noise. They were still docked at Edgewater, after all, which left all the ladies of the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e with more free time than usual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe buxom, blonde pixie-haired Bexley just shrugged and nodded in agreement, as did the elegant Captain Alyssa and cute catgirl Sloan. His fellow titan mage Ember was the one hold out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I agree that your dick is talented, but dick-restored memory is a bit of a stretch.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke turned back to Peth, who was following behind him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eWas\u003c\/em\u003e that part of your design?” he asked. “That sleeping with me would restore your memories?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If that had been the case, I wouldn’t have waited!” Peth laughed. “It was simply glorious timing.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Glorious …” Locke repeated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe timing wasn’t the only thing about his situation that was glorious. Nine months ago, he’d been a regular nobody in … well, who he’d been back on Earth was largely irrelevant now, and anyone who wanted to know his full story knew where to look. Especially now that his true origin was on record with the Arcane Index as a consequence of … everything that had happened in the past few days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe important part was this: Peth had been a lost Precursor consciousness trapped inside Titan Chimera’s magical core. She’d brought him to Haven so he could use his rare and powerful void mage talents to pull her out into a new body, and the entire time he’d known her, memories of her old life had only emerged in fragments. Which was unfortunate, considering the thing that threatened them now was the very thing that had destroyed the Precursors a thousand years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the meantime, she’d granted him an incredible life, pulling him into a hot, capable new body and a ship full of women who made regular, vigorous use of it. Not to mention his giant mech—Titan Chimera—which circumstances had forced him to upgrade into a badass big stompy robot, because present circumstances indeed demanded Big Stomps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd now, with her returned memories, Peth could provide valuable insight into where those big stomps needed to go.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe situation was this:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke had already saved the world once. Sort of. Maybe?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn truth, his last significant battle had only just ended, it had revealed several twists and surprises that he wasn’t sure how to make sense of, and the Arcane Index’s wider investigation into the matter had only just begun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Locke knew was that a force named Avarice was stirring in the Crystal Moon and the Endpoint City Arcane Index Director, Pious Pemberton, had used research conducted by moon cultists to turn himself and his followers into potential vessels for the thing. What Avarice was exactly—an intelligent alien, a hungry monster, a literal fucking cosmic horror god—Locke didn’t know. All he knew for sure was that Avarice was responsible for the meteorfall, shadow dregs, and dark specters that had plagued Haven for centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, oh, Pious had shot his disembodied soul into the moon using a Precursor psy satellite dish. As one does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso, he’d kidnapped Sloan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was all totally villain behavior on Pious’ part, but that was where the situation became  complex. Because Locke wasn’t entirely sure that Pious was a villain. Oh, turning even willing cultists into vessels for a gooey moon god was suspect, no doubt, but Sloan trusted Pious like a good surrogate father, and Pious had treated his operation like he was acting on the least terrible of two terrible options:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey could allow Avarice to destroy Haven wildly, or they could try to wield its power for themselves, to guide the magic it would inevitably unleash to productive uses. Both would result in the end of their world, but Pious’ expenditure of the magic, so he said, would have been wielded to create a better tomorrow—a world to rival that of the Precursors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke understood the logic, but he didn’t understand why Pious wouldn’t just want to \u003cem\u003edestroy\u003c\/em\u003e the thing, to end its cycle completely. Maybe Pious \u003cem\u003ewanted\u003c\/em\u003e to wield that power, either for his own selfish ends or for the noble end he claimed. But with his body dead and some part of him beamed up to the moon, it wasn’t like Locke could ask him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven that was uncertain, though. Locke couldn’t tell if Pious’ use of the satellite dish had succeeded. The ethereal light that poured off the dish as the spell enacted had flickered unstably, and there was no clear sign of what had actually happened. At least not as clear as, say, the moon laughing evilly as it adopted Pious’ likeness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, it still wore that creepy shadow grin stretched across its lower hemisphere. But, notably, it was no longer sending down meteors. All the meteorfall had ceased within an hour of Pious’ dying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke wanted to think that was a result of Pious’ influence—that he actually projected his soul into the moon in the same way Peth had pulled Locke to Haven, and that he was now fighting Avarice from the inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAlone\u003c\/em\u003e, Locke reflected, and shivered at the thought. If Pious was indeed a good man, that was fucking heroic, and he didn’t deserve to be doing it by himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut with their present level of information, all they had were conjectures, and how could one even make an educated guess about the results of psy-magicking one’s soul into the moon? It wasn’t like that sort of thing was a common occurrence, even on Haven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut now—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke looked into Peth’s blue eyes, faintly glowing with more eager understanding than he’d ever seen. She could very well hold all the secrets they needed to defeat this destructive moon god and save their world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke stepped aside and gestured to let her go first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n“Then let’s hear everything.”\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49958279676195,"sku":"TITANMAGEAPOCALYPSE-PPR","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Apocalypse_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1728156853"},{"product_id":"print-blood-knight-vampire-slayer-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Blood Knight: Vampire Slayer (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Blood Knight series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn insatiable succubus? A shy werewolf? A scatterbrained angel? This team needs a leader!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJ.B. Clarke enrolled in college to earn his degree and find a steady job. What he got instead was an adventure in a secret underworld where vampires rule over all. Emma Rose, a friendly gamer who turns out to be a succubus, recruits him into Broken Fang, an overly ambitious team of monster girls. These lovely ladies know they’ll need help if they’re to stand a chance against the vampires, and they’re looking for a few good men.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, one man, actually. And that’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke is soon thrust into a hidden world full of magic, mystery, and mythical creatures. He’s in way over his head because Broken Fang is a dysfunctional mess, and his calculus professor is a sadistic vampire who snacks on pet animals. He’ll need more than his (considerable) experience with fantasy games to solve this problem!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFortunately, he’s far from helpless. He’s a blood knight, descended from an ancient and powerful line of vampire hunters, and his magical abilities have finally begun to awaken. But will they be enough? Can he master his powers in time to face the coming storm? Can he grow into the leader Broken Fang so desperately needs?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr will he end up as just one more meal for the vampires?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eBlood Knight: Vampire Slayer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun urban fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: voluptuous succubi, energetic werewolves, incorrigible slime girls, nubile witches, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from BLOOD KNIGHT: VAMPIRE SLAYER\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Clarke?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hmm?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know this is out of the blue, but have you ever played Dungeons \u0026amp; Dragons before?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJ.B Clarke sat in the Engineering and Science building’s study hall, his brain fogged with the musty stench of the decades-old building his college was too cheap to update, despite its exorbitant tuition fees. It had fallen deeper into fog over the past few hours, immersed in a grueling software problem as part of his database coursework. So when Emma called upon his brain to switch gears, it was a struggle—but soon he ungummed his brain cogs and flicked his eyes up from his laptop to meet hers across the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmma cocked a playful eyebrow, which managed to coax Clarke’s mind fully out of its code-induced stupor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A while ago,” he said cautiously, not sure what was behind her question. “Some of my friends were into it back in high school, but I haven’t played since I graduated. Why?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No reason, really. You just seemed the type.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The type?” Now it was his turn to raise an eyebrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir professor had divvied up the class into random pairs for this assignment, which involved two students tackling each problem together. That meant they were supposed to divide the scope of their code between them and develop an interface to mesh their work back together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke had hoped to be paired with one of his acquaintances from the class—he hadn’t been at Chester Creek University long enough to develop any new close friends—but he’d ended up with Emma, a girl he’d exchanged no more than three words with before this assignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot that he minded! He’d take about \u003cem\u003eany \u003c\/em\u003eexcuse to get to know her better, and it just so happened one had landed in his lap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a testament to the brain-dulling, soul-sucking nature of his surroundings that he’d managed to be distracted from her at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmmaline “Emma” Rose possessed what Clarke thought of as an “abundant” figure. Her burgundy leather jacket, black miniskirt, and gray-and-black striped stockings each seemed to strain against all those curves, especially the high and heavy thrust of her breasts, almost as if her clothes were under immense pressure from the inside, ready to burst open from all that barely-contained femininity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer face was equally attractive with large, dark eyes behind horn-rimmed glasses and a generous—often smiling—mouth, all framed by a cascade of long, raven-black hair. The glasses gave her a “sexy geek” vibe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, are you?” Emma asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere was no judgment in her voice. No condescension or disdain. Just a soft, friendly form of curiosity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke had been a little nervous about how to approach Emma after class, worried about coming across as either too forward or too business-like. They were classmates assigned to the same problem; it would have been awkward for him to hit on her right out of the gate. Conversely, he didn’t want to keep things \u003cem\u003etoo \u003c\/em\u003eformal. This \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c\/em\u003e a golden opportunity to get to know her better, after all!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFortunately, Emma had beaten him to the punch. She’d broken the ice outside class with a great programming joke: \u003cem\u003eA SQL query goes into a bar, walks up to two tables and asks, “Can I join you?”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe’d have to remember that one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Why do I get the feeling this question didn’t come out of nowhere?” Clarke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe flashed a brief smile. “Well, this place is \u003cem\u003eboring\u003c\/em\u003e, for one. And actually, one of my friends likes to GM. She put together this custom campaign, but we’re short one player. You interested?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke paused to consider how best to reply. A girl—a \u003cem\u003esmoking hot \u003c\/em\u003egirl—was inviting him to join her and her friends—her \u003cem\u003every possibly smoking hot\u003c\/em\u003e friends—for a night of pen-and-paper roleplaying. There was no way he could turn this down!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCareful though\u003c\/em\u003e, he told himself. \u003cem\u003eDon’t come across as too eager. Ease up to an eventual “yes.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Depends,” he replied guardedly. “What gaming system are you using?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Pathfinder 3.5. You ever hear of it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I have,” he replied, his mind flashing through countless hours playing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ashley likes to use Pathfinder as a base for all her custom scenarios.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ashley?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“One of my friends. She stopped by our table earlier.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You mean—” He almost said \u003cem\u003ethe blonde that looks like a supermodel\u003c\/em\u003e, but instead replied, “the blonde dressed all in white. Long hair? Shiny hairband?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s her. My other friends—Sammy and Brooke—also play. Normally, the three of us would be enough, but Ashley \u003cem\u003einsists\u003c\/em\u003e we have four players for this one.” Emma leaned forward and gave him a crooked, knowing smile. “She can be stubborn like that sometimes.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, if she put in all the time and effort to make her own scenario, then yeah. I can see why she’d be picky about how you played through it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Which brings us back around to my question.” She leaned back and draped an arm over the back of her chair. “Interested?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure. When and where?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This Saturday at my apartment. We generally start arriving around five, have something to eat, then pull out the dice around six—six thirty. I’ll email you the address. It’s about twenty minutes from campus.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Great. I assume I’ll need to put together a character?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not for this one. Ashley has prebuilt characters for all of us. That’s part of the reason why she needs a specific number of players.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“For the story?” Clarke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You guessed it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What can you tell me about the scenario?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s urban fantasy, so the setting is modern day but with all these secretive magical elements thrown in. You’ll be playing a blood knight in hiding. They’re a hybrid class, sort of like a ranger or druid. Ashley gave the class a mix of magic and combat abilities. \u003cem\u003eVery\u003c\/em\u003e versatile.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sounds fun. I’ve always enjoyed playing hybrid classes. More options make for more engaging roleplay.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“See?” She extended an open palm toward him. “I knew you were the type!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, I guess you had me figured out,” he replied, returning a bashful smile. “Should I bring anything to the session?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just a copy of your character sheet and some dice, though I have spares if you need some.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No, I have my own.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Figured you would.” Emma gave him a friendly wink. “I’ll email you the character sheet along with the address. Just need to get it from Ashley first.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks, but I was actually asking about food or drink. I don’t want to mooch off your hospitality or anything.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No worries there. The four of us—now \u003cem\u003efive \u003c\/em\u003eof us—take turns covering the pregame meal, and it’s Brooke’s turn this week.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Got it, and thanks for the invite. You can expect me at five, rules and dice at the ready.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Great! Looking forward to it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What about you? What’s your character like?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, me?” Emma placed a demure hand over her chest. “I’m playing a succubus.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat Saturday, Clarke arrived at Emma’s apartment a few minutes before five with a ring binder clutched in the crook of his arm and a dice bag hanging from his fingers. Of the housing options available around campus, this was clearly one of the higher-end ones—not fancy, exactly, but sleek and new with pleasant facades that looked like they saw few raucous, vomit-strewn parties or drug deals, which was more than he could say about his own cheap place. He knocked on the door with his free hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door cracked open, and Emma peeked her head out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Clarke!” She gave him with a warm smile. “Come on in.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe swung the door wide, and he stepped in, taking in the apartment. It was larger than the cubbyhole he called home—and cleaner, too—with comfy recliners and a long couch arranged around a low coffee table. Artwork hung on the walls in thick, black frames depicting a mix of anime and movie characters. \u003cem\u003eFrames\u003c\/em\u003e. She definitely lived a step above him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks for the invite, again.” He set the binder down on the granite counter that separated the kitchen from the living room and tried not to look overly curious as he returned his attention to the binder. “It feels like ages since I scratched that pen-and-paper itch.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t mention it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Though, I do have some \u003cem\u003eslight \u003c\/em\u003econcerns.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Like what?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well …” Clarke opened the binder and thumbed through the hundred or so pages. “I wasn’t expecting quite this many custom rules.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah,” Emma replied, her eyes laughing. “Sometimes Ashley can go a bit overboard.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Where’s she find the time for all this, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who knows? But you know how it is. If you’re passionate about something, you find the time.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I guess so. Just wondering if her grades suffer because of her hobby.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nope. Quite the opposite, in fact. She gets straight A’s every semester, and I’m pretty sure she takes more hours than either of us.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You know her major?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ma-\u003cem\u003ejors\u003c\/em\u003e, actually. Political science and history.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke’s eyes widened. “She’s getting straight A’s with a dual major?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yep.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke shook his head. He flipped back to the front page, which contained the bulk of his character stats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmma glanced down at the page. Something must have caught her eye, because her brow furrowed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uh, Clarke?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s not your real name, is it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke sighed internally. \u003cem\u003eHere we go.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m afraid so.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But …” She made a disgusted face. “There’s no way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I wish that were true,” he replied in a tired manner that attested to many similar conversations he endured in the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I thought Clarke was your first name.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That would have been nice, but no. It’s my last name.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Come on.” Emma pointed to the name at the top of his character sheet, as if that would reveal some secret, \u003cem\u003ereally\u003c\/em\u003e real name beneath it. “You’re pulling my leg.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Wish I was.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But no one’s parents would be that cruel!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’d \u003cem\u003ethink\u003c\/em\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJ.B. Clarke gave her a sad smile, because his full name was Joffrey Baratheon Clarke. His mother—bless her enthusiastic fantasy-loving heart—had discovered George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire a few years before he’d been born and had “really liked the name’s ring.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis father—bless \u003cem\u003ehis\u003c\/em\u003e heart—hadn’t put his foot down, which led to him being named after a contender for “worst human being in fiction.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn’t all bad, though. Back then, most people didn’t have a clue who Joffrey Baratheon was, and the name shortened to the much more palatable J.B., though his parents had settled for Joff most of the time. However, his namesake’s anonymity had vanished once HBO turned the books into a popular TV series and thus elevated the character from “worst human being in fiction” to “worst human being in fiction, for whom people cheered when he died and then rewound to watch it again.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then the teasing began.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd kept going.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd going.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd fucking \u003cem\u003egoing\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke couldn’t have been happier when the show tanked in its last season so disastrously that literally \u003cem\u003eno one \u003c\/em\u003ewanted to talk about it anymore. Even a \u003cem\u003eglobal pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e couldn’t get people to rewatch its dumpster fire of an ending.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat said, his parents had been less than sympathetic when he’d confronted them about his namesake, stressing that they had no way of seeing into the future and it could have been worse. They even shared the supposedly true story of a woman who’d wanted to name her newborn daughter “Vagina” because she’d never encountered the word before the obstetrician used it and because, “Thas jus tha purdiest word I eva hurd!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke shivered involuntarily. Yes, it could have been worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Actually,” he continued, “I’m wondering how Ashley knew my name, because it seems you didn’t tell her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nope. News to me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Will she let me go by ‘Clarke’ in the campaign?” He tapped a note on the page. “Because this part says we’re playing alternate versions of ourselves in the scenario.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I’m sure Ashley will,” Emma replied with a carefree wave of her hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Will what?” came the unexpected response from the opening door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Ash! Speak of the devil.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe newcomer gave Emma a cross look. “You know I don’t like that joke.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Must be why I keep using it, then,” Emma teased in a good-natured manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshley Smith rolled her eyes as she eased the door shut, then crossed the room with long-legged strides, high heels clicking on the hardwood. She’d dressed in all white again, this time with a short neck scarf to accent her sleeveless button-down shirt. She’d left the first three buttons open to provide a tantalizing glimpse of deep, firm cleavage. Her long, blonde hair practically gleamed in the light, held back by a metallic hairband.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe smiled at Clarke, but the expression held all the warmth of a business transaction. Clarke fought an urge to check his phone, almost certain she’d arrived at \u003cem\u003eexactly\u003c\/em\u003e 5:00 PM. She struck him as the severely punctual type.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m Ashley.” She extended a slender hand, which he shook, and found she was all business there, too. “I’m glad you could make it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Me, too,” Clarke replied, not sure what else to say, and trying to keep his eyes from wandering toward her plunging neckline. (Which was \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e business-appropriate.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“So, what are you sure I’ll allow?” Ashley asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“He wants to shorten his character name.” Emma tapped her finger on the character sheet. “Just chop off the first two parts.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshley leaned over the page, then glanced up at Clarke.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You don’t want to use your given name?” she asked, sounding somewhat perplexed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not really.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Why not?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uh …” Clarke frowned at her. “Isn’t it obvious?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshley’s eyes darted to the character sheet, stayed there for long, confused seconds, then zipped back up to Clarke. She seemed ready to ask another question, but then something softened in her face, and she shrugged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If you’re not comfortable with it, then use whatever you like. I only thought starting with everyone’s real names would make the scenario more immersive.” She gave Emma a knowing glance. “After all, if tonight goes well—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe door swung open violently. A tall, athletic woman barged in, four pizza boxes balanced atop one hand with absurd grace compared to the rest of her, especially when she shouted:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, bitches! I brought the meats!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second newcomer was almost as tall as Clarke, who was no slouch in the height department, though her shoulders weren’t nearly as broad, and her chest possessed a great deal more … topology than his. Still, the toned muscles visible on her arms and bare midriff spoke to an active lifestyle. Or curriculum. Or both, perhaps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe’d tied her thick, wavy mane of brunette hair back into a ponytail and wore a baggy gray T-shirt cut off at the bottom to reveal her firm stomach, its design and lettering too faded to make out. Her jeans gave a similar impression of comfortable wear and tear with a few rips around the knees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer sharp, intense eyes caught his, but then widened suddenly, and she froze midstride, almost launching the pizzas forward before she stabilized them with her free hand. Her expression—initially loud and boisterous—became almost mousy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh. You’re already here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That I am,” Clarke replied dryly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uh … Hi? I’m Brooke. Brooke Hawthorne.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Clarke. Nice to meet you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, uh.” Brooke held the boxes out as if offering them as an apology. “I brought pizza.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll take those.” Emma grabbed the pizza boxes and began arraying them on the kitchen counter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich, savory smell of hot cheese, meat, and marinara tickled Clarke’s nose, and his stomach grumbled in anticipation. Emma and Ashley busied themselves setting out paper plates, napkins, plastic cups, and a selection of colas at one end of the boxes. Brooke eventually unfroze from her awkward pose, gave Clarke a bashful glance, then grabbed a plate and began loading it up with pizza slices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke grabbed his own plate and surveyed the selection: three large pizzas consisting of pepperoni, meat lovers, supreme (also piled high with enough meat that the rare veggies would have cowered in fear if they’d been sapient), one medium pizza split into half pepperoni and half cheese, and a bag of breadsticks and marinara dipping sauce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The meats indeed,” Ashley noted with a sour glance over the options.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The cheesy one is for you,” Brooke said. “See? I kept you in mind.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And what about our guest? You consider him, too?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I—” Brooke paused with her mouth open, then frowned. She faced Clarke. “You’re not a vegetarian, are you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nope.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Any allergies?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“None I’m aware of.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You like pizza?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No, I \u003cem\u003elove \u003c\/em\u003epizza, and the more meat the better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Fantastic! I was worried there for a minute.” Brooke’s face brightened. “You’ll fit right in.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The point,” Ashley said firmly, “is you should have asked \u003cem\u003ebefore\u003c\/em\u003e you bought the food.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whoops.” Brooke shrugged before adding another slice to her plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey there, girlfriends!” said a petite figure from the doorway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Sammy!” Emma waved at her. “Would you mind locking the door? We’re all here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure thing.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke realized he’d seen Sammy a few times around campus, though he’d never spoken to her. In fact, it was hard \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e to notice her, since she favored loud clothes and even louder hair, which seemed to be a different color every time he laid eyes on her. She wore a hoodie stylized with splotches of fluorescent paint, the hood pulled back to reveal a pixie cut of vibrant red hair blending toward purple at the tips.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe walked up to Clarke. “You Clarke?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s right.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Samantha Eloise.” She extended a gloved hand. “But you can call me Sammy. All my friends do.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shook her hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Sammy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You ready to kick some vampire butt tonight?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eShh!\u003c\/em\u003e” Ashley snapped. “Spoilers!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, come on.” Sammy rolled her eyes as she grabbed her plate. “He already knows. You put it right there in your twenty-thousand-word lore dump.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke kept very quiet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I suppose you have a point there.” Ashley placed a single cheesy slice on her plate, struggling to disentangle the gooey strands gracefully. “You did read all the lore, right?” she asked, her voice tinged with uneasy hopefulness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I …” Clarke sighed. “Okay, I’m going to be honest here. I didn’t realize there was going to be quite so much material when I started printing it out. All I did was skim it before I drove over.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshley sank in her seat a little and, oddly, her hairband seemed to darken a few shades. It must have been a trick of the lighting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t give him that look.” Sammy flopped into one of the recliners and took a large bite from a breadstick. She continued speaking with her mouth full. “All I did was skim it, too. It was either that or fall asleep halfway through.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, now,” Ashley protested. “It wasn’t that dry.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSammy snorted out a laugh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, I liked it.” Brooke plopped down into one of the chairs. “I think it’s a good primer for people new to the, uh, setting.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClarke guessed she’d been about to use a different word there at the end, but he didn’t give it more than a passing thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAshley sighed and joined them around the coffee table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith all the recliners taken, Clarke sat down at one end of the couch, fully expecting Emma to pick the other end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn’t, instead choosing to sit in the middle close enough for their hips to press against each other. Clarke felt a jolt of almost electric excitement surge through him at the unexpected contact. He glanced over at her, and she smiled sweetly back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Something wrong?” she asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s nothing.” He was about to start eating when he noticed Emma hadn’t brought a plate. “Not eating with us?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll snack on something else later.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not a fan of pizza?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s not that. I love a good slice of pizza as much as the next girl. I just have these”—she twirled a hand around as if searching for the right word—“dietary restrictions.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ah.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can only handle so much junk food before I get hit with these cravings and need something more, umm, nutritious to fill me up.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Got it. Say no more.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSammy chuckled around a fat bite of breadstick. He had no idea why.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50453419196707,"sku":"BLOODKNIGHT-PAPERBACK","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Blood_Knight_Vampire_Slayer_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1733063767"},{"product_id":"print-blood-knight-scepter-of-bone-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Blood Knight: Scepter of Bone (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Two in the Blood Knight series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA werebear at wit's end? A necromancer in dire need? A bone scepter the vampires will kill for? Send in the blood knight to sort this mess out!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJ.B. Clarke and the lovely ladies of Broken Fang have won their first victory against the vampires who secretly rule the world. But their fight is far from over. To defeat the vampires once and for all, they’ll need to rally powerful allies to their cause. But before they can do that, they need to make a name for themselves amongst the hidden underworld of monsters, mages, and vampire slayers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eClarke makes a deal with the Coven of the Ashen Flower: his services as a blood knight in exchange for a steady stream of work. The coven agrees and assigns him to Ixia Grey, a young witch and aspiring esports player. Ixia proves to be a deft hand at lining up jobs for Broken Fang, and Clarke soon finds himself up to his elbows in monsters to slay—\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—and fat paychecks to earn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut all is not well in the city of Chester Creek. The vampires have unleashed a terrifying new monster, one more powerful and deadly than anything Clarke has ever faced. A ghostly killer now roams the shadows, an embodiment of fear and death that shreds its victims’ minds as it drains their bodies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut Clarke is a blood knight, heir to the greatest line of vampire slayers who ever walked the Earth, and he will face the coming darkness no matter what form it takes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eBlood Knight: Scepter of Bone\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun urban fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: ravishing succubi, submissive werewolves, cosplaying slime girls, flirtatious witches, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from BLOOD KNIGHT: SCEPTER OF BONE\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt took less than an hour for the aroma of Emma’s cooking to spur Clarke out of bed. He grabbed a quick shower and shave, then dressed and joined her by the apartment’s kitchen countertop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEvidently, Emma hadn’t bothered to dress in anything besides her glasses and an apron, which said “Kiss the Cook” on the front. She kept her wings folded while her tail swung back and forth like a happy pendulum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Good morning, Sexy!” She greeted him with a big smile. “Breakfast is almost done.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Smells great. What’s on the menu?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Omelets with feta cheese, spinach, and oven-roasted tomatoes. Want anything to drink besides coffee?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No, thanks. Coffee’s good.” He grabbed a stool by the counter, sat down, and took a sip from the steaming mug. His eyes lit up after the first invigorating swallow. “Oh, wow. Is there something different with today’s brew? It’s going down smooth.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Glad you noticed!” She waved her spatula toward the open bag of coffee grounds. “I’m trying out a local company’s roast. This one’s called Quigley’s Dark Delight. It’s been getting rave reviews.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I can see why.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe drained his first cup and refilled it at the coffee maker before she served their omelets alongside a plate of buttered toast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s a shame you and I are so busy this week,” she said, joining him on a stool at the counter. “We could have used today as an excuse to celebrate.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Celebrate? What’s the occasion?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You mean you don’t know?” She flashed a coy half-smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe shook his head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why, today’s the three-month anniversary!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe froze with a forkful of egg halfway to his mouth, a sense of trepidation falling over him. Emma watched him expectantly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, don’t tell me.” He lowered the fork, wracking his memories. The past few months had easily been the densest in his twenty-year life. “It’s been about a month since we defeated Heinrich.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Just about.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“So that means …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Yes?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That means it’s been three months since you freed me from the hex.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Close, but not quite. You’re off by two days.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Two days?” He snapped his fingers. “Of course! That’s when we started dating!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There you go!” She clasped her hands together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Sorry. I didn’t realize it had been that long. The last few months have just flown by.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Tell me about it.” Emma chuckled and dug into her omelet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you have something in mind?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, I don’t know.” Her eyes glinted playfully. “I’m sure I can come up with an activity we both enjoy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Emma, we do that all the time anyway.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Nothing wrong with doing it more.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Is it even possible for you to grow tired of sex?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Don’t know.” She draped an arm around him and whispered huskily into his ear. “Let’s find out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“What have I gotten myself into?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Let’s see here.” She sat back. “A sexually overcharged harem with a succubus, a werewolf, and a slime girl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Yes, that would be it.” He laughed and shook his head. “That’s a lot of dates to keep track of.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I can program all the important ones into your phone if you like.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that. Have I ever mentioned that I feel like I need a manual for dating demihumans?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Maybe once or twice.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It would really help. I want to treat all of you right, but I still feel like I’m stumbling around in the dark. Rewind three months, and I didn’t have a clue about demihumans or magic or the vampires who secretly rule the world. I’m still new to all of this, whereas you and Brooke have lived your entire lives with that knowledge. Even Sammy has me beat by years.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You haven’t let us down yet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“And I intend to keep it that way. For all our sakes. Let’s not forget that one of you is strong enough to snap people in half.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Brooke would never hurt you.” Emma paused with a slight frown. “On purpose, anyway.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I know. I just …” He shrugged. “I’m not sure what I’m saying. I guess it boils down to me knowing we have something special. I don’t want to screw that up.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m confident you won’t. You know why?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because you worry about it. You’re keeping an eye on yourself, probably asking yourself questions like ‘Am I being the partner I need to be?’ ‘Is there more I should be doing?’ Stuff like that, right?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“More or less.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Then you have nothing to worry about.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How can you be so sure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because”—she leaned in with a sly smile—“I ask myself those same questions when I think of you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50468437917987,"sku":"SCEPTEROFBONE-PAPERBACK","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Blood_Knight_2_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1733063518"},{"product_id":"print-blood-knight-academy-of-silence-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Blood Knight: Academy of Silence (Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Three in the Blood Knight series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA mysterious elf librarian? A rambunctious dragonkin coach? A cold yuki-onna professor? These monster girls are up to something!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJ.B. Clarke and the lovely ladies of Broken Fang have killed five vampires in as many months, but their mission to free humanity from the bloodsuckers who control the world has only just begun—\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—and it’s about to get a lot more complicated!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThree mysterious monster girls have arrived in the city of Chester Creek, and they’ve been poking around in all the wrong places. Are they potential allies or a new threat? No one can tell, but fortunately, Clarke’s team includes Sammy Eloise: a slime girl with a fondness for video games, cosplay, and poisoning anyone who gets in her way. They’ll need all her shapeshifting talents if they’re to unravel this latest conundrum!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut time is running out because dark forces are on the move. The Academy of Silence has dispatched a hunter to the region, and his arrival ushers in a deadly game of cat and mouse for Clarke and the women he loves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut who is the cat, and who is the mouse?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Academy hunter is an ancient vampire, trained and equipped to dispatch any foe—including blood knights! But Clarke is hardly defenseless; his skills have been honed, his team is ready, and magical boons have transformed him into a powerful weapon against evil.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe stage has been set, the battle lines drawn, and soon these two men will meet in a clash that will shape the future of the entire world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eBlood Knight: Academy of Silence\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun urban fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: devoted succubi, frisky werewolves, adventurous slime girls, seductive witches, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from BLOOD KNIGHT: ACADEMY OF SILENCE\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe small, windowless office was unremarkable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe woman behind the desk wasn’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eLady Illustris Tenebris Iram—Wrath of the Glorious Darkness—lounged in a highbacked chair, its dark leather softened with long use. She wore a black qipao that showed off her long legs, crossed with slender hands resting in her lap. The Chinese dress featured a golden dragon—because apparently that was \u003ci\u003eeveryone’s \u003c\/i\u003eidea of what a qipao looked like these days. Either that or decorated with flowers, and she’d take the dragon any day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe embroidered serpent snaked up, down, and around her full, voluptuous figure. Her skin was soft and pale, her face delicate and composed. It wasn’t her usual face, however. \u003ci\u003eThis\u003c\/i\u003e one she reserved for only her most distinguished guests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAnd what a guest, \u003c\/i\u003eshe thought with a wry grin. \u003ci\u003eHow long has it been since I had dealings with the Academy of Silence?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Academy was the vampires’ answer to an important question: how best to keep various malefactors—mages or unhexed demihumans—under control? That answer took the form of the deviant hunters: elite vampires specially trained to kill the hardest of targets. The Academy was part school, fortress, and command center all wrapped in one, and though she knew where it was located—and couldn’t deny the allure of its many secrets—she also knew that some things were best left alone.\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe wooden door to her office creaked open, and a tall, handsome man stepped in. Everything about him was dark, from his short, curly hair to his complexion and the long trench coat emphasizing his broad frame. He closed the door and approached the desk, every motion measured and precise. He reminded Iram of a coiled spring, full of pent-up energy, ready to explode into action at the slightest provocation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe man removed his sunglasses and pocketed them, revealing dark eyes, piercing and patient.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThey were the eyes of a predator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThey had to be, for this man hunted only the most dangerous of prey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe lines of his face were sharp, yet youthful, but those eyes hinted at a cold, ancient truth. An aura of magic followed him into the room, partially obscured by a well-crafted Concealment spell, but not good enough to shroud all his power. Not from her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eShe sensed the iron in that aura. Strong and pungent, even in its occluded state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt left the taste of blood in the air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Lady Iram.” His voice was deep and resonant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dorian,” she replied, her tone light, almost musical. This wasn’t her usual voice, either. She gestured to the only other chair in the office, and Deviant Hunter Dorian Alant sank into it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s been a while since I saw that face. I thought we agreed to leave it in the past.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I was feeling nostalgic this morning.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Then there’s no hidden message you’re trying to convey?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“None.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I somehow doubt that. Nothing is ever so simple with you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know me so well, then?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I know your type.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“My ‘type,’ is it now?” Lady Iram cocked an eyebrow. “How long has it been, Dorian?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“At least ten years. Perhaps longer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“And in all that time, you never so much as sent me a letter.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“My work keeps me busy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No phone calls either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“\u003ci\u003eVery\u003c\/i\u003e busy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not even an email. You know that’s a thing nowadays, right?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Got to stay current, Dorian. Can’t let the latest human trends slip by you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I understand you have a little deviancy problem, and that you requested me personally.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“\u003ci\u003eMay \u003c\/i\u003ehave one. And is that all you have to say? Just straight to business as if we only saw each other yesterday?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Is there anything else \u003ci\u003ebut\u003c\/i\u003e the Academy’s business?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Of course, there is. For one, how’s Bel, and have you spoken to her recently?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDorian’s lip twitched. “Our \u003ci\u003eGreat Mother\u003c\/i\u003e graced the Academy with her presence last year. And yes, I was granted the honor of speaking to her, if briefly.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She have anything interesting to say?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She expressed her pride in the Academy, and in a few of my own accomplishments.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Pride, is it?” Iram chuckled. “I thought sloth was more her style.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You haven’t changed at all. Must you always speak of Mother so casually?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Kid, let me explain something to you.” Lady Iram sat forward. “I was old long before you were born, and Bel is far older than me. You think either of us care for your stuffy formalities?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Respect is due to the mother of all vampires.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She’s not \u003ci\u003emy\u003c\/i\u003e mother.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That much is self-evident, but would it trouble you to show her a little deference? At least while I’m here. If you were anyone else, I would have ripped your throat out by now.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIram rolled her one eye. “You mean you would have tried.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Would it help if I said ‘please’?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“All right, all right.” She flashed a sudden smile, cold but polite. “I’ll behave myself. But only because you’re my favorite hunter.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThank \u003c\/i\u003eyou.” Dorian relaxed, if only by the tiniest of fractions. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to discuss why I’m here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The reason you’re here is simple: local vampires keep turning up dead, and I don’t know why.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“When and how many?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Five so far. It started about three months ago with a vampire named Heinrich. He used to work at Chester Creek University as a math professor.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Pureblood?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No, risen.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDorian snorted. “Hardly a concern of ours.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Trust me, it gets better. I don’t know who killed Heinrich, but it had the appearance of typical risen infighting. Two other risen vampires moved in to claim Heinrich’s territory shortly afterward: Plainsborough and Rost, CCU’s head librarian and head football coach respectively. They clashed several times—destroying each other’s property and thralls—until their petulant spat culminated in a duel at the stadium.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Who won?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Neither. They both snuffed it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“An unusual outcome for a duel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s what I thought at the time, but there’s more. It turns out a \u003ci\u003ethird\u003c\/i\u003e vampire was present that night. I don’t have any information on this one, but the amount of structural damage suggests a very powerful pureblood. Too powerful to ordinarily be concerned with a pissant town like this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Then that’s who killed the others?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No. He’s dead, too! As in, his guts were splattered all over the stadium!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I see.” Dorian lowered his eyes. “That’s four dead so far. Who’s the fifth?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Olcott, a necromancer some dumbass elevated into a risen.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe hunter looked up sharply. “Someone turned a mage into a vampire?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Correct.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That couldn’t have ended well.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It didn’t. There’s a cemetery on the campus grounds. The original name is unimportant; nowadays it’s called Old Chester Cemetery. It’s part of the old church the place got built around. Someone used Olcott’s body to paint it red.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“And that someone is …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wouldn’t I like to know?” Lady Iram leaned back in her chair, and the leather sighed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Five vampires dead,” Dorian said. “Three of them risen nobodies, but two that weren’t: one a pureblood and the other a risen mage. Quite the impressive pile of corpses.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You see why I called you here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I do.” He let out a slow sigh. “Could the mage clans be behind this?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dorian, the mage clans are \u003ci\u003ealways\u003c\/i\u003e up to something. You might as well ask me if the sky is still blue.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Point taken.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Sure, they \u003ci\u003ecould\u003c\/i\u003e be behind the killings, but every mage knows to stay clear of vampiric business.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Lest a d-hunter be called in to perform a little housekeeping,” Dorian added, his cruel grin revealing his fangs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Precisely. And the same goes for the demihumans in this city. They all know not to mess with you vampires, because there \u003ci\u003ewill\u003c\/i\u003e be consequences. Personally, I’d say we’re dealing with a group and not an individual. Perhaps mages. Perhaps unhexed demihumans. Maybe a mix of the two. We could have a team of uppity idiots on our hands. People trying to make the world a ‘better place’ or some dreck like that. But there may be another motivator at work here, one that’s drawing powerful individuals to this area.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Do you have any idea what that might be?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not really.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Then it seems my task is twofold. Objective One: Find and eliminate whoever’s killing vampires in this city. Objective Two: Uncover what in this area makes the killings worthwhile.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That about sums it up.” She pushed a manila folder across the desk. “Here’s all the information I’ve compiled on the victims. Also, I recommend you take a close look at the university grounds. All the recent excitement seems to involve that place one way or another. Hell if I know why, though.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Then I’ll have a look around, starting with the stadium and the cemetery.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Are you settled in yet?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No. I still need a base of operations while I’m in this area.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I can arrange one for you, if you like.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“This place?” Dorian made a circular gesture, indicating the business Lady Iram ran.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“No, no. Too public. I have a better location in mind. One with all the amenities of home. It’s scheduled to be renovated soon, anyway, so you’ll have the whole place to yourself. It’s in downtown Chester Creek, tucked into a corner that doesn’t see a lot of foot traffic, and it even has some existing Wards for protection, though you may wish to reinforce those yourself.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Acceptable.” Dorian pushed his chair back and rose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Don’t you want to stay a little longer?” Lady Iram’s tone bordered on a pout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The sooner I get started, the better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Always duty first when it comes to you. It’s a shame, really.” Lady Iram retrieved a chilled wine bottle and two empty glasses from underneath her desk. Moisture clung to the bottle and traced down its sides. She set them down on the desktop. “I suppose I’ll have to drink this myself.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDorian turned the bottle. His eyebrows rose when he read the label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Virgin werewolf blood. If any of your customers saw you with this, \u003ci\u003ethey’d\u003c\/i\u003e rip your throat out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“They’d try.” Lady Iram opened the bottle of bloodwine and poured two full glasses. “Fortunately, I have nothing to fear. Ignorance is bliss, as the humans are so fond of saying.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDorian raised his glass and breathed in the aroma.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Exquisite,” he sighed, fangs lengthening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eLady Iram found her gaze drawn to the four obsidian rings glinting on his left hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Another one?” she asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Pardon?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You had three rings last we met.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’ve served the Academy long enough to receive my fourth. Our Great Mother granted it to me herself.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“My, how time flies. Has it really been that long?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You growing senile in your old age?” Dorian asked, quirking a smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Hardly.” Lady Iram raised her glass. “To the success of your mission.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“To success.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThey drained their glasses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50963215188259,"sku":"ACADEMYOFSILENCE-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Blood_Knight_3_Paperback_Shopify.jpg?v=1733065008"},{"product_id":"print-i-power-up-with-every-monster-girl-i-defeat-monster-girl-tamer-1-paperback-original-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I Power Up With Every Monster Girl I Defeat (Monster Girl Tamer #1) (Paperback) - ORIGINAL COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA red hot, fiery demon girl. A goblin girl obsessed with wood. An oni girl who loves to grip a big sword. And they’re going to help him save the world … \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAxel Hunter Radcliff has trained his whole life to be a hero. Once every generation, someone in his family is called upon to be a Chosen One, and Axel’s prepared himself extensively, just in case it’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe just wasn’t prepared for the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he’s in another world brimming with dangerous monsters beneath a sky full of magic portals … and with no idea what he’s been summoned to do. All he knows is that every Chosen Radcliff has been aided by a support staff of skilled women: a \u003cem\u003etactical harem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen mysterious monster girls start wreaking havoc in this new world, Axel is ready to answer the call. He’ll have to draw upon insight borne from every tabletop RPG he’s played and every harem novel he’s read to face them, because these are either the women he’s destined to gather … or the force he’s been summoned to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither way, these monster girls need to be \u003cem\u003etamed\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun LitRPG fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: sensuous demons, lustful goblins, voluptuous oni, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Son, it’s time for The Talk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had known those words were coming since last night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Talk meant something different in his family. Oh, he’d gotten the, “We’ve noticed how you look at girls, here’s a condom, don’t get anyone pregnant” talk when he was thirteen, but that was small potatoes compared to the talk every man in his family got at twenty. That Talk was a Very Big Potato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhich was why his dad’s nonchalance surprised him. When Axel came through the front door, his dad simply waved the same distant hello as usual, then went back to the kitchen sink, cleaning the last dishes from the birthday party Axel had been called away from—not that anyone blamed him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen you made a hobby of running toward fires, you had to go when the fire summoned you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Can I clean up a bit first?” Axel said. He still smelled like smoke from the night’s job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis dad waved again, and Axel went downstairs. He’d left his gear in his locker at the firehouse, but despite the hours spent cleaning the gear and tools, the scent and soot of his work still lingered. He was always vigilant about maintaining his gear, as much to preserve its reliability as to fend off the inevitable carcinogens he’d encounter; he was just as vigilant about his own body, and so he took a long shower to fend off the rest. It was an irony, he reflected, that so many firefighters spent their lives saving others, only to be killed by their own work, either in a fire or the slow cancer resulting from the things that burned around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen he chuckled darkly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGiven what his father was about to say, he was not likely to die of cancer. Few of the Radcliffs ever died in such mundane ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen he came back upstairs, his father greeted him by cracking open a beer. He wasn’t even twenty-one yet, but he recognized the beer, one that only emerged on serious occasions. The brew was based on one his grandfather had brought back from overseas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWell, “overseas” was only loosely correct. The bottle was a recycled original, and its label was in a language he’d never seen on this earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Damn, that’s good beer!” Axel exclaimed after his first swig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There’s a reason your grandfather founded his microbrewery once he came back,” his father said, taking his own as they flopped onto the living room couch. “Glad one of your grandmothers knew how to make this stuff.” (Grandpa had a lot of adventures.) “If you’re lucky enough to survive whatever’s coming, you’ll inherit the recipe, too. For now, though, you get this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOn the coffee table before them was positioned a thin, hard-shelled carrying case that resembled the ones Axel used to transport his wargaming miniatures. His father clicked it open with all the slow pride of an uber nerd about to show off an unholy amount of money spent on plastic and paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Axel, meet Mel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe case did not contain painted miniatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt contained a whole-ass M4 carbine, fully assembled and maintained to such perfection that it looked fresh off the production line, but Axel knew that wasn’t true. First off, because there was a sparkling pink cat head on its grip that had likely been slapped on as a joke. Second because, if the family stories were true—and \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e the family stories were true—that thing had already delivered some top-quality dakkas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III had been in progress before Mel and his father had gone to fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III was no longer in progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’d hoped to present her to you at the party last night, but well …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Duty called.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“As it does. And given how often duty called you even before your birthday, I thought I should equip you sooner rather than later.” He lifted the carbine from the case and extended it toward his son, like a blessing. “Axel Hunter Radcliff, if she’ll have you, she’s yours. Take her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf she’ll have you.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThat was the key, and why every man in the family trained. Because there was no way of knowing who Mel would choose until …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel braced his muscles to accept the heirloom. He hadn’t even fully gripped it when the weapon began to glow. Little streamers of sparkling light whipped off its form and then came back to envelop it, like some over-the-top magical girl transformation sequence, but with a badass gun. When the magical ribbons finished encasing it, its shape changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIts protruding bits withdrew into the main length of the gun, which then stretched out and back in a curve, except for one glob of light. This separated and hovered before him, stretching into a rectangle—no, a cylinder with a strap—which then zipped around to his back. In front, he could see additional details working into the piece still in his hands. Multiple layers of cables slipped around what looked like pulley wheels on each end of the elaborate curve. A final whip of luminescence encased his forearm and hand in the shape of an archery gauntlet, and when the light flashed away into a rain of sparkles, Axel’s suspicion was confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eResting in his hands was a shining silver compound bow, complete with that weird little cat head on the grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh,” Axel mused. “That’s … not what I expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You were expecting \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dad, it’s hard to have a family history like ours and \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e expect some kind of weirdness. Granted, I didn’t expect the transforming anime weapon, but once I saw what it was doing, I didn’t expect a bow, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That ‘transforming anime weapon’ is formally called The Arsenal, and it adapts to the user. It’s been passed down through our family for generations.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh! So the ‘Mel’ grandfather used was the same as your carbine, and the same as my bow? I thought it was just the name that got passed down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father shook his head. “Nope, it’s both.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why’d grandpa get a whole \u003ci\u003etank\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Different time, different place, \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003edifferent threat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Where’s the name Mel come from, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Actually … I don’t think even your grandpa remembers. We’ve always called her Mel, as far as I know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel positioned Mel in his hands and tested its stability and tension, then drew an arrow from the quiver that had materialized on his back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not in the house,” his father said. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you blow up your mom’s new couch. Let’s take it outside to the range.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The Range” was a bit of a misnomer. Oh, there was definitely a shooting range in their backyard, both for firearms and bows. But there was also a variety of obstacle courses, such that anyone flying over might mistake it for a little boot camp, were it not for the children’s playground positioned on the other side of the house. Even that was an intense, elaborate structure, meant to teach its users to fall down hard and get up quick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBoth were necessary skills in the Radcliff family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel went to his favorite spot on the archery range, put his beer down, and nocked an arrow to his new bow. He was amazed at how familiar it felt, like he’d been using this very bow since he’d picked up the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Our family has a great destiny, son,” his father said, creaking down into a nearby lawn chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware of that. Hard to miss when your grandpa’s sucked into a war in another world and your dad fought off the elder gods.” (World War III had been complicated.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It goes back further than that. And it’s stranger than you realize.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“But isn’t the short of it that we’re all called on to be heroes?” Axel asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was one of the reasons he’d been given a name like Axel Hunter Radcliff, in fact. One only had to pay half-attention while growing up to realize that, at least once in a generation, someone in his family earned a place in a history book somewhere, and like hell were any of them going to go down in history with names like John Smith or Chris Jones. His father had lucked out with the normal-sounding name of Byron, but most Radcliffs had names that sounded like they’d been pulled from old pulp adventures—and were expected to live up to them whether they were that generation’s Chosen One or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd so Axel had prepared as best he could.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was not as simple a task as it sounded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChosen Ones were an immutable fact in his family, but there were few ways of knowing what the One was Chosen \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant the best approach was a well-rounded one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMost of the family heroes benefited from physicality, so he’d participated in every sport he could when he was in school. Competitive archery was the only one he’d pursued after high school, but that was primarily because his work in the family landscaping business met a lot of his exercise demands. (After defeating the elder gods, his dad had wanted to do something low-key.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel didn’t find the job all that fulfilling, though, which was where volunteer firefighting came in. He’d never considered taking the career route, because like most jobs that were essential to the functioning of society, the pay was shit—but it allowed him to both test his limits and, more importantly, to do something meaningful. Heroic, even. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that flooded his veins every time the alert came. He didn’t wish fires on anyone, of course, but the joy he felt facing them was real—and specifically, the joy of taming such a volatile force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was like conquering a part of nature itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd the money he made off posing for the yearly firefighter calendar wasn’t bad, either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe let the arrow fly. The cable thumped against his gauntlet with a powerful crack, and the arrow pierced its target with a near-silent swish. A good shot, but mundane otherwise. No magical sparkles or anything. He prepared another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“We’re all called to be heroes,” Byron Radcliff continued, “but we’ve never told you the full story, nor what it means for each generation’s Chosen hero.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel let the arrow fly. It landed, again a good shot, but again mundane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe suspected he knew more than his father thought—after all, kids picked up a lot when the adults thought they weren’t listening—but he also knew his father wanted to tell the story. He’d probably been looking forward to this for years, and so Axel returned to his beer and took the seat next to his dad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that we’re called to be heroes, like some holy vocation. It’s that we get summoned, and we have no choice in the matter. And we have to make it work, because if we don’t, awful things can happen. Whatever you’re chosen for, you’re not destined to win. You’ll need to make clever use of the resources available to you. Mel, for one, and … let’s call it your support staff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe way his father said it suggested there was more to the phrase than allies. Namely, the way his eyebrows raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Some Radcliffs are sucked into conflicts around our world, but not all. Your grandfather was one such exception, summoned to another world to fight a demon king and his four generals. It was a fantastic situation to say the least, but the thing that got him through it was not his weapon, but his \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had just taken a swig of beer, and now it shot up through his nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you just say \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know the phrase ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’? Well, when you’re in extreme situations, having more can help.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, so … that was an intentional, organized thing? It wasn’t just that grandpa slept around with a bunch of women on his adventure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, he slept around for sure. But mainly with women who brought some kind of skill to his cause. They were his support as much as his lovers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Even the crazy cat lady?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe crazy cat lady was the only one Axel had ever heard described in any detail, and now that he thought of it, something else about her was odd. Namely, that she’d never been described as having any cats. And given what kind of world she’d come from …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Was one of my grandmas secretly a catgirl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eByron shrugged and took another swig of beer. “She certainly had … cat in some form. But that’s not my point. My point is that he’s not the first Radcliff to succeed because of his harem.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You, too? Then why do I only have one mom?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because after the elder god thing was over, she was the one I chose. You don’t have to marry them all. You just need to build a harem that helps you win the day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How will I know what my challenge is, then? What kind of skills I need to gather?” Axel asked urgently. This complicated things. More than his father realized. “Dad, I’ve always avoided getting a girlfriend because I didn’t want to endanger her. I don’t know how to flirt!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You’re a firefighter. Just take your shirt off and they’ll come.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s not my point. Have you seen the size of my wargaming collection? No girl I bring to my parents’ basement is going to see that and want to stay with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She will if she’s cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh god, I live in my parents’ basement, too!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father set his beer aside and looked him dead in the eyes. “Axel. The only reason we didn’t tell you this before is because we didn’t want your hormonal teenage self to take advantage of it. Your mother and I have, in fact, soundproofed the basement in anticipation of this day, so that you can freely get up to wargaming or … not. Whatever it takes to build your harem and save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel froze with his beer halfway to his mouth. He’d thought he’d had some idea of how this day would go, and it had not involved his father telling him, “Go forth and fuck to save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt had especially not involved the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNonetheless, he became aware of a sudden sparkle beneath his chair. Before he could register that it wasn’t coming from Mel, the sparkle whirled around his feet like a circle drawn by a speeding comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe didn’t even have time to scream before he fell, nor before the circle closed, leaving only empty ground and his father, who said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh. That happened faster than expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd then he drained his beer and went inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50964518863139,"sku":"MGT-ORIGINAL","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_Original_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755729469"},{"product_id":"print-i-power-up-with-every-monster-girl-i-defeat-monster-girl-tamer-1-paperback-bikini-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I Power Up With Every Monster Girl I Defeat (Monster Girl Tamer #1) (Paperback) - BIKINI VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA red hot, fiery demon girl. A goblin girl obsessed with wood. An oni girl who loves to grip a big sword. And they’re going to help him save the world … \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAxel Hunter Radcliff has trained his whole life to be a hero. Once every generation, someone in his family is called upon to be a Chosen One, and Axel’s prepared himself extensively, just in case it’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe just wasn’t prepared for the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he’s in another world brimming with dangerous monsters beneath a sky full of magic portals … and with no idea what he’s been summoned to do. All he knows is that every Chosen Radcliff has been aided by a support staff of skilled women: a \u003cem\u003etactical harem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen mysterious monster girls start wreaking havoc in this new world, Axel is ready to answer the call. He’ll have to draw upon insight borne from every tabletop RPG he’s played and every harem novel he’s read to face them, because these are either the women he’s destined to gather … or the force he’s been summoned to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither way, these monster girls need to be \u003cem\u003etamed\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun LitRPG fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: sensuous demons, lustful goblins, voluptuous oni, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Son, it’s time for The Talk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had known those words were coming since last night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Talk meant something different in his family. Oh, he’d gotten the, “We’ve noticed how you look at girls, here’s a condom, don’t get anyone pregnant” talk when he was thirteen, but that was small potatoes compared to the talk every man in his family got at twenty. That Talk was a Very Big Potato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhich was why his dad’s nonchalance surprised him. When Axel came through the front door, his dad simply waved the same distant hello as usual, then went back to the kitchen sink, cleaning the last dishes from the birthday party Axel had been called away from—not that anyone blamed him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen you made a hobby of running toward fires, you had to go when the fire summoned you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Can I clean up a bit first?” Axel said. He still smelled like smoke from the night’s job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis dad waved again, and Axel went downstairs. He’d left his gear in his locker at the firehouse, but despite the hours spent cleaning the gear and tools, the scent and soot of his work still lingered. He was always vigilant about maintaining his gear, as much to preserve its reliability as to fend off the inevitable carcinogens he’d encounter; he was just as vigilant about his own body, and so he took a long shower to fend off the rest. It was an irony, he reflected, that so many firefighters spent their lives saving others, only to be killed by their own work, either in a fire or the slow cancer resulting from the things that burned around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen he chuckled darkly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGiven what his father was about to say, he was not likely to die of cancer. Few of the Radcliffs ever died in such mundane ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen he came back upstairs, his father greeted him by cracking open a beer. He wasn’t even twenty-one yet, but he recognized the beer, one that only emerged on serious occasions. The brew was based on one his grandfather had brought back from overseas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWell, “overseas” was only loosely correct. The bottle was a recycled original, and its label was in a language he’d never seen on this earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Damn, that’s good beer!” Axel exclaimed after his first swig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There’s a reason your grandfather founded his microbrewery once he came back,” his father said, taking his own as they flopped onto the living room couch. “Glad one of your grandmothers knew how to make this stuff.” (Grandpa had a lot of adventures.) “If you’re lucky enough to survive whatever’s coming, you’ll inherit the recipe, too. For now, though, you get this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOn the coffee table before them was positioned a thin, hard-shelled carrying case that resembled the ones Axel used to transport his wargaming miniatures. His father clicked it open with all the slow pride of an uber nerd about to show off an unholy amount of money spent on plastic and paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Axel, meet Mel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe case did not contain painted miniatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt contained a whole-ass M4 carbine, fully assembled and maintained to such perfection that it looked fresh off the production line, but Axel knew that wasn’t true. First off, because there was a sparkling pink cat head on its grip that had likely been slapped on as a joke. Second because, if the family stories were true—and \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e the family stories were true—that thing had already delivered some top-quality dakkas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III had been in progress before Mel and his father had gone to fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III was no longer in progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’d hoped to present her to you at the party last night, but well …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Duty called.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“As it does. And given how often duty called you even before your birthday, I thought I should equip you sooner rather than later.” He lifted the carbine from the case and extended it toward his son, like a blessing. “Axel Hunter Radcliff, if she’ll have you, she’s yours. Take her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf she’ll have you.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThat was the key, and why every man in the family trained. Because there was no way of knowing who Mel would choose until …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel braced his muscles to accept the heirloom. He hadn’t even fully gripped it when the weapon began to glow. Little streamers of sparkling light whipped off its form and then came back to envelop it, like some over-the-top magical girl transformation sequence, but with a badass gun. When the magical ribbons finished encasing it, its shape changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIts protruding bits withdrew into the main length of the gun, which then stretched out and back in a curve, except for one glob of light. This separated and hovered before him, stretching into a rectangle—no, a cylinder with a strap—which then zipped around to his back. In front, he could see additional details working into the piece still in his hands. Multiple layers of cables slipped around what looked like pulley wheels on each end of the elaborate curve. A final whip of luminescence encased his forearm and hand in the shape of an archery gauntlet, and when the light flashed away into a rain of sparkles, Axel’s suspicion was confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eResting in his hands was a shining silver compound bow, complete with that weird little cat head on the grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh,” Axel mused. “That’s … not what I expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You were expecting \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dad, it’s hard to have a family history like ours and \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e expect some kind of weirdness. Granted, I didn’t expect the transforming anime weapon, but once I saw what it was doing, I didn’t expect a bow, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That ‘transforming anime weapon’ is formally called The Arsenal, and it adapts to the user. It’s been passed down through our family for generations.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh! So the ‘Mel’ grandfather used was the same as your carbine, and the same as my bow? I thought it was just the name that got passed down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father shook his head. “Nope, it’s both.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why’d grandpa get a whole \u003ci\u003etank\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Different time, different place, \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003edifferent threat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Where’s the name Mel come from, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Actually … I don’t think even your grandpa remembers. We’ve always called her Mel, as far as I know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel positioned Mel in his hands and tested its stability and tension, then drew an arrow from the quiver that had materialized on his back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not in the house,” his father said. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you blow up your mom’s new couch. Let’s take it outside to the range.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The Range” was a bit of a misnomer. Oh, there was definitely a shooting range in their backyard, both for firearms and bows. But there was also a variety of obstacle courses, such that anyone flying over might mistake it for a little boot camp, were it not for the children’s playground positioned on the other side of the house. Even that was an intense, elaborate structure, meant to teach its users to fall down hard and get up quick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBoth were necessary skills in the Radcliff family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel went to his favorite spot on the archery range, put his beer down, and nocked an arrow to his new bow. He was amazed at how familiar it felt, like he’d been using this very bow since he’d picked up the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Our family has a great destiny, son,” his father said, creaking down into a nearby lawn chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware of that. Hard to miss when your grandpa’s sucked into a war in another world and your dad fought off the elder gods.” (World War III had been complicated.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It goes back further than that. And it’s stranger than you realize.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“But isn’t the short of it that we’re all called on to be heroes?” Axel asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was one of the reasons he’d been given a name like Axel Hunter Radcliff, in fact. One only had to pay half-attention while growing up to realize that, at least once in a generation, someone in his family earned a place in a history book somewhere, and like hell were any of them going to go down in history with names like John Smith or Chris Jones. His father had lucked out with the normal-sounding name of Byron, but most Radcliffs had names that sounded like they’d been pulled from old pulp adventures—and were expected to live up to them whether they were that generation’s Chosen One or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd so Axel had prepared as best he could.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was not as simple a task as it sounded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChosen Ones were an immutable fact in his family, but there were few ways of knowing what the One was Chosen \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant the best approach was a well-rounded one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMost of the family heroes benefited from physicality, so he’d participated in every sport he could when he was in school. Competitive archery was the only one he’d pursued after high school, but that was primarily because his work in the family landscaping business met a lot of his exercise demands. (After defeating the elder gods, his dad had wanted to do something low-key.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel didn’t find the job all that fulfilling, though, which was where volunteer firefighting came in. He’d never considered taking the career route, because like most jobs that were essential to the functioning of society, the pay was shit—but it allowed him to both test his limits and, more importantly, to do something meaningful. Heroic, even. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that flooded his veins every time the alert came. He didn’t wish fires on anyone, of course, but the joy he felt facing them was real—and specifically, the joy of taming such a volatile force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was like conquering a part of nature itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd the money he made off posing for the yearly firefighter calendar wasn’t bad, either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe let the arrow fly. The cable thumped against his gauntlet with a powerful crack, and the arrow pierced its target with a near-silent swish. A good shot, but mundane otherwise. No magical sparkles or anything. He prepared another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“We’re all called to be heroes,” Byron Radcliff continued, “but we’ve never told you the full story, nor what it means for each generation’s Chosen hero.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel let the arrow fly. It landed, again a good shot, but again mundane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe suspected he knew more than his father thought—after all, kids picked up a lot when the adults thought they weren’t listening—but he also knew his father wanted to tell the story. He’d probably been looking forward to this for years, and so Axel returned to his beer and took the seat next to his dad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that we’re called to be heroes, like some holy vocation. It’s that we get summoned, and we have no choice in the matter. And we have to make it work, because if we don’t, awful things can happen. Whatever you’re chosen for, you’re not destined to win. You’ll need to make clever use of the resources available to you. Mel, for one, and … let’s call it your support staff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe way his father said it suggested there was more to the phrase than allies. Namely, the way his eyebrows raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Some Radcliffs are sucked into conflicts around our world, but not all. Your grandfather was one such exception, summoned to another world to fight a demon king and his four generals. It was a fantastic situation to say the least, but the thing that got him through it was not his weapon, but his \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had just taken a swig of beer, and now it shot up through his nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you just say \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know the phrase ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’? Well, when you’re in extreme situations, having more can help.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, so … that was an intentional, organized thing? It wasn’t just that grandpa slept around with a bunch of women on his adventure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, he slept around for sure. But mainly with women who brought some kind of skill to his cause. They were his support as much as his lovers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Even the crazy cat lady?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe crazy cat lady was the only one Axel had ever heard described in any detail, and now that he thought of it, something else about her was odd. Namely, that she’d never been described as having any cats. And given what kind of world she’d come from …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Was one of my grandmas secretly a catgirl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eByron shrugged and took another swig of beer. “She certainly had … cat in some form. But that’s not my point. My point is that he’s not the first Radcliff to succeed because of his harem.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You, too? Then why do I only have one mom?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because after the elder god thing was over, she was the one I chose. You don’t have to marry them all. You just need to build a harem that helps you win the day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How will I know what my challenge is, then? What kind of skills I need to gather?” Axel asked urgently. This complicated things. More than his father realized. “Dad, I’ve always avoided getting a girlfriend because I didn’t want to endanger her. I don’t know how to flirt!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You’re a firefighter. Just take your shirt off and they’ll come.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s not my point. Have you seen the size of my wargaming collection? No girl I bring to my parents’ basement is going to see that and want to stay with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She will if she’s cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh god, I live in my parents’ basement, too!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father set his beer aside and looked him dead in the eyes. “Axel. The only reason we didn’t tell you this before is because we didn’t want your hormonal teenage self to take advantage of it. Your mother and I have, in fact, soundproofed the basement in anticipation of this day, so that you can freely get up to wargaming or … not. Whatever it takes to build your harem and save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel froze with his beer halfway to his mouth. He’d thought he’d had some idea of how this day would go, and it had not involved his father telling him, “Go forth and fuck to save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt had especially not involved the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNonetheless, he became aware of a sudden sparkle beneath his chair. Before he could register that it wasn’t coming from Mel, the sparkle whirled around his feet like a circle drawn by a speeding comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe didn’t even have time to scream before he fell, nor before the circle closed, leaving only empty ground and his father, who said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh. That happened faster than expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd then he drained his beer and went inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50970353533219,"sku":"MGT-BIKINI-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_Leaf_Bikini_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755729981"},{"product_id":"print-i-power-up-with-every-monster-girl-i-defeat-monster-girl-tamer-1-paperback-pepper-put-some-clothes-on-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I Power Up With Every Monster Girl I Defeat (Monster Girl Tamer #1) (Paperback) - PEPPER PUT SOME CLOTHES ON VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA red hot, fiery demon girl. A goblin girl obsessed with wood. An oni girl who loves to grip a big sword. And they’re going to help him save the world … \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAxel Hunter Radcliff has trained his whole life to be a hero. Once every generation, someone in his family is called upon to be a Chosen One, and Axel’s prepared himself extensively, just in case it’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe just wasn’t prepared for the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he’s in another world brimming with dangerous monsters beneath a sky full of magic portals … and with no idea what he’s been summoned to do. All he knows is that every Chosen Radcliff has been aided by a support staff of skilled women: a \u003cem\u003etactical harem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen mysterious monster girls start wreaking havoc in this new world, Axel is ready to answer the call. He’ll have to draw upon insight borne from every tabletop RPG he’s played and every harem novel he’s read to face them, because these are either the women he’s destined to gather … or the force he’s been summoned to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither way, these monster girls need to be \u003cem\u003etamed\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun LitRPG fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: sensuous demons, lustful goblins, voluptuous oni, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Son, it’s time for The Talk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had known those words were coming since last night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Talk meant something different in his family. Oh, he’d gotten the, “We’ve noticed how you look at girls, here’s a condom, don’t get anyone pregnant” talk when he was thirteen, but that was small potatoes compared to the talk every man in his family got at twenty. That Talk was a Very Big Potato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhich was why his dad’s nonchalance surprised him. When Axel came through the front door, his dad simply waved the same distant hello as usual, then went back to the kitchen sink, cleaning the last dishes from the birthday party Axel had been called away from—not that anyone blamed him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen you made a hobby of running toward fires, you had to go when the fire summoned you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Can I clean up a bit first?” Axel said. He still smelled like smoke from the night’s job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis dad waved again, and Axel went downstairs. He’d left his gear in his locker at the firehouse, but despite the hours spent cleaning the gear and tools, the scent and soot of his work still lingered. He was always vigilant about maintaining his gear, as much to preserve its reliability as to fend off the inevitable carcinogens he’d encounter; he was just as vigilant about his own body, and so he took a long shower to fend off the rest. It was an irony, he reflected, that so many firefighters spent their lives saving others, only to be killed by their own work, either in a fire or the slow cancer resulting from the things that burned around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen he chuckled darkly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGiven what his father was about to say, he was not likely to die of cancer. Few of the Radcliffs ever died in such mundane ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen he came back upstairs, his father greeted him by cracking open a beer. He wasn’t even twenty-one yet, but he recognized the beer, one that only emerged on serious occasions. The brew was based on one his grandfather had brought back from overseas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWell, “overseas” was only loosely correct. The bottle was a recycled original, and its label was in a language he’d never seen on this earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Damn, that’s good beer!” Axel exclaimed after his first swig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There’s a reason your grandfather founded his microbrewery once he came back,” his father said, taking his own as they flopped onto the living room couch. “Glad one of your grandmothers knew how to make this stuff.” (Grandpa had a lot of adventures.) “If you’re lucky enough to survive whatever’s coming, you’ll inherit the recipe, too. For now, though, you get this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOn the coffee table before them was positioned a thin, hard-shelled carrying case that resembled the ones Axel used to transport his wargaming miniatures. His father clicked it open with all the slow pride of an uber nerd about to show off an unholy amount of money spent on plastic and paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Axel, meet Mel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe case did not contain painted miniatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt contained a whole-ass M4 carbine, fully assembled and maintained to such perfection that it looked fresh off the production line, but Axel knew that wasn’t true. First off, because there was a sparkling pink cat head on its grip that had likely been slapped on as a joke. Second because, if the family stories were true—and \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e the family stories were true—that thing had already delivered some top-quality dakkas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III had been in progress before Mel and his father had gone to fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III was no longer in progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’d hoped to present her to you at the party last night, but well …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Duty called.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“As it does. And given how often duty called you even before your birthday, I thought I should equip you sooner rather than later.” He lifted the carbine from the case and extended it toward his son, like a blessing. “Axel Hunter Radcliff, if she’ll have you, she’s yours. Take her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf she’ll have you.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThat was the key, and why every man in the family trained. Because there was no way of knowing who Mel would choose until …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel braced his muscles to accept the heirloom. He hadn’t even fully gripped it when the weapon began to glow. Little streamers of sparkling light whipped off its form and then came back to envelop it, like some over-the-top magical girl transformation sequence, but with a badass gun. When the magical ribbons finished encasing it, its shape changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIts protruding bits withdrew into the main length of the gun, which then stretched out and back in a curve, except for one glob of light. This separated and hovered before him, stretching into a rectangle—no, a cylinder with a strap—which then zipped around to his back. In front, he could see additional details working into the piece still in his hands. Multiple layers of cables slipped around what looked like pulley wheels on each end of the elaborate curve. A final whip of luminescence encased his forearm and hand in the shape of an archery gauntlet, and when the light flashed away into a rain of sparkles, Axel’s suspicion was confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eResting in his hands was a shining silver compound bow, complete with that weird little cat head on the grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh,” Axel mused. “That’s … not what I expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You were expecting \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dad, it’s hard to have a family history like ours and \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e expect some kind of weirdness. Granted, I didn’t expect the transforming anime weapon, but once I saw what it was doing, I didn’t expect a bow, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That ‘transforming anime weapon’ is formally called The Arsenal, and it adapts to the user. It’s been passed down through our family for generations.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh! So the ‘Mel’ grandfather used was the same as your carbine, and the same as my bow? I thought it was just the name that got passed down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father shook his head. “Nope, it’s both.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why’d grandpa get a whole \u003ci\u003etank\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Different time, different place, \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003edifferent threat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Where’s the name Mel come from, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Actually … I don’t think even your grandpa remembers. We’ve always called her Mel, as far as I know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel positioned Mel in his hands and tested its stability and tension, then drew an arrow from the quiver that had materialized on his back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not in the house,” his father said. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you blow up your mom’s new couch. Let’s take it outside to the range.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The Range” was a bit of a misnomer. Oh, there was definitely a shooting range in their backyard, both for firearms and bows. But there was also a variety of obstacle courses, such that anyone flying over might mistake it for a little boot camp, were it not for the children’s playground positioned on the other side of the house. Even that was an intense, elaborate structure, meant to teach its users to fall down hard and get up quick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBoth were necessary skills in the Radcliff family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel went to his favorite spot on the archery range, put his beer down, and nocked an arrow to his new bow. He was amazed at how familiar it felt, like he’d been using this very bow since he’d picked up the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Our family has a great destiny, son,” his father said, creaking down into a nearby lawn chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware of that. Hard to miss when your grandpa’s sucked into a war in another world and your dad fought off the elder gods.” (World War III had been complicated.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It goes back further than that. And it’s stranger than you realize.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“But isn’t the short of it that we’re all called on to be heroes?” Axel asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was one of the reasons he’d been given a name like Axel Hunter Radcliff, in fact. One only had to pay half-attention while growing up to realize that, at least once in a generation, someone in his family earned a place in a history book somewhere, and like hell were any of them going to go down in history with names like John Smith or Chris Jones. His father had lucked out with the normal-sounding name of Byron, but most Radcliffs had names that sounded like they’d been pulled from old pulp adventures—and were expected to live up to them whether they were that generation’s Chosen One or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd so Axel had prepared as best he could.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was not as simple a task as it sounded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChosen Ones were an immutable fact in his family, but there were few ways of knowing what the One was Chosen \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant the best approach was a well-rounded one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMost of the family heroes benefited from physicality, so he’d participated in every sport he could when he was in school. Competitive archery was the only one he’d pursued after high school, but that was primarily because his work in the family landscaping business met a lot of his exercise demands. (After defeating the elder gods, his dad had wanted to do something low-key.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel didn’t find the job all that fulfilling, though, which was where volunteer firefighting came in. He’d never considered taking the career route, because like most jobs that were essential to the functioning of society, the pay was shit—but it allowed him to both test his limits and, more importantly, to do something meaningful. Heroic, even. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that flooded his veins every time the alert came. He didn’t wish fires on anyone, of course, but the joy he felt facing them was real—and specifically, the joy of taming such a volatile force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was like conquering a part of nature itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd the money he made off posing for the yearly firefighter calendar wasn’t bad, either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe let the arrow fly. The cable thumped against his gauntlet with a powerful crack, and the arrow pierced its target with a near-silent swish. A good shot, but mundane otherwise. No magical sparkles or anything. He prepared another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“We’re all called to be heroes,” Byron Radcliff continued, “but we’ve never told you the full story, nor what it means for each generation’s Chosen hero.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel let the arrow fly. It landed, again a good shot, but again mundane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe suspected he knew more than his father thought—after all, kids picked up a lot when the adults thought they weren’t listening—but he also knew his father wanted to tell the story. He’d probably been looking forward to this for years, and so Axel returned to his beer and took the seat next to his dad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that we’re called to be heroes, like some holy vocation. It’s that we get summoned, and we have no choice in the matter. And we have to make it work, because if we don’t, awful things can happen. Whatever you’re chosen for, you’re not destined to win. You’ll need to make clever use of the resources available to you. Mel, for one, and … let’s call it your support staff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe way his father said it suggested there was more to the phrase than allies. Namely, the way his eyebrows raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Some Radcliffs are sucked into conflicts around our world, but not all. Your grandfather was one such exception, summoned to another world to fight a demon king and his four generals. It was a fantastic situation to say the least, but the thing that got him through it was not his weapon, but his \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had just taken a swig of beer, and now it shot up through his nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you just say \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know the phrase ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’? Well, when you’re in extreme situations, having more can help.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, so … that was an intentional, organized thing? It wasn’t just that grandpa slept around with a bunch of women on his adventure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, he slept around for sure. But mainly with women who brought some kind of skill to his cause. They were his support as much as his lovers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Even the crazy cat lady?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe crazy cat lady was the only one Axel had ever heard described in any detail, and now that he thought of it, something else about her was odd. Namely, that she’d never been described as having any cats. And given what kind of world she’d come from …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Was one of my grandmas secretly a catgirl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eByron shrugged and took another swig of beer. “She certainly had … cat in some form. But that’s not my point. My point is that he’s not the first Radcliff to succeed because of his harem.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You, too? Then why do I only have one mom?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because after the elder god thing was over, she was the one I chose. You don’t have to marry them all. You just need to build a harem that helps you win the day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How will I know what my challenge is, then? What kind of skills I need to gather?” Axel asked urgently. This complicated things. More than his father realized. “Dad, I’ve always avoided getting a girlfriend because I didn’t want to endanger her. I don’t know how to flirt!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You’re a firefighter. Just take your shirt off and they’ll come.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s not my point. Have you seen the size of my wargaming collection? No girl I bring to my parents’ basement is going to see that and want to stay with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She will if she’s cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh god, I live in my parents’ basement, too!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father set his beer aside and looked him dead in the eyes. “Axel. The only reason we didn’t tell you this before is because we didn’t want your hormonal teenage self to take advantage of it. Your mother and I have, in fact, soundproofed the basement in anticipation of this day, so that you can freely get up to wargaming or … not. Whatever it takes to build your harem and save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel froze with his beer halfway to his mouth. He’d thought he’d had some idea of how this day would go, and it had not involved his father telling him, “Go forth and fuck to save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt had especially not involved the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNonetheless, he became aware of a sudden sparkle beneath his chair. Before he could register that it wasn’t coming from Mel, the sparkle whirled around his feet like a circle drawn by a speeding comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe didn’t even have time to scream before he fell, nor before the circle closed, leaving only empty ground and his father, who said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh. That happened faster than expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd then he drained his beer and went inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50970562134307,"sku":"MGT-BIKINI-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_Chaste_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755730096"},{"product_id":"print-i-power-up-with-every-monster-girl-i-defeat-monster-girl-tamer-1-paperback-magenta-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I Power Up With Every Monster Girl I Defeat (Monster Girl Tamer #1) (Paperback) - MAGENTA VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA red hot, fiery demon girl. A goblin girl obsessed with wood. An oni girl who loves to grip a big sword. And they’re going to help him save the world … \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAxel Hunter Radcliff has trained his whole life to be a hero. Once every generation, someone in his family is called upon to be a Chosen One, and Axel’s prepared himself extensively, just in case it’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe just wasn’t prepared for the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he’s in another world brimming with dangerous monsters beneath a sky full of magic portals … and with no idea what he’s been summoned to do. All he knows is that every Chosen Radcliff has been aided by a support staff of skilled women: a \u003cem\u003etactical harem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen mysterious monster girls start wreaking havoc in this new world, Axel is ready to answer the call. He’ll have to draw upon insight borne from every tabletop RPG he’s played and every harem novel he’s read to face them, because these are either the women he’s destined to gather … or the force he’s been summoned to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither way, these monster girls need to be \u003cem\u003etamed\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun LitRPG fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: sensuous demons, lustful goblins, voluptuous oni, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Son, it’s time for The Talk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had known those words were coming since last night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Talk meant something different in his family. Oh, he’d gotten the, “We’ve noticed how you look at girls, here’s a condom, don’t get anyone pregnant” talk when he was thirteen, but that was small potatoes compared to the talk every man in his family got at twenty. That Talk was a Very Big Potato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhich was why his dad’s nonchalance surprised him. When Axel came through the front door, his dad simply waved the same distant hello as usual, then went back to the kitchen sink, cleaning the last dishes from the birthday party Axel had been called away from—not that anyone blamed him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen you made a hobby of running toward fires, you had to go when the fire summoned you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Can I clean up a bit first?” Axel said. He still smelled like smoke from the night’s job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis dad waved again, and Axel went downstairs. He’d left his gear in his locker at the firehouse, but despite the hours spent cleaning the gear and tools, the scent and soot of his work still lingered. He was always vigilant about maintaining his gear, as much to preserve its reliability as to fend off the inevitable carcinogens he’d encounter; he was just as vigilant about his own body, and so he took a long shower to fend off the rest. It was an irony, he reflected, that so many firefighters spent their lives saving others, only to be killed by their own work, either in a fire or the slow cancer resulting from the things that burned around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen he chuckled darkly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGiven what his father was about to say, he was not likely to die of cancer. Few of the Radcliffs ever died in such mundane ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen he came back upstairs, his father greeted him by cracking open a beer. He wasn’t even twenty-one yet, but he recognized the beer, one that only emerged on serious occasions. The brew was based on one his grandfather had brought back from overseas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWell, “overseas” was only loosely correct. The bottle was a recycled original, and its label was in a language he’d never seen on this earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Damn, that’s good beer!” Axel exclaimed after his first swig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There’s a reason your grandfather founded his microbrewery once he came back,” his father said, taking his own as they flopped onto the living room couch. “Glad one of your grandmothers knew how to make this stuff.” (Grandpa had a lot of adventures.) “If you’re lucky enough to survive whatever’s coming, you’ll inherit the recipe, too. For now, though, you get this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOn the coffee table before them was positioned a thin, hard-shelled carrying case that resembled the ones Axel used to transport his wargaming miniatures. His father clicked it open with all the slow pride of an uber nerd about to show off an unholy amount of money spent on plastic and paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Axel, meet Mel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe case did not contain painted miniatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt contained a whole-ass M4 carbine, fully assembled and maintained to such perfection that it looked fresh off the production line, but Axel knew that wasn’t true. First off, because there was a sparkling pink cat head on its grip that had likely been slapped on as a joke. Second because, if the family stories were true—and \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e the family stories were true—that thing had already delivered some top-quality dakkas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III had been in progress before Mel and his father had gone to fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III was no longer in progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’d hoped to present her to you at the party last night, but well …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Duty called.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“As it does. And given how often duty called you even before your birthday, I thought I should equip you sooner rather than later.” He lifted the carbine from the case and extended it toward his son, like a blessing. “Axel Hunter Radcliff, if she’ll have you, she’s yours. Take her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf she’ll have you.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThat was the key, and why every man in the family trained. Because there was no way of knowing who Mel would choose until …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel braced his muscles to accept the heirloom. He hadn’t even fully gripped it when the weapon began to glow. Little streamers of sparkling light whipped off its form and then came back to envelop it, like some over-the-top magical girl transformation sequence, but with a badass gun. When the magical ribbons finished encasing it, its shape changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIts protruding bits withdrew into the main length of the gun, which then stretched out and back in a curve, except for one glob of light. This separated and hovered before him, stretching into a rectangle—no, a cylinder with a strap—which then zipped around to his back. In front, he could see additional details working into the piece still in his hands. Multiple layers of cables slipped around what looked like pulley wheels on each end of the elaborate curve. A final whip of luminescence encased his forearm and hand in the shape of an archery gauntlet, and when the light flashed away into a rain of sparkles, Axel’s suspicion was confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eResting in his hands was a shining silver compound bow, complete with that weird little cat head on the grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh,” Axel mused. “That’s … not what I expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You were expecting \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dad, it’s hard to have a family history like ours and \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e expect some kind of weirdness. Granted, I didn’t expect the transforming anime weapon, but once I saw what it was doing, I didn’t expect a bow, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That ‘transforming anime weapon’ is formally called The Arsenal, and it adapts to the user. It’s been passed down through our family for generations.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh! So the ‘Mel’ grandfather used was the same as your carbine, and the same as my bow? I thought it was just the name that got passed down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father shook his head. “Nope, it’s both.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why’d grandpa get a whole \u003ci\u003etank\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Different time, different place, \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003edifferent threat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Where’s the name Mel come from, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Actually … I don’t think even your grandpa remembers. We’ve always called her Mel, as far as I know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel positioned Mel in his hands and tested its stability and tension, then drew an arrow from the quiver that had materialized on his back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not in the house,” his father said. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you blow up your mom’s new couch. Let’s take it outside to the range.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The Range” was a bit of a misnomer. Oh, there was definitely a shooting range in their backyard, both for firearms and bows. But there was also a variety of obstacle courses, such that anyone flying over might mistake it for a little boot camp, were it not for the children’s playground positioned on the other side of the house. Even that was an intense, elaborate structure, meant to teach its users to fall down hard and get up quick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBoth were necessary skills in the Radcliff family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel went to his favorite spot on the archery range, put his beer down, and nocked an arrow to his new bow. He was amazed at how familiar it felt, like he’d been using this very bow since he’d picked up the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Our family has a great destiny, son,” his father said, creaking down into a nearby lawn chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware of that. Hard to miss when your grandpa’s sucked into a war in another world and your dad fought off the elder gods.” (World War III had been complicated.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It goes back further than that. And it’s stranger than you realize.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“But isn’t the short of it that we’re all called on to be heroes?” Axel asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was one of the reasons he’d been given a name like Axel Hunter Radcliff, in fact. One only had to pay half-attention while growing up to realize that, at least once in a generation, someone in his family earned a place in a history book somewhere, and like hell were any of them going to go down in history with names like John Smith or Chris Jones. His father had lucked out with the normal-sounding name of Byron, but most Radcliffs had names that sounded like they’d been pulled from old pulp adventures—and were expected to live up to them whether they were that generation’s Chosen One or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd so Axel had prepared as best he could.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was not as simple a task as it sounded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChosen Ones were an immutable fact in his family, but there were few ways of knowing what the One was Chosen \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant the best approach was a well-rounded one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMost of the family heroes benefited from physicality, so he’d participated in every sport he could when he was in school. Competitive archery was the only one he’d pursued after high school, but that was primarily because his work in the family landscaping business met a lot of his exercise demands. (After defeating the elder gods, his dad had wanted to do something low-key.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel didn’t find the job all that fulfilling, though, which was where volunteer firefighting came in. He’d never considered taking the career route, because like most jobs that were essential to the functioning of society, the pay was shit—but it allowed him to both test his limits and, more importantly, to do something meaningful. Heroic, even. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that flooded his veins every time the alert came. He didn’t wish fires on anyone, of course, but the joy he felt facing them was real—and specifically, the joy of taming such a volatile force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was like conquering a part of nature itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd the money he made off posing for the yearly firefighter calendar wasn’t bad, either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe let the arrow fly. The cable thumped against his gauntlet with a powerful crack, and the arrow pierced its target with a near-silent swish. A good shot, but mundane otherwise. No magical sparkles or anything. He prepared another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“We’re all called to be heroes,” Byron Radcliff continued, “but we’ve never told you the full story, nor what it means for each generation’s Chosen hero.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel let the arrow fly. It landed, again a good shot, but again mundane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe suspected he knew more than his father thought—after all, kids picked up a lot when the adults thought they weren’t listening—but he also knew his father wanted to tell the story. He’d probably been looking forward to this for years, and so Axel returned to his beer and took the seat next to his dad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that we’re called to be heroes, like some holy vocation. It’s that we get summoned, and we have no choice in the matter. And we have to make it work, because if we don’t, awful things can happen. Whatever you’re chosen for, you’re not destined to win. You’ll need to make clever use of the resources available to you. Mel, for one, and … let’s call it your support staff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe way his father said it suggested there was more to the phrase than allies. Namely, the way his eyebrows raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Some Radcliffs are sucked into conflicts around our world, but not all. Your grandfather was one such exception, summoned to another world to fight a demon king and his four generals. It was a fantastic situation to say the least, but the thing that got him through it was not his weapon, but his \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had just taken a swig of beer, and now it shot up through his nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you just say \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know the phrase ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’? Well, when you’re in extreme situations, having more can help.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, so … that was an intentional, organized thing? It wasn’t just that grandpa slept around with a bunch of women on his adventure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, he slept around for sure. But mainly with women who brought some kind of skill to his cause. They were his support as much as his lovers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Even the crazy cat lady?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe crazy cat lady was the only one Axel had ever heard described in any detail, and now that he thought of it, something else about her was odd. Namely, that she’d never been described as having any cats. And given what kind of world she’d come from …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Was one of my grandmas secretly a catgirl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eByron shrugged and took another swig of beer. “She certainly had … cat in some form. But that’s not my point. My point is that he’s not the first Radcliff to succeed because of his harem.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You, too? Then why do I only have one mom?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because after the elder god thing was over, she was the one I chose. You don’t have to marry them all. You just need to build a harem that helps you win the day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How will I know what my challenge is, then? What kind of skills I need to gather?” Axel asked urgently. This complicated things. More than his father realized. “Dad, I’ve always avoided getting a girlfriend because I didn’t want to endanger her. I don’t know how to flirt!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You’re a firefighter. Just take your shirt off and they’ll come.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s not my point. Have you seen the size of my wargaming collection? No girl I bring to my parents’ basement is going to see that and want to stay with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She will if she’s cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh god, I live in my parents’ basement, too!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father set his beer aside and looked him dead in the eyes. “Axel. The only reason we didn’t tell you this before is because we didn’t want your hormonal teenage self to take advantage of it. Your mother and I have, in fact, soundproofed the basement in anticipation of this day, so that you can freely get up to wargaming or … not. Whatever it takes to build your harem and save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel froze with his beer halfway to his mouth. He’d thought he’d had some idea of how this day would go, and it had not involved his father telling him, “Go forth and fuck to save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt had especially not involved the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNonetheless, he became aware of a sudden sparkle beneath his chair. Before he could register that it wasn’t coming from Mel, the sparkle whirled around his feet like a circle drawn by a speeding comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe didn’t even have time to scream before he fell, nor before the circle closed, leaving only empty ground and his father, who said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh. That happened faster than expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd then he drained his beer and went inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50970754842915,"sku":"MGT-MAGENTA-PPR","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_Magenta_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755729612"},{"product_id":"print-i-power-up-with-every-monster-girl-i-defeat-monster-girl-tamer-1-paperback-tomoe-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I Power Up With Every Monster Girl I Defeat (Monster Girl Tamer #1) (Paperback) - TOMOE VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook One in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA red hot, fiery demon girl. A goblin girl obsessed with wood. An oni girl who loves to grip a big sword. And they’re going to help him save the world … \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAxel Hunter Radcliff has trained his whole life to be a hero. Once every generation, someone in his family is called upon to be a Chosen One, and Axel’s prepared himself extensively, just in case it’s him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe just wasn’t prepared for the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he’s in another world brimming with dangerous monsters beneath a sky full of magic portals … and with no idea what he’s been summoned to do. All he knows is that every Chosen Radcliff has been aided by a support staff of skilled women: a \u003cem\u003etactical harem\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen mysterious monster girls start wreaking havoc in this new world, Axel is ready to answer the call. He’ll have to draw upon insight borne from every tabletop RPG he’s played and every harem novel he’s read to face them, because these are either the women he’s destined to gather … or the force he’s been summoned to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEither way, these monster girls need to be \u003cem\u003etamed\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun LitRPG fantasy adventure with a healthy side of heat: sensuous demons, lustful goblins, voluptuous oni, and saucy language to match. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I POWER UP WITH EVERY MONSTER GIRL I DEFEAT!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHAPTER ONE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Son, it’s time for The Talk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had known those words were coming since last night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe Talk meant something different in his family. Oh, he’d gotten the, “We’ve noticed how you look at girls, here’s a condom, don’t get anyone pregnant” talk when he was thirteen, but that was small potatoes compared to the talk every man in his family got at twenty. That Talk was a Very Big Potato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhich was why his dad’s nonchalance surprised him. When Axel came through the front door, his dad simply waved the same distant hello as usual, then went back to the kitchen sink, cleaning the last dishes from the birthday party Axel had been called away from—not that anyone blamed him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen you made a hobby of running toward fires, you had to go when the fire summoned you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Can I clean up a bit first?” Axel said. He still smelled like smoke from the night’s job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis dad waved again, and Axel went downstairs. He’d left his gear in his locker at the firehouse, but despite the hours spent cleaning the gear and tools, the scent and soot of his work still lingered. He was always vigilant about maintaining his gear, as much to preserve its reliability as to fend off the inevitable carcinogens he’d encounter; he was just as vigilant about his own body, and so he took a long shower to fend off the rest. It was an irony, he reflected, that so many firefighters spent their lives saving others, only to be killed by their own work, either in a fire or the slow cancer resulting from the things that burned around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThen he chuckled darkly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eGiven what his father was about to say, he was not likely to die of cancer. Few of the Radcliffs ever died in such mundane ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhen he came back upstairs, his father greeted him by cracking open a beer. He wasn’t even twenty-one yet, but he recognized the beer, one that only emerged on serious occasions. The brew was based on one his grandfather had brought back from overseas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWell, “overseas” was only loosely correct. The bottle was a recycled original, and its label was in a language he’d never seen on this earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Damn, that’s good beer!” Axel exclaimed after his first swig.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“There’s a reason your grandfather founded his microbrewery once he came back,” his father said, taking his own as they flopped onto the living room couch. “Glad one of your grandmothers knew how to make this stuff.” (Grandpa had a lot of adventures.) “If you’re lucky enough to survive whatever’s coming, you’ll inherit the recipe, too. For now, though, you get this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOn the coffee table before them was positioned a thin, hard-shelled carrying case that resembled the ones Axel used to transport his wargaming miniatures. His father clicked it open with all the slow pride of an uber nerd about to show off an unholy amount of money spent on plastic and paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Axel, meet Mel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe case did not contain painted miniatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt contained a whole-ass M4 carbine, fully assembled and maintained to such perfection that it looked fresh off the production line, but Axel knew that wasn’t true. First off, because there was a sparkling pink cat head on its grip that had likely been slapped on as a joke. Second because, if the family stories were true—and \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e the family stories were true—that thing had already delivered some top-quality dakkas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III had been in progress before Mel and his father had gone to fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWorld War III was no longer in progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’d hoped to present her to you at the party last night, but well …”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Duty called.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“As it does. And given how often duty called you even before your birthday, I thought I should equip you sooner rather than later.” He lifted the carbine from the case and extended it toward his son, like a blessing. “Axel Hunter Radcliff, if she’ll have you, she’s yours. Take her.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eIf she’ll have you.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThat was the key, and why every man in the family trained. Because there was no way of knowing who Mel would choose until …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel braced his muscles to accept the heirloom. He hadn’t even fully gripped it when the weapon began to glow. Little streamers of sparkling light whipped off its form and then came back to envelop it, like some over-the-top magical girl transformation sequence, but with a badass gun. When the magical ribbons finished encasing it, its shape changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIts protruding bits withdrew into the main length of the gun, which then stretched out and back in a curve, except for one glob of light. This separated and hovered before him, stretching into a rectangle—no, a cylinder with a strap—which then zipped around to his back. In front, he could see additional details working into the piece still in his hands. Multiple layers of cables slipped around what looked like pulley wheels on each end of the elaborate curve. A final whip of luminescence encased his forearm and hand in the shape of an archery gauntlet, and when the light flashed away into a rain of sparkles, Axel’s suspicion was confirmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eResting in his hands was a shining silver compound bow, complete with that weird little cat head on the grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh,” Axel mused. “That’s … not what I expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You were expecting \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Dad, it’s hard to have a family history like ours and \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e expect some kind of weirdness. Granted, I didn’t expect the transforming anime weapon, but once I saw what it was doing, I didn’t expect a bow, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That ‘transforming anime weapon’ is formally called The Arsenal, and it adapts to the user. It’s been passed down through our family for generations.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh! So the ‘Mel’ grandfather used was the same as your carbine, and the same as my bow? I thought it was just the name that got passed down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father shook his head. “Nope, it’s both.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Why’d grandpa get a whole \u003ci\u003etank\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Different time, different place, \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003edifferent threat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Where’s the name Mel come from, anyway?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Actually … I don’t think even your grandpa remembers. We’ve always called her Mel, as far as I know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel positioned Mel in his hands and tested its stability and tension, then drew an arrow from the quiver that had materialized on his back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Not in the house,” his father said. “We’ll never hear the end of it if you blow up your mom’s new couch. Let’s take it outside to the range.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“The Range” was a bit of a misnomer. Oh, there was definitely a shooting range in their backyard, both for firearms and bows. But there was also a variety of obstacle courses, such that anyone flying over might mistake it for a little boot camp, were it not for the children’s playground positioned on the other side of the house. Even that was an intense, elaborate structure, meant to teach its users to fall down hard and get up quick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBoth were necessary skills in the Radcliff family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel went to his favorite spot on the archery range, put his beer down, and nocked an arrow to his new bow. He was amazed at how familiar it felt, like he’d been using this very bow since he’d picked up the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Our family has a great destiny, son,” his father said, creaking down into a nearby lawn chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“I’m aware of that. Hard to miss when your grandpa’s sucked into a war in another world and your dad fought off the elder gods.” (World War III had been complicated.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It goes back further than that. And it’s stranger than you realize.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“But isn’t the short of it that we’re all called on to be heroes?” Axel asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was one of the reasons he’d been given a name like Axel Hunter Radcliff, in fact. One only had to pay half-attention while growing up to realize that, at least once in a generation, someone in his family earned a place in a history book somewhere, and like hell were any of them going to go down in history with names like John Smith or Chris Jones. His father had lucked out with the normal-sounding name of Byron, but most Radcliffs had names that sounded like they’d been pulled from old pulp adventures—and were expected to live up to them whether they were that generation’s Chosen One or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd so Axel had prepared as best he could.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was not as simple a task as it sounded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eChosen Ones were an immutable fact in his family, but there were few ways of knowing what the One was Chosen \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e, which meant the best approach was a well-rounded one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eMost of the family heroes benefited from physicality, so he’d participated in every sport he could when he was in school. Competitive archery was the only one he’d pursued after high school, but that was primarily because his work in the family landscaping business met a lot of his exercise demands. (After defeating the elder gods, his dad had wanted to do something low-key.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel didn’t find the job all that fulfilling, though, which was where volunteer firefighting came in. He’d never considered taking the career route, because like most jobs that were essential to the functioning of society, the pay was shit—but it allowed him to both test his limits and, more importantly, to do something meaningful. Heroic, even. Plus, he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that flooded his veins every time the alert came. He didn’t wish fires on anyone, of course, but the joy he felt facing them was real—and specifically, the joy of taming such a volatile force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt was like conquering a part of nature itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd the money he made off posing for the yearly firefighter calendar wasn’t bad, either.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe let the arrow fly. The cable thumped against his gauntlet with a powerful crack, and the arrow pierced its target with a near-silent swish. A good shot, but mundane otherwise. No magical sparkles or anything. He prepared another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“We’re all called to be heroes,” Byron Radcliff continued, “but we’ve never told you the full story, nor what it means for each generation’s Chosen hero.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel let the arrow fly. It landed, again a good shot, but again mundane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe suspected he knew more than his father thought—after all, kids picked up a lot when the adults thought they weren’t listening—but he also knew his father wanted to tell the story. He’d probably been looking forward to this for years, and so Axel returned to his beer and took the seat next to his dad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“It’s not that we’re called to be heroes, like some holy vocation. It’s that we get summoned, and we have no choice in the matter. And we have to make it work, because if we don’t, awful things can happen. Whatever you’re chosen for, you’re not destined to win. You’ll need to make clever use of the resources available to you. Mel, for one, and … let’s call it your support staff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe way his father said it suggested there was more to the phrase than allies. Namely, the way his eyebrows raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Some Radcliffs are sucked into conflicts around our world, but not all. Your grandfather was one such exception, summoned to another world to fight a demon king and his four generals. It was a fantastic situation to say the least, but the thing that got him through it was not his weapon, but his \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel had just taken a swig of beer, and now it shot up through his nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Did you just say \u003ci\u003eharem\u003c\/i\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You know the phrase ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’? Well, when you’re in extreme situations, having more can help.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Wait, so … that was an intentional, organized thing? It wasn’t just that grandpa slept around with a bunch of women on his adventure?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh, he slept around for sure. But mainly with women who brought some kind of skill to his cause. They were his support as much as his lovers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Even the crazy cat lady?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThe crazy cat lady was the only one Axel had ever heard described in any detail, and now that he thought of it, something else about her was odd. Namely, that she’d never been described as having any cats. And given what kind of world she’d come from …\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Was one of my grandmas secretly a catgirl?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eByron shrugged and took another swig of beer. “She certainly had … cat in some form. But that’s not my point. My point is that he’s not the first Radcliff to succeed because of his harem.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You, too? Then why do I only have one mom?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Because after the elder god thing was over, she was the one I chose. You don’t have to marry them all. You just need to build a harem that helps you win the day.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“How will I know what my challenge is, then? What kind of skills I need to gather?” Axel asked urgently. This complicated things. More than his father realized. “Dad, I’ve always avoided getting a girlfriend because I didn’t want to endanger her. I don’t know how to flirt!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“You’re a firefighter. Just take your shirt off and they’ll come.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“That’s not my point. Have you seen the size of my wargaming collection? No girl I bring to my parents’ basement is going to see that and want to stay with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“She will if she’s cool.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Oh god, I live in my parents’ basement, too!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHis father set his beer aside and looked him dead in the eyes. “Axel. The only reason we didn’t tell you this before is because we didn’t want your hormonal teenage self to take advantage of it. Your mother and I have, in fact, soundproofed the basement in anticipation of this day, so that you can freely get up to wargaming or … not. Whatever it takes to build your harem and save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAxel froze with his beer halfway to his mouth. He’d thought he’d had some idea of how this day would go, and it had not involved his father telling him, “Go forth and fuck to save the world.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eIt had especially not involved the portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eNonetheless, he became aware of a sudden sparkle beneath his chair. Before he could register that it wasn’t coming from Mel, the sparkle whirled around his feet like a circle drawn by a speeding comet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHe didn’t even have time to scream before he fell, nor before the circle closed, leaving only empty ground and his father, who said:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e“Huh. That happened faster than expected.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eAnd then he drained his beer and went inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54266338246947,"sku":"MGT-TOMOE","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_TOMOE_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755730292"},{"product_id":"print-im-an-isekai-hero-of-course-im-fighting-a-demon-lord-monster-girl-tamer-2-paperback-more-cowgirl-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I'm an Isekai Hero! Of Course I'm Fighting a Demon Lord (Monster Girl Tamer #2) (Paperback) - MORE COWGIRL VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Two in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA thicc cowgirl with a thicker accent. A bookish succubus with an absurd secret. A demon, goblin, and oni girl who’re as chaotic as they are good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eAnd they’re going to defeat a demon lord … how?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eIt’s been three months since Axel Hunter Radcliff fell through a magic portal into another world of dangerous monsters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHailing from a family of Chosen Ones, he’s trained his whole life to be a hero. He just didn’t expect destiny to involve taming monster girls into semi-civilized adventurers. Or training them to form his tactical harem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOr their giant robots. Or their conspicuous anime tropes. Or the geeky succubus “Sexy Wizard” who transformed them in the first place.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a new minotaur girl shows up at his hot spring, he realizes the Sexy Wizard needs his help, too. She’s been captured by some of her own creations—but this time there’s a twist. These dragon ladies used to be two of his monster hunting friends, Jaz and Pix.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith all the isekai tropes tied up in his destiny, Axel expected a demon lord. What he didn’t expect was Demon Lord Jaspartina “Jaz” Red and her Demon Lord General Tailer “Pix” Weaver!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd, after a mere three months, he doesn’t have the stats to face his final boss.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFortunately, his magic power grows with his romantic bonds. And he has a whole harem of devoted monster girls eager to help raise his stats.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eWARNING:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a fun isekai LitRPG fantasy action adventure where the hero saves the day and gets\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eall\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ethe girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I'M AN ISEKAI HERO! OF COURSE I'M FIGHTING A DEMON LORD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\nThe summons came by Howitzer Beetle.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eMore precisely, it came when the beetle buzzed through Jaz’s balcony bug net, blasted a stone through Pix’s bedroom window, then shouted “Hunters, I require you!” in a familiar, regal voice. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Howitzer Beetle was distinct for the tube that ran from nasal opening to back. Articulate hind legs allowed it to toss debris inside, which it would then project at lethal, or at least very attention-getting speeds. This, combined with its ability to imitate speech like a parrot, made it Harly’s messenger of choice. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eFor, when the fusillade of a Howitzer Beetle woke you up, you answered.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eSo it was that Pix and Jaz rushed through the jungle.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I can just smell the gems already!” Jaz practically drooled, bounding through a patch of carnivorous plants with all the enthusiasm of a track and field junkie. “Harly’s probably got an incredible bounty for us. Why else would she wake us up like that?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix wove nimbly around the same obstacle—just as fast but much less noisily.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“It can’t be a regular bounty. There’s something else afoot here.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eTailer “Pix” Weaver and Jaspartina “Jaz” Red matched as well as deep-fried potatoes and pepperpickle ice cream—which was to say, they shouldn’t have, but they did. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix, nicknamed thus for her bright red pixie cut, ran in a dark set of full-body leather armor with a heavily marked-up Hunter’s Handbook hanging from a shoulder strap. The scabbard at her waist held a vertically-split blade with a revolving cylinder sandwiched between its forte and hilt, but she clutched the book in a way that suggested she’d rather solve problems than fight them. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz, meanwhile, sprinted in a plate mail bikini top segmented for maximum jiggle, red leather hot pants, and sunglasses on her sporty black hair. An enormous monsterbone greatsword bounced on one shoulder, her hand on its hilt in the manner of one who solved problems by bashing first. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Now that you mention it”—Jaz somersaulted over a log—”how did Harly get her voice in the beetle? It’s not like she can talk. Not like us, anyway.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That’s why I’m suspicious,” Pix replied.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThey knew the path well and soon pushed aside teal ferns to unveil an idyllic clearing, marked by a majestic waterfall that nourished the glen’s rolling greenery. A sweeping wonderland of butterflies and bioluminescent bugs fluttered about like fairy dust.\u003cbr\u003eIn the center of that whirl stood the woman.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe towered seven feet tall, including her headpiece, which resembled an old-timey wimple merged with a jester’s hat—or perhaps horns. Yes, more likely horns, for though her clothing brimmed fierce with color, it also brimmed fierce with armor. Sea green chitinous pieces hugged her voluptuous curves, except where they flared out into bustle or ballgown-esque flourishes. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe support was probably necessary, for the firm neckline of the chest plate cupped a pair of breasts so voluminous Pix half-expected them to attract satellites. Her face was sharp, with pouty, glamorous lips—and as if all that didn’t command sufficient attention, the jungle sun refracted through the sequin-like gems on her armor, casting a vibrant explosion of color through her immediate area.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz flicked down her sunglasses to ease the eye strain.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe mysterious fashionista faced them with an imperious sneer.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Finally, someone competent enough to help! Do you see this? My skeleton is on the inside!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe voice was identical to the Howitzer Beetle’s.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Harly?” Pix exclaimed. “Is that you?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Of course it’s me! How could you confuse this armor with anyone else’s? Even if what it contains is disgusting.” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz frolicked up to examine Harly’s new shape. “So this isn’t a new form for fashion hunter week?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Of course not!” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“But you’d kill it on the catwalk!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I kill wherever I please.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I mean dress to kill.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I kill however I please, whether through violence or fashion, but that’s beside the point! Why would I change my original form? I was perfect! And now my beautiful skeleton is ON THE INSIDE!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I … can see how that’d be disturbing for you,” Pix mused.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eFor most people, that condition would have been the opposite of a problem—but Harly was not most people. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eWhether she was a person at all was up for debate within the Society for the Exploration of the Monstrous Continent, because she was more commonly known as the Harlequin Mantis. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHer typical form was that of a three-story-tall mantid monster, her exoskeleton shaped into the chitin equivalent of a puffy-sleeved ballgown, and her antennae swept up into a playfully fashionable headdress. Gems grew along the spines that formed her artificial bustle, granting her a natural scattering of jewelry, and rendering her, truly, one of the most beautiful creatures on the continent. She rarely left her clearing to cause trouble, so the Society’s hunters usually left her alone.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUntil one hunter hadn’t.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUntil Jaspartina Red had gotten it in her head to stick an Earworm in the mantis’ ear … and through the telepathy it granted, learned she was a captivating conversationalist. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eToo captivating to be of purely monster intelligence. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eWhich begged the question: What made a person a person, and a monster a monster, if some monsters could think like people?\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly’s present form only complicated this question. Pix circled the woman more analytically than her partner.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“This wasn’t a voluntary transformation?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Absolutely not! What use would I have for this nonsense?” Harly smacked the side of her breasts. The resulting motion was the kind of absurd, hypnotic display that men would spend small fortunes to see on stage, even from the cheapest and most suspiciously stained of seats.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eEven Jaz decided she wanted a closer look. She laid her greatsword on the ground, clicked a few gems to new positions, then mounted it like a surfboard. In a burst of pink and red flames, the rocket-powered greatsword conveyed her above and before Harly, because of course Jaz would customize her greatsword for flight.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe brought the greatsword into a flame-plumed hover and bent in for a conspicuous look.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Wow. You could make bank in Skull Harbor with jugs like that. Could you imagine the striptease? Is your armor removable, or is it part of you? That could complicate things if—”\u003cbr\u003eHarly waved a dismissive hand, the pointy tips of her hard elbow-length “gloves” rendering her all the more imperious.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I’m not interested in such crass activities, nor men who won’t let me rip their heads off at the end of the night. Really, your legalities are so frustrating. How’s a female supposed to get off under those conditions? We monsters have no concept of ‘murder’ and we get along just fine.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eIn retrospect, Pix thought, perhaps the casual acceptance of murder-for-the-purposes-of-arousal was the difference between people and monsters.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“We don’t rip the heads off our partners,” she said with a shiver.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, you poor, sheltered thing. The permanence of the death is part of the pleasure.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix flailed her hands. “Can we stop talking about mantis mating rituals and get to why you called us here?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“If you wish.” Harly gestured to herself with a revolted sneer. “I wish this handled. This humanoid spine is insufficient to support these monstrosities, and my back aches. I’ll pay you every gem on the last carapace I shed to capture the person who caused this and force him to change me back.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but why hire us?” Jaz asked, taking a seat on her still-hovering greatsword. “You were a badass motherfucker in your original form, and you’re just a hotter BAMF in this one. Heck, you can one-shot most monsters when you want to, and now you’ve got built-in distractions!” She lowered her sunglasses at Harly’s chest.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That’s just it; I don’t want to. I want to stay cozy by my waterfall eating bugs and sunbathing while I pay competent peasants to solve my problems for me.” She tilted her chin, then added, “You’re the peasants.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I can’t say we’d mind the pay.” Pix shrugged, long used to Harly’s insults.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You know it’s a person?” Jaz asked. “Not some random magic or artifact from the sky or whatever?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Where exactly did your change happen?” Pix inquired.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I was on a day trip to the Hellpits,” Harly said. “Its springs are quite invigorating, and their minerals fortify my exoskeleton nicely.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I thought you hated water,” Pix said. “Wasn’t that why you didn’t help us with the Screecher last time?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Hot springs are different. They’re soothing for both the chitin and the soul, and they don’t have fish shit in them. Anyway, I was preparing to leave when someone ran by my spring. I felt odd afterward, like I do when I’m in the mood to rip off some good head.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You mean you were horny?” Jaz guessed.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I believe that’s your equivalent. Anyway, my body began to change soon after, and then my exoskeleton ejected me, in this form! The nerve! My own exoskeleton! The only coinciding event was the passing hunter, so I know he’s responsible.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You’re sure it’s a man?” Pix asked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, but what other sort of person would saddle me with these ridiculous things?” She slapped her breasts again, eliciting yet another hypnotic gazong! “I’m not even a mammal!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix and Jaz traded a glance. It had been some time since the last incident, but this situation sounded awfully similar to one they’d encountered two months ago. The monsters involved had been much lower level than Harly, but they’d still been turned into sexy Thicc Variant monster girls, all by a passing mysterious figure.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eBut given Harly’s … open-mindedness toward killing, Pix wanted to approach the situation carefully.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I have some ideas,” Pix began, “but first I want to—”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Sounds like the Sexy Wizard is behind this!” Jaz declared.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix sighed. Of course Jaz would blurt out what she’d hoped to hide.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly’s eyes perked with fresh interest. “The Sexy Wizard? Oh my. Can you describe his head for me? How satisfyingly do you think his neck would snap?” She shivered, the thought already making her wet, or whatever the Thicc Harlequin Mantis equivalent was. \u003cbr\u003ePix didn’t know and wasn’t curious enough to find out.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The wizard isn’t a man.” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly drooped. “And here I thought this might take an interesting turn.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The Society’s already investigating her,” Pix continued, referring to the Society for the Exploration of the Monstrous Continent. “She’s turned at least two other monsters into monster girls.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Have any turned back?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, but they don’t seem to be in any hurry to.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why not?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“They’re gettin’ good dick,” Jaz chimed, then perked with an idea of her own. “Do you think Harly’s meant to be one of Axel’s monster girls?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“‘Meant to be’?” Harly furrowed her brow. “Who is this ‘Axel’ and what does he have to do with the Sexy Wizard?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“He’s a Chosen One and he’s collecting monster girls to save the world or whatever. He’s wooed every monster girl the wizard’s created thus far into his harem, so maybe you’re a candidate? I mean, if he’s going to save the world, it’d be helpful to have a girlfriend with a magic beam cannon.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I am not a bug to be collected!” Harly snarled. “Nor am I a monster girl! These”—she smacked her breasts again—”are quite womanly traits!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What trope would she even fit?” Pix asked, trying to downplay the suggestion. “Don’t all Axel’s monster girls fit some kind of … He called it an ‘anime’ trope?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh! Yandere, definitely.” Jaz plunged into one of her pouches with the enthusiasm of a feral raccoon who’d just found a whole dumpster of crack, only to produce a beaten-up paperback featuring a sparsely-clothed, pointy-eared woman whose proportions defied the esoteric laws of time, space, physics only bespectacled bow tie-wearing sci-fi authors cared about, and probably a few RPG rule sets. The title of this Most Important Literary Work was The Second Coming of Beeflord Assgetter. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“It’s not anime,” Jaz continued, “but according to Axel, its tropes line up pretty closely. We talked about it during last month’s book club meeting. Anyway, wanting to rip a dude’s head off after sex definitely falls into the crazy girlfriend category, which is yandere to a T.”\u003cbr\u003e“Yandere isn’t generic crazy,” Pix countered. “Based upon what Axel said, the yandere is crazy for the male lead, at the expense of people who threaten him.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What sort of book club is this?” Harly snatched the book from Jaz’s hands and thumbed through it.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“If anything, Harly’s the Princess trope,” Pix continued.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, that’s a much better fit!” Jaz exclaimed. “Harly, give us a laugh.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly raised the back of her hand to her mouth and unleashed a high-pitched, musical, “OH-HO-HO-HO!” that left no doubt as to who was the most infuriatingly entitled of all royalty in the land. At least, until it devolved into a cackle worthy of a witch who’d finally gotten fed up with the princess’ shit and had a wicked curse waiting for her.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Maybe Harly’s just Harly,” Pix observed with a shrug.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I am not just me; I am absolutely me,” Harly preened. “But tell me more of this Axel, Sexy Wizard, and monster girl dick-getting. Is it truly so spectacular that it earns their complete allegiance?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“There’s more to it than that, I think,” Pix said. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The hot springs and the game nights are big pluses, too,” Jaz added.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Hot springs?” Harly’s antennae-horns wiggled. “Is this where the dick happens?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Um, Harly?” Pix began nervously. “We know you’re a colossal eldritch-class monster, and in no way obliged to listen to us—”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes.” Harly said it as a statement of fact rather than a question.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“But if you woo Axel, could you please not rip off his head? He’s the first useful Chosen One that’s fallen through the Skies, ever.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“And he lets us come to Raging Cliff Hot Springs whenever we want,” Jaz chimed.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Ah! I see the opportunity for a trade, then. You capture the Sexy Wizard and force her to change me back, and I’ll spare this eligible friend of yours.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Which also gives Axel motivation to help us find her!” Jaz exclaimed. “Win win! We could enlist him and his monster girls to help!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No!” Pix snapped. “Axel has nothing to do with this!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why not? He’s already trying to find the Sexy Wizard!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, but—Skies dammit, Jaz. He’s not trying to find her for the same reason Harly is. Or even the Society.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why’s your Society trying to find her?” Harly asked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Because she’s turning monsters into powered-up monster girls,” Pix explained. “Axel’s tamed all the monster girls so far, but eventually she’s going to create one that’s a genuine danger. The Society wants to find her before she does that.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why’s this ‘Axel’ trying to find her, then, if not to stop the danger she presents?” Harly took on a pensive look. “Does he want to force her to make more?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, he’s not like that. He thinks she’s a monster girl, too, and he wants to help her.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Well. That just won’t do.” Harly crossed her arms and glared. “No one who moves my skeleton gets away with it.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What do you mean?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Maybe I’ll eat her. After she changes me back, of course.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That would be murder,” Pix stated firmly.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, I know how your laws work, much as I disagree with them. You’re only allowed to kill monsters—” Harly’s eyes gleamed. “Wait. If she’s a monster girl, does she count as a monster, or as a girl? Do the murder laws not apply to her? How does it work?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThat, too, was a subject under debate at the Society. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The Society doesn’t allow us to act as hit men,” Pix replied. “Or in a way that makes us complicit in such behavior. We’ll help the Sexy Wizard turn you back, but we’re not going to let you kill her.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What if I throw in an extra carapace of gems?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Our morals aren’t for sale.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Mine are,” Jaz said, and Pix glared at her. “What? I’m just being honest here.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly regarded them with an air of frustration, then shrugged the matter aside.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I appreciate your honesty, and I suppose I can be satisfied with merely being changed back. When it comes down to it, you’ve done good work for me before. There are no other hunters I’d rather hire.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Aww, thanks!” Jaz beamed. “There’s no other mantis I’d consider taking morally-questionable bounties from!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“We’ll set off to the area of the Hellpits where you encountered the Sexy Wizard as soon as possible,” Pix said, “and report back once we know something.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eA snide, sly smile slipped across Harly’s face. “Oh, you won’t be going alone.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Pardon?” Pix’s face quirked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What’s that face for?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You just had the most insidious smile I’ve ever seen.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Did I really?” Harly raised both hands and patted her soft, squishy cheeks. “I suppose I shall have to get used to facial expressions, too. Skies, I hate this body. I miss having a face that doesn’t emote.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What do you mean we won’t be going alone?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly stopped squishing her face. “You said there were two other monster girls. Your information is outdated. There is another, and she works for me.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe raised the back of her hand to her lips. Another villainous princess laugh trilled through the jungle, echoing with the weight of a whole lot of foreshadowing.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54266368557347,"sku":"MGT2-MORE","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_MORE_COWGIRL_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755732889"},{"product_id":"print-im-an-isekai-hero-of-course-im-fighting-a-demon-lord-monster-girl-tamer-2-paperback-less-cowgirl-variant-cover","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: I'm an Isekai Hero! Of Course I'm Fighting a Demon Lord (Monster Girl Tamer #2) (Paperback) - LESS COWGIRL VARIANT COVER","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Two in the Monster Girl Tamer series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA thicc cowgirl with a thicker accent. A bookish succubus with an absurd secret. A demon, goblin, and oni girl who’re as chaotic as they are good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eAnd they’re going to defeat a demon lord … how?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eIt’s been three months since Axel Hunter Radcliff fell through a magic portal into another world of dangerous monsters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHailing from a family of Chosen Ones, he’s trained his whole life to be a hero. He just didn’t expect destiny to involve taming monster girls into semi-civilized adventurers. Or training them to form his tactical harem.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOr their giant robots. Or their conspicuous anime tropes. Or the geeky succubus “Sexy Wizard” who transformed them in the first place.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a new minotaur girl shows up at his hot spring, he realizes the Sexy Wizard needs his help, too. She’s been captured by some of her own creations—but this time there’s a twist. These dragon ladies used to be two of his monster hunting friends, Jaz and Pix.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith all the isekai tropes tied up in his destiny, Axel expected a demon lord. What he didn’t expect was Demon Lord Jaspartina “Jaz” Red and her Demon Lord General Tailer “Pix” Weaver!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd, after a mere three months, he doesn’t have the stats to face his final boss.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFortunately, his magic power grows with his romantic bonds. And he has a whole harem of devoted monster girls eager to help raise his stats.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eWARNING:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eMonster Girl Tamer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a fun isekai LitRPG fantasy action adventure where the hero saves the day and gets\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eall\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ethe girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/monster-girl-tamer\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/blood-knight\/\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Depositphotos_4583318_S_100x100.jpg?v=1675805195\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from I'M AN ISEKAI HERO! OF COURSE I'M FIGHTING A DEMON LORD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\nThe summons came by Howitzer Beetle.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eMore precisely, it came when the beetle buzzed through Jaz’s balcony bug net, blasted a stone through Pix’s bedroom window, then shouted “Hunters, I require you!” in a familiar, regal voice. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Howitzer Beetle was distinct for the tube that ran from nasal opening to back. Articulate hind legs allowed it to toss debris inside, which it would then project at lethal, or at least very attention-getting speeds. This, combined with its ability to imitate speech like a parrot, made it Harly’s messenger of choice. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eFor, when the fusillade of a Howitzer Beetle woke you up, you answered.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eSo it was that Pix and Jaz rushed through the jungle.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I can just smell the gems already!” Jaz practically drooled, bounding through a patch of carnivorous plants with all the enthusiasm of a track and field junkie. “Harly’s probably got an incredible bounty for us. Why else would she wake us up like that?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix wove nimbly around the same obstacle—just as fast but much less noisily.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“It can’t be a regular bounty. There’s something else afoot here.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eTailer “Pix” Weaver and Jaspartina “Jaz” Red matched as well as deep-fried potatoes and pepperpickle ice cream—which was to say, they shouldn’t have, but they did. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix, nicknamed thus for her bright red pixie cut, ran in a dark set of full-body leather armor with a heavily marked-up Hunter’s Handbook hanging from a shoulder strap. The scabbard at her waist held a vertically-split blade with a revolving cylinder sandwiched between its forte and hilt, but she clutched the book in a way that suggested she’d rather solve problems than fight them. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz, meanwhile, sprinted in a plate mail bikini top segmented for maximum jiggle, red leather hot pants, and sunglasses on her sporty black hair. An enormous monsterbone greatsword bounced on one shoulder, her hand on its hilt in the manner of one who solved problems by bashing first. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Now that you mention it”—Jaz somersaulted over a log—”how did Harly get her voice in the beetle? It’s not like she can talk. Not like us, anyway.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That’s why I’m suspicious,” Pix replied.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThey knew the path well and soon pushed aside teal ferns to unveil an idyllic clearing, marked by a majestic waterfall that nourished the glen’s rolling greenery. A sweeping wonderland of butterflies and bioluminescent bugs fluttered about like fairy dust.\u003cbr\u003eIn the center of that whirl stood the woman.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe towered seven feet tall, including her headpiece, which resembled an old-timey wimple merged with a jester’s hat—or perhaps horns. Yes, more likely horns, for though her clothing brimmed fierce with color, it also brimmed fierce with armor. Sea green chitinous pieces hugged her voluptuous curves, except where they flared out into bustle or ballgown-esque flourishes. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe support was probably necessary, for the firm neckline of the chest plate cupped a pair of breasts so voluminous Pix half-expected them to attract satellites. Her face was sharp, with pouty, glamorous lips—and as if all that didn’t command sufficient attention, the jungle sun refracted through the sequin-like gems on her armor, casting a vibrant explosion of color through her immediate area.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz flicked down her sunglasses to ease the eye strain.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe mysterious fashionista faced them with an imperious sneer.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Finally, someone competent enough to help! Do you see this? My skeleton is on the inside!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe voice was identical to the Howitzer Beetle’s.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Harly?” Pix exclaimed. “Is that you?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Of course it’s me! How could you confuse this armor with anyone else’s? Even if what it contains is disgusting.” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eJaz frolicked up to examine Harly’s new shape. “So this isn’t a new form for fashion hunter week?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Of course not!” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“But you’d kill it on the catwalk!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I kill wherever I please.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I mean dress to kill.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I kill however I please, whether through violence or fashion, but that’s beside the point! Why would I change my original form? I was perfect! And now my beautiful skeleton is ON THE INSIDE!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I … can see how that’d be disturbing for you,” Pix mused.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eFor most people, that condition would have been the opposite of a problem—but Harly was not most people. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eWhether she was a person at all was up for debate within the Society for the Exploration of the Monstrous Continent, because she was more commonly known as the Harlequin Mantis. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHer typical form was that of a three-story-tall mantid monster, her exoskeleton shaped into the chitin equivalent of a puffy-sleeved ballgown, and her antennae swept up into a playfully fashionable headdress. Gems grew along the spines that formed her artificial bustle, granting her a natural scattering of jewelry, and rendering her, truly, one of the most beautiful creatures on the continent. She rarely left her clearing to cause trouble, so the Society’s hunters usually left her alone.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUntil one hunter hadn’t.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUntil Jaspartina Red had gotten it in her head to stick an Earworm in the mantis’ ear … and through the telepathy it granted, learned she was a captivating conversationalist. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eToo captivating to be of purely monster intelligence. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eWhich begged the question: What made a person a person, and a monster a monster, if some monsters could think like people?\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly’s present form only complicated this question. Pix circled the woman more analytically than her partner.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“This wasn’t a voluntary transformation?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Absolutely not! What use would I have for this nonsense?” Harly smacked the side of her breasts. The resulting motion was the kind of absurd, hypnotic display that men would spend small fortunes to see on stage, even from the cheapest and most suspiciously stained of seats.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eEven Jaz decided she wanted a closer look. She laid her greatsword on the ground, clicked a few gems to new positions, then mounted it like a surfboard. In a burst of pink and red flames, the rocket-powered greatsword conveyed her above and before Harly, because of course Jaz would customize her greatsword for flight.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe brought the greatsword into a flame-plumed hover and bent in for a conspicuous look.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Wow. You could make bank in Skull Harbor with jugs like that. Could you imagine the striptease? Is your armor removable, or is it part of you? That could complicate things if—”\u003cbr\u003eHarly waved a dismissive hand, the pointy tips of her hard elbow-length “gloves” rendering her all the more imperious.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I’m not interested in such crass activities, nor men who won’t let me rip their heads off at the end of the night. Really, your legalities are so frustrating. How’s a female supposed to get off under those conditions? We monsters have no concept of ‘murder’ and we get along just fine.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eIn retrospect, Pix thought, perhaps the casual acceptance of murder-for-the-purposes-of-arousal was the difference between people and monsters.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“We don’t rip the heads off our partners,” she said with a shiver.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, you poor, sheltered thing. The permanence of the death is part of the pleasure.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix flailed her hands. “Can we stop talking about mantis mating rituals and get to why you called us here?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“If you wish.” Harly gestured to herself with a revolted sneer. “I wish this handled. This humanoid spine is insufficient to support these monstrosities, and my back aches. I’ll pay you every gem on the last carapace I shed to capture the person who caused this and force him to change me back.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but why hire us?” Jaz asked, taking a seat on her still-hovering greatsword. “You were a badass motherfucker in your original form, and you’re just a hotter BAMF in this one. Heck, you can one-shot most monsters when you want to, and now you’ve got built-in distractions!” She lowered her sunglasses at Harly’s chest.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That’s just it; I don’t want to. I want to stay cozy by my waterfall eating bugs and sunbathing while I pay competent peasants to solve my problems for me.” She tilted her chin, then added, “You’re the peasants.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I can’t say we’d mind the pay.” Pix shrugged, long used to Harly’s insults.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You know it’s a person?” Jaz asked. “Not some random magic or artifact from the sky or whatever?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Where exactly did your change happen?” Pix inquired.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I was on a day trip to the Hellpits,” Harly said. “Its springs are quite invigorating, and their minerals fortify my exoskeleton nicely.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I thought you hated water,” Pix said. “Wasn’t that why you didn’t help us with the Screecher last time?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Hot springs are different. They’re soothing for both the chitin and the soul, and they don’t have fish shit in them. Anyway, I was preparing to leave when someone ran by my spring. I felt odd afterward, like I do when I’m in the mood to rip off some good head.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You mean you were horny?” Jaz guessed.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I believe that’s your equivalent. Anyway, my body began to change soon after, and then my exoskeleton ejected me, in this form! The nerve! My own exoskeleton! The only coinciding event was the passing hunter, so I know he’s responsible.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You’re sure it’s a man?” Pix asked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, but what other sort of person would saddle me with these ridiculous things?” She slapped her breasts again, eliciting yet another hypnotic gazong! “I’m not even a mammal!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix and Jaz traded a glance. It had been some time since the last incident, but this situation sounded awfully similar to one they’d encountered two months ago. The monsters involved had been much lower level than Harly, but they’d still been turned into sexy Thicc Variant monster girls, all by a passing mysterious figure.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eBut given Harly’s … open-mindedness toward killing, Pix wanted to approach the situation carefully.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I have some ideas,” Pix began, “but first I want to—”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Sounds like the Sexy Wizard is behind this!” Jaz declared.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003ePix sighed. Of course Jaz would blurt out what she’d hoped to hide.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly’s eyes perked with fresh interest. “The Sexy Wizard? Oh my. Can you describe his head for me? How satisfyingly do you think his neck would snap?” She shivered, the thought already making her wet, or whatever the Thicc Harlequin Mantis equivalent was. \u003cbr\u003ePix didn’t know and wasn’t curious enough to find out.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The wizard isn’t a man.” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly drooped. “And here I thought this might take an interesting turn.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The Society’s already investigating her,” Pix continued, referring to the Society for the Exploration of the Monstrous Continent. “She’s turned at least two other monsters into monster girls.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Have any turned back?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, but they don’t seem to be in any hurry to.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why not?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“They’re gettin’ good dick,” Jaz chimed, then perked with an idea of her own. “Do you think Harly’s meant to be one of Axel’s monster girls?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“‘Meant to be’?” Harly furrowed her brow. “Who is this ‘Axel’ and what does he have to do with the Sexy Wizard?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“He’s a Chosen One and he’s collecting monster girls to save the world or whatever. He’s wooed every monster girl the wizard’s created thus far into his harem, so maybe you’re a candidate? I mean, if he’s going to save the world, it’d be helpful to have a girlfriend with a magic beam cannon.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I am not a bug to be collected!” Harly snarled. “Nor am I a monster girl! These”—she smacked her breasts again—”are quite womanly traits!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What trope would she even fit?” Pix asked, trying to downplay the suggestion. “Don’t all Axel’s monster girls fit some kind of … He called it an ‘anime’ trope?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh! Yandere, definitely.” Jaz plunged into one of her pouches with the enthusiasm of a feral raccoon who’d just found a whole dumpster of crack, only to produce a beaten-up paperback featuring a sparsely-clothed, pointy-eared woman whose proportions defied the esoteric laws of time, space, physics only bespectacled bow tie-wearing sci-fi authors cared about, and probably a few RPG rule sets. The title of this Most Important Literary Work was The Second Coming of Beeflord Assgetter. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“It’s not anime,” Jaz continued, “but according to Axel, its tropes line up pretty closely. We talked about it during last month’s book club meeting. Anyway, wanting to rip a dude’s head off after sex definitely falls into the crazy girlfriend category, which is yandere to a T.”\u003cbr\u003e“Yandere isn’t generic crazy,” Pix countered. “Based upon what Axel said, the yandere is crazy for the male lead, at the expense of people who threaten him.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What sort of book club is this?” Harly snatched the book from Jaz’s hands and thumbed through it.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“If anything, Harly’s the Princess trope,” Pix continued.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, that’s a much better fit!” Jaz exclaimed. “Harly, give us a laugh.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly raised the back of her hand to her mouth and unleashed a high-pitched, musical, “OH-HO-HO-HO!” that left no doubt as to who was the most infuriatingly entitled of all royalty in the land. At least, until it devolved into a cackle worthy of a witch who’d finally gotten fed up with the princess’ shit and had a wicked curse waiting for her.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Maybe Harly’s just Harly,” Pix observed with a shrug.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I am not just me; I am absolutely me,” Harly preened. “But tell me more of this Axel, Sexy Wizard, and monster girl dick-getting. Is it truly so spectacular that it earns their complete allegiance?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“There’s more to it than that, I think,” Pix said. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The hot springs and the game nights are big pluses, too,” Jaz added.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Hot springs?” Harly’s antennae-horns wiggled. “Is this where the dick happens?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Um, Harly?” Pix began nervously. “We know you’re a colossal eldritch-class monster, and in no way obliged to listen to us—”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes.” Harly said it as a statement of fact rather than a question.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“But if you woo Axel, could you please not rip off his head? He’s the first useful Chosen One that’s fallen through the Skies, ever.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“And he lets us come to Raging Cliff Hot Springs whenever we want,” Jaz chimed.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Ah! I see the opportunity for a trade, then. You capture the Sexy Wizard and force her to change me back, and I’ll spare this eligible friend of yours.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Which also gives Axel motivation to help us find her!” Jaz exclaimed. “Win win! We could enlist him and his monster girls to help!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No!” Pix snapped. “Axel has nothing to do with this!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why not? He’s already trying to find the Sexy Wizard!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, but—Skies dammit, Jaz. He’s not trying to find her for the same reason Harly is. Or even the Society.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why’s your Society trying to find her?” Harly asked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Because she’s turning monsters into powered-up monster girls,” Pix explained. “Axel’s tamed all the monster girls so far, but eventually she’s going to create one that’s a genuine danger. The Society wants to find her before she does that.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Why’s this ‘Axel’ trying to find her, then, if not to stop the danger she presents?” Harly took on a pensive look. “Does he want to force her to make more?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“No, he’s not like that. He thinks she’s a monster girl, too, and he wants to help her.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Well. That just won’t do.” Harly crossed her arms and glared. “No one who moves my skeleton gets away with it.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What do you mean?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Maybe I’ll eat her. After she changes me back, of course.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“That would be murder,” Pix stated firmly.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Yes, I know how your laws work, much as I disagree with them. You’re only allowed to kill monsters—” Harly’s eyes gleamed. “Wait. If she’s a monster girl, does she count as a monster, or as a girl? Do the murder laws not apply to her? How does it work?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThat, too, was a subject under debate at the Society. \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“The Society doesn’t allow us to act as hit men,” Pix replied. “Or in a way that makes us complicit in such behavior. We’ll help the Sexy Wizard turn you back, but we’re not going to let you kill her.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What if I throw in an extra carapace of gems?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Our morals aren’t for sale.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Mine are,” Jaz said, and Pix glared at her. “What? I’m just being honest here.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly regarded them with an air of frustration, then shrugged the matter aside.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“I appreciate your honesty, and I suppose I can be satisfied with merely being changed back. When it comes down to it, you’ve done good work for me before. There are no other hunters I’d rather hire.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Aww, thanks!” Jaz beamed. “There’s no other mantis I’d consider taking morally-questionable bounties from!”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“We’ll set off to the area of the Hellpits where you encountered the Sexy Wizard as soon as possible,” Pix said, “and report back once we know something.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eA snide, sly smile slipped across Harly’s face. “Oh, you won’t be going alone.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Pardon?” Pix’s face quirked.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What’s that face for?”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“You just had the most insidious smile I’ve ever seen.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“Did I really?” Harly raised both hands and patted her soft, squishy cheeks. “I suppose I shall have to get used to facial expressions, too. Skies, I hate this body. I miss having a face that doesn’t emote.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e“What do you mean we won’t be going alone?” \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eHarly stopped squishing her face. “You said there were two other monster girls. Your information is outdated. There is another, and she works for me.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eShe raised the back of her hand to her lips. Another villainous princess laugh trilled through the jungle, echoing with the weight of a whole lot of foreshadowing.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Spice Rack Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54266378486051,"sku":"MGT2-LESS","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Monster_Girl_Tamer_1_LESS_COWGIRL_Paperback_2025.jpg?v=1755734089"},{"product_id":"print-catgirls-from-outer-space-gold-foil-premium-edition-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Catgirls from Outer Space (Gold Foil \u0026 Painted Edges Premium Edition Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK with GOLD FOIL and PAINTED EDGES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE: This edition is printed bespoke, just for you, by BookVault in the UK. Because of this, between production and shipping time, \u003cem\u003eit may take up to 3 WEEKS for the book to arrive\u003c\/em\u003e, relative to your location.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA down on his luck spaceship captain? An ex-space pirate catgirl? A catgirl warrior who’s down for some wild … adventure? Only one question remains: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWant to make some kittens tonight?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaptain Nathan Kade just wants a quick job \u003c\/strong\u003eto keep his busted-up spaceship limping through the Solar System.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstead he gets Vessani S’Kaari, a mysterious and beautiful catgirl\u003c\/strong\u003e who tried—and failed—to steal a ship belonging to a band of space pirates. She’s chaos in a tight catsuit, but she also has a lead on what may be the greatest treasure trove of lost technology the Solar System has ever seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot to mention a really nice … tail. \u003c\/strong\u003eHe pulls that tail out of the fire, and together they assemble a team to seek out this long-lost bounty.\u003cstrong\u003e Soon, he’s commanding a ragtag crew of space cowboys:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eA warrior catgirl who’s as deadly with a wink as her blade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eA snarky multi-bodied robot commando pilot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eA sexy engineer who knows how to make a reactor purr\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAnd a grumpy, cyber-implanted cleric who whispers with the remnants of ancient gods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eThey’ll dodge spaceship fire, flirt with danger (and each other), and maybe—just maybe—make the score of a lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBut they’re not the only ones chasing the prize. \u003c\/strong\u003eThe Jovian Everlife has dispatched a fleet of warships with one of their elite, many-bodied agents in command, and he’d like a few words with Nathan and his catgirls—preferably in chains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuns will blaze. Spaceships will burn. Tails will swish.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd somewhere in all that mayhem, a broke captain might just find everything he never knew he wanted.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmbark on the adventure of a lifetime with national bestselling author Jacob Holo and Amazon bestselling author Edie Skye in this brand new science fiction standalone. If you’re a fan of wild futuristic technology, wilder catgirls, and spicy scrappy crew space opera, this just might be the story you’ve been waiting for.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eCatgirls from Outer Space\u003c\/em\u003e is a fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi adventure romance for men where the hero saves the day and gets all the girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTROPES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExtra Spicy Fast Burn Romance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeroic Broke Spaceship Captain MMC\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBadass Catgirl FMCs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmut with Feelings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLots of Snark and Banter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall Harem (MFFF)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuest\/Treasure Hunt Across Space\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScrappy\/Ragtag Crew\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpace Western\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eNOTE: The first edition of this novel was originally released by Baen Books as Freelancers of Neptune by Jacob Holo. This second edition features additional content and character arcs contributed by Edie Skye. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003eFor readers unfamiliar with Edie Skye, there will be spice and its doors will be WAAAAY open. For readers unfamiliar with Jacob Holo, there will be math but it will be fade to black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The sci-fi elements flowed well with the spicy bits. It’s every man’s (and quite a few women’s) fantasy as well.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This is a seat-of-your-pants space adventure with drool-worthy interludes!”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Humorous Action Adventure with Catgirls!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This story has a lot more going for it than the catgirls. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing, but the adventure here, the fascinating universe of the setting, the hints of mysteries and dangers out there, it is all great.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fast-paced enjoyable read” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The cover tells you exactly what you'll get - but there is a lot more than that also.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fantastic book with more swishing cat tail than you can shake a stick at!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Fantastic writing and well developed, funny, interesting characters.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Put simply, this book is better than an 80 pack of Jimmy Dean sausages!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“If you like the cover, you'll like the book.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Holo \u0026amp; Skye Weave a Great Tail, er Tale \u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e😉\u003c\/span\u003e” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Well, Edie has done it again. A nicely spiced space opera.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“More spiciness than a hot sauce competition!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel with gold foil and painted edges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0f1111; background: white;\"\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from CATGIRLS FROM OUTER SPACE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext; background: white;\"\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat ring glittered in the vacuum of space, and Galatt Xormun watched the growing image with patient, predatory eyes. He didn’t consider himself an evil man, but he also held no illusions about the nature of his work, and especially the nature of this latest assignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was here to kidnap a man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then squeeze him for information.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter that, who could really say?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh, the wording of his orders from the Jovian Everlife—received in hushed tones and with carefully structured deniability—never used the words “kidnap” or “torture” or phrases like “Be your usual ruthless self. It’s why we’re sending you,” but Xormun knew how to read between the lines, and his superiors knew how to write there as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis orders were clear enough to him, and that’s all he and his crew needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone has to do the dirty work, he thought with a wry grin. Might as well be a persona who’ll get the job done!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe studied the ring with silver-within-black eyes, themselves situated in an angular, gold-skinned face. Not gold-en. Not tanned or burnt like some piece of revolting meat, but metallic gold etched with intricate traceries that gave his face a regal bearing. His current body stood on the bridge of the Leviathan of Io, ramrod straight with hands clasped in the small of his back despite the three gees of acceleration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat he now studied was remarkable only in how unremarkable it appeared. It was an open ring three thousand kilometers in diameter and five hundred fifty wide with atmospheric retention walls two hundred kilometers tall on either side of the ring’s habitable interior. A combination of the retention walls and centrifugal force kept the air from escaping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sheen of black solar skin coated the ring’s exterior, providing power to its ancient systems, which included an artificial light source at the hub stabilized by three slender spokes. The megastructure was angled so that the habitable zones never experienced Sol’s direct light. Instead, the sun-orb recreated the twenty-four-hour days so common amongst the solar system’s hundreds of thousands of habitats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll totaled, the ring featured a little over five million square kilometers of living space. Barely .01 earths of land. Not all that impressive, especially when he considered his own home—the two shell bands around Jupiter—boasted over twenty-three earths of surface area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to his mission brief, the locals called this place Kirkwood, and the name struck Xormun as appropriate. Over sixty percent of the ring’s interior was covered in a wide variety of woodlands: predominantly greens but with splotches of dark blues, purples, blacks, and even a few slashes of deep reds. A smattering of lakes took up most of the remaining space, with primitive cities seeded along their shores, often built near the ruins of more advanced structures. No census had been conducted on the ring, though informal estimates ran between ten and twenty million inhabitants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe locals were not his concern, however. They were mid-tech nobodies with no access to spaceships. In all likelihood, they and their ancestors had been stuck on this ring for four millennia, and they could stay there and rot for all he cared.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, his mission involved a visiting group of Saturnian missionaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr rather, one specific cleric named Anterus vaan Kronya.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Leviathan of Io reached a relative stop with the habitat, and its massive fusion thrusters switched off. The kilometer-long cruiser could land on the ring if the mission required, descending upon it like a dark, angular skyscraper, but why bother when its support corvettes were far more suited to the task at hand?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun floated off the floor and—with a frown—pressed a hand against the low ceiling to push himself back down. The ship’s pilot spun in her seat and faced Xormun. She’d had the sense to strap in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Ship in position, Apex,\u0026gt; the pilot reported, transmitting her words wirelessly to him. Her body possessed vocal cords, but they were useless while the bridge remained in vacuum. The Leviathan’s interior could be pressurized, and soon would be once their “guest” was brought on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun gave her a brief nod and floated closer to the main visual-glass. A white diamond blinked next to one of the ring’s cities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How certain are we he’s there?\u0026gt; he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Almost guaranteed, Apex,\u0026gt; replied one of his data analysts. \u0026lt;It’s the only location on the ring transmitting a Saturnian locator beacon.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How considerate of them.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Now that we have an angle down into the interior, our telescopes can make out a modular structure on the outskirts of this city.\u0026gt; The analyst indicated a cluster of linked rectangles next to the icon. \u0026lt;We believe it’s a missionary prefab, since it’s the source of the beacon and it doesn’t resemble other nearby buildings.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun nodded as the analyst finished. Jovians almost always referred to each other by position when on duty, and he, as the ship’s apex, formed the eye at the top of the vessel’s mind-copy pyramid. He’d be addressed as “captain” on a Saturnian or Neptunian ship, but such narrow definitions were for people limited to a single body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt present, twenty distinct Galatt Xormuns served on the Leviathan of Io, and more could be activated if needed. That few may not have seemed significant for a ship staffed with over five thousand bodies, but he’d ensured his copies filled the roles that would benefit most from his personal supervision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of which … \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun linked with a body in the hangar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, Apex?\u0026gt; The response came from his copy aboard one of eight corvettes, berthed on the Leviathan and prepped for launch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Is your team ready?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;It is.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Any concerns?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;None at present. If there are surprises, my commandos will take care of it. We’re ready to deploy on your command.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Then execute.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette descended through the ring’s atmosphere, and Galatt Xormun stood in the cargo hold beside a dozen Jovian commandos, each resplendent in red armor trimmed with gold highlights and armed with a combination of lethal and nonlethal weaponry. Their triangular, unmoving heads all faced the closed forward ramp, ready to charge out at a moment’s notice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette jostled from its descent through the atmosphere, and Xormun adjusted his footing, one hand gripping a handhold along the wall. This version of him wasn’t the apex, but that didn’t cloud his view of the larger picture, of the absolute necessity to bring Anterus in alive if his mission were to succeed. If anything, it heightened his awareness of every potential problem, impressing upon his mind the need to complete his objectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater, back on the Leviathan, his memories would be reintegrated into the core Galatt Xormun persona, retaining this version’s experiences for future copies. But for now, he was an individual—separate and distinct—and he focused on his goal with singular intensity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe turbulence ebbed, and the hum from the thrusters tapered off. The hold had already been filled with breathable air, its pressure equalized with the ring’s surface environment, and the sounds of their descent filled the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Star Dragon-pattern corvette was a rare sight even in the Jovian Everlife, and the Leviathan carried eight of them. The craft’s sleek, black hull widened slightly toward the rear, ending in a pair of thrust-vectoring nozzles. Flared sections on either side of the cockpit resembled thick, stubby wings that housed the craft’s recessed weapon systems, which in this case included a pair of 37mm rail-repeaters and eight torpedoes. A thruster capped the end of each wing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar Dragon arsenals could vary greatly depending on the mission, with options to carry even more weaponry on external racks above and below the wing stubs, though these were rarely used. External weapons often compromised the craft’s stealth profile to an unacceptable level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun didn’t believe all those weapons—along with the commandos’ lethal armaments—would be required to nab Anterus, but he also believed in being prepared, and he knew how this mission could end up shifting the balance of power across the entire solar system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ramp opened, and orb-light spilled into the dark cargo hold. The commandos rushed out, each leaping off the ramp to plummet to the ground dozens of meters. Xormun approached the ramp but didn’t jump off; instead, he kept his hand on a side railing while the corvette circled the target building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe structure was a collection of six modular blocks conjoined into a neat, curving row along a lakeside clearing. Teal-leafed trees towered nearby but provided no shade from the sun-orb’s light, always fixed at noon. His commandos had landed in a rough oval around the complex, and they moved in with rifles raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attack—if it could even be called that—didn’t last long.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Target acquired,\u0026gt; reported one of the commandos. \u0026lt;Three others subdued, one local and two Saturnians by the looks of them. Ready for extraction.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Take us down,\u0026gt; Xormun ordered the corvette’s pilot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, sir.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette spun its four nozzles and descended in a steep, slow diagonal until it came to rest along the shoreline. Xormun let go once the craft came to a complete stop and hurried down the ramp. His skin gleamed under the sun-orb’s light—silver instead of the gold he preferred when acting as apex—and he strode toward the Saturnian building. The warm breeze and sparse clouds overhead told him it would be a pleasant day as the sun-orb brightened toward noon-light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe passed through a pair of breached double doors, one on the floor and the other hanging on by a single, bent hinge. The module contained a short hall lined with open doors at regular intervals. He peeked inside a few, finding what might have been classrooms. One of them contained three individuals on their stomachs, hands bound behind their backs with a pair of commandos standing watch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe local woman struck Xormun as a typical baseline human, or at least close enough to pass as one, with a cascade of blonde hair tousled over moist, frightened eyes. He wasn’t sure how much the habitat’s locals diverged from baseline, and he didn’t really care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two Saturnian clerics were obvious enough with metallic hints of cranial implants scattered across their bald heads. Their two wigs were on the floor nearby. Not all members of the Church of the Pentatheon accepted—or even wanted—such neural augmentations, but they were common enough to make the clergy stand out more often than not. Xormun continued on with little more than a glance; these three were unimportant, which made them the lucky ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hall led into the next module with a slight bend, opening to a chamber that must have served as the mission’s worship center. Rows of pews faced an altar draped in royal purple cloth and adorned with five idols of colored glass, one for each Guardian Deity in the Pentatheon. Two of the idols had been knocked over, and one had rolled dangerously close to the edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus vaan Kronya lay on the floor in front of the altar, his arms bound behind his back and four commandos standing watch. He was a somewhat overweight man with a round face, his implants glinting along his scalp like little coins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now, now,” Xormun scolded. “There’s no need for that. Get the good man to his feet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo commandos hefted Anterus upright. The man’s feet dangled beneath him for a moment before he found his footing and the commandos released him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sorry about that.” Xormun dusted off the cleric’s purple robe, then straightened it at the shoulders. “There. Isn’t that better?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who are you?” Anterus demanded, his face reddened and twisted in scornful defiance. “What is the meaning of this?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Galatt Xormun of the Jovian Everlife.” He placed a hand on his chest and dipped his head to the cleric. “And before we discuss the meaning of our … visit”—he flashed a quick smile—“it seems we made a mess of your altar. If you’ll grant me a moment to tidy things up?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t seem to have a choice.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Indeed.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun stepped over to the altar and stood up the idols for Edencraft and Pathfinder. He adjusted the position of Metatron so the idols formed a neat row once more and picked up a piece of lint in front of Codex before flicking it aside. Only one of the five idols remained untouched, and he eyed it with a hint of scorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five machine gods of the Pentatheon had served as humanity’s caretakers for tens of thousands of years, overseeing what most scholars believed was an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the Guardian Deities fell silent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it all came crashing down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentations of those ancient, hyperintelligent machines varied wildly, even within the Church, but the green glass of a cornucopia filled with all manner of fauna and flora could only be Divergence. No other Guardian Deity was so inexorably tied to the organic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun placed a finger atop the cornucopia and rolled it over the table’s edge. It fell to the ground and shattered in an explosion of broken glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus flinched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There,” Xormun declared contently. “Much better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe made the zigzagged sign of the Tetrad, pressing two fingers to his forehead, then each of his shoulders in turn, and finally his chest. He dipped his head to the altar then turned back to the cleric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If it’s a theological debate you’re looking for,” Anterus spat, “I’m afraid you’re going about this the wrong way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Funny you should mention theology.” Xormun stood before the cleric, his boots crunching on glass shards. “That’s actually what brought us here today. Or, to be more precise, a combination of theology and history. Would you mind if I asked you about the Scourging of Heaven?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whatever for?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Intellectual curiosity. As it happens, the Scourging is linked to my work. Tell me, what do you believe happened back then?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Class resumes at nine tomorrow morning. Come back then if you want to talk, and”—he struggled against the commandos holding him up—“leave your goons at home!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My good sir.” Xormun placed a gentle hand on the cleric’s shoulder. “I know we only just met, but you should understand I’m a busy man, and I dislike it when people waste my time. Now, again, why don’t you indulge me and share your thoughts on the Scourging?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I fail to see the point in all this, but fine. The Scourging of Heaven is the event where the Pentatheon fell silent.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Which ended the Age of Communion—an age where anyone could speak to our Guardian Deities—and ushered in our current Age of Silence.” Xormun took his hand away and nodded. “A simple, if uninspired, answer. As for why they stopped responding to humanity, I find that a much more fascinating topic. Both major religions—the Church of the Pentatheon and followers of the Tetrad—call this event the Scourging of Heaven, though sometimes also the War in Heaven. Now why do you think that is?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nothing more than regional differences in how the Scourging is interpreted.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But is it really that simple? Consider, for a moment, that it was indeed a war. Does a war not imply battles? If so, who fought whom? Were our gods wounded? Were they killed? Who were they fighting? Was it some external threat, like the fabled Devil of Proxima? Or were they, perhaps, fighting a threat closer to home? Did Divergence really betray the Four?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a hallmark of your Tetrad faith,” Anterus bit out. “Not mine. And it’s a view enshrined by your people’s anti-organic mindset, and your rejection of Divergence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Perhaps. The truth is neither of us knows what really happened. We can debate the matter until … well, one of us is blue in the face, but it won’t get us anywhere. And really, what would be the point?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why are you here?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Because, my good sir”—Xormun flashed a sinister smile—“you’ve learned something about the Scourging, haven’t you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What could possibly make you think that—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Conversations with your former student,” Xormun interrupted, still holding that smile. “A certain engineer named Josephine Cotton.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus gasped. “But how could you—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Easily intercepted conversations, I might add,” Xormun explained with a dismissive wave. “They make for interesting reading. Theories about the Scourging, along with mentions of a second individual. A woman named Vessani S’Kaari.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cleric’s brow beaded with sudden sweat, though he tried to put on a brave face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A woman whom you now believe holds the key to unraveling the mystery behind the Scourging. Or, at least, the part of it I care about most.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus swallowed with an audible gulp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The wonders the Guardian Deities wrought upon the solar system are clear for all to see.” Xormun gestured to their surroundings. “They constructed countless habitats like this ring. They tore apart moons, whole planets even, and harvested matter from Sol itself to build whatever humanity asked of them. They reshaped the solar system as if it were but a mound of clay in their hands. How amazing they must have been to witness. How awe-inspiring. How … utterly terrifying.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus turned away, but Xormun took hold of his chin and forced the cleric to face him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tell me, what kind of weapon would be needed to kill such a being?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We haven’t found anything!” Anterus cried, his speech distorted by Xormun’s grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But you suspect. And that suspicion is enough for me. The ‘War in Heaven,’ indeed. Gods killing gods. And you believe you’re close to finding one such device. A pentatech relic that shattered the solar system and brought about the Age of Silence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No! You’re mistaken! We haven’t found anything! It’s a theory! Harmless speculation, nothing more!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why do you look so worried?” Xormun asked. “No, don’t bother answering. Let’s cut to the heart of the matter, shall we?” He nodded to the commandos. They uncuffed Anterus while keeping him restrained, and one of them forced the cleric’s splayed hand against the altar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What are you doing?!” he blurted, his breaths shallow and quick, his face flushed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Allow me to explain what happens next. I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and you’re going to give me truthful and complete answers. You might hold some delusions about resisting, but rest assured I’m something of an expert in these matters. Your efforts won’t change the end result. You will tell me what I want to know, even if nothing remains of you when I’m done besides a pile of quivering meat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun drew a knife and held it up for Anterus to see. Then he placed the tip of the blade underneath the nail of the man’s ring finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop!” Anterus pleaded. “I … I’ll tell you everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will.” Xormun pushed the blade into the soft flesh under the man’s nail, drawing blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll tell you everything!” The cleric’s legs thrashed vainly underneath him, his body in the iron grip of the commandos. “Everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will,” Xormun repeated softly, almost kindly. “This is merely so you and I can reach an understanding. So that you realize how serious I am.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe thrust the knife all the way under the nail, then levered it upward, ripping the nail free as the cleric cried out in pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Perfect Bound","offer_id":54518706241827,"sku":"9621769000042","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Catgirls_STANDARD_Edition_Foil_Paperback.jpg?v=1763769607"},{"product_id":"print-catgirls-from-outer-space-pink-foil-painted-edges-premium-edition-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Catgirls from Outer Space (Pink Foil \u0026 Painted Edges Premium Edition Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK with PINK FOIL and PAINTED EDGES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eNOTE: This edition is printed bespoke, just for you, by BookVault in the UK. Because of this, between production and shipping time, \u003cem\u003eit may take up to 3 WEEKS for the book to arrive,\u003c\/em\u003e relative to your location.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA down on his luck spaceship captain? An ex-space pirate catgirl? A catgirl warrior who’s down for some wild … adventure? Only one question remains: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWant to make some kittens tonight?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaptain Nathan Kade just wants a quick job \u003c\/strong\u003eto keep his busted-up spaceship limping through the Solar System.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstead he gets Vessani S’Kaari, a mysterious and beautiful catgirl\u003c\/strong\u003e who tried—and failed—to steal a ship belonging to a band of space pirates. She’s chaos in a tight catsuit, but she also has a lead on what may be the greatest treasure trove of lost technology the Solar System has ever seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot to mention a really nice … tail. \u003c\/strong\u003eHe pulls that tail out of the fire, and together they assemble a team to seek out this long-lost bounty.\u003cstrong\u003e Soon, he’s commanding a ragtag crew of space cowboys:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA warrior catgirl who’s as deadly with a wink as her blade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA snarky multi-bodied robot commando pilot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA sexy engineer who knows how to make a reactor purr\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eAnd a grumpy, cyber-implanted cleric who whispers with the remnants of ancient gods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eThey’ll dodge spaceship fire, flirt with danger (and each other), and maybe—just maybe—make the score of a lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBut they’re not the only ones chasing the prize. \u003c\/strong\u003eThe Jovian Everlife has dispatched a fleet of warships with one of their elite, many-bodied agents in command, and he’d like a few words with Nathan and his catgirls—preferably in chains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuns will blaze. Spaceships will burn. Tails will swish.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd somewhere in all that mayhem, a broke captain might just find everything he never knew he wanted.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmbark on the adventure of a lifetime with national bestselling author Jacob Holo and Amazon bestselling author Edie Skye in this brand new science fiction standalone. If you’re a fan of wild futuristic technology, wilder catgirls, and spicy scrappy crew space opera, this just might be the story you’ve been waiting for.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eCatgirls from Outer Space\u003c\/em\u003e is a fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi adventure romance for men where the hero saves the day and gets all the girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTROPES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExtra Spicy Fast Burn Romance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeroic Broke Spaceship Captain MMC\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBadass Catgirl FMCs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmut with Feelings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLots of Snark and Banter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall Harem (MFFF)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuest\/Treasure Hunt Across Space\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScrappy\/Ragtag Crew\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpace Western\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eNOTE: The first edition of this novel was originally released by Baen Books as Freelancers of Neptune by Jacob Holo. This second edition features additional content and character arcs contributed by Edie Skye. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eFor readers unfamiliar with Edie Skye, there will be spice and its doors will be WAAAAY open. For readers unfamiliar with Jacob Holo, there will be math but it will be fade to black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The sci-fi elements flowed well with the spicy bits. It’s every man’s (and quite a few women’s) fantasy as well.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This is a seat-of-your-pants space adventure with drool-worthy interludes!”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Humorous Action Adventure with Catgirls!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This story has a lot more going for it than the catgirls. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing, but the adventure here, the fascinating universe of the setting, the hints of mysteries and dangers out there, it is all great.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fast-paced enjoyable read” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The cover tells you exactly what you'll get - but there is a lot more than that also.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fantastic book with more swishing cat tail than you can shake a stick at!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Fantastic writing and well developed, funny, interesting characters.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Put simply, this book is better than an 80 pack of Jimmy Dean sausages!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“If you like the cover, you'll like the book.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Holo \u0026amp; Skye Weave a Great Tail, er Tale \u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e😉\u003c\/span\u003e” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Well, Edie has done it again. A nicely spiced space opera.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“More spiciness than a hot sauce competition!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel with pink foil and painted edges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0f1111; background: white;\"\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from CATGIRLS FROM OUTER SPACE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background: white;\"\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat ring glittered in the vacuum of space, and Galatt Xormun watched the growing image with patient, predatory eyes. He didn’t consider himself an evil man, but he also held no illusions about the nature of his work, and especially the nature of this latest assignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was here to kidnap a man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then squeeze him for information.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter that, who could really say?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh, the wording of his orders from the Jovian Everlife—received in hushed tones and with carefully structured deniability—never used the words “kidnap” or “torture” or phrases like “Be your usual ruthless self. It’s why we’re sending you,” but Xormun knew how to read between the lines, and his superiors knew how to write there as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis orders were clear enough to him, and that’s all he and his crew needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone has to do the dirty work, he thought with a wry grin. Might as well be a persona who’ll get the job done!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe studied the ring with silver-within-black eyes, themselves situated in an angular, gold-skinned face. Not gold-en. Not tanned or burnt like some piece of revolting meat, but metallic gold etched with intricate traceries that gave his face a regal bearing. His current body stood on the bridge of the Leviathan of Io, ramrod straight with hands clasped in the small of his back despite the three gees of acceleration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat he now studied was remarkable only in how unremarkable it appeared. It was an open ring three thousand kilometers in diameter and five hundred fifty wide with atmospheric retention walls two hundred kilometers tall on either side of the ring’s habitable interior. A combination of the retention walls and centrifugal force kept the air from escaping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sheen of black solar skin coated the ring’s exterior, providing power to its ancient systems, which included an artificial light source at the hub stabilized by three slender spokes. The megastructure was angled so that the habitable zones never experienced Sol’s direct light. Instead, the sun-orb recreated the twenty-four-hour days so common amongst the solar system’s hundreds of thousands of habitats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll totaled, the ring featured a little over five million square kilometers of living space. Barely .01 earths of land. Not all that impressive, especially when he considered his own home—the two shell bands around Jupiter—boasted over twenty-three earths of surface area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to his mission brief, the locals called this place Kirkwood, and the name struck Xormun as appropriate. Over sixty percent of the ring’s interior was covered in a wide variety of woodlands: predominantly greens but with splotches of dark blues, purples, blacks, and even a few slashes of deep reds. A smattering of lakes took up most of the remaining space, with primitive cities seeded along their shores, often built near the ruins of more advanced structures. No census had been conducted on the ring, though informal estimates ran between ten and twenty million inhabitants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe locals were not his concern, however. They were mid-tech nobodies with no access to spaceships. In all likelihood, they and their ancestors had been stuck on this ring for four millennia, and they could stay there and rot for all he cared.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, his mission involved a visiting group of Saturnian missionaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr rather, one specific cleric named Anterus vaan Kronya.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Leviathan of Io reached a relative stop with the habitat, and its massive fusion thrusters switched off. The kilometer-long cruiser could land on the ring if the mission required, descending upon it like a dark, angular skyscraper, but why bother when its support corvettes were far more suited to the task at hand?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun floated off the floor and—with a frown—pressed a hand against the low ceiling to push himself back down. The ship’s pilot spun in her seat and faced Xormun. She’d had the sense to strap in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Ship in position, Apex,\u0026gt; the pilot reported, transmitting her words wirelessly to him. Her body possessed vocal cords, but they were useless while the bridge remained in vacuum. The Leviathan’s interior could be pressurized, and soon would be once their “guest” was brought on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun gave her a brief nod and floated closer to the main visual-glass. A white diamond blinked next to one of the ring’s cities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How certain are we he’s there?\u0026gt; he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Almost guaranteed, Apex,\u0026gt; replied one of his data analysts. \u0026lt;It’s the only location on the ring transmitting a Saturnian locator beacon.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How considerate of them.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Now that we have an angle down into the interior, our telescopes can make out a modular structure on the outskirts of this city.\u0026gt; The analyst indicated a cluster of linked rectangles next to the icon. \u0026lt;We believe it’s a missionary prefab, since it’s the source of the beacon and it doesn’t resemble other nearby buildings.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun nodded as the analyst finished. Jovians almost always referred to each other by position when on duty, and he, as the ship’s apex, formed the eye at the top of the vessel’s mind-copy pyramid. He’d be addressed as “captain” on a Saturnian or Neptunian ship, but such narrow definitions were for people limited to a single body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt present, twenty distinct Galatt Xormuns served on the Leviathan of Io, and more could be activated if needed. That few may not have seemed significant for a ship staffed with over five thousand bodies, but he’d ensured his copies filled the roles that would benefit most from his personal supervision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of which … \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun linked with a body in the hangar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, Apex?\u0026gt; The response came from his copy aboard one of eight corvettes, berthed on the Leviathan and prepped for launch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Is your team ready?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;It is.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Any concerns?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;None at present. If there are surprises, my commandos will take care of it. We’re ready to deploy on your command.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Then execute.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette descended through the ring’s atmosphere, and Galatt Xormun stood in the cargo hold beside a dozen Jovian commandos, each resplendent in red armor trimmed with gold highlights and armed with a combination of lethal and nonlethal weaponry. Their triangular, unmoving heads all faced the closed forward ramp, ready to charge out at a moment’s notice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette jostled from its descent through the atmosphere, and Xormun adjusted his footing, one hand gripping a handhold along the wall. This version of him wasn’t the apex, but that didn’t cloud his view of the larger picture, of the absolute necessity to bring Anterus in alive if his mission were to succeed. If anything, it heightened his awareness of every potential problem, impressing upon his mind the need to complete his objectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater, back on the Leviathan, his memories would be reintegrated into the core Galatt Xormun persona, retaining this version’s experiences for future copies. But for now, he was an individual—separate and distinct—and he focused on his goal with singular intensity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe turbulence ebbed, and the hum from the thrusters tapered off. The hold had already been filled with breathable air, its pressure equalized with the ring’s surface environment, and the sounds of their descent filled the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Star Dragon-pattern corvette was a rare sight even in the Jovian Everlife, and the Leviathan carried eight of them. The craft’s sleek, black hull widened slightly toward the rear, ending in a pair of thrust-vectoring nozzles. Flared sections on either side of the cockpit resembled thick, stubby wings that housed the craft’s recessed weapon systems, which in this case included a pair of 37mm rail-repeaters and eight torpedoes. A thruster capped the end of each wing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar Dragon arsenals could vary greatly depending on the mission, with options to carry even more weaponry on external racks above and below the wing stubs, though these were rarely used. External weapons often compromised the craft’s stealth profile to an unacceptable level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun didn’t believe all those weapons—along with the commandos’ lethal armaments—would be required to nab Anterus, but he also believed in being prepared, and he knew how this mission could end up shifting the balance of power across the entire solar system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ramp opened, and orb-light spilled into the dark cargo hold. The commandos rushed out, each leaping off the ramp to plummet to the ground dozens of meters. Xormun approached the ramp but didn’t jump off; instead, he kept his hand on a side railing while the corvette circled the target building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe structure was a collection of six modular blocks conjoined into a neat, curving row along a lakeside clearing. Teal-leafed trees towered nearby but provided no shade from the sun-orb’s light, always fixed at noon. His commandos had landed in a rough oval around the complex, and they moved in with rifles raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attack—if it could even be called that—didn’t last long.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Target acquired,\u0026gt; reported one of the commandos. \u0026lt;Three others subdued, one local and two Saturnians by the looks of them. Ready for extraction.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Take us down,\u0026gt; Xormun ordered the corvette’s pilot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, sir.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette spun its four nozzles and descended in a steep, slow diagonal until it came to rest along the shoreline. Xormun let go once the craft came to a complete stop and hurried down the ramp. His skin gleamed under the sun-orb’s light—silver instead of the gold he preferred when acting as apex—and he strode toward the Saturnian building. The warm breeze and sparse clouds overhead told him it would be a pleasant day as the sun-orb brightened toward noon-light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe passed through a pair of breached double doors, one on the floor and the other hanging on by a single, bent hinge. The module contained a short hall lined with open doors at regular intervals. He peeked inside a few, finding what might have been classrooms. One of them contained three individuals on their stomachs, hands bound behind their backs with a pair of commandos standing watch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe local woman struck Xormun as a typical baseline human, or at least close enough to pass as one, with a cascade of blonde hair tousled over moist, frightened eyes. He wasn’t sure how much the habitat’s locals diverged from baseline, and he didn’t really care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two Saturnian clerics were obvious enough with metallic hints of cranial implants scattered across their bald heads. Their two wigs were on the floor nearby. Not all members of the Church of the Pentatheon accepted—or even wanted—such neural augmentations, but they were common enough to make the clergy stand out more often than not. Xormun continued on with little more than a glance; these three were unimportant, which made them the lucky ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hall led into the next module with a slight bend, opening to a chamber that must have served as the mission’s worship center. Rows of pews faced an altar draped in royal purple cloth and adorned with five idols of colored glass, one for each Guardian Deity in the Pentatheon. Two of the idols had been knocked over, and one had rolled dangerously close to the edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus vaan Kronya lay on the floor in front of the altar, his arms bound behind his back and four commandos standing watch. He was a somewhat overweight man with a round face, his implants glinting along his scalp like little coins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now, now,” Xormun scolded. “There’s no need for that. Get the good man to his feet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo commandos hefted Anterus upright. The man’s feet dangled beneath him for a moment before he found his footing and the commandos released him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sorry about that.” Xormun dusted off the cleric’s purple robe, then straightened it at the shoulders. “There. Isn’t that better?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who are you?” Anterus demanded, his face reddened and twisted in scornful defiance. “What is the meaning of this?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Galatt Xormun of the Jovian Everlife.” He placed a hand on his chest and dipped his head to the cleric. “And before we discuss the meaning of our … visit”—he flashed a quick smile—“it seems we made a mess of your altar. If you’ll grant me a moment to tidy things up?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t seem to have a choice.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Indeed.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun stepped over to the altar and stood up the idols for Edencraft and Pathfinder. He adjusted the position of Metatron so the idols formed a neat row once more and picked up a piece of lint in front of Codex before flicking it aside. Only one of the five idols remained untouched, and he eyed it with a hint of scorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five machine gods of the Pentatheon had served as humanity’s caretakers for tens of thousands of years, overseeing what most scholars believed was an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the Guardian Deities fell silent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it all came crashing down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentations of those ancient, hyperintelligent machines varied wildly, even within the Church, but the green glass of a cornucopia filled with all manner of fauna and flora could only be Divergence. No other Guardian Deity was so inexorably tied to the organic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun placed a finger atop the cornucopia and rolled it over the table’s edge. It fell to the ground and shattered in an explosion of broken glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus flinched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There,” Xormun declared contently. “Much better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe made the zigzagged sign of the Tetrad, pressing two fingers to his forehead, then each of his shoulders in turn, and finally his chest. He dipped his head to the altar then turned back to the cleric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If it’s a theological debate you’re looking for,” Anterus spat, “I’m afraid you’re going about this the wrong way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Funny you should mention theology.” Xormun stood before the cleric, his boots crunching on glass shards. “That’s actually what brought us here today. Or, to be more precise, a combination of theology and history. Would you mind if I asked you about the Scourging of Heaven?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whatever for?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Intellectual curiosity. As it happens, the Scourging is linked to my work. Tell me, what do you believe happened back then?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Class resumes at nine tomorrow morning. Come back then if you want to talk, and”—he struggled against the commandos holding him up—“leave your goons at home!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My good sir.” Xormun placed a gentle hand on the cleric’s shoulder. “I know we only just met, but you should understand I’m a busy man, and I dislike it when people waste my time. Now, again, why don’t you indulge me and share your thoughts on the Scourging?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I fail to see the point in all this, but fine. The Scourging of Heaven is the event where the Pentatheon fell silent.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Which ended the Age of Communion—an age where anyone could speak to our Guardian Deities—and ushered in our current Age of Silence.” Xormun took his hand away and nodded. “A simple, if uninspired, answer. As for why they stopped responding to humanity, I find that a much more fascinating topic. Both major religions—the Church of the Pentatheon and followers of the Tetrad—call this event the Scourging of Heaven, though sometimes also the War in Heaven. Now why do you think that is?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nothing more than regional differences in how the Scourging is interpreted.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But is it really that simple? Consider, for a moment, that it was indeed a war. Does a war not imply battles? If so, who fought whom? Were our gods wounded? Were they killed? Who were they fighting? Was it some external threat, like the fabled Devil of Proxima? Or were they, perhaps, fighting a threat closer to home? Did Divergence really betray the Four?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a hallmark of your Tetrad faith,” Anterus bit out. “Not mine. And it’s a view enshrined by your people’s anti-organic mindset, and your rejection of Divergence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Perhaps. The truth is neither of us knows what really happened. We can debate the matter until … well, one of us is blue in the face, but it won’t get us anywhere. And really, what would be the point?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why are you here?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Because, my good sir”—Xormun flashed a sinister smile—“you’ve learned something about the Scourging, haven’t you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What could possibly make you think that—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Conversations with your former student,” Xormun interrupted, still holding that smile. “A certain engineer named Josephine Cotton.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus gasped. “But how could you—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Easily intercepted conversations, I might add,” Xormun explained with a dismissive wave. “They make for interesting reading. Theories about the Scourging, along with mentions of a second individual. A woman named Vessani S’Kaari.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cleric’s brow beaded with sudden sweat, though he tried to put on a brave face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A woman whom you now believe holds the key to unraveling the mystery behind the Scourging. Or, at least, the part of it I care about most.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus swallowed with an audible gulp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The wonders the Guardian Deities wrought upon the solar system are clear for all to see.” Xormun gestured to their surroundings. “They constructed countless habitats like this ring. They tore apart moons, whole planets even, and harvested matter from Sol itself to build whatever humanity asked of them. They reshaped the solar system as if it were but a mound of clay in their hands. How amazing they must have been to witness. How awe-inspiring. How … utterly terrifying.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus turned away, but Xormun took hold of his chin and forced the cleric to face him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tell me, what kind of weapon would be needed to kill such a being?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We haven’t found anything!” Anterus cried, his speech distorted by Xormun’s grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But you suspect. And that suspicion is enough for me. The ‘War in Heaven,’ indeed. Gods killing gods. And you believe you’re close to finding one such device. A pentatech relic that shattered the solar system and brought about the Age of Silence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No! You’re mistaken! We haven’t found anything! It’s a theory! Harmless speculation, nothing more!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why do you look so worried?” Xormun asked. “No, don’t bother answering. Let’s cut to the heart of the matter, shall we?” He nodded to the commandos. They uncuffed Anterus while keeping him restrained, and one of them forced the cleric’s splayed hand against the altar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What are you doing?!” he blurted, his breaths shallow and quick, his face flushed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Allow me to explain what happens next. I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and you’re going to give me truthful and complete answers. You might hold some delusions about resisting, but rest assured I’m something of an expert in these matters. Your efforts won’t change the end result. You will tell me what I want to know, even if nothing remains of you when I’m done besides a pile of quivering meat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun drew a knife and held it up for Anterus to see. Then he placed the tip of the blade underneath the nail of the man’s ring finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop!” Anterus pleaded. “I … I’ll tell you everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will.” Xormun pushed the blade into the soft flesh under the man’s nail, drawing blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll tell you everything!” The cleric’s legs thrashed vainly underneath him, his body in the iron grip of the commandos. “Everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will,” Xormun repeated softly, almost kindly. “This is merely so you and I can reach an understanding. So that you realize how serious I am.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe thrust the knife all the way under the nail, then levered it upward, ripping the nail free as the cleric cried out in pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Perfect Bound","offer_id":54519807541539,"sku":"9621769000035","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Catgirls_PINK_FOIL_Edition_Foil_Paperback_1.jpg?v=1763769851"},{"product_id":"print-catgirls-from-outer-space-iridescent-foil-painted-edges-premium-edition-paperback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Catgirls from Outer Space (Iridescent Foil \u0026 Painted Edges Premium Edition Paperback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium PAPERBACK with IRIDESCENT FOIL and PAINTED EDGES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eSome dude called an author pal's book \"too girly for sci-fi\" whilst I was in the midst of designing the original cover, so I harnessed my combined powers of smartassery and graphic design and created this 💋 I AM BECOME PINK, DESTROYER OF MAN 💋 edition. 💋\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE: This edition is printed bespoke, just for you, by BookVault in the UK. Because of this, between production and shipping time,\u003cem\u003e it may take up to 3 WEEKS for the book to arrive\u003c\/em\u003e, relative to your location.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA down on his luck spaceship captain? An ex-space pirate catgirl? A catgirl warrior who’s down for some wild … adventure? Only one question remains: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWant to make some kittens tonight?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCaptain Nathan Kade just wants a quick job \u003c\/strong\u003eto keep his busted-up spaceship limping through the Solar System.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstead he gets Vessani S’Kaari, a mysterious and beautiful catgirl\u003c\/strong\u003e who tried—and failed—to steal a ship belonging to a band of space pirates. She’s chaos in a tight catsuit, but she also has a lead on what may be the greatest treasure trove of lost technology the Solar System has ever seen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot to mention a really nice … tail. \u003c\/strong\u003eHe pulls that tail out of the fire, and together they assemble a team to seek out this long-lost bounty.\u003cstrong\u003e Soon, he’s commanding a ragtag crew of space cowboys:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA warrior catgirl who’s as deadly with a wink as her blade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA snarky multi-bodied robot commando pilot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eA sexy engineer who knows how to make a reactor purr\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eAnd a grumpy, cyber-implanted cleric who whispers with the remnants of ancient gods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eThey’ll dodge spaceship fire, flirt with danger (and each other), and maybe—just maybe—make the score of a lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBut they’re not the only ones chasing the prize. \u003c\/strong\u003eThe Jovian Everlife has dispatched a fleet of warships with one of their elite, many-bodied agents in command, and he’d like a few words with Nathan and his catgirls—preferably in chains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuns will blaze. Spaceships will burn. Tails will swish.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd somewhere in all that mayhem, a broke captain might just find everything he never knew he wanted.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmbark on the adventure of a lifetime with national bestselling author Jacob Holo and Amazon bestselling author Edie Skye in this brand new science fiction standalone. If you’re a fan of wild futuristic technology, wilder catgirls, and spicy scrappy crew space opera, this just might be the story you’ve been waiting for.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eCatgirls from Outer Space\u003c\/em\u003e is a fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi adventure romance for men where the hero saves the day and gets all the girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTROPES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExtra Spicy Fast Burn Romance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeroic Broke Spaceship Captain MMC\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBadass Catgirl FMCs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmut with Feelings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLots of Snark and Banter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall Harem (MFFF)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuest\/Treasure Hunt Across Space\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScrappy\/Ragtag Crew\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpace Western\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eNOTE: The first edition of this novel was originally released by Baen Books as Freelancers of Neptune by Jacob Holo. This second edition features additional content and character arcs contributed by Edie Skye. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003eFor readers unfamiliar with Edie Skye, there will be spice and its doors will be WAAAAY open. For readers unfamiliar with Jacob Holo, there will be math but it will be fade to black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\" style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The sci-fi elements flowed well with the spicy bits. It’s every man’s (and quite a few women’s) fantasy as well.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This is a seat-of-your-pants space adventure with drool-worthy interludes!”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Humorous Action Adventure with Catgirls!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“This story has a lot more going for it than the catgirls. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing, but the adventure here, the fascinating universe of the setting, the hints of mysteries and dangers out there, it is all great.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fast-paced enjoyable read” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The cover tells you exactly what you'll get - but there is a lot more than that also.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A fantastic book with more swishing cat tail than you can shake a stick at!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Fantastic writing and well developed, funny, interesting characters.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Put simply, this book is better than an 80 pack of Jimmy Dean sausages!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“If you like the cover, you'll like the book.” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Holo \u0026amp; Skye Weave a Great Tail, er Tale \u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Segoe UI Emoji';\"\u003e😉\u003c\/span\u003e” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Well, Edie has done it again. A nicely spiced space opera.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“More spiciness than a hot sauce competition!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium paperback novel with gold foil and painted edges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/pages\/catgirls-from-outer-space\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-indent: 0in; line-height: normal;\" class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0f1111; background: white;\"\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from CATGIRLS FROM OUTER SPACE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background: white;\"\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat ring glittered in the vacuum of space, and Galatt Xormun watched the growing image with patient, predatory eyes. He didn’t consider himself an evil man, but he also held no illusions about the nature of his work, and especially the nature of this latest assignment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was here to kidnap a man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then squeeze him for information.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter that, who could really say?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOh, the wording of his orders from the Jovian Everlife—received in hushed tones and with carefully structured deniability—never used the words “kidnap” or “torture” or phrases like “Be your usual ruthless self. It’s why we’re sending you,” but Xormun knew how to read between the lines, and his superiors knew how to write there as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis orders were clear enough to him, and that’s all he and his crew needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone has to do the dirty work, he thought with a wry grin. Might as well be a persona who’ll get the job done!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe studied the ring with silver-within-black eyes, themselves situated in an angular, gold-skinned face. Not gold-en. Not tanned or burnt like some piece of revolting meat, but metallic gold etched with intricate traceries that gave his face a regal bearing. His current body stood on the bridge of the Leviathan of Io, ramrod straight with hands clasped in the small of his back despite the three gees of acceleration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe habitat he now studied was remarkable only in how unremarkable it appeared. It was an open ring three thousand kilometers in diameter and five hundred fifty wide with atmospheric retention walls two hundred kilometers tall on either side of the ring’s habitable interior. A combination of the retention walls and centrifugal force kept the air from escaping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sheen of black solar skin coated the ring’s exterior, providing power to its ancient systems, which included an artificial light source at the hub stabilized by three slender spokes. The megastructure was angled so that the habitable zones never experienced Sol’s direct light. Instead, the sun-orb recreated the twenty-four-hour days so common amongst the solar system’s hundreds of thousands of habitats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll totaled, the ring featured a little over five million square kilometers of living space. Barely .01 earths of land. Not all that impressive, especially when he considered his own home—the two shell bands around Jupiter—boasted over twenty-three earths of surface area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to his mission brief, the locals called this place Kirkwood, and the name struck Xormun as appropriate. Over sixty percent of the ring’s interior was covered in a wide variety of woodlands: predominantly greens but with splotches of dark blues, purples, blacks, and even a few slashes of deep reds. A smattering of lakes took up most of the remaining space, with primitive cities seeded along their shores, often built near the ruins of more advanced structures. No census had been conducted on the ring, though informal estimates ran between ten and twenty million inhabitants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe locals were not his concern, however. They were mid-tech nobodies with no access to spaceships. In all likelihood, they and their ancestors had been stuck on this ring for four millennia, and they could stay there and rot for all he cared.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, his mission involved a visiting group of Saturnian missionaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr rather, one specific cleric named Anterus vaan Kronya.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Leviathan of Io reached a relative stop with the habitat, and its massive fusion thrusters switched off. The kilometer-long cruiser could land on the ring if the mission required, descending upon it like a dark, angular skyscraper, but why bother when its support corvettes were far more suited to the task at hand?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun floated off the floor and—with a frown—pressed a hand against the low ceiling to push himself back down. The ship’s pilot spun in her seat and faced Xormun. She’d had the sense to strap in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Ship in position, Apex,\u0026gt; the pilot reported, transmitting her words wirelessly to him. Her body possessed vocal cords, but they were useless while the bridge remained in vacuum. The Leviathan’s interior could be pressurized, and soon would be once their “guest” was brought on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun gave her a brief nod and floated closer to the main visual-glass. A white diamond blinked next to one of the ring’s cities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How certain are we he’s there?\u0026gt; he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Almost guaranteed, Apex,\u0026gt; replied one of his data analysts. \u0026lt;It’s the only location on the ring transmitting a Saturnian locator beacon.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;How considerate of them.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Now that we have an angle down into the interior, our telescopes can make out a modular structure on the outskirts of this city.\u0026gt; The analyst indicated a cluster of linked rectangles next to the icon. \u0026lt;We believe it’s a missionary prefab, since it’s the source of the beacon and it doesn’t resemble other nearby buildings.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun nodded as the analyst finished. Jovians almost always referred to each other by position when on duty, and he, as the ship’s apex, formed the eye at the top of the vessel’s mind-copy pyramid. He’d be addressed as “captain” on a Saturnian or Neptunian ship, but such narrow definitions were for people limited to a single body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt present, twenty distinct Galatt Xormuns served on the Leviathan of Io, and more could be activated if needed. That few may not have seemed significant for a ship staffed with over five thousand bodies, but he’d ensured his copies filled the roles that would benefit most from his personal supervision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of which … \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun linked with a body in the hangar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, Apex?\u0026gt; The response came from his copy aboard one of eight corvettes, berthed on the Leviathan and prepped for launch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Is your team ready?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;It is.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Any concerns?\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;None at present. If there are surprises, my commandos will take care of it. We’re ready to deploy on your command.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Then execute.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette descended through the ring’s atmosphere, and Galatt Xormun stood in the cargo hold beside a dozen Jovian commandos, each resplendent in red armor trimmed with gold highlights and armed with a combination of lethal and nonlethal weaponry. Their triangular, unmoving heads all faced the closed forward ramp, ready to charge out at a moment’s notice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette jostled from its descent through the atmosphere, and Xormun adjusted his footing, one hand gripping a handhold along the wall. This version of him wasn’t the apex, but that didn’t cloud his view of the larger picture, of the absolute necessity to bring Anterus in alive if his mission were to succeed. If anything, it heightened his awareness of every potential problem, impressing upon his mind the need to complete his objectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater, back on the Leviathan, his memories would be reintegrated into the core Galatt Xormun persona, retaining this version’s experiences for future copies. But for now, he was an individual—separate and distinct—and he focused on his goal with singular intensity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe turbulence ebbed, and the hum from the thrusters tapered off. The hold had already been filled with breathable air, its pressure equalized with the ring’s surface environment, and the sounds of their descent filled the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Star Dragon-pattern corvette was a rare sight even in the Jovian Everlife, and the Leviathan carried eight of them. The craft’s sleek, black hull widened slightly toward the rear, ending in a pair of thrust-vectoring nozzles. Flared sections on either side of the cockpit resembled thick, stubby wings that housed the craft’s recessed weapon systems, which in this case included a pair of 37mm rail-repeaters and eight torpedoes. A thruster capped the end of each wing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStar Dragon arsenals could vary greatly depending on the mission, with options to carry even more weaponry on external racks above and below the wing stubs, though these were rarely used. External weapons often compromised the craft’s stealth profile to an unacceptable level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun didn’t believe all those weapons—along with the commandos’ lethal armaments—would be required to nab Anterus, but he also believed in being prepared, and he knew how this mission could end up shifting the balance of power across the entire solar system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ramp opened, and orb-light spilled into the dark cargo hold. The commandos rushed out, each leaping off the ramp to plummet to the ground dozens of meters. Xormun approached the ramp but didn’t jump off; instead, he kept his hand on a side railing while the corvette circled the target building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe structure was a collection of six modular blocks conjoined into a neat, curving row along a lakeside clearing. Teal-leafed trees towered nearby but provided no shade from the sun-orb’s light, always fixed at noon. His commandos had landed in a rough oval around the complex, and they moved in with rifles raised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attack—if it could even be called that—didn’t last long.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Target acquired,\u0026gt; reported one of the commandos. \u0026lt;Three others subdued, one local and two Saturnians by the looks of them. Ready for extraction.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Take us down,\u0026gt; Xormun ordered the corvette’s pilot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;Yes, sir.\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe corvette spun its four nozzles and descended in a steep, slow diagonal until it came to rest along the shoreline. Xormun let go once the craft came to a complete stop and hurried down the ramp. His skin gleamed under the sun-orb’s light—silver instead of the gold he preferred when acting as apex—and he strode toward the Saturnian building. The warm breeze and sparse clouds overhead told him it would be a pleasant day as the sun-orb brightened toward noon-light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe passed through a pair of breached double doors, one on the floor and the other hanging on by a single, bent hinge. The module contained a short hall lined with open doors at regular intervals. He peeked inside a few, finding what might have been classrooms. One of them contained three individuals on their stomachs, hands bound behind their backs with a pair of commandos standing watch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe local woman struck Xormun as a typical baseline human, or at least close enough to pass as one, with a cascade of blonde hair tousled over moist, frightened eyes. He wasn’t sure how much the habitat’s locals diverged from baseline, and he didn’t really care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two Saturnian clerics were obvious enough with metallic hints of cranial implants scattered across their bald heads. Their two wigs were on the floor nearby. Not all members of the Church of the Pentatheon accepted—or even wanted—such neural augmentations, but they were common enough to make the clergy stand out more often than not. Xormun continued on with little more than a glance; these three were unimportant, which made them the lucky ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hall led into the next module with a slight bend, opening to a chamber that must have served as the mission’s worship center. Rows of pews faced an altar draped in royal purple cloth and adorned with five idols of colored glass, one for each Guardian Deity in the Pentatheon. Two of the idols had been knocked over, and one had rolled dangerously close to the edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus vaan Kronya lay on the floor in front of the altar, his arms bound behind his back and four commandos standing watch. He was a somewhat overweight man with a round face, his implants glinting along his scalp like little coins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now, now,” Xormun scolded. “There’s no need for that. Get the good man to his feet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo commandos hefted Anterus upright. The man’s feet dangled beneath him for a moment before he found his footing and the commandos released him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sorry about that.” Xormun dusted off the cleric’s purple robe, then straightened it at the shoulders. “There. Isn’t that better?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who are you?” Anterus demanded, his face reddened and twisted in scornful defiance. “What is the meaning of this?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Galatt Xormun of the Jovian Everlife.” He placed a hand on his chest and dipped his head to the cleric. “And before we discuss the meaning of our … visit”—he flashed a quick smile—“it seems we made a mess of your altar. If you’ll grant me a moment to tidy things up?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t seem to have a choice.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Indeed.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun stepped over to the altar and stood up the idols for Edencraft and Pathfinder. He adjusted the position of Metatron so the idols formed a neat row once more and picked up a piece of lint in front of Codex before flicking it aside. Only one of the five idols remained untouched, and he eyed it with a hint of scorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five machine gods of the Pentatheon had served as humanity’s caretakers for tens of thousands of years, overseeing what most scholars believed was an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the Guardian Deities fell silent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it all came crashing down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentations of those ancient, hyperintelligent machines varied wildly, even within the Church, but the green glass of a cornucopia filled with all manner of fauna and flora could only be Divergence. No other Guardian Deity was so inexorably tied to the organic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun placed a finger atop the cornucopia and rolled it over the table’s edge. It fell to the ground and shattered in an explosion of broken glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus flinched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There,” Xormun declared contently. “Much better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe made the zigzagged sign of the Tetrad, pressing two fingers to his forehead, then each of his shoulders in turn, and finally his chest. He dipped his head to the altar then turned back to the cleric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If it’s a theological debate you’re looking for,” Anterus spat, “I’m afraid you’re going about this the wrong way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Funny you should mention theology.” Xormun stood before the cleric, his boots crunching on glass shards. “That’s actually what brought us here today. Or, to be more precise, a combination of theology and history. Would you mind if I asked you about the Scourging of Heaven?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whatever for?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Intellectual curiosity. As it happens, the Scourging is linked to my work. Tell me, what do you believe happened back then?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Class resumes at nine tomorrow morning. Come back then if you want to talk, and”—he struggled against the commandos holding him up—“leave your goons at home!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My good sir.” Xormun placed a gentle hand on the cleric’s shoulder. “I know we only just met, but you should understand I’m a busy man, and I dislike it when people waste my time. Now, again, why don’t you indulge me and share your thoughts on the Scourging?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I fail to see the point in all this, but fine. The Scourging of Heaven is the event where the Pentatheon fell silent.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Which ended the Age of Communion—an age where anyone could speak to our Guardian Deities—and ushered in our current Age of Silence.” Xormun took his hand away and nodded. “A simple, if uninspired, answer. As for why they stopped responding to humanity, I find that a much more fascinating topic. Both major religions—the Church of the Pentatheon and followers of the Tetrad—call this event the Scourging of Heaven, though sometimes also the War in Heaven. Now why do you think that is?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nothing more than regional differences in how the Scourging is interpreted.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But is it really that simple? Consider, for a moment, that it was indeed a war. Does a war not imply battles? If so, who fought whom? Were our gods wounded? Were they killed? Who were they fighting? Was it some external threat, like the fabled Devil of Proxima? Or were they, perhaps, fighting a threat closer to home? Did Divergence really betray the Four?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a hallmark of your Tetrad faith,” Anterus bit out. “Not mine. And it’s a view enshrined by your people’s anti-organic mindset, and your rejection of Divergence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Perhaps. The truth is neither of us knows what really happened. We can debate the matter until … well, one of us is blue in the face, but it won’t get us anywhere. And really, what would be the point?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why are you here?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Because, my good sir”—Xormun flashed a sinister smile—“you’ve learned something about the Scourging, haven’t you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What could possibly make you think that—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Conversations with your former student,” Xormun interrupted, still holding that smile. “A certain engineer named Josephine Cotton.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus gasped. “But how could you—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Easily intercepted conversations, I might add,” Xormun explained with a dismissive wave. “They make for interesting reading. Theories about the Scourging, along with mentions of a second individual. A woman named Vessani S’Kaari.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cleric’s brow beaded with sudden sweat, though he tried to put on a brave face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A woman whom you now believe holds the key to unraveling the mystery behind the Scourging. Or, at least, the part of it I care about most.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus swallowed with an audible gulp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The wonders the Guardian Deities wrought upon the solar system are clear for all to see.” Xormun gestured to their surroundings. “They constructed countless habitats like this ring. They tore apart moons, whole planets even, and harvested matter from Sol itself to build whatever humanity asked of them. They reshaped the solar system as if it were but a mound of clay in their hands. How amazing they must have been to witness. How awe-inspiring. How … utterly terrifying.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnterus turned away, but Xormun took hold of his chin and forced the cleric to face him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tell me, what kind of weapon would be needed to kill such a being?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We haven’t found anything!” Anterus cried, his speech distorted by Xormun’s grip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But you suspect. And that suspicion is enough for me. The ‘War in Heaven,’ indeed. Gods killing gods. And you believe you’re close to finding one such device. A pentatech relic that shattered the solar system and brought about the Age of Silence.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No! You’re mistaken! We haven’t found anything! It’s a theory! Harmless speculation, nothing more!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then why do you look so worried?” Xormun asked. “No, don’t bother answering. Let’s cut to the heart of the matter, shall we?” He nodded to the commandos. They uncuffed Anterus while keeping him restrained, and one of them forced the cleric’s splayed hand against the altar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What are you doing?!” he blurted, his breaths shallow and quick, his face flushed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Allow me to explain what happens next. I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and you’re going to give me truthful and complete answers. You might hold some delusions about resisting, but rest assured I’m something of an expert in these matters. Your efforts won’t change the end result. You will tell me what I want to know, even if nothing remains of you when I’m done besides a pile of quivering meat.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eXormun drew a knife and held it up for Anterus to see. Then he placed the tip of the blade underneath the nail of the man’s ring finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Stop!” Anterus pleaded. “I … I’ll tell you everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will.” Xormun pushed the blade into the soft flesh under the man’s nail, drawing blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll tell you everything!” The cleric’s legs thrashed vainly underneath him, his body in the iron grip of the commandos. “Everything!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know you will,” Xormun repeated softly, almost kindly. “This is merely so you and I can reach an understanding. So that you realize how serious I am.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe thrust the knife all the way under the nail, then levered it upward, ripping the nail free as the cleric cried out in pain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Perfect Bound","offer_id":54519807738147,"sku":"9621769000028","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Catgirls_PINK_Edition_Foil_Paperback_1.jpg?v=1763768357"},{"product_id":"titan-mage-omnibus-the-complete-crystal-moon-arc-volume-i-silver-foil-painted-edges-premium-edition-hardback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Omnibus: The Complete Crystal Moon Arc - Volume I (Silver Foil \u0026 Painted Edges Premium Edition Hardback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContains \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage\u003c\/em\u003e (#1), \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage: The Hot Springs Episode\u003c\/em\u003e (#1.5), \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage Ruin\u003c\/em\u003e (#2) and \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage Dragon\u003c\/em\u003e (#3) in the Titan Mage series. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium HARDBACK with SILVER FOIL and PAINTED EDGES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE: This edition is printed bespoke, just for you, by BookVault in the UK. Because of this, between production and shipping time,\u003cem\u003e it may take up to 4 WEEKS for the book to arrive\u003c\/em\u003e, relative to your location.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium paperback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHot girls? Giant Robots? HELL YEAH.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Locke is dead.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut considering that he just woke up with a brand new body, in the cockpit of a badass steampunk robot, on an airship of nothing but hot babes, his next life may not be all that bad. Especially when he learns that he’s a void mage—the rarest and most powerful of all mages on the world of Haven. And his shipmates want to help him make more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs if that weren’t enough, they offer Locke a job piloting one of their mechs, which they call Titans. In the meantime, Locke has to learn his way around this exciting world, all while coming to grips with his new—and dangerous—occupation. Will he be able to master his Titan? How can he best upgrade the machine to become as badass as possible? Why’s a strange parasitic sludge falling from the sky? What’s up with the ghost of a space witch living in his Titan—and inside his head?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd what’s going on with that strange shadow moving inside the Crystal Moon?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage: The Complete Crystal Moon Arc - Volume I\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun isekai fantasy adventure where the hero saves the day, gets all the girls, and gets up to steam both punk and ... (Anyway, don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium hardback novel with silver foil and painted edges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE: THE COMPLETE CRYSTAL MOON ARC - VOLUME I:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROLOGUE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How many are there?” Locke asked, his body cocooned safely within the massive bulk of Titan Chimera. The war machine towered over two stories tall, a humanoid frame of crimson armor plates over black joints and artificial muscles. Gold filigree—faded from wear and tear from who-knew-how-many battles—highlighted a few edges, accentuating its sturdy, powerful build.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke walked the titan up to the square opening in the floor, where diffused light from the sunrise spilled into the airship’s long central hangar bay. He clenched a gargantuan fist around a support rafter running the length of the ceiling and peered down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMorning mist shrouded the base of Mount Driver, and thick pine forests climbed its craggy slopes, thinning out into bare rock and snow near the mountain’s peak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcept for a glint of blue and silver moving along the forest’s edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003cem\u003elarge\u003c\/em\u003e glint. Moving fast for something so big.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ember?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hold it,” she radioed from Titan Long Shot. “I’m not in position yet. Almost there.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Take your time,” he sighed. Or he’d intended to, but his voice cracked at the end. Jitters ate at his nerves, and butterflies fluttered in the pit of his stomach. Fighting monsters in a titan was one thing, but this? This was on a whole different scale of crazy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy did I agree to this? \u003c\/em\u003eLocke thought. \u003cem\u003eWhy did I \u003c\/em\u003esuggest \u003cem\u003ethis\u003c\/em\u003e?!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In position,” Ember reported. The glint settled atop an outthrust of stone on the mountain, almost like a ship’s bow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And?” Locke asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah, I see them. Right where we thought they’d be.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How many?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“One titan, which we expected … plus two heavy weapon quads. Big ones, too. Maybe thirty tons each.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And how many titties?” he asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe radio fell silent for long, agonized seconds. He could almost feel Ember rolling her eyes at him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“For the last time, Locke, the ‘small titans’ are \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e titties! They’re called rigs!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I know that,” he countered, gazing once more at the drop. “But consider the world from my perspective, just for a moment. I’m \u003cem\u003enervous\u003c\/em\u003e, and I’ve been nervous since I agreed to this plan.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s \u003cem\u003eyour\u003c\/em\u003e plan!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s beside the point. What \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e the point is I made a lame little joke back then in an attempt to make myself feel better. And you know the response I got? \u003cem\u003eNone\u003c\/em\u003e of you laughed at my joke. So guess what? I’m calling them titties until I start feeling better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, good grief.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Remember, I’m about to leap from this airship in a seventeen-ton coffin, and the only thing preventing me from going crunch at the end is an upgrade we’ve never tested!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re not that high up,” Ember jabbed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Oh, you think so? Alyssa, how high up are we?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just a hair under six thousand feet,” she radioed from the airship’s bridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Right. Over a mile up, then. And not only that, but I’m dropping in next to some bad people who want us dead.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Try not to land right on top of them, would you?” Ember warned. “You’ll block my shots.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll \u003cem\u003etry\u003c\/em\u003e.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, Ember,” Alyssa cut in. “Back to Locke’s question, before he went off on this weird tangent. How many rigs do you see?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ten to fifteen. Hard to be exact. Some of them are obscured by the trees, and the quads will probably have some extra rigs I can’t see from here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a whole lot of titties,” Alyssa quipped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Uhh,” Ember groaned. “Not you, too.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That make you feel any better, Locke?” Alyssa asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Marginally.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, shake it out of your system. You’re a titan mage now. You charge in where others fear to tread. Don’t ever forget that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know. And I won’t let you down. I promise.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’ve got this. I know you do.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Now brace yourself. Here comes the turn.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe airship banked to the left, and Locke shifted one of Titan Chimera’s feet outward for better balance. He raised an arm, and through the titan’s eyes he studied the catalyst built into the underside of its forearm. The crystalline rod ran from the machine’s wrist down to its elbow, appearing clear in its inert state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke channeled a simple matter-based spell through the catalyst. Titan Chimera’s void furnace roared alive, burning a steady stream of liquefied void condensate and releasing the powerful essence sealed within. Hot air and black smoke belched out of two louvers, one at each of the titan’s shoulders, and the crystalline catalyst darkened to the same hue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilvery swiftmetal poured out of a port below the wrist and spun itself into the wireframe of a great shield, while one of the many gauges in his console wiggled downward. More swiftmetal spooled outward, filling in the shield until it formed a solid, reassuring wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke let the base of the shield thump down against the deck. The magical construct was as solid as wrought iron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e “I’m getting better at this,” he declared privately with a smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We’re almost on top of them,” Alyssa radioed in. “You ready to jump?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“As ready as I’ll ever be.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Watch it,” Ember warned. “That unexpected turn must have grabbed their attention. Those two quads are swinging their guns your way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Time to go!” Locke let go of the rafter, took one heavy step forward, and let the titan’s bulk tilt over the side. His stomach slammed up into his throat, and Titan Chimera plummeted toward the forest below, wind howling past him, armor plates rattling in the turbulence. Seventeen tons may have granted the machine a degree of stubborn inertia, but a brick still flew like a brick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Warm morning sunlight kissed the titan’s armor as Locke channeled a gravity-based spell into the catalysts in each leg. Crystalline rods built into the titan’s calves glowed a faint purple, and smoke of the same color plumed out of the titan’s louvers in long, pale streamers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis descent slowed and stabilized.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whew!” Locke exclaimed. “That’s one less worry.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe twin gravity catalysts weren’t powerful enough for true flight, but he could use them to fall in a controlled manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich was all he needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good luck!” Alyssa called out. High above, the long, glinting shape of the airship banked away from the battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Luck?” Locke scoffed. “Who needs luck when you can use mag—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beam of blinding yellow light shot up from the ground and blared past him with an aura of crackling magical lightning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Never mind!” He raised his shield, but the act obstructed his view of the oncoming ground. “Damn. Didn’t think this through, did I?” he mumbled to himself and channeled a matter spell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwiftmetal parted to form a narrow viewing slit near the top of the shield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There. That’s bet—”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA second beam speared into the shield. Silvery metal turned cherry red around the impact, and the force sent the titan spinning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yikes!” He channeled bursts of gravity thrust, righted the titan, and stabilized the shield with both hands. “Ember, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m being shot at!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Is this a surprise?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Isn’t this the part where \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c\/em\u003e start shooting at them?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hold it. I don’t want to waste my opening shot.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother beam scythed past him, its nimbus crackling against the edge of his shield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Would you fire sooner if I said pretty please?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No need. Aaaand … gotcha!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Long Shot channeled its own magic into a red lance of lethal energy. The beam pierced through the superstructure atop one of the enemy quads, rupturing its furnace. Superheated void essence screamed through the widening cracks like enraged, escaping steam, and lightning forked through the air. Mages and engineers in black livery scurried away from the four-legged weapon platform moments before its furnace blew in a cataclysm of unfocused energy magic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blast ripped the entire superstructure off its turret mooring and flung it three stories into the air before it fell back down and crumpled against the ground next to the quad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s one!” Ember called out triumphantly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second quad swiveled its cannon toward Titan Long Shot and fired, but the crew clearly didn’t have a fix on her position, and the beam bored a ragged line across the stony mountainside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA scattering of shots from void rifles \u003cem\u003etinked\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eplinked\u003c\/em\u003e against Locke’s shield, and he channeled one final burst of gravity magic before Titan Chimera stomped feetfirst into a narrow clearing. He stumbled forward, grabbed the thick trunk of an ancient pine, and planted his feet. The titan’s forward movement plowed two grooves through the damp soil and nearly uprooted the tree before it came to a stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Made it!” Locke said, then chuckled with the joy of still being alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Three rigs heading toward you,” Ember reported. “North by northwest.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I see them.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke faced the approaching weapons he thought of as “little titans.” These black-armored rigs stood twelve feet tall, less than half the height of his own Titan Chimera. They were too small to come with furnaces of their own, and instead received power from tanks of compressed void essence attached to their backs, which made them resemble deep sea divers to his eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke channeled through his matter catalyst, and the shield reformed into a massive hammer with a long, sturdy shaft. He gripped the weapon with both hands and charged the trio of rigs with long, thunderous strides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rigs opened fire, and bolts of energy chipped at Locke’s armor. He closed the distance and swung the hammer in a wide overhand arc. The hammer slammed into the lead rig’s head, flattened it, then imploded the top half of its torso. It teetered forward, arms outstretched, groping the air before Locke kicked it over. The rig \u003cem\u003ethunked\u003c\/em\u003e to the ground on its back, its legs and arms thrashing in vain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other two rigs paused, perhaps now regretting their bold charge against this titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who’s next?” Locke asked with a wide grin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Case Bound - PPC","offer_id":54534488031523,"sku":"9621769000011","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Omnibus_I_Shopify_446c6ec0-8d78-47ff-bc10-8537adb3d1ca.jpg?v=1764368354"},{"product_id":"print-titan-mage-omnibus-the-complete-crystal-moon-arc-volume-ii-gold-foil-and-painted-edges-premium-edition-hardback","title":"UNSIGNED PRINT: Titan Mage Omnibus: The Complete Crystal Moon Arc - Volume II (Gold Foil and Painted Edges Premium Edition Hardback)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContains \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eRising \u003c\/em\u003e(#4), \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage Apocalypse \u003c\/em\u003e(#5), and the short stories \"I'm In Love with A Helicopter,\" \"Once a Titan Mage,\" and \"Romancing Some Rock\" in the Titan Mage series, as well as extras including maps and a peek at \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage Havoc and the Frigid Flame\u003c\/em\u003e. Published by Spice Rack Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this premium HARDBACK with GOLD FOIL and PAINTED EDGES:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- x-tinymce\/html --\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNOTE: This edition is printed bespoke, just for you, by BookVault in the UK. Because of this, between production and shipping time,\u003cem\u003e it may take up to 4 WEEKS for the book to arrive\u003c\/em\u003e, relative to your location.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-983566d7-7fff-a834-4b88-3fed374d99ad\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an unsigned premium hardback, printed on demand just for you!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"short-description std\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"two-thirds first genesis-author-pro-book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHot girls? Giant Robots? HELL YEAH.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Locke is reborn.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Locke came to Haven, he didn’t know he’d have to save it—but with his god-tier magic, his giant mech called a Titan, and his crew of hot, capable women, he’s the best man for the job. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoon he’ll have to put all of that to use because Peth, the incorporeal space witch trapped inside his Titan, has had a dark premonition about the Crystal Moon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe same force that destroyed Peth’s civilization is about to break free from its prison. To defeat it, they’ll have to find and activate an ancient Precursor superweapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut reaching the superweapon won’t be easy, for Locke must lead his crew where no Havenite has gone in a thousand years:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOuter space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWill Locke’s crew and their Titans be enough to save the world?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe may not know how his story will end, but one thing’s for sure: Whatever comes next, he’s going to go out with a bang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWARNING: \u003cem\u003eTitan Mage: The Complete Crystal Moon Arc - Volume II\u003c\/em\u003e is a fun isekai fantasy adventure where the hero saves the day, gets all the girls, and gets up to steam both punk and ... (Anyway, don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Edie Skye has somehow managed to mix together LitRPG, magical mecha, and a spicy harem romance into a story that is fun and great entertainment. It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book in one night, but here we are.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“As a teenager, I drooled over the mechs of Robotech and Macross, and nothing since then has captured my love of those massive robots as the titans of Titan Mage.” —Amazon Reviewer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis product is a premium hardback novel with silver foil and painted edges.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a different format? \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/edieskye.com\/book\/titan-mage\/\"\u003eClick here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #00aaff;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy a sample from TITAN MAGE: THE COMPLETE CRYSTAL MOON ARC - VOLUME II:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTITAN MAGE RISING: CHAPTER ONE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe V-fin Locke had added to his titan’s forehead might have been a bit much, but he didn’t particularly care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen again, Titan Chimera was already a two-story-tall suit of bright red armor, with five different magic-channeling catalysts and a fresh polish that made it gleam in the rising sun like it had already won today’s battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the heroic badassery of the rest of it, his little decorative indulgence was nothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd besides, with all the ass he’d kicked these past nine months, he’d earned it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow his titan stood by the open hangar ramp of the airship \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e, arms crossed boldly over its knightly chest as Locke surveyed the scene below him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Harper’s Harriers’ star had been rising, but the success of the bounty with the dragon three months ago had rocketed that star straight across the whole sky. Now they no longer had to compete with other companies for bounty assignments; potential employers competed to hire \u003cem\u003ethem\u003c\/em\u003e by offering pay that matched their reputation. This was one such bounty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut with increased pay came increased challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e had three titans now, and today it would need all three of them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s the biggest bramble hulk I’ve ever seen,” Locke marveled, observing the thing through the visual sensors in his titan’s eyes. “No wonder Lord Argothine’s paying so much.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, it’s eaten at least twenty farmers and two mercenary crews,” Ember said from his right, in Titan Long Shot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The more meat it eats, the faster it grows, right?” added Sloan from Titan Deathly Rhythm on his left.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Exactly,” Locke replied. He’d fought bramble hulks before, but the way Lord Argothine’s emissary had described this one, it was levels above anything they’d yet faced. His original, unabridged copy of \u003cem\u003eThe Encyclopedia of Monsterkind\u003c\/em\u003e had been next to useless this time, so he’d used it as a reason to upgrade to the more comprehensive multivolume edition and had been reading up on the creature ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBramble hulks were a plant-based form of monster, and not only carnivorous but predatory, even in their simplest form. Standard bramble hulks reminded Locke vaguely of the one plant from \u003cem\u003eLittle Shop of Horrors\u003c\/em\u003e, with a fleshy mouth for a bud and vines it could use for locomotion. (Though to his knowledge, bramble hulks didn’t sing.) In that form, they usually subsisted on small forest creatures and didn’t live long before they met a forest creature that would eat them back. But occasionally one would win against the larger attempts at prey and grow proportionally, and a reign of terror would ensue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArgothine was the lord of Greenvale, which was not only the most verdant area of Haven—with plenty of places for even a larger bramble hulk to hide—but its breadbasket. This meant that the population he managed was mostly farmers spending most of their lives outside, and vulnerable to the monster stalking the forests around their crops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature had only eaten ten farmers when the lord had first hired the Harriers, but by the time they’d arrived in Greenvale, that number had doubled, and the creature’s power with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe monster beneath them now had the same basic shape as a standard bramble hulk, but its size towered to nearly the same height as Locke’s titan, and the vines and leaves at its base spread out in a bushy tangle twice as wide and thick enough that it could be hiding any assortment of nasty surprises.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That’s a fully mature monster,” Locke reported to his companions. “It’ll probably have pods that spit digestive acid somewhere in there, as well as sticky nectar beads to trap victims, so be aware. We may have titans, but this thing’s already taken down at least one titan.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“How are we going in, then?” Sloan radioed from Deathly Rhythm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Standard opening strategy,” Locke replied. “Ember, you freeze it while Sloan slows it and I whale on it. With any luck, it’ll be as simple as that, especially since it’s still morning.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’d tracked the creature all day yesterday until it settled on the edge of this clearing and then monitored it, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Bramble hulks would go briefly dormant when the temperature cooled, as it did on these autumn nights. They were always at their most dormant just before sunrise, before the day began to warm, and so they’d waited until this moment to attack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ha!” Ember laughed from Long Shot. “When have our bounties ever been as simple as that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“True.” Locke laughed back. “But we’ve gotta start somewhere. We’ll adapt as it reacts. Everyone ready?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I am,” Sloan replied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Let’s do it,” Ember echoed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Chimera’s head nodded. “Then, Alyssa, take us down.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Got it,” Captain Alyssa radioed from the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e’s bridge, and slowly, the airship began to sink toward the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke took a deep breath as he felt the gentle sway of the airship’s motion, and let all the sensation of his cockpit sink into him—the gooey slosh of the conductor fluid enveloping his body, the easy press of the insulating neck ring that kept it from splashing into his face, the strange awareness of his reflex link, as it connected his very consciousness to his mech so he could command it without controls.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe became aware of the energy catalyst in his left arm, the matter catalyst in his right, the time catalyst in his right shoulder and the … oh. He’d almost forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Remember,” he added, as much for himself as his crew, “I’m out both gravity catalysts while Bexley’s building my flight unit.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hey, I’m workin’ as fast as I can,” Chief Engineer Bexley radioed from her hangar workstation behind them. “You can’t rush genius.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Of course not.” Locke redirected his attention back to his fellow pilots. “My point is, I can compensate for speed with my time catalyst, but don’t expect me to be doing any super jumps or kicks this time around.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other two pilots confirmed their understanding, just as the airship shook with the gentle nudge of landing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Titan Chimera strode off, it was with the bold, heavy steps of a giant machine that knew exactly what it was here to do and how it was going to do it. Titan Deathly Rhythm strode out behind it in much a similar fashion—a welcome change from the timidity with which Sloan had approached her mech three months ago. Back then, she’d still been learning, albeit swiftly. Now she was a time-accelerated ass-kicking machine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the two had disembarked, the \u003cem\u003eBlue Heron\u003c\/em\u003e lifted off with Titan Long Shot still on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Awaiting your signal,” Ember radioed as she rose, and her titan crouched to a more stable position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitan Long Shot was a sleek blue and silver mech with graceful, athletic lines, but its most defining feature was the great shoulder-mounted cannon that presently rotated from its back to position itself to the right of its head. As an energy mage, Ember commanded energy catalysts in both forearms, but the energy mega-catalyst in her cannon was what saw the most use in battle, and even now Locke spotted the clear honeycomb of its crystalline rod charging to icy white.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready, Sloan?” Locke said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I am!” Sloan chimed cheerily from beside him, and Locke grinned inside his mech.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Then have at it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSloan’s mech sprinted into action before he’d even finished his order. Titan Deathly Rhythm was the Harriers’ newest addition, an elegant teal machine with black and silver highlights that moved with grace equal to that of its smooth curves. It only had a single time catalyst in its right arm, but Sloan had adapted to its capabilities with ease, and now it glowed bright green as she sprinted for the slumbering bramble hulk at over double her regular speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bramble hulk stirred, vaguely aware that something strange was coming toward it, but not awake enough to react.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat changed when Sloan snatched a short sword from Deathly Rhythm’s back and plunged it straight into the monster’s centermost fleshy bud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creature’s mouth began to open in a startled, agonized shriek—but it could \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c\/em\u003e begin to open. Sloan’s time catalyst flared an even brighter green as she conducted her time magic through the sword and into the monster. Instead of speeding up, the bramble hulk slowed down to half speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke saw its leaves and vines begin to move in slow motion, but they weren’t nearly fast enough to be of use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s ready!” Sloan reported happily. “Shoot it!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer tone was like that of a student presenting a gift to a favorite teacher, or perhaps a cat presenting freshly-caught prey to a favorite person, and Ember showed her thanks with a frigid white blast from her cannon. A beam of glowing particulate ice shot into the brambly base of the monster, then crackled up along the thick flesh of the mouth pod.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Nice start!” Locke shouted, and strode forward. “Now it’s my turn!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was his turn that would make this battle—had made all their battles over the past nine months. Most mages on the world of Haven were adept with only one magical element. Though they might have minimal aptitude with a second, few were apt enough to use more than one, and that was what made Locke special.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was a void mage, a mage with high aptitude for all four magical elements—matter, time, energy, and gravity—and that gave him power and versatility beyond any other titan mage in his company. Ember could only wield heat or cold; Sloan could only speed up or slow down herself or her opponents—but Locke could do that, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e matter-shift his own weapons on the fly, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e jump and kick (and eventually fly) with wild manipulations of gravity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd now he funneled magic into every one of his catalysts as he stomped toward the titan-sized beast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy now, he had a process for bramble hulks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, a matter-energy combo attack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin his back armor rested a tank of semiliquid swiftmetal, connected to both his energy and matter catalysts. He willed his energy catalyst to charge the swiftmetal with heat magic—all he ever needed was will; the titan did the rest—and then commanded his matter catalyst to spool it out of a barrel under his right hand. The thin wireframe shape of a long blade spun out of the opening, and then flash-filled with glowing white swiftmetal a moment before he reached the monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis timing had been perfected over scores of lesser bramble hulks, as had his techniques, and now he charged his time catalyst and dashed around the monster’s circumference, slashing its leaves and vines away like he was some fantastical (if sloppy) gardener, albeit one that kept killer plants. He didn’t move as fast as Sloan could—his time catalyst was a lower tier than hers—but it was still fast enough to make quick work of the frozen brambles, and soon he’d exposed the monster’s most essential center.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt looked like a root ball positioned just below the fleshy mouth pod. Brown tendrils of wood-hard roots curled down from the pod-like protective claws, encasing what Locke knew to be the vital organs of the monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m to the core!” Locke reported. “Ember, can I get a heat blast? The root armor’s thick.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Not too hot, though!” Sloan added. “Don’t incinerate me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a reasonable warning; with Long Shot’s upgrades, Ember routinely incinerated weaker monsters to ash—but she was also precise in every aspect of her handling, from aim to power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ready,” Ember reported. “Stand back.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke zipped out of her line of sight, and soon a hot red beam bored into the root ball.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn explosion of burning splinters blasted from the wooden knot, and a plume of flame billowed out as the wood began to burn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Eew! It stinks!” Sloan groaned as a cloud of smoke wafted up toward her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocke didn’t disagree; bramble hulk smoke always carried on it the unpleasant scent of decomposition and wood rot … but there was something different about the smell of this advanced bramble hulk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt smelled like that, and burning blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What’s the verdict?” Ember called down. “Need another—wait, Locke! Look out behind you!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Holo Writing LLC","offers":[{"title":"Case Bound - PPC","offer_id":54697384739107,"sku":"9621769000059","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/5471\/9267\/files\/Titan_Mage_Omnibus_II_Shopify.jpg?v=1769975731"}],"url":"https:\/\/store.holowriting.com\/collections\/print-on-demand-books.oembed","provider":"Jacob \u0026 H.P. Holo ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}