Showing results by narrator "Andrea Parsneau" in All Categories

It was supposed to be a simple scouting mission. In and out. No fighting. No new quests. Just me, my hippocorn, Alice, and a few hired mercenaries. We were going to tiptoe into the Spiral, get the info we needed, and leave. You know, the Spiral? That tower-defense run that protects the hobgoblin capital from invaders? Easy, right? Nobody would even know we were there. Yeah, so about that....

Life changed the moment the Heavens granted Benedict his Regeneration Sphere. Stepping out of the abusive cycle he'd known all his life, Benedict entered the Gilfle Academy. Getting help from his therapist, Agatha Carper, he was ready to try his new lease on life. It wasn't without its bumps and setbacks, but he wasn't going to give up on this second chance. Benedict's first bump was his new roommate, Atropos Foxglove. The young woman had a painful past that'd colored her view of life, especially when it came to men.

Benedict Aaron Rodney had a terrible life for eighteen years. Then, something miraculous happened: the Heavens stepped in, granting him a Sphere. Spontaneous manifestation of a Sphere was very rare, but it happened on occasion. Benedict, while being beaten unconscious and having his bones broken, was suddenly the Holder of a Sphere of Regeneration.

Still haunted by her encounter with the Taleen Praetorians, Ilea makes her way south to join the Shadow’s Hand and hone her skills. Having fought alongside members of the infamous mercenary order, she hopes to meet kindred spirits who share her completely reasonable passion for battle, adrenaline, and near-death experiences.

Every year, the empire administers the rite of passage into adulthood. That rite serves to identify those blessed by Aether to become magi. The new magi are shipped to the academy to learn the arts of magic. The academy is a dangerous place; the tournaments held twice each year can cripple or kill the students, and the clans of the empire will go to great lengths to recruit the students they want. Gregory had one dream: to become a magi like the legends of old. Though he was ridiculed by the residents of the village and his unsupportive father, he never wavered from his dream.

Steve doesn’t care who he was. He knows more than enough to realize it doesn’t matter at all. Now living in what had once been the Creeplands and maintaining a thriving farm there, they are under constant siege from the Creep itself. It's still better than life in Lamals. And that’s just how it is. After taking over the Citadel, removing Lynn from her place of power, stopping the Creep’s advance, and starting to take over part of the Creeplands, he was certainly making a difference for himself, humans, and men everywhere.

Alvin woke in a room that was not his, to discover that he had died and his brain had been bargained off cheaply to pay off someone else’s debt. It did not sit well with him. It didn’t surprise him that even in death, people were still using him for their own purposes. He had never exactly been a good guy, but everyone had their breaking point, and he had found his. The bastards in charge had uploaded his mind into a virtual death game. The whole world could now pay to see him play it and probably die. Regardless, he was not about to wait for death to come for him.

Gregory and his wives fought honorably and hard to advance to the finals, where their last fight was against the Eternal Flame. With their rigorous training and communication, they managed to defeat the arrogant clan, letting them stand alongside their novice friends as champions. The excitement of being the champions wasn’t the happiest part of their year, though. That came after the tournament, when all five of their friends—Nessa, Daciana, Victoria, Clover, and Ling—joined Aether’s Guard.

For over 30 years, Dominion of Blades has been the hottest online role-playing game in the world. But the game is too real for some, and after an epidemic of real-life fatalities, public use of the immersion technology has been banned. Jonah wakes to find himself in-game, level one, with no memory of how he arrived and no way to eject. With only two companions, trapped in a world that once hosted millions, Jonah must battle his way across a treacherous landscape, fighting virtual monsters, all too real pain, and a very human enemy.

At the end of their apprentice year, Aether’s Guard headed off to Buldoun for an international tournament. They had allies there in the Swift Wind and Iron Hand clans, but they also had to deal with the Eternal Flame; Nick Shun had no interest in letting go of his perceived grudge against Aether’s Guard. However, with the academy overseer on the trip, Nick had no chance to act out against them.

After crushing the first obstacle, he was now set to fight a duel as Fredrick’s champion. Sean won the duel handily, once he got past the surprise of facing both Aria and Cuander, Lord Sharpeyes’ prized cuon, and went on to save Aria from death at the hands of Lord Sharpeyes’ son, Knight Evan Sharpeyes. But Sean’s troubles are just beginning. The plans Lord Sharpeyes have set into motion began to unfold, setting the stage for events that will push Sean to his limits.

Reports to write, forms to fill, coffee to drink, leads to run down. Gus’s life was a tedium and boredom he’d grown comfortable with. One that he sought out after he’d come back from his tour of duty. A detective in the paranormal investigations department. A job he could work day in and day out in relative peace. One cold and forgotten cup of coffee at a time. It was an environment that made some sense to him. At least in comparison to civilian life where almost nothing did. On top of that, it gave him a chance to hide what he was from the rest of the world.

Kat paid for her position with blood. Hers, and from those who stood in her way. Now, she has finally climbed to a spot where she has real power; she can improve things the way she thinks is necessary. But power isn't as simple as she thought it would be. It comes with complications and obligations that stop her from taking action and enemies that don't like to share their authority.

Shifted by quantum entanglement from Earth to an alien planet, military contractor Zander Greaves and his squad would have to adapt—and quickly—if they wanted to live. As they tried to understand what was happening, the stark truth of their new reality thrust itself on the shaken humans. Giant machines of war were attacking an equally humongous bug. And, quite unfortunately, the giant bug had a lot of little friends.

Gregory’s year-long posting along the northern wilds was done. He’d had to face corrupt magi, assassination attempts, aether-using bane beasts, and even deal with the loss of some of his men. The year had left a mark on his soul. He’d accepted the burden of leadership fully, knowing that his men could and would die under his command. He might’ve avoided all of it if he hadn’t made his moral stand, using the empire’s slave laws to force the corruption to come to light. Because he had, it threw his posting into conflict.

All the world's a stage...even when you're teleported to a new world. Struggling actress Cara O'Sullivan was walking down the street of Galway one moment, and the next, she was in an ancient tomb in a faraway world. Alone in the dark with her cell phone as her last tenuous connection to home, Cara sings her favorite song. To her astonishment, her song casts a spell of light into the world...and from the depths, something hears her. Challenged by a ghostly knight, a tragic necromancer, and hordes of undead, can a young woman who does not believe in heroes become one herself?

With their initiate year over, the Pettit family dispersed to their separate adept postings: Jenn would be on the border with Krogga, defending against incursions. Yukiko was to patrol near Alturis, giving her the chance to see Gregory’s home and childhood friends. Mindy was going back to Grackle to help their younger friends with their troop training. Gregory was headed off to the far northern end of the empire, going to what was known as the most dangerous patrol for an adept magi.

Sean had been through something close to hell - he’d taken out Klein Denmur and Knight Evan Sharpeyes, along with a few of Lord Truestrike’s servants, but Chastity and Lilly died on the fields outside the city. At the end of that battle, he claimed Helga Helsdottir, soul-bonding her and renaming her Helga Oathsworn. With a Valkyrie by his side, Sean hoped never to lose another loved one to death. His enemies were far from done with him, however.

In The Waste, every fantasy creature, fairytale demon, or mythological monster exists. From orcs, to neriads, ogres, trolls, wraiths, elves, harpies, and even beastmen. They all exist, and all despise humankind. In the ruins of the west and east coasts, new governments have arisen. With new jobs. Vince is a Ranger, a profession whose sole job duty is surviving in the waste, and taking missions from the Ranger Guild. Be it courier services, escorts, or simply exploring tombs and cities.

Ash led a very normal life by his own standards. Right up until he was literally pulled into a portal that spat him out into another world. One that was full of martial arts. And martial artists who could use magic. Three years of living his life as one of the citizens, those without power, and Ash has figured out how to survive with his adoptive family and a lot of persistence. His goals in life have become to give back to those who gave to him. And he’d do whatever he had to to do that. Except Ash is about to get his life turned around again.