Rain Harlow

(Vol 6) Chapter 34: Feline Execution

Nestled in the cozy, quiet library of Mot Mekess, Crow’s eyes burned in the morning light. He tried to read faster, knowing he needed a little rest, and he prayed for a little more time. Time was always creeping for more like a little hungry rat, and he with so much to absorb and know before it...

(Vol 6) Chapter 33: Cherry On Top

They just started over the branch when Sammy suddenly grabbed Azure to stop her. They exchanged silent glances, and then Sammy pointed at what she just barely noticed.

Just underneath the branch, wrapped around the huge tree trunk itself, was a giant snake, its colors and even its texture l...

(Vol 6) Chapter 32: The Proper Phrase

“Can we please just calm down and talk about this?!” Sammy called as she sensed the way things were about to go. But the cat had their tongues for any sapient response, and they launched themselves like flying bullets at Ralli and Tanjhere.

The pair split, dodging different directions. ...

(Vol 6) Chapter 31: Punishment

An hour before the appointed witching hour, as determined by the stars, Deikmorn snuck to the tent flying the golden ribbon in the servant's section, unsure what to expect. He had on numerous layers of protection — all that he could think of, and even a means to quickly summon waiting backup. H...

(Vol 6) Chapter 30: Fingers Crossing For a Pearl

For Rallindin Peregaust, Liberator of Nations, Integrator of the Six-Fold Technocracy, and risen, ascendant Goddess of Magic, the world became her oyster. For a time. A great battle in the war was fought with an alliance of six nations bringing their varied technologies to the forefront, under th...

(Vol 6) Chapter 29: Pots Will Stir

“I see,” Deikmorn replied, eying the young woman expressionlessly.

It was obvious who had sent her. The Witching Hour of Old was under certain stars. Year-round, it was quite calculable. How would she know he could do so, though? He was no witch or warlock. The old order of assassins ta...

(Vol 6) Chapter 28: Play the Long Game

Ogdellos, seemingly surprised by his own prowess but inclined to take advantage, pressed forward at Deikmorn, who immediately slipped away again, with one hopeless wild swing for a leg that was easily dodged, just as Deikmorn figured.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting this,” Og said with a de...

(Vol 6) Chapter 27: The Point of a Contest

At the play and the hesitation, the Guru raised an eyebrow in apparent surprise. “That does not seem mathematically sound, High Alchemist. There are better plays in the midst. Are you sure? You understand the rules? You haven’t removed your finger just yet.”

Azure suppressed her urge ...

(Vol 6) Chapter 26: Undercurrent

Sammy-as-Ralindin double-cast two fireballs from the air as she backpedaled at high speed, maintaining distance from the giant mechanical insects. One after the other, fiery explosions cracked in their midst, and three failed to dodge or resist at all. They exploded in a burst of inner energies a...

(Vol 6) Chapter 25: Oil and Water

Rallindin Peregaust’s first ambitions were simply: avoid getting burned as a witch against the ways of Technomancy, and to more effectively help her aging parents. Once, she invented a spell to give her father phantom legs…

He had a heart attack from the shock and horror of the matter a...

(Vol 6) Chapter 24: Tombs & Tomes of the Past

With the presentation of Ozra finished, Sammy looked over to Azure, whose face was as stunned as hers must’ve been. “She did jigger the Fortuneteller the way she is,” Sammy declared breathlessly.

“Made to evolve,” Azure commented. “I think it’s safe to say she isn’t very Ozr...

(Vol 6) Chapter 23: Cycle Jammer

“I’ll get you out!” Sammy promised the terrified gremlin lady, glaring at the incensed image of Ozra in the process. Overboard much? What an abusive mother! “Come on!” Sammy picked her up to fly her over to the door she knew was to Maintenance.

Reiki grabbed her insi...

(Vol 6) Chapter 22: Not the Boss of Me

The bridge became crystalline and suspended over the relative void once more, with the shadow of the palace looming ahead, below, and above, varying with the twisted, mind-bending path they took. The world beyond the bridge grew darker and darker, and dust was kicked up over the bridge’s surfac...

(Vol 6) Chapter 21: Dark Tidings

Momentarily, an initially grumpy Azure showed up, to begin their typical routine for easily finding out where the location was. The Naugite quickly lost her grumps as she silently gazed at the ruins. She walked up to the top and her hand moved toward some exposed stone… she stopped short of tou...

(Vol 6) Chapter 20: Bending the Wick

Sammy noticed that Orswyth and Estara were instantly level 8 along with her, apparently able to reach the cap and wait on her for the level up.

She conferred with them while they were asleep so they could mutually congratulate each other, creating a mind realm so they were effectively dream...

(Vol 6) Chapter 19: Ante Up

More reviews of upgrades awaited Sammy as she sat on her throne and poured away…

Floofa suddenly dropped out of nowhere into her lap, startling her. The cabbit had a carrot she was nomming away on hurriedly, her eyes shifting around and her ears twitching. She whispered with her mouth ful...

(Vol 6) Chapter 18: Quality of Life

While Deikmorn had a rather long meeting with Nyomel, Sammy assisted her realm in the night with routine matters of prayers, quest construction, and various matters a quick Goddess judgment call could smooth things over on. It was becoming more and more relevant to jump in like that with multiple...

(Vol 6) Chapter 17: Naug(hty) Ambitions

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Author's Note: Fair warning, might get a wee bit steamier than normal by the end. :P Artful insinuation!

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Ba Ra’s first suggestion to maneuver wit...

(Vol 6) Chapter 16: Aggressive Moves

As Sammy pondered her next move on the seat of her throne in Heaven, taking in the soothing yet stimulating harp notes of Calliope’s renditions of classical Earth music, Azure appeared.

She stopped short of the throne to take in Calliope and they exchanged a smile and a nod as Azure simpl...

(Vol 6) Chapter 15: A Star to Hold the Answer

Of course it would be a god. This is going to be complicated. Sammy could feel the madness bleeding out like a cancerous wound. It interlaced and flowed through the incredible concentration of mana, tainting it. That would make the physical ar...

(Vol 6) Chapter 14: A Note of Contempt

“Settle down, Frankenstein,” Tashome muttered wanly at Samantha, obviously having gotten the reference by way of Uriel at some point. “We’re not even close to there yet. This might be a promising angle and more likely to provide the miraculous results we hope for, in addition to other ben...

(Vol 6) Chapter 13: Mad Magic

After a few ‘odds and ends’ in her realm below and her Heaven above (announced and unannounced as suited the rascality level of the project), Sammy was just considering her next target of focus when she got some System quest notifications and Orswyth contacted her, nearly simultaneously.

(Vol 6) Chapter 12: Payback

“Lord Carlisle,” the Fortuneteller declared at the table, “Fate has granted you 60 experience in [Knight], 30 experience in [Rogue], the Special Trait [Grudgetaking], and [Strategy] is upgraded to [Master]. Knight is changed to [Executioner]. It seems you’ve ...