Curtain call! Part 3.
Hell and welcome one and all!
To the every-growing world of Enverdolmal!
I hope -as always- that this finds you well, and that you can forgive me for being a bit behind.
I may not get the first chapter part of Volume 2 out by April 1st, but I will be dropping SOMETHING so stay tuned!
I have been a bit busier than I thought I would be, and them my...uncle passed away.
So it has been a bit of a hectic month for me, but I will not let you all down!
I will be going through and finding anything I missed as well, including a couple of pretty important Character dives!
Thank you for your love and loyalty!
And guess what!?
ONE LAST KNIGHT JUST HIT 100K VIEWS ON WEBNOVEL!!!!
How fucking amazing is that!?!?!
No I don't have a contract, nor do I get pain for this in any way.
But I love it and you all nonetheless!
I don't have many words to say that in as many ways as I would like to, but I mean it with every fiber of my being.
You all mean the world to me, just as these stories do, and I just want them to be around and a thing LONG after I leave this world.
Maybe one day one of you will pick up wherever I leave off and keep the magic of Enverdolmal alive long after my bones are dust.
The world will see, even if I don't lol.
I won't keep you all any longer, I know what you came for!
Thank you...
Thank you so fucking much for 100K views.
I would have never imagined...
Enjoy.
-----
The stage has been set...
The players have been chosen...
The paths of all will be both long and winding...
The world of Enverdolmal has been experiencing a string of seemingly random events, and no one seems to know who or what the catalyst is.
With chaos and terror beginning to spread like wildfire, horrific monsters and dormant armies are bound to rise.
Lines are bound to be drawn.
War is on the horizon.
This series of short stories has begun to roll together into a grand and explosive tale, and you dear Reader, happen to be in the best seat in the house!
Welcome one and all, to the wild and wonderful world of Enverdolmal!
-------------------------
Main Characters by order of introduction.
The Support Characters will be noted just below each of the main characters.
-----
14 "In the arms of a Ranger. Part 1."
Pomilio Longblade: Dwarven. Registered R.L.R.C. (Razor Leaf Ranger Corp) Ranger/Swordsmen.
-Leena Lux: Human. Stockted Scout/R.L.R.C. Ranger.
-Black-robed Woman.
Summary:
Pomilio's day had started simply enough, and all was going just as well as it could in his neck of the woods.
Well...that is until it suddenly was not.
As a Ranger with Naeri's renowned R.L.R.C. (Razor Leaf Ranger Company) his routine tour was rather rudely and randomly interrupted by a handful of roaming Goblinoid creatures known as Twiglobs.
Upon further investigation he would quickly come to realize that this small and seemingly hapless group of Goblinoids were the least of his problems to come.
Leena Lux was just eight years old when she lost both of her parents to the swift and devastating ambush of the Twiglobs that would set upon their wayward caravan. With no one one to care for her, and no means of making it back home on her own, what was to come of the poor girls fate?
She would first have to survive the onslaught.
Who or what was the catalyst to this horrible event?
A young, twisted, cruel-minded, Black-robed Elf Lancer Mage who just happen to be not only the "Queen" of this attacking army Twiglobs, but a standing member of the Sea Dogs, a rogue branch of the Evernight Cultist.
-----
15. "Hollowed lives. Part 1."
Akua: Human Shaman/Brawler.
-Midnight Lavendusk: Catatakah. High Chieftain/Brawler.
-Don-don: Catatakah. Scout.
-Bon-bon: Catatakah. Scout.
-The Thing: Nuckelavee Daemon of the Sea.
-Vectus Reed Dierottis A.K.K The Rat King: Undead Human/Rat Hybrid. Thief/Necromancer.
Summary:
Akua woke up on Halfmann Island some time ago, yet she had no memories of anything before that place. She had awoken just over 15 years ago and in her confusion, she had stumbled across a small cabin filled with clothing, food, and several strange, cat-like humanoid creatures who called themselves the Catatakah.
Their leader, Midnight Lavendusk had opted to take in the child, and thus she was raised by the wild and wary cat folk, mainly by Lavendusk and his two retainers, the twin Catatakah known as Don-Don and Bon-Bon.
They could shape-shift into a full feline-like form, or they could maintain a rough human-like appearance, either worked for their daily life.
Things would maintain a semblance of normality as Akua would learn to patrol and tend to her island with time, this also including keeping pirates and "settlers" at bay when necessary.
Little did she know, the blood that would be constantly shed upon those sandy beaches over time would weaken the seals of a long-banished daemon, heralding in its inevitable return.
On a separate, smaller island just south of Halfmann, the banished King of Thieves by the name of Vectus Reed Dierottis is given a second chance at life and freedom...but only if he can embrace death and darkness as the Rat King and free himself from the clutches of a necromantic witches coven.
-----
16. "Rough ends, Bitter roots. Part 1 & 1.5"
Oonagi of the Unari: Humanoid (Yet undefined sub-species.) Ambassador/Huntress.
-Grogoga: Drakonura "Bugger" Insectoid. Combat Companion/Wing-mount.
-Kolibree Mossbridge: Elven. Swamp Witch/Chieftain of the Mantazee people.
-Spider Queen: ????????
-Celia Yor: Elven. Lustrian Scout with the L.H.C.M.
-Kleave: Elven. Monster Slayer.
-Lerick: Elven. Theodoran Mage.
-Jesten: Elven. Cartographer with the L.H.C.M.
Summary:
Oonagi's village Lorenday, had lived in relative peace and harmony for nearly a decade now, quite the stretch of time for a people who lived in the dank, dark, dangerous depths of the forever-cursed Enfresecca Swamp lands.
As hostile and unpredictable as the land and creatures around them could be, all seemed cordial and well with their one and only neighboring tribe, the Mantazee, a group of Mantis-like humanoids who were fine with keeping to themselves unless bothered...until now.
Hostile? They were not, typically...
Unpredictable? Yes, very much so.
Yet Oonagi and her people would have never imagined that they would find themselves suddenly at war with them and their new Chieftain, a bored and dark-hearted Swamp Witch named Kolibree.
Oonagi would summon and dawn her Drakonura, Grogoga before diving head first into battle for not only her own life, but those of the defenseless folk of her village.
Several years before, a four man team of Elves from the Lustrian High Counsel of Mapping would purposely enter the cursed swamp in an attempt to locate and dispel the source of said curse.
Celia Yor, a Scout and Cartographer for Lustria.
Kleave, a strong and blunt Monster Slayer from Lumaleza.
Jesten, a fellow Cartographer and best friend to Celia.
And lastly Lerick, an accredited Mage from Theodora.
They had little idea of how bad the situation that they were walking into actually was...
If it were an easy feat, the magical barrier around the swamp would have been felled a log time ago...wouldn't it?
-----
17. "Hopeless wonder. Part 1."
Gob-Lob: Deeplurk -Goblinoid subspecies- Gob Lobber. His namesake derives from his job as one who disposes of Goblinoid waste.
-Lady Slycenbite: Deeplurk Goblin. Queen/Brawler.
-Ahgo: Deeplurk Goblin. Sorcerer.
-Ahmay: Deeplurk Goblin. Alchemist.
-Nuva Swar: A.K.A. S.T.A.R. Agent Novala. Elfym/Dwarfym hybrid.
Summary:
Gob-Lob's job among Deeplurk society was the lowest of the lowest of the low.
His name was derived from it.
His life revolved around it.
He was sick of it and ready to stand up for himself!
But only a little...and only at the lowest possible risk.
His job was to shovel and despose of Goblin scat.
Day in and day out he shoveled it into a bottomless pit...
Day after day he thought of shoveling himself into that pit...
So when he was approached by the queen Lady Slycenbite herself to steal something in exchange for an upgrade to his social status?
He could do that!
He WOULD do that!
If that would get him out of this scat off a job, he would steal from Ahgo and Ahmay themselves!
And they were the best, brightest, and most powerful pair of Deeplurks in all of The Deep!
Well...that he knew of.
While Gob-Lob was busy sneaking into their private chambers, the two were in the attendance of the queen, presenting to her their latest stolen goods and trinkets from the surface world.
A place that only they were granted permission to visit.
Meanwhile, S.T.A.R. Agent Novala has been dispatched by Rayden of Garth Verlore to the area to investigate a sudden spike in Goblinoid activity.
Unbeknownst to him, she was a Double-Agent for the wanted and illusive Evernight Cultist.
-----
18. "Take me there. Part 1."
Vlamaira Genie: Dwarfym. Trapper/Zoologist/Tinkerer.
-Seth Sawhand: Dwarven. Brawler Mage/Speakeasy Keeper.
-Dewdren Sunbeam: Dwarven. Cleric/Illusionist/Mage.
-Black-robed Man: Elfym. Warlock/Illusionist.
Summary:
Vlamaira's life was already complicated enough before she crossed paths with a freaky group of Black-robbed men who had a thing out for her and her latest invention, her affectionately named Snippers Prototype Long Gun .
With it -and her subsequent invention of the ballistic bullet- she had inadvertently changed not only how warfare was waged, but the very course of history itself.
Before her ballistic bullet had been invented, all guns were built to fire Aetheral rounds, a source and type of ammunition that could be blocked with magic should the target have a high enough skill level, and the proper training.
Vlamaira's bullets were physical in nature, and thus the kinetic force was considered not only rudimentary, but would nearly always take the target by surprise with its simplicity.
Many a Mage and Magic-user had lost a hand or a head to her weapon, and many more would before she would let any of them get their hands on it.
A speak-easy owner by the name of Seth Sawhand and his assistant Dewdren Sunbeam would find themselves caught up in the hunt for the battles that would ensue during the gun as well since Seth would inadvertently be the one to obtain a vital and final component needed to complete her prototype.
A high-ranking lieutenant of the off-shoot cult "The Sea Dogs" would find himself at Seth's bar that night in search of the last part as well.
He and his men did not have the luxury of failure at hand and the first group had done in the desert...
The man in the Black robes with the shimmering golden eyes would see that things went as planed.
He had but one order, and no other choice...
-----
19. Special Presentation: They don't deserve you. Part 1."
Printice Nor: Faemen. (Human/Faeri Hybrid) Combat Cleric.
Summary:
Alone and afraid on the darkest night of his young life, Printice would sadly pass away in the Goblin raids that would ultimately be the death of his small, isolated, mountain-side dorpie.
Or would he?
Just as his family's home was violently demolished by catapult artillery, a bright and all-consuming light would appear as if from nowhere and spirit the boy away from the chaos.
But to where?
-----
20. "Fatal Melodies. Part 1."
Lucasa Nel: Human. Bard/Mercenary.
- Steletha: Elfym/Undead. Necromancer.
Summary:
Lucasa had never been known as the kindest nor most honest guy...
To top that, he was far to hansom for his own good.
While it was true that he was one of the finest Bards in all of Enverdolmal, and one of the best mercenaries as well, alas, his love-them-then-leave-them ways were seemingly above all else and they would ultimately lead him to the situation in which he currently finds himself:
On stage in a dark, musky bar, surrounded by a dance floors worth of zombies...
One of which just happens to be one of his most recent exes, a deeply scorned lover, and a terrifyingly powerful necromancer by the name of Steletha, AK.A. Shade.
Just as his kora guitar and his smokey singing voice was starting to warm the crowd, Shade would make her move.
It would be a night that Lucasa would not soon forget.
Her cries of longing and agony would haunt him for far longer than she would...
Even of he could manage to kill her AGAIN every seven days.
-------------------------
Hey! I hope that this serves you all well enough until I post the next chapter part.
That will be VERY soon, you have my word.
Just rounding a few detail edges.
I invite you all to read some of my poetry if that suits you.
It is what my Super Short Story style is based on, so some of it may appeal to some of you lol.
The series is called: "Shadows before dawn."
And it can be found over on Webnovel, a free and expansive reading app. Tell me what you think maybe?
Or not lol
I don't tend to attract talkative Readers, I've come to find lol.
Or maybe no one really reads this part?
I don't know.
I am grateful for all of you nonetheless, and I hope that you continue to return for my tales.
Things are starting to escalate, folks!
Stay tuned!
ALSO!
Follow me over on Instagram!
@blackguyinnabowtie
And the official One Last Knight Facebook page is a thing as well (more likely for us Millennials lmao AND lbvs.)
If you would like to get to know me a bit...or a lot by this point, go read my real-as-hell series:
Old Journals of a Millennial. Volumes 1 & 2.
If you are/were into the whole Bernie Mac, Malcolm in the Middle, and Everybody Hates Chris style of directly-speaking-to-you kinda comedy, it may suit you!
Go have a good laugh between all this serious Fiction Fantasy lol.
I have a mini-series called Dear You: Notes to my future child as well, which is written in the same form of comedy as O.J.M. V1 & V2 that you deeper readers can check out if you'd like as well!
I will see you all back here soon enough, yeah?
Until next time, safe travels, folks.
And as always,
Stay safe.
Stay healthy.
Stay vigilant.
-Redd.