ChrisLingayo

Lumberling, a 42-year-old civil engineer, grew numb to the monotonous rhythm of modern life. Hoping to rekindle his sense of wonder, he set out on a solitary nature trip, only to stumble upon an ancient, forgotten pyramid. A strange red light burst forth, killing him instantly… and binding itself to his soul.

Cast adrift in the void, his soul found no rest, until he awoke in the body of a young foot soldier, bleeding and broken on a war-torn battlefield in a world not his own.

Determined not to die again, Lumberling fights to survive in this brutal new realm where knights clash with monsters, kingdoms rise and fall, and mysterious powers shape the fate of nations.

Armed with a strange ability to devour the essence of those he slays, he begins to carve out a new path, one forged by blood, strength, and sheer will.

But power alone may not be enough. In a world where danger lurks in every shadow, and ancient forces stir in the dark, can a lost soul rise above fate… or will he be consumed by the very essence he seeks to control?

The Devouring Knight

The goblin village buzzed with motion once more.

Smoke no longer rose from the trees, but from forges and fire pits. The air smelled not of death, but of sweat, steel, and dirt. Voices shouted orders, carts rattled with lumber, and hammer strikes rang out like a heartbeat. Life driven, hungry, relentless was back in full roll.

The second base's construction had begun.

Logs were being shaped, stone hauled, earth cleared. Kobolds and goblins worked side by side, guided by Krivex's planning and Gobo1's barking orders. Even the boars hauled timber.

Lumberling moved quietly among them, not as a commander this time, but as an observer.

He passed the training yards, nodding at Grokk who was sparring two new militia recruits. Skitz had already taken some of the elite squad out for mounted drills. Aren was reviewing the salvaged armor, reorganizing supplies.

Chapter 81: Foundations of the Second Dawn