Aethara: The King's Path - Chapter 2 Teaser

[MFontana]

First off, if you haven't already read the prelude and chapter 1 of Aethara: The King's Path then you should definitely check them out here first.
Series Page
Prelude (Read First Please)
Chapter 1
If you have finished reading them, and are desperate to know what happens next, here's an early (rough) draft teaser for Chapter 2. Just click the (correct) spoiler below. You'll know when you find it. Enjoy the little game.

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I'm sorry. You're princess is in another castle.

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Nope. Not this one either. Please try again.

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Third time's usually the charm. Just not here. Only a little further.

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Chapter 2 (Teaser) - Yup, this was it. You found it. Good job. Now enjoy, and remember, this is an unfinished teaser. Not the full chapter. That's coming by New Years Day.

Asharthrinax, his eyes glowing like pools of molten gold, locked his gaze on the center of the group. The tiny figure that seemed to be the leader of this motley crew from how they formed up around him. This would be the focus of his fiery wrath.

At the height of his inhale, Asharthinax thrust his head forwards. Jaws open wide, and from them leapt a jet of flames that blazed a deep blood red. Blazing with a heat unimaginable, that threatened to turn them all to ash.

In a panicked rush, the majority of the group rushed to huddle closer as those flames took flight. To huddle closer to their very target, as if eager to meet with their leader's fate.

On the surface, Marius remained undaunted, even in the face of this almost certain doom. One that would condemn him, and his entourage to the shortest isekai journey ever. A confidence he projected, for their sakes, to hide the fear that rose up in the back of his mind.

'Will I make it in time?'
'Will this even work?'
'It has to work.'
'We're all dead if it doesn't.'
'Well… here goes nothing…'

As the doubts bubbling up within began to take form, he did what he could to cast them aside, raised his left hand skyward as if to catch the flames racing toward them in his outstretched hand.

"Crystal Wall!" Marius shouted into the ether. His crystal blue eyes flared white with the light of the astral sea as his mana, the essence of all magic within the world, surged through him.

Wisps of ectoplasm coalesced in the skies overhead, first into an amorphous blob before springing out in all directions and hardening into a translucent wall of solid crystal, held in place by his will.

His power manifested fully the moment before the flames hit, but threatened to collapse under the immense heat and pressure. Cracks began to form in the wall as his focus wavered in the face of his doubts.

Tiny licks of flame began snaking their way through the cracks, and the heat building around them hung heavy with the oppressive fury of the inferno raging just beyond the wall.

The pressure on the wall, he felt in his very bones. His heart, and soul. Oppressive fury that promised only absolute ruin. Death and Destruction. That threatened to shatter the wall, and his resolve, and he collapsed to one knee, but still kept his hand raised high, in desperation.

It was then, in that moment, as his, as their, last and only line of defense was about to collapse, that he felt it. A hand; warm upon his shoulder, and a whispered voice in his ear carrying with it the words that changed his fate, and his life, forever.

"You are not alone here…"

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So close... and yet so far. Please try again.

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You're clicking all of them, aren't you. Don't worry. I would too.

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That's right. Button's exist to be pushed, so why not push them all?

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At least they're not big red buttons.

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Those usually don't do anything good.

Feel free to let me know what you thought of the teaser as well. It'll help when I go back to polish and finish the editing of the chapter.

 

[MFontana]

Just an update for everyone who may have missed it.
Aethara: The King's Path Volume 1: Chapter 2 - Terror in the Skies releases in eight hours for everyone here on ScribbleHub.
09:00 EST Christmas Day is the scheduled release date and time.

And if you're looking for something to read in the meantime; my other story, Aestelle Nocte just dropped Chapter 1; Starfall.. It's a hefty one to be sure, but hopefully will deliver on everything that you could want from a harem story in its opening chapter.