My world-tree system - Chapter 23 - 22: The seed of the World Tree

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

In a world teetering on the brink of chaos, where eldritch gods peer into mortal realms and monsters stalk the land, Lu Yu finds himself moments away from a gruesome end as a sacrifice to a sinister deity. Just as the cold altar awaits him, a glimmer of hope emerges: he activates the Monster Editing System.With this arcane power, Lu Yu can extract materials from all things and fuse them to create unimaginable creatures. Each monster grants him a portion of its strength and a unique, terrifying skill. From that moment, Lu Yu embarks on a perilous game of wits and power against the ancient, malevolent gods.99 Demonic Eyes+ Cyclops Body + Primordial Chaos Stone = Chaos Evil Eye: its gaze alone spells death, obliterating all under the curse of its Mystic Death Stare.Angel’s Blood+ Nightmare’s Corpse = Holy Nightmare: a being that commands the dimensional ability Paradise Descent, fusing heaven and hell into an inescapable exile.Seed of the Dusk World+ Mutant Drake Egg = Endbringer Dragon: the avatar of apocalypse, wielding the Calamity Domain to usher in the end of all things.From the shadows, he crafts horrors beyond comprehension: Void Shadow Spider, Hundred-Armed Giant, Soul-Banshee, and Endbringer Dragon. Each creation shakes the fabric of reality itself. Even as his creations grow in power, they spiral further beyond mortal understanding, defying natural laws. The gods, once indifferent, now tremble as their monstrous rival rises.Can Lu Yu’s ingenuity and monstrous legion prevail in the deadly dance with gods? Or will the ancient, inscrutable powers crush him before his ultimate creation takes shape?The monsters are limitless, and even the gods dare not look away…

Transmigrating into a poor and mistreated young lady's body, what will the craziest alchemist of the seven realms now do?

Doctor Irish Lane- 28 years old, was a renowned psychologist in New York. She looked stunningly attractive, sexy, and smart—a real beauty with the flesh of ice and bones of jade to every man's eyes.

One day, she woke up with a dashing and mysterious stranger on her bed. Recalling last night's event, she can't remember how they end up together in the huge bed. She stared at the calm face before her and was startled when his phone rang. The man woke up and quickly answered the call.

She clearly heard the conversation he had. The stranger was getting married today! Composing herself, she hastily took money from her wallet and handed it to him without giving him a chance to explain. She sprinted to the door and disappeared from his life.

Unexpectedly, when she started her new job, the stranger once again appeared in front of her, dragging her into a murder case his company, Runestone Group, involved.

She refused him immediately, but no way he would let her escape.

He calmly said, “It's very dangerous for you, being so beautiful, to get into my car in the first place. And I take no for an answer!”

Irish tried to calm herself down and then did her seat belt. “Mr. Dover, I've told you that I also usually charge overtime pay.”

“Doctor Irish, don't you think your professional fee is high?”

“Is it?” Irish rolled her eyes, and an idea occurred to her, “No, the price of basic commodities nowadays is increasing, so doctors should increase their salary too.”

“You are a smart woman.” He said a half-sentence, and the end of his words was meaningful. “Of course, the extra money on the check was just an advance deposit. We can negotiate about the related remuneration once I'm satisfied with your performance.”

His scheming trick clearly trapped her, and it was too late for her to take back her words and realize the implication of her abrupt action.

A dangerous game of love that is full of lies and deception. Two exceptional individuals that fate collided, leading to the past they tried to bury.