Rise of the Arms Dealer in the World War - Chapter 9 - The Gamble

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.

Li Xiaofei, thrust 500 years into the future, finds himself as a young orphaned man in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. Raised by a woman only slightly older than himself in the unforgiving slums, he quickly learns that survival requires both strength and cunning.In a world ravaged by alien star beasts, where gangs rule the streets and political factions vie for control, chaos is the order of the day. Amidst this turmoil, Li Xiaofei must carve out his own destiny. Armed with the mysterious Moonlight Treasure Box, he embarks on a perilous journey to make a name for himself and protect the ones he loves.Will Li Xiaofei rise above the chaos to bring peace to his world, or will he be consumed by the darkness that surrounds him?Official BlurbThe star beasts invaded, and Earth’s civilization collapsed. A young man, wielding the artifact Moonlight Treasure Box, drew upon the legacy of three thousand martial arts techniques from various worlds. He protected humanity, won the hearts of beautiful women, slew star beasts, suppressed myriad races, ruled the universe, and commanded the heavens. In the vast cosmos, he was invincible!

It was a life without regret. My parents were in good health, and I wasn’t homey enough for me to combine my studies and part-time jobs.

I like fantasy, martial arts, games, fiction movies, cartoons… I’m a normal high school student who likes these things.

That was certainly true until ten years ago.

This is not the earth.

A fantasy world dominated by powerful people. Savage utopia. It is a world where you can take anything with you if you have physical strength.

“They only call me mad because they're unable to comprehend me.”After recovering from trauma, Dan was just about to reconnect with the world when some cursed force yanked him into another world without warning.He became, Jules Evanava, a similarly traumatized minor character from the novel, Aftermath of Destroyed Worlds.Jules was now the heir to the strongest clan in the world, thanks to their esteemed, world-balance-altering artifact—but there were thorny strings attached.On the same day he arrived, he was thrown into a mission meant to end with his death.Yet he survived, seizing the Archangel of War’s power in a gamble with death—high risk, higher reward.Blood Manipulation, the Crimson Sigil, War Forged—a sentient sword—and Bloodlust Control were just the beginning. There was more to come. So much more.And with each new power and growth, something in him cracked. Sanity frayed, slowly but surely, as Jules danced closer to the edge of madness.Now, with enemies in his own clan and chaos rising across multiple lands—and even space—Jules must navigate a brutal world on the edge of collapse.Armed with the novel's knowledge and his growing abilities, Jules was going to survive it all—even if he had to become the very madness they struggled to understand.