73 Results in the "A Blossom of Flames" category
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Chapter
Chapter 41 – Competitive Minds
"Faustus," she said, her voice icy. "I think we need to talk." He turned to her, one eyebrow raised dismissively. "Oh? What about, Valentina? Are you going to congratulate me on my brilliant presentation?" "You know exactly what I'm talking about," she hissed. "My Essence pattern. Someone tampered with it. And I hardly think it was a coincidence." Faustus' smile widened, but his eyes remained cold. "My goodness, Valentina. Are we being a little paranoid? Maybe your project just wasn't as stable as…-
377.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 7 – What Lies Beyond
Dusk was falling over Bridgewater University as Valentina descended the steps of the main building. The day had been a mixture of lectures, secretly studying the forbidden book, gathering needed materials for the summoning, and growing tension. She needed a moment of calm to organize her thoughts. Her feet carried her back to the university gardens almost as if of their own accord. Here and there, students scurried past, engrossed in quiet conversations or books. A black cat was prowling through the…-
377.7 K • Ongoing
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Valentina awoke with a soft groan, her body cramped under the thin blanket that offered little protection against the first winter cold that crept through the thin walls of her tiny attic room. Her eyes opened reluctantly, still hazy from sleep but immediately filled with the gnawing fear that had accompanied her into slumber. "Good morning, little Weaver,"Vyxara's voice whispered in her head, soft as velvet, but with an undertone that made Valentina shudder. "Are you ready for our big…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 51 – Trials of Fire
"Next task!" announced Professor Emberfell. "Create a self-sustaining resonance chain from all eight Essence types. Time: ten minutes!" Valentina took a deep breath and prepared herself. The strange Essence patterns danced before her eyes, but by now they felt almost familiar. With practiced movements, she began to weave, creating intricate structures of Leb and Ard, interwoven with flowing streams of Wazzer and Luvt. Suddenly, Vyxara's constant stream of comments in her head stopped. The silence was…-
377.7 K • Ongoing
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Valentina lay awake in her narrow bed early in the morning, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, while the events of the previous night swirled through her head like autumn leaves in the wind. The visit to the Burning Quill had stirred something inside her. The frank conversations with Innogen and Crispin about love, intimacy and expectations had touched a side of her that she had kept carefully closed off. And then there had been Hobkin, with his seductive smile and sparkling eyes, who had made eyes at her…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 60 – Corruption
"STOP!" screamed Vyxara in her head. "The corrupt Essence – it's leaking through!" Valentina saw it too. Fine black veins began to run through the ambient Essence of the room, like ink in clear water. The sweet, foul smell grew stronger. "What should I do?" she whispered in a panic. "Don't stop!" ordered Vyxara. "You have to control both processes at the same time. Keep manipulating the Eye with your right hand and contain the spread with your left." Valentina's injured arm protested as she…-
377.7 K • Ongoing
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Birds chirped outside Valentina's small skylight and gently woke her up. She felt refreshed and relaxed, she had slept better than she had for a long time. Then she began to remember. "Good morning, little Weaver," Vyxara's voice purred in her head, her voice full of innuendo.The memories of last night flooded her. The intense pleasure, the overwhelming ecstasy, and Vyxara's presence during it all. "Oh Martyr," she whispered, hiding her face in her hands. "There is nothing to be ashamed of,"…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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In the days following the second round of the competition, Valentina found herself in a whirlwind of congratulations, envious glances and being the topic of some whispered conversations. But amidst the hustle and bustle, she couldn't forget Professor Horne's strange behavior and remembered that she wanted to investigate it further after the second round of the competition. What she had heard in the library and in the lectures, his nervous looks, the stuttering when he called on certain female students –…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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The Burning Quill was well attended that evening. Students were celebrating the end of exams, saying goodbye to friends or drowning their disappointment in ale and fire tongues. The smell of roasting meat and spicy sauce drifted from the kitchen into the bar. Valentina, Innogen and Crispin had managed to get a quiet table in a corner. Wilbur, the innkeeper, had served them his best lamb chops and even brought a bottle of wine from his private cellar. Innogen's name and money made it possible. "Here's…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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As Valentina walked around the counter, she entered a completely different world to the chaotic but reasonably tidy front part of the store. Stacks of books, boxes and crates were everywhere. A thick layer of dust covered every free spot. In one corner stood an old bed with stained sheets, next to it a crooked mirror and a wobbly chair. The whole thing looked like the lair of a miserly hermit who hadn't cared about his own well-being for a long time. Barnaby led Valentina deeper into this private…
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377.7 K • Ongoing
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