71 Results in the "A Weave of Ambition" category
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Chapter
Chapter 50 – Old Acquaintance
Valentina turned the precious vials in her hands. The Essence shimmered in them like liquid moonlight, two vials that might get her through the next two weeks if she used them sparingly. But then what? "A worryingly low supply," Vyxara remarked. "Especially given the fact that your usual sources have dried up." "I know," Valentina thought grimly. Barnaby was in the Illumination's dungeons, and even if he was still free, after their last encounter, she wouldn't have visited his store anyway. Professor Horne…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 49 – Death’s Hand
The following days blurred into a repetitive cycle of care, short breaks and constant worry. Valentina and Innogen shared the tasks and while one rested, the other watched over Crispin. Valentina used all her knowledge from Dusktown. She had recreated the sterilizing effect of the modified Greystone Cascade on a smaller scale, a fine mesh of Essence patterns that purified the air and surfaces in the room. It cost her and Innogen much of their precious supply of Distilled Essence to keep it going, but it…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 48 – Winter’s Grip
Icy sleet drove the students into the buildings, where they huddled around fireplaces and stoves, freezing. "Appropriate weather for these gloomy times," Vyxara murmured in Valentina's mind. Valentina pulled her coat tighter around her as she hurried through the cold corridors. Everywhere, students huddled in small groups, seeking warmth in the community. Their muffled conversations echoed off the stone walls. "Did you hear that?" a student whispered to her friend. "Twenty people died of the fever in…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 47 – A Pious Virgin
On the seventh day after Eastwald's arrival, Valentina found a parchment note on the outside of her door. With cool precision, the formal handwriting informed her that she was to report to the questioning room at noon. No explanation or polite phrases, just a direct instruction, sealed with the stylized flame symbol of the Illumination. "Ah, the time has finally come," Vyxara whispered. "It was bound to happen sooner or later." Valentina stared at the parchment, her heartbeat quickening. Despite all her…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 46 – Loose Ends
News of the room searches quickly spread through the university like wildfire. Valentina heard the first rumors at lunch, when students were whispering about Emberwardens ransacking rooms, slashing mattresses, confiscating books and destroying personal belongings. "They took all of Oleanne's correspondence with her betrothed," a third-year student hissed, over her soup plate. "Private letters! Imagine what a scandal it could be if they read them." Valentina exchanged a worried glance with Innogen. "Are…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 45 – The First Blow
By midday, one of the auditoriums on the first floor, normally a place of lively debate about Essence Theory, had been transformed into what everyone assumed to be basically a torture chamber. The Emberwardens had pushed the benches and tables against the walls and turned the room into a makeshift interrogation room. Heavy curtains had been drawn in front of the high windows, allowing only a few strips of light to penetrate. The smell of incense and a bitter herb that was supposed to ward off demonic…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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They were in the middle of breakfast when a sudden commotion at the entrance interrupted them. The conversations in the dining room fell silent as heads turned towards the door. The normal breakfast chatter died away and was replaced by an unnatural silence. The large door opened with deliberate slowness, the old hinges groaning in protest. Six figures stepped through. Four of them were Emberwardens in their characteristic burgundy robes and armor, moving with military precision and flanking a tall, gaunt…
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424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 43 – The Coming Storm
The rest of the lesson passed quickly as the class practiced various healing patterns under Whitehall's keen observation. At the end of the lesson, as the students were packing up their materials, Whitehall held Valentina back. "Just a moment, Valentina." Valentina stayed in her seat while the other students left the room. Avie gave her one last envious look before disappearing through the door. "Your contributions today were very valuable," Whitehall said when they were alone. "Master Wilford wrote to…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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The second day of the new semester began with a flood of students streaming into the main hall for course registration. Valentina made her way through the crowd, a list of the courses she wanted to attend this year firmly in hand. She had chosen to focus on medical applications of Essence Weaving, inspired by her time at Greystone Hospital. "All those looks," Vyxara murmured, amused. "You'd think you were an exotic creature from the Scorched Lands or the Far West and not just a student in a new…
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424.1 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 41 – Spilling the Beans
The first day at the university was a pleasantly busy one. After breakfast together in the dining room, where Valentina constantly attracted curious glances, they spent the morning in the library. Together with Crispin, Valentina and Innogen studied the courses on offer for the new academic year, compared their interests and thought back and forth about their timetables. "Professor Whitehall offers several advanced courses in medical Essence application," Valentina remarked enthusiastically. "That would…-
424.1 K • Ongoing
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