She tilted her head at me, one eyebrow raised. “Go on, Erik,” she said.
I cleared my throat and pointed at the giant shadow towering over everything. “Earlier you mentioned this was the Thirteenth Pillar. Is it safe to assume there are twelve others just like it?”
A faint smirk curved Laska’s lips. She reclined against a rough boulder, arms folded as if she found my question amusing. Lucius stood to my left, a near-permanent sneer etched on his extremely punchable face.
“Oh, come on,” Lucius said, shaking his head. “You seriously didn’t know? Makes sense why they call Corello an uneducated dump.”
I twisted toward him and shot him a glare. “One of these days you’re gonna piss off the wrong person, Larry.”
He squinted in frustration. “It’s Lucius.”
“Mhmm,” I mumbled.
Before he could retaliate, Laska cleared her throat. “I don’t see the point in discussing all thirteen pillars right now,” she said briskly. “I was simply explaining those wall drawings.” She nodded at the large mural-like paintings we’d been studying—four abstract figures in different colors, representing the so-called Guardians.
“Yeah, about that,” Mel chimed in. Her red hair caught a beam of moonlight that made it glow like live flames. “You mentioned we’d probably die if we ran into a Guardian. But I’ve never met anything that can’t be killed. Even the king of Stylos himself can be killed with a good stab through the chest!” A wild grin spread across her face, as though the idea of an unkillable monster excited her more than it scared her.
“Please,” Zenobia snorted. She stood a few feet away, arms folded in silent disapproval.
“Got something to say, princess?” Mel asked, raising her chin defiantly. Her knuckles curled as if she might throw a punch.
“That’s enough,” Laska grunted, leaning forward. She rubbed her forehead, sighing with impatience. “I said it would take almost an entire company of Cinders—around a hundred—to take one of these Guardians down. But it’s more complicated than that. It depends on which Cinders join the fight, their blood-infusion level, and where they encounter the Guardian. But it’s all pointless. The Guardians don’t die. Well, not in a permanent sense.”
Quiet confusion crawled over us. I decided to speak up to fill the void. “What do you mean by don’t die?”
Laska cast me a glance. It seemed she was still deciding whether to indulge my question or order me to be silent. Finally, she relented. “When a Guardian is slain in combat, its soul returns to the tower, to its home on the fourth floor. There, i’s body is remade and it guards the gate to the fifth floor with its brothers. When the next season comes around for it to patrol, it returns to the surface with its new body. Our best guess is that to destroy a Guardian forever, someone would have to locate and destroy it inside the fourth floor, in its lair.”
“Fourth floor? Blood infusions? Do I bother asking about all these?” I asked.
She paused, eyes drifting over the group. “Probably not.” And for the first time, the strict sergeant let out a laugh. “I suppose you will learn this all in class. The point is that the Guardians are extremely deadly and dangerous for everyone. However, miracles have happened where Cinders, and even recruits like you, have defeated a Guardian. When these extraordinary feats happened, they became living legends.”
Mel cackled, and her wild grin, like a hungry wolf, returned. “So they can be killed. Perfect. I’ll be the next legend, I swear. I’ll tear one apart before it can hurt any of you all. Don’t worry!” She pointed her thumb to herself proudly.
Zenobia rolled her eyes. “Some goals require more than being cocky. You heard the sergeant, it depended on their experience and even the environment. It sounded like it was best to be careful and avoid them.”
Mel’s gaze snapped over, but before she could retort, Laska raised her voice. “Yes, only two living Cinders have done it: the current leader of the military wing, who’s off on an expedition now, and a third-year recruit at the academy.”
“A student?” Silas said, suddenly intrigued. “Like us?”
Laska smiled. She had loosened up now the more we all talked. “Technically you’re not even officially first-years yet, so not quite like you. That third-year is extremely gifted. A little annoying and erratic . . . but gifted for sure.” Laska looked up at the two moons, now directly above us, and cursed under her breath. “We’re off topic again, and it’s late. The Guardians aren’t your business yet. We’ll reach the academy by tomorrow, so just focus on surviving and arriving in one piece.”
I coughed into my fist. “All right, I have one more question. So, if it’s summer now—” My eyes flicked to the stylized figure painted in a golden hue on the wall. “Does that mean the Summer Guardian’s roaming the surface right now? Is that the one that might kill us if we run across it?”
She paused, scowling at me with a hint of exasperation. “We have bigger concerns than tangling with a Guardian. Enough, recruit. We’ll never get any rest if I allow you to keep asking. I’ll be sure to introduce you to the academy’s history teachers the moment we get to Ash.”
A few snickers rippled behind me, but I shrugged off the teasing. Curiosity was my lifeline in this bizarre world, but I wasn’t dense enough to not know when I was being called out to stop. “Fair enough, Sergeant.”
Laska gave a short nod. “Anyway, you all have enough ‘enthusiasm’ for me to believe you’ll do fine.” Her gaze flicked over to Mel, who cracked her knuckles eagerly. “We leave at dawn. I strongly suggest sleeping if you can. Tomorrow’s the last day of travel, we won’t be stopping.”
She settled onto her bedroll, effectively ending the discussion. The group relaxed in the leftover glow of the small campfire. Each of us gradually found our usual spots. The twins leaned into each other, and the others lay down.
Tevin hunched by the entrance, letting a few small crickets hop along his hand while Mel watched with undisguised disgust. She cursed at him under her breath and moved her sleeping position as far away from the bug fanatic as possible.
Silas slept next to Hopsander against the stone wall. He was still recovering from losing his arm, and his sleeping didn’t look very restful. He was wincing as he dreamed, but Hopsander didn’t worry about it. Meanwhile, Goro, the titan-beetle, ambled back and forth near the camp perimeter, his antennae drooping every time he turned. He must’ve been looking for any sign of Gora returning.
I sank onto the hard ground and tried to rest near the fire, but my thoughts refused to settle. Flickers of monstrous shapes—lichwolves, goblins, the Grootslang—darted through my mind. My pulse quickened. Then Fern’s quiet voice nudged me.
‘Erik?’
Yeah? I answered, closing my eyes.
‘Silas . . . his arm. Will he still be able to attend the academy like this?’
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
I felt a sympathetic ache but had to tease the sweet kid. You’re worried about your first friend, huh?
‘It’s not that, I just—’
I’m kidding. I get it. I hope he’ll still attend. He looked so excited, after seeing Laska’s powers. He’s got a real chance to find a purpose. I haven’t forgotten him tinkering with that metal box. I bet he will be an engineer or design something cool, like gadgets for us!
Fern sighed. ‘Maybe, but honestly, I’m ready for something predictable. Everything’s been so random, so dangerous.’
Nobody said this journey would be relaxing, in fact they said the exact opposite. But let’s face it, there is one good thing that has happened so far. We’re stronger than we expected. I know you felt that synergy when we fought the wyrms, and even back with Carlyle. Maybe being in one body let us push beyond normal human limits?
‘Maybe, but what do we do with that?’
We can ask Hopsander at the academy. He seems to suspect something, right?
‘Right. That’s a good idea. Maybe he can give us guidance or something? Train us to be stronger, so that we can find a way to separate ourselves.’
Exactly.
‘Okay, well, you should sleep, we need our body to be strong. Good night, Erik.’
Night, Fern.
For once, we parted on an amicable note, which I appreciated. Before long, I drifted off into a fitful sleep, dreaming of the four painted Guardians wreathed in swirling cosmic dust, each wearing a different color ornamental robe. They all had spikes around their bodies and blades grew from their hands. I woke several times in the night, haunted by half-formed visions of them patrolling a labyrinth that I was stuck in. That detail Laska mentioned about “floors” flickered hazily—like they literally inhabited the fourth floor of that impossible tower, ensuring no one advanced to the fifth. Absurd as it sounded, I believed her. Whatever this giant pillar was, it emanated pulsing energy from within it.
I awoke early with a knot in my back thanks to the hard stone we slept on. A sliver of sunlight slanted into the thin mountain pass where half the group shuffled around while the rest were still waking up. My stomach rumbled, so I rolled over and reached into the bag I used as a pillow, and pulled out my last thin strip of dried meat.
Laska was busy putting out the embers, and Hopsander lifted up Silas onto his back after rechecking the bandaged stump. The rest were quietly preparing their gear for the final leg of the journey.
“Time to go, recruits,” Laska said curtly, pushing a hand through her short black hair. “We’re nearly at the academy. Let’s not waste any more daylight.”
Her words lit a spark of excitement in the air. Even Mel and Lucius paused their bickering to pack up quickly. The twins huddled close, adjusting the straps on their small bags, and Tevin massaged Goro’s antenna in a reassuring gesture. Ruriel and Zenobia were already at the head of the group, bags packed and ready to go.
Those two give off class president vibes.
‘What is that supposed to mean?’ Fern asked.
I . . . uh, well, I guess you really wouldn’t know, huh. Nevermind. I let out a disappointed sigh that my little thoughts would have to continue to be enjoyed by only me.
As we set off, I noticed Goro’s subtle slump, his drooping carapace, as though he missed Gora deeply. A pang of sympathy struck me, but I had no idea how to console a giant beetle. The best I could do was pat his side gently while we walked, to which Tevin turned and gave me a thumbs-up of approval.
Hours passed. We trudged onward through winding valleys and steadily climbing terrain. Laska pushed us at a brisk pace, occasionally pointing out a stable path for us to navigate when it became too narrow for Goro to lead us. The beetle would then climb up and over along the steep mountain cliffs while we squeezed our way through below. The sun rose higher, scorching the rocky ground underfoot.
My legs ached, but Laska insisted we skip a formal lunch and eat on the move to keep on schedule.
Worry for Al and Gora hovered in the back of my mind, but I trusted they’d outsmart the Grootslang. They had to; they couldn’t leave Goro lonely like this. Seeing the poor beetle mope broke my heart.
Occasionally, rumbles would echo across the craggy landscape, causing Laska to make us halt and scan for the cause of commotion. It was usually just some shifting stones tumbling down the mountainside or different animals crying out for food, a mate, or to hunt. We all hoped it wasn’t that last one.
The day dragged on, and as if to metaphorically symbolize our climb, we passed the bones of several dead mountain goats.
‘I hope we don’t end up like them,’ Fern said.
I’ve been meaning to ask. Do you even feel tired? Do you feel anything at all? You know, physically?
‘Now that you mention it . . . no, I don’t. But I can tell YOU are getting tired.’
Must be nice, I thought, pushing myself up the hill behind Silas and Mel. My legs ached, sure, but not as much as I had expected when we started the hike. I assumed this was because I was in a young body again.
Youth really is wasted on the young.
At one point in the climb, we saw a glimpse of a large, birdlike silhouette overhead, but it vanished behind a ridge before anyone could get a good look. It’s safe to say that our nerves stayed on high alert.
Our climb led us to an outcropping by midafternoon. When we finally crested the top, cheers arose. Below us lay a rolling plain that marched all the way to the coastline where a small town sat. Beyond that, Baldred’s Pillar.
The pillar towered above everything and stretched on for miles in either direction, like the land had been lifted by gods so that mortals could never step foot on it. Nestled in the middle of one side of the pillar’s foundation, a sprawling complex of Gothic-style buildings led inside the natural wonder: the Academy of Ash.
We paused at the cliff’s edge. The wind whipped my hair, carrying the tang of ocean salt, while I looked out below and enjoyed the moment. I had missed too many beautiful things in my old life because I was so focused on working. I told myself that I shouldn’t miss things this time.
The farmland around the small town formed neat little squares mixed in with the luscious green fields. The sea sparkled like liquid labradorite, and in that moment, everything was mesmerizing. Back at the base of the tower, the campus was undeniably impressive. Although the academy looked minuscule compared to the giant pillar, it was large by modern Earth standards.
The buildings were painted black and had red stripes along the edges of each side, just like how the buildings were in Corello. Some structures clung partway up the pillar’s side, connected by stone walkways or suspended bridges.
A hush spread among us. Laska let our moment linger before she spoke.
“Recruits,” she said softly, “behold the town of Ash, the Academy of Ash, and the Thirteenth Pillar. That is your new home. Welcome.”
Hopsander let out a satisfied sigh. “Yeah, she’s a beauty, isn’t she? I will never get tired of this view. You know, I was telling my old friend Bart that we should build a retreat out here. Imagine the kind of sunrises you could see!”
We stood there, absorbing the sheer scope. For all the talk about levels, history lessons, and potential run-ins with Guardians, none of this academy felt quite real until now. The pillar soared overhead like a cosmic harpoon impaling the sky. I looked up trying to catch a glimpse of the top, but it just kept going higher and higher, gray stone rising to space. I wondered if we’d ever see those higher floors.
Finally, Mel broke the silence with a wide grin. “What are we waiting for?” She dashed down the path, ignoring the precarious slope. Zenobia rolled her eyes but followed, nearly as eager.
Laska nodded, letting them go. “The plains are safer than these mountains. No reason to hang around. Let’s move.”
We began descending the winding road. The air felt lighter with every step downward, as though the weight of the mountain range lifted from our shoulders. The smell of grass replaced the stale smell of dusty rocks.
CREEEEE.
A sudden, piercing shriek echoed behind us, instantly tensing every muscle I had. It reverberated off the cliffs. My stomach sank.
“What was that?” one of the twins, Sora, said, twisting around in panic.
Silas stood next to me looking around. He turned and gasped, eyes wide.
“Look!” He pointed behind us.
From the shadows of the pass we’d just left, a huge silhouette emerged, its shape still half obscured by the sunlight now blazing into our eyes. My breath caught in my throat. Whatever it was, it had multiple appendages bristling from its sides, and two eyes locked onto us with predatory intensity.
“Run!” Laska roared. She spun toward the new challenger, sword flashing free of its sheath. She advanced a few steps while she shouted at us to go. My heart thundered in my ears.
We scattered. I pounded down the slope, the beast’s steps shaking the rocky ground behind us. The rising sense of fear battered at my mind.
‘We’re not going to outrun that thing,’ Fern murmured. ‘We’re so close to the academy—do something, Erik!’
Do what exactly?! I shouted back.
“Keep going!” Hopsander bellowed from the front, motioning everyone to keep pace. “Don’t look back!”
Yet I couldn’t help it. My pulse soared. I slid to a halt, chest heaving, and pulling Lightcutter from beneath my tunic. I turned around expecting a giant beast to stamp me down into the dirt.
Maybe the synergy we felt before could help?! I gritted my teeth and opened my eyes toward the oncoming silhouette.
CREEEEE!
The beast charged closer, each footstep a tremor, its shape still an obscured monstrosity. I steadied myself on quivering legs. If I could buy time for the others to reach the plains, maybe they’d be safe. My mind screamed it was suicide, but I had to do something.
Then the beast knocked me down, and its massive shadow loomed over me.
? Featured Web Novel ?
Hordes of Tartarus [Isekai / LitRPG]
LitRPG Isekai Progression Mythos Action
Vincent washes up on an Ancient Greek island under attack after a drunk selfie gone wrong. To survive, he must fight mythical creatures, level up fast, and upgrade the hamlet’s defenses before the next wave of horrors is unleashed upon the islanders.
But holding the line isn’t enough. Vincent must also complete quests, clear dungeons, and learn new skills if he wants to stand a chance against the escalating threats.
Beyond the island, the Titans have escaped Tartarus and wage war against the Gods who once enchained them. Gates to the Underworld rupture across the lands, unleashing horrors meant to wipe out humankind. And rumors say the Gods are losing.
Can Vincent, through increasingly brutal foes, unpredictable bosses, and precarious bonds with the islanders, emerge victorious against the Hordes of Tartarus?
What to Expect
Quests Kingdom Building Mythic Beasts Epic Worldbuilding
- Weak-to-Strong progression with skills, loot, and leveling
- Greek mythos with heroes, monsters, dungeons, bosses, and escalating challenges
- Island defense and strategic kingdom-building
- Evolving alliances and personal bonds that shape the journey
- Worldbuilding depth with Gods, Titans, and consistent action-driven adventure