Rebirth of the Fallen Zenith. - Chapter 5: Whispers of Change

them. That is, until his life deemed his playthrough unfair and gave him a red card. Poison was his family's best friend, as everyone had at least tasted it once, not twice because they never could.Death was never on his calendar, neither was an offer for a divine gig. Enter the Deity of Stories, a celestial being with a fetish for plot twists, who offers Min Jae a deal he can't refuse: become her divine cameraman.No, not the kind with a lens, but one who records the tales of mortals. In return, he gets a second shot at life, in a world where his dearly departed parents are alive and well, ready to dote on him from birth.Reborn as Judge (because “Min Jae 2.0” sounded too dull), he quickly realizes this new life is no gift. This steampunk utopia, filled with airships, clockwork gadgets, and an alarming lack of Wi-Fi, thrives on manipulation. But who needs the internet when you have a divine camera and the sharp mind to control it all?Judge isn’t just here to record stories; he’s here to write them, casting himself as the mastermind behind every twist and turn. Armed with his divine powers, he navigates complex schemes, power-hungry nobles, and ruthless industrialists, all while keeping his ultimate goal hidden: to ascend to godhood and rewrite his own fate.Of course, he generally makes a glorious mess of things, all while trying to keep his dear parents blissfully unaware of his less-than-angelic schemes. But as the stakes rise and the Deity of Stories watches his every move, Judge must tread carefully. Can he manipulate his way to the top, or will he become just another character in someone else’s plot twist?---Just a quick disclaimer: The book steers clear of any unwanted adult stuff. However, it does feature a potentially disturbing amount of violence—enough to make you wonder about the author's mental health.So proceed with caution—and maybe a shield!

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.

This text has been published under the name “Amidst the Falling Stars”.“President, I've found a little Baozi who looks a lot like you.”“President, Baozi says he doesn't have a real dad; he's a test-tube baby!”“……”He'd only been gone for two days, only to be told by his secretary that he'd been high-grade counterfeited, and it was a mini version of him!Test-tube baby?Thud!One phone call, city-wide search for Baozi, and also Baozi's... mom...Half an hour later...“President, we've found Baozi's mom... it's just... the young assistant you just fired.”“……”Before meeting Ou Mucen, Ye Ning was both the inconspicuous adopted daughter of the Ou Family and the true hidden master of the Antique Circle. She was exceptionally talented and intelligent, content with living a simple life.But after meeting Ou Mucen, her persona collapsed...

The beginning of the apocalypse brought chaos and disaster to humanity. It tore away the mask of society and revealed the cruelty hiding beneath.Ivy Ravencroft experienced it all firsthand. Her family was unfair and cruel, and they abused her so badly that she went blind. Her lover died trying to protect her, and she spent the next five years struggling to survive—until she finally died in the apocalypse.But then, Ivy woke up again—reborn in the first year of the apocalypse. At first, she felt hopeless. If only she had returned to a time before the apocalypse, she could have gathered food, weapons, and supplies to survive better.Still, she was grateful for one thing: she had kept her special ability—the power to create safe zones. This time, Ivy made a promise. She would protect her lover, find her real family, and take revenge on everyone who had hurt her...................................“Huh? Why is there a bento box lying here?” Ivy asked, confused.“What bento? Are you trying to trick me again?” Silas asked, sadness in his eyes.“This one!” Ivy said, holding up the packaged meal and waving it at him.“What the—where did that come from?” Silas stared at it in shock.Ivy’s eyes widened. She realized something—only she could see these items, and when she picked them up, they became real.“Can… I buy it from you?” Silas asked, unsure.“Of course. But I won't give it to you for free.” Ivy smiled like a fox.Silas closed his eyes; he was ready for her to demand something sky-high and said,“Okay. Tell me how many gold bars you want.”Ivy smiled and teased, “I don't want gold bars; they are way too cheap. I want one kiss.”Silas: Blushing hard.His subordinates: “...” This wave of dog food was too unexpected!.......................................................With the supplies, picking a superpower and a safe zone superpower, Ivy built her own residential area.She gained Kindness Energy and multiplied supplies with the help of Temporal Storage.