Warlock Apprentice - Chapter 1529: Section 1530 The Deceiver

I can see ghosts.Even the ghosts inside games.But then…”Ah! Not there, over that way! My family heirloom is hidden there.”The ghosts in the game keep revealing hidden pieces to me.

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

He is the genuine diamond bachelor of G City, ranking first in terms of net worth,Everyone knows that he had a deep and unforgettable love,But no one knows that, five years ago, he had a nominal marriage;She is the super nurse of G City People Hospital, with neither wealth nor high education,Everyone knows that she is divorced and has a child in tow,But no one knows that her ex-husband, the father of her child, is the man at the very top of the pyramid.Scene One:On the day she was diagnosed to be pregnant, her husband registered on the marriage certificate came back.The next day, at the breakfast table, an A4 sheet of paper appeared very abruptly by his right hand.“This is a divorce agreement, please sign it.” She said, her internal organs trembling.“...Is there someone else?” He put down his chopsticks, looked at her, and asked calmly, his eyebrows almost imperceptibly twitching.He came back because there was something he wanted to talk to her, but now it seemed unnecessary.“...Yes.” Having a child should count as having someone else, because from now on, she would love her child.When they got married back then, he had said that if she had a lover, she could ask him for a divorce.“Alright, I understand.” He nodded, picked up the agreement on the table, and left.“...”Scene Two:“What's your name?”“Axel Hawkins.”“Your last name is Hawkins?” The mother's name is Carolline Ruiz, his ex-wife, and the father's column is left blank, isn't it?“Yes, my dad's name is Bryan Hawkins, he's a Sky Walker.”“...”At five in the afternoon, Carolline Ruiz picked up her son from school and saw him standing next to her son; she instinctively turned around and ran.Bryan Hawkins left Axel Hawkins in the Guard Room, warned him not to run around, and then chased after her with his long legs.“Carolline Ruiz, stop.”“..” Almost instinctively, she really stopped.He slowly walked over and stood in front of her, a tall and imposing figure blocking all the setting sun.Carolline Ruiz couldn't help but look up, the afterglow of the setting sun illuminating his face, she couldn't see his features clearly at all.“What are you running for? If you dare to secretly love for eight years, do you dare to openly love for a lifetime?”“...”

After the judgment, the ire of God was revealed with the words: “Be cast unto eternal damnation!” And so it was that humans and jinns alike found themselves scattered across the Nine Circles of Hell, left to burn and suffer for eternity. Until after an untold number of eternities, an angelic voice called out, announcing God's decree: “One soul shall earn the chance to return to grace.” Humans and jinns found a shimmering screen appear before their eyes, tallying their sins and something called 'Fragments of Divinity'. “Cleanse away your sins,” said the voice. “Do what must be done!”Now, a human known as Wretched Nameless One—the only human found in the Ninth Circle—sets out on a journey to claim his spot in Heaven, tasked with fighting hellish monsters and devilish hell-dwellers competing to return to grace. Will he escape eternal torment and rise to grace or return to the everlasting cleansing fire once more?