MTL - Fantasy Falls - Chapter 797 : The Powerful in Europe

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.

In a world teetering on the brink of chaos, where eldritch gods peer into mortal realms and monsters stalk the land, Lu Yu finds himself moments away from a gruesome end as a sacrifice to a sinister deity. Just as the cold altar awaits him, a glimmer of hope emerges: he activates the Monster Editing System.With this arcane power, Lu Yu can extract materials from all things and fuse them to create unimaginable creatures. Each monster grants him a portion of its strength and a unique, terrifying skill. From that moment, Lu Yu embarks on a perilous game of wits and power against the ancient, malevolent gods.99 Demonic Eyes+ Cyclops Body + Primordial Chaos Stone = Chaos Evil Eye: its gaze alone spells death, obliterating all under the curse of its Mystic Death Stare.Angel’s Blood+ Nightmare’s Corpse = Holy Nightmare: a being that commands the dimensional ability Paradise Descent, fusing heaven and hell into an inescapable exile.Seed of the Dusk World+ Mutant Drake Egg = Endbringer Dragon: the avatar of apocalypse, wielding the Calamity Domain to usher in the end of all things.From the shadows, he crafts horrors beyond comprehension: Void Shadow Spider, Hundred-Armed Giant, Soul-Banshee, and Endbringer Dragon. Each creation shakes the fabric of reality itself. Even as his creations grow in power, they spiral further beyond mortal understanding, defying natural laws. The gods, once indifferent, now tremble as their monstrous rival rises.Can Lu Yu’s ingenuity and monstrous legion prevail in the deadly dance with gods? Or will the ancient, inscrutable powers crush him before his ultimate creation takes shape?The monsters are limitless, and even the gods dare not look away…

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Starting a new book!The infinite stream “Stop it! This is a horror game” is being updated, seeking support.The Osmanthus Tree at home has turned into a spirit!The unexpectedly deceased Mei Mengzhen has returned to the year 2007.Looking at the 3200 yuan left by her parents, Mei Mengzhen decides to lift her younger brother out of poverty.People say that it's best to stay unnoticed in plain sight, well, she will stay unnoticed in the vegetable market.She initially wanted to use her abilities to earn some living allowances, but it slowly began to grow beyond her control!This story focuses on achievements, with love-interest as sub-plot.The completed novel “Rebirth: Chronicles of an Era” is available.“Rebirth: Chronicles of a Fairy Lady” is also available.Updates are guaranteed, feel free to jump in.