Novels by bilalisak

The alley reeked of metal and oil. Smoke curled from overturned braziers, carrying the sharp tang of burned Qi cores. Rick moved through the narrow passage with measured steps, eyes scanning the shadows. Luna followed, her blade sheathed but ready, her crystalline arm catching faint glimmers of light from the broken lanterns. “They’ve been experimenting with grafts,” she murmured. “Reports say limbs, organs… some things that shouldn’t even exist.”Rick didn’t answer. His hand brushed the satchel at his hip, fingers resting on the edge of the instruments inside. Every step he took sent subtle pulses through the air, probing, testing. The system flagged the energy ahead: [High Corruption Detected: Life Force Misalignment].At the end of the alley, a dim light glowed against the walls, illuminating a crude operating table. Havel stood over it, hunched, hands smeared with a mixture of blood and alchemical residue. His limbs were augmented, metal grafts, grafted flesh twitching unna

The market was alive with shadows. Lanterns hung from low beams, their pale light bouncing off metal trays and glass vials. The air smelled of incense and rot, of iron and spice. Voices whispered from stalls, bargaining in hushed tones. Nothing was named aloud; everything here had a price, and every price was paid in life.Rick stepped carefully through the narrow alleys, hood low over his face, hands resting near the satchel at his waist. Luna walked beside him, eyes sharp, scanning every corner, every movement. The streets were crowded with bodies, but none met their gaze directly. Here, anonymity was survival.“Keep close,” Luna said, voice low. Her crystalline arm glinted faintly in the dim light. “One wrong look, and they’ll know you’re not just another buyer.”Rick nodded. His jaw tightened. Ahead, a stall displayed something that made him freeze. Vials lined up in neat rows, their labels faintly familiar: a mark he had once used in his early alchemical experiments. Some had

The road north was broken. Stones jutted like teeth, dust choked the wind, and skeletal trees leaned toward the path, their roots like claws. Rick walked ahead, cloak pulled low over his face, hood drawn. Luna followed a step behind, eyes scanning the ruined settlements flanking the road.Smoke still lingered in the air, black and clinging to rooftops. Wood splintered, doors hanging from rusted hinges. The remnants of carts lay overturned, scattered barrels leaking unknown liquids. A dog barked somewhere in the distance, but no other sound stirred. The borderlands were silent after a storm of violence.Rick adjusted the strap on his pack. Fingers brushed against the edge of a small satchel. Inside were bandages, vials, and instruments fashioned for both medicine and combat. He could feel the Qi of the area, discordant, trembling, desperate. “People have fled,” Luna said, breaking the quiet. Her voice was low, tight. “Either hiding or taken.”Rick nodded without looking. “Both,” he

The night was quiet, almost too quiet. Crickets chirped in the forest beyond the dojo, their song swallowed by the distant howl of wind through pines. Smoke from the hearth curled slowly, vanishing into the dark sky. Rick crouched beside Sujin’s cot, his hands folded neatly on his knees.The old monk’s chest rose and fell shallowly. Eyes half-closed, mouth twitching faintly. Each breath measured, deliberate. Rick did not speak. Luna knelt at the doorway, crystalline arm wrapped lightly in cloth, her hood pulled back to catch the soft glow of lanterns.Sujin’s voice came, weak but steady. “Rick, remember,” His hand twitched, fingers trembling. “The healer who strikes… must also… weep.”Rick bent forward slightly. He nodded once. “I will.”The old monk’s eyes fluttered, catching the dim light. For a heartbeat, he looked as though he were seeing through the room, past the walls, past the mountains beyond. Then his hand went slack. The chest stopped moving. The cot sagged.Rick stayed k

Rick walked along the ridge that overlooked the valley. Below, smoke rose from a small village, thin and blue, curling into the sky. It was not fire. Cooking smoke. The villagers moved freely among scattered carts, repairing walls, patching roofs. Children ran with bare feet, laughing, carrying water from the nearby stream.He could see the militia camps on either side. Red banners to the north. Black banners to the south. Spears set into racks, armor stacked neatly. Men trained quietly with wooden swords, bows strung and loosened. No one attacked. No one ran.Rick’s foot pressed into a stone. He crouched briefly, feeling the tremor of Qi beneath the earth. Hatred, lingering like residue. Residue from three weeks of small skirmishes. He reached out with his senses. It was weak. Fading.Luna stepped up beside him, cloak tight against the cold. Her crystalline arm hummed faintly. “You didn’t touch them,” she said.Rick shook his head once. “They didn’t need it.”He could feel it. Eac

The first arrow struck the ground between two men arguing over a torn banner.It sank into the dirt with a dull sound. Both men froze. Dust drifted. The wind carried the smell of sweat, iron, and trampled grass.Rick stood on a low ridge above the field, cloak pale against the darkening sky. Luna waited behind him, hood drawn low, crystalline arm wrapped in cloth. Below them, two forces faced each other across a shallow valley. Red banners on the left. Black banners on the right. Spears lowered. Bows raised. Drums beating too fast.Rick stepped forward until loose stones rolled under his boots. “Stop,” he said.His voice did not rise. It cut through the valley anyway. A captain from the red side turned. His armor was dented. Blood dried along his cheek. “Who are you?”Rick walked down the slope. He did not hurry. Arrows tracked his movement. He did not look at them. “The sick have no sides,” Rick said.A murmur spread. Laughter followed from the black side. A tall warrior stepped out

The hall was quiet again. Dust floated through the air where Duke had stood moments ago. The floor was cracked from the force of his blow. Everyone still stared at Thomas as if he had turned into something else entirely.Thomas looked down at his hands, still trembling. The blue glow was gone, but he could almost feel it under his skin, like something alive was still there, waiting.Jerry touched his shoulder gently. “Thomas… you scared me, man. What was that light? What did you do?”Thomas opened his mouth but no words came out. He didn’t know. He just remembered the screen, the words from the system, and how the blade had formed like it had always belonged to him.“I don’t know,” he said finally, his voice low. “It just… happened.”Master Iverson stood by the door, his eyes unreadable. For a moment, Thomas thought he saw pride — but also worry. Deep worry. “Go home and rest,” Master Iverson said. “Tomorrow night, we talk. Alone.”Thomas nodded. The way his master said alone made his

As Thomas and master Iverson were hesitant, Duke immediately ran and grabbed Jerry, Thomas' friend."Duke stop this madness" Master Iverson said."Should I intervene, master," Mike whispered to Master Iverson."Hold on," Master Iverson said.His fist was clenched tightly and without thinking, Thomas stepped forward with his voice louder and more confident than he felt."Leave him alone!" Thomas shouted as he was racing as he stood between Jerry and them. Duke and his guys stopped for a moment while turning to face him.The Duke snorted while one of the Duke guys tilted its head and made a mocking sneer. The Duke then let out a low rumbling laugh."Look at this little guy, you think you can stop us boy" Saul, one of the duke guys hissed while showing his tongue.Brave but foolish, what do you plan to do? Fight us? With what?" Saul, one of the duke guys said with a low growl.Thomas' mind raced for a second and he began to doubt his abilities.What was he doing? These weren't just any t

Days passed, it's a calm morning in the academy. All students were present in the hall waiting for Master Iverson to address them.Thomas stepped forward and everywhere became silent. "What's he up to" they were murmuring."I, Thomas walker, I challenge you, Duke to a duel" Thomas said after deep thoughts, he knew this was the only way to end it."Are you for real dude?" Duke said, looking surprised about how confident Thomas was."Yes Duke, are you scared," Thomas Walker said, trying to push Duke to accept his request."Are you crazy, Thomas, its suicide," Jerry said in shock."I got this," Thomas said."Alright then, it seems this boy hasn't learned his lessons man," Duke said as he looked over to his gang “The fight will be held by four pm. Both of you should be present at the main hall for the fight," Mike said.It is time for him to face his first true test. Thomas is going to fight Duke who has been humiliating him for years."Master Iverson, are you going to sit back and let th

After a cold shower, Thomas stood in front of the mirror and was stunned. His muscles had grown more. He didn't like a weak boy from yesterday.TASK COMPLETED+5 STRENGTH+5 SPEED+1 TALENT POINT EARNEDNEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: MINOR HEALING.PHYSICAL ENDURANCE INCREASED.FATIGUE RESISTANCE INCREASED."Whoa! I look like a bodybuilder," Thomas muttered, turning sideways in the mirror.He clenched his fists. They felt alive. He had been mocked, humiliated and nearly killed but now, he had a chance."I don't know what this system is or why it chose me but I'm not wasting this... I'll do whatever it asks me to do." He said.He stared at the glowing screen again as it flickered softly, ready for the next command."I'm running late to see master Iverson," Thomas said as he remembered that master Iverson had requested his presence.The path to power had opened and this time, Thomas Walker wouldn't be left behind.Thomas walked slowly through the hallways, he was looking calm but his thoughts we

"But be calm, I am not here to harm you," the monster said calmly."I will let you leave my domain unharmed but on one condition," It said.Duke curiosity made him have an encounter with quantum shadow. "What's it you want?" Duke asked.The quantum shadow went closer to Duke. "There's a boy, a foolish boy who is going to stumble up on a power that should not exist in this world" it said with seriousness."This boy is going to grow and be the most powerful and I don't want that to happen and I'm sure you don't want that to happen" Quantum shadow said with seriousness.Quantum Shadow's eyes were fixated on Duke and its expression was serious. "You must stop this boy before it's too late," it said."The powers he will stumble upon are ancient and powerful and if he is allowed to wield them he will become the most powerful in the world," the creature said."Most powerful? I can't let that happen" Duke said with anger."You must find him beside it, it's too late," the creature said."If yo

"I can't let you burn down this place! You will have to go through me first!" Thomas voiced, clenching his right fist and punched Duke across the face.Thomas pulled his fist backwards once more and attempted to hit Duke, but Saul boy from the defenders of the city grabbed him from behind and held his two arms."You damn human! You dare lay your filthy hands on me! After all what you have done for you guys and this city, you dare challenge me? You are dead meat!" Duke roared as he picked himself off the floor and walked towards Thomas who was held down by Saul."Let me go!" Thomas struggled to break free, but Saul's strength was greater than Thomas's."Saul! Hold him still!" Duke roared, and Saul did as he was told. Duke, then clenched his right fist tightly and flames formed around it before punching Thomas hard on his belly.The punch connected neatly, causing Thomas' jacket to burn slightly and he coughed up blood. The lady amongst the group closed her eyes as she knew what type of