The Grotto of illusions update

Heya reader's it's me again here to give you a brand new update on TGOI

I have finished writing the first draft!!! Yay!!

So now I am on that long task to edit everything,I have edited chapters 1-3 as of 7/23/24, so maybe this editing season will be quick and easy.

Hey maybe I won't kill anything

or anyone?

Here is some concept covers I have drawn :

Comment what you like below or vote

Ask your question

• cover one
• cover two

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Did you think that was it? No! Have a teaser of TGOI with chapter one!

Chapter one– Into ash and plague

Above on the roof of a broken-down apartment, with smog spreading into the air, a loud whirring noise of an airship landing on the roof was heard. People dressed in filthy rags stepped out of buildings blacked with ash, staring at the shiny new airship in awe.

 As the airship’s doors opened a group of tough, civil soldiers walked out, neat in a row. They were too clean and well-dressed for a place looking like this. They wore shiny silver masks over their faces, all in black uniforms, and carried technologically advanced weapons of all sizes. 

Levy marched in everyone, as she walked to the edge of the apartment railing she stopped, turning towards everyone. Her gaze jumped to a white tiger covered in silver battle armor, Hachi made the group look even more terrifying. “Listen up people, we find the prisoners and get out,” Levy commanded, the wind blowing her pink hair in the air she could smell a whiff of fish through her mask. 

“Yes, Commander Levy.” The group yelled in response. Levy looked at Sebastian who stood next to Hachi, the pair was inseparable. “Sebastian and Airi, you can come with me.”

Airi nodded her head as she walked forward “As you command.

 “Nyx, Judy, and Hops you three go to a rundown fish shop down the street. There are sightings of people with suspiciously large shipping cases.”

Walking inside the rundown apartment, they walked down a long step of stairs. They walked into the lobby, ignoring the stares of the civilians who lived there. Levy caught Sebastian waving at one of the civilians as they walked outside. The outside was covered in filth, cardboard boxes filled the streets with wild animals running around. Some of the civilians themselves looked like wild animals.

“How can people live like this?” Levy gasped, her hand hovering near her mouth as she stepped back. “How could my father allow this to happen!”

Airi put her hand on Levy’s shoulder “Now you see what he was trying to hide from you.” Levy brushed Airi’s hand away from her, forcing herself to look away from the civilians of Fringred, she said out loud so they could hear her. “When I become queen of Eriel I’ll make sure my first rule will be to save the people of Fringred.”

Airi straightened her gun, “right, and save a whole population from impending doom at the same time.” she quipped.

While running past people transporting fish in a crate, Sebastian caught up to Levy “I can’t believe Pellinore let us go on a mission!” He exclaimed with a grin “He kept turning us down whenever we asked. I thought he’d never let us leave the paperwork behind.” 

Levy bit her lip, she used to feel the same excitement as him when Pellinore first told her she was going to captain this rescue team, but after months of begging and rejection that excitement turned into bitterness. She quickly looked away from Sebastian, turning her attention to a large warehouse in the distance covered with signs telling normal citizens to keep out of the government-run building. What was strange about this building was that she couldn’t spot any camera work nearby. 

Sebastian didn’t take a look at the signs of a fishy building however instead he stayed infuriatingly close to Levy waiting for her to answer back, making guilt tear down her stomach lining. She gave a regrettable sigh, looking down at Sebastian she smirked “He doesn’t know.” 

Sebastian's eyes widened as his jaw fell. He looked at Levy in horror  “Doesn't know?! What do you mean Pellinore doesn’t know? Levy, you didn’t!” 

Levy put her fingers to her temples “Listen it was the best solution to our problem, I know you want to save Lorenzo and the world. Pellinore would understand after bringing Lorenzo back trust me. I know how these kinds of people act.” 

Sebastian looked down still looking unconvinced but he gave off a half-hearted smile “I guess you're right Levy, maybe he will send us on more missions after this.”

Airi patted Sebastian’s back “Now you're figuring it out. Deskwork was going to rot my brain, I swear.” 

They ended up at the corner of the government warehouse. The building had beige bricks and the Eriel national emblem chiseled into stone. Levy grabbed Sebastian’s arm “Before we go any further I need you to do something.”

He looked up at her “Yeah what is it, Levy?”

“I need you to turn off your communications to the rebellion. We don't need Pellinore or Casper calling us when we are sneaking inside.” 

Sebastian nodded his head, raising his arm he turned on a l.e.d screen infused with his armor then looked up at Levy “I push the x button right?”

Levy however just noticed something as they walked to the front “yeah yeah sure.”. 

Toxic-looking purple vines looked like they were slithering in the wind. Bright pink thorns shined on the edges of the vines like a dangerous pufferfish. 

Levy took her rival out of her bag, it made a chink sound on her armor “Well guys we’re here.” She walked to the vines hoering her hands over them, she was shocked to find out they radiated some sort of heat “Alright people, we can’t falter. We have to find out how to get in..but these vines.” 

Airi gave a nod as she grabbed a machete from her pack. While cutting the vines a sickly green liquid spilled out touching the dust-covered ground. Smoke trickled from the ground, it smelled strongly of ammonia. 

“We shouldn't touch the vines they look to be destroying organic life,” Airi said kicking the ground 

Levy looked disappointed as she scanned around the warehouse, nudging Hachi away from the vines, her eyes widened.

“Hey guys look at that.”

She pointed up  at a broken window. “We can get in that way, something tells me these vines aren’t going to be the only thing we see.”

Sebastian had just a minute to stare at the window before saying “I got it!”

He grabbed his metal staff and pushed a button on the end of the pole.The staff turned into a silver ladder with blue veins.He placed the ladder on the ground,it fastened into the ground it was surprisingly the right height to reach the window. 

Levy couldn't help but to  grin, just a couple of months ago,Sebastian was busy tickerning with a simple dagger that had a blue gem infused in the handle.She figured that the gen had some sort of magical properties to it if it could do all that transformation work.  Now that she was thinking of the strange blue gem,she had to wonder where did Sebastian get it from?She had to guess Pellinore gave Sebastian the dagger.She got a sour feeling in her stomach as she climbed the ladder. It was odd how much Pellinore favored Sebastian.

Reaching the top She smashed the glass of the window.As she climbed through the window she was overtaken by a strong pungent smell, it smelled of mold and something else, something familiar that she couldn’t recall. Swimming in her brain waiting to claw out.

 Levy looked out the window and stared at the white tiger looking at them “How is Hachi going to get in?” she asked

The white tiger turned around looking for its wings,as he catched a glimpse of his tail it was like he remembered he doesn't have wings anymore. Hachi backed up,staring up at the window then quickly in a flash he leapt into the window. 

Levy widened her mouth,that jump had to be at least 20 feet. Of course not all tiger’s used to be tiny blue bugs.She watched Sebastian pet Hachi on the head and she wondered what other talents the tiger had. Sebastian grabbed the top of the ladder,pushing a  button it shrunk back into the staff.

Levy turned around,facing the warehouse. “Spread out, we don't know what is in here.” Levy ordered

The warehouse was covered of poster’s of the king. His face planted everywhere as if he was watching Levy.Judging the fact his daughter is on the wrong path. Levy put her foot on the metal railing,using her water magic to propel her on the ground floor while Airi,Sebastian,and Hachi went down the stairs.She smirked as she watched them walk so slowly “Jealous?”she asked while Airi just glared at Levy “Don’t be a show off it makes you look cocky.”   

She walked backwards, her shoes stepping on something sharp that made a snapping sound. Looking down she gasped,there were green glass shards all over the ground.  “Levy.” Sebastian said worried. Levy looked up seeing what he was looking at. Next to a M.P.S vehicle were huge cages big enough to fit a huge dog or a person. She walked over to the cages,her shoes stepping on a green goopy substance that smells of rotten eggs. She covered her mouth,trying not to gag. “Alright guys,there is clearly something weird going on.” 

Airi rolled her eyes “no shit,let’s go there.” she pointed at a corridor with dark green light shining out of it “Maybe your friend is in there.” 

Levy nodded her head “or the missing children.” She started to walk towards the corridor where that same strange smell was getting stronger.

Sebastian grabbed Levy by the arm “Wait-I got a bad feeling about this.”  Levy looked disgusted. “This whole thing is risky,if you can’t handle it then go join the other’s at the fish market or heck go run back to Pellinore.You wanted this remember.” 

Sebastian looked at the corridor. “Just be careful,we don’t know if there's any monsters in there.” 

Levy laughed and Airi joined her in the art of mock laughing.Levy walked into the corridor while saying “come on Sebastian you really can’t believe monster’s exist!Gosh you’re so silly.” 

 turning her head.Then she turned her head and gasped,she felt sick to her stomach as the smell of rotten eggs returned. All lined up on the wall’s were glass  test tubes full of humanoid creatures submerged in green murky liquid. Taking a close look at the glass she couldn't tell if the creatures were dead or alive.The test tube plugged up to a giant roaring machine.pipes hung off the roof and wires covered most of the floor space. 

Levy grabbed her pistol,shooting the machine.Smoke hovered above the machine.With the new silence everyone could hear something strange.Levy’s heart skipped a beat as she could hear yelling.

 “Someone’s out there!”Sebastian said. 

He dashed up the stairs with Levy falling behind him. They both stopped to see a man pushing a boy with white hair into a circular metal machine with glowing electrical parts coming out of it

 “Stop!” Levy shouted pointing her gun at the man. The man gritted his teeth as he glared at them,he pulled the wire’s out of the machine then ran into a doorway. 

Levy chased right after him,hearing him shout out “Intruders.” Of course there were more of those freaks,she noticed she was running through what appeared to be prison cells and hungry children clawed at the bar’s. 

After she captures this sick freak she is going to save them.

She will save them all,

But something seemed off,that her racing mind couldn’t understand,why didn't she hear footsteps next to her?

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