Miscellaneous Notes: - Work is very stressful right now. I don't think I'll be keeping a regular release schedule, but I'll release a new chapter when I can. Schedule Notes: - Going back to once a week for now. [ Thank you for your patience and support as I improve my writing and storytelling abilities. I'm also using this story to better develop lore that extends far beyond it. ] Thanks to an exceptionally talented artist, Hiroeth, Blightbane has an official cover! Vera was alone again. “You’re completely unprepared. Never before has sending one of you off made me feel quite so guilty.” Whenever she found herself in doubt, she would weigh her actions against the guiding principles of the one whom she revered. “When you don’t know the rules of the game, start making them up. When you are constrained by unfavorable conditions, inject a little chaos.” It was the supplementary message that concerned Vera the most. It was difficult to follow because it was intentionally vague and mired in subjectivity. “How can I enjoy myself when you look so tormented? Are we in danger?” Vera fell silent. An experiment is taking place on a planetary scale. Across the surface of the planet, a phenomenon referred to as "Blight" is spreading. Festering regions defended by fierce creatures called “blightbeasts” taint the surface, warping the land and proliferating unceasingly. Among the sentient creatures of the planet, it is the Blightbane Guild’s responsibility to stem the tide. They endeavor to cleanse the land in a struggle of attrition, but they are losing ground. A young man named Caim has been uprooted from his former life and transported to The Shrouded Theocracy, an isolationist nation with fanatical policies. He must struggle to survive with only an unfamiliar strain of magic to aid him. There is a secret to this magic. One he knows very little about. He intends to explore just what makes this magic special. On the far border of the theocracy, a mage scientist named Inis discovers a revolutionary new way to infuse strength from defeated blightbeasts. Using herself as a test subject, this process allows her to grasp magical concepts previously thought beyond her reach. Though she tries to document any side effects that arise, something escapes her awareness. She is playing with a dangerous force that will claim her most treasured asset if she isn't careful. Everyone and everything on the planet is a part of the experiment. The experiment is a lie.