When your world turns to ash, you rise with the fury of flames.  Finn has lost everything.  Captured, enslaved, forced to fight—Lord Finric of Aonenbridge is a shadow of the [Nobleman] he once was.  In the pits of Ortomalle, names do not matter. Histories and rank hold no weight. Your worth is defined by the steel you carry, and the men you cut.   As a second son, he was never meant to rule. Finn was meant to fight.  But to destroy those who plunged his world into chaos, the boy must fall. So that the [Gladiator] can rise. What you can expect:  - An epic progression fantasy / LitRPG with light stats. Expansive world-building where, since characters are native to their world, elements will be revealed as they become relevant. - A symbiotic (but unequal) magic system, involving “soul-bonding” between the primary classes (known as “masters”) and support classes (known as “tethers”).  - Hard-earned progression and character development for both main and side characters, with side characters who are people, who can be seen as the heroes of their own life stories and not simply as props for the MC. Average chapter length will be 2,000 words (within the range of 1,500 to 2,500).  The first ~30 chapters or so will be volume 0, considered a world-building / character exploration arc, and will be important to understand character motivations for the rest of the story. As a litmus test, if you hated the first book of Cradle by Will Wight, you should probably wait a few weeks before giving my story a go.   Release schedule: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until the completion of volume 0, after which we will switch to a “three weeks on, one week off” schedule for the purposes of maintaining quality. An increase in chapter frequency at a later date when / if possible. The story will be long but is being written alongside an outline and with an ending in mind. The current iteration of the outline accounts for an 8- to 10-book series of tomes. To quote Sleyca, “The burn will be slow, and, I hope, better for it.” That’s all, folks. Now strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. Artwork by 98Tofuyi