Hello again!

In about ~17h, for the first time in 2 years, Empire of Ink will continue after the point were I left it.

In case you missed it, I've been actively re-writing the story over here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/71032/the-empire-of-ink. Go throw a follow if you want to be updated when the chapter drops!

I would strongly encourage that you read all of it anew, as there are some significant changes to the story. I'm proud of where it's at: I could spend more time on world building, stakes are higher, and the Empire and Ink's relation is foreshadowed sooner.

If you really want to read the new chapter without reading the story again—and let me stress out how much of a pity it is—the following big, huge, life-altering spoiler attempts to sum up the most important changes as Tarar, the MC, sees and knows about:

1. Tarar discovers that there are two ways of using Ink, the old ways and the new ways.

1. New ways: Creation of the Empire, crafted to limit the power of Ink and stop the Inker for harming themself (he suspects there is more at play behind)

2. Old ways: Raw Ink, it takes control over you to draw. It's a language by itself and allows for much more expressiveness.

3. Tarar is set to use the old ways and discover everything about them

2. The Empire observes those who are made Ga'ar, because only when you learn the Old way are you named Ga'ar

1. It's a control mechanism to ensure information is not spread

3. Spare, his teacher, knows about all of this and tells him all he should know

1. That's, in part, the reason why his own noble house tries to kill Spare and Tarar

4. Yaasir, his combat instructor and also a Ga'ar, is still drunk but also Spare's old teacher. There is nothing left at chance, Spare does some ritual with Yaasir, who then teaches Tarar

1. Tarar discovers Communion with Ink through Yaasir's combat teachings

5. The Empire gains control and surveillance when the Drak'ga ceremony to capture a mind is performed

1. It is an Empire-modified version of the real ritual. Tarar performs the unaltered version, not falling prey to their control

6. When Tarar joins the Drak'ga, Spare tells him that they are not really the original Drak'ga. Just a mere copy made by the Empire, but he does not know why or how

1. It is discovered in the later chapters that Spare does not know what Communion really is. Certainly, not to the level Tarar experiences it

2. Knowing the Empire can maybe see or hear, he has to be careful with what he tells to his new friends at the Village

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Also, I'll leave here a little teaser of what comes next for the OG readers!

"Alas!" The Drak'oora spoke in a crestfallen voice. "Another one has fallen prey to the chest." Suffice to say, all heads—and particularly ours, who were still waiting for our turn—turned to look at him. "You should know that those who open the lid with an inadequate key will die in the process."