The Magician's Burden

I thought so, but good to hear. I’ve been really wondering about that

2 Likes

Just curious but did anyone else feel pity for Vetra and thatotherdudeicanneverremember get dunked on by that big-ass demon? I felt really sad at the time cause they both were fighting a common enemy when they died

2 Likes

Verim and Petre :joy: but yeah…those were the four main characters who died this volume. It’s funny because when I said a lot of characters would die throughout the series, you all thought Violet, Keano, Rigel, and Mabelin were gonna be murdered simultaneously in book one. :ok_hand:

6 Likes

I found some typos:

Summary

And a bug:

Summary

2 Likes

Thanks, I’ll fix all of those shortly.

@HomingPidgeon
Per your advice, I’ve left the non-binary choice ambiguous and I went to the sex scenes and changed it so that for NB characters, the scenes fade out before it gets to the gender-specific parts.

I won’t be updating the link until tonight, because I’m working on finishing Keano’s and Rigel’s arcs, and updating it while they’re have done would cause a bunch of bugs, but I hope this will be more tactful, now.

3 Likes

…Don’t know if this has been pointed out already, but an error message pops up when I go to sparring on day two.

The error said something about “spar2”, or something…

There are going to be lots of errors while I tidy things up, add achievements, and complete the last two romance arcs. They should all be fixed by tonight though.

4 Likes

Ok I’m back, so what did I miss-

…I have several questions. :sweat_smile:

Stands next to @Samuel_H_Young and also points to door with face devoid of expression. :expressionless:

And then points to rug. :neutral_face:

And then points to lamp. :slightly_smiling_face:

And then points to bird outside of window. :grinning:

Just continues to randomly point at things because why not. :grin:

Oh hi, Milady Writer; you seem to be in good spirits. :grinning: What brings you to The Magician’s Burden?

Suddenly remembers the magic circle used next to @Sophia’s name.

Oh right; sorry about that. :sweat_smile:

Though it really does seem to say something when two authors have made somewhat similar comments about how much time it was taking to write a simple post and a number of others have pointed out how long my posts are in general. :laughing:.

As I’ve mentioned before about my character, it isn’t a matter of forgiveness toward Killian’s actions. It’d be more accurate to say that it’s got more to do with Leto’s integrity that has them reach out and heal his wounds.

I actually kind of like the parallels between the beating Leto gave Killian and the beating Killian gave them in that flashback:

Where Killian had his goons as back-up to make a already unfair fight even more unfair (but are cowardly enough that they likely would’ve ditched Killian if the sight of a stronger person coming to defend Leto comes, as they’ve done before), Leto had Mabelin (someone they share a strong friendship with) who only stepped in to make sure the confrontation between Leto and their bully was fair (scaring off Killian’s back-up) and would very likely not ever abandon Leto even when things look rough.

Where Killian attacked Leto due to petty reasons/cruelty and goes way too far in the beating (and continues these actions for a decade), Leto attacked him because the bully threatened to harm their little brother and stopped attacking him once it’s clear that he didn’t have the energy to continue the fight (and has no interest in continuing the battle between them).

Where Killian rubs salt on Leto’s wounds by taking something from them and cruelly getting in their face when he knows they’re too weak to defend themselves, Leto merely opened their hand and healed Killian and offered a hand to help him up.

And the reason I do this choice as a reader is…because of the saying ‘kill them with kindness’. I’m not looking to have Leto kill Killian (though I certainly can’t see them actively trying to befriend him either) but, for some characters, they don’t know how to handle a act of mercy or kindness. Killian seems to be one of those kinds of people (once you give him a well-deserved thrashing to soften up his brain enough to get some thinking activity triggered up there). Leto healing Killian breaks him in a way I’m not sure any words or beatdowns could ever do. It really seems to force him to somewhat face the fact that he is a really pathetic excuse of a human who tormented someone who had done nothing to him. And when the tables were turned and he suddenly found himself being overpowered by Leto, he gets knocked around enough to reinforce the fact Killian had no power over them anymore and then…the Light Mage healed him. Twice. BY CHOICE. If that hadn’t caused the bully reflect a bit, I’d honestly have been surprised.

How to say this…No; not really :grinning: let me explain why though.

What happens to Killian and his friends was horrible (especially for Killian)…but at the same time, it felt like that event embodied a long overdue karma to the group. All three of them had tormented the Mage MC physically and mentally for a full decade without a ounce of remorse for their actions (they only ever really felt fearful for their own skins). So there felt like a lot of dark irony in the three friends’ encounter with Kihbok. They had to face a powerful being who they have never wronged, yet the demon still attacked them for no other reason other than to entertain their own sense of cruelty. And Killian got a good taste of what it felt like to have to face a terrifying opponent completely and utterly alone after both his friends were killed right before his eyes. It really did feel similar to what Mage MC went through with the group for years (but all condensed in one single cruel entity to deliver it).

So you’re implying that their possible deaths will happen later on.

That’s interesting to hear; I will admit to being curious about what possible role he could end up playing later on-

:fearful:

I’m going to take a momentary break from the writing. Need hour or two to throw up at the very idea of KILLIAN being a romance :nauseated_face: (and I feel like this post is long enough as it is :sweat_smile:).

12 Likes

What’s cool to me is you seem to pick on every nuance, symbolism, and theme I write, like with your analysis of Kihbok attacking Verim, Petre, and Killian. :ok_hand:

Yeahhh…definitely never having Killian as an RO, (even if I wanted to, there will already be 8 total, which is more than enough.) :stuck_out_tongue:

5 Likes

Just noticed this, thought it would be worth taking note of.

1 Like

I’m working on fixing and finishing lots of stuff before I submit this for the contest so there will be lots of bugs in the demo until then.

3 Likes

FML. I have like 3k left to write but I’m procrastinating more than I’ve ever procrastinated. My insomnia is rearing it’s ugly head, so I’m too tired to be productive but I can’t get to sleep either. -_-

8 Likes

Power through! We all believe in you!
Don’t know if you noticed this, but the ‘It’s also true that you want to go for another reason’ text repeats even after the third try.

Also, Mom acts like you didnt like her chocolate pud when you bring up the feast, even if you did like the pud.

5 Likes

Thanks, I’ll fix those errors.

2 Likes

Is there a new update that I didn’t notice? I’m trying to play through the demo as a strong, light mage. So far, its look promising beside the relationships.

Summary

image


wha

3 Likes

Guys, there’s just a few more hours til the deadline and I still have like 3k left to write. I have randomtest so I know there are bugs. I’m much more worried about finishing the last bit of content on time than whether or not the demo currently works.

9 Likes

Your healer just healed the bully TWICE by choice and the same person doesn’t feel bad watching the other sidekicks who just followed Killian get eviscerated and their head blown up??

Personally I felt more bad for those two bullies than the Dad who wasted away the family’s money on alcohol and overdosed on medicine

1 Like

Alcoholism is a medical condition; bullying is a moral failing. While I disagree with @Okami-Nora on the matter of Zaleth (demonic tsundere waifu is best waifu), I’m inclined to agree with her on the matter of Petre and Verim: they helped Killian beat us up and now they got their reward.

@Samuel_H_Young, how are you holding up?

3 Likes

Better, thanks! I managed to get a couple hours of sleep so I’ve been chugging away at the last bits of Chapter 7. I’m nearly done with both Keano’s and Rigel’s arcs, and I’ve also changed up the relationship stats to fairmath to make them easier to manage and more realistic. My goal is to submit TMB before 6pm. :slight_smile:

14 Likes

People are complicated; just because someone is described as ‘good’ doesn’t necessarily mean they’re always kind, just like how someone described as ‘evil’ may have a code of honor.

Remember, Leto mostly healed Killian due to their integrity; some bit of kindness was involved, but it certainly wasn’t the driving force to their actions. And they would’ve likely tried to save all three of the bullies due to said integrity (though they unfortunately could only try protecting Killian due to the demon taking out the other two before they could even react).

But just because Leto healed Killian twice and would’ve protected all the bullies from that powerful demon, doesn’t mean that they forgave any of them for the torment and pain they willingly subjected Leto to. They may be a calm, gentle Light Mage with healing powers, but they are also a human with their own demons and flaws. They remember every misery the three men had put them through and how no townspeople ever stepped up to honestly help them. I can’t imagine that Leto was completely unaffected by Killian and his goons’ bullying; some part of them had to harden in order to not be driven to the brink of despair by the three men’s cruelty and to safeguard their ability to give a open hand to others despite the clear risks.

Leto is a warm, introverted person who cares deeply about their family, is a devoted, hard worker who is always looking to improve themselves physically and mentally and managed to harbor a strong fortitude and moral compass despite what they had to go through. But they can also be aloof at times and they aren’t the type to forgive very easily.

So no, I cannot see Leto feeling much pity for the deaths of Petre and Verim. They would never wish that sort of fate on anyone, but Leto’s main thoughts on the scene would be more on how eerily similar that scene felt like one they had gone through for years.

That long, overdue karma certainly hit the group of bullies brutally hard in that moment.

I feel like Killian himself has gotten the worse end of the stick. He may be alive, but he was forced to watch his friends die right in front of him and got a firsthand taste of what it felt like to fight helplessly alone against someone much stronger than him and was merely attacking him out of cruel amusement (I wonder if even Killian will eventually see the ironic parallels between his encounter with the demon and what he put the Mage MC though for a decade). Even if a Mage MC didn’t beat him up and simply gave him a verbal beatdown instead, I imagine this event alone will effect Killian very deeply (whether it be in a good way or a bad way is anyone’s guess).

You can keep the little bugger. But if Leto ever finds out that holy water does unpleasant things to the little monster in their head, they’re going to bathe in it for 6 months (day and night) as payback for that forced trip through memory lane that Zaleth put them through. :laughing:

Good luck; we’re all rooting for you! :+1:

9 Likes