by James Hughes
On the divided world of Virelda, survival hangs by a thread. With no surface water, life endures either in the sky-bound forests or beneath the scorched desert. The key to it all? Crystals—ancient, elemental stones that fuel both magic and machines, and hold the secret to traversing dimensions. The planet is split in two:🌳 In the canopy cities of the Sylin, treetop dwellers leap between branches using their monkey-like tails, drawing water from massive trees.🏜️ In the desert, rock-like beings mine powerful crystals, living beneath the sand in a society where shorter names signal higher status.⚙️ Bridging the chasm between them is the Chasm Empire, a neutral trade force built into the cliffs, controlling the flow of crystals to the greater multiverse through interdimensional portals. But now those portals are failing, and fate is calling three young souls: Aeris, a restless Sylin teen, defies his father's wishes and leaves the safety of his home to chase the mystery of the stars aboard a trader ship. Ravena, a desert-born crystal apprentice, ventures into the wastes on a trial to prove herself. Her journey uncovers not only a hoard of crystals but a rare homing beacon crystal that may change everything. An unnamed airship captain, a powerful figure from the Chasm Empire, commands one of the great trading vessels that bind the world together. Her expertise with crystal-infused technology puts her at the center of what’s to come. As Virelda is threatened by dimensional instability and portals begin to fail, these unlikely heroes must decipher the truth behind the crystals, the eldritch races that stir beyond reality, and a multiversal force that may collapse their world from within. With magic woven into science and ancient myths proving true, the trio must unravel the Crystal Method—an ancient system of power, protection, and peril. Being published in a serialized fashion, the introduction and chapters will each be split into sub-sections for publication. Publication updates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.📌 Subscribe to my Patreon for access to reference lore, character/scene artwork, and read ahead chapters.
