
by OneDropRain
"Every artist needs destruction to create something." Alexandra May is a twenty-one-year-old art student, professional thief, and compulsive wearer of borrowed faces. When a stolen necklace exposes the magic hidden beneath New York, her paintings begin to freeze, burn, spy, teleport and think. One day, she will become the Archmage of Artistic Creation, master of a living Domain and a growing cast of selves; first, she has to survive becoming her. Existence is split in two: the waking world, where magic is denied, and Ideworld, its monstrous metaphysical twin. Mages crystallize their souls into Domains, secret guilds hoard supernatural power, and Reality rewrites memories—or strips magic away entirely—whenever the impossible becomes too visible. Alexa has no intention of playing by their rules. But every mask she wears, every friend she tries to save, and every enemy she paints into a corner draws her deeper into a war over who gets to define what is real. A thief who can steal more than objects. Art that becomes weapons, creatures, bodies, and worlds. And one question following Alexa toward the greatest heist ever conceived: Does the art ever dream of you? Expect: Urban-fantasy progression, inventive art-based magic, heists, mystery, found family, identity exploration, brutal fights, strong language, and a long rise from street thief to reality-defying Archmage. Updates: Monday, Wednesday & Friday Read Ahead on Patreon! Want to stay up to 24 (or 30) chapters ahead in Ideworld Chronicles? Support the story and get exclusive early access over on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/c/OneDropRain Patreon is also where I share exclusive content, including behind-the-scenes insights, discussions of my writing process, character-focused material, and an early look at my upcoming story, which is still very much a work in progress. Every bit of support helps keep the story alive and lets you dive deeper into Alexa May’s chaotic, magical world before anyone else. *Ideworld Chronicles are posted exclusively on RoyalRoad and on Patreon. If you are reading it elsewhere, it is an unauthorized and stolen copy. We also have our own Discord!
| # | Title | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Act 1, Chapter 1: The night it all began | 0 |
| 2 | Act 1, Chapter 3: My darker artistic side | 0 |
| 3 | Act 1, Chapter 5 Unforseen effects | 0 |
| 4 | Act 1, Chapter 6: Unraveling the thread | 0 |
| 5 | Act 1, Chapter 7: A chase | 0 |
| 6 | Act 1, Chapter 8: Chance encounters | 0 |
| 7 | Act 1, Chapter 9: Ghost hunting | 0 |
| 8 | Act 1, Chapter 10: Crystal's bloom | 0 |
| 9 | Act 1, Chapter 11: Catching up with life | 0 |
| 10 | Act 1, Chapter 13: The touch | 0 |
| 11 | Act 1, Chapter 14: The rabbit on a hunt | 0 |
| 12 | Act 1, Chapter 15: Unwinding | 0 |
| 13 | Act 1, Chapter 17: Gunmetal alchemist | 0 |
| 14 | Act 1, Chapter 20: Queens of the castle | 0 |
| 15 | Sidestory: Thorne MD (Magical Doctor); Interesting Shadow | 0 |
| 16 | Act 1, Chapter 29: Person from the list | 0 |
| 17 | Act 1, Chapter 21: Connection | 0 |
| 18 | Sidestory: Hexblades | 0 |
| 19 | Act 1, Chapter 23: Rainy day | 0 |
| 20 | Act 1, Chapter 25: Siblings quarrel | 0 |
| 21 | Act 1, Chapter 26: No nets between friends | 0 |
| 22 | Act 1, Chapter 27: Infiltration | 0 |
| 23 | Act 1, Chapter 28: Good doctor | 0 |
| 24 | Act 1, Chapter 31 Extraordinary people | 0 |
| 25 | Act 1, Chapter 33 Did that really just happen? | 0 |
| 26 | Act 1, Chapter 34: Playing with open cards | 0 |
| 27 | Act 1, Chapter 35: Meetings and their results | 0 |
| 28 | Act 1, Chapter 36: Fat chances | 0 |
| 29 | Act 1, Chapter 38: The Fallout | 0 |
| 30 | Act 1, Chapter 39: Still here | 0 |
| 31 | Act 1, Chapter 40: Black and white | 0 |
| 32 | Act 1, Chapter 22: Sharing the magic | 0 |
| 33 | Act 1, Chapter 42: In the eye of beholder | 0 |
| 34 | Act 1, Chapter 43: My Reality | 0 |
| 35 | Act 2, Chapter 1: A walk through the neighborhood | 0 |
| 36 | Act 2, Chapter 2: A walk to remember | 0 |
| 37 | Act 2, Chapter 3: Instincts | 0 |
| 38 | Act 2, Chapter 4: I am broken | 0 |
| 39 | Act 2, Chapter 5: Elle’s job | 0 |
| 40 | Act 2, Chapter 6: Gut punches | 0 |
| 41 | Act 2, Chapter 7: Nightmares | 0 |
| 42 | Act 2, Chapter 8: Waiting for the night to come | 0 |
| 43 | Act 2, Chapter 9: The Author | 0 |
| 44 | Act 2, Chapter 10: Nothing ever happens on my watch | 0 |
| 45 | Act 2, Chapter 11: Partners in crime | 0 |
| 46 | Act 2, Chapter 12: Without a shadow of a doubt | 0 |
| 47 | Act 1, Chapter 16: When I made a mistake | 0 |
| 48 | Act 1, Chapter 19: Bridge builders | 0 |
| 49 | Act 1, Chapter 18: Breaking into the castle | 0 |
| 50 | Act 1, Chapter 24: Thor’s day | 0 |
| 51 | Act 1, Chapter 30: Extraordinary food | 0 |
| 52 | Act 1, Chapter 32: Girls' night out | 0 |
| 53 | Act 1, Chapter 2: My artistic side | 0 |
| 54 | Act 1, Chapter 4: Meetings | 0 |
| 55 | Act 1, Chapter 12: Siblings | 0 |
| 56 | Act 2, Chapter 13: Penrose’s masterpiece | 0 |
| 57 | Act 2, Chapter 14: New enemies | 0 |
| 58 | Act 2, Chapter 15: The rhythm that breaks | 0 |
| 59 | Act 2, Chapter 16: Happy little compounded probability | 0 |
| 60 | Act 2, Chapter 17: Where does Peter stand? | 0 |
| 61 | Act 2, Chapter 18: Out of the Domain's door | 0 |
| 62 | Act 2, Chapter 19: Welcome to the jungle | 0 |
| 63 | Act 2, Chapter 20: The gate keepers | 0 |
| 64 | Act 2, Chapter 21: The Dome | 0 |
| 65 | Act 2, Chapter 22: A moment of peace | 0 |
| 66 | Act 2, Chapter 23: China Town, life lessons and vertical running | 0 |
| 67 | Act 2, Chapter 24: The reckless charge along the skyscraper’s vertical edge | 0 |
| 68 | Act 2, Chapter 25: Masks off | 0 |
| 69 | Act 2, Chapter 26: Corpo-zombies’ horde | 0 |
| 70 | Act 2, Chapter 27: Mealstorm and Maelstrom | 0 |
| 71 | Act 2, Chapter 28: Broken reality of things | 0 |
| 72 | Act 2, Chapter 29: Aftermath of failures | 0 |
| 73 | Act 2, Chapter 30: Man of values | 0 |
| 74 | Act 2, Chapter 31: Domain of the Water | 0 |
| 75 | Sidestory: Peter's trial | 0 |
| 76 | Act 2, Chapter 32: Verisimilitude | 0 |
| 77 | Act 2 , Chapter 33: Artistic engineering | 0 |
| 78 | Act 1, Chapter 37: Killers at work | 0 |
| 79 | Act 2, Chapter 34: The K-9 | 0 |
| 80 | Act 2, Chapter 35: On uneven tides | 0 |
| 81 | Act 2, Chapter 36: The trap that backfired | 0 |
| 82 | Act 2, Chapter 37: A job interview at Solitary Twin | 0 |
| 83 | Act 2, Chapter 38: Mirror, mirror—you’re a wall | 0 |
| 84 | Act 2, Chapter 39: Is it my very first... quest? | 0 |
| 85 | Act 2, Chapter 40: My Domain’s got an upgrade(s)! | 0 |
| 86 | Act 2, Chapter 41: The test realm | 0 |
| 87 | Act 2, Chapter 42: The question that changed everything for me | 0 |
| 88 | Act 2, Chapter 43: The rules of purchasing a Dragon | 0 |
| 89 | Act 2, Chapter 44: This Lóng is just right for me | 0 |
| 90 | Act 2, Chapter 45: Magical Girl transformation | 0 |
| 91 | Act 2, Chapter 46: A.M. The private eye | 0 |
| 92 | Act 2, Chapter 47: The more private eye | 0 |
| 93 | Act 2, Chapter 48: Setting priorities | 0 |
| 94 | Act 2, Chapter 49: Start-up | 0 |
| 95 | Act 2, Chapter 50: People skills | 0 |
| 96 | Act 2, Chapter 51: Going down the rabbit hole | 0 |
| 97 | Act 2, Chapter 52: Punishable by exile, death or aptitude test | 0 |
| 98 | Act 2, Chapter 53: The Guild’s entry assessment | 0 |
| 99 | Act 2, Chapter 54: Fight or flight? | 0 |
| 100 | Act 1, Recap | 0 |
| 101 | Sidestory: Burned feathers | 0 |
| 102 | Act 2, Chapter 55: Cemetries at night and things you meet there | 0 |
| 103 | Act 2, Chapter 56: Ghosts of the past | 0 |
| 104 | Act 2, Chapter 57: Back to school | 0 |
| 105 | Act 2, Chapter 58: School’s business | 0 |
| 106 | Act 2, Chapter 59: Echoes of memories | 0 |
| 107 | Act 2, Chapter 60: Where the hell is he? | 0 |
| 108 | Act 2, Chapter 61: Shadows of self | 0 |
| 109 | Act 2, Chapter 62: When the dreams lead a better life | 0 |
| 110 | Act 2, Chapter 63: Do I, ever dream of me? | 0 |
| 111 | Act 2, Chapter 64: The night reigns, so does he | 0 |
| 112 | Act 2, Chapter 65: Painting a death trap | 0 |
| 113 | Act 2, Chapter 66: When the walls burn, rabbit sneaks around | 0 |
| 114 | Act 2, Chapter 67: He fired me once, didn’t he? | 0 |
| 115 | Act 2, Chapter 68: The Freethinker and the Tinkerer | 0 |
| 116 | Act 2, Chapter 69: When the troubles come knocking… | 0 |
| 117 | Act 2, Chapter 70: …you open the door | 0 |
| 118 | Act 2, Chapter 71: The Echo | 0 |
| 119 | Act 2, Chapter 72: An echo | 0 |
| 120 | Act 2, Chapter 73: Coping | 0 |
| 121 | Act 2, Chapter 74: Things that don’t mix well, or at all | 0 |
| 122 | Act 2, Chapter 75: Sex, movie, kisses and unexpected returns | 0 |
| 123 | Act 2, Chapter 76: Back in action | 0 |
| 124 | Act 2, Chapter 77: Imagined dragon | 0 |
| 125 | Act 2, Chapter 78: The resonant gaze | 0 |
| 126 | Act 2, Chapter 79: The questioning | 0 |
| 127 | Act 2, Chapter 80: The funeral | 0 |
| 128 | Act 2, Chapter 81: Keeping myself busy | 0 |
| 129 | Act 2, Chapter 82: A firewall | 0 |
| 130 | Act 2, Chapter 83: Swallowing the truth | 0 |
| 131 | Act 2, Chapter 84: Unexpected play | 0 |
| 132 | Act 2, Chapter 85: Meeting at the crossroads | 0 |
| 133 | Act 2, Chapter 86: The best-laid plans | 0 |
| 134 | Act 2, Chapter 87: Deal with the devil | 0 |
| 135 | Act 2, Chapter 88: Warlocking around | 0 |
| 136 | Act 2, Chapter 89: It’s a final countdown | 0 |
| 137 | Act 2, Chapter 90: Fractured approach | 0 |
| 138 | Act 2, Chapter 91: Breaking mirrors | 0 |
| 139 | Act 2, Chapter 92: The sleeping beauties | 0 |
| 140 | Act 2, Chapter 93: Taking damsels out of a distress | 0 |
| 141 | Act 2, Chapter 94: What’s real and what’s not? | 0 |
| 142 | Act 2, Chapter 95: Jason. Jason! Jason? | 0 |
| 143 | Act 2, Chapter 96: The way back | 0 |
| 144 | Act 2, Chapter 97: In good spirit | 0 |
| 145 | Act 2, Recap | 0 |
| 146 | Act 3, Chapter 1: Moving in the woods | 0 |
| 147 | Act 3, Chapter 2: Animation | 0 |
| 148 | Act 3, Chapter 3: Returns | 0 |
| 149 | Act 3, Chapter 4: Sophie’s support | 0 |
| 150 | Act 3, Chapter 5: Yes, magic is real. And it’s here to hurt you | 0 |
| 151 | Act 1, Chapter 41: Setting a coincidence | 0 |
| 152 | Act 3, Chapter 6: La Ville Lumière | 0 |
| 153 | Act 3, Chapter 7: What we see when we look | 0 |
| 154 | Act 3, Chapter 8: The coming out | 0 |
| 155 | Act 3, Chapter 9: Good fortune | 0 |
| 156 | Act 3, Chapter 10: The rush of the countdown | 0 |
| 157 | Act 3, Chapter 11: When the blood cools down | 0 |
| 158 | Act 3, Chapter 12: What’s at stake | 0 |
| 159 | Act 3, Chapter 13: Breaking fast and apart | 0 |
| 160 | Act 3, Chapter 14: The Hoppers | 0 |
| 161 | Act 3, Chapter 15: Me, myself and I | 0 |
| 162 | Act 3, Chapter 16: Work’s flow | 0 |
| 163 | Act 3, Chapter 17: Travel challenges | 0 |
| 164 | Act 3, Chapter 18: Late night chats | 0 |
| 165 | Act 3, Chapter 19: Bitches | 0 |
| 166 | Act 3, Chapter 20: Through the looking glass | 0 |
| 167 | Act 3, Chapter 21: Calm | 0 |
| 168 | Act 3, Chapter 22: Storm | 0 |
| 169 | Act 3, Chapter 23: Syncopation | 0 |
| 170 | Act 3, Chapter 24: His music played for me | 0 |
| 171 | Act 3, Chapter 25: I am broken… again | 0 |
| 172 | Act 3, Chapter 26: Hospitals and other calamities | 0 |
| 173 | Act 3, Chapter 27: All the crutches | 0 |
| 174 | Act 3, Chapter 28: Widows’ web | 0 |
| 175 | Act 3, Chapter 29: The Ocean’s wrath | 0 |
| 176 | Act 3, Chapter 30: Yes, magic is real. And it’s here to help you | 0 |
| 177 | Act 3, Chapter 31: Running errands for myself | 0 |
| 178 | Act 3, Chapter 32: When two become three | 0 |
| 179 | Act 3, Chapter 33: Just peachy | 0 |
| 180 | Act 3, Chapter 34: A Devil’s call | 0 |
| 181 | Act 3, Chapter 35: Para bellum | 0 |
| 182 | Act 3, Chapter 36: Roads taken | 0 |
| 183 | Act 3, Chapter 37: Money’s worth | 0 |
| 184 | Act 3, Chapter 38: Blindsight | 0 |
| 185 | Act 3, Chapter 39: Who art thou? | 0 |
| 186 | Act 3, Chapter 40: A lesson of risk management | 0 |
| 187 | GLOSSARY: TERMS AND NOMENCLATURE | 0 |
| 188 | GLOSSARY: CHARACTER INDEX | 0 |
| 189 | Act 3, Chapter 41: Rat's maze | 0 |
| 190 | Act 3, Chapter 42: Slow pursuit | 0 |
| 191 | Act 3, Chapter 43: Sharing | 0 |
| 192 | Act 3, Chapter 44: Rat’s race never ends | 0 |
| 193 | Act 3, Chapter 45: Going down, means going up | 0 |
| 194 | Act 3, Chapter 46: Negative space | 0 |
| 195 | Act 3, Chapter 47: Bed and breakfast, or bad and broken fast | 0 |
| 196 | Act 3, Chapter 48: Various welcomes | 0 |
| 197 | Act 3, Chapter 49: Everything is certainly fine | 0 |
| 198 | Act 3, Chapter 50: No exit | 0 |
| 199 | Act 3, Chapter 51: Forced perspective | 0 |
| 200 | Act 3, Chapter 52: Opening the doors | 0 |
| 201 | Interlude: Lóng’s way | 0 |
| 202 | Act 3, Chapter 53: New, old place | 0 |
| 203 | Act 3, Chapter 54: Fast and fun | 0 |
| 204 | Interlude: Like they do it on discovery channel | 0 |
| 205 | Act 3, Chapter 55: Creative edge | 0 |
| 206 | Act 3, Chapter 56: Casting a net | 0 |
| 207 | Act 3, Chapter 57: Four men and one date / the first man | 0 |
| 208 | Act 3, Chapter 58: Four men and one date / the second man | 0 |
| 209 | Act 3, Chapter 59: Four men and one date / the third man | 0 |
| 210 | Act 3, Chapter 60: Four men and one date / the fourth man | 0 |
| 211 | Act 3, Chapter 61: The game is in the ball | 0 |
| 212 | Act 3, Chapter 62: Cerebral loan | 0 |
| 213 | Act 3, Chapter 63: An upper hand | 0 |
| 214 | Interlude: The Crones | 0 |
| 215 | Act 3, Chapter 64: Penrose is dead | 0 |
| 216 | Act 3, Chapter 65: Money-made star | 0 |
| 217 | Act 3, Chapter 66: Vampire’s hospitality | 0 |
| 218 | Act 3, Chapter 67: Sowing discord | 0 |
| 219 | Act 3, Chapter 68: Night(life)/death | 0 |
| 220 | Act 3, Chapter 69: Paper-thin reasons | 0 |
| 221 | Act 3, Chapter 70: Promises of violence | 0 |
| 222 | Act 3, Chapter 71: Revisiting old battlefields | 0 |
| 223 | Act 3, Chapter 72: Diagnosing | 0 |
| 224 | Act 3, Chapter 73: What a body amplifies | 0 |
| 225 | Act 3, Chapter 74: What melody would you be, if you were one? | 0 |
| 226 | Act 3, Chapter 75: Pretenders | 0 |
| 227 | Act 3, Chapter 76: Playing the part | — |
| 228 | Act 3, Chapter 77: Malik is dead | — |
| 229 | Act 3, Chapter 78: Mason is here | — |
| 230 | Act 3, Chapter 79: La Ville d’Ombrelumière | — |
| 231 | Act 3, Chapter 80: Piotr’s nature | — |
| 232 | Act 3, Chapter 81: Fathers and mothers | — |
| 233 | Act 3, Chapter 83: The changing room chat | — |
| 234 | Act 3, Chapter 82: The other Penrose | — |
| 235 | Act 3, Chapter 84: Making an opening | — |
| 236 | Act 3, Chapter 85: Stealing by proxy | — |
| 237 | Act 3, Chapter 86: Meditation on the weapon’s nature | — |
| 238 | Act 3, Chapter 87: Good news, bad news… situation | — |
| 239 | Act 3, Chapter 88: Chuma siblings | — |
| 240 | I failed 7 minutes ago | 0 |
| 241 | The Art of Magic | — |
| 242 | Act 3, Chapter 89: Taking back control of a body | — |
| 243 | Act 3, Chapter 90: Monsters, they are all monsters | — |
| 244 | Act 3, Chapter 91: Monsters, we are all monsters | — |
| 245 | Act 3, Chapter 92: A red bloom | — |
| 246 | Act 3, Chapter 93: The calamities that follow the disaster | — |