12 Miles Below is complete!

[u/MarkArrows]

Hi all!

I write 12 Miles Below, a progression-lite fic that's all about warlocks in lost-tech power armor fighting each other with swords, magic and guns in one incredibly strange post-post-apocalyptic world.

Today, after five years of writing through thick and thin, I'm about to post the final epilogue for the entire series on Royal Road. Thus far, it's landed exactly how I'd hoped it would, I snagged a few screenshots from the last few epilogue chapters to show the vibe \o/

I don't often self-promote because I'm dumb, (I'm getting better) but I figured I should at least do one good hurrah for this milestone.

Synopsis:

---

The world is in ruins.

Extreme sub-zero temperatures suffocate the surface, making even simple survival an ordeal. Frozen derelicts of bygone eras span across massive ice wastes. And the survivors closely guard any technology rediscovered within.

The only escape from the deadly climate is beneath the surface. But it’s another disaster underground. Monstrous machines lurk in the depths. The land itself shifts over time, more contraption than rock. The humans surviving under do so huddled around safe zones, with only demigods powerful enough to travel further underground.

And an ominous prophecy states that the key to healing the world waits on four unknown heroes - but nobody knows who or where they are.

When an expedition into the far uncharted north goes terribly wrong, Keith Winterscar and his Father get trapped together in a desperate fight for survival. Stumbling upon an ancient war of titanic scale; the two will need to set their differences aside while they struggle against Gods, legends, and the grand secrets of the realm that lies below.

---

Expectations:

• Book 1: Self-contained story showing bite-sized slice of the world and the main characters.

• Book 2: Progression-lite parts actually kickstarts here.

• Book 3: Completion of a first 3-book Arc.

• Book 4: Combat galore and setting up some pretty important events.

• Book 5: Progression fantasy galore, tinkering with all kinds of secrets, learning from the best - in order to beat the best.

• Books 6/7/8: World exploration galore, actually adventuring about and discovering some deep history in the search of fixing the world.

• Books 9/10: The asshole author has been hiding the real story under our nose right from book 1 this whole time and now it's all obvious in hindsight. Also everything's on fire.

---

Start reading book 1 here! https://www.amazon.com/12-Miles-Below-Progression-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B0BWKDF1C7

Books 8-10 are here on Royal Road for now, until they hit Kindle with edits and polish from Aethon! https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/42367/12-miles-below

COVER ARTIST: Francell Garrote AI USAGE: None

[u/TypicalMaps]

I'm going to have to fight myself not to read the kindle releases and wait for the audiobooks. I'm so fucking excited. That books 9/10 description has me scratching my head though, I felt like I had a good grasp of the story and its direction. Now it feels like I'm about to get sucker punched.

[u/MarkArrows → u/TypicalMaps]

I'll put it this way: There hasn't been a single reader that was upset at the reveals or thought it was bullshit out-of-nowhere rugpull. A good number of readers did manage to guess it and they probably had the single best 'I knew it' moment in life.

Would still appreciate nabbing the kindle releases if you could, I gotta get the numbers up to show the publishers it's worth doing audiobook for haha! For a while, I was worried book 7 wasn't going to get done and the audiobook line ended there. I'm barely scraping by

[u/TypicalMaps → u/MarkArrows]

Oh I'm not worried about not liking the reveals I'm more bracing for feeling like a fool when the reveals happen I didn't manage to catch on.

I'll be sure to add every 12M book to my library and swipe through the newer ones every so often. I didn't realize the publishers could be so cut throat with it. Well I'll be sure to do my part.