Art of the Veil [A progression SF-fantasy witch hunt story]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Korentis just wants to learn magic in peace. It’s not xir fault people hate mages!

Yes, they broke the moon and made demons rain from the sky. But that wasagesago, right? No reason to worry.

Yes, they say mages become insane and violent, but that’s definitely propaganda. Xe’ll be fine.

Xe even made friends with some like-minded criminal mages! And xe’s justperfectfor a job they had in mind!

Cerical hunts mages for the Agency. She swore a solemn oath and got her silver sword.

She won’t be content arresting the occasional rogue - she can see the big picture. She believes in her mission, and she knows she’ll make a difference.

Yes, she made a general very angry, and was assigned to a remote, frozen town with no hope of career advancement. But she’s sure this is just a hiccup - she’ll prove her worth.

Any day now.

As Korentis goes on a poorly planned, magically-fueled crime spree, it’s natural that their roads will cross. And when Korentis is offered a riskier job, for a great reward, it will be xir chance to learn the true secrets of magic.

And for Cerical, it’s her chance to catch a dangerous magical criminal.

Except they’ll both learn they’re being used as pawns in a much greater, more dangerous game. And it’s too late to step back, because something ancient and terrible has its attention on them, and they must deal with it, before the world ends.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

- Science fantasy story set in a different world

- Two main points of view, alternating chapters: a rogue illusionist mage and a mage-hunting cop

- Unusual magical system

- Slow burn story, with a lot of slice-of-life

- Waaaaay too much wordbuilding

- Mostly light-hearted tone, with some dark moments (and themes)

-NOT a lit-rpg. In-universe, magic has levels and de facto classes, but there’s no system and no skills, talents etc.

- Weak to strong MCs, but it will beslooooooooooooow

- tons of LGBTQ characters, and tons of characters in general

- Mild sexual content, some violence. The story deals heavily with mental illness. I’ll put content warnings on specific chapters.

Updates wednesday and saturday, plus occasional sunday special.

I have a very large buffer of chapters, to ensure consistent posting.

Hope you'll enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Cover art byTacchi

(Update: I paused posting after Act 1 because I wanted to make heavy changes to act 2, and after a while, I decided to resume posting only when the whole Act 2 is written. As of now, I'm about 2\3 done and I expect to resume posting in late 2025.)

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Chtae

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 3.8/ 5.0
Followers: 130
Views: 43,699

Chapters(92 total)

What readers say about Art of the Veil [A progression SF-fantasy witch hunt story]

“Hey! Just want to say that I absolutely, 100% love your writing (and think you're entirely too critical of yourself in your asides, give yourself more credit <3). Love the story, the characters (especially especially Korentis, such an interesting character)…”
coorzbahkRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Such a great story that i'm glad to have found in a review swap. I will definitely keep reading. Style: excellent. The first person perspective helps reveal a lot of information but in a way that isn't dumping info in long paragraphs. The vocabulary is rich…”
KrakenEaterRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

coorzbahkRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Hey! Just want to say that I absolutely, 100% love your writing (and think you're entirely too critical of yourself in your asides, give yourself more credit <3). Love the story, the characters (especially especially Korentis, such an interesting character) and just finished the first act. Know that no matter what, you have one person out there eagerly awaiting act 2 and beyond, and that person is me. Keep doing what you're doing :)
Ok apparently this has to be 200 words or something so lets go. First off, mechanically super solid writing. Flow, word choice, pacing, etc are all extremely well done. At no point did anything feel dissonant or take me out of my enjoyment of the story. Character, again, are nuanced, realistic, and well crafted. They are engaging and serve beautifully as the vehicles to convey the story. The world as well is detailed, intriguing, delightfully devoid of the types of tropes and bad habits that I am tired of reading in otherwise interesting concepts, and unfolds very naturally. The way people and societies have been shaped as a result of the events of the past and present feels very well-crafted and thought out. The magic system itself is very fun and conveyed very well. I just unabashedly love this series, and i only found it because I'm new here and was clicking on the random stories button until i found this. Also the humor is actually funny.
KrakenEaterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Such a great story that i'm glad to have found in a review swap. I will definitely keep reading.
Style: excellent. The first person perspective helps reveal a lot of information but in a way that isn't dumping info in long paragraphs. The vocabulary is rich and new terms unqiue to the story are interesting and easy to understand, or at least grasp a general idea. The tone makes it easy and fun to read, desvribing things very vividly amd artistfully, such as the Else.
Story: i only read a few chapters and haven't got to the real plot but feels deep as the world is built with good foundations. The magic system is unique and interesting, and I feel a potential to some interesting plots. The idea of having two main characters which one pursues the other is nice.
Grammar: i almost felt it was useless to post my edit suggestion as it was just a misuse of capital letter or confusing dot with comma. It won't bother reading and you will easily miss it if you don't look for them. Nothing to drop 5 stars, really.
Characters: i really like Korentis. Xe is amazingly weird and is good at making me laugh, and its only been 4 chapters! Definitely an entitled little shit, but i'm in for the ride. As for Cerical, i'm not sure, but there is no problems with her character. for characters in general, they are all colorful and don't give me the vibe of mere extras or something. Basically, they feel real, suggesting good writing.
Overall, i definitely recommend to read, as it offers laughs, excellent magic system, good interactions and more.
WritingWyrmRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Despite the writer's warning that the story is slow-burn, it never had trouble keeping my attention. The pacing was enjoyable, the characters are interesting and full of personality, and the steady flow of details of the world kept me hooked.
I skipped the Magic 101 chapter because I wanted to see how the story revealed details on its own. I am pleasantly surprised. Characters are young and inexperienced, and you get to learn together with them. Until the point I've read, the magic system and its impact on the world has been a great source of speculation and discovery.
I am not quite used to reading stories in the first person. I see no problem with it here, but I believe it de-mystifies some of the characters by explaining their inner world rather than allowing the reader to build a person through the way they behave. This is not to say it hasn't worked, and I very much understand it's a personal preference. In the face of so much that the author leaves for us to imagine and discover, so much character between the lines, this is a small criticism. On the positive side, the first person prose allowed me to explore different perspectives in this carefully crafted world.
And since we are talking about characters. They have depth and personality, with consistency and plenty of room for growth. I found myself chuckling at Cerical's grumpiness right off the bat.
There are no issues with the grammar or syntax. New words are introduced and you learn their in-universe use quite quickly.
Overall, this was exactly the kind of story I was searching for on royal road, and one that I will continue to follow beyond my Review Swap!
Damien HansonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
We are in a world of magic, which is a huge plus, but honestly what I really enjoy here is that the pacing is wonderfully smooth, the comedy is light but well-played, and the world immersive. I can feel myself being there. I'm going to be keeping up with this series for long term and I look forward to seeing what comes next!
SkarabraeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a very good story.
Style: I like this story's style a lot. It has literary devices, in particular a lot of imagery that helps with the story's tone and set various scenes within the story. The author has incredibly good word choice and is able to set the tone very well with it. The author's way of writing is also unique. And I can safely say that the tone fits the story perfectly.
Story: The story is great. it is paced at just the right pace. It develops at the right pace too. The story itself is basically about a group of magical thieves trying to avoid having to do real work and the authorities going after them. This premise is handled very well, and it has good worldbuilding too.
Grammar: I couldn't find any grammatical errors. That does not mean they don't exist, but if they do, they are most likely not distracting enough for most people to notice them.
Character: The characters are really good. They are all well-depicted, realistic, and three-dimensional. The main characters are fun to follow too, which is very good. So, I have no complaints here.
Overall, I highly recommend this story.
StrahdsillystrawRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This has been a wild week for review swaps, as I've been inundated with a frankly shocking amount of really exceptional reads. Normally I'd look over some minor flaws or exaggerate a book's good points because that's really just the kind of site this is, but I need to do neither of those things today!
Style: Simply splendid, If this book's style were a meal, I would demand seconds! The way the author weaves lore into little snippets of dialogue or environmental details. Nothing feels wasted or like it's just there to fill in words, yet it also doesn't smother you with information. A truly wonderful mix.
Story: Realistically, this isn't the sort of novel where I can grasp its story within five chapters. We have all sorts of wonderful details, and thus far it feels like an excellent start to a plotline, but I can't truly say what it's like without reading further. And I shall, Just not yet.
Grammar: No major issues as far as I could tell. I'm sure there are a few things here and there, but I was immersed enough I didn't notice.
Character: SIX STARS. Even with two protagonists, they both stood out so incredibly well that I had no trouble finding myself invested in both plotlines. I cannot wait to see what happens when they intersect!
TACCHIRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
FINALLY!!! IT'S!!! HERE!!!
I'm Chtae's friend, and editor of this story, which I am absolutely obsessed with. NOT TO BRAG but I also draw that awesome cover right there. How could you not want to read a story with such an awesome cover??
Jokes aside, I am so happy that people will finally be able to read ART OF THE VEIL, because it really is one of the best fantasy epics I laid my eyes upon. I wouldn't be so personally invested if it wasn't! It is SUCH a clever take on the old trope of mages vs mage-hunters, with a cast of adorable characters - which you'll want to punch occasionally, but still, adorable - and a very unusual, cool and trippy magic system. The worldbuilding is deliciously complex, too, and as the story unfolds you'll find yourself wanting to know more and more about the history of Refuge.
If you like Sanderson's works, you'll love this!
Tidus_FarewellRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
While I usually don't dive into this genre and my journey with "Art of the Veil" began as part of a review swap, I must say the only thing I truly dislike about the novel is that there aren't more chapters out yet. It's brilliant at showing rather than telling, drawing you into a vividly crafted world. The characters feel incredibly three-dimensional, each with their own compelling backstory and personality that shine through action and dialogue, not just descriptions.
This story weaves together elements I'd normally be skeptical of—an antifascist fantasy cyber-punk vibe—into something genuinely engaging. The protagonist, Korentis, is especially relatable, navigating a complex world with a mix of cunning and humor that's just a joy to follow. It's clear the author has put a lot of thought into building a rich, believable setting and a magic system that's as cool as it is unique. Can't wait to see where it all goes!
PlatypushoverRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Amazing story, with unique take one magic and its combination with technology. The world is alive, and feels possible in given circumstances. Magic is magical, not some arcane science. While the world is big, author focuses on one city- which makes me think about „Perfect Run” where such a thing worked out great.
As for the categories:
Style: I would give full marks, if not for the „xe”. It would be cool and everything, a different pronoun for Agendered people. But it makes reading hard, and constantly feels as if „xe”, „xes”… were names, not pronouns. It’s like reading in two languages at the same time, while knowing only one of them.
Story: Thought out and budding. If it continues like it is, it will be great, really great. Author introduces it slowly, but surely and the future course of action is somewhat obvious for the reader - in a way where be wait for it to happen, with anticipation.
Grammar: I haven’t found a mistake. I am not a native English speaker, or reader, but for me the grammar was immaculate.
Characters: They have personalities, and different ways of speaking. Which means they are defined. Also, the two Mc’s are interesting, along with their mysterious backstories.
WolfswordRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I'm enjoying the story so far and look forward to finding out more about the world and its components.
It's written from the Point of View of two characters from two different spheres of the world. It looks like we are in for some good world-building that's based on standard foundations that aren't a stretch to relate to. The magic system looks like it will have its own flair, and the regional cultures look like they will be fleshed out. The world feels like it could have its own deep mythology, history and socio-political scene that is familiar enough that it was easy to follow and understand how the characters are situated in the world. The characters also each feel like they have their own authentic voice. I, personally, find the voice of the characters hilarious and appreciate the wit displayed in the writing, as well as the tomfoolery.
I think the story pacing is good - we get a bit of an info dump but not an over-explanation (plenty to unpack in these first two chapters). The first two chapters set us up to have a basic understanding of who these people are and the current day situation they find themselves in. There is a ton of "ooooo that'll be explained later" moments to keep you interested in gaining the understanding of the complex world.
The grammar is good. A typo here or there, maybe, but nothing immersion-breaking.