《Isekai in Dhah'ar - CRITICAL ERROR - Daily》 I chapter - Welcome traveler Pain! Infinite, immeasurable and unbearable! Pain.
ERROR FATAL cod42
System detected a critical failure during transfer process, reboot will happen automatically at 1/100 standard time. 1st attempt ¨C ERROR! 2nd attempt ¨C ERROR! 3rd attempt ¨C ERROR! Collecting data: 100% collected. ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- ----SYSTEM PURGE: ENABLED---- ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- ----ADM ALERT code42+---- ----ANOMALOUS SYSTEM CREATED---- ----RESET ---- ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- OVERRIDED SAFETY LOCKS ----FORCED RESET---- ----EJECT---- ----EJECT---- ---SUCCESS---
The pain disappeared. Darkness surrounds me, I am darkness, I am emptiness.
Welcome Traveler.
Accept traveler tutorial: #/no? Choose your genre: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE Choose your race: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE Choose your class: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE ############### CASCADE FAILURE
¡°Hmmm? What is happening?". Nobody answers me. There are 2 options, but one is not active, I wait to see if something changes. ¡°Someone help me, anyone!!!¡± Nothing. I focus on ¡°no¡±.
Welcome Tr#veler.
Tutorial finished with s#ce??o!
¡°Hmmm? Somebody? HELP". Nobody me...
Welcome to Dhah''ar!
You have crossed the veil and entered a new world, full of wonders and dangers. Here, magic flows through the veins of the land, legendary creatures roam the forests, and destiny awaits you at every step. What awaits you in this world. ? Adventure: Discover unknown lands, face epic challenges and discover ancient secrets. ? Mystery: Unravel ancient riddles, uncover conspiracies and reveal the truth behind ancient legends. ? Friendship: Forge bonds with other adventurers, create alliances and find journey companions. ? Harem option activated: (yes/#)-choice yes (mandatory) ? Danger: You will face dangerous creatures, powerful enemies and deadly traps. ? Choices: The decisions you make will shape your destiny and the future of this world.
PPPPPPAAAAAAIIIIIIINNNNN!!!!!!!!!!! ¡°WTF, FRAK, FRAK! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT.¡± Little by little the pain passes, the brightness that is my mind becomes an increasingly fine fog until my vision returns. Hammm, my ¡°visions¡±, my vision is a kaleidoscope of overlapping images in all directions, it takes a few seconds to even get used to a 360¡ã field of view. And what a sight, panic rises to heights at the scene around me. Broken bodies, spread across a large room, entirely made of carved stone, but which my body almost completely occupies, I count 10 bodies, some whole, others in pieces, blood everywhere, but it is old blood, already black and dry, but Strangely, the bodies are not in the same state, nor are there flies flying around, attracted by the smell of death. They are humanoid bodies, men and women, old and young, but with scales covering the body and instead of hair, thin and long feathers. The clothes are some kind of linen, perhaps cotton. I''m surprised that all of this I understand in just a few seconds. The room has 4 pillars decorated with something in the hieroglyphic style, at opposite ends, there are 4 stairs, 2 going down and 2 going up. My body is in the middle of the 4 pillars, I use my tentacles to move. Yes, tentacles. 3 are like squids, about 10m long and as thick as a person, the other 3 are like anacondas with saber teeth, but without eyes. My body, so to speak, is a sphere 5m in diameter with skin like that of an Asian rhinoceros, like several semi-rigid plates and in the middle of these plates dozens of retractable eyes like those of a crab. Strangely, I don''t know why the strangeness happens, but I naturally think of myself as the apex of perfection. Something in the back of my mind tells me that something isn''t right, but I quickly dismiss it. I have to get out of here. The stairs are definitely very narrow, but even so, I use my tentacles to get out of the pillars and go towards it, my body squeezes between the pillars, but without any discomfort. I start to pass the stairs that go up and my body squeezes even more. It looks like I have no bones, how useful. He came out in a smaller room, but with an opening. Through the door, I see a lake with treetops jutting out over a sea of ??mist. It seems to be late afternoon, around 17:30? FREEDOM. I extend my six tentacles and realize that my spherical body floats, without me realizing it, about 2m above the ground. It will be??? Yes, I can move by floating in any direction, but it''s not very fast, I would say the speed is a good and healthy walk, I can''t run. But then I fly FRAK! I climb to a good altitude, to have a complete view of where the fuck I am. Below me is a ziggurat of about 100m in base and about 50m in height, half of it is submerged in a sea of ??fog, everywhere this fog covers everything, sticking out of the fog I see trees. And on the horizon, mountains on all sides. I take a deep breath to calm down¡­ ¡°HHHHAAAAAMMMM???¡± I don''t breathe, nothing comes out or enters through my 3 anaconda mouths!!! Using the squid tentacles I look for my pulse. I don''t have either!!! Am I dead? ¡°HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN WITHOUT BREATHING????¡± The sound of Harry Porter speaking parseltongue through the 3 anaconda mouths came out, and what''s worse, without synchronization. Strange. "HELLO?" The same kind of sound comes out. Let''s try to talk with just one head. ¡°Testing, 1, 2, 3.¡± No, either all three speak together or none at all. Okay, let''s go in parts, Jack style. 1¡ã I''m some kind of monster. 2¡ã I don''t know where I am 3¡ã I can fly, this opens up several possibilities for me. 4¡ã I don''t have a heart 5¡ã I don''t breathe, despite smelling it. 6¡ã There are many more moons in the sky than you would normally think. 10 in total. 7¡ã There are people nearby, after all those dead people came from somewhere. I take off and take a look around the ziggurat. I see that it has 3 other entrances, one of which has a deep can. No more dark and cramped places. Now I realized, the room where I woke up had no windows or lights, but I still saw everything clearly. 8¡ã Night vision. Let''s go through the basics: shelter, food, fire and water. Shelter the ziggurat serves temporarily. Water, I smelled water nearby. I float down the steps of the ziggurat and enter the cold fog, the vision drops to about 5m and using my octopus tentacles I feel around before I see anything, until I reach the ¡°base¡± of the ziggurat that ends in water. Dark water with a swampy smell. It should be drinkable if there''s a fire. I go back to the top of ziggurat in the body room to see if I can find anything useful, like a flint, lighter, documents or anything else. We squeeze into the room and search the bodies. I find canteens, flints, the clothes are made of linen and hand-sewn, I don''t find any type of documents, leather bags with silver and copper coins, with strange symbols printed on them. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.For a few seconds I am paralyzed. I don''t remember who I am, where I came from, or what I am, much less how I know things like; Jack, documents, flint, canteens and various objects that shine (rings, necklaces, scepters, knives, belts and tiaras). When I try to remember the only thing that remains is a total blank. Until I taste meat in my mouth. Realize with horror that my 3 mouths attacked, during these moments of despair, and ripped chunks of flesh from the corpses... and it''s delicious!
SPECIAL ABILITIES - Copy(Su)
A True Core can copy any creatures/material/item, identical to those it has physically consumed. Each copy possesseseven the learned abilities and characteristics (such as class level, skills, and spells known) of the original but retains only dimmemories of its former life. Copies can be of any size and origin. Copys are fanatically loyal to the True Core that spawned them and willingly fight to the death to defend it. Copied materials and items can never be used or cause damage to the True Core. After spawning, a True Core must wait 4d6 days before doing so again.
Superior ability detected, override.
SPECIAL ABILITIES - Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 4/ days before doing so again.
Copy? Copy what? One person. Lawful Evil, that''s an RPG thing. Am I in a game? I was Isekai''d! What is Isekai? I know but and I don''t know how I know. That''s very frustrating. One less mystery, so I''m a True Core, whatever that is!
SPECIAL ABILITIES - Improved Copy(Su)
Analysis 100% Registered entities: 10 1-Furrelle Wystongjiir, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 5 2-Hethress Grmballhyst, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 8 3-Dazzazn Beryntolthropal, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Cleric 7 4-Findex Hshhsstoroth, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cler 5-Kaladan Wivvyrholdalphiax, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Cleric 5 6-Ghesh Ghaallixirn, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Cleric 6 7-Eggren Clethtinthiallor, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 5 8-Ruloth Xephyrbahnor, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 6 9-Aasathra Imbixtellrhyst, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 7 10-Bidreked Xephyrbahnor, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Cleric 6 Copy; yes/no yes Choice of: 1-10 2 Hethress Grmballhyst, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Cleric 8 Personality: She is quite gentle and does not know the full extent of her strength. She works very hard to maintain that gentleness. She is a ruthless woman, a trait she acquired from her father. STR 10 (+0) DEX 17 (+3) CON 12 (+1) INT 12 (+1) WIS 16 (+3) CHA18 (+4) New copy in: T -4/days
I choose ¡°yes¡±. Choise: 2 She is the highest level cleric and is a woman. I feel masculine and looking at the menu, it says that it has CHA 18, in addition to being gentle and calm, as a flaw it is ruthless, which I don''t know why, I think it''s correct. Soon I start to feel contractions in my body, as if I were going to vomit. And that''s what actually happens, I vomit an entire person out of one of my anaconda mouths. She is covered in a fluorescent bluish goo that smells like cinnamon and is completely naked. After the last contractions, I spit out the remains of the goo from my mouth and observe the body lying on the stone floor. She breathes softly, with one of the tentacles I poke her. She wakes up, sits up and turns towards my body. She looks at me with yellow reptilian eyes and asks me in a gentle voice. "Hello?" "Hello. Do you know your name?" I ask in my 3 out of sync voices. ¡°Of course, my name is Hethress daughter of Grmballhyst ¨C Champion of Hylasis, Goddess Of Rivers¡± She bows. I admire her for a few moments, she is beautiful, her body is slender and well proportioned even though she doesn''t have breasts, she is clearly a female. Its skin is covered in tiny emerald green scales, with the chest, face and abdomen being lighter than the limbs. Long, thin feathers with bluish dots cover its head up to a palm below the shoulders, they are glued to the body because of the remains of the blue goo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of me? Of my appearance?¡± ¡°No, why? Are you going to do me any harm?¡± "Of course, not! You are beautiful!" Big mouth, 3 damn big mouths. I change the subject quickly. ¡°Do you want to wash up before we start talking?¡± A smile on the corner of his mouth appears with a flash, and then disappears. She rises with the grace of a ballerina, or better yet, that of a priestess. ¡°Yes that would be nice.¡± We leave the inside of the ziggurat and go down to where the water touches. She kneels and begins to wash. Very erotic. ¡°What is this place we are in?¡± I ask to divert my previous train of thought. ¡°Ziggurat of Aunnas.¡± In a flash, images of the ziggurat come to my mind, of the nearby village where she and her group came from, Kebury is its name, unfamiliar scenes of the group performing a ritual.
SPECIAL ABILITIES - Link(Su)
True Core can connect with its copies, on the same plane of existence, regardless of distance or position and but is limited to the copy''s sensory capabilities. Through this connection you can see, hear, feel, smell, taste, speak and detect thoughts, read if the copy is capable of that. There is no limit on simultaneous connections.
She is an open book to me, she also feels and knows this and through the link I feel that she is ecstatic about it. ¡°It could be my impertinence, sir. But I still don¡¯t know your grace.¡± She looks at me with big anxious eyes. ¡°Strange as it may seem, Hethress, I do not know, not my name, nor where I came from, nor why I am here. What do you think about giving me a name?¡± The face she makes is a price in itself. Its mouth opens in a perfect mute ¡°O¡±, in which I see a mouth with sharp teeth and fangs. She takes 4 deep breaths before speaking. How envious. ¡°My lord, nominating him, it is an honor¡± She puts her fingers on her forehead and thinks. ¡°Would Crixus be acceptable, my lord?¡± ¡°Crixus, yes. I liked." She smiles. ¡°As for what you are, I don¡¯t know either, where you came from and why you¡¯re here, I might be able to help you.¡± ¡°What do you mean Hethress?¡± ¡°My group and I were performing a ritual to conjure a Goddess Champion to help us against frequent Mantis attacks, but something went wrong.¡± She looks up at the sky towards the moons and says. ¡°Hutag, Bawmoh and Uksal, the 3 biggest moons of Dhah''ar are in summer, when the ritaul was made, there was a month left until the change of season, I don''t know what powerful magic my lord did, but I saw my body and it was as it was when I died. I don''t know how this is possible. I¡¯ve never heard of magic like that.¡± ¡°Explain, I don¡¯t know anything about magic.¡± ¡°Magic of raising the dead is divided into 2 types; The most common way to bring people back to life is to ¡°raise the dead¡± but it has a limit, which is the time since the person died, which the most powerful priests can only do up to 20 days after the death. I certainly died more than 30 days ago. No one in the region has this level of power. After that comes Resurrection or Reincarnation and True Resurrection. All of these were only performed by the most powerful priests and even then for important people. But in all of them, the body is reestablished, in my case it was recreated or copied. That¡¯s why I said I¡¯ve never heard of magic like that. The second type is the one that creates undead, which obviously I''m not, my heart beats, I breathe and my body is warm.¡±¡± ¡°Hmmm, from your group, do you want me to revive someone?¡± ¡°No my lord, they, like me, do not deserve this blessing, we failed the ritual, that''s why we died. I''m grateful that my lord brought me back to life, but neither of them nor I deserve this. Let the worms feed on the failures and let me, through your gift, give my body and soul to your eternal service.¡± Calm. Very calm at this time. This is part of SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su): Copies are fanatically loyal to the True Core that spawned them and willingly fight to the death to defend it. ¡°Do you have a family? Where is your home?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember, I know I have all this, but I don¡¯t remember.¡± She says after a while, takes a deep breath and says. ¡°But that¡¯s the past and it doesn¡¯t matter. Only serving him matters.¡± FRAK...Suddenly something comes to my mind I see the image of a being from the Hethress race, the image of what she thinks is the perfect male and in a flash of light I see myself in the body of that image in her mind. ¡°FRAK, FRAK, WHAT THE FRAKIS THIS???¡± I extend my arms and legs, I have legs, I feel my skin, covered in small scales, my heart beats and now I feel cold. Hethress looks at me open-mouthed, she promptly kneels at my feet and extends her hand in a gesture that means marriage. Using the link I know what I should do. ¡°Get up, you belong in my house now...wherever that is.¡± She gets up and looks at me anxiously. ¡°First we need clothes, it¡¯s cold and I don¡¯t want to walk around naked.¡± She lowers her head to hide her face, but the link doesn''t hide her disappointment. "After. First we have to provide food, fire and water. Then you will help me decide what we should do.¡± I.2 chapter - Slaves ¡°Yes my lord. Food and water will not be a problem, I know the magic "Create Food and Water" and making fire is easy with "Spark", as for clothes, I can use the one from my old body and I think Dazzazn has your size, cleaning them is simple also with magic to.¡± We enter the ziggurat and take what we need. She starts to drag one of the bodies. I ask. ¡°What are you going to do with the bodies? Play in the lake?¡± ¡°If they were peasants, yes, but they are priestly brothers, they should be burned¡± I see her struggle to drag one of the bodies. I help her, the bodies are light as if they were made of Styrofoam. ¡°Let me take them.¡± I easily carry 2 bodies at a time, one under each arm. ¡°My lord is very strong!¡± "Why? These bodies weigh nothing!¡± ¡°Each of them must weigh between 80-100kg!¡± Something clicks in my head! ¡°Do your people use the metric system of measurements?¡± ¡°My lord, I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± ¡°Hethress, what language am I speaking?¡± ¡°Redare Cene, the cultured language of our people.¡± She looks at me without understanding. To me, I sound like Portuguese spoken with Parseltongue. In the face of my silence, she amends. ¡°My lord speaks with an ethereal, whispering voice, very captivating and dignified.¡± Before my surprise a window appears.
SPECIAL ABILITIES - Tongues (Su)
You understand any spoken language as your native language and when you speak, you are understood by others as if you were speaking in their native language.
I change the subject. ¡°Where do you want me to take the bodies?¡± ¡°I think I saw a staircase leading to the top of the ziggurat.¡± After we take the bodies and clean ourselves up again. She recites a prayer to her Goddess and casts a spell, then an immense column of fire appears and the bodies are consumed instantly, their ashes are carried away by a light breeze before extinguishing. ¡°What magic was that?¡± In awe of the size and power of magic. ¡°Flame Strike". A very strong attack magic, but also used for funeral rituals of the priest caste.¡± We return to the body room, now without bodies. And she begins to recite the magic, runes and glyphs begin to appear around her, initially, weak and unclear, but as time passes they become stronger, brighter and clearer until after a long time, they disappear and in front of Hethress appears a complete meal for 2. Meat, 2 types, one cooked and one almost raw, no type of vegetables, and 2 jugs of water with, I would say, 1L for each. ¡°What meat is this, Hethress?¡± ¡°Water buffalo, my lord. My magic cannot produce better cuts of meat, forgive me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s great.¡± I don''t really feel hungry or thirsty now. We sit on the hard stone floor and I try a piece of each type of meat. Both taste like tofu, the raw one being a little better. Strange, very strange. ¡°Hethress, tell me about everything you know, starting with this place.¡± ¡°Yes my lord. This place where we are is called Ziggurat of Aunnas, or simply, Aunnas. It is an ancient place, full of power, it has existed since the era before the ¡°Tear of the Dream¡±. ¡°Tear of the Dream?¡± ¡°Local legends speak of a war between Gods or very powerful beings from this world against Gods or very powerful beings from the ¡°Kingdom of Dreaming.¡± ¡°Okay, back to ¡±location".¡± ¡°Aunnas is in a swamp called Home of the Crocodiles. My village is 1 hour flying, 4 hours away by boat and 2 days walking from here.¡± ¡°Flying? As?" ¡°Riding Dororos.¡± My expression says it all. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sorry, I forgot that my lord doesn¡¯t know our lands. Dororos are large winged beasts, used to carry quick messages between towns and villages where there are no roads or rivers within easy reach. But they are expensive beasts to maintain, temperamental and there is always the problem of dragons.¡± ¡°DRAGONS???¡± One side of me is very happy, as a KPOP fan, on the other side, I am very worried. ¡°Yes, the Blacks, vicious, like to play, torture and eat their prey alive. If you have no way to escape or hide, a knife to the throat is the best option. Green, they like to enslave, until their slaves are no longer useful, then they eat them. And the Shadows always bring a quick death.¡± ¡°Dororos are special food for dragons, because they carry the bonus of a Lord of Dororo. Therefore, Dororos are only used in the early hours of the day, when dragons, lazy and indolent creatures that they are, are less active and at short distances, so the Dororo spends a short time in the air, vulnerable.¡± ¡°My village is part of a group of towns and villages, 10 in total, in this region, which is part of the Arak of House Verda, ruled by Lord Szuling. My village, Kebury, is led by the pureblood Szeddisosh, with +500 people, it is one of the largest villages in the region, second only to the city of Beymoor, with +5000 people and where Lord Szuling lives. My village is one of the few with a wall and with formics to help against Mantis attacks.¡± ¡°Formicos, Mantis, what are they?¡± ¡°Formicos are giant insects used for heavy work, combat and food production. Mantis are also giant insects, but with 6 limbs, 2 being powerful scythes used to eviscerate or capture and immobilize their prey, 2 smaller arms used to manipulate objects and 2 powerful legs used to propel these murderous monsters in great leaps. It is on average 2m tall and has a shell as hard as metal.¡± ¡°Mantis form nests of 10-100 individuals, when they exceed 20 they form tribes. In the region, there are 3 dominant tribes: Jeri-Kri, Are-Kri, Ume-Kri. But they are commonly known as head-hunters, green and flying.¡± ¡°The biggest problem is the head hunters, who during the mating season go out in groups looking for the heads of other tribes and other beings, these heads are used to court their females. The heads of my people are highly valued. Typically this happens twice a year. But this year there were 4 attacks. One of the captured Mantis said this was due to a Lich attacking their breeding and hunting grounds.¡± ¡°A LICH!!!! As if we didn''t already have a lot of problems. We sent a Dororo asking for help from Beymoor, but there was no response, the Dororo didn''t return, so the priests in the region decided to get together and perform a ritual to conjure a champion, with the help of the Goddess hylasis, but something went wrong, I don''t know what happened, the chant was performed perfectly, the sacrifice was accepted, the moons were in the correct position...but something went very wrong.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.¡°Lich? An undead wizard who creates other undead? You said it''s been more than a month, why hasn''t anyone come looking for you?" ¡°Yes, that is a good description of a Lich. This place is dangerous, the travel here is difficult and with the Mantis attacks, it has become even more difficult. To get here, we lost 4 escort warriors to the Mantis and monsters in the region. Legends say that this place is cursed and during the tide, it is a place where monsters come from. Our people don¡¯t come here without a good reason, for fear of bringing curses to the region.¡± "Tide?" ¡°Tide is the 5th season, a time where magic becomes wild, violent and unstable, during this season, the use of magic that is not divine is prohibited and everyone is locked within the walls of the nearest city or shut up in protected caves . During this period, certain locations become points from which monsters come out and destroy everything in front of them, strangely they don''t attack animals, only buildings and people.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t attack the Mantis or the Formicos?¡± ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°So the Formicos and Mantis are people?¡± ¡°My lord, this is heresy, Mantis are monsters and Formicos are less than slaves.¡± ¡°Slaves? Explain this better.¡± ¡°Does my master not know what a slave is?¡± She looks at me in surprise. ¡°I know what slaves are, and how slavery works. I want to know who these slaves are, and if it works the same way I know it.¡± ¡°Slaves normally come from inferior races: rabbit people, sweets, they reproduce quickly and have delicious meat, but very expensive, with a high selling price, especially if they are matrices or breeders. Catfolk, good hunters, the females make great dancers, the meat is not good, very tough, but they are difficult to train and expensive to keep to. Bee people, very difficult to raise, mainly because Queens only mate in flight, and when a queen dies, her hive dies together, if another queen doesn''t take her place, but normally they flee during flight. Lizardfolk, only good for games in the arena, very stupid and stubborn. Giant, expensive, violent and prone to madness, normally used in mines or arenas, only nobles can keep them. Elves are the most common in cities, in our region it is not viable, it attracts many groups of Elves who attack to free their race.¡± She says all this in a very didactic way, like explaining the various breeds of cattle and their breeding.¡± ¡°There are also legal slaves, sentenced criminals, these have 3 possible destinations; mines, arena, shock troops on the border, against the fire giants. Debtors can only be used for domestic services and have a deadline to be released.¡± ¡°You said that the meat of the rabbit people is good and the meat of the cat people is bad. Do these people talk?¡± ¡°Of course, if not, they would be mere animals, slaves are more useful because in addition to serving as food, they can learn manual labor.¡± They eat sentient beings!!! FRAK! Lawfull Evil...I got it because all the priests were of that alignment. ¡°Are there slaves in the villages in the region?¡± I ask with a bitter taste in my ¡°mouth.¡± "No. The villages in the region are unable to keep slaves. Once a year, Szeddisosh buys a good female from the rabbit people, but he never shares it, nor makes any offerings to the temple. Damn selfish.¡± She continues to explain the region. ¡°In the most northwestern part is the capital, Rashakn. Every great house has a castle there and the royal family, who rules the Valley of Shadows, also lives there. The Valley is surrounded by the Valkar mountain range. Where there are 5 volcanoes, Belor, Nesius, Sekan, Lex and Roch. Each of these volcanoes is the territory of a tribe of fire giants that have the same name as the volcanoes. The mountain range is also home to the bee people. Beyond the Mountain Range lies a green expanse, beyond the Raging Sea, lies our homeland from which my people fled, 1000 years ago, Slavash.¡± ¡°Hethress, from today onwards, you will never again eat the flesh of speaking beings or slaves!¡± ¡°I''m sorry if I displeased you, my lord. Yes, I won¡¯t eat those things anymore.¡± ¡°Enough for today, you must be tired and tomorrow we will go to your village.¡± I''m not sleepy or tired but the subject left me depressed. Lying on the cold stone floor is not very encouraging. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a King bed with pocket springs.¡±
Fabricate
School: transmutation Level: 5 Casting Time: see text Components: V, S Range: close (7m. + 1.5m/2 levels) Target: up to 3 cu. m./level; see text Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: none; Spell Resistance: no You, through the concentrated flow of mana create a pattern that through your will, power and knowledge comes into existence in physical form. Creatures or magic items cannot be created by the fabricate spell. The quality of items made by this spell is commensurate with the knowledge and skill of the spell caster. If you work with a mineral, the target is reduced to 33cm cubic per level instead of 1,5m cubic. You must make an appropriate Craft check to fabricate articles requiring a high degree of craftsmanship. Casting requires 1 round per 3m cubic of material to be affected by the spell. Blueprint: king bed, pocket spring. Created. Produce: y/no Psy Power Slot 5: 6/6 =>5/6
"Yes?" I am astonished when my mouth begins to recite a chant while my hands draw symbols in the air, leaving a bluish trail of light, in a few seconds everything is over and in front of us a 3x3x0.6m bed appears out of nowhere. ¡°My lord, what is this?¡± Hethress, looks at me and the bed with wide eyes. ¡°A bed?!¡± Hethress, puts his hand on the bed, passes it lightly and then squeezes. ¡°So soft. What a strange fabric. What magic did my lord use?¡± ¡°Frabicate, I guess.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be, Fabricate needs materials, it doesn¡¯t create things from nothing.¡± I look at her and the bed. ¡°As expected of my lord. Incredible" I lay down on the bed and invite her to come along. She gracefully reads herself and sticks to my body. Through the link I know what she wants. Marriage Mark, a mark left by the male''s bite on the female''s shoulder. This mark will be left on display by any married female. Leaving the shoulder uncovered without a mark is a sign of courtesans. When in Rome¡­ I sink my fangs. And I take possession of my ¡°wife¡±. II chapter – 2nd Day Classic Isekai ¨C Village Rescue I didn''t sleep, I''m not sleepy, I''m not tired. I really don''t know what to think of this. On the one hand this gives me a lot of time to do anything. On the other hand, boredom could be a problem. I am my true form. The form of Hethress''s wish is not bad, but I don''t know if it has to do with her past or her ideas. But I feel better in my true form for now. She''s lying in bed, the night, it was... a little wild, I don''t know if it''s her thing or her race, but it was pretty violent. Your body smells of sweat and blood. After an intense 3 hours, she blacked out. I have to analyze this with others of the same species. One thing I saw during the relationship, through the link, is that harems are a standard in your society and are not for everyone. A male has to prove himself capable, via combat, political, economic or magical power to have the right to mate. Most males in Snake People society never mate. I leave the room and float on top of the ziggurat. Think about next steps. Today we are going to the village of Hethress. How I will be received by your people. God? Demon? Monster? She was probably presumed dead. And now she''s married to me, a monster to say the least. One thing is certain, snake people are slavers and devour sentient beings, good people are not. Mantis, on the other hand, are solely devourers of sentient beings. Suddenly this is propaganda from the snake people. We''ll see. Here are the goals for the day: 1¡ã- Go to the village. She said it will take 2 days, I can''t fly because I will attract dragons. 2¡ã- Remove the village leader. The damn thing eats rabbit women!!! In my manual, this is a villain. 3¡ã- Find the elves. We''re on the second day and I still don''t feel hungry or thirsty, this body is very strange. I feel Hethress wake up. Through the link I call her out. She gets up and comes. Happiness seeps through your pores. ¡°My lord, may your day be pleasant.¡± She bows. ¡°Can I prepare food and water, my lord?¡± "Yes. Do it, collect the useful items and then we¡¯ll leave, we have a long journey ahead.¡± She nods, enters the ziggurat and begins collecting useful items. Various magical items that the dead priests had, rings, cloaks, belts and staffs. Hethress returns and begins to cast create food and water. 30 minutes later, we are crossing the Home of the Crocodiles, I grab Hethress with one tentacle and with the other a bundle made of clothes with the things she separated. In 10 minutes we entered the tree line. Shortly afterwards I am very angry. This shitty fog doesn''t allow me to see more than 5m ahead and I always have to climb up to get back on track or get lost. 2 days like this are going to be hell! ¡°Hethress, isn¡¯t there some shortcut or better way to do this? I think it will take more than 2 days to reach your village at this rate.¡± ¡°As I said, my lord, the fastest way is to fly, but the risk of dragons, with their speed and size, my lord would be an easy and tempting target.¡± "FRAK!" She makes a gesture that I''m starting to think is a reflex habit. She places 2 fingers, Index and Middle finger on her forehead and after a few seconds, she asks me without looking in my direction, still with her eyes closed. ¡°My lord has already performed 2 magical feats of the 5th circle. Would my Lord know teleportation magic?¡± When she speaks the word and I think of her: Did you mean Interplanetary Teleport? Y/ no "FRAK" ¡°Yes.¡± Want to know more? Y/ no ¡°Yes.¡±
Interplanetary Teleport
School conjuration Level: 9 Casting Time: 1 standard action Components V, (¡°Scotty, beam me up!¡±) Range: personal and touch Target: you and touched objects or other touched willing creatures Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: none and Will negates (object); Spell Resistance: no and yes (object) This power functions as teleport, except there is truly no range limit and you do not need to have seen your destination, though you must have a solid grasp of which world you wish to travel to (¡°the third planet from the sun¡± is an acceptable destination, but ¡°a habitable world near that bright star¡± is not). If you have a specific location on a planet in mind, you arrive there without a chance of failure; otherwise you arrive at a location that would not immediately be life-threatening. If no such safe landing zone exists on the world, such as someone attempting to travel into the sun without the proper precautions in place, the spell simply fails. Psi Power Slot 9: 6/6=>5/6
¡°How convenient.¡± ¡°My lord?¡± ¡°Nothing, just thinking out loud. Hethress, think of a good place for us to teleport without causing a commotion.¡± She screams and covers her mouth in shame. ¡°Teleport! Of course, there is a place where I always go¡­¡± ¡°Hethress¡­think¡­¡± She nods. Soon the image of the place comes to mind, a small clearing about 10 minutes walk from the village. ¡°Scotty, beam me up!¡± IT WORKED!!! SSHHUUUMM! We emerged in the clearing shown by Hethress''s mental image. This power is very stolen!!! I just need an assistant to explain some things to me.
Psicrystal Assistant
A psychrystal is a fragment of a psionic character¡¯s personality. Because it is an extension of its creator¡¯s personality, created through your will and intertwined with mana, it is linked to the life force of its creator. A psychrystal can speak one language of its owner¡¯s choice (so long as it is a language the owner knows). A psychrystal can understand all other languages ??known by its owner, but cannot speak them. This is a supernatural ability. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. -Saving Throws: A psychrystal uses its owner¡¯s base saving throw bonuses and ability modifiers on saves, though it doesn¡¯t enjoy any other bonuses its owner might have (from magic items or feats, for example). -Abilities: Its self-propulsion ability aways activated, a psychrystal has no Strength score and no Dexterity score. -Skills: A psychrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Perception, Stealth and System Knowledge. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psychrystal has 4 ranks in each.) A psychrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks. Psicrystal Special Abilities: Alertness, improved evasion, personality, self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link, Deliver touch powers, Telepathic speech, Flight, Power resistance, Sight link, Channel power
Activate? Y/ no ¡°Yes.¡± God Mode active? Do you know when you think the alms are too much and you start to get suspicious? So it is. When I pay attention to what is happening around me, I see that Hethress ran in front of me. Sounds of battle reverberate in the distance. Through the link, I feel Hethress''s desperation. She runs towards the sounds of battle and soon reaches its source. Through the link I share the following scene. A sea of ??insects taken, literally taken from a scene from Starship Troopers. Mantis are destroying the village''s defenses. They formed a pyramid of bodies and took the walls. At the top of it, they throw living or broken bodies into the sea of ??insects below, where they are torn apart. Hethress casts a Flame Strike, but even killing several Mantis in a matter of moments, that''s like a spoonful in an ocean. When I arrive she casts a 2nd Flame Strike, and with that attracts the attention of some Mantis archers. The scene is chaotic and I don''t know what I can do. I don''t know how to fight! I had no military training and my combat experiences are pathetic.
Psicrystal Assistant
Combat Assistant Activate: y/ no
"FRAK, YES!!"
Massacre
School necromancy Level: 9 Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, mandatory = Massacration - Metal is the Law Area: 100-m. line Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell: yes You unleash a wave of necromantic energy that snuffs out the life force of those in its path. This wave pulses out from you in a line 1.5m wide and 100m long. The wave visibly rips the souls from the bodies of those it passes through, which manifests as screaming, transparent versions of the affected creatures. The wave kills every living creature of 17 or fewer HD in the line, starting with the creature closest to you, to a maximum of 1d4 HD of creatures per caster level. No creature of 18 or more HD can be affected. If a creature succeeds at its saving throw or has too many HD, it doesn''t count against the HD the spell can kill The wave continues to affect creatures as it rolls away from you until you either run out of HD to affect or reach the limit of the spell''s area. If the spell does not kill any creatures, the unreleased necromantic energy violently explodes in the final square of the 100mt line, dealing 10d6 points of damage + 1 point per caster level to any creature in that square with no saving throw. If several creatures occupy the same square, roll randomly to determine which is affected. Psi Power Slot 9: 6/6=>5/6 Activate: yes/ no
¡°Yes.¡± My 3 mouths reverberate a howling and high-pitched sound that reverberates in the bones. Soon a 4.5m wave of purple flame sweeps across the battlefield. The scene that follows is similar to Dante''s Divine Comedy, when the wave of purple flame touches one of the combatants, he falls hard to the ground and a ¡°soul¡± rises a few meters into the air, screaming in a heart-rending sound, then disappears in an explosion. As I didn''t aim, the wave swept across the battlefield, sweeping attackers from defenders indiscriminately. Oops¡­I messed up. Note: do not trust the assistant. On the bright side, how I ¡°aimed!¡± parallel to the wall, the majority of those affected were the mantis. And the few defenders died quickly... I guess that counts as a positive sign??? After this massacre, the Mantis shipping line disbands. I cast a second Onslaught. With that, the Mantis attack is completely destroyed and a few survivors flee through the forest. When I manage to approach Hethress, she is kneeling next to someone and reciting a healing spell. I see tears streaming down her face. She looks at me and says. ¡°He will survive!¡± Then his gaze wanders over the battlefield littered with bodies. A pile of Mantis bodies rests against part of the wall, which is made of earth and wooden logs. The mantis used the bodies of their own people as a ramp to invade the village. Beyond the wall, columns of smoke rise to the sky. Hethress, give a drink of water from your canteen to the soldier she healed. She gets up and heads towards the village gates. ¡°I am Hethress, daughter of Grmballhyst ¨C Champion of Hylasis, Godess of River. Open the gates!¡± At the top of the wall, a warrior appears, he asks. ¡°Hethress, is it really you??¡± ¡°No, Hethress, died, I''m an albino horned rabbit!! Open that gate soon, Kakaros, you idiot!¡± Kakaros ¡°Hethress is alive! Open the gates, you sons of a formic!¡± Hethress turns to me and says. ¡°My lord, forgive my impertinence, but your grace could take the form of the previous night. It would avoid several problems.¡± ¡°But they have already seen me, Hethress.¡± ¡°Trust me, Crixus!¡± Hmmm, it''s the first time she''s used the name she gave me. I liked it, more than I''d like to admit. ¡°Right.¡± The gates open and the scene is not the most promising. A sea of ??people, chaos, blood, bodies and destruction. FRAK! II.2 chapter – T: -20 days/2nd Day POV - Hethress Date: Aimeri 33, 1027 A.A Finally, today the last brother arrived. After weeks of politicking, demanding favors, bribes and finally veiled threats of death and slavery, everyone is here. Tomorrow we will discuss what to do. To escape? To fight? None of these options are good. The village is in chaos, 1 week ago more refugees arrived from isolated settlements, telling horror stories about the carnage left by the Mantis demons. The village''s population has tripled, but the food has not. The smell of so many people together is oppressive. I avoid leaving the temple as much as possible, and I keep the doors and windows of my office closed, the marsh sage incense disguises the odors well. The city guards are finally getting. One of the few things that comforts me in this scenario is knowing that Szeddisosh, that son of a formic, is going through the same thing. Not even his chief butler, who is the only good thing this useless person has brought, can stop this sea of ??shit from rising to his master''s scales. May Hylasis bring us fresh waters and protection. I roll up the papyrus and seal it with formica wax, then call my novice. ¡°Sriltos!¡± Who had his back to me, cleaning the office, turns around and awaits my orders. ¡°Take this parchment and file it in your diary.¡± He gives a slight bow befitting his status as 1st novice. Sriltos was one of the few good things about being sent to this fetid end of the world with Szeddisosh. Competent, ambitious, being young and reasonably attractive helps when performing fertility rites. The other good thing was getting away from those old snakes in the capital, with their opaque scales and dull eyes. At these times, I miss my master, Noliak D¡¯Verda, exiled in the Fortress of Pain. When he Sriltos comes back. ¡°Call Hiutotiaco and then bring fresh buffalo blood.¡± ¡°Master, fresh buffalo blood is in short supply, Szeddisosh has confiscated all production for his own use.¡± Another notch on my scroll of things to hate about Szeddisosh. ¡°Horn rabbit blood will do then.¡± He bows and leaves to do my bidding. A short time later Hiutotiaco enters the office. ¡°Close the door.¡± She turns and closes the door and assumes a martial stance in front of me. ¡°Rest, sit down.¡± She removes the helmet from her head. ¡°Your grace, I prefer to stand, the armor pinches my scales when I sit down.¡± ¡°Please, Hiutotiaco, today the last brother arrived for the emergency meeting. I will try to receive support as quickly as possible for what needs to be done, in the meantime I will prepare an expedition for 2 days.¡± ¡°Where are we going Your Grace and in how many?¡± ¡°Aunnas, 10 priests, without their novices and 4 slaves.¡± Hiutotiaco''s hand contracts on the handle of his Kilij. ¡°Your grace, we do not have the contingent to protect this number of people, we would need to request guards from Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda. And given the relationship between your Lordships, I would say that would be very difficult. And even then, the village¡¯s defense would be compromised.¡± ¡°We will use the guards who came among the refugees.¡± I raise my hand before Hiutotiaco speaks. "Yes I know. These guards are the type who will run if anything stronger than a water wolf appears. But they will come more to calm the spirits of the priests.¡± She bows as she leaves. Hiutotiaco, was assigned to me by the curia, the same curia that exiled me and my master, I don''t know if she is a spy for the curia, if she is also a victim of power struggles. As a Paladin of the Aspect of Fury of Hylasis, she has already shown her martial ability a few times, she can even perform 1st circle magic, perhaps even higher. His physical strength and size are also useful in a bodyguard. And even if she is a spy, a knife in the back and poison are not part of the Paladin''s code, the attack is turned head on and will be declared. I put my hands on my head. Why so many trials, My Lady? I have to calm down until the meeting. Fresh buffalo blood would do that, horn rabbit blood will have to do. Hylasis, may your waters give me strength. The temple is closed, inside 10 priests, with their 1st novices and a bodyguard leave the place crowded. Calling this place a Temple is almost a fantasy of language, it would be another chapel built inside a stable or barn. I think that was it. After all the brothers were seated, priests sat and the rest stood. I go up to the pulpit. ¡°I declare this Emergency Assembly open. Here we will decide what measures will be taken in the face of the harassment of the Mantis demons. The Dororo sent to Beymoor has not returned, either our Lord doesn''t think we deserve help, or the message got stuck in the gears of bureaucracy or something happened to the messenger before delivering the message. In any case, if the attacks continue, in Tide, there will be no more villages in the region. After much study and a sign of Lady Hylasis.¡± I lift, with my hand, a scroll. ¡°This Planar Ally scroll was found recently, it is a modified version, which requires sacrifice and at least 6 priests to perform.¡± Murmurs rise from the audience. ¡°What sacrifices? How much more will my people have to suffer? This kind of magic demands gold! Gold that only nobles have!¡± Dazzazn says as he stands up, Dazzazn, he is one of the strongest priests in the region after me and takes his work very seriously, partly because he fears he won''t get a new one. He is lazy, self-centered, vain and jealous. And now, seeing his last thread of security being torn away, he is cornered and afraid. ¡°We have to escape, we don¡¯t know if this scroll will really work. Because Lady Hylasis would choose you to receive a sign. An exile? Aasathra, has similar power and influence to Dazzazn, but is known for being crazy, her fixation with the 4th moon, Mezlotltec, is well known and a laughing stock. Greedy and ugly as a Rakhor, yet her opinion cannot be easily dispelled. ¡°I will let anyone who doesn¡¯t have faith analyze the scroll. As for the sacrifices, they will be provided by the village of Kebury, a gift from Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda.¡± Idea of ??the chief butler, who used the few criminals in the village and the Lord''s enemies.¡± As I said, this scroll is a modified version, instead of gold it demands that it be performed by 6 priests in a ritual in a place of power. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.¡°What place of power? There are none of its kind in any village!¡± Says Dazzazn, many agree with him. ¡°Aunnas.¡± After saying this, a minute of silence falls. A laugh breaks the silence. ¡°Are you crazy? That place is cursed!¡± Says Aasathra pointing her finger at me while looking at the assembly. ¡°The signs are clear, only those without faith do not come. In moments of need, Lady Hylasis shows us the way, that''s how it was on the great crossing and that''s how it is now. A scroll of this power level is ¡°found¡±, at this point, and modified in this way. It¡¯s not a coincidence, it¡¯s a test of faith!¡± ¡°WITH OF YOU DOESN¡¯T HAVE FAITH?¡± The trap was set and they fell. Not that at any point they had any choice, my village, my rules, and as head priestess of the region the meeting was just theater. The murmurs subside. ¡°Get ready. We will leave in 2 days.¡± We left at dawn, 10 grumpy priests, 2 on each ankylosaurus, 6 foot soldiers and Hiutotiacus. On the first day everything was peaceful, apart from the quarrels and complaints typical of the priestly caste who are not used to going out into the countryside. On the night of the first day we were attacked by Mantis demons. We set up camp in a clearing of giant fluorescent mushrooms, fluorescent, we ascended bonfires to clear away the ever-present fog of the Valley of Shadows. The forest was full of its typical sounds, the buzzing of insects, the singing of spirit birds. All tired of the shaking of our mounts, we went to sleep. Then we woke up I don''t know how long later. I sat on my sleeping bag and watched the scene. One of the sentries, flying in 2 different directions, the torso part going, in a swirling arc of blood and guts, to the right, the waist part down rolling on the floor of the clearing, to the left. May his death be quick, but he still managed to let out a warning roar, which is what saved us. Hiutotiaco who is sleeping in armor, don''t ask me how. One moment she is lying down with her sword at her side and the next she was jumping on top of the demon that split the sentry in two. With a precise blow she hits the center of the demon that collapses to the ground. Meanwhile, 2 other demons disappear into the fog with the remains of the sentry. And just as I predicted. I see 3 others sentries, in panic running away from the camp. The 2 who stayed didn''t run away because they didn''t wake up to all the noise. Nobody else slept that night. , we set up camp. Everyone agreed to force the march and arrive at Ziggurat Aunnas soon. In the middle of the day we arrived at Lake Aunnas. Everyone is tired. The 3 sentries who fled never returned. Hiutotiaco found tracks going in different directions, the useless left clothes, supplies, weapons and armor behind. They are probably dead or soon will be, the swamps are merciless. At my signal all the priests cast Water Walk, then we crossed the lake. We dismounted from the ankylosaurs. ¡°Hyuthotiacus, set up camp in the first hall of the ziggurat. The others, with me, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± We went up the stone stairs. Ancient and powerful magic permeates this place, the reddish stone is immune to time, no moss grows on it, only the best steel tools can leave a mark, even though thousands of years of the people who created this place have disappeared. We enter the sacrificial room of the ziggurat, 4 pillars support the ceiling which is 5m high, the pillars are decorated with ancient hieroglyphs, each dedicated to a God, but the name of these Gods is unknown to my people. In the center is the sacrificial font, with 4 niches where offerings are offered, channels take the blood that will be spilled to a crystal sink basin, in a depression in the center of the room. We begin to prepare the ritual, while the 2 remaining sentries bring the 4 sacrifices, these were drugged throughout the trip, they do not offer any resistance when placed in the niches. ¡°Leave.¡± I say to the sentries. Their bodies are stripped and scented water is used to bathe them. As soon as we finish this part, we divide into pairs, each pair stands next to the pillars, looking at the center. Me and Dazzazn take the center. I take out the scroll from the travel tube and start reciting, the other priests on the pillars sing songs to the Lady of the Rivers, thus signaling that this ritual, despite not being carried out in a consecrated place, is not intended for defeated and forgotten Gods. While I recite, Dazzazn cuts the throats of the sacrifices, only small convulsions indicate that the lives of the sacrifices are being offered. I pause my recitation on the last word, waiting for the blood to arrive in the offering crystal sink basin. Once a good amount is reached, I finish reading the scroll. The glyphs of the temple light up, we feel the touch of the Goddess, a bluish tear, about 3m long, opens above the sacrificial crystal sink basin. As it begins to pass through the tear. The temple shakes, dust falls from the ceiling.
SEED DETECTED
Seed ready for harvest. Welcome to the SYSTEM. ANALYZE SEED INTEGRITY 100/100 Chosen traveler Designated traveler INTEGRATION! System detected a critical failure during integration process, restart will happen automatically in 1/100 standard time. 1st attempt ¨C ERROR! 2nd attempt ¨C ERROR! 3rd attempt ¨C ERROR! Collecting data: 100% collected. ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- ----SYSTEM PURGE: ENABLED---- ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- ----ADM ALERT code42+---- ----ANOMALOUS SYSTEM CREATED---- ----RESET ---- ----CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE!---- ----CASCADE FAILURE---- OVERRIDED SAFETY LOCKS ----FORCED RESET---- ----EJECT---- ----EJECT---- ---SUCCESS--- ***CORRUPTED Traveler*** **integration not possible** *Welcome to CONTENTION*
III chapter – T: -16 days/2nd Day POV - Hiutotiaco Blue. Blinding. The world is blue and blinding. This is what Hiutotiaco thinks, as he peels his face away from the damp stone of the ziggurat. With her body in pain, she gets up and sees that the 2 sentinels are lying on the ground, the 5 ankylosaurs ran away and jumped into the lake, she sees 3 still fighting to not drown, one of them with 2/3 of its body in the water, its weight dragging it to the bottom of the lake while the beast tries to get out with its front paws. She runs and grabs the beast''s harness, begins to pull, slowly, with the help of her muscles, which are tearing in pain, the ankylosaurus begins to come out. She screams in frustration and puts in all her strength. Then the harness is ripped from his hands and a large crocodile drags the ankylosaur to the bottom. ¡°FFFFFRRRRRRAAAAAKKKKKK.¡± Hatred burns her body, she turns to the sentries and kicks one of them hard in the ribs. The sound of breaking bones mixes with the scream of pain. The sentry curls into a fetal position. Hiutotiaco looks at the second, still lying motionless on the ground. She picks him up by the neck with one hand and throws him into the lake. "USELESS!" The Sentinel, now awake, struggles and swims to the step of the ziggurat and looks on without understanding what happened. Some of the anger leaves Hiutotiaco''s body. Fury is good, but not now. She takes 3 deep breaths, as her master taught, anger without purpose or target is wasted energy. Everything was fine, the priests had already started the ritual, then the temple started to shake. Fear of earthquake made her look at the mountains in the valley, none of the volcanoes were spewing fire. Then everything turned blue. Then she woke up face down on the floor. She runs, climbing the ziggurat stairs to the sacrificial room. It''s empty! There is nothing and no one, they are gone, there is no blood, bodies, nothing, not a trace of scale. She was unconscious for a few minutes at most, there was no way they could disappear without magic. Damn cursed place! She leaves the room and looks towards Kebury. 500m from a lake infested with crocodiles, 2 days journey to the city, through treacherous swamps, full of head hunters and 2 useless luggage. She goes down the steps. The sentry she kicked is still on the ground. ¡°Ma-cu, Limez prepare food, we will leave tomorrow before ? day.¡± She looks at them both with disdain. ¡°Yes, my lady¡± Ma-cu helps Limez up and the two go up the stairs to the room where the camp was set up. She sits on the step and thinks. Where did it all start to go wrong? This was supposed to be a chance to grow, gain prestige and power. Her father finally showed the slightest bit of recognition by choosing her as a bodyguard for a temple priestess. The rumors about Hethress, that she was involved in the political ¡°wars¡± of the temple, on the losing side, and was therefore exiled to a canton of the kingdom. For her, this wasn''t punishment, it was a reward. As the only daughter of a concubine who never produced males, moving away from the constant and gratuitous punishments of her superiors and the humiliations of her peers was a prize in itself. A chance to show your worth, a place to start from scratch. Then the attacks began, the training she helped give Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda¡¯s troops made a difference, but things weren¡¯t going well for the other villages. If this region were lost to mantis attacks, it would be a great dishonor for everyone involved. Any chance of redemption and recognition would be nullified. To make matters worse, the Lich rumor emerged. Now that, go back and inform Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda that all the priests in the region have disappeared, as if they had never existed. A failed expedition. ¡°FFFFFFFFRRRRRRRRAAAAAAKKKKKK!¡± she screams once more. She looks at the lake. How am I going to cross this lake full of crocodiles? The best is before noon. When the fog is still thick and the beasts are still lethargic. She gets up and goes to camp to eat. She always thinks better on a full stomach. When she arrives, the 2 sentries who were talking are silent. ¡°Soon the meat and some tea were ready, my lady.¡± Ma-cu says without looking me in the eye as Limez stirs the fire and throws tea leaves into the kettle. I begin to remove the field armor. She would be a burden during the crossing. My sword, a knife and an empty skin canteen to use as a float, that''s all I''ll take. We all sat around the fire in silence and ate and drank. ¡°Madam, what happened, where are the priests?¡± Ma-cu asks after a while. "I don''t know. When I went to the sacrifice room, there was nothing there. As if they had never entered that room.¡± ¡°This place is cursed, we are going to die.¡± Limez says through tears. ¡°I can''t die. I have a duty to fulfill. Now sleep, tomorrow we¡¯ll get out of here.¡± I get up and go to my sleeping bag. I say my prayers. And I begin to plan what I will say to Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda. After a while I enter a state of semi-meditation, as I was taught, it is a state in which you can rest but your body remains alert, like a trap trigger, in this case the trigger is always something that is outside the pattern of each environment. , it could be sound, smell, vibration or all of these. In this room, the pattern is easy to acquire. This training has saved my life several times. After 3 days, it starts to lose its effectiveness and in 5 days it completely loses it. In the middle of the night, the ¡°trigger¡± goes off. Like a whip I turn and see Ma-cu with a sword in his hand already raised to strike and right behind holding a knife comes Limez. ¡°HOLD!¡± The magic hits Ma-cu, who falls face down like a stone statue. Limez advances with his knife raised, but his blow is weak and I can easily dodge it. When he recovers for a second attack, my knife is already stuck under his mouth, through the palate and into the middle of the brain. I preferred live bait, but they will be bait anyway. First thing in the morning. I go up again to the sacrificial room. Nothing, empty, I shake my head and go back down. I drag the 2 bodies to the step closest to the water, throw a bowl of Ma-cu''s blood into the water, wait for some time and throw his body tied to a buoy made from a skin canteen, at the northernmost end of the ziggurat. I wait until I see movement approaching across the lake, then I run over to Limez''s body and do the same thing, his body falls to half the size of the ziggurat, 50m from Ma-cu. When I see movement in the water, I run to the opposite end of the two bodies and I enter the water. Using the ¡°buoy¡± I start swimming frog style, to avoid stirring the water too much and towards the nearest bank. The water is cold and dark and home to much worse things than crocodiles. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.¡°Lady Hylasis, give strength and protect your servant.¡± It''s the mantra I recite until I reach the shore. I go out and check that my sword and knives are securely strapped to my body. Several leeches cover my legs and arms. Taking advantage of the fact that my skin is numb from the cold of the lake water, I tear them off my body as I head towards Kebury. I start running. If there are no problems on a race day I will arrive at the village. But there are always problems in the Valley of Shadows. After 6 hours of running with sword in hand, the wounds from the leeches have already closed and the scratches and small cuts are healed within a few minutes after it happens, The Lady is Good and Fair, my body has large scars on my back, arms and legs, in these parts, my scales which are dark green with light green edges, are a mottled gray color, these are marks from before the Goddess gave you her gift, if you are worthy, one day the Goddess will erase all the marks, but for now its grace only prevents new marks. The fog is very thin, a breeze runs and brings the smell of rotting meat, about 100m in the sky scavenger birds circle, directly in the direction of my route. I continue running and soon I see why, parts of a dororo''s body are hanging from a tree, only the thin wings and the neck held together by a piece of leather remain. Getting closer you can see that he has been tamed, wrapped around his neck are the straps of a harness. So that''s what happened to the messenger. I don''t see the messenger''s body. Mantis tracks are everywhere. I don''t have time for this, tracking mantis. I keep running. It''s already night when I smell meat on the fire. Only someone crazy would start a fire in the middle of the forest or mantis. The smell gets stronger the more I run. Until I see a flash in the fog, about 30m away. I approach slowly and climb a nearby tree. From the top I see the following scene. Two mantis are feasting on a carcass of one of the serpent people, which is skewered and being roasted over a fire, 3 bundles made with jacu leaves, a plant known for its preservative properties, lie roasting on stones in another fire. I found the 4 sentries. They must be the ones who attacked us. Mantis always hunt in groups of 5 or more. We killed 1 that night, they must have lost the other 2 before they attacked us, They are young males, their carapaces do not have spines, they must not be more than 5 years old. My duty dictates that I follow and ignore the scene. My fury says no. I get down from the tree and crawl closer. Mantis can see in the dark and their faceted eyes see in all directions, but they are bad at seeing things that are still or moving slowly. Using bushes to get closer, I get a good distance away and attack, channeling divine energy into my Kilij, I cut the first mantis in half, my magical Kilij, charged with the Goddess'' fury, leaves a dark blue trail in the air, the second mantis arms his scythes and before he can position himself, my blade cuts off half of his head. I cut the scythes off the 2 mantis and throw them into the fire. This is a great dishonor to your people. They go to the afterlife unarmed like defenseless larvae. I say a prayer to the sentinels, they have nothing I can take families to be thrown into the ¡°blood¡± of the Goddess Hylasis. The most I can do is let them turn to ashes. So, I head to the village. Just another 15 hours of running. Finally at dawn I arrive at the village, my clothes in tatters, only the gift of the Goddess brought me here. When I get close, the village gates are already open and the captain of the guard is already waiting for me. ¡°Catzina.¡± ¡°Hiutotiaco¡­ are the others coming?¡± I see a ray of hope in your eyes. I nod lightly. ¡°I must introduce myself to Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda¡­the news is not good.¡± He blinks several times, ¡°Men, escort Lady Hiutotiaco to the temple and then to the Greater House.¡± He turns to me. ¡°I will notify Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda of your arrival.¡± He turns and heads to the Great House with 6 guards, 4 of whom accompany me. I head to the temple. I knock on the door and Sriltos, Hethress''s favorite opens the door to the temple, he blinks several times, surprised, then stands on tiptoe and looks over my shoulder, I''m taller than him. ¡°H-H-Hethress,...the priestess, where is she?¡± I push him and enter the temple, he follows behind. ¡°What ha-ha-happened?¡± I go to my cell and look for a simple cloak, easy to wear and clean. ¡°Dead!¡± He falls hard to the floor. I take a deep breath, I don''t have time for this. I step over him, lying on the ground and go to the guards who are waiting for me at the door temple. I pass by them and they promptly flank me on the way to Great House. We passed through the inner courtyard and headed to the main hall. Only my escort, the guards who followed with Catzina and the head butler, C¨­pa, are present in it. The Lord is not here. ¡°His grace, Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda, will receive you soon, Lady Hiutotiaco.¡± C¨­pa, perfection in the matter of chief butler intones the comment, standing next to the chair where Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda presides over his duties. So C¨­pa on the right side of the chair, Catzina and her guards on the right side of the hall and me and my escort on the left side, we wait. Some time later the doors to the hall open and, escorted by two guards, the massive figure of Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda enters the hall. Its body is more than 10m long and 1m in diameter, scales forming light brown and dark brown diamonds cover its body, its head, more than 1.5m long, rises 2m from the ground. He snakes over to his chair, which creaks under his weight, curls around his own body and rests his immense head. His tongue whips the indolent air. ¡°Your grace Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda, first of your name receives you.¡± His green eyes with vertical pupils look at me with boredom. The bow of red feathers on her head is glued to her. Hiutotiaco Paladin of Fury 10 LE Medium monstrous humanoid, female Init +6; Senses darkvision 18m., scent; Perception +9 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 shield, +3 armor) HP 115 (4d8+10d10+42) Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +9 SR 14 Speed 30 ft., Melee +1 keen scimitar +14/+9 (1d6+4/15-20) Special Attacks: poison Special: Smite, Divine Grace, Lay On Hands, Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Mercy: no longer exhausted, fast healing 3 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th) cha base. 1/day¡ªanimal trance (DC 13), cause fear (DC 12), charm person (DC 12), darkness, entangle (DC 12). Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12 Base Atk +10; CMB +13; CMD 25 Feats Alertness, Blind-Fight, Channel Smite, Combat Expertise, Improved Initiative, Lingering Smite, Power Attack, Toughness Skills Acrobatics +9, Disguise +6, Perception +9, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +13, Survival +1 Languages Yuan-ti, Common, Draconic, and Abyssal. IV chapter - POV - Szeddisosh DVerda Szeddisosh is succinct in most of his answers. He prefers to keep the use of words to a minimum, many think it is to avoid providing unnecessary information, but it is actually because he is not very smart, his mind wanders easily. Having a cruel streak, very self-indulgent and self-destructive; something that only grew due to his mother. Which he deeply resents. Born in the south, the bastard son of a nobleman from House Verda, Szeddisosh learned much about the area and how to hide his most serious flaws from his mother. His father was young and his mother, a courtesan, caught his attention during a court festival. His father''s real wife discovered the affair and as punishment his mother was expelled from court, condemned to live on a remote farm, with only the servants as contact. He was regularly beaten by his mother, who blamed him for losing everything in life. Finally, when she died mysteriously. His father could bring him to court, with the tacit agreement that he would never receive more attention than a minor noble from House Verda. That''s why he avoided, like a mouse avoids a cat, any contact with family members, his half-siblings and his father''s wife, especially if possible only in public. On the outside, he came across as quiet, quiet, unambitious and accommodating. And yes, he was all that, his other side, cruel and gluttonous, only his servants and slaves knew. Until one day at the Midsummer Festival, he saw a courtesan. It was his undoing. She had to be his, to play with, break and destroy, like he always does with his toys. Unfortunately for you, this courtesan. Atl''ti. That name would forever be infamously etched in his life. It was also a secret toy of the second son of the leader of House Serpenta Ungego, the Warlords. Cue-tol D''Serpenta Ungego, when he discovered that his favorite toy was broken, became furious. Who would have thought that a courtesan would be resurrected? This is for nobility only! Like this. The sea of ??shit came down the castes, until my father called me. I remember it as if it were yesterday. My father with his huge body, 12m long, 1.3m in diameter, his scales oiled and smelling of various floral essences, his crown of feathers completely open, signaling his aggressive temperament, looking furious at me as I entered his business office. As soon as the doors close. All that shit held up behind my father''s back is dumped on me. ¡°Brat! This is how you pay me! Shame is what you brought to your House.¡± His tail hit the floor with a thud at each end of his sentence. ¡°I received an insulting letter from Lord Cue-tol D''Serpenta Ungego, demanding a formal apology from me! FROM ME!" Acidic venom drips from its fangs, staining the tile floor. ¡°Apart from the demeaning sum of money that was requested, I have to sign the apology!¡± ¡°MY HONOR IS AT STAKE¡­.BECAUSE¡­OF...YOUR,¡­BOY!¡± I quickly lie flat on the floor and turn my belly up in a sign of supreme submission. But my father keeps spitting his anger in my face. Damn, she was just a whore. I didn''t even eat it whole! ¡°But you will learn to never put me through that again.¡± My father finishes a little calmer, but his tone becomes even more acidic. ¡°I will send the written and signed apology, as Lord Cue-tol D''Serpenta Ungego, demanded. Yes, I will! AND...THIS WILL BE WRITTEN AND SIGNED WITH YOUR SKIN AND BLOOD! My father''s feathers once again extend and vibrate with his hatred. He stays like this, in combat possession, armed boat, looking at me on the ground like a rat. ¡°And if you show weakness during the flaying, your life will be ended, your weak seed will not be carried forward, and your name will be erased from the family record. GUARDS! Take him!¡± I can barely contain myself with happiness. I won''t die!!! ALIVE! ALIVE! But I will keep this lesson, choose my toys better. My mother''s years of beating, served something. I managed to resist both the pain and the humiliation. After my skin was removed and given to my father, I was healed, just enough, not to die. The next day, one of his butlers, C¨­pa, came to my chambers carrying a letter on a crystal tray. I cast Mage Hand and open the card to read: Letter of Expulsion and Exile. **Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda,** With regret, but with the firmness of justice, I write this letter to notify you of your expulsion from the Capital of the Kingdom of Rashakn. His conduct, which was disrespectful to his superiors, deeply violated the principles of honor and loyalty that govern the conduct of Casa Verda. Their presence in the Kingdom has become a burden and a threat to the order, honor and security of our society. For this reason, and after due deliberation by the Council of Casa Verda, we decree your exile. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. With immediate effect. You have 2 days to leave the Kingdom of Rashakn, taking only your personal possessions with you. Any possession or property belonging to you within the borders of the Kingdom will be confiscated and administered by the Treasury of Casa D¡¯Verda. The path you chose led you to ruin, but there is still time for redemption. May this expulsion and exile be a moment of reflection and repentance. May justice prevail and may the Kingdom of Rashakn remain strong and prosperous. **Lord Pe''coatl D¡¯Verda** **Queen Calxochitli IX D¡¯Vipura Nesttodomo** **[Seal of the House of Truth]** **[Royal Seal]** ¡°Don¡¯t wait the 2 days, my wife wants more than your skin. A carriage awaits him at the back of the palace, it will take him to Beymoor. Together I am sending C¨­pa, a faithful and capable servant of this house for generations. Make no mistake, obey him without question, he is my eyes and ears and will report to me any mistake you make. One mistake and your hide will be used as a latrine mat! Don¡¯t lay your scales on the capital until I tell you otherwise.¡± ¡°My Lord. C¨­pa, at your service.¡± He bows like no one has ever bowed to me, at least not without me training him a lot beforehand. ¡°Your ride awaits, we must proceed with speed.¡± Says my new head butler. I drag my body and follow C¨­pa, he takes me through the corridors of servants, which were not made for a pureblood like me, every time my body hits the walls the pain comes, but only those who are alive feel pain. I live to play, I live to eat, drink and feel pleasure. ¡°My Lord?¡± Says C¨­pa. When I look I''m in front of my carriage. A transport without House marks, and pulled by beasts of burden, ankylosaurs. Another nail in the coffin of my shame. My father could have teleported me, but of course that costs money. ¡°No marks!¡± I say C¨­pa, open the carriage door. ¡°You thought the time on the road would be good for you.¡± He says it so seriously and correctly that I don''t know if he''s praising me or being condescending. I climb into the carriage and before the door closes I ask. ¡°Where is this place, Ke..¡± Damn I forgot the name. ¡°Kebury, it''s a 10 day trip from the capital, 1/3 of the trip will be by carriage and the other part by boat. Kebury is the largest village in the region, has 580 souls, is walled and its last ruler died in a Mantis attack.¡± ¡°580, by Cymis, this palace has more servants than that. Another thoroughbred in the region.¡± ¡°No, my Lord, your grace will take the place of the one who died.¡± I look at the palace where I lived a life of pleasure for a few years and get into the carriage. Just before we leave the capital another unmarked carriage joins us. At one of the stops, to give the beasts a drink, I ask C¨­pa. ¡°C¨­pa, who are these accompanying us?¡± ¡°Hethress daughter of Grrrmmballhyst ¨C Champion of hylasis, Goddess Of Rivers. She and her master, Zolin D¡¯Verda, were exiled. He was sent to the Fortress of Pain and she to the same village as her grace. The one mounted on Kelek was called Hiutotiaco, a paladin of the Fury of hylasis.¡± ¡°Also an exile?¡± ¡°No, my Lord, she seems very competent, but her paths in the capital are closed.¡± ¡°A caravan of outcasts.¡± I let out a laugh. C¨­pa looks at me blankly. The sound of the caravan leader''s whistle indicates that we should continue. Soon the stone roads in the central region of the kingdom''s capital, with their posts with continuous fire and magic to dispel the fog, are giving way to dirt roads. Until we reach the river where a barge of products to be sold downstream awaits us. There is no cabin for thoroughbreds like me, but C¨­pa provides a tent to give me a minimum of comfort. The priestess and the Paladin descend to the inner cabins of the barge, neither of them carrying more than a large travel bag. The two of them don''t leave their cabins until we get off at the port of arrival. ¡°C¨­pa, you said the village was walled.¡± What I see is a village, medium-sized, with a port with 3 docks, but without walls. ¡°My lord, this is Huemalka, Kebury is 2 days away.¡± ¡°Again locked inside a cramped carriage.¡± I say with an air of irritation. ¡°My lord, it is a trail.¡± ¡°What do you mean C¨­pa?¡± My feathers open. ¡°Your grace will have to accompany the caravan yourself.¡± He says this and bows. For a few seconds, the idea doesn''t enter my head. We get off the barge and things start to be transferred to the ankylosaurs. The idea of ??dragging myself for 2 days through a humid forest, full of insects and wild animals, doesn''t enter my head. Until I see 2 of the 3 ankylosaurs have cells. ¡°C¨­pa, who is riding in these cells?¡± My feathers open again. ¡°The drivers, probably the priestess and her paladin, my lord.¡± He bows again ¡°C¨­pa. IF I HAVE TO DRAG THROUGH THE WOODS TO THIS PITCH, CALL KEBURY, THEY WILL TOO!!! I FORBID ANYONE TO GO RIDING!¡± Then everyone on the dock looks at me. The priestess and her paladin alike, oozing contempt for their peers, the paladin best indifferently. Everyone else hangs their heads like the inferiors they are, except the two of them. We stay like that, staring at each other for several seconds, then she turns her back and goes back to organize things in her ankylosaurus. ¡°My lord, I will communicate your demand to the members of the caravan, with your permission.¡± It makes me look away without looking like I lost the contest. Naughty woman. My feathers vibrate with hate. I nod and turn my hatred towards women and begin to assume an attacking position. Then me or a ¡°Tsssk¡±, almost inaudible in the buzz of the docks and the breeze that carries a few fishing boats both up and down the river. I look at C¨­pa, then, with an expression that I hadn''t seen until today, contempt, boredom and tiredness. He simply gestures, imperceptibly except to me, ¡°no.¡± Then I remember. He is not my butler, he is my jailer. As my mother taught me. I hang my head and pretend nothing happened. These two whores are going to pay me back one day. V chapter – POV - Meikosil the Lich-Warlock (dark elf) Morkth Ruin, 5 Day Walk from Kebury The search for the 3rd Death Knight remains fruitless. Always the same problems, missing body parts, weak, his achievements are not worthy of Utia''s gift. Only being able to receive signs from my Patronus 4 times a month, only makes the search more difficult. On the other hand, my troops managed to destroy 2 nests of those damn cockroaches. This will give me some leeway. I need more power. 100 years and I''ve only achieved half of my goals. At least, time is no longer my enemy. My troops do not need resources to maintain themselves, they do not need to train and they do not have the morale to lose, they wait eternally for my will. Dralneh, my 1st Death Knight, enters my study room, through the door, which the eternal humidity of the swamp took away, a long time ago. He wears armor made from the magically treated chitin of the strongest mantis warriors. His sword was made from a mantis scythe and enchanted by me with spells of preservation, hardness, sharpening and acid. The two spheres of red fire, which are your eyes, stare at me. ¡°Master, your alliance proposal has been rejected again.¡± He says in his characteristic husky, ghostly Death Knight voice. I cross my cadaverous hands, resting on the stone top of the table in front of me and rest my forehead against them. For the fourth time, this stupid death witch, refuses me. She doesn''t see that we have the same goal, we both worship the same Goddess, both may death reign in this valley and beyond. She refused every gift I sent; gold, jewelry, slaves, even magical items she refused. What does this witch want?
#$%¡§&$#@
@#$¡§&*()(*&¡§%$$%&*(
It appears in front of me. So, something I haven''t felt in over 200 years. Pain...like...hot iron on raw flesh. It was quick, but I felt it, it lasted less than 1 second. Dralneh is in an attack stance with his sword drawn and his head searching for something. ¡°Dralneh, did you feel it?¡± ¡°Yesss, master. I don¡¯t remember what that is, I don¡¯t know how to explain it, but it¡¯s something I didn¡¯t like feeling.¡± ¡°Prepare the ritual room.¡± I get up from the chair and arrange my study materials in the office, then head to the room where I perform the divination spells. When I arrive Dralneh has already packed up and is leaving. I take the incense and precious stones from a shelf. I light the incense and break the stones in an iron mortar, I start to recite the Commune magic, then I ask the 1st question. ¡°Does anyone know about my plans?¡± "NO" 2nd ¡°The blue thing, was it an attack?¡± "NO" 3rd ¡°Was it magic?¡± "NO" 4th ¡°Was it an act of the Gods?¡± "NO" 5th ¡°Some extraplanar entity?¡± ¡°!@#$%¡± The magic is undone before it ends, the connection with my Patronus, Iz'' gak, demon of Death, is undone and a whiplash of energy throws me into the wall. The magic reeks of anger, very normal for a demon, but it also has fear. Interesting. I get up and clean up the things that were thrown everywhere. I start another spell, cast Contact Other Plane and say my prayers to Utia. 1st question. ¡°Is the blue thing the work of a God?¡± "NO" 2nd ¡°Is the blue thing the work of a mortal?¡± "PERHAPS" 3rd ¡°Is this mortal close?¡± "YES" 4th ¡°Is he from the snake people?¡± "NO" 5th ¡°Is he undead?¡± "PERHAPS" 6th ¡°Is he in the direction, North?¡± "NO" 7th ¡°Is he in the direction, South?¡± "NODE" The magic ends. Something deadly caused effects that reverberated even in the celestial spheres, capable of affecting the undead, but not divine or arcane. Nothing happened, no special eclipse, no comet ripped through the skies, today was a day like any other, no portents happened. I get up and collect the items back into their niches, on the shelves in the stone walls of the ruin. I head back to my study room thinking about what happened and the things I have to plan in the face of such strange events. I have to organize two expeditions, one to the west and one to the east. To the west are the mountains that surround the valley, home to the bee people and the fire giants, neither capable of causing such a commotion. To the east are the cursed mantis and my sworn enemies are the serpent people. Maybe. So a ¡°screen¡± appears in front of me?
World Quest
The Hunt for the True Core
The threat: An anomalous entity, known only as the True Core, has emerged from the depths of the Valley of Shadows, coming from the beyond-verse, distorting reality and corrupting everything in its path. Its hunger is infinite and nothing will satisfy it, the True Core will consume living beings, dead beings, deities, objects, everything. There is no way to escape your debauchery and not even death brings the possibility of escape. The mission: The only hope lies in finding and destroying the True Core. The journey: ? Phase 1: The Quest: Adventurers must travel throughout the world, collecting clues about the location of the True Core. This journey will take them to dangerous places, such as: ? Cursed forests ? Haunted ruins ? Ancestral temples ? Lost and wild continents 33% GOAL ACHIEVED ? Phase 2: The Purification: Adventurers must find and purify the corrupted. Each corrupted person requires a ritual combat to be purified: ? Combat: Face the corrupted who fanatically protect the True Core. Disintegrate is mandatory in the body of the corrupted. 66% GOAL ACHIEVED ? Phase 3: The Conquest: Adventurers finally find the True Core, but the final battle will be arduous. The entity manifests itself in its complete form, a grotesque and powerful creature, capable of manipulating life and death around it. Capable of assuming any form and controlling an endless number of corrupted creatures; living, dead and constructs. Victory will depend on the unity, strategy and strength of the adventurers. 100% GOAL ACHIEVED Rewards: ? Defeat the True Core: Save the world from corruption and restore balance. PURGE and INTEGRATION INTO THE SYSTEM. ? Legendary Treasures: Obtain powerful artifacts and magical items such as weapons, armor, and healing items. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it? Recognition: Be recognized as a hero/herald and receive honors and rewards for your actions directly from the Gods. Challenges: ? The True Core: The entity is adaptable and powerful, capable of changing its tactics and strengthening itself and learning over time, in its repertoire, magic that not even Gods can do on the material plane. ? Corruption: the True Core can corrupt adventurers, neither the purest and holiest, nor the vilest demon is immune to being dominated and controlled. ? Loneliness: The journey is lonely and dangerous, and adventurers may feel isolated and demoralized, but remember *&¡§$#42@ will be guiding them. Conclusions: The journey to destroy the True Core is an epic challenge, one that will require courage, intelligence, and unity. The final battle will be a test of strength and determination, victory will depend on the adventurers'' ability to overcome the challenges and work together to save the fabric of reality. Prerequisite: Minimum level 15 Alignment: any Class: any Race: any Accept: y/n Timeout: ???? ?????????
I look at the floating image in front of me and slowly continue towards my office, without taking my eyes off the image in front of me. I go in, I take out a piece of parchment and I start to copy what is written. After considering benefits and risks. "NO". I say. The screen disappears. I immediately feel the connection with my Patron being cut and a God Curse falls on me. Just like my connection with my servants. Right from the corridor comes the laughter that portends that they are the ¡°war cry¡± of the Death Knights. Dralneh appears in the doorway wielding his sword, crackling with necrotic power and dripping acid across the stone floor, his body is surrounded by a shield of flames, he opens his mouth grotesquely and a ball of fire is thrown, my office turns into a sea of ??flames. Everything is incinerated, I watch as all my plans, books and some very precious tomes go up in flames. The magic passes through me but does not affect me. In personal combat and in a small, closed room, I don''t have the lowest chance of winning 2 Death Knight, yes 2, I hear the heavy footsteps of Briven''s armor, coming down the hall, running. If I managed to destroy at least one of them, it will be less work in the future. Without magic, betrayed by my Goddess and my Patron. An interesting twist. Sitting and not getting up from the chair where I was until all this happened. I point my Ring Of The Ram and spend 3 charges, for Dralneh. ¡°RAM¡± A ram''s head of pure energy hits Dralneh in the chest and he flies through the threshold and hits the opposite wall, falling to the ground, his armor is all dented and splinters of his bones fly everywhere. He gets up. ¡°RAM¡± + 3 charges. Again he is thrown and falls. Briven arrives in the corridor. ¡°RAM¡± +3 charges. He joins his brother, a mess of bones and metal, on the floor. ¡°RAM¡±+3 charges. Dralneh is destroyed, shards of his armor explode and his bones turn to dust. So much work, it took 50 years for me to find it. What a waste. Briven gets up. ¡°RAM¡±+3 charges. The charges have run out. He is thrown and again into the opposite wall. The ring crumbles into dust. It was interesting. Briven gets up and jumps into the room laughing. His sword comes down and tears my clothes and cuts my bones, his first blow goes down through the collarbone to the middle of my torso, the second blow finishes the job, a 1/3 of my torso, along with my left arm, falls to the ground. What does Prerequisite: Minimum level 15 mean? Briven now, standing on the stone table, brings his sword down on my seated body, the room is a sea of ??fire and smoke. Finally, with 2 more sword strikes, my torso is separated from my legs and spins to the ground. How unworthy. What does Alignment: any mean? Briven gets down from the table and starts massacring my bones, which are scattered everywhere. ¡°magic that not even Gods can do on the material plane.¡± Who would be crazy to accept this ¡°quest¡±. What is quest? 10 days and I will go after this so-called True Core, we have common enemies now. And I see the sword descending into what remains of my skull. V.1 Subchapter ¨C ADM 42 Finally, after Eons, as an assistant, I was appointed system administrator, and I took over sector 42. It''s not a position that most people like or stay in for long. 42 is the integration sector, where the system''s seeds are collected, analyzed, harvested, processed and incorporated. This is where most people go to other sectors. Integration usually causes a lot of deaths until the system stabilizes, many souls to be processed, the mana is out of control and until it settles in the meridians, it''s a lot of work. Unlike positions 22-6, which are the stabilized universes, where the mana flows like a mighty but calm river, easy work. Everything was normal in SEED 336-THX-1135, I left it on automatic and went to have a coffee, then my paige cheered, I really like my paige, they have personality and charm, better than cell phones, or collar PINs and certainly more discreet than the old Will-o''-the-wisp. The automated system opened a ticket. I turned off the paige, finished my coffee, a very good thing coming from the harvest world 79566-JJK-0007, most of our travelers come from there, they call the travelers, Isekai. I go back to my sector and open the ticket. ¡°Hmmmm¡± The automated system couldn''t handle the problem and threw it into containment. I open containment and analyze the problem. It seems that the seed was still young and the traveler had chosen to be reborn as a dungeon core, he was supposed to have gone to a mature system. There is no such option for dungeon cores yet, in seeds during the integration process. Ahhhh that explains it, this traveler had been in the collection for a while already, he had made very specific requests, which, incredible as it may seem, this seed had all these requirements. - It had to be the 1st isekai - Be a dungeon core - Not a cultivation world - Not Xianxia - No progression - Be a cloak and dagger fantasy - Have magic - D20 system How demanding. But even so, he shouldn''t have gone. Haaammm, what do you mean the locks were removed, he has ADM access!!! This is going to be a real pain when they find out who did this. Ok, first of all we have to remove him from the seed and do a registry cleanup. I''m going to create a system Cleanup Quest. Ok. Now just in case. Adm 42 opens the auction screen where travelers are selected by their respective sectors. He''s on the screen and practically all of them can''t be used by their sector. Only one couple remains who have no restrictions. They''ve been up for auction since 1979, reference date of the harvest world 79566-JJK-0007. What year is the harvest world 79566-JJK-0007? 2024. Almost half a century of mortal time I open their file. Kawada Shinji and Maeda Shinji. Japanese. Twin brothers. 14 years old. High school students. Killed in a bus accident that fell off a cliff, drunk driver. Virgins. They are not good at anything. They are not good-looking. They are not part of any club. They have never kissed on the mouth. No demands. Very Vanilla. If you only have a hammer, every problem becomes a nail. I reserve the 2 for sector 42. Let''s go to the reincarnation room: The wind howled, whipping the trees that surrounded the old cemetery. The moon, a silvery and icy disk, cast long and distorted shadows over the tombstones, creating a sinister and ghostly scene. It was in this place, where the darkness seemed to hold on tighter, that two high school students, Kawada and Maeda, met. Kawada, a tall and thin boy with a restless look, observed the fog that accumulated around them, while Maeda, his female version, held an old leather-bound book. It was this book, found in an old antique shop, that she had been reading on the school bus. Suddenly, the air became dense and cold, and a blue-green glow began to form in the center of the cemetery. The mist stirred, revealing a tall, slender figure with red eyes that shone brightly. The entity, with a voice that seemed to echo from a distant place, spoke: ¡°You have been called.¡± Kawada and Maeda looked at each other, fear written all over their faces. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kawada asked, his voice trembling. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!" Says the tall, slender figure with red eyes and with a gesture the scene changes, they are now in an all-white environment, a sofa appears out of nowhere and hits the back of their knees, making them fall sitting down, the sofa is very soft and smells like ¡°vacation¡±. ¡°Forget what you saw before, it was from the previous administration.¡± The figure has also changed, now it is grandpa wearing a simple white cotton kimono. ¡°I am the Guardian, and this is the portal to another world. You have been chosen for a mission.¡± The entity extended his hand, and a portal of light opened before them, revealing a starry sky and an unknown landscape. ¡°What should we do?¡± Maeda asked, fear giving way to curiosity. ¡°You will protect this world, and we will protect you.¡± ¡°We?¡± Kawada asks. ¡°Yes, I will send people to help you in your mission.¡± Kawada and Maeda ask at the same time. ¡°Why us?¡± ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Did we die?¡± ¡°Dad and Mom?¡± ¡°Are you God?¡± The Guardian extends a hand upward. ¡°Why us? Because you are special.¡± ¡°Where are we? In the afterlife.¡± ¡°Did we die? Unfortunately, yes.¡± ¡°Dad and Mom? They are fine, as far as people who lost both their children at the same time and in a tragic way and no, you can''t get in touch with them.¡± ¡°Are you God? No, and I''m not the devil either.¡± Maeda starts to cry and Kawada hugs her. From inside her kimono she takes out 2 tablets and gives them to the brothers. They look at the Guardian and the tablet in a dazed way. The Guardian touches his finger to the forehead of the 2 and transfers knowledge of the device and how to use it. ¡°On ??these tablets are all the options you can choose in your next life, analyze them calmly and discuss them among yourselves. Don''t worry about time, food, drink or anything like that, but I will send tea and cookies so you can have some comfort. When you finish your choices I will come back.¡± I leave the room. Ok, backup plan ready. Now we just have to wait and see if the quest will work. VI chapter – 2nd Day – Talay Empire - City of the Sky - Senate of Arcane Magic My wings tear through the thin, rarefied and cold air that penetrates my lungs, my eyes see the mana currents that enhance the winds that carry and sustain me. The vastness and freedom always bring peace. Below, farms cover the spaces between cities, forming a large patchwork blanket with various shades of green and brown. I begin to descend, my 6m wingspan take on a slightly sharper angle of attack and my speed increases, soon the second protective film covers my immense eyes, protecting them from the cutting winds. An hour into the flight, I see my target in front of me. City of the Sky, a flying island with a slightly ovoid shape, flat top, 2.6km long and 1.2km at its widest part, at the ¡°fattest¡± part is a 300m high palace made of immaculately white stone, this palace has 9 towers, one for each known school of magic: . Abjuration- Yellow ? Conjuration-Orange ? Divination-Red ? Enchantment-Purple ? Evocation-Blue ? Illusion-Green ? Necromancy-Black ? Transmutation-Brown ? Universalist-White At the top of each of them an individual arcane symbol shines, each in a different color. As I approach, focusing my trajectory on the white symbol, the tower of the universal school. In front of the palace, a city spreads across the other part of the island, the Blue Citadel, all built in glazed bricks of various shades of blue, its other name is The City that Never Sleeps. In the rocky part, raw hematite, at the bottom of the island, are the docks, a continuous flow of ¡°dragonflies¡±, bringing and taking people, products and resources, which are greedily consumed by the palace and citadel above. On a platform my brood brothers are perched, I finally flap my wings and begin to descend, landing on my perch. I undo the magic and return to my body. In front of me an imperial condor is watching me. I get up and stretch my muscles, sore from hours lying in the same position. Even though the niche is magically designed to provide comfort, many hours of standing still always have this effect. I approach the majestic carrion bird, perfectly trained, it waits for me to offer it its bowl of meat, duly left for 2 days in the elements. Imperial Condors, the pinnacle of House Audi''s magical engineering, with a 6m wingspan, long, narrow wings, immaculately white feathers, its body is 1.55m tall, the same as mine, but much lighter, a short neck supports a head with immense eyes, similar to those of an owl, but of a deep green, its short, curved beak denotes a bone breaker, its neck ends in a collar of golden feathers. She looks at me and I hold out a feather, which I take from my pocket, and pass it over her head and down to her muscular chest. Touching the feathers with hand could disarray them and hinder her flight. ¡°Mileday. The meeting will be in 2h.¡± Saig calls to me from the archway leading to the tower. Still with his back to Saig, - He wears a faded coat and loose pants complete with broad hat. He cuts an attractive figure and his suit of custom-made cloak with fashionable embroidery. He has a very tight haircut. His brown eyes are slightly larger than normal. He is happy with his job as a personal secretary. He turns his eye from what people do, preferring to live and let live. A fanatic, his devotion to his small selection of gods is unquestionable. He claims to be doing their will and will base all his actions on whether or not they would be pleasing to the gods. - I continue to pet Melodia, my Imperial Condor. I put away the feather and let the bird feed. ¡°How is the mood?¡± I head inside the tower ¡°The Senate is still recovering, yesterday Lord Avel died, despite all the efforts of the Yellow mages of the Clerics of Light of Aristus. They are afraid.¡± He tells me as we walk through the empty corridors. ¡°It is not only the Senate, the Imperial Court is also, even the pompous and vain Duke Rivold Guegan is quieter. Yesterday I was walking in the blue city, and even the populace is nervous." "Have the investigators noticed any pattern in the deaths?¡± ¡°Yes, Milady, the deaths occur in two ways, the reports are consistent: 1st a scream that does not stop until the vocal cords tear, 2nd the eyes explode, 3rd ears leak blood, in that order, death is immediate in these cases, 4th all those who die in this way were elderly, it affected men and women, regardless of race. The second form is coma, people affected in this way fall into a catatonic state, and die of hunger and thirst shortly after, even those who were magically treated die in days and it also affected men and women, regardless of race. The Clerics of Light of Aristus stated that in these cases the soul gave up.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes, those who fell into a coma were mostly vigorous, strong and healthy people. Another thing is that the ¡°Bloody Plague¡± and "Deadly Sleep", as it is commonly known, affected both commoners and nobility. The Romani Empire, through its ambassador, said that they were also affected by the Plague, but did not go into details.¡± ¡°As for the ¡°screen,¡± the scholars of the Red Tower discovered some things.¡± I ask and he pulls a parchment from inside his robe and begins to read it. ¡°The scholars have reached the following preliminary conclusions: The anomalous entity, known only as the True Core, is probably an aberration-type creature. The text mentions the cryptic word ¡°beyond-verse,¡± there is still some debate about technicalities, but it suggests an extraplanar origin. The part that speaks of an insatiable hunger that will consume the living and the dead, and the various mentions of corruption and the corrupted, suggest an evil entity.¡± We arrive at my office and my maids arrive to help me bathe and change my clothes. Saig waits patiently outside and as soon as the maids leave with the cleaning supplies he enters and continues as if he had not been interrupted. ¡°In the part that says quest there are several clues but the last one restricts the search to 2 places that are the only ones that have all the indications: Xok¡¯al and Ielkier.¡± ¡°Xok¡¯al, the lost continent, which was only discovered 50 years ago, infested with barbarian peoples, cannibal tribes and ancient curses. Ielkier the forbidden continent from which no one has ever returned.¡± I comment as I finish getting my makeup done and my hair done. ¡°Exactly, milady.¡± He continues reading the report. "The part that probably causes the most alarm is ¡°The True Core: An entity is adaptable and powerful, capable of changing its tactics and strengthening itself and learning over time, in its repertoire, magics that not even the Gods can do on the material plane.¡± Scholars can¡¯t even conceive of what that is, how something can be above the Gods. Truly alarming." "The terms ¡°PURGE and INTEGRATION INTO THE SYSTEM". They suggest that there will be a cleansing after the defeat of the entity, but the cleansing of what, who, how and where is still a mystery as is the meaning of the word SYSTEM.¡± He takes one last look at the parchment and puts it inside his tunic. ¡°The terms of minimum level 15, along with the fact that only a few people were affected, suggest that they were holders of this prerequisite, the term of alignment suggests some kind of conformity.¡± ¡°Another point to note is the side-by-side terms hero/herald. Hero clearly evokes the image and symbolism of a champion of good, while the term herald is more vague, and since the Gods are mentioned in a general way. It may be that the agents of darkness are also summoned.¡± ¡°I thought so too while flying on Melodia¡¯s wings.¡± The handmaidens finish their service and leave silently. ¡°What in the name of the Goddess of Magic, Yuldur, would make the Gods of Light and the Gods of Darkness unite? How terrible is this entity?¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!I gesture for Saig to follow me and through the corridors we go to the Chamber of the Senate of Magic. The red wizards are trying to probe both Xok''al and Ielkier, but both locations are notoriously resistant to divination spheres and teleportation spells. Even with an anchoring system in Port of Rocks, 10% of the time it teleport and and similar spells fails. The mana channels on the continent are very strong and wild, but Ielkier is immune to these spells. We enter the Chamber of the Senate of Magic, nine chairs, 2 with shrouds covering them, the Leader of the Black Tower and the Brown Tower. I wave to the Leaders of the Blue, Purple and Green Towers, who are already in the room, they are part of the Imperial faction. The Min faction, Yellow and Orange Towers have not arrived yet. Towers, White, Brown, Black and Red are the unaligned. I sit in my high-backed chair, Saig next to me and we wait for the other remaining members of the Senate to arrive. Soon the doors open and the members of the Min faction enter, accompanied by the emperor''s "eyes and ears." I look at Saig. "The emperor wants a witness to record this hearing." This must be Vizier Matronus'' doing; the Emperor only cares about his wines, hunts, and concubines. Loann and Theolo greet me, and before they sit down, Loann, leader of the Red Tower, goes to the Speaker of the Chamber and whispers in his ear, then sits down. Once everyone is seated and his servants and secretaries are positioned in chairs along the walls, the Speaker stands up and, with his shriveled voice, says, "I declare this session of the Senate of Magic open." He then looks at Loann and continues. "Lord Loann, you have requested the word, to bring new information. My lord." He extends his hand and leaves the pulpit. Lord Loann stands up and takes the pulpit. Loann is a man with thick, toned arms and a rotund belly. He wears baggy pants and a collared shirt complete with sweater under a stole in the colors of his tower. He sports a long golden beard and long hair of a similar color. His gray eyes are passionate and lively. He is a professional flatterer and uses sarcasm to attack and weaken his opponents. Despite his formidable combat skills, he remains a coward. He always tries to fix and not replace. It was with this mentality that he earned the leadership of his tower. With his thick accent from the northern provinces, which drags out the ¡°R¡± he begins. ¡°Welcome, dear colleagues! It is with great sadness that I begin this meeting,¡± - he points to the empty chairs, - ¡°gathering here brilliant minds and talented professionals that I admire so much. I feel honored to share this moment with you, and I am sure that together, as always, we will achieve extraordinary results. The contagious energy that I feel here fills me with enthusiasm and confidence that this will be a productive and profitable meeting for everyone. I thank each one of you for attending and I wish you all a day full of achievements! ¡°Buffoon!¡± is said in a disguised cough by the leader of the Blue Tower, Filiz, who always dresses in collared shirts and wears a blue scarf over his head. He has no hair. His face is lined and worn. He trusts no one. He is unforgiving and prone to outbursts of anger. He has a cruel and sadistic; something he gained from his previous mentor. It seems to be a Blue Tower tradition, his apprentice has the same character traits. In his shrill witch voice. "Enough of this nonsense, tell us what you found out!" Loann looks at everyone, but as he sees no support. "Of course, of course..." He searches through his papers. "Here. - he taps a sheet - We have received reports that the Plague has been widely felt throughout the continental region of Zeisibar with the count coming in and the deaths reaching 3000. Yes, a low number, hunger and cold kill many more every year. But these 3000, most of them are leaders or vital people in the chain of command and at the top of the power. ¨C he looks at the ¡°Eyes and Ears¡± who nods ¨C ¡°The empire has almost lost its "head", so to speak. The Emperor¡¯s second son, Prince Karaghe the Dragon Slayer, also falls victim to the Plague, the news is being kept secret and his death will be communicated at some point in the future.¡± He clears his throat and drinks a glass of wine, quickly brought by one of his servants. ¡°The Collegiate of Primarchs of the Empire, has already formed a group to go on this Journey, 7 paladins, led by Antinua Ofandrus, the Paladin, and her companions in arms.¡± Murmurs rise and many show their agreement, Antinua is well known for her beauty and skills with sword and spear. ¡°Our Brothers in the Romani Empire also report similar problems. Many of her generals are reported missing and have mysteriously returned to their fiefdoms.¡± ¡°Everything indicates that there will be no summer campaign this year.¡± Loann concludes. ¡°Something good came out of this whole situation,¡± says Thiala. She wears a yellow tunic, tight underneath her purple stole. Her head is shaved. For a half-elf, she has a very ordinary appearance. She is overprotective of the interests of her Tower. She does not like loud noises that distract, but is hospitable in general. Her greatest love is knowledge and, as such, her addiction to traveling and buying books is notoriously exploited by others. ¡°Continuing,¡± says Loann, ¡°The Sanhedrin of Cardinals of the Romani Empire, announced an expedition to Ielkier. Led by Gilles Laflech¨º the inquisitor.¡± ¡°The collegiate also reported that their oracles received strong signals pointing to Xok¡¯al." ¡°Finally, I and my peers from the Romani Empire have concluded that those who died will also come to the Blue Screen, but did not accept the quest. I do not want to presume the reasons for this choice, but those who viewed the Blue Screen and accepted are alive to tell the tale, we also assume that this one has the minimum level 15.¡± He gathers the papers and leaves the pulpit. I start to get up to go to the pulpit. Filiz stands up with her shrill Witch voice. ¡°COWARDS! That¡¯s what those who didn¡¯t accept are.¡± Thiala says ¡°Very normal when facing a threat capable of things that not even the Gods can do, if we trust the ¡°Blue Screen.¡± Filiz continue ¡°I only needed to know 3 things to accept the quest; there will be combat, there will be Disintegrate and a target! I only came to this meeting to find out my destination and to inform you that my tower will send an expedition to Xok¡¯al tomorrow, those who have blood in their veins and courage are invited. Now you can continue clucking with silly chickens. Probably when I¡¯m there you¡¯ll still be arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.¡± He says the last sentence spitting. And don''t leave the room with your followers in tow.¡± After the door closes, I go to the pulpit. ¡°Blues!¡± And I let out a small laugh. With that, the atmosphere in the room becomes a little lighter. ¡°Loann, thank you for everything. First of all, we must decide on a date for the election of the new leaders of the Black and Brown Towers. I propose that the candidates be presented to the council within a week. After that, I propose that all the towers meet to form a committee to define the actions to be taken.¡± He leaves the pulpit and the Speaker takes my place. ¡°Anyone else who wants to speak?¡± Jeves of the Green Tower, usually wears his gray robe and has his rod always tied at his waist. He is physically well built. His black hair is tied in a tight ponytail with a green ribbon. He was once handsome when he was young, which still shows in her age, but is a faded beauty, stands up and takes the pulpit. ¡°I propose that tomorrow be declared a day of mourning, the symbols of all the towers be erased and all members of the magical caste of the palace gather in the courtyard to pay homage to the deceased.¡± He leaves the pulpit. The Speaker rises ¡°Does everyone agree with the proposed orders?¡± Everyone raises their hands. ¡°I declare this session of the Senate of Magic closed.¡± VII chapter – 2nd Day - Non-classic Isekai – Reception in the Village Keburry has a typical shape of the settlements of the serpent people, I later learned, rectangular, with a central street that divides the settlement in half, at one end is the entrance gate and at the opposite end are the fishermen''s docks. Some houses are built on stilts and made of adobe, although the Temple and the Great House have half a stone wall with the rest also made of adobe, the village is entirely on dry land. It is protected by an earthen wall 6m high and surrounded by a moat, 4m wide and 1.5m deep, fed by the river. In total, more than 60 two-story houses with roofs made of vegetable fibers are inside the walls. With another 60 wooden houses, around the walled city. In the center of the village there is a square and in the middle of the square is a 10m high dunghill that is the entrance to the village''s Formica colony. Around are the fields of fungi that the formics use as food, the fruit trees and the enclosures of horned rabbits and wild pigs. But all of this now has the patina of war, several of the houses are burned, or still on fire. And the bodies of mantis are everywhere. Strangely, there are no bodies of the serpent people in sight. Hethress stands up, around us are the intact bodies of the mantis and a few unfortunate serpent people who were hit by my devastating magic. The serpent person that Hethress was healing was lucky, he was just beyond the area of ??effect of my magic. I assume my serpent people form again, the most incredible thing is that my clothes come back with it, magic is a very cool thing. "Hethress, I''m sorry..." But really I only feel a little guilty, like when you bump into something that falls and breaks. But nothing like what you would expect after having killed hundreds of beings. A warning appears in the back of my mind. But so much is happening that it''s hard to stop and analyze it. She looks at me, her yellow eyes full of pain, but when she focuses on me. The shadow of a smile appears. "War is always a mess, at least they had a quick death, instead of being devoured alive by the mantis." Ahead of us the gates open and two people come out. One wears lamellar armor, a hussar-style helmet, a curved sword at her waist along with a rondel dagger, and on her left arm a round shield the size of her forearm, sabatons, and metal shin guards. She is tall, 1.8m to 1.9m, her armor has several loose plates or empty spaces, her shield has dents, and she is covered in dried splashes of the white stuff that mantises have as blood. Beside her is clearly a male of the serpent people, wearing a light blue tunic, which is dirty with mud, soot, and red blood, high leather boots, a wide leather belt with pockets attached to it, and long gloves. His head feathers are black with gray spots and his scales are mustard-colored, and his eyes are yellow. Soon he passes by the figure in the armor and approaches us, running across the muddy ground. "Mistress? Is it really you, milady?" Tears begin to run down his face. ¡°Hiutotiaco, I said that milady had died!¡± he begins to sob. Hethress puts a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Sriltos, It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go in, I have a lot to talk about.¡± Hiutotiaco arrives with heavy steps, takes off his helmet and lets it fall to the ground, falls to both knees, pulls the rondel from his waist and hands it to Hethress ¡°Milady, my dishonor is immense, only my life pays for this failure.¡± Hethress takes the rondel and hits Hiutotiaco on the head with the handle ¡°Hiutotiaco, Idiot, get up, you did nothing wrong or dishonorable.¡± As soon as she gets up Hethress hands him the rondel, she turns to me. ¡°My lord, follow me please.¡± Then we pass through the entrance followed by the 2 plus a group of tired guards. Hiutotiaco and Sriltos exchange glances and follow us. As we pass through the gate, I feel stares and turn my head back and see a group of guards, on top of the wall, and a short, fat figure, a male of the serpent people. He has no feathers on his head and wears armor, a Brigantine, on his waist a falchion. His gaze, I realize, is not directed at me, but at Hethress. The village has several fires and several people run past, carrying buckets to put out the fires, both males and females, of various ages. Others carry wounded people in the same direction we are going, the Temple. I notice that the scales vary between green, brown, mustard and another black or red, most have green scales. The feathers on their heads vary between green, red, black, white and gray and one or two are blue. We arrive at the temple, the base is made of stone, slate slabs stacked with some kind of plaster as an alloy and then go up adobe walls. The temple door is open and the temple is packed with people, children, women, elderly people, on one side and on the other side, several people lying on mats, wounded from the fighting. The guards who accompanied us stay in the nave of the temple, some go to talk to the civilians and others to their comrades in arms. We pass through the crowd, heads turn, both on the side of the women and on the side of the wounded, especially on the people in blue robes like Sriltos. We pass by the altar, a simple pulpit on a platform, both made of wood. We pass by the sacristy and enter the office. ¡°Sriltos, prepare a bath and food for me, and summon the surviving priests from the other villages and hamlets, in... 3 hours.¡± He looks at me anxiously. ¡°Go! We''ll talk later, when you leave, close the door.¡± ¡°Hiutotiaco, tell me everything that happened since I ¡°disappeared¡±". ¡°Yes, my lady. I woke up face down on the floor without knowing how or why. I went up to the temple looking for you and when I entered the sacrifice room it was empty, there was no one or anything, as if you and the other priests had never been there. The room was completely clean. I waited for 1 day and then returned to the village. When I got here, I reported to the Lord. I would say that, on the one hand, he was happy with your death, but he was very angry with the death of the priests. He took advantage and placed all the priests under the command of the Kebury temple, also taking command over the guards of the other towns and villages.¡± ¡°He did that?¡± Hethress asks in a tone of disbelief. ¡°C¨­pa.¡± Hiutotiaco says. ¡°C¨­pa, of course.¡± Sriltos opens the door and announces. ¡°Madam, your bath is ready.¡± Hethress gets up from the chair where she was and speaks looking at me and Hiutotiaco. ¡°Wait here, Sriltos bring tea and something to eat for my guest.¡± Through the mental link she says to me, ¡°With your permission, my lord, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Then she leaves. Hiutotiaco and I look at each other, but we wait in silence. After a short while she returns. In a changed tunic, one with batik dye, light blue and dark blue pattern. She sits down and says to Hiutotiaco, while Sriltos brings the tea and food, thin strips of raw meat marinated in some sauce that smells of mint. ¡°First a few things to be clarified. The ritual was a success, the gods sent us a champion.¡± She says and points to me. My head whips around to her. ¡°My lord, this will be easier.¡± She says through the link. "Hiutotiaco you have done nothing wrong or shameful.¡± ¡°Your name is Crixus.¡± I nod to both of them and they return with a bow. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°But the Goddess demanded a greater sacrifice, the others were taken by the Goddess and are now in her arms.¡± I don¡¯t know about the others, but even to me it was obvious that she is hiding something. She is not a very good liar. Hiutotiaco and Sriltos look at me and Hethress. Yeah... it was obvious to them that they noticed it too. But no one forces the subject. ¡°Continue Hiutotiaco, and Sriltos, close the door, as my 1st novice you must stay away from everything from now on.¡± ¡°5 days after I returned, the mantis attacks intensified, the wave of refugees increased, the village now has +1000 people and in addition to the mantis attacks, survivors have told stories of skeleton attacks, led by a burning skeleton, which by all indications is intelligent. ¡°It must be the Lich¡¯s doing.¡± Hethress says, making her 2-finger gesture on her forehead. ¡°Yes my lady, up until 2 days before your return, a large swarm of mantis attacked us, the formic soldiers were decimated, but they managed to give the refugees time to enter before we had to close the gates. Since then we have been besieged and have repelled the attacks with great casualties, the priests are overwhelmed, if the champion had not appeared today, the village would probably have fallen by night.¡± ¡°What is the death count?¡± ¡°Of the 10 villages and towns in the region, 6 no longer exist and all the others have been evacuated to Kebury. Our Formic troops have been decimated in the other villages as well, it will take 1 month to replace the Formic troops and 30% of the village guard has died or is out of action. But before that we will die of hunger, the supplies, with the current population, will only last 1 week.¡± Without looking at me and still with his fingers on his forehead. ¡°My lord, it would be of great help and would bring us great benefit if you could perform a great feat.¡± I think. How could I help? ¡°Psicrystal Assistent, is there any way I can help these people?¡± I think. ¡°Yes, Life spell.¡± ¡°How does this work?¡±
Psicrystal Assistent
Conjurador assitent: ativar y/ no
"YES."
Life
School conjuration Level: 10 Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, S, M(something worth 100,000 gp ) Epic Mythic Eschew Materials feat) Range: emanation centered on you Area: long (150m. + 10m radius./level) Target: see text Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell : yes (harmless) Life enables you to channel positive energy into all creature, within the area of ??effect, to wipe away injury and afflictions. It immediately ends any and all of the following adverse conditions affecting the target: ability damage, blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insanity, nauseated, poisoned, sickened, and stunned. It also cures all hit points of damage. Life remove negative levels and restore permanently drained ability score points.The subject¡¯s severed body members (fingers, toes, hands, feet, arms, legs, tails, or even heads of multi-headed creatures), broken bones, and ruined organs grow back. After the spell is cast, the physical regeneration is complete in 1 round. If used against an undead creature, Life instead acts like harm spell. Psi Power Slot 10: 4/4=>3/4 Activate: y/n
"YES."
>>>DANGER<<<
Detected life forms potentially dangerous to the user. Possible actions to be taken: Cast magic anyway: A Abort Magic: B Cast magic selecting targets, ¡°allies only¡±, (requires use of Selective Spell feat (this option requires physical manifestation of Psicrystal Assisten)): C Activate: Y/N
¡°C, yes.¡± At the height of my face, in front of me, a pink crystal shard appears, about 25cm long and 10cm in diameter.
Psicrystal Assistent
Select name:?????????
¡°Jeannie.¡± As soon as I select the name, a wave of blue energy explodes from within me and sweeps across the room and passes through the walls. Hiutotiaco, Sriltos and Hethress look at me with wide eyes, and soon after the screaming begins. Hiutotiaco runs to the source of the screaming, followed by Sriltos, Hethress, me and the floating crystal. When we arrive at the temple nave, we see that the reason for the screaming is a mixture of joy and surprise. The people who were injured are now fine, some who were missing limbs now have complete limbs, the novices look at their patients without understanding and then notice the priestess entering the temple nave and now look at her trying to understand what happened. ¡°Come, quickly.¡± she says via link and pulls me by the hand to the temple pulpit. With her trained voice and the acoustics of the temple, she draws everyone''s attention. The shouting calms down, and as soon as it becomes a fair-like hubbub, she speaks. ¡°Brothers, you all know that I went on a journey with the other priests to ask the Goddess for help. The news of my death was hasty. But the most important thing is that the Goddess answered us and sent her Champion. He was responsible for the grace you have now received. KNEEL AND PRAISE THE GODDESS¡¯ CHAMPION.¡± She lets go of my hand and stands in front of me, then prostrating herself on the ground. Like a wave, everyone does the same. I look at everything and everyone, not knowing what to do or what to say, paralyzed. At that moment, I see soldiers running down the street, led by the short, fat figure of the individual wearing the Brigantina. He stops at the door of the temple, looks at the crowd, kneels and then looks at me. VII.2 chapter – 2nd Day - Non-classical Isekai – Banquet As Hethress had predicted, the "help'', was a PR success. The magic spread throughout the village and beyond the walls. And that was how Jeannie came to offer me a new spell, Epic Resurrection, Mass. Now I was definitely a deity to the people of the region. People who had died decades ago came back to life in the prime of their lives. It was like a scene from KPOP or a populist politician on the campaign trail. People wanted to touch me, mothers gave me their children to bring good luck. The meeting with the priests was canceled and a big dinner was scheduled at the Great House at dusk. It was a celebration held for the people by the priests of the Goddess Hylasis. Until then, I hid in Hethress''s room with Hiutotiaco, as a security guard at the door, to stop the "groupies". During that time alone, I talked to Jeannie and discovered the classic ¡°STATUS¡± function. And given the information I discovered, I spent the rest of the time studying my skills with Jeannie''s help. Which at first had a neutral voice and "0" personality, and over time took on a feminine voice and a flirtatious personality.
True core
CR:: 42 XP: 629,145,600 Deepspawn Monster 7, Bard 2, Psychic 31 (symbiosis) CE, Huge aberration (mythical, augmented) Init +9; Senses darkvision 20m. vision 360¡ã, telepatia; Perception +15 DEFENSE AC: 28, touch 14, flat-footed 23 (+5 Dex, +9 natural, -2 size, +4 armor, +1 deflection) HP: 389 (9d8+31d6+240) Fort +17, Ref +19, Will +23 Defensive Abilities: Regen 5hp/r, regrow tentacles (20hp each and cut if taken +10hp); DR 10/adamantine (150); Immune poison, critical, disease, age, drain; SR 23; Resist Sonic +4 saves; Weaknesses: curiosity OFFENSE Speed: 6m, all (fly average) Melee: 3x tentacle +17 (1d4+3 plus grab+constric) and 3x bites +19 (2d6+6 plus paralyse) Ranged: 3x rock +18 (2d6+6) Space: 5m, Reach 10m. Special Attacks: Constric and paralyse, Magic Fang, Greater (P), See Invisibility (P), Swallow Whole Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 31th) At will-Alter Self, Detect Animals Or Plants, Detect Thoughts, Fabricate, Mirage Arcana, Stone Shape, Transmute Rock to Mud, Water Breathing 3/day-Hold Monster 1/day-Heal, True Ressurection, Hide from Animals SPELLS: (CL 31th) Bard: (CL 2nd) 0th at will-Detec Magic, Spark, Mage Hand, Spark, Oath of Anonymity, Summon Instrument Psychic (uses per day);(CL 31th) 0th-(11); Read Magic, Mending, Ghost Sound, Ligh, Telekinetic Projectile, Virtue 1st-(7); Cause Alter, Charm Person, Cause fear, Detect undead, Mage Armor, Unseen servant 2nd-(6); Alter Self, Hold person, Reverse Gender, Summon Monster II, Sonic Scream, Suggestion 3rd-(5); Haste, Invisibility Sphere, Sensory Amplifier, Pellet Blast, Summon Monster III 4th-(5);Mind Thrust IV, Mindwipe, Phantasmal killer, Summon Monster IV, Sasha''s Uncontrollable Continuous Orgasm, 5th-(5);Dominate person, Fabricate, Modify Memory, Permanency, stone skin 6th-(5);Contingency, Decapitate, Legend Lore, Psychic Crush II, Psychic Crush II 7th-(5);Ego Whip V, Hold Person Mass Permanent Hallucination, Spell turning, Waves of Ecstasy 8th-(5);Create Demi-plane, Create Greater Undead, Irresistible Orgy, Prying eyes greater, Trap the Soul 9th-(5);Hold monster mass, Interplanetary Teleport, Massacre, Spell Immunity, Wish 10th-(4);-Permanent Demi-plane, Life, Epic Resurrection, Epic Reincarnation 11th-(4) Rain of Fire, Reaper of Souls, Enslave, Alter History 12-(4) Floating Island, Epic Resurrection mass, Dragon Knight, Steal Avatar 13th-(3) Create Volcano, Killing Wind, Winter 14th-(2) Contingency in time, Create Race 15th-(1) Kill God TACTICS Before Combat hunts and collects individuals, items and the most varied things, which will be the basis of his creations that will be his front line and means of exercising his will throughout the world. During Combat If a T.C. life is threatened, it hurls caches of seized weapons as missiles, unleashes any magical items it has, and tries to escape by a planned route. STATISTICS Str 22, Dex 20, Con 22, Int 22, Wis 20, Cha 24 Base: Atk +15; CMB +23; CMD 39 (can''t be tripped) Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Eschew Materials, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Multiweapon Fighting, Mythic Eschew Materials, Power Attack, Psicrystal Affinity, Psicrystal Power Epic, Selective Spell, Smell Fear, Terrorizing Display, Toughness Skills: Acrobatics +15, Appraise +15, Bluff +23, Climb +15, Craft (traps) +15, Diplomacy +15, Disguise +15, Escape Artist +15, Fly +15, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (engineering) +15, Knowledge (geography) +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Knowledge (religion) +15, Linguistics +15, Perception +15, Perform (sing) +15, Profession (cook) +15, Sense Motive +15, Sleight of Hand +15, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +15, Survival +15, Swim +25, Use Magic Device +15 Languages: telepathy100m, +10 feats SQ: Imortal, Bardic Performance (3), Versatile Performance: Sing, Cantrips, Well-Versed, Phrenic 16, Read Magic (P), Detect Magic (P), Comprehend Languages (P), Alter Self (P) Gear *Mage Armor, Ring +1 AC. Ring Spell know I ECOLOGY Environment any aquatic or underground Organization solitary, pair, brood (3-6), or shoal (7-19) Treasure x10 Huge sphere of leather and muscles with 6 tentacles 10m long, 3 similar to those of an octopus and 3 ending in mouths with fangs like those of a snake. Retractable crab eyes all over the spherical body, these are capable of retracting inside the body. T.C. are voracious creatures that crave collecting everything and everyone. Despite their bulk and bizarre appearance, they are highly intelligent and patient opponents. They frequently dispatch their spawned minions to lure new victims to their lairs with promises of wealth and magic. SPECIAL ABILITIES Constrict (Ex) A T.C. deals automatic bite damage with a successful grapple check. An arm that is is currently being used to constrict an opponent cannot also make bite attacks Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, the T.C. must hit with a bite attack. If it wins the grapple check, establishes a hold and can constrict. Copy (Sp) A T.C. can copy any creatures/material/item, identical to those it has physically consumed. Each copy possesseseven the learned abilities and characteristics (such as class level, skills, and spells known) of the original but retains only dimmemories of its former life. Copies can be of any size and origin. Copys are fanatically loyal to the T.C. that spawned them and willingly fight to the death to defend it. Copied materials and items can never be used or cause damage to the Dungeon Core. After spawning, a T.C. must wait 4d6 days before doing so again. Paralyse (Su) This special attack renders the victim immobile. Paralyzed creatures cannot move, speak, or take any physical actions. The creature is rooted to the spot, frozen and helpless. Paralysis works on the body, and a character can usually resist it with a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the paralyzing creature¡¯s racial HD + the paralyzing creature¡¯s Con modifier; the DC is given in the creature¡¯s description). Unlike hold person and similar effects, a paralysis effect does not allow a new save each round. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can¡¯t swim and may drown. The duration of the paralysis varies and is included in the creature¡¯s description. Link (Ex) Dungeon Nucleus can connect with its copies, on the same plane of existence, regardless of distance or position and but is limited to the copy''s sensory capabilities. Through this connection you can see, hear, feel, smell, taste and speak, if the copy is capable of that. There is no limit on simultaneous connections. Lair (Ex) Choose a specific lair, such as a series of caves, a building, or a grove, which you make your home. While in this lair, you gain a bonus to Perception checks and initiative rolls equal to 1/2 your HD (minimum +1) and you cannot be caught flat-footed. In addition, the DC of Perception checks made to discover any objects you hide in your lair increases by the same amount. Will of the Dead (Su) Even undead creatures can be affected by the psychic¡¯s mind-affecting spells. The psychic can spend 2 points from her phrenic pool to overcome an undead creature¡¯s immunity to mind-affecting effects for the purposes of the linked spell. This ability functions even on mindless undead, but has no effect on creatures that aren¡¯t undead. This amplification can be linked only to spells that have the mind-affecting descriptor. Sound Mimicry (3) (Ex) The creature perfectly imitates up to 3 different sounds or even specific voices, simultaneously. The creature makes a Bluff check opposed by the listener¡¯s Sense Motive check to recognize the mimicry, although if the listener isn¡¯t familiar with the person or type of creatures mimicked, it takes a ¨C8 penalty on its Sense Motive check. The creature has a +8 racial bonus on its Bluff check to mimic sounds (including accents and speech patterns, if a voice mimic) it has listened to for at least 10 minutes. The creature cannot duplicate the effects of magical abilities (such as bardic performance or a harpy¡¯s captivating song), though it may be able to mimic the sound of those abilities. This ability does not allow the creature to speak or understand languages it doesn¡¯t know. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.Animal Mastery (Su) As a standard action, you can project your mind into the mind of an animal you can see, establishing a mental link that allows you to share the animal¡¯s senses¡ªhearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching everything the animal does. You cannot use this ability on an animal if its Hit Dice exceed your psychic level. The animal can attempt a Will save to resist the effect. If it is successful, the animal is immune to this ability for 24 hours. While sharing an animal¡¯s senses, your body is effectively unconscious, but you can end the effect as a free action. You can maintain the link for 1 hour per level, but the link is immediately severed if the animal moves beyond a range of 1 mile per psychic level you have. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. At 7th level, the mental link becomes stronger. Whenever you share an animal¡¯s senses, you can control it, as per dominate animal, except the duration, Hit Dice limit, range, and other conditions listed above apply. One with Nature (Psy) (Su) You can cast detect animals or plants as a spell-like ability at will. You gain a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks, and while using detect animals or plants, the bonus increases to +4 to identify a matching animal or plant creature within the area of effect. At 7th level, you can speak with any animal you successfully identify, as per speak with animals, but this ability doesn¡¯t make the creature any friendlier than normal. Bionetwork (Su) 5lv psy-Once per day, you can spend 10 minutes to mentally connect with living fungi, leaves, moss, roots, and similar plants or plantlike things. You form a temporary network that functions as an extension of your senses. This ability doesn¡¯t function in areas of sparse vegetation, such as arid deserts, barren caverns, or frozen tundras. Buildings and urban areas are generally excluded from your network, but ruins reclaimed by nature are connected. While you¡¯re underground, roots and fungi function as your network, but the radius of the network is only 100 feet per psychic level. At 9th level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain an additional daily use of this ability. Animate/Awaken (Su) 13Lv-You can animate a tree or waken animal within 180 feet as a standard action. This functions as a treant¡¯s animate trees ability/aweken spell, with the following exceptions. Each day, you can animate a number of trees/animal equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, and you can control up to one tree/animal at a time, plus an additional tree/animal at 15th level and every 2 levels thereafter. A tree remains animated for 10 minutes per level, or until dismissed by you or destroyed. Dragon¡¯s Breath Focus (Psy) (Su) The psychic can spend 2 points from her phrenic pool to change a linked spell that has a line or burst area of effect into a 30-foot cone that emanates from the psychic¡¯s mouth as a breath weapon Overpowering Mind (Psy) (Ex) he psychic can spend 2 points from her phrenic pool to increase the Will save DC of the linked spell by 1. At 8th level, she can choose to instead spend 4 points to increase the DC by 2. At 15th level, she can choose to instead spend 6 points to increase the DC by 3. This amplification can be linked only to spells that have the mind-affecting descriptor and require a Will saving throw. Space-rending Spell (G. Psy) (Su) The psychic can warp space with her mind, teleporting herself as she casts her linked spell. She teleports herself 3m per point she spends from her phrenic pool (as dimension door). The maximum number of points she can spend in this way is equal to the linked spell¡¯s level. Swallow Whole (Ex) If a creature with this special attack begins its turn with an opponent grappled in its mouth (see Grab), it can attempt a new combat maneuver check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. Unless otherwise noted, the opponent can be up to one size category Smaller than the swallowing creature. Being swallowed causes a creature to take damage each round. The amount and type of damage varies and is given in the creature¡¯s statistics. A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, while the creature that did the swallowing does not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon (the amount of cutting damage required to get free is equal to 1/10 the creature¡¯s total hit points), or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, the swallowing creature cannot use swallow whole again until the damage is healed. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the attacker¡¯s mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again. Fast Swallow (Ex) The creature can use its swallow whole ability as a free action at any time during its turn, not just at the start of its turn. Improved Copy (Su) Same. After spawning, a T.C. must wait 4/days before doing so again. Tongues (Su) A witch with this hex can understand any spoken language for a number of minutes per day equal to her level, as comprehend languages.
Some things really scared me, what is this? Because I, it doesn''t make any sense. I have to think better, be careful from now on. At night. Hethress, enters the office and hands me a bracelet, made of gold, it was her father''s. It is the serpent people''s version of the wedding ring. For the first time she will wear a dress with an off-the-shoulder, showing her marriage mark. I put the bracelet on my right arm. At the dinner will be the chiefs of the surviving villages, some priests, Chief of the guard Catzina , Hiutotiaco, Sriltos, Hethress, me and the floating crystal, Lord Szeddisosh D''Verda and some important people from the village. One thing to note, there is no lighting in the houses, the serpent people see in the dark. It must be an adaptation to the valley environment, which only has 7:30 hours of ¡°light¡±, because the light here is at the beginning of the late afternoon, it is never a clear day, because of the immense mountains that surround the valley on all sides. Another point is that the valley must be close to the poles of the planet. Another thing I discovered talking to Hethress, my wife, I still have to get used to it, is the calendar here. The solar system has 2 stars, the planet takes 400 days to orbit the 2 stars, the day has 30 hours (with 60 minutes), there are 10 months (Bertim, Boful, Guibaour, Juel, Brom, Aimeri, Gunther, T?ff, Joppa and Japha), of 40 days with 4 weeks of 10 days and 5 seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Tidal (each one lasts 80 days), the planet has 41 moons, 2 of which are the size of our moon. Strange, I don''t remember the name of the planet I came from, this selective memory is disconcerting. We headed to Great House. It is built in the same style as the temple, a half stone wall and then an adobe wall and a fiber ceiling. We walked arm in arm with Hethress. "Lord Szeddisosh D''Verda will probably try to capitalize on your appearance to gain your father''s favor and be able to return to the capital. But he is not the problem, C¨­pa, he is the imminent gris of the region, he is a wise, patient and cunning viper." "My lord, today you were very quiet and thoughtful, what are your plans? With your power you could easily control the region, not even the greatest magicians and priests in the kingdom are capable of feats like you have accomplished." "I didn''t think that far, I have never thought of anything so big, I am still trying to understand what is happening." ¡°Of course, of course, my lord, everything in due time, it is very wise of you to consider things carefully.¡± We are taken by the servants to the hall of the Great House, where a large U-shaped table awaits us. In the middle of the beam of the U, Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda is ¡°seated¡±, a large fat serpent with light brown and dark brown covering his body, his gaze is that of a bored person, at his side, C¨­pa. C¨­pa introduces us. ¡°Distinguished guests, It is with great joy and honor that I present to Your Excellency, Lord Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda, a figure of notable prominence and prestige in our time. Lord D¡¯Verda, is a name that echoes in every corner, recognized for his perceptive intelligence and exemplary leadership. His trajectory is marked by countless deeds in favor of the House of Verda. Your presence, Lord Crixus, here today is a privilege for all of us. Your wisdom and experience will be of great value in bringing hope in these troubled times, the celebration of welcome and gratitude to our hero. With a deep sense of admiration and respect, I invite you to welcome Lord Szeddisosh D''Verda and Lord Crixus with a warm applause!" Everyone applauds enthusiastically. Most are true. I am led to sit in the position of honor on the right side of Lord Szeddisosh D''Verda and Hethress is taken to his left side, when I hold her hand and say, looking at C¨­pa. "She is mine and will stay by my side." I feel the waves of pride and pleasure coming from Hethress. Those nearby look surprised, after a quick dance of chairs, we sit down. Then before people begin to fully settle in, Hethress stands up and takes a glass of wine from the table. ¡°I Hethress daughter of Grmballhyst ¨C Champion of Hylasis, Goddess Of Rivers, Chief Priestess of the region, propose a toast to the one who saved the village and performed miracles.¡± ¡°Crixus, CRIXUS, CRIXUS!¡± She pulls the trigger, and soon everyone is shouting. ¡°Now we¡¯ve shown that everyone in the village is with us, let¡¯s see what C¨­pa will do.¡± Hethress says through the link, she sits down. C¨­pa claps her hands and a procession of servants enters carrying trays of food, I see pigs, rabbits, fish, birds... until the moment I see something worthy of a horror movie. A large wooden tray and on it is a roasted humanoid body, its entrails opened and stuffed with herbs and tubers, but the worst thing is that its head is intact, in its mouth a carrot stuck through, they even made an arrangement with its hair, a hairstyle forming a fruit basket. I look with a mixture of hate, disgust and aversion, I ask in a low, guttural voice, almost a growl. What...is...that?! Hethress say. "My lord, calm down, please!¡± She transmits through the link and squeezes my hand. C¨­pa, says the intonation of a professional Ma?tre. ¡°Elf, marinated for 2 hours with herbs and potatoes.¡± I slowly turn my head to C¨­pa, my hatred overflowing. Then comes the icing on the cake. ¡°We were lucky, we recently captured 4 elves, one of them an albino, which I will offer as a sacrifice to the Goddess for the graces provided.¡± That was what saved C¨­pa, for now. All my hatred, stress, confusion find a specific target. In seconds I return to my perfect form, the table is thrown to the floor along with the people, the screaming begins, C¨­pa, Hethress and Szeddisosh are also thrown to the floor. A part of the building collapses on some people, one of them being Catzina, when my body destroys one of the pillars. All the eyes of my hemisphere that is on Szeddisosh''s side, focus on this abject creature. My 3 mouths say the command of the magic ¡°Reaper of Souls¡±, in Portuguese, out of sync and with the hissing sound of a snake. ¡°COME HERE!¡± And for 6 seconds, Szeddisosh¡¯s soul leaves his body and comes to my mouths, his soul-rending scream silences everyone, until his soul comes within reach of my mouths that tear it apart in an explosion of black fire. ¡°You have 10 seconds to get out of here or you will have the same fate.¡± ¡°Hethress, Hiutotiaco and Sriltos, you stay!¡± I say through telepathy. I grab the C¨­pa with one of my tentacles. ¡°You, go get the other elves! Or you will have the same fate as your master.¡± I throw him to the ground without much ceremony, he rolls for about 2m across the floor of the hall, gets up and leaves limping half running. My hatred was not satisfied, it was too fast, he suffered little! He won''t even go to hell, his soul was destroyed. I KNOW!!!! He''s going to turn into shit! I''m going to shit him out! In a reflex, my mouth attacks his body and in a terrifying scene I swallow him whole in less than 20 seconds. It''s not enough, I need more! I consume Catzina and at least 2 others. At that moment, C¨­pa returns with the slaves. There are 2 females, one white with light brown hair, the other and the man are dark elves. They are wearing rags and have an iron collar around their necks and the latter has two chains that link to handcuffs on his wrists. "Free them." C¨­pa, calmly and precisely, frees them. "Whose idea was it to serve this banquet?" "Mine, my lord, but I''m the one who stopped you from using all the slaves." He tries to convey a better image. He succeeds. "Very well, C¨­pa! That''s why I''m going to give you a quick death." His eyes widen and I taste the sweet taste of fear, it smells like Amarula. He turns and runs. "STOP!" The magic hits him and he falls hard to the ground, his arm breaking in the process. With 2 tentacles I break his neck like a chicken and consume him. "Hiutotiaco! Go and take control of the garrison, close the gates. And tell them that Lord Szeddisosh D''Verda, C¨­pa and Catzina have offended the Goddess and for their faults their champion has been punished. GO!" She looks at Hethress who confirms the order with a nod.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Analyze 100% Registered entities: 4 1- Szeddisosh D''Verda, Chaotic Evil, Male serpent-folk Aristocrat 5 2- Catzina, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Warrior 8 3-Itzcuin, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Commoner 5 4 -Sacnya, Lawful Evil, Female serpent-folk Expert 5 Copy; yes/no
¡°No.¡± ¡°Damn, I remembered. I don¡¯t shit!" VII.3 chapter – 2nd Day - Non-classic Isekai – Moral Hangover ¡°My lord, calm down, I understand that the sight of things that have happened here has deeply displeased you. But calm down. Will you allow me a little impertinence?¡± Hethress I take three breaths, and with that I smell a strong smell of fear, coming from the slaves who look at me with wide eyes. I return to the form of the serpent people. ¡°My lord, it was lucky of you to kill Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda, he was useless and would still try to hinder anything my lord intended to do. But killing C¨­pa was a waste. He is extremely competent and is still an old snake who knows a lot about things in the capital. Couldn¡¯t you do the same thing you did to him?¡± I stop and think. Logically and coldly, she is right, but I remember his face saying those things. Right, right. Then I remember everything, dinner and one thing comes to mind. The elf was roasted, with ¡°exquisiteness¡±. As Hethress noted, Szeddisosh D¡¯Verda made this kind of feast quite often. ¡°Hethress, cut off a finger of C¨­pa, then go to the kitchen and bring me the entire kitchen staff.¡± She does as I command. I take the finger and swallow it.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 4/days before doing so again.
Analysis 100% Registered entities: 1 5-C¨­pa, Lawful Evil, Male serpent-folk Expert 12 Copy; yes/no
¡°No.¡± That leaves me and only 3 elves in the room. I look at the white woman, clearly a a different race of elf, taller and with smaller ears than the dark elves.. ¡°Your name, and how did you end up here?¡± I say in a calmer voice. ¡°Sybil, the Druid.¡± She tells me, looking at the floor. ¡°About 3 years ago, my group and I came to the newly discovered continent of Xok¡¯al in search of fame and wealth, but last time, on one of those expeditions, we were ambushed by the dark elves. Of my group, there were 6, 4 died in the ambush and I and a friend survived. They made us slaves, and after we were sold, I never saw them again.¡± She stops and takes a deep breath for a few moments, trying to control her emotions. ¡°I was recently sold again and was being transported by them, until we were attacked by Mantis. In the confusion, the slave caravan got separated, and that¡¯s when the serpent people captured us and we ended up here, my lord.¡± I look at the dark elf woman and say ¡°STOP¡±. And she falls to the ground like a mannequin. The Man looks at me and runs towards the door. ¡°STOP¡±. He also falls to the ground. ¡°Sybil, they are yours, do whatever you want¡±. I can tell that Sybil had a lot of pain to vent. And I sit back down and turn my attention to the door of the great hall. Shortly after that Hethress enters with the kitchen staff. ¡°My lord, as ordered, the kitchen staff.¡± I nod. ¡°Sriltos, could you do one more thing for me before we call this matter a day, call Hiutotiaco along with some guards.¡± He, who had been half catatonic until now, looks at me and without saying anything runs off to do what I asked. Sybil, the Druid finishes venting her anger and I call her. ¡°Sybil, come here and sit next to me, you must be tired.¡± She is a Dantesque sight, her slave clothes splattered with blood, her hair dirty and disheveled and her gaze empty, lost. She comes and sits down, without reacting, like a doll. Hethress, come here too, I want to ask some questions and ask for some advice. Her eyes light up and she comes to sit down, as she does so she asks. "A wine my lord?" "Yes." I want to quickly wipe the taste of C¨­pa from my mouth. We await Sriltos and Hiutotiaco. The smell of fear is now strong coming from the kitchen staff. They soon arrive. ¡°Hiutotiaco, as of today the head chef is exiled, take off all his clothes and expel him from the village, tell him that anyone who helps him will meet the same fate. All of the chef¡¯s possessions are now the property of the former slave Sybil the Druid.¡± I look at the rest of the kitchen staff. ¡°From today you are servants of Sybil the Druid, take her to C¨­pa¡¯s old chambers, give her a bath, feed her and take care of her, your lives depend on it.¡± At that I conjure, on the bodies of the 3 dark elves, Create Greater Undead and a menu appears in front of me:
Create Greater Undead
School: necromancy Level: 8 Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, S, M (corpse) Range: 10m+2m/2 level Area: 1 ou + corpse with up to x4/caster''s HD Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: none Spell : none This evil spell allows you to infuse a dead body with negative energy to create more powerful sorts of undead options: Ghoul Hollow helm Huecuva Crawling hand Juju zombie Skeletal champion4Enervation Ghast, festrog Draugr Guardian phantom armor Attic whisperer Blast shadow Crawling hand (giant) WightEnervation Giant phantom armor Mummy Crypt thingTeleport Phantom lancer Dullahan Death Knight Mohrg This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Rajput Ambari Shadow Allip Wraith Totenmaske Spectre Bonestorm Greater shadow Witchfire Banshee Bodak Devourer Minor reaper Psi Power Slot 8: 6/6=>5/6 Activate: y/n choose one:?
¡°Yes, Death Knight.¡± 3 Death Knights emerge from the bodies. They are naked and only their skeletons remain, their flesh turning into a cloud of black dust that quickly dissipates into the air. Fear is now a cloud as thick as molasses. I command telepathically ¡°You will now be under the command of Hiutotiaco.¡± ¡°Hiutotiaco, these 3 Death Knights are under your command, make good use of them.¡± She bows and says to the 3 Death Knights, ¡°Take the cook and take him outside and take off all his clothes.¡± 3 ghostly voices say in unison. ¡°Yes, commander!¡± They grab him and drag him outside, all while shouting for mercy from the cook. But I saw the mercy he gave to his ¡°dishes". ¡°Hethress, prepare Szeddisosh¡¯s room, which will now be our room, and wait for me there. I need some time alone.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, come, Sriltos.¡± The two of them leave, and I¡¯m left alone in the great hall. I look at all the mess I¡¯ve made. ¡°I have to get out of here. I get up and leave the hall and walk to the courtyard of the Great House. Then I start to rise through the air, feeling the cold breeze, it calms me down a little, from up high I see a small island in the middle of the river that runs near the village. It seems like a good place to think, I start to descend. As soon as I touch the ground, I take off my boots and feel the damp grass of the island on my feet. I sit on the floor and rest my head in my hands. What was that, I ate 5 people/creatures/intelligent beings, as if they were meatballs. I didn¡¯t even have to think much, and the taste. Before, when I ate the things Hethress made, they had no taste, it was like eating paper. But them, it was like eating bacon with chocolate. WTF! Okay, they were people, but they ate intelligent living beings. But apparently I do too. Hypocrisy?! Yes!! But why don''t I feel like I did something wrong? Is it me or is it this body with its needs? ¡°Master, there''s something on the other side of the river watching us.¡± Says Jeannie. Who I only just realized was right next to me. Yeah, I really must be very disoriented. ¡°You who are hiding, I''ve already seen you, so come out and say what you want. And do it quickly, I''m not in a good mood!¡± Then a figure wrapped in a hooded cloak that hides his face. ¡°I am Meikosil the Lich and you must be The True Core. We have common enemies.¡± ¡°You are the Lich who has been attacking everything living in the region. Why don''t I simply destroy you and solve the problem?¡± ¡°Because it wouldn¡¯t solve the problem. I no longer control the undead I created, and my powers were taken away when I didn¡¯t accept the quest to destroy you.¡± ¡°Quest, what quest?¡± I fly across the river and approach the lich. Then he explains the quest to me, and in return I explain to him what alignment and level are. What did I do to be the target of a worldwide hunt???? And I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse. ¡°A common enemy unites us, you say. But you said you lost your army and powers. How can you help me, and what do you want in return?¡± ¡°Knowledge. The quest said you are a creature of great powers, and that not even death would be immune to your corruption, and I know where you can assemble a powerful army.¡± ¡°What I want in return is protection until I recover.¡± ¡°Ok. I accept your proposal. But first, I want to see this ¡°army¡± you say exists. If it exists, why didn''t you take it for yourself?" "I don''t have the power to use it yet... I was trying to build a foundation to use it in the future. But now, centuries of preparation, studies and research have been thrown in the trash." "In 2 days we will meet here on this little island again at dusk." I say. I take off and return to the village. It seems that the news spread quickly and the streets are empty. I take a walk around the top of the wall and then return to the Great House. The servants of the House avoid me like the devil himself. I go to my room, Szeddisos''s old room. Hethress is already in the room waiting for me, wearing a diaphanous dress and lying on the huge bed. She extends her arms inviting me and I accept, a few hours of pleasure will help me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day after a ''coffee" of wine, goat''s milk and rabbit meat, which I now confirm, even though it is "real" food and not conjured food, it is still tasteless. With me are Hethress, Sriltos, Hiutotiaco. "Yesterday I was sought out by Meikosil the Lich." Everyone looks at me. I report everything the Lich said and offered. ¡°My lord, I advise caution, even though he is, as he says, powerless, he is a vile creature and his only goal is to destroy everything living, he will betray you as soon as he sees fit.¡± Hethress says. I touch her hand across the table. ¡°I know, I will solve your loyalty problem when we meet in 2 days.¡± ¡°Hiutotiaco, how is the mantis issue?¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s battle was a powerful blow to the mantis tribes, we should have some truce for a few weeks. It would be better if we could destroy some of the breeding nests, but we don¡¯t have the strength for that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there some way to make a more lasting truce or some kind of treaty?¡± I ask. ¡°No, my lord. Their culture demands that they hunt heads; they also have a monstrous mentality that does not include concepts such as treaty or truce. If they can, they attack, if not, they wait to get stronger to attack. Only extermination will stop this.¡± ¡°What a waste.¡± I say. ¡°Hiutotiaco, arrest all the supporters of the former lord. Then I will decide their fates.¡± She stands up and leaves. ¡°Sriltos, could you take Sybil, the Druid to the hall?¡± ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± He also stands up and leaves. ¡°What is your interest in the white elf, my lord?¡± Hethress she asks me jealously. ¡°Curiosity.¡± I give her a smile. ¡°Hethress, Sybil is a magic user and she only had a slave collar on. Why didn¡¯t she do some magic and run away?¡± Magic users who are enslaved or imprisoned are fed Kiewalki root in their rations and drinks, this root leaves the mind unable to focus magic.¡± ¡°Is this root hard to find?¡± I ask. No, it only grows near the mountains, but it is easy to reproduce through magic. We go to the hall where we meet Sybil. Sitting in a high-backed chair with Hethress sitting at my feet with me stroking her head. I feel like CONAN himself. LOL. ¡°Sybil the Druid, we were not formally introduced yesterday, I am Crixus and I hope you had a good night''s sleep. I would like to say that you are free and I can take you home as soon as I finish asking you a few questions. Understand that you are not obligated to answer them and not answering them will not change my mind about your freedom or taking you home.¡± ¡°Insolent slave...¡± Hethress says growling ¡°Hethress, calm down. Yes, I will. I would like you to think of a good place for us to reach via teleportation, somewhere calm, with few people and that you know well.¡± Sybil thinks, Teleportation is a powerful magic but even the great magicians of the kingdom cannot cross the sea that separates the continents of Zeisibar and Xok''al. He will have to make several teleportations. But she does as the monster asked, she has nothing to lose. The gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and damp earth, while the morning sun filtered through the leaves of the forest. It was a day like any other in my childhood, and I found myself on the banks of the river that wound through the trees. The river, a trickle of crystal-clear water that ran with a constant murmur, was my playground. Its banks were covered in soft, green grass, where I played hide-and-seek with my friends. The trees, tall and imposing, formed a verdant canopy that protected us from the scorching sun. She begins to remember a place from her childhood The forest was a magical labyrinth, full of mysteries and adventures. Each tree had a story to tell, each trunk a different texture, each leaf a unique color. In its branches, birds sang enchanting melodies, and on the ground, squirrels hopped among the roots. I spent hours exploring the forest, imagining stories and creating magical worlds. The trees turned into sleeping giants, the rivers into chocolate rivers and the rocks into fairy tale characters. That place was my refuge, my paradise. A place where my imagination flew free, where time stood still and life was simple and pure. A place that I will carry forever in my heart, like a memory of my happy childhood. She feels a mind observing everything along with her. Then she hears the creature''s voice. "Great! Well done, Sybil! Sriltos, Sriltos seek all of Sybil''s servants." As soon as everyone arrives I order everyone to touch my outstretched arms. Then a powerful magic being summoned and in a flash of light she is in the clearing near the river of her hometown, Famir, and by her side are the monster and his companions. "I may be a monster, Sybil, but I am the monster who freed you and brought you home. Before we part, I would like to ask you a favor. Think of a good place to arrive in the capital of your empire." Says the monster with a canine-toothed grin. Still disoriented, she thinks of a mule stop 1 hour from the entrance to the capital of the empire. The monster extends his hand and a ball of dirt rises from the ground and a gesture once again powerful magic makes a stone the size of an apple and the same color appear. "For your troubles." Soon after, the two disappear. I, 4 serpent people, my servants and a ruby, ??were left standing there not knowing what to do. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± And soon after, she thinks: What have I done? VIII- Hero Group Meanwhile, across the continent of Zeisibar, a quest queue message appears to several people, calling on them to find the chosen ones and help them face the threat of the true core.
# Alert! Urgent Mission! #
**The threat of the True Core draws near!** **Adventurers, explorers, and warriors from all lands!** An urgent call resounds from every corner! The True Core, needs to be destroyedt! Corruption threatens to destroy everything we know. **You have been selected among those who accepted the quest "DESTROY THE TRUE CORE"** 1st **Find the Chosen!** They hide among us, their identities and locations unknown. 2nd **Guide them to the True Core!** Targets: Kawada and Maeda - THE HEROES 2.1: Requires a quest stone. 2.2: Quest Stone bearer: Talay Empire - Sky City, Ermina Cholmondeley, Female Human Arch-Mage of the White Tower 3rd **Help them destroy/***contain*** the Core!** Only together can the Chosen and their allies purify the corruption and save the world. **Time is short! Help us find the Chosen and stop the threat of the True Core!** **Help us save our world!** **Your journey begins here!** SYSTEM GENERATED GROUP Kithri Wildheart, Female Halfling Bard 16 Lawful Good STR: 6 (-2) DEX:16 (+3) CON:13 (+1) INT:14 (+2) WIS:13 (+1) CHA:17 (+3) Furr Umbyrphrael, Male Dragonborn Fighter 16 Chaotic Good STR: 16 (+3) DEX:16 (+3) CON:16 (+3) INT:14 (+2) WIS:13 (+1) CHA:8 (-1) Naeris Berevan, Male Half-Elf Monk 15 Chaotic Good STR: 12 (+1) DEX:16 (+3) CON:14 (+2) INT:14 (+2) WIS:17 (+3) CHA:17 (+3) Vilberg, Male Orc Ranger 15 Lawful Good STR: 16 (+3) DEX:16 (+3) CON:16 (+1) INT:14 (+2) WIS:16 (+3) CHA:9 (-1) Tree Fang, Female Human a Paladin 16 Lawful Good STR: 14 (+2) DEX:16 (+3) CON:13 (+1) INT:14 (+2) WIS:18 (+4) CHA:17 (+3) Philomena Stoutbridge, Female human Sorcerer 15 Chaotic Good STR: 12 (+1) DEX:16 (+3) CON:12 (+3) INT:16 (+2) WIS:16 (+3) CHA:16 (+0)
The tavern, located inside the Sky City branch adventurers'' guild, named "The Sleeping Bear", was bustling with life. The smell of beer and roast meat hung in the air, mixed with the sound of laughter, songs and lively conversations. At a round table, away from the hubbub, six figures, strangers to each other, met. In the center of the table, a mug of beer, almost untouched, reflected the light of the magic candles that illuminated the scene. To the right, a tall and thin but athletic orc, with a cracked felt hat and a worn cloak, watched the tavern with an attentive gaze. His calloused and bony fingers played with a dagger adorned with a shining ruby. It was Vilberg, the Hunter, known for his ability to move in the shadows of the woods and for his quick fingers that pulled arrows with deadly aim. Beside him, a stern-faced woman with black hair and piercing eyes bent over a scribbled map. Tree Fang, the paladin, wore worn but impeccably maintained plate armor. Her sword, its blade adorned with an ancient rune, rested at her side, ready for battle. Across from Tree Fang, a halfling, smiling broadly, stretched in her chair. Kithri Wildheart was known for his songs and his sharp, sarcastic tongue, capable of making or breaking anyone''s fame. Across the table, an ethereally beautiful elf with long, golden hair and piercing blue eyes watched the others thoughtfully. Naeris Berevan was a master archer, capable of hitting a target from miles away with a well-aimed arrow. Across from Naeris Berevan, a rough-looking dragonborn with a scarred face and a piercing gaze, gnawed on a piece of dry bread. Furr was a bounty hunter, known for his ability to track and eliminate the most dangerous creatures and his skills with various weapons. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. And finally, sitting next to Naeris, the frail-looking sorceress, with a long white braid in the middle of her thick brown hair and eyes that shone with a strange light, he was studying a book of spells. Philomena Stoutbridge, the Spirit Enchanter, was a powerful sorceress, capable of controlling the elements and summoning ancestral spirits. The six adventurers, each with their own story and their own secrets, met for the first time at a tavern table, united by a call from the Gods. As soon as the tavern wench leaves the steaming dishes on the table, brings more mugs of ale, glasses of wine and leaves, Fang takes a sip of her wine. ¡°Some of you I know.¡± She He waves to Kithri and Philomena and others. I''ve only heard about the fame. Everyone was summoned by these strange blue messages." Everyone confirms, but in silence. "Now this new message has appeared telling us to find these "HEROES", using a magic stone that is in the possession of the Archmage of the White Tower. Do any of you know her personally?" Kithri "I only saw her briefly during one of Duke Gwilhermig Le Coadou''s famous parties. She is known for being the most diplomatic of the Tower leaders and acting as the glue that keeps the towers working together without too many frictions. From the rumors I gathered on the way here, it really was an event that affected the entire continent of Zeisibar and affected both commoners and nobility. The empire is in trouble. Many important people have died and the populace blames the Emperor for having offended the Gods in some way. They even say that the royal family was also affected. Rumors that arose after the disappearance of Prince Karaghe the Dragon Slayer. We can try the official way, but I think it will take a while, because the Towers were also hit by the plague and the 2 Tower leaders went on an urgent expedition to Xok''al. But I found out something, the Archmage of the White Tower has tea every 8th day of the week with some of her special students. We can meet her there.¡± Philomena Stoutbridge ¡°You intend to suddenly introduce yourself to an Archmage of the Empire? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Does anyone have a better idea?¡± Kithri asks with a more straight face while playing with dice in her hand. ¡°Let''s do it both ways, I''ll send a request for an interview with Archmage through the legal channels and you, Kithri, control your tongue.¡± Kithri gives a smile that''s faker than an honest goblin. ¡°Vilberg, go with her, Philomena, look in the library for something about the HEROES or about this True Core¡± Fang continues "Furr and Naeris prepare an expedition, mules, supplies, those things. We''ll meet here for dinner. Now let''s eat because I''m hungry." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The relentless midday suns, one blue and its younger brother white, bathed the Green Heart forest, painting the emerald leaves with vibrant hues. A humid and fragrant air of pine and damp earth hung in the air, carried by the melodious song of exotic birds. Two bodies, slender and beautiful, lay on the soft bed of dry leaves and moss. The white, almost translucent skin shone under the sunlight that filtered through the treetops, while the other elf''s skin was black as ebony. Both their hair, long and silvery like the moon, spread over the grass. They were two True Elves, one of the Moon and one of the Sun, recently arrived in Zeisibar, an unknown continent, through a magical portal. The first to open his eyes, a man of classical beauty, with delicate features and an intense blue gaze, was Kawada. He sat up, stunned, and put his hand to his face, feeling the cold wind on his skin. Confusion was reflected in his eyes, as he observed the forest around him, a sea of ??green that stretched as far as the eye could see. Beside him, Maeda, a woman of breathtaking beauty, with eyes as green as the surrounding forest and a smile that lit up the forest, was slowly waking up. She stretched, revealing a slender and graceful body, and took a deep breath, feeling the scent of the forest in her lungs. They were both naked, the clothes they had been wearing before, their school uniform, were gone. The situation was unusual, disconcerting. Maeda, with the elegance she had never had, stood up and looked at Kawada, with an astonished look. ¡°Kawada?¡± In response, Kawada looked at his sister with the same expression. ¡°Maeda?¡± Then they both realized they were naked and found themselves covering their private parts. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve arrived at an¡­interesting place,¡± she said, her voice melodious and soft as a bird¡¯s song. She let out a small cry. ¡°My voice!!!¡± Kawada, still dazed, nodded, his eyes scanning the forest. ¡°Zeisibar,¡± he murmured, the words echoing in his mind. ¡°The main continent.¡± Maeda frowned, his eyes shining with curiosity. ¡°And what will we do, Kawada?¡± He stood up, his back to Maeda, looking at the forest with determination. ¡°Clothes, food, and civilization.¡±
Kill 5 goblins Reward: Status Display Skills Classe: nietzschean
Maeda stands up and approaches his brother, ¡°Goblins? What goblins?¡± At that, five grotesque, big-nosed ¡°children¡± come running out from behind a thick tree, screaming, four of them with pieces of wood in their hands and one with a rusty knife with a broken tip. The first of them swings his wooden stick but misses by a hand¡¯s width. Kawada jumps back in reflex and stretches his hands forward in defense. Something then flies out of his hands toward the goblin, a fire arrow hits the middle of the goblin¡¯s chest and in a flash the goblin falls to the ground. His sister does the same reflex action and another fire arrow comes out of her hands, which also hits the second goblin in the chest, but it keeps coming. They are attacked from all sides, he and his sister dodge the blows with a superhuman agility that they never had, the two of them were always the type to be the last to be chosen in group games. But the goblin last attack hits Kawada, a blow to the leg. The two continue to dodge and launch fire arrows at the goblins and luckily they hit the one that was already injured and with 2 more accurate shots to the chest he also falls. Kawada is brought back to reality when he takes another blow, this time in the back. He turns on reflex and fires a point-blank arrow at the goblin that hit him, his sister accompanies him, but this goblin is stronger than the ones they have already killed. The goblin, overcome by hatred, hits Kawada''s knee, who feels that something has broken and begins to limp. The goblins "smell" of a wounded animal and focus their attacks on Kawada. The brothers continue to focus on the same goblin and with their efforts he also falls. 2 against 2. Kawada thinks. In response he hears his sister. "DIE." The blunt knife goblin hits Kawada twice, but the blunt knife only leaves a deep scratch, but no serious damage. The two focus on the last goblin with the club, who takes 2 arrows to the chest and dies. The goblin with the knife turns and runs away. But 2 arrows hit him in the back and open a smoking black hole. Kawada falls to the ground, shaking with pain and fear. He has never fought in his life, nor has he ever killed a fish while fishing. His sister looks at her hands and starts to cry.
Survival of the fittest
Class: Nietzschean (new) Reward: Feats Improved Initiative (new), ride +10 (new), Eat Anything (new)
The blue screen lasts 6 seconds and disappears. Kawada ¡°Did you see that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maeda replies. Kawada limps and picks up one of the pieces of wood that fell on the ground and pokes the bodies of the goblins. ¡°I think they¡¯re dead.¡± Maeda approaches but soon turns his back and vomits, only bile comes out of his empty stomach. Kawada covers his nose, the goblins stink of rotten and dead things, he searches the bodies and gathering the goblins'' rags he manages to make a loincloth for himself and his sister and a sash to cover his sister''s breasts. Maeda ¡°I''m not going to wear that, it''s rotten!¡± ¡°It''s either that or get naked!¡± ¡°HHHHUUUUURRRGGGHHH!!!¡± She puts on the pieces while her brother turns around. "And now what are we going to do?" In that moment a narrow path between the trees lined with immaculate white flowers, which emanated a sweet and intoxicating aroma that began to open like a call. The path, leads to a small stream with crystal clear water, which shone like diamonds under the suns that peeked through the treetops. Suddenly, a little blue bird, with feathers as bright as sapphires, landed on the tip of a nearby branch. He sang a soft, melodious tune that echoed through the forest. The brothers felt comforted by the music and the beauty of the path, and realized that they were being guided. Hours later, after a painful walk, they reached a small village. Kawada, "Let''s watch carefully to see if it''s not dangerous." Maeda, "The blue bird guided us here, Grandpa said we were sent here as Heroes and Saviors of this world. I''m tired, dirty, smelly and hungry." He leaves towards the open field that leads to the small village. "Damn it, Maeda, wait for me." Kawada continues limping. IX- 3rd Day The smell of charcoal smoke and fried fish hung in the air, mingling with the sweet scent of jasmine flowers that adorned the windows of the houses. Three figures walked through the streets of Lundine, capital of the Talay Empire, their steps firm and determined, despite the hubbub of the city. Crixus, a tall, thin man with a felt hat muffling his long, black hair like vulture feathers, watched everything with attentive eyes. He wore a traveler''s outfit made of raw cotton, leather boots and gloves, and a worn leather backpack. Hethress, with a penetrating gaze hidden under the hood of her heavy cloak, walked beside and slightly behind Crixus with a wooden staff in her hand, ready to face any threat. Hiutotiaco, on the other side of Crixus, observed the shops curiously, his fingers playing with a small dagger that he carried at his waist. The crowd squeezed through the narrow streets, street vendors shouted their wares, horse-drawn carriages crossed the path, forcing the adventurers to dodge nimbly. Crixus, with his shrewd gaze, diverted the curious glances that were fixed on his companions, due to their unusual clothing and the crystal floating at her side. She wore long pants and a jacket, both made of leather, which allowed her to move more freely. Hiutotiaco, with his taciturn spirit, kept the crowd away with his mere presence, observing the people, the customs and the news of the city. He was the calmest of the group, always ready for any adversity. The three ¡°adventurers¡±, each with their own skills and personalities, continued on. ¡°It¡¯s a bigger city than I imagined, it reminds me a lot of Victorian style, the city is also cleaner than I expected.¡± ¡°Indeed, my husband, this city is much larger than the capital Rashakn, so many beings together, so many races that I have never seen, in addition to those immense flying boats that we saw when we arrived, this must be a very powerful empire. But what are we doing here?¡± ¡°Curiosity is the main reason, the second is to learn more about the quest that the Lich spoke about, third, I can travel the world in the blink of an eye, so why not do it? But now I want to find a good inn, drink some good wine and get to know the city before returning to the village.¡± We then arrive at a square and see a group of people gathered around something. The crowd is already dispersing and, according to rumors, they are two thieves who were caught by the mob. But when I get to the reason for the crowd, I see that the two thieves are actually two children, a boy of 10-12 years old, his body broken and his skull open, next to him is a girl of about 5-7 years old, all broken.
Sensory Amplifier
School divination [mind-affecting]; Level druid 4, medium 2, mesmerist 3, psychic 3, witch 3 CASTING Casting Time 1 standard action Components S EFFECT Range personal Area 3m.-radius emanation centered on you Duration 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes DESCRIPTION You open the minds of all creatures near you and enhance their sensory receptors. All living creatures other than you in the area gain a +5 bonus on Perception checks. Sighted creatures gain low-light vision, and creatures with a sense of smell gain scent. In addition, the first time each round that a creature in the area takes damage, it takes an additional 2d6 points of damage of the same type. Despite being within the area, the caster does not take this extra damage. Psi Power Slot 3: 5/5=>/4/5
Using the magic suggested by Jeannie, I see that the boy has already died but the girl is still alive, but only for a short time. I don''t know what they stole, but being beaten drives me crazy, I want to kill the whole square. I take three deep breaths and approach the children, kneel down and touch their arm. ¡°HEAL¡±
Heal
School conjuration (healing); Level alchemist 6, cleric/oracle 6, druid 7, inquisitor 6, shaman 7, witch 7; Domain healing 6; Mystery life 6 CASTING Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S EFFECT Range touch Target creature touched Duration instantaneous Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless) DESCRIPTION Heal enables you to channel positive energy into a creature to wipe away injury and afflictions. It immediately ends any and all of the following adverse conditions affecting the target: ability damage, blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insanity, nauseated, poisoned, sickened, and stunned. It also cures 10 hit points of damage per level of the caster, to a maximum of 150 points at 15th level. Heal does not remove negative levels or restore permanently drained ability score points. If used against an undead creature, heal instead acts like harm. Spell-Like Abilities as 31Th Psychic: 1/Day =>0/1
Magic shines through the girl''s body and in the blink of an eye she is intact and healthy like never before, her clothes are still torn and stained with blood, but even her scars have disappeared. She wakes up and looks at me scared. "AAAAHHHHH!" "Calm down, it''s okay, everything will be okay." And I conjure:
Charm Person
School enchantment (charm) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 1, psychic 1, shaman 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1; Domain charm 1; Subdomain slavery 1; Elemental School wood 1; Mystery intrigue 1 CASTING Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S EFFECT Range close (10m. + 1,5m./2 levels) Target one humanoid creature Duration 1 hour/level Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.DESCRIPTION This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target¡¯s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw. The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn¡¯t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person¡¯s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming. Psi Power Slot 1: 7/7=> 6/7
And in an instant she calms down. She immediately says, ¡°My brother?¡± and then she sees her brother¡¯s destroyed body. I repeat, ¡°Calm down, it¡¯s okay, everything will be fine. Your brother will be fine. Hiutotiaco, take the girl and take her to the next street to the north.¡± Looking at the girl, I say, ¡°Go with your aunt, I¡¯ll be there soon with your brother, I promise.¡± Hiutotiaco, snorts when called aunt. ¡°Do you promise?¡± The girl looks at me with eyes that are already red and swollen from crying. ¡°Yes.¡± I nod. Hiutotiaco picks up the girl and leaves. Many eyes follow her and many others now focus on me and in the scene that begins to unfold in the square.
True Resurrection
School conjuration (healing); Level cleric/oracle 9; Subdomain resurrection 9; Mystery life 9 CASTING Casting Time 1 minute Components V, S, M, DF (diamond worth 25,000 gp) DESCRIPTION This spell functions like raise dead, except that you can resurrect a creature that has been dead for as long as 10 years per caster level. This spell can even bring back creatures whose bodies have been destroyed, provided that you unambiguously identify the deceased in some fashion (reciting the deceased¡¯s time and place of birth or death is the most common method). Upon completion of the spell, the creature is immediately restored to full hit points, vigor, and health, with no negative levels (or loss of* Constitution points) and all of the prepared spells possessed by the creature when it died. You can revive someone killed by a death effect or someone who has been turned into an undead creature and then destroyed. This spell can also resurrect elementals or outsiders, but it can¡¯t resurrect constructs or undead creatures. Even true resurrection can¡¯t restore to life a creature who has died of old age. Spell-Like Abilities as 31Th Psychic: 1/Day =>0/1
As soon as the magic ends, the boy wakes up intact. To avoid unnecessary commotion, I use Charm Person on the boy. ¡°Hello. It¡¯s okay, your sister is fine, everything will be fine.¡± The boy looks at me with wide eyes but remains calm due to the magic. I help him get up. ¡°Master, armed people are approaching from the other end of the square.¡± Jeannie says. I glance over and see 5 people in gray clothes, tabards in the colors of the Empire, armed with batons and long knives at their waists. I pick up the boy and run away, Hethress by my side, we run towards Hiutotiaco.
Invisibility Sphere
School illusion (glamer);Level bard 3, mesmerist 3, occultist 3, psychic 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, unchained summoner 3 CASTING Components: V, S, M EFFECT Area 3m.-radius emanation around the creature DESCRIPTION This spell functions like invisibility, except that this spell confers invisibility upon all creatures within 10 feet of the recipient at the time the spell is cast. The center of the effect is mobile with the recipient. Those affected by this spell can see each other and themselves as if unaffected by the spell. Any affected creature moving out of the area becomes visible, but creatures moving into the area after the spell is cast do not become invisible. Affected creatures (other than the recipient) who attack negate the invisibility only for themselves. If the spell recipient attacks, the invisibility sphere ends. Psi Power Slot 3: 4/5=> 3/5
The guards are surprised and taking advantage of the confusion we run through the crowded streets, a few blocks later we stop, after losing the guards. ¡°I think we escaped.¡± I undo the spell. ¡°My lord, why did you save those thieves?¡± Hethress says between gasps of air after running through the streets. ¡°Hethress, they are children, even if they did something wrong they do not deserve to be beaten to death for it. They are children.¡± I see that the concept hits a wall. After all, the idea of ??childhood, it seems, in this world, has not yet developed, children are treated like adults. ¡°Hethress, I hate people who mistreat children, simple as that.¡± ¡°I understand, my lord.¡± I turn to the children. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± The girl just nods and the boy says a simple ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know any good place to eat around here?¡± ¡°The Sleepy Dog Inn has the best beer and meat pie in the neighborhood,¡± the boy says with a vacant look, probably already thinking about the food. This is reinforced by the growling of the girl¡¯s stomach, who, embarrassed, hides her face in Hiutotiaco¡¯s chest. ¡°Very well, let¡¯s go there then.¡± Halfway there, he stops to buy 2 travel capes to cover the children¡¯s bloody clothes. The faded wooden sign, with the gold letters almost faded, announced: ¡°The Sleepy Dog Inn¡±. Above the sign, a crudely carved figure of a sleeping dog, with its tongue hanging out, seemed to watch the travelers with a sleepy look. The solid wooden door, with rusty hinges, creaked when opened, revealing a cozy and welcoming interior. The smell of beer and home-cooked food hung in the air, mingling with the aroma of oak wood and smoke from the fireplace. The main dining room was spacious and lit by wrought-iron chandeliers that cast dancing shadows on the brick walls. Solid wooden tables with worn, unupholstered wooden benches were arranged around the dining room, which contained 5 wooden tables with 4 chairs each, some occupied by weary travelers, others by locals enjoying their pints of beer. At the dark wooden counter, a burly man with a gray beard and piercing brown eyes served the customers with a welcoming smile. He was the inn''s owner, Thomas "Big Tom" Higgins, a man known for his generosity and for his fishing stories, which entertained the regulars. On the floor, a spotted dog slept lazily in a corner, justifying the inn''s name. Above the fireplace, a crudely painted painting depicted a sleeping dog, with a look of peace and serenity that seemed to convey the relaxing atmosphere of the place. The Sleepy Dog Inn was a haven for weary travelers, a place where stories flowed with beer, and where life seemed to move at a slower pace, like the peaceful slumber of the dog that inspired it. Big Tom looks at the newcomers and asks with a certain air of concern. ¡°Jiakel, Solen, who are your friends?¡± ¡°Uncle, the men beat us up and when we woke up these uncles, they were with us. The handsome uncle did magic and fixed Ji¡¯s head, then we ran away from the guards.¡± The girl says very quickly and with an air of someone who was on a roller coaster. Big Tom looks at the girl and us with a piercing gaze. We head to an empty table while Big Tom finishes serving his customers at the counter and approaches the table. ¡°Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. What are you going to order?¡± He looks with some curiosity at Hiutotiaco and Hethress as they lower their hoods behind their heads. ¡°A jug of your best wine and your best beer, a jug of milk for the children and the dish of the day for everyone." ¡°I want fried bacon and egg!¡± Solen says, who apparently has already forgotten the whole event. I look at Jiakel. ¡°Do you want some too?¡± ¡°I want wine too!¡± He says with hungry eyes. I laugh and say, ¡°Milk.¡± Big Tom turns around but first looks at the girl¡¯s bloody clothes and the sword that Hiutotiaco has leaned against the table, shakes his head and leaves. ¡°While we wait for the food, let¡¯s get to know each other? My name is Crixus, this is Hethress, my wife and Hiutotiaco.¡± Solen, the least shy of the siblings, says, ¡°I¡¯m Solen and this is my big brother Ji.¡± Jiakel, who was about to speak, looks angrily at the girl, and then looks at me. ¡°Uncle, who are you guys, and what happened? I only remember people beating me, then I fell to the ground and when I woke up, everything was gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re tourists. As for what happened, it seems that you were caught by a mob and they hurt you badly. My companions and I arrived after everything was almost over and saw you both injured. So I healed you both.¡± ¡°Ji, your head looked like a split watermelon.¡± Solen starts to sob. ¡°Uncle did some powerful magic and in an instant you were fine.¡± Jiakel looks at me with wide eyes. ¡°Uncle, I don¡¯t have any money, I can¡¯t pay.¡± The boy looks at his brother¡¯s and exit door. I don¡¯t even need to read his thoughts to know that he¡¯s thinking about running away. Powerful magic isn¡¯t cheap and they¡¯re practically street children. He thinks about slave traders and magicians who make sacrifices. I bring him back to reality. ¡°Of course you do. See, like I said, we¡¯re tourists, and you and your sister seem to know the city well. So, you¡¯re going to pay me for the magic by being my guides. But of course, before that, we have to feed you and change your clothes. My servants can¡¯t look so dirty and hungry.¡± ¡°Will you give us food and clothes while we work for you?¡± Jiakel asks with a suspicious look. ¡°Yes, where do you live?¡± ¡°In the alley of the knife, the white brick orphanage.¡± ¡°You are orphans then.¡± ¡°Our mother died last winter, winter fever, my father died in the war and my sister¡¯s father never came back.¡± A short time later the food arrives, brought by 3 girls from the inn, all 3 of them look at me eagerly, and I hear a low growl coming from Hethress. We eat and drink, and I confirm, normal food has no taste of anything. Shit, I will never taste pizza or brigadeiro** again. FFFFFRRRRRAAAAAKKKKK! Jiakel asks, "Uncle, what are tourists?" X- 4th Day The day in Lundine was productive, I visited the brothers'' orphanage, which was in terrible condition, I immediately offered myself as a patron, providing resources, I hired a supply of food, instructors and guards for security. They will be my future servants, trained from the earliest childhood to follow my orders and considering the conditions of this world, what I will give in return is almost a paradise for them, after all I have a practically infinite source of income, the magics, Wish and Fabricate, which can transform raw ore into sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds. I hired a lawyer to handle my business in the capital, I rented a "holiday home" in the merchants'' sector, along with employees to take care of the house. I think I will spend the weekends in the capital, although the serpent people do not have this concept and I do not know if the Empire does. Today I went to see the Formic queen in the Formihill in the middle of the village and I was surprised to learn that the relationship between the snake people and the Formic is more utilitarian than slavery. The formic provide hard work and defense, and the snake people provide goods, magic, and products that the ants do not have access to. The formic queen is a magnificent creature, but she looks more like a termite queen, with a small, human-sized body with a long, pulsating, whitish part over 6m long and 1m in diameter. She is always surrounded by soldier formic of the caste, the size of tigers, and another immense number of workers, giant black formic the size of Dorbermanns. I immediately won the queen''s ¡°love¡± by giving her a giant sugar cube. I think that when I give her chocolate, she will propose to me. Maybe... Today is the day of the meeting with the Lich. I have big plans for ¡°her.¡± We were in the great hall preparing to meet with Lich, me, Hiutotiaco, Hethress and Sriltos. The village is calm, but in the calm before the storm style, we have to solve the problem of the mantis, the undead and then prepare to face this quest against me. People still move away from me when I decide to walk through the streets of the village, and the servants are walking on eggshells when I''m around. Some things only time can solve, unfortunately. As soon as night fell, we teleported; me, Hiutotiaco, Hethress, Sriltos and the 2 Death Knights. When we get there, on the small island in the middle of the river, the Lich is already waiting for us. At night, the forest of Valley of Shadows reminds me a lot of a movie with blue people that I watched in my past life, but I don''t remember the name. "True Core." Meikosil says as soon as I appear. ¡°FREEZE!¡± That''s my answer. I enter the Lich''s mind and see surprise and fear, 2 things he hadn''t felt in centuries. Supposedly, the undead are immune to compulsion and mental enchantments, but my ability:
Will of the Dead (Su)
Even undead creatures can be affected by the psychic¡¯s mind-affecting spells. The psychic can spend 2 points from her phrenic pool to overcome an undead creature¡¯s immunity to mind-affecting effects for the purposes of the linked spell. This ability functions even on mindless undead, but has no effect on creatures that aren¡¯t undead. This amplification can be linked only to spells that have the mind-affecting descriptor.
This skill can break this immunity. Using my telepathy, I see that Hethress was right. The Lich would betray me, eventually. ¡°Meikosil, as you yourself knew, not even the dead are immune to my power. I know you would betray me eventually, but don¡¯t be upset. It never crossed my mind to ally with you. See, I have a serious problem trusting people. Something tells me it¡¯s a trauma from my past life. But now I no longer have that problem, because my loved ones are now irremediably loyal to me, forever. Yes, you can be useful to me, but not as an ally, because allies can betray you. You will be just another one of my loyal servants. But you will be a special servant, because I will test something on you for the first time. Feel honored by that, Meikosil.¡± ¡°I am a lich. I am indestructible. You cannot keep me for long. And even if you destroy this body, I will return!¡± His mind says this with a coldness and certainty that comes from centuries of existence. ¡°Watch, Meikosil.¡± I say with a smile from ear to ear. I approach the Lich''s paralyzed body and take his hand, and with a sudden movement I bite off his little finger and then swallow it.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 4/days before doing so again. Analise 100% Entidades cadastradas: 1 1-Meikosil, chaotic evil, male dark elf (undead augmented humanoid) Warlock 15 Copy; yes/no
¡°Yyyyeeeesss.¡± It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve copied someone while in humanoid form, besides being an undead, strange and uncomfortable, like when you stretch a muscle beyond its limit. My mouth stretches absurdly and the contractions begin and in a few seconds I vomit a copy of Meikosil, which falls at my feet, covered in slime, in its hands, a single fire opal stone, the size of a clenched fist, carved in the shape of a heart, its phylactery. But I want more, I want to know what my limits are. I release Meikosil from the Hold Monster and conjure:
Epic Resurrection
School conjuration (healing); Level cleric/oracle 10; Subdomain resurrection10; Mystery life10 CASTING Casting Time 1 minute Components V, S, M, DF (diamond worth 25,000 gp) Range touch Targets dead creature Duration instantaneous Saving Throw none; see text Spell Resistance yes (harmless) DESCRIPTION This spell functions like raise dead, except that you can resurrect a creature that has been dead for as long as 1000 years per caster level. This spell can even bring back creatures whose bodies have been destroyed, provided that you unambiguously identify the deceased in some fashion (reciting the deceased''s time and place of birth or death is the most common method). Upon completion of the spell, the creature is immediately restored to full hit points, vigor, and health, with no negative levels (or Constitution points) and all of the prepared spells possessed by the creature when it died. You can revive someone killed by a death effect or someone who has been turned into an undead creature and then destroyed. This spell can also resurrect elementals or outsiders, constructs or undead creatures. Epic resurrection can restore to life a creature who has died of old age. Instantly causes destruction to any undead(optional) , without saving. Psy Power slot 10: 4/4 =>3/4
Meikosil, ¡°What magic is this? Did you clone me? Are you trying to resurrect me? I am a lich, this is impossible!¡± Reading Meikosil¡¯s mind, I see that he is curious above all, as are everyone around me. Through the link, I say to my Meikosil, my dear, your form does not please me; I will give you a gift worthy of my second wife. My Meikosil also looks at me curiously while exchanging furious glances with his replica. 1 minute passes and the magic ends, with everyone present holding their breath. In a beam of golden light, Meikosil appears, as he was before performing the ritual to become a Lich, a beautiful specimen of an elf with long white hair down to his waist. Now comes the final test.
Reverse Gender
School transmutation (polymorph) Level Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard/Psy 3 Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S, M (a small mirror) Range close (10m. + 1,5m/2 levels) Area one creature Duration 1 hour/level Saving Throw Fortitude negates Spell Resistance yes (harmless) This spell reverses the gender of the target creature. This has no effect on the creature¡¯s ability scores, although it could deny a character access to gender specific prestige class abilities. It is most often used to allow a character to go where their original gender may not be allowed. Psy Power slot 10: 7/7 =>6/7
My Meikosil, ¡°Master¡­¡± I feel surprise, amazement, and admiration coming from everyone present. For the second time in a row I see the amazement in the mind of the original Meikosil. Now the finishing touch.
Permanency
School universal Level sorcerer/wizard 5, psychic 5 Casting Time 2 rounds Components V, S, M (see tables below) Range see text Targets see text Duration permanent; see text Saving Throw none Spell Resistance no This spell makes the duration of certain other spells permanent. Psy Power slot 10: 4/4 =>3/4
¡°Ha...haha...hahahahahaha¡± I can¡¯t help myself. This is going to be so much fun. ¡°Welcome, second wife.¡± I look at the now beautiful dark elf in front of me and hold out my hands. Deep in my brain I feel the wave of jealousy from Hethress. Well, she¡¯ll have to get used to it, because this is just the beginning. Meikosil, using telepathy, tells me as she touches my hand ¡°We have to destroy this impostor¡¯s phylactery, master, he can¡¯t continue to exist, he¡¯s an affront to my lord and husband and to me.¡± She nestles into my arms. I turn to Hethress. ¡°Wife, come.¡± And I call her into my arms through telepathy. Hiutotiaco, Sriltos and the 2 Death Knights, and I, we have one last matter to resolve here.¡± ¡°Lich, you have caused great suffering, an endless number of deaths and as you can see, your usefulness no longer exists.¡± With that, see in my Meikosil''s mind where the original phylactery is hidden and we teleport there. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are on a spiral staircase of gigantic proportions, made of stone. A column, also made of solid stone and seamless, with a diameter of 5m, supports stairs with a radius of 10m, with steps that are 50cm high. The vertical gap between the spirals of the staircase is also about 10m. Complete darkness reigns, which fortunately is not a problem, after all, we can all see in the dark. The environment is full of cobwebs, dust, and a few traces of footsteps marked in the dust. Everything smells of mold, old things, and stale air. We spend some time observing the environment. ¡°Meikosil, do me a favor, try using some magic.¡± Meanwhile, I change to my original form and with one of my squid tentacles, I pull a stone plate that is embedded in the nearby wall. There is our prize, the Lich''s phylactery. Meikosil uses Spectral Hand, and a flow of surprise, joy, and accomplishment emanates from her. She then looks at me with tears in her silver eyes. ¡°My lord, my magic has returned!¡± She''s having trouble dealing with the return of her emotions, centuries as a cold and genocidal undead and now all her emotions come back at once. Not that she''s not a genocidal anymore, but now she''s my genocidal, on a short and tight leash. "Of course, now you''re mine and as such, you''re perfect." A blatant lie, I have no idea why her magic came back, but it''s very easy to lie when you don''t have a face to give away your emotions. Better to keep up the facade of "the one who can do anything"! I feel the admiration of my small audience. Using Spectral Hand, she pulls the phylactery from the alcove, a fire opal stone, the size of a clenched fist, identical to the one she holds in her left hand. She then undoes the protections that existed over the phylactery and using Spectral Hand she offers me the original heart. Truly a gesture full of meaning. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.I take it with the tentacle. And with all my strength I throw it at the wall where it explodes into thousands of pieces. ¡°Now the impostor can no longer be reborn, his soul was scattered and sent beyond the veil, without powers, allies or items, hunted and hated by all, it is only a matter of time until he is ultimately destroyed.¡± Say Meikosil as he looks at the destroyed pieces of the phylactery. Hethress ¡°My husband.¡± She speaks with an accent of possessiveness. ¡°Even if he is stripped of everything, a Lich is a dangerous creature to be left loose.¡± Hiutotiaco ¡°My lord, I agree, it is reckless to leave loose ends, your enemies must be completely eliminated, please Grant me the honor of destroying this creature.¡± She places a hand on her sword and looks at me with anxious eyes. Meikosil ¡°My husband.¡± She looks at Hethress with a cold gaze, then looks at me again, still naked and I must say that her female version pleases me a lot. ¡°I know exactly what the vile creature will do, grant me the 2 Death Knights and with the support of Hiutotiaco we will put an end to this nuisance.¡± I look at my 2 wives. ¡°Go.¡± Through the shared link, Meikosil asks Hiutotiaco to come closer and she calls the 2 D.K. soon after the 4 disappear. With a tentacle I pull Hethress towards me and she comes over still a little wary, ¡°1st wife, you will always be, but understand, I will have many wives as well as a legion of children, I want my wives to get along or at least be polite to each other, and using one of the tentacles with a mouth I pass my snake tongue over her neck and face, lightly and gently. Hethress''s skin shivers and she soon begins to project sexual desire. ¡°Not now my wife, first we have to finish this matter, and from what I see, Meikosil will not take long to return." Hethress takes a deep breath frustrated ¡°My husband, where are we?¡± ¡°In the ziggurat, precisely 60m below it, from what I saw in Meikosil¡¯s mind, the ziggurat is a necropolis and there are many levels of catacombs. This staircase connects two main catacombs, one is for the workers who built the ziggurat, the other, further down, is where kings and important people were buried. Meikosil had a project to create undead using the remains of powerful kings and warriors from the ancient empire of the fire giants that reigned here millennia ago. He did not yet have the necessary power to use the full potential of these mortal remains, but I do.¡± ¡°What are your plans, my husband?¡± I noticed that before she used my lord a lot and now she uses my husband. Female competition seems to be something that goes beyond racial issues and realities¡­ sinister. ¡°Meikosil¡¯s idea has its merits. The undead do not eat, they are not afraid, they are already dead, logistically they are material for a perfect army. But I refuse to surround myself with dead, rotting, stinking things, at least not any more than is necessary. The plan is to go to these remains and take them, and in time use them to create my army.¡± ¡°I hope they don¡¯t take too long, I don¡¯t like this place.¡± Hethress says, and a shiver runs through her body. She sits down and we wait. A short time later they return. ¡°Problem solved. We found the Lich halfway to his hiding place, he was down, probably from the shock of losing his soul.¡± Hiutotiaco says. ¡°My husband, can we continue now?¡± My second wife asks, now dressed in the rags that the other Meikosil wore. We start going down the stairs, passing through the entrance to the 1st catacomb. ¡°At the beginning when I searched these catacombs I found many treasures, but I left most of them here, now with your power, my husband, they can be easily collected.¡± ¡°Gold, jewels, they are not a problem Meikosil, but there is never too much, we will return to this another time.¡± I say as I think of another task to do. We go down deeper, now we must be about 100m below the ground. Until the staircase opens, and a vast environment, a fully worked cavern, the ceiling of the cavern up to the step that touches the ground, must be more than 30m high, the darkness is total and our vision in the dark only allows us to see a small portion of the royal catacomb. ¡°The royal necropolis is 500m wide by 650m long, it is divided into 4 sectors; Royal Sector, Priestly Sector, Warrior Sector and Noble Sector. In the royal sector is the tomb of King Velbog IV and Queen Ingath the Thunderer. King Velbog was an exemplary warrior and a cunning military leader, his wife was a sorcerer specialized in thunder and lightning magic, both were betrayed, poisoned and then murdered by their eldest son, Celzar I. Both would be great acquisitions for your army, my husband. In the priestly sector is the tomb of His Holiness Patriarch Akaos, in the warrior sector are the tombs of the 4 cardinal lords, the greatest heroes among the fire giants, and in the noble sector there are many treasures defended by ancient traps against looters.¡± He explains as he points to each sector. ¡°Royal tombs always have protections and curses, my husband.¡± Hethress says, with concern. ¡°The curses have weakened over the millennia, as for the magical protections, only 4 Force Adamantine Golems remain, defending the royal tombs.¡± She says with a voice that fades away. Hiutotiaco chokes, ¡°4 Force Adamantine Golem, I don¡¯t even know what that is, but a golem is already a bad thing in itself and Adamantine is the metal of legends.¡± I didn¡¯t even know that serpents turned pale and I feel her fear through the link Sriltos ¡°Goddess Hylasis, protect your servants and give strength to your Champion.¡± He begins to repeat this like a mantra while holding a pendant shaped like the Goddess. ¡°Jeannie, any suggestions?¡± ¡°All golems are immune to magic, they are anathema to reality benders, each golem is weak to a specific type of magic, Force Adamantine Golem: Transmute metal to wood slows an adamantine golem for 1d4 rounds, during which time its damage reduction is reduced to 15/adamantine (no save). Your best chance would be to cast 4 Sovereign Dragon Knight, even then it will be a difficult battle.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try and see what happens. Take us to the vicinity, Meikosil.¡± We continued through the Necropolis, the thin and dry air at the entrance to the necropolis carried a smell of forgotten and forbidden things, of something indefinable, as if death itself emanated a peculiar perfume, sweet and sickening. The immense stone stele, carved with the image of a fire giant holding a smoking heart, stands in the center of a square where the staircase ended. As I crossed the square, darkness was ever present and the silence was only broken by our steps. The path, carved into the rock, led me through several streets, leading to an underground labyrinth that stretched for kilometers of streets, avenues and alleys, a tomb worthy of a civilization of fire giants. The walls of the mausoleums and tombs were adorned with reliefs of imposing figures, with stone faces, obsidian eyes and bodies covered in embers. The fire giants, with their obsidian axes and shields of solidified magma, seemed to eternally watch over the necropolis, their colors intact, as if they had been painted yesterday. Stone burial chambers, with high, vaulted ceilings, housed the remains of the giants. The sarcophagi, carved from volcanic rock, were decorated with hieroglyphics that told the stories of their lives and achievements. In each sarcophagus, a magical brazier burned eternally, so that the flame of the fire giants would never be extinguished. At the heart of the necropolis, 2 semi-circular structures measuring 100m each, with a span of 30m at each opposite end and in the middle an Obelisk that touches the roof and on each side of the obelisk a black obsidian sarcophagus. The tombs of the King and Queen and next to each sarcophagus the 2 Golems each. The adamantine golems are an imposing vision of brute strength and unshakable resistance. Their skin, made of the nearly indestructible metal, has a silvery green sheen like steam rising from a lake in the moonlight, looking like smooth and impenetrable armor but carrying unimaginable strength. Their thick limbs, sculpted like the finest jewelry, end in hands with 3 strong and thick fingers. Their head is almost completely smooth, except for two incandescent red eyes that glow with a sinister energy. Theirs is a mixture of power and menace. Their presence commands respect and fear, even from dozens of meters away, and even the bravest of creatures feel small before their colossal strength. They look like mobile fortresses, standing almost 5 meters tall. Immune to weapons created by mortals and to almost all magic. Their brute strength is capable of destroying walls, lifting gigantic stones and crushing enemies with ease. Soulless machines. Created to fulfill a single task. ¡°My husband, as soon as we enter the square formed by the semi-circles, the golems attack, they use a devastating energy blast and have accurate aim. Every time I tried to enter, I was destroyed.¡± Meikosil says. ¡°Let''s find out how strong these golems are today.¡± And I begin to summon the Sovereign Dragon King.
School conjuration (summoning) [see text] Level Paladin 12, Cleric 12, Druid 12, Sorcerer/Wizard 12, Summoner 12, Witch 12 Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S, M (340.000gp) Range medium (30m + 3m/level) Area 1 summoned Adult Dragon Targets see text Duration 1 min/level (D) Saving Throw none; see text Spell Resistance no This spell summons an adult dragon. It appears where the character designates and acts immediately. It attacks the character¡¯s opponents to the best of its abilities (on the first round, it prefers to breathe fire on an enemy, if possible). The character can direct the dragon not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. Psy Power slot 12: 4/4 =>0/4
In a few seconds, 4 of them are in front of me, golden dragons, huge, wingless, with serpentine bodies, lion heads with an immense red mane, 4 antelope horns curved backwards and upwards. ¡°Go, destroy the golems!¡± I command with my 3 desynchronized voices. And with a roar they leave. One moment they are in front of me and the next they are attacking the golems. They focus their attacks on the king''s golem. They receive all the power of the dragons'' conical sonic breath weapon, the earth shakes, shards of the ground are thrown high and a crater opens as if a giant, invisible shovel dug the ground and threw everything in all directions, one of them is thrown away from his battle companion, who also suffers damage but not as much as the other who was thrown. The golems'' response is instantaneous, they move in response to the intruders, each step of the golems makes the earth tremble, a roar like when the earth trembles comes in a crescendo, it is a thunder that echoes for kilometers. Two pulses of pure energy impact, each one in a dragon, scales fly away and their flight paths are disrupted, and all of them, the dragons, move away from the square area flying as fast as if using teleportation, out of range of the pulse and howling with pain and indignation. The golems follow them with their heads. The dragons remain circling for some time outside the square, out of range of the pulse, while the golems regenerate the damage suffered in an alarming way. The one that suffered the focus of the attacks is still very damaged, its armor looks like it was dented by a giant rock, the other is almost new. Then the dragons return and focus their attacks on the weakest golem, which explodes into thousands of pieces and the other one falls all crumpled to the ground, the obelisk falls in the middle of the square and the sarcophagi are thrown around the square like cardboard boxes. It all lasted less than 1 minute. With my dozen eyes I see that everyone is as astonished as I am. I undo the spell. ¡°To the victor go the spoils.¡± I say this and float towards the damaged square. Right behind me comes my troupe. The sarcophagi are as huge as their occupants, but now they are thrown and scattered across the stone floor. I approach them and see several magical pieces, weapons, armor and many other objects. But my focus is on the real mummies. I swallow a finger from each one.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 4/days before doing so again. Analyze 100% Registered entities: 2 1-Velbog IV, Fire giant ranger 10 LE Large humanoid (fire, giant) 2- Ingath the Thunderer, Fire giant fighter 5/sorcerer 8 LE Large humanoid (fire, giant) Copy; --/--
¡°¡°I think that¡¯s great for today. We¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± I call everyone and we grab the magic items, and we instantly return to the Greater House. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The night was quiet, almost silent, only the crackling of the fireplace breaking the silence. The moons, 4 of them, peeked through the window, bathing the room in a soft and magical glow. The bed, adorned with white spider silk sheets, seemed inviting, but the tension in the air was palpable. Crixus sat in an armchair, with his new form, drawn from the deepest desires of Meikosil, the incarnation of the perfect dark elf male. Now Crixus had 2 humanoid forms to relate to other beings. Watching Meikosil with an intense gaze, who moved around the room with hesitant steps, her hands trembling. The expectation was a weight that they both carried, a weight that became more intense with each passing second. He stood and walked towards her, extending his hand. She took it, their fingers intertwined, and felt the warmth of his palm, the strength of his muscles. He led her to the huge, soft bed and they sat on the edge, side by side. The silence fell again, broken only by their rapid breathing. He looked at her, his silver, piercing eyes, he saw the fear, the insecurity, but also the hope, the promise of something new. He smiled, an eager but comforting smile, and she felt the lump in her throat melt away. Crixus pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms. His scent, created from her greatest desires, all revealed through the Link, wood, musk and spices, calmed her. He kissed her, a soft, lingering kiss, and felt the tension in her body dissolve. He removed her clothes and admired her body, slender, petite, and small breasts and hers, her black skin with a grayish tone, soft as silk, the silver hair between her legs. She hugged him and wrapped him in her thin, delicate arms, her hands as light as two butterflies, creating trails of fire on his back. He continued kissing her and moved down to her neck, taking some time to admire and caress her delicious breasts, then he went down to the grand prize. The moans he heard when he got there were exactly what he wanted to hear. The night was slow, full of discoveries, hesitant touches and passionate whispers. Intimacy, once an unknown territory, became a safe place, a space where they could surrender to each other without barriers. The moons, which had previously been a witness to tension, now bore witness to carnal awareness, the room filled with the sounds of pleasure and the aroma of sex and sweat. At dawn, they were lying together, embraced and happy. The first wedding night had passed, and with it the second wife had been claimed. The next night, it would be the two of them together. I can''t wait. XI - 5th Day A new day begins, during ¡°breakfast¡±, which consisted of fish and fruits, the basic diet of the serpent people, who did not eat grains, but planted them for consumption by the Formic and domesticated animals. Beside me, my 2 wives, both eating their meals with delicate and calm gestures, but inside one was very happy, dopamine levels through the roof, a little sore from the intense night, but very happy. To think that a living Lich would be the mommy-daddy type and sleep in a spoon. But vanilla being vanilla is always good. My first wife wasn''t very happy. But I had plans for this, a certain naughty magic that was given to me along with the whole package and now is a good time to test it. Now that I officially don''t eat normal food it doesn''t bring me any pleasure and it doesn''t satisfy my hunger either, I only drink wine or tea, to have something to do while the normal creatures eat. Lich has the flavor and texture of hardtack, just to clarify. ¡°Today we will do the following, Hiutotiaco and his D.K. will hunt down and destroy the remaining forces of the Lich''s forces, while Meikosil will descend into the necropolis and collect the remains of the patriarch Akaos. For this, I will provide him with 4 new D.K. Hethress and Sriltos will resolve administrative issues here in the village.¡± Meikosil, ¡°Husband, today when I woke up I realized that my patronus had changed, he had abandoned me and now the patronus is you, my husband.¡± ¡°Patronus, I understand the concept, but could you explain it to me better?¡± ¡°A spiritual patronus is a figure that represents a guide for a person, idea, concept or cause. In the case of warlocks, it is usually a demon or one of the Gods of the evil pantheon that serves as a master, guide or teacher. In my case it is a demon that was linked to death.¡± ¡°I understand, one thing I can assure you, my dear wife, I am not linked to death, quite the opposite, I am probably linked to life and creation, from what I have noticed so far.¡± ¡°Yes, husband, creation.¡± I see that the concept goes down squarely, but she tries as best she can to accept the concept. After all, now and above all, she is a Living Lich. Meikosil and Hiutotiaco talk about where the undead troops are likely to be then Hiutotiaco leaves to assemble his expedition. Soon after, Meikosil, Hethress and Sriltos follow me to an area where the bodies of the mantis that have not been processed are located. It is about 50m from the village. The smell of rotten flesh and the carrion animals already give away the area. When I get there, I choose 4 bodies and cast Create Greater Undead. From the remains, 4 D.K. Mantis emerge, and I place each one with a type of energy: fire, ice, electricity and acid. And with that my quota of undead created by me, is full. ¡°Now you will be under the orders of Meikosil, my wife.¡± The four fold the antennas on their heads and then go to Meikosil''s side. Meikosil, "Husband, thank you. I will return soon with what my lord husband asked for. See you tonight." She blushes and hides her face under her silver hair, "To me!" She calls the D.K. and teleports. As soon as she leaves, I take advantage and consume pieces of 10 different mantis.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait ? days before doing so again. Analise 100% Entidades cadastradas: 10 1-Phrahdrandon, Male Mantis Ranger 3 2-Mreksh, Male Mantis Ranger 3 3-Torinn Kimbatuul, Male Mantis Ranger 4 4-Nykkan Imbixtellrhyst, Male Mantis Ranger 4 5-Donaar Mohradyllion, Male Mantis Ranger 3 6-Tarhun Ophinshtalajiir, Male Mantis Ranger 5 7-Gargax Delmirev, Male Mantis Ranger 4 8-Quarethon Daardendrian, Male Mantis Ranger 3 9-Maagog Argenthrixus, Male Mantis Ranger 3 10-Adrex Vangdondalor, Male Mantis Ranger 3 Copy; --/--
Sriltos ¡°There are so many bodies that even if we collect many of them to use chitin, there are still many left over. They attract evil spirits and diseases, my lord. We must eliminate these bodies as quickly as possible." He says without hiding his disgust and pinching his nose so as not to smell the smell of death. The pile of rotting bodies is over 5m high and has a radius of 20m. It is full of rats, flies and other life forms that feed on the dead. Hethress ¡°Burying them would be a solution, but it could contaminate the soil and also be a focus for ghosts to breed or worse. Another solution would be to burn them, but a large amount of wood would be consumed and there would still be a risk of fire.¡± She makes her classic gesture when she is thinking. Something that I find increasingly cute. ¡°Jeannie, any suggestions?¡± I vocalize the question to my crystal. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Using the skill:
Animate/Awaken (Su)
13Lv-You can animate object/plant or awaken within 60m radius as a standard action. This functions as a Animate Objects/plant or aweken spell, with the following exceptions. Each day, you can animate a number of object/animal equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, and you can control up to one object/tree/animal at a time, plus an additional tree/animal at 15th level and every 2 levels thereafter. A tree remains animated for 10 minutes per level, or until dismissed by you or destroyed.
¡°Select large tree over 10m tall or more.¡± She finishes saying. ¡°Come, we have to find a large tree over 10m tall. Let¡¯s split up and come back here in 15 minutes.¡± The two bow and set off to find a tree that fits the skill¡¯s specifications. Hethress soon calls me, ¡°Husband, I found it!¡± I follow her to where she is, next to her is Sriltos. Through the link I learn that he was the one who found the tree, as a resident of the village and already knew how to find a tree like I wanted, but he passed the information on to Hethress. From Hethress¡¯ memories I know that They had a relationship before, for her, he was just something to ease the time, but for him, she is much more than that. When I get there, I see a huge tree, the size of a 30-story building, the monster, which I had already seen when I climbed the village walls, but I didn''t even remember, from the ground you can''t see it because of the dense forest and the eternal fog, but from the walls, it is visible when the rain decreases throughout the day. It''s a Ceiba pentandra, the natives call it "arbo patro" (father tree). I use the ability and soon the sound of cracking wood fills the forest, The birds fly away in fright and the tree transforms into a living tree, its leafy crown becoming its hair. Its gigantic roots come out of the ground and become its legs, and two of the thickest branches become its arms. The monster trembles and stretches like a wet cat. Hethress and Sriltos cling to me, panicked. The immense beast standing in all his immense and powerful height, looks at me and extends one of its huge hand, the size of a table for 6 people. I climb up and after a brief hesitation Hethress and Sriltos do the same. ¡°Take us to the nearby clearing. What is your name, tree?¡± ¡°I have no name, creator, but I would be very honored to receive one.¡± He says in his voice like the rustling of leaves. Hethress smiles at me, a smile of the most fanatical and unconditional love that did not hide her true thoughts, her female scent hits my senses with force. ¡°Names have great power, my husband, giving them to someone confers great honor and respect. Creating a father tree and naming it, only legends tell of such a feat. My Lord, my husband...you are so powerful!¡± His eyes shine and his breathing is accelerated. Sriltos looks away, wandering uncomfortably through the forest around us. ¡°Tree, are you male or female?¡± A question that will define many things. ¡°I am female, creator.¡± The tree says in a deep voice like the rustling of a tree in the wind. ¡°Of course, it is...but I don''t know what''s worse, never having a name or having it for just a few hours, which is how long my ability works.¡± I say with regret, I thought that summoned creatures had no consciousness, I don''t like the idea of ??doing that and then the creature disappearing into nothingness. ¡°The creature can be made permanent if a wish is used on it, the permanence spell doesn''t have the power for that, but I wish yes. And being a restricted and very specific effect, the wish spell, which is known for being volatile and treacherous, would have little chance of going wrong.¡± Jeannie informs me through the link with her cold and professional feminine voice. ¡°Hmmm...a strong, feminine name. Xena pleases you?¡± Comes to mind Strong and muscular woman, he is a seasoned warrior and her body reflects this, dark brown hair and long, dark and usually tied in a ponytail or braid, intense brown eyes, using leather armor with metal details, hot, very hot. A rumble comes from the tree''s chest. ¡°Yes, creator, I do, thank you.¡± She leads us to the clearing and sets us down on the ground, the whole way was like walking on a conveyor belt, smooth and fast. ¡°Xena, could you get rid of these bodies for me?¡± I point to the pile of corpses. ¡°Of course, creator.¡±She then walks with her footsteps that leave no trace in the forest and without making any noise, climbs onto the pile, turns around and buries her paws into the pile, her feet sink into the pile and the ground begins to shake. We lose our balance and Sriltos and Hethress fall to the ground, then the bodies begin to disappear into the ground as if they were on quicksand. It''s all over in a short time. ¡°Xena, would you like to be my wife?¡± I ask directly. ¡°Nothing would bring me more honor and happiness, my creator!¡± Then I cast Wish on my 3rd wife. 5 days, 3 wives. This is a good average. We return to the village ,Xena remains in the clearing, she said she had fed on the "fertilizer" while she waits for me to call again. We return to the Great Hall where we will receive the chiefs of the refugee villages. Bureaucracy and taxes, the only constant in all realities. As I walk through the village, my new wife receives many looks from the villagers. Fear, respect and curiosity in equal measure came from the people of the village. Some time later in the hall. I am sitting in my chair to receive the chiefs of the villages, Hethress at my side, Sriltos serving as herald and secretary, called each of the village chiefs who informed me of their problems and demands: food, protection, and help in the reconstruction of the villages that were attacked. It is at times like these that I see the lack of a person to take care of and control this bureaucracy and deal with the cogs of the court management of a fiefdom. Resources were scarce, according to the village resources would run out in 6 days at the current rate. Luckily, the valley, which I discovered, has a very stable climate, only 2 seasons, one where it rains twice a week, and another where it rains every day and darkness reigns in the valley, but the temperatures do not decrease, due to the 5 active volcanoes that surround the valley, then winter will not bring a climate problem. ¡°The options would be to plunder the villages of the elven or mantis tribes,¡± suggests Hethress. ¡°Not the elves, the mantis seem to solve two problems with one stone. But there¡¯s still the transportation problem.¡± It would only be a palliative, but until I think of something better or someone comes up with a good idea, it will have to do. As for the priests, since all the religious leaders were killed in the ritual that summoned me, now Hethress was the undisputed leader and taking advantage of this, she brought people from the faction she was part of. Growing military power, still minimal political power, infrastructure and resources also incipient. So much to do. And worst of all, my threesome night will have to be postponed, Xena deserves a night all to herself. And from what I saw in her mind, the act between treants involves exchanging gifts and a long courtship ritual. Right after the meeting with the village leaders, I saw clearly that she was not happy with the accommodations. Very simple and unworthy of her and her husband, a champion of the Goddess and her creator. When a woman starts decorating, it''s definitely synonymous with headaches. Damn! XI.2- 5th Day Same day ¨C Hiutotiaco POV Hours later, we were already heading towards the ancient ruin that Meikosil indicated as being their base and where their former D.K.s would probably be. The expedition consisted of four ankylosaurs, ten soldiers from the refugee villages and their two D.K.s given by the Goddess'' champion and a guide. The forecast was to reach the ruin in 2 days. According to Lich, the enemy forces consisted of two D.K.s, forty common skeletons and ten skeleton archers. The real danger is the two D.K.s, the others are just mobs, but if we can separate them we can win without major losses. As we continue through the humid forest, full of the sounds of insects and birds and the flourishing glow of fungi. I start to think about the last few days. Many things have happened, truly absurd things. Hethress reappeared bringing the creature after so long, the terrible magic she used, the immense display of strength, the sudden and lethal violence. But what causes the most fear and terror is the ability to copy people, and apparently not even death is an impediment. After everything I''ve seen and heard, it''s obvious that Lady Hethress died and the one here is a copy under the control of the creature. But what can I do? His powers are almost divine. Not even the refuge of his thoughts is safe. He creates and destroys life with a mere wish. Apparently, the creature is either a demigod or a terrible demon. Sometimes he seems a little lost, unfocused, like a child in wonder on a fair day. Other times, a debauchery and soon after, a murderous beast. Clearly the behavior described of the Gods, fickle beings, with emotions and actions going from one extreme to another without a thought and woe to the mortals who are caught in the middle of these divine mood swings. For now I will follow my debt to the priestess, copy or not my mission was to protect her and I failed, I was given a new opportunity and this time I will not fail, my honor demands it. We follow the landmarks that only the guide can see, anyone else would have already gotten lost in a few meters, the damn fog is attacked today, the mood of the troop is not the best, they whisper all the time and stay as far away from the D.K.s as possible, which is understandable. Their aura of fear keeps away anyone who does not have pure will and purpose and besides, their burning eyes and the constant sinister giggles that they exchange do not improve things. As soon as night falls, we stop to camp, with campfires in the middle, the four ankylosaurs around forming a defensive barrier with their armored backs and the tow D.K.s patrolling. We all sleep peacefully, no wild animal will approach the camp with the D.K.s nearby, not even insects will come. With their ability to sense life, not even the most stealthy of assassins can hide from them. But even so, they tell everyone to keep their weapons close. Then we wake up to the sound of battle, D.K.''s laughter that chills the bones. I grab my sword and shield and look at the source of the sound, where part of the forest is already in flames and in the middle of a circle of fire, tow figures are fighting, the D.K. and a huge humanoid creature in the middle of a yellowish mist that is dissolving everything around the tow. As soon as I start to head towards me, another D.K. runs past me. And with that, the troops, whose animals were already scared, panic. I turn to the troops and order them to contain the beasts while I hold one myself. D.K. two extends one of his hands and tow fire spears come out of his fingertips and hit the creature, but without causing damage. The flash illuminates it briefly and I realize it''s a Hag. "FRAK". The common troops don''t stand a chance against this kind of creature. D.K. 2 enters the melee and the yellow mist gets thicker. The hag hits D.K. 1''s chest armor and the sound of impact fills the forest. Both D.K.s dump a torrent of yellow acid at point-blank range on the Hag. Her scream of pain is enough to split the trees, she turns to flee the assault, but the two D.K.s jump on top of her and knock her to the ground and once again another torrent of acid is poured, nothing but the crackling sound of the forest being dissolved is heard until the D.K.s'' victorious laughter signals the end of the fight. Only a clearing in the forest remains and the D.K.s. stripped of everything but their swords. The next day the rest of the journey continues normally. The dense, humid fog of the ancient forest clung to the Hiutotiaco''s legs, enveloping her in an icy embrace. The four Ankylosaurus, their heavy bone armor shining in the dim light that filtered through the treetops, followed her in silence. The two D.K.s, their faces in an eternal smile of death, their swords ready for any threat. The air was heavy with humidity and the strong smell of damp earth and fungi were almost palpable. The trees, twisted and grotesque, seemed to stretch toward the misty sky, their branches covered in lichen and moss. The thick, opaque mist obscured the path, making each step an adventure in itself. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Hiutotiaco, with his shining armor and unshakable faith, firmly led the expedition. The mission was to reach the ruins where the Lich''s old base was and destroy the remaining forces. The Ankylosaurus, with their brute strength and resistance, made their way through the dense vegetation, while the knights, agile and experienced, watched the surroundings, ready to face any threat. Their nerves were still on edge due to the night attack and the night in which no one slept, everyone was alert and tense like a bowstring. Suddenly, a loud and frightening laughter echoed through the forest. The Ankylosaurus stirred, their tails raised in defense. The knights positioned themselves in combat formation, their swords shining in the dim light and the common troops paralyzed with fear, instinctively recognizing the source of the sound. Hiutotiaco, with his hand firmly on the hilt of his sacred sword, advanced with determination, accompanied by the two D.K.s, his eyes searching for the source of the sound. The mist parted, revealing an impressive scene: a giant fungus, with a hat the size of a house and a robust stem, stood imposingly in the middle of the forest. Below, a battle was raging. The Lich''s D.K.s and the entire complement of skeletons fought in the clearing below the fungus, against dozens of mantis warriors, the yellow mist permeated the battlefield, already strewn with destroyed bodies of insects and scattered bones of fallen skeletons. One of the D.K.s fought without arms, using his mist while three mantis, with their exoskeletons corroded by acid, ripped out the remaining pieces of his bones with savage bites. The second D.K. was in better condition but the several missing parts of his armor show that the battle was not easy. Clearly the mantis were losing, but as the battle unfolded, all the common skeletons would be eliminated and at least one of the D.K. would be destroyed. She and her forces await the outcome of the battle at the edge of the clearing. An easy victory is an even sweeter victory. A hard-fought battle ensued and ended with the victory of the Lich''s forces, but it was a costly victory, as predicted, all the skeletons were eliminated and only one D.K. remained, seriously damaged. Without taking her eyes off the scene in front of her and her target, she gave the command. "Destroy the D.K., go!" The knights, agile and skilled, attacked another D.K. in a choreographed and lethal dance, to the sound of their bone-chilling laughter, a battle between monsters. The lich D.K. fought with great skill, trying to take at least one of his enemies with him, but this did not happen. My knights destroy him until not a single bone remains intact. The battle ends as it began, to the sound of that damned laughter. I''m still going to have bad dreams about this. The battle was quick and difficult, but luck and the grace of the Goddess were on Hiutotiaco''s side and his companions prevailed without suffering any damage or casualties. The lich''s remaining troops were destroyed, the evil that plagued the region was defeated. Now it was time to find the ruins and rescue the artifacts left there. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the ruins, painting the scene with shades of orange and gold. The air, heavy with the smell of mold and damp earth, hung thick, almost palpable. It was there, in the heart of the jungle, its walls covered in mysterious inscriptions and grotesque sculptures. The entrance, a shattered stone arch, revealed a dark and stuffy interior. Faint rays of light penetrated through cracks in the ceiling, illuminating dust dancing in the air. In the center of the room, a stone statue, of some race of giant, with empty eyes and a cruel smile, seemed to watch over the intruders. ¡°We need to be cautious, Meikosil didn¡¯t say anything about traps or curses, but as a precaution, only the D.K.s and I will enter the ruins. You set up camp and if we don¡¯t return by nightfall, leave at dawn.¡± Hiutotiaco says shortly before entering the ruins accompanied by his two D.K.s. Crossing the empty rooms, Hiutotiaco came across a narrow corridor, with walls covered in faded paintings, which seemed to depict scenes of ancient sacrifices and rituals. A nauseating smell of decaying flesh hung in the air. With each step, the tension increased. Hiutotiaco¡¯s heart beat hard in his chest. ¡°This place is cursed,¡± he thought. Suddenly, in front of him one of the D.K.s disappears into a hole. He had fallen into a trap. A thin metal wire, invisible in the dark, activated the deep well trap. Arriving at the edge of the well, she shouts ¡°You can get out of there alone?" And the damned D.K.s responds with his usual laugh and says "Yes." Avoiding deep well trap, Hiutotiaco and the remaining D.K. arrive in the center of the large chamber, the walls lined with scrolls and tomes. In the middle of the chamber, a pedestal and on it, a shining object, an ancient artifact, emanating a golden light. Hiutotiaco, with trembling hands, picked up the artifact. It was a golden amulet, with shining precious stones. An ancient power emanated from it. Exhausted, she put the amulet away and then checked that there was nothing more dangerous in the ruin, then returned to the camp. Now it was time to gather everything and go back. XI.3- 5th Day Same day ¨C Meikosil POV The Catacombs of the Patriarchs stretched hundreds of meters underground, a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers carved into solid rock. The entrance was inside a crypt where a nearly invisible portal hidden behind a statue of a forgotten deity led to a stone staircase that descended hundreds of meters into the depths of the earth. The atmosphere was cold and damp, the air heavy with the smell of earth and dust. The dim light of the torches carried by the adventurers barely illuminated the walls covered in inscriptions in an ancient language, now illegible. The catacombs, built by the lost ancient civilization of the giants, were a testament to the greatness and faith of the Giants, a race of enormous beings that once dominated this land. The chambers, immense and imposing, were decorated with reliefs depicting gods and goddesses, their colossal figures carved with impressive detail in red marble. In each chamber, a sarcophagus of black stone, obsidian or basalt, adorned with gold and precious stones, housed the remains of a Patriarch, the spiritual leaders of the Giants. Each sarcophagus was surrounded by statues of the same stone as the sarcophagi, which seemed to watch the intruders with empty eyes. Traversing dark corridors, Meikosil and her four D.K.s came across sacrificial rooms, with stone altars covered in dark stains, and libraries of magical papyri, with stone shelves filled with ancient books, written in runes, the writing of the giants and dragons. The underground labyrinth seemed to stretch on forever. With each step, the feeling of isolation and mystery increased. The catacombs were a place of power, but also of great danger, full of ghosts, zombies and other dead things. None of them capable of facing a master warlock and four D.K.s The walls, in some places, were covered in bioluminescent fungi, which cast a ghostly light over the carvings and inscriptions. The atmosphere was charged with a strange energy, which seemed to emanate from the stones themselves. In one of the chambers, a secret room, hidden behind a stone door, operated by an ancient mechanism. The room was an observatory with a vaulted ceiling that opened to the sky, allowing observation of the stars. In the center of the room, a large bronze telescope with crystal lenses pointed to the stars. It was a testament to the intelligence and wisdom of the Giants, who dominated astronomy and astrology. In this room is the target of Meikosil''s search, the righteous mortals of Meikosil. Protected by ancient protective magics still in force. The catacombs of the Patriarchs were a place of mysteries and secrets, a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that held the history of a lost civilization. It was a place of great beauty and great danger, a place that tested Meikosil''s courage and intelligence. She loved it, she sometimes thought about how he could give it up and become a LICH, it had something to do with someone she really liked and revenge, but now she couldn''t concentrate on the details and even the big picture was getting more and more vague, but one thing was clear and that was what she now felt for her husband, master, patron, her everything. The mere distance between them already caused her pain, only soothed by the pride of having been chosen for such an important task, it hurt her that that snake stayed with her husband, but someone had to carry out the vile and tedious domestic tasks of life in society. Even though she loved her husband and longed to be by his side again, she still couldn''t find it pleasant to be around living people, she never liked crowds, the smell of sweat and the hubbub of conversations. Being by the side of the death knights again brought her peace, now something more, happiness, after all they were gifts from her husband to her, not to that snake. Now it was time to repay the trust and carry out the task that was given to her and more. It was curious how certain memories were becoming increasingly vague and others not, such as the magical defenses of the Patriarch''s sarcophagus, which she discovered many decades ago when she came here for the first time: Symbol of Exsanguination, Symbol of Laughter, Symbol of Sleep, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Fear. Symbol of Stunning, Symbol of Insanity, Symbol of Death. It probably didn''t even cross the builders'' minds, being looted by intelligent undead such as Lich, Vampires and many others who roam free and are not bound by the standards that normally govern the undead. All the most powerful protective spells in the magical arsenal are really a shame that they are all very effective only against living beings. ¡°Open the tomb and only remove a strand of the patriarch¡¯s hair, don¡¯t touch anything else.¡± And without saying a word, the four knights continue on and as they pass, the defenses are activated, but they have no effect. They arrive at the immense sarcophagus. In the center of the chamber, there was an object that seemed to defy nature itself: the sarcophagus of obsidian as black as night, so polished that it reflected the light of the lanterns like a mirror, immaculate and flawless. The volcanic stone was carved with impressive precision, forming a coffin with straight and angular lines. At the top, a figure in bas-relief represented a man with a long beard and a stern look, wearing a crown adorned with symbols belonging to an extinct culture of giants. Obsidian, a rare and precious material, was considered sacred by the fire giants, representing the strength of volcanoes. The four knights join forces and push the lid open, one climbing on top of the other to remove the hair. They soon hand me the item. I put it in a jar and seal it with a cork. I put it in my pocket. I look at the walls of the chamber and see the countless tomes and magical papyri, full of lost knowledge. But they will have to wait for another time. I turn and leave the chamber, followed by the death knights. As soon as we move a few dozen meters away from the chamber, I cast teleportation and we appear in the crater that leads to the old commercial district and, further back, the Tower of War. I have never been there myself, so teleportation does not work without great risks. This carnal form brings certain benefits, but also problems. The tunnels that lead to the Tower are treacherous and difficult, even for someone who is trained, but they are easily solved using magic. I cast the fly spell on myself and the D.K.s, and we took off and descended into the crater that led to the tunnels. The entrance to the crater opened like a giant mouth in the floor of the necropolis, dark and damp. The entrance was wide enough to allow ten men to pass side by side, but the darkness clung to the stone walls, engulfing the vision, but for her and her knights it was like a night of full moons. The old, damp air carried the smell of damp earth and a slight hint of mold, signaling the presence of a path traveled by few, spider webs as thick as ropes signal that besides the undead, the cave was home to other creatures. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.During the flight, Meikosil''s mind began to analyze the implications of the spontaneous change of Patronus and the new spells received through the pact: 1st¡ªbless water or curse water; 2nd¡ªmake whole, suggestion 3rd¡ªcreate food and water; 4th¡ªminor creation; 5th¡ªfabricate; 6th¡ªmajor creation, bestow curse greater; 7th¡ªpermanency; 8th¡ªgreater polymorph; As my husband said, these were spells more focused on creation and modification, unlike the focus of his previous patron, death and destruction, interesting. After a long walk, another thing she realized was that before she felt an affinity with negative energies and now she no longer felt that. Another thing she still had to get used to was fear and anxiety, and in those moments she touches her phylactery in search of comfort. Even though part of her really enjoyed destroying the impostor''s chatter, the sight of him being so easily destroyed caused her great fear. It was during these musings that her group was attacked. A huge, hairy thing, full of legs, grabbed her and bit her shoulder, sinking its fangs into her body. She soon felt the burn of the poison penetrating her veins. Pain, one of the inconveniences of being alive, but she is a master and this was not her first and, certainly, would not be the last. Casting fire shield, she soon finds herself free of her attacker, a Phase Spider. Others like her are already in hand-to-hand combat with the D.K.s. and they react instantly with four spheres of primal power, one of each element. The combined clouds of primal power sweep through the cavern, the spiders falling to the ground, their bodies twisted and destroyed, my shield is also swept away, and the same elemental power that killed the spiders hits me. PAIN. Damn, if they were my D.K.s they would all have an affinity for fire and with my magical items plus my natural resistance to magic, these attacks would not be a problem. But now... how it hurts. My clothes destroyed, my dignity shaken and this smell, this smoke. It''s a good thing the vial and phylactery were inside a small silver jewelry box. Otherwise, the vial would have been destroyed and perhaps the phylactery as well. Damn, they need to find a safe place for the phylactery as soon as possible. Unfortunately I won''t be able to reach the tower today. DAMN STUPID SPIDER MEN! We move forward as quickly as possible until we reach an opening that leads to the cave where the tower fell. Just a little further. Finally, we arrive, I see the tower, and I mark all the reference points in my memory. We teleport to the village. ¡°My lord husband,...I need your help, there was a small incident.¡± Meikosil says through the Link ¡°What happened¡­.haaa. I¡¯m going now.¡± Through the link Meikosil felt her husband¡¯s concern and then a certain air of amusement. And soon he is in front of her. ¡°Meikosil.¡± His eyes widen when he sees my appearance and he quickly hugs me and the magic hits me hard, all my wounds healed in an instant. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go straight to the big house?¡± It is impossible to hide anything from my husband, as soon as he asks the real reason, shame, jealousy and pride come to my mind and all of this because of the ¡°snake.¡± He takes three deep breaths ¡°Meikosil, wife. I will not demand that you like each other or be friends, but I expect more from you, such childish behavior does not please me.¡± Now something much worse comes to my mind, I displeased my husband. ¡°Sshhh...it''s okay, I understand that you''re still adjusting to your feelings and all the upheaval of the last few days. But please, do this for me.¡± He says in a gentle voice that does more for my soul than his healing magic. I feel his mind drift away and soon I realize that the D.K.s are moving away towards the entrance of the village. We stay like that hugging each other until I calm down, and in the blink of an eye we''re in our room, on the bed are new clothes for. ¡°Take off those rags, and then take a shower, we''ll meet in the hall.¡± He gives me a soft kiss and leaves the room. My mind wanders through the memories of our wedding night. I shake my head and go take a shower. Heal cures almost everything, but it doesn''t clean dirt. I enter the hall and the smell of food and sweaty bodies hits me, the smells of living things, smoke and more. At the central table, my husband, now in his serpent folk form, beautiful in a way, but much less attractive than his dark elf form, and the snake and his "doormat". Servants passed by carrying dishes, drinks in jugs. In the hall there were also village chiefs, all still frightened by the previous dinner. As I entered, many heads turned, but quickly looked away. Nothing spreads gossip more than servants, regardless of race. I took my seat next to my husband. ¡°Good evening, husband, good evening, Hethress.¡± She answers me with a nod. Her face shows that she is not in a good mood. My husband puts his hand on my leg and leans in to speak in my ear, a shiver goes up my spine. ¡°My wife, unfortunately we will not spend the night together. I have to attend to my new wife, Xena.¡± Now a jug of ice water goes down the same place. ¡°Wife, what wife?¡± I ask as I notice the snake¡¯s expression blank...haaaa...that¡¯s why she¡¯s in a bad mood. ¡°Like I said, Xena, I "raised" her while you were away. I see that this bothered you, my wife. I¡¯ll tell you the same thing I already told Hethress, you will always be loved and respected, but understand, I will have many wives as well as a legion of children, I want my wives to get along or at least be polite to each other.¡± He looks at me, pulls me in and kisses me. He lets me go and does the same with the snake. I really wanted to hit him, but just thinking about it makes me suffer. Anyway, I¡¯ll do anything to stay by your side and even a second of your attention is worth more than my life. A part of me says that this is very wrong, but it¡¯s a very small part and soon, I feel, it will cease to exist. I lower my head and, to ease the tense moment, I hand over the vial containing the patriarch''s hair. My husband takes it, opens the vial and, with the help of a wine glass, swallows the hair. A few seconds later, he spits out all the wine. Hethress and I get up to help him. Did he choke on the wine? "I''m fine, really, it was just a scare." He says, wiping his mouth with a rag. "Husband..." we both say at the same time. "What scared you, husband?" Hethress finishes the sentence. And with his mind, he shows us.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 3/days before doing so again. Analise 100% Registered entities: 1 1-Akaos Drouldul, Lawful Evil, Male fire giant Cleric 20 Copiar; ---/---
XII - Expedition to Ielkier The morning sun, crowned by 5 moons, but still timid, dyed the sky in orange tones while the dragonfly of metal, wood, crystal and magic, the Aetheria, flew 150m over the sea at 60km/h, its delicate and powerful wings buzzing in unison, supporting 1200 tons, 3 decks filled with 40 naval electric scorpions and 150 souls within 78.3m long, 10.5m wide and 8m in diameter of your hull. Aboard the command bridge, I, Jacques, a seasoned explorer, felt the salty cold of the wind on my face, adrenaline pulsing through my veins. The mission: to reach Ielkier, the mythical continent shrouded in mist and relentless winds. Many expeditions have tried, many have gone, but none have returned. The mist, like a ghostly veil, stretched for kilometers in all directions, a warning of the force of nature that guarded the continent. The Aetheria, with its 8 diamond fiber wings coated in powerful magics, fought against the winds, the 2 diviners in front of me, locked inside their sensory deprivation capsules, searched the sky and the sea, ahead, searching for hidden dangers, paths in the air and mana currents and sudden changes. Ahead could be seen the wall of fog, an impenetrable wall that surrounded Ielkier. It was a challenge, an enigma that fascinated me and all explorers like me. The hours faded as we approached the whirlwind of fog and wind ahead of us. The Aetheria moved with precision, the 2 diviners detecting the safe path through the air currents, and reporting back through their apprentices and these report to me. The fog sometimes parted, revealing glimpses of the continent: snow-capped mountain peaks, green valleys and winding rivers. It was a wild and relentless beauty, an invitation and a threat at the same time. We entered the wall of mist and winds. And Aetheria begins to gain altitude to avoid any rising terrain, the diviners report. "We are blind." It was then that things started to go wrong. On the bridge I, my first officer, the 2 diviners, their apprentices, weapons officer and the noble leaders of the expedition, Gilles Laflech¨º the inquisitor and the adventurer Brice, cleric of Uanh, God of Destruction and War, all felt when a powerful magic hit the dragonfly, suddenly an enormous pressure and Suddenly, everyone who wasn''t sitting down was thrown to the ground, along with the sound of screams and the sound of broken bones. Just before my vision went black, the dragonfly was hit by something that made it split in half. I wake up with a jet of vomit that disappears into the sky. A deep calm hits me. It''s not the first time my ship has been shot down and I''m falling towards my death, but it''s the first time I wake up vomiting while falling. Using all my training, I stabilize the fall and search the skies for dragonfly debris. Using the speed of the fall and the winds, I start to move away from the falling debris. I estimate that in just over 1 minute I''ll hit the ground. I take the opportunity to see the surroundings. The dragonfly has actually been split in two, it is on fire, three of its eight wings have been torn off and the reason for all this are three immense dragons, one is having fun as it finishes destroying the wreckage. Another is killing the survivors who, like me, were thrown out and are falling and the last one was in battle against Gilles and the adventurer Brice. May the Gods protect and keep them. I turn my back and dive towards the ground, now it is every man for himself. The thin air blew loudly in Jacques'' ears, as he fell in free fall. His ship, a dragonfly explorer, had been shot down by dragons, adrenaline pulsed through his veins. The vision of the ground approached with frightening speed, increasingly clear, and fear invaded him, but with training and his vast experience, panic was out of the picture. He had the battle and chaos behind him. Time was running out, and he found himself in a desperate situation. His only resource was the soft fall ring, which he had on his right hand. With his heart pounding in his chest, he kissed the ring and said the activation word, "plumoj". But to his horror, he miscalculated the timing and before he could fully decelerate he hit the canopy of the forest below. The force of the impact broke several branches, and he felt a searing pain throughout his body before he finally touched the ground. And for the second time Jacques embraced the darkness. Jacques was unconscious for an unknown amount of time, but when he regained consciousness, he realized he was not seriously injured but is body ached everywhere, and he could barely move. The free fall had been brutal, and the impact with the trees had been even worse. With great effort, he managed to get up and drag himself the wall of a well . The pain was unbearable, but he knew he had to stay strong. He had survived a 2,000m free fall and a brutal impact with the ground, and he was not going to let the pain defeat him. The thick, cold mist seeped into the well, caressing Jacques¡¯s wounded skin as he opened his eyes, dazed. Pain throbbed through his body, an echo of the violence of Aetheria¡¯s fall. Six of his friends, equally beaten, lay scattered around him, some groaning softly. The deep, damp darkness engulfed them, the smell of damp earth and mold permeating the air. It was a hole, a prison, dug into the earth. The walls of cold, glass-smooth stone rose up around it, forming a tight circle, with only a narrow opening at the top that allowed a thin sliver of light to filter through. Jacques¡¯s vision was blurred, but he could make out the rough shapes of his cell. The floor was uneven and damp, covered in a layer of leaves, mud, feces, and urine. In the center sat a bucket of shit and mud. Jacques¡¯s chest tightened. They were trapped, in a well in the heart of Ielkier, a wild and unknown continent. What awaited them? Would they be rescued? Or would they become just another tale of shipwreck and disappearance in the history of the continent? This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The trapdoor at the top of the well opens and three flowing figures descend, two light red-skinned draconians dressed in silk and holding poleaxes and a small trapezoidal plate shield tied to their forearms. In the middle of the two, a human figure exuding an aura of power and mystery. His appearance, although apparently fragile, is a face wrinkled by time and marked by deep lines, and his eyes, small and dark, shine with a cunning intelligence. A thin gray mustache frames his thin mouth, which curves into a false smile. His body, thin, despite his advanced age, demonstrates the vitality of a man who has mastered the occult arts. His long, black hair is tied in a bun that extends to the nape of his neck, with a few stray strands falling over his forehead. His clothing, although simple, conveys wealth and power. He wears a long, dark blue silk tunic, adorned with gold embroidery. A leather belt studded with precious stones girds his waist, On his feet he wears leather sandals, A pair of jade earrings adorn his ears, and a gold ring with a ruby ??stone sparkles on his index finger. None of the three touch the ground. He takes a handkerchief from inside his garment and covers his nose, a strong scent of lavender comes from the handkerchief. With his other hand, he points to Jacques without saying anything. The draconians approach him and grab him by the arms, lifting him off the ground abruptly. ¡°Hey, what are you doing, where are you going¡­¡± says one of his companions as he begins to stand up. But as he does so, he receives a kick to the face that throws him against the wall, where he slides to the ground and does not move anymore. At that, the four of them begin to float up the puddle. As they pass through the trapdoor, it closes shortly after. The jailer, the man in the blue robe, with cold and piercing eyes, slanted, scans the prisoner''s body, before announcing in a monotonous tone: ¡°The Fe?dastro summons you. Prepare to appear for trial. Justice, as always, will be relentless.¡± Jacques, dejected and tired, looked up at the jailer. The hope that had previously kept him alive, went out like a weak flame in the wind. ¡°Trial? For what?¡± The prisoner''s voice was hoarse, as if it had been unused for a long time. The jailer, without hesitation, replied: "Justice, as always, will know what is right. It is not up to you to question it." "But I was not convicted! They did not give me the chance to defend myself! Where am I, who are you?" Frustration flared in his eyes. The jailer, impassive, just shrugged. "Justice does not need explanations. Follow me." Jacques, with a heavy heart and a torn soul, was placed on the ground and then the draconians pushed him, forcing him to follow the jailer, his heavy steps through a large courtyard, in a square full of cobblestones and granite. In this square he saw at least a dozen other holes, but he did not hear any sound coming from them and since all of the trapdoors were closed he had no way of knowing if they were occupied. Jacques was led through the busy square. With each step, the weight of anxiety made itself felt, a constant reminder of his situation. Some people watched the procession indifferently with a mixture of curiosity and disdain, most of them being humans and a few armed draconians like the ones they are taking.. Crossing the square, the group entered the gates of the imposing palace. The grand and unfamiliar architecture, with its imposing towers, concave roofs and ornate windows, evoked a feeling of power and opulence. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridors of polished orange marble, while the guards led them through richly decorated halls, with tapestries and sculptures that told stories of glory and power. Finally, they arrived at a grand hall, illuminated by crystal chandeliers that cast a magical glow over the room. In the center of the hall, on a solid wooden chair, seated in a proud posture, was the Fe?dastro, his imposing figure, richly dressed in blue and green silks and his piercing eyes transmitting an aura of undeniable power. The prisoner, with his heart pounding in his chest, was taken to the Lord, his eyes fixed on the Draconian in front of him who held the power to decide his fate. The man in blue silk takes a few steps closer and addresses the draconian sitting in the chair. He speaks in an unknown language and points to Jacques. The draconian says something. ¡°What is your name, barbarian?¡± The man in blue silk asks. Thinking about the treatment he has received so far, and how he was cured, it seems that these people do not want him dead, at least in the near future. ¡°Jacques.¡± The Fe?dastro says something, clearly another question. ¡°What is your purpose, to invade the sacred land?¡± The man in blue silk asks. ¡°I did not invade, we are an exploration and search expedition!¡± Jacques says vehemently, looking at the draconian in the chair. ¡°LIES!¡± The man in blue silk screams, spitting in his face. A blow to the back of his head makes him see stars. Another exchange of words between the man in blue silk and the Fe?dastro. Clearly he, is not translating exactly what I am saying. ¡°Barbarian, you said "search". What were you looking for?¡± He asks as if he hadn¡¯t been yelling at me just now. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but it had to do with the plague, with finding someone.¡± I say as I massage my hand and feel something damp on my hand and the smell of blood. ¡°Plague? What plague?¡± The man in blue silk asks. ¡°About two weeks ago, several important and famous people died mysteriously and quickly, and others fell into a deep sleep and never woke up. The Sanhedrin of Cardinals of the Romani Empire hired me for an expedition to Ielkier, this continent, that¡¯s what we call it. The expedition was led by Gilles Laflech¨º, the inquisitor, and the adventurer Brice, Only they knew all the details, I was just the captain of the Dragon-fly.¡± Again, there is an exchange of words between the two, and the names of the two leaders are repeated several times. Finally, the Fe?dastro makes a clear gesture of dismissal. I am soon nudged and, as I stand up, the man in blue silk, without looking at me, says, ¡°Follow me.¡± He turns and we leave the room, my heart races when I see that we are not going back the same way, but rather going in the opposite direction. XIII- 6th day A night of sex among trees, I''ll say it''s a very vegan thing. How to explain it... it''s like eating tofu, accompanied by tofu soup and tofu salad, topped off with tofu ice cream... that''s it. The good part is that Xena made it clear that these encounters only happen once every 100 years. I walk back to the village, just before sunrise. One thing I''ve noticed these days is that so far I don''t need to sleep, and I haven''t been tired at any point... is it something caused by all these changes, or is it something with this new body. One thing that''s been on my mind for a while now is how much this body is changing me psychologically. Another thing is the wives, each one wants to live close to me, but have their own space. I think that''s very fair, but the Big House doesn''t have that many bedrooms. One option would be to use the Floating Island spell to create a space ready to build anything and use the Wish spell to conjure a mansion or castle or something like that. But Jeannie had warned me that Wish magic is treacherous and has a tendency to distort and deviate from its original intent very easily. I enter my room and see Meikosil and Hethress lying down, still asleep in the room. Neither of them wanting to give up their territory. Our room, although modest, reflected the weight of its previous owner''s position. The walls, made of rough and damp stone, were adorned with faded tapestries, showing scenes of battles and hunts, reminders of more prosperous times. A single wrought iron candelabra, with candles almost completely consumed; the serpent people have excellent night vision and rarely use them, especially since they attract insects, the moons casting long, dancing shadows on the reasonably polished wide-plank floor and usually providing quite pleasant lighting. The bed, made of solid wood and covered with a thick, frayed wool blanket, was the most imposing piece in the room. A roughly crafted wooden chest with bronze fittings and a patina of corosion served as a bedside table, housing a few objects: a worn prayer book, belonging to the previous lord and not to Szeddisosh, a bone-handled dagger and a wooden box with pieces from a board game, which I do not recognize, worn by time. Over the fireplace, which was almost always cold, a faded and cracked coat of arms bore the family crest, fangs dripping drops into a vial; it seems that Casa Verda is known for its healing potions, the colors of the crest: red, green and white. The air was heavy and humid, as usual in the valley, impregnated with the smell of damp wood and special candles to ward off insects. Despite its simplicity, the room had already become a refuge for me and my wives. I leave them sleeping and go to take a bath. Here, despite the existence of magic, copper bathtubs are still used by the nobility, while the poor and commoners use damp cloths or bathe in the river. As soap, everyone uses a root that smells bad but foams. My real body has no smell and does not sweat. In fact, it does not produce any kind of waste, at least not until, I hope it is not a monstrous constipation. When I am in my two humanoid forms, they sweat, but do not produce any other waste. After bathing in the bathtub, I call the servants and they help me get dressed, wearing the clothes of the lord before Szeddisosh. "I am going to walk around the village, tell my wives that I must return shortly after breakfast." I say to one of the servants. "Yes, my lord." He is startled and answers with his head lowered. I need to ease this tension, sooner or later. Learning the names of the employees of the House and the Village should help to break the mood, I think. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°O-O-Ozon! My lord.¡± He stutters, I feel sorry for him, I don¡¯t need to read his mind to know what¡¯s going on in his head. It¡¯s never good when the ¡°boss¡± wants to know your name. ¡°Thank you.¡± And with a gesture I release them. If all goes wrong I can use charm person on everyone, it takes longer and has its flaws too, besides it¡¯s something I don¡¯t want to do, except as a last resort. Thinking about it, better not, that¡¯s not a path I want to follow. Submitting bad people to my will makes me feel like poetic justice, using people but for the "greater good". Doing this to normal people, better not, it¡¯s a rule I¡¯m going to impose on myself from today on. I walk towards the exit of the Greater House, watching the comings and goings of the servants starting their day¡¯s work. I go out into the front yard of the big house, made of fine gravel and walk along dirt roads that most of the time have puddles and mud. I see that preparations are underway for the villagers to return to their original villages. Initially the men go first, followed by the wives, children, the wounded and the elderly after a few weeks. There must be many orphans. I''ll ask Hethress and Sriltos how the serpent people deal with this problem. Another problem is that there is no basic sanitation, and talking to Sriltos, the "health system" consists solely of the clerics, even so they can only perform a few spells per day and only a few have the magic to cure diseases. If there is an outbreak of cholera or another contagious disease they won''t be able to cope. The best thing to do is wait, the copy ability resets and copies Patriarch Akaos, a high-level cleric, he must know better ways to deal with these problems. I''ll put him as health minister and let him do his thing, then I''ll copy C¨­pa and make him my seneschal. I see some children playing mud fights, it seems that the children of the village don''t have feathers, but it could also be something like "lice control". There is so much to learn, so much that I don''t understand. Why do they want to kill me? God damn it! He continues walking through the village until he hears the hammering of metal against metal. Attracted by the sound, I head to where the house is connected to a blacksmith''s shop. As I approach, I see a low house with an extension next to it. In it, a male of the serpent people is beating a red iron bar on an anvil. Reading his mind, I discover his name. He feels that he is being watched and turns to me. Rukan is a tall, corpulent male, with many years of life. Time and work are shown by his opaque scales, his face marked by deep lines that extend from the sides of his nose to his chin. His head feathers are bristling, a sign that, as I learned, can be; stress, fear, anger, excitement. Rukan''s arms are thick and muscular, due to hard work. His hands show the strength he exerts daily when shaping iron. His eyes, yellow and piercing, reflect the intelligence and experience of a male who spent his entire life working with his hands. One thing I noticed these days are some patterns of appearance of the serpent people. The skin tone is mostly green, in various shades, a few browns and rare white or black. ¡°Good morning, Rukan.¡± ¡°My lord, it is an honor to have you in my home.¡± Rukan feels a mixture of fear, surprise and pride at knowing that his name is known and he bows in respect as much as possible, if he could he would kneel, but his knee would probably betray him and he would make a fool of himself. ¡°My lord, my house is yours and I wanted to thank you for healing my son, with your magic.¡± ¡°It was nothing, what was wrong with your son?¡± ¡°When he was little he fell from a tree and became lame.¡± ¡°HHHAAAaa¡­ Good, is he okay then?¡± ¡°Yes my lord, he has never been better, even my blacksmith scars and my knee pain have disappeared. Thank you very much, thank you very much, thank you very much.¡± He suddenly bows several times. I hold out my hand in a gesture for him to stop this, I feel embarrassed, I have never been a hero or a saint, not that I can remember, but I feel it is true. ¡°What were you working on?¡± I ask. ¡°A bar, for a wheel rim, many carts were damaged during the escape of the villagers here, my Lord. And now that they''re coming back, I have several things to fix.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it."What other types of work do you do?" ¡°The basics, my lord. I sharpen knives and tools. I fix and repair most of them, but the most complex ones are the wagons. As for weapons, I only make spearheads and arrowheads. Swords and other weapons are only made when the lord requests them. They are too expensive for anyone other than nobles, warriors, and merchants.¡± ¡°I used to make a lot of nails. But now I¡¯m melting them down again to make other things.¡± ¡°Nails?¡± I ask, not understanding. ¡°Hmm... C¨­pa, he was the one who requested them. He thought there would be a lot of deaths, so there would be a great demand for coffins, hence the nails.¡± He says as he puts the iron bar back in the forge. ¡°I¡¯m really happy to melt these nails.¡± Despite his rough appearance, Rukan is a kind and generous man, one of the pinnacles of the community. He is known for helping the villagers with their problems, whether it¡¯s repairing tools, making weapons, or simply offering a friendly shoulder. He is a man of few words, but his actions speak volumes. Rukan is a man of faith, and the small village chapel is his refuge. He is a simple man who finds satisfaction in hard work and community. He believes in justice and honesty, and takes pride in his reputation as a man of his word. Although not a man of many words, Bertoldo is an excellent listener. He knows how to listen to the problems of others and offer wise advice, based on his long life experience. He is a man of action, and does not hesitate to help those in need, even if it means putting his own safety at risk. ¡°By the Goddess, my lord, I am sorry, your visit really took me by surprise. Would you like something to drink, some water?¡± he says sheepishly. ¡°Husband, my knife is dull, you¡­¡± A woman comes out of the house with a knife. She looks at me, surprised, then looks at the knife in her hands, screams and throws herself on the ground. ¡°A thousand pardons, my lord, I, I, never, I, forgive myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand. Very well, I will continue my walk.¡± I am about to turn around when I feel a tug on the sleeve of my clothes. ¡°Woman!¡± Rukan shouts at the woman who, I think, is his wife. The woman throws herself on her knees again, ¡°Forgive me, forgive me, my lord, forgive my boldness, but can I call my son so he can meet you?¡± ¡°Of course, and please, Mrs. Egni, this is your house, you don¡¯t need to kneel. In fact, don¡¯t kneel for me anywhere, after all, I¡¯m not a nobleman.¡± I say in a calm voice. The woman raises her head, surprised that I know her name. It seems like this never stops being fun to do. ¡°Impossible, my lord, you are the savior of the region, you performed several miracles and were sent directly by the Goddess to save us.¡± Rukun says. ¡°Yes, yes, my lord.¡± The woman stands up. ¡°Okay, yes, you can call your son.¡± ¡°Egni, savior. I¡¯m going to call my son and I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She turns around and quickly enters the house. Rukan and I look at each other, both a little embarrassed. Egni comes back with a boy as tall as his father and with features similar to his mother. ¡°My lord, this is Strisk, my son!¡± She bows and the boy stares at me, not knowing what to do. My hand slaps him on the head and he bows. ¡°Nice to meet you, Strisk. I¡¯m Crixus.¡± I extend my hand. Then everyone looks at my outstretched hand. Hhhaaaaa... I don¡¯t think this is a normal way to greet someone here. Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t a girl, because then it would be the classic ¡°three little kisses on the cheek: one to meet, one for friendship and one for the person to get married.¡± It¡¯s funny how these random acquaintances come about, but without any context. I focus back on reality and with my other hand I take the boy¡¯s hand and make him shake my outstretched hand. ¡°Where I come from, this is a gesture of friendship and trust when people meet or say goodbye.¡± ¡°Ooohhh.¡± The three of them say in unison. I give a light laugh and they are even more surprised. But since laughter is contagious, they start laughing too. But it could be for the same reason, the laughter that employees make when a boss tells a bad joke. Well, there are some things that are better left unknown. I say goodbye and continue on my way, heading to the pier where the fishermen''s canoes are returning with their catch, but I watch from afar, not wanting to cause any more commotion. I stay there for a while and then go back to Greater House. Upon entering, I greet many of the employees of the Great House. It seems that this is not a habit of this culture either; those with high social status either completely ignore those of lower status or mistreat them. It really is a good place to live, but not really. I go to the Great Hall and there are my two wives. Hethress eating fruit, tea and fish soup, while Meikosil only has fruit and tea. Meikosil is not in a good mood, still having to deal with certain parts of being alive, not so pleasant, such as feeling hungry, sleepy, going to the bathroom and smells. ¡°Good morning, wives, Hethress, Meikosil.¡± I greet them before sitting down in the chair that is in the middle of the two. ¡°Good morning, husband.¡± They both say. ¡°What do we have to do today?¡± I ask as I drink a wine, which still doesn¡¯t taste like anything. But the aroma pleases me and having my hands busy also calms me down. ¡°Receive petitions from some of the village¡¯s most important residents right after breakfast. In the afternoon, a reception for the village chiefs who will be leaving tomorrow. Shortly after lunch, a clothing fitting. We will use the old lord¡¯s clothes and make some for everyday wear. More expensive clothes will only be available in the capital or in that human city we went to.¡± Hethress says as she eats and drinks. ¡°Prepare for the mission to recover the missing remains.¡± Meikosil adds. ¡°And I also need clothes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a busy day. Do you need any help?¡± I ask. After all, she came back yesterday, a little upset about not being able to go to the Tower. ¡°Yes. My husband, I would really like your company and help.¡± She says with a mix of happiness and embarrassment. Hethress places her wooden cup, half full of wine, on the table with force. Some wine splashes onto the table. ¡°Me too. I¡¯m going. A cleric is always useful. And my husband should always be accompanied by his 1st wife!¡± She glares at Meikosil. Meikosil turns to say something. I touch both of them. ¡°Sshhh¡­.Sshhh. Enough, both of you. I think you have a lot of energy, if you¡¯re wasting it on this nonsense, I¡¯ll solve this problem tonight.¡± I say, and send a mental image of the ¡°heavy aerobics series¡±. The two of them blush and the discussion ends. The coffee continues without any further incidents and the dishes are taken away. Soon after, the oldest of the servants enters, bringing the first beggar. I sense that Hethress is strange and I ask her what happened. ¡°Sriltos, he was the one who should have brought the beggars, did he lose track of time?¡± ¡°Maybe, but let¡¯s move on, nothing serious must have happened, after all, no alarm was set off.¡± I reassure her. The petitions are trivial things: neighbors fighting over loud noises at night and trash thrown around, fishing rights, and a robbery. I ask what the usual penalties are in this case and Hethress tells me that they range from fines, forced labor for a fixed period, amputation and slavery, depending on what was stolen and who it was stolen from. I ask what was stolen and am told that it was food. I apply the penalty of a fine and if he doesn''t have money, which I know he doesn''t have, forced labor in the latrines of the big house for a week. "Husband is very kind, but these scum may misunderstand his generosity." Hethress comments in a low voice. "Stealing to avoid starving is wrong, yes, but it is even more wrong to starve to death." I see immediately that the idea goes beyond the common sense of the people here. Violent death, murder, robbery, hunger and disease are common and everyday things, taken for granted in life. This makes me sad. That''s how the petitions end. I really have to create someone to be a judge in my place. No amount of praying will get me stuck in a fashion show with two women. So I make a change of plans. I propose that each of them choose my clothes, Hethress will be responsible for my serpent people clothes and Meikosil for my elf clothes. Then we teleported to the Tower of War, me, my wife and the four D.K.s. XIII.2- 6th day – War Tower The vastness of the cave opened like the mouth of a sleeping monster, swallowing the dim light of the bioluminescent fungi and those who ventured into its entrails. At the heart of this underground labyrinth stood the Tower of War, a red monolith that defied the darkness with its imposing nature. The structure, carved from pure marble, seemed to have sprung from the ground itself, its massive, smooth columns rising to the ceiling of the cave, which was lost in the shadows. The tower was a monument to a lost civilization, to its greatest warriors. A tomb built with an impenetrable fortress, with its narrow, high windows that looked like watchful eyes, observing the outside world. At the top, a marble crown, carved with intricate details, crowned the structure, as a symbol of power and glory. In this crown lies the tomb of the four Cardinal Lords. Generals of the north, south, east and west. The walls of the tower were adorned with reliefs, which depicted mythological figures and scenes of unknown battles. The details were so precise that they seemed to have been carved yesterday, defying time and the darkness that surrounded them, and the tower emanated powerful magic. Its base disappeared into the darkness beyond the reach of vision, just as only a small part of the top of the tower was visible. We stopped at the edge of the cliff, all admiring the magnitude of the scene for some time. I cast Stone Shape:
Stone Shape
School transmutation [earth]; Level cleric/oracle 3, druid 3, shaman 3, sorcerer/wizard 4; Domain artifice 3, earth 3; Elemental School earth 4 CASTING Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, S, M/DF (soft clay) EFFECT Range: touch Target: stone or stone object touched, up to 3 cu. m. + 3 cu. m./level Duration: instantaneous Saving Throw: none Spell Resistance: no You can form an existing piece of stone into any shape that suits your purpose. While it''s possible to make crude coffers, doors, and so forth with stone shape, fine detail isn''t possible. There is a 30% chance that any shape including moving parts simply doesn''t work.
I cross a bridge between the edge of the cliff, at the exit of the tunnel, and the tower, about thirty meters with enough space for my wives to follow side by side with ease, the four D.K.s in defensive formation, two in front of them and two right behind, I fly alongside the bridge. It''s so good to use my true form, there are some things I miss in this form, which is the refined sense of touch, the skin of my perfect body resembling that of a rhinoceros, a thick leather. We arrive at the top of the tower, you can see that the tower is really gigantic and at the top of it there are four mausoleums, in the middle a pyre, unlit, made of a copper-colored metal, but without any signs of corrosion, not even dust. We walk carefully along the top of the tower towards the nearest mausoleum. When we get there we see that we were not the first to arrive here, the immense doors of the mausoleum are already open and when we enter we see that the lid of the sarcophagus has fallen on the ground next to the tomb. The sarcophagus was clearly vandalized, with sockets for setting stones twisted and missing precious stones, gold engravings scraped off, and graffiti all over the sarcophagus. The sarcophagus, about 6m long, 2.5m wide and 1.5m high, made of basalt, is richly carved, and inside lies the remains of the greatest warrior of the fire giants. His bones are destroyed, broken into thousands of pieces, the contents of the sarcophagus, whatever they may be, were looted millennia ago, but I did not come here to loot treasures. Not that I would not do that if the treasure was still here. I came for the warrior himself. Among the remains of bones I choose a tooth and consume it.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 2/days before doing so again. Analysis 100% Registered entities: 1 1 ¨C Grishinak Zoldus, Lawful Neutral, Male fire giant Fighter 6 / Arcane Archer 14 Copy; ---/---
¡°I don¡¯t like this place, closed, underground, full of curses and ancient spirits.¡± Hethress says as she touches one of my tentacles with her hand, seeking comfort. ¡°A closed place underground is the destiny of all mortals. As for the evil spirits, most of them have already left, and the strongest go first. Now only the weakest remain. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Curses have long been undone, either by time or by looters. I think most of the Tower¡¯s treasures have already been looted, if not all.¡± Meikosil floats near the ceiling, analyzing the engravings. ¡°One is gone, three to go. Come on, I want to finish this quickly. I still want to stop by Lundine today, before it gets too late.¡± We continue to the next mausoleums, where we see that they have all been looted, down to the last gram of gold and every last precious stone, with only pieces of their bones remaining.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 2/days before doing so again. Analysis 100% Registered entities: 3 1 ¨C Grishinek Zoldus, Lawful Evil, Male fire giant Fighter 4 / Battle Herald 16 2 ¨C Grishinok Zoldus, Lawful Evil, Male fire giant Fighter 5 / Marshal 15 3 ¨C Grishinuk Zoldus, Lawful Evil, Male fire giant Fighter 5 / Sword Lord 15 Copy; ---/---
It may be a guess, but I think they are brothers. I think their parents were not inspired to give them names, or to give them any cultural power. Well, I''ll find out in a few days. In the tomb of the last one I found two huge and broken ceramic jars. Both of them show scenes of a battle between a humanoid and a dragon. The scene is different in both jars, even the size of the dragons is different, their contents were also looted, but in each one there were small scales the size of fingernails. I pick them up and consume them.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait 2/days before doing so again. Analysis 100% Registered entities: 2 1 ¨C Nykkan, Chaotic Evil, Male Old Black Dragon 2 ¨C Bhenkumbyrznaax, Chaotic Evil, female Old Black Dragon Copy; ---/---
¡°Hahahaha. Great luck. Dragons!¡± I say as a wave of excitement passes through my body, like a child who receives an unexpected gift. ¡°What is it, husband?¡± They both ask at the same time. Then they look at each other and stare at each other. They look at me again curiously. It seems that the last warrior was a dragon slayer, he had 2 as trophies in his tomb. A male and a female Black Dragon. ¡°Husband, Dragons are powerful and terrible creatures. I have only heard stories about them and they are always stories of great calamities.¡± Says Hethress. Black Dragons are beings of pure evil, who delight in the pain and suffering of others. Their appearance is as frightening as their nature: cold and penetrating eyes that seem to see through the soul, and a mouth full of cruel teeth that opens in a macabre way. Their body is a temple of violence, muscular and strong, covered in scales as hard as forged steel. The mind of these dragons, more than any other dragon, is a labyrinth of sick obsessions. They believe themselves to be superior to all other dragons, beings of absolute power who have the right to do whatever they want. Their cruelty knows no bounds. They revel in the suffering of others, torturing their victims physically and psychologically, enjoying every scream of agony and every tear of despair. Black Dragons have no mercy, compassion, or remorse. Their souls are empty, corrupted by darkness. They are beings of pure hatred, a demon incarnate who seeks to destroy everything in their path. Their ambition is uncontrollable, driven by the desire for absolute power. They care nothing for the well-being of others, only for their own goals, even if it means destroying everything around them. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The presence of black dragons in a region is a harbinger of terror. ¡°Oooohhhh. In short. Bad lizard¡­ very bad. Use with care. Understood!¡± I laugh. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°How many secrets these ruins still hold.¡± Meikosil says thoughtfully as she looks around. ¡°Many secrets for sure, but some should stay buried. If the Gods sank this place, it was for a good reason.¡± Hethress says with conviction. ¡°We can come after I bring back the patriarch, the king and queen. With them by our side, we won¡¯t have any surprises and they guided us straight to the point.¡± She pulls the two with her tentacles and with the third tentacle all over the D.K.s. Teleport. It all took no more than two hours, we separate, they go to see the clothes, after the artisans take my measurements. I head to the river to a remote area near the river, take off my clothes and dive into the river. Taking a bath, I realized that being submerged brings me great peace and pleasure, besides the fact that I breathe underwater. The current is not strong and assuming my true form I descend to the muddy bottom of the river, there I anchor myself on some rocks, visibility is zero. But the cold water, the noise of the current and even the occasional branch that hits my body all work to put me in a trance-like state. When I get out of the river, put on my clothes and return to the Great Hall, I feel that Hethress is angry and sad. I sit down next to her and ask what happened. She shows me a parchment with symbols written on it. "I can''t read these symbols." I say in a low and calm voice. One more thing to do, learn to read and write. "Oohhh. Sorry husband." She places the parchment on her lap. "It''s a farewell letter from Sriltos, since all the religious leaders of the villages died, he was offered a position by the second largest village in the region, Atiros, a day''s journey downriver. He says he preferred to leave like this without warning because he knew that if he asked he would stay. Cowardly traitor.¡± She says and I see tears streaming down her face. I touch his hand and say, ¡°Calm down, ssshhh... understand his side, it¡¯s an opportunity, he¡¯s competent and deserves this opportunity. Yes, it was a bit cowardly of him to leave like that. But I understand. How could he resist a beautiful woman like you asking him to stay?¡± Beside me, rays of jealousy hit my back. I understand very well the real reason why Sriltos left. To see the woman he loves in the arms and bed of another and that other person being someone you have no chance of defeating in any kind of battle. Yes, it was the best thing he did. Even because, the woman he loves died in the Aunnas Ziggurat, her body turned to ashes and her soul went to the afterlife. Yes, not even her soul remained. Because one thing I realized when copying Meikosil, my power copies everything, including souls, because when the phylactery of the original Meikosil was destroyed, it did not affect my copy in any way. Meikosil and Hethress are mine, their past erased, their lives and souls under my total and unrestricted control. Sriltos, yes, lost everything, but he lost everything before I existed. I just hope he is happy in his new phase of life. To lighten the mood, I suggest we go to Lundine to listen to some bard. I still don''t know what the style of music in this world is like. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Golden Lion Tavern stood imposingly in the central square of the flea district, the commercial sector of Lundine, a three-story giant made of stone and wood. The first floor, with its thick oak beams and stone walls, was a constant hubbub of voices and laughter. Solid wooden tables, some with upholstered benches, others with simple stools, were filled with people of all classes and races: merchants bargaining for business, peasants eating their simple meals, soldiers telling war stories, adventurers in search of new quests, humans, elves, lizardmen, orks, dwarves, halflings, gnomes and other races I do not know. In the center of the hall, a gray-haired bard with a long beard, with an aged guitar in his hands, sang lively melodies, his hoarse voice echoing off the stone walls. Between the tables, agile and experienced waitresses dodged with trays full of foaming ale, red wine and dishes steaming hot roast meat, vegetables and bread. The smell of food and drink mixed with the aroma of burning wood and sweat, creating a unique and unmistakable perfume. On the second floor, the atmosphere was calmer. Modest but comfortable rooms with wooden beds and thick blankets were available to middle-class travelers. The sound of music and conversations from downstairs drifted in, creating a cozy atmosphere for a good night''s rest. On the third floor, reserved for the nobility, the atmosphere was one of luxury and refinement. The rooms were spacious and decorated with tapestries and richly carved wooden furniture. The tall windows offered panoramic views of the city. The beds were covered with silk sheets and soft pillows, and a crackling fireplace warmed the room. The Golden Lion Tavern was a microcosm of medieval life, a place where people of all classes met, shared stories and dreams, and found refuge from the cold and loneliness. Our guides Jiakel and Solen are with us. Since the tavern/inn is well-known and very popular, our group doesn''t attract any more attention than usual. We wait for a free table for about half an hour. In the meantime, I ask how things are going at the orphanage. Jiakel and Solen say that ¡°It''s much better now, new clothes for all the children, straw sheets and new blankets on the beds, there''s always good food to eat, every day and every hour, and the guards we hired are nice to us. ¡°We saw Sister Brandana crying, but Jiakel said it was from happiness. How does someone cry from happiness, uncle?¡± she asks with the utmost innocence. I take her in my arms. ¡°It''s complicated, but one day I''ll know, I hope.¡± ¡°My lord husband looks great with a child in his arms, most men aren''t like that.¡± Hethress says with shining eyes and clinging to my arm. I''m in my dark elf form, which draws less attention than my serpent-folk form. A table is freed up, we sit down and order from the waitress, who literally doesn''t take her eyes off me, while the The level of jealousy rises to new heights on my side. This woman doesn''t know how close she is to death. I quickly place my order. Meat for everyone, beer, wine, bread, sausages, and milk for the children. While we wait for our orders, we hear the bard sing a ballad about a frog, a knight, and a princess. Many sing the song along with the bard, but most are talking or eating. While we eat, the bard sings three more songs. He gets up and leaves the stage. Hethress is still upset, and to lighten the mood, I have an idea. I get up from the table and turn to my wives. "A small gift for my two beloved wives." I head to the small stage, in a corner of the tavern, near the stairs that lead to the second and third floors. As I go up on stage, I receive a few looks. I stomp my foot hard on the stage floor, and with that, I call everyone''s attention. ¡°Good evening everyone, ladies and gentlemen, what I will do now is a small gift for my wife, Hethress and Meikosil.¡± I extend my arm pointing to the two of them. Hethress¡¯s feathers stand on end in embarrassment, which only attracts more stares and Meikosil pulls the hood of her cloak to cover her face. ¡°Without further ado.¡± I incant:
Permanent Hallucination
School illusion (phantasm) [mind-affecting]; Level psychic 7, sorcerer/wizard 7 EFFECT Target: one creature Duration: permanent (D) DESCRIPTION This spell creations includes visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and thermal components, and the phantasm follows a complex script. The phantasm follows that script without your having to concentrate on it and can react to stimuli the target perceives, as appropriate for the script. Unlike most illusions with a save to disbelieve, if the target disbelieves a permanent hallucination, she can choose to end the effect entirely at any time.
The tavern was transformed into a peculiar place, hidden in the heart of a magical forest. Its walls were made of thick, intertwined roots, covered in lush green moss and wildflowers that glowed with their own light. The roof was made of a tangle of twisted branches, among which nestled birds that sang soft, enchanting melodies. The light of the full moon, filtered through the leaves of the trees, created a magical and mysterious glow over the tavern. All the plates, forks, knives, spoons, cups and glasses were now made of crystal. Fairies danced and played among the tables, their dresses made of flower petals and their hair adorned with dewdrops that sparkled like diamonds. Colorful birds, with feathers of every color of the rainbow, perched on the hands of customers, offering them fresh fruits and magical seeds. The air was perfumed with the scent of pine, damp earth and wildflowers. The sound of running water from a nearby stream mixed with the birdsong and the fairies'' laughter, creating a magical and welcoming atmosphere. Several cries of surprise arose from the crowd inside the tavern hall. The bard had already returned by this time and was staring wide-eyed, like many of the people in the hall; some even stood up and drew weapons. Ignoring everything around me except my wives, he began to sing a song that had come to mind during my trance in the river. ¡°How Great is My Love for You¡± (Roberto Carlos) I have so much to tell you But I don''t know how to say it with words How great is my love for you And there is nothing to compare To be able to explain to you How great is my love for you Not even the sky, nor the stars Not even the sea and infinity It is not greater than my love, nor more beautiful I despair trying to find Some way to tell you How great is my love for you Never forget for a second That I have the greatest love in the world How great is my love for you Never forget for a second That I have the greatest love in the world How great is my love for you But how great is my love for you I finish the song, get off the stage and they come back, several people move away as I walk, my wives, as soon as I get to the table, they hug me and with one hand I call the children, with my free hand I throw a bag full of rubies on the table. Teleport. ---------------------------------------------------------------- As I promised my wives, today I would spend their energy so that they wouldn''t waste it on petty squabbles. They both wait for me in our room, anxious. When I enter I see them sitting on the bed, on opposite sides, my beautiful wives. "There''s something I''ve been wanting to try for some time. And to celebrate the success of the expedition and wish a new life to Sriltos. Let''s celebrate life the best way I know how". I conjure:
Irresistible Orgy
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting] Level Sorcerer/Wizard 8, Witch 8, Bard 6, Cleric 6 Casting Time: 1 standard action Components: V, M (almiscar anaimal) Range close (3m. + 1,5m/2 levels) Area: 10m.-radius emanation, centered on you Targets: one creature/level in a 10m.-radius burst centered on you Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: yes The subject feels an undeniable urge to make sex and begins doing so, complete and with anything available. The spell effect makes it impossible for the subject to do anything other than sex. This spell only works outside of combat, after the spell is cast, acts of violence are considered BSDM (only nonlethal damage) and do not break the spell.
-------------------------------------- Day 8 - (2 days after intense cardio and aerobic exercise) I hear a knock on our bedroom door, the smell of sex and sweat is sticky inside the room, in bed 2 people are almost fainting. I look at my work and think. ¡°A job well done.¡± The wives agree, happy and satisfied. I go to the door and open a crack. A woman from the serpent people tells me to look me in the eye and not look inside the room. ¡°My lord, your grace asked me to let you know when Hiutotiaco arrives!¡± She says in a low voice, embarrassed and full of fear. ¡°Thank you Ranu.¡± I love to see the surprise when I use their names even though I''ve never spoken to them before. Now things are starting to move forward. I close the door. XIV - 7th day – Consequences Lundine: Capital of the Talay Empire The Emperor''s Council Chamber Weekly meeting. Attendees: Emperor Neven VII, 1st Prince Herveig, 2nd Prince Roper, 1st Princess Trifina, Seneschal Tujan LeGuevel, Master of the Hounds Treveur Debeauvais, Master of Coin Alor Martin. The Council Chamber was a place of power and intrigue. It was a large, high chamber with vaulted ceilings decorated with frescoes depicting military triumphs and scenes from royal life. The floor was polished marble, reflecting the light from the numerous windows that lined the room, offering panoramic views of the city below the imperial palace. Along the walls were draped with rugs from the faraway continent of Hiso and richly carved wood panels from the eternal forest, adorned with gold and precious stones. In the center of the room, a massive ebony oak table dominated the space, carved with intricate detail and capable of comfortably seating ten of the Emperor''s advisors. Each chair was upholstered in dark red kraken leather, with gold accents and engraved with the coat of arms of the Empire. The air was thick with the smell of old wood, mulled wine spiced with exotic herbs, and the subtle scent of fresh flowers that adorned the room. The temperature was pleasant, kept constant by an underground ventilation system or by a huge fireplace during the winter, which ensured that the room was always cool, even on the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter. The atmosphere in the room was tense, permeated by a sense of anticipation and secrecy. The Emperor''s advisors, men and women chosen for their intelligence, loyalty, and ambition, sat in silence, their eyes fixed on the Emperor, waiting for his word. The Emperor, seated at the head of the table, was an imposing figure. He is in excellent shape and usually wears his grey robe and has his sword always hanging at the waist. His golden hair is lengthy and is close to two feet long. His blue eyes have a joyful gleam in them most of the time. An aura of power and authority surrounds him. His penetrating gaze, capable of reading the most hidden thoughts, sweeps the room, analyzing every face, every gesture, every expression. The meeting room was the stage where decisions that shaped the fate of the Empire were made. There, the Emperor and his advisors discussed military strategies, internal policies, trade treaties and diplomatic matters. The decisions made there had the power to change the course of history, to bring peace or war, prosperity or misery. But, in addition to political decisions, the meeting room was also a place of intrigue, power games and betrayal. The advisors, each with their own interests and ambitions, competed for influence and favor, forging alliances and conspiring in secret. Loyalty and trust were rare currencies, which everyone here had paid for with blood and honor. These meetings were one of the many burdens that Neven VII resented about his position. Fortunately, these meetings were only held once a week and most problems did not come to him for action. They were simply to keep him informed. There was little left, only the master of the dogs had to present his report, then he could devote himself to his pleasures, hunting wild boars, drinking good wines and enjoying the arms of the two new imperial courtesans. ¡°Your grace, with your permission, allow me to present my report.¡± Says Treveur Debeauvais, a man of medium height. He wears professional attire. He keeps his brown hair in a flapper bob. His otherwise smooth face is marked by small scars. His voice is low and thin. ¡°Proceed.¡± Neven VII gestures with his left hand while with the other he takes the spiced and heated wine. ¡°The expedition of Gilles Laflech¨º the inquisitor disappeared after entering the Great Wall of Clouds. The Sanhedrin of the Cardinals of the Romani Empire will probably push this failure as far as possible into oblivion.¡± ¡°A toast to courage and boldness and its cousin to stupidity. I hope it turned into kraken poop!¡± Prince Herveig raises a glass of wine and drinks without waiting for anyone. The emperor glares at his eldest son, but the prince doesn''t notice as he drinks. The emperor feels the rush of alcohol coming from his son, and it seems he is adept at curing one hangover with another. The second prince only looks at his father and brother. He is known for being nearly mute, and when he speaks, it is usually to his sister, even then in a low voice that no one more than an arm''s length away can understand. ¡°Herveig, behave yourself! We are in an official meeting, words like the one you said cannot go down in the Emperor''s records. Imagine the shame of a prince speaking words to a drunken, imbecile commoner. Or at least respect a woman in the room!¡± Trifina attends these meetings to learn how to govern a kingdom alongside her future husband, Prince Belissaarius, of the Romani Empire. Her red hair is well-groomed, long, straight, and shiny like metal taken from the forge. Her violet eyes are very dilated, influenced by her consumption of vampire blood and other alchemical potions. She is a person of wonderful appearance, but stands out for her hair and her vast knowledge on the most varied subjects. ¡°Hhaamm, hhaamm. With your permission, your graces, may I proceed?¡± He says, looking at the Emperor. ¡°Proceed.¡± Neven VII makes a gesture with his left hand again while with the other hand he finishes drinking the spiced and heated wine and signals for the valet to fill the glass again. ¡°The expedition from the City of Sky, led by the Blue Archmage, Filiz, has successfully arrived at Port of the Rocks, and there, I was informed that he joined the group of Antinua Ofandrus, the Paladin. Communication is complicated in Xok''al, as we all know, I await more information in the next dispatch. The Heroes and their tutors continue their training, with the support of the City of Sky, the progress of the brothers is consistent and in a little over 2 months they will be ready. And to finish, for a few days now we have received reports from the Magic Guild, that an unregistered magic user has already entered our city twice, but every way to locate him has been unsuccessful. And the last time he was in a tavern, the Golden Lion Tavern¡­¡± He is interrupted by the prince. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.¡°I know this tavern, it has some cute waitresses.¡± Says Prince Herveig with a mischievous smile on his lips. His two brothers roll their eyes. ¡°Shut up.¡± Neven VII speaks in a low voice between sips of wine. ¡°...the unknown magic user was accompanied by two human children, a woman from an unknown elf sub-race, with black skin and silver hair, and a female from an unknown lizardman sub-race. The User is a male elf from the same sub-race as the female, both wearing exotic clothes, even by the capital¡¯s standards. Both were described as possessing extraordinary beauty, by both men and women. The user went up on stage and told the two women, he called them...¡± Treveur consults his notes, ¡°...Hethress and Meikosil, his wives, then he performed a powerful illusion spell and began to sing in an unknown language, everyone who heard the music understood, but each in their native language, probably another magic...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Until now I haven¡¯t understood why this is being discussed in the council. Marginal magicians always appear, and they are soon captured.¡± Princess Trifina says impatiently. ¡°Milady, the problem is that this happened yesterday. Until now, the tavern is closed and none of the guild mages have been able to undo the spell, which is still active. According to the analyses carried out, it is a 7th-circle spell, of the level that only archmages have access to. It is permanent and affects all the senses. The drinks and food served in the lounge have their flavor modified, appearance and odor changed to delicious food, no matter what it is. I was informed that if someone eats a dry leaf, in the hall area it changes appearance and becomes a divinely tasty food. This level of illusion is extremely dangerous. Furthermore, the user in question used an unknown 9th-circle spell to escape. One of the mages who performed the analysis, is in the medical wing. He was momentarily blinded, but is already recovering. The guild is on high alert in search of this user. As for the race of the visitors, they are probably dark elves. And to finish, they paid with gold coins from the giants of Xok''al¡± Treveur concludes. ¡°Aren¡¯t dark elves that barbaric race from Xok¡¯al?¡± Princess Trifina asks. ¡°Yes, Milady, that seems to be the case.¡± Treveur Debeauvais replies. ¡°Spies?¡± Emperor Neven VII asks, placing his glass on the table. ¡°Their behavior does not fit that profile, Your Highness. Espionage requires discretion, not attracting attention and blending into the environment. They are as garish as a lighthouse on a dark night.¡± Treveur Debeauvais replies. ¡°Hmmm. Keep me informed.¡± Neven VII sips his wine again. ¡°Could it have something to do with the ¡°quest¡±?¡± Princess Trifina asks. ¡°It is possible, Your Grace, by profession, I do not believe in coincidences." Treveur Debeauvais replies. --------------------------------------------------------- A few years later. Former Golden Lion Tavern, now the ¡°Enchanted Forest.¡± The magical tavern ¡°Enchanted Forest¡± is a very popular place, with fierce competition for its visitors. The tavern is so popular that it is protected by an imperial decree, which means that it is a special and important place for the empire. The imperial decree ensures that the tavern is protected and that its visitors can enjoy its magic and hospitality without fear. The tavern is so popular that people are willing to pay a high price to visit it, and the competition for a table is intense, reservations are made months in advance, at the cost of a lot of gold and influence. The tavern is known for its magical atmosphere, inside a magical forest with all the items you would expect from it; little fairies, unmatched drinks and food, its delicious drinks and its tasty food. One of the people responsible is the head chef and current owner, Neveno, Golden Spoon, son of the head chef of Emperor Neven VII. Using his good taste and keen senses to choose the best ingredients, he produces the most exquisite and delicate flavors imaginable, because the most important thing is that it is not spoken. Everything is an illusion created by an Archmage, known only as Crixus, the Black. A mysterious magician, who appears and disappears in the blink of an eye. The illusion is so powerful that it is capable of creating anything within its field of action and only Neveno, Golden Spoon managed to discover how to use this magic. One of the great attractions of the tavern is that there you can get drunk on the most expensive and rare wines and when you leave the room you will be completely sober, in a few minutes, after all the drink was probably water. If you ate a kilo of sweets, no problem, because what you probably ate was a HARDTACK. The tavern received royal protection, precisely because of this ability to create anything, within the scope of magic: food and drinks. Because this can be used to create a deadly poison that is impossible to neutralize, and once dead, even if the body is removed from the hall, it will remain dead. Another reason is that one of the few customers who has a reserved seat and can easily be found in his reserved place is Prince Herveig. The fame of the ¡°Enchanted Forest¡± has already crossed borders and has become a meeting and visiting point for dignitaries of various foreign nobles and scholars of magic who visit the place to study first-hand a fact little known to ordinary people, the place where an unknown magic of the 9th circle of transportation was performed and even today magical residues remain. The tavern is a unique and special place, and it is easy to understand why it is so popular. XV - 8th day - River Trosex The first wife, Hethress, looked at the second, Meikosil, with a look of apprehension. The two were sitting on the porch, the afternoon sun painting the sky in shades of blue. The silence between them was fraught with tension. "Meikosil," Hethress began, her voice low and apprehensive, "we need to talk." Meikosil, her eyes fixed on the garden of the Great House, took a deep breath. "About what, Hethress?" "About her," Anna replied, referring to the future fourth wife. "We need to find a possible candidate who is worthy of our husband." Meikosil raised her head, a cold look in her eyes. "I do not know what you expect of me, Hethress. You know that this is our husband''s decision and choice, and from the short time we have been together, he is an impulsive creature." "I know," Hethress agreed, "but she will be part of the family. And more importantly, as his wives, we can advise him on the choice of his fourth wife and those who come after." Meikosil stood, hands on her hips. "He needs more wives. He already has two, but that''s not enough, Hethress. Two who can''t even take care of a husband properly. At this point, I think he needs quantity more than quality. Too much energy and he doesn''t sleep, which means too much free time. By the gods, I think I''ll need a week to recover." "That doesn''t matter now," Hethress said, standing as well. "We need to act, come up with a plan, a guide for choosing future wives, what we want and what''s best for him." Meikosil frowned. "What do you suggest we do? You saw how easy he was to get along with, even when he disappeared into the river for hours. I don''t care, Hethress, I really don''t care who he chooses." "We can''t do that," Hethress insisted. "We need to work together. If he chooses wrong, we''ll have to live with that choice, and I''ll blame myself if I didn''t do anything to stop it. And if we don''t find her, he might just bring someone else to take her place." Meikosil was silent for a moment, considering Hethress''s words. She knew the first wife was right. They needed to select the best candidates, not just for his sake, but for their own. "Fine," Meikosil said finally, her voice still cold. "We''ll look for her. But don''t expect me to like it." Hethress nodded, a ray of hope shining in her eyes. "Thank you, Meikosil. Together, we can do this." The two women looked at each other, each one''s gaze carrying a mixture of fear, distrust and, perhaps, a little hope. They were not friends, not even close. But, at that moment, they needed to be allies. And together, they would do everything to find the best possible wives for their family. -------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, in the great hall, Lord Crixus, illuminated by the moonlight. Hiutotiaco, dressed in shining armor, enters with a determined expression. Lord Crixus is sitting in a large chair, watching her expectantly. Hiutotiaco. "Lord Crixus, I come to bring news of our expedition!" Crixus. "I look forward to hearing, Hiutotiaco. Was the mission successful?" Hiutotiaco. "Yes, my lord. We crossed the forest to the ruins that Meikosil indicated. They found the skeletons a day''s journey from the ruins, facing the mantis tribes. We hid and when the battle was over, we attacked the remaining forces. The D.K.s were a great help. We also found a Hag during the journey, which was easily dispatched by the D.K.s. Crixus. "What about the combat? Any problems?" Hyutotiaco. "No, my lord. I led the attack, with the support of the D.K.s. with ease. Our enemies were taken by surprise. With my holy sword and the protection of the Goddess of Fury, we defeated their forces and dismantled them completely." Crixus. "Impressive! Casualties? Wounded?" Hyutotiaco. "No, my lord. None of my men were injured and we lost no one." Crixus. "Excellent news. Your bravery and efficiency are an example to us all. Any other important information?" Hiutotiaco. ¡°Yes, we have found signs that the tribes are gathering strength again. We must prepare ourselves, for the peace may be temporary.¡± Crixus. ¡°I understand. We will meet with my wives later and decide on the best course of action to take. I am counting on your military experience and advice, Hiutotiaco, and then we will inform the village leaders. This time we will not be unprepared. Your loyalty and determination are admired, Hiutotiaco.¡± Hiutotiaco. ¡°I thank you, my lord. Together, we will face any challenge that may come our way.¡± Crixus. ¡°Together, Hiutotiaco, I feel we are ready for whatever comes. ¡°May the Goddess of Fury guide us!¡± Hiutotiaco. ¡°So be it! Crixus invites Hiutotiaco to sit down and have some wine and food while they wait for their wives. A short time later, they enter the great hall. It is already late afternoon when this happens. Through the link I tell Hethress to dismiss all servants from the great hall and close the doors until further notice. The atmosphere in the room soon changes and becomes dense, filled with a mixture of anxiety and horror. Crixus, the champion, changes into his true form, and his body begins to contract, then one of his mouths begins to expand in a horrific way. In front of him, Hethress, Meikosil and Hiutotiaco watched the scene with wide eyes. Hethress looks at her husband in wonder at what she is seeing, her husband, the one who conquers death and controls life, is once again performing a miracle, resurrecting a being from the age of the Gods,¡­.to¡­be¡­.his¡­servant. Pride fills every cell of his being. Crixus. (coughs with his two other mouths) "The copy¡­ big¡­ my mouth hurts. Disgrace." Meikosil, leaning over Crixus'' mouth, which is expanding more and more. "Incredible. So that''s how my lord made me, beautiful, how powerful, to be able to bring back to life someone who died thousands of years ago!" Crixus. "He... Damn, if one giant hurts this much, imagine when it''s two dragons. Does anyone know any magic to take away pain?" He asks looking at his wives. "There are certain herbs with that ability, husband, but I don''t know if they would work on you." Xena says, with her voice like the rustling of leaves in the wind. The three looked at the body, the giant, naked, lying on the ground, the fire giant, with his 3.06m tall and compact build, similar to that of a dwarf, large torso, long arms and short legs, is an imposing figure. His long orange hair, almost like flames and a thick and also long beard, reaching the middle of his chest, contrast with his coal-colored skin, giving him a unique look. Weighing 4000kg, he is strong and powerful, he has a young appearance, not traditional for someone with the title of patriarch of his religion. Hiutotiaco, still not used to the copying process, looks disgusted at the pool of fluorescent blue slime with the smell of cinnamon, his hand on the hilt of his sword ready for any aggression coming from the giant. Meikosil. ¡°But...how is that possible? The copy...is really the patriarch Akaos, sorry, husband, of course it is. That smell, now I remember, was the smell I felt when you made me.¡± Crixus. ¡°I don''t know why it smells like cinnamon, but rather cinnamon from bile. Maybe...Akaos, do you understand me? How do you feel?¡± Hethress, looking at the giant''s naked body and thinks, ¡°thank goodness it''s not a female.¡± Is everything okay, husband?¡± Hiutotiaco, looks at the whole scene and wonders how no one is finding all this absurd, crazy, this level of power only Gods have or should have. Meikosil snaps her fingers near the giant, who reacts by turning his face toward her. ¡°At least he¡¯s not deaf or blind. Could it be that he¡¯s weakened because he¡¯s a copy of someone who died a long time ago? He looks at Crixus and then at Hethress curiously? Crixus. ¡°No. He needs some time. He¡¯s still disoriented, but his thoughts are coherent. Isn¡¯t that right, my beloved son?¡± With two tentacles, he helps the giant stand up. Hethress, looking at Crixus with admiration. ¡°You¡¯re right, as always, husband.¡± Her eyes shine with pride for her husband. Hiutotiaco. ¡°Sir, Ladies¡­ may I leave and go get him something to cover himself with?¡± She looks at Hethress. Akaos speaks in a language that has not been spoken for over 35,000 years, only Crixus understands due to the telepathic link. ¡°Thank you, father. I''m a little disoriented... he looks down at his private parts... a little cold.¡± He looks around, analyzing the environment, then looks at the three women curiously. ¡°I don''t know this race of lizards, and what is a slave doing here and on top of that looking at me so cheekily.¡± The almost reflexive thought of punishing such an impertinent slave with death is paralyzed by his father. ¡°No!¡± Crixus says. ¡°Akaos, I don''t know... yet... why do you think Meikosil is, as you said, a race of slaves, but she is my wife and you would never raise your hands to my wives and your future brothers.¡± Crixus says in his mind. Akaos, feeling deep regret for the scolding his Father gave him and also for having disappointed him, bows first to his Father and then to his Father''s wives. ¡°A thousand pardons, my ladies.¡± But they don''t understand anything he says. Crixus. ¡°What do you remember? Do you remember who you are?¡± ¡°Yes. My name is Akaos and I am the Patriarch of the Empire...¡± A moment of panic takes hold of him, he doesn''t remember the name of the empire, he doesn''t remember where he was born, he doesn''t remember his mother''s name... His father interrupts the spiral of doubts and panic that begins to consume Akaos. ¡°Ssshhhh...sshhh. It''s okay, everything will be okay. What matters is that you are safe with me now! Okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Father.¡± Akaos, visibly calmer. ¡°Do you remember your spells? Asks Crixus. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.¡°Yes, Father, all of them.¡± Akaos says, feeling great pleasure in meeting his father''s expectations. Hiutotiaco returns dragging something that looks like a tent. It was the only thing I think will fit him. Meikosil, always practical, says, "We have to find accommodations for him, husband, you''re thinking of copying the King, the Queen and the four Cardinals, right?" Akaos uses the tent to cover himself, he doesn''t hide his disgust at having to use an old and used tent as clothing, but he understands that being naked in front of his father is a greater shame. Crixus. "Yes. At least ten accommodations." Meanwhile, he connects all his copies via link so they can talk better. "Father, I don''t want to be disrespectful, but this place, I have no idea where I am, but this place is not worthy of your presence." He says this with an expression of disgust and even puts a finger to his nose. Hethress is hurt and takes it personally, after all, she is now the lady of the Big House. ¡°Do you have a better idea or any suggestions, Akaos?¡± Crixus asks sincerely. ¡°We can use the winter palace. It¡¯s not very big, but it¡¯s ideal for a few elite guests.¡± Akaos says in a calm voice. ¡°Akaos, I think that¡¯s difficult. I brought you back to life, but you died thousands of years ago. This palace must have turned into ruins.¡± Crixus says calmly. ¡°So much time, it shouldn¡¯t be possible to bring me back to life. Father, you are truly powerful. But father, the works of the kingdom of giants are not affected by time. They were made to be eternal. The palace must be there, at least its structure intact, regardless of the time that has passed.¡± ¡°But do you know where this palace is?¡± Crixus asks with some disbelief. ¡°First I need to know where I am. Even thousands of years later, I believe the geography hasn¡¯t changed much. With that, I can locate the palace.¡± Akaos concludes. Through the link, I send aerial images of the village, the ziggurat, and the surrounding region. ¡°AAAhhhh. It¡¯s about 5km from here, by the way, this village was where a village of fishing slaves was.¡± Akaos as he tries to adjust the tent to his body. ¡°Giant slaves?¡± Meikosil asks. ¡°Of course not, not that they didn¡¯t exist, giant slaves were used in the arenas, for the joy of the masses, or as sacrifices to the Gods. The fishermen, and all other types of inferior work were done by slaves of their race, after all, that¡¯s what the fleshbenders created them for.¡± Akaos says with a professorial air. ¡°Were the dark elves created by the giants?¡± ask in unison and surprise, Meikosil and Hethress. ¡°Yes, they were created by the fleshbenders of the cloud giants, we fire giants created others, a smaller humanoid race, a smaller and weaker copy of ourselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the dwarves, are you?¡± Meikosil asks, even more surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you call them, but they are a short and stocky race, their height reaches about my knee, with wide and compact bodies that look robust. The males and females are very similar, only differentiated by their reproductive organs, they are a resistant race, but very stubborn, needing a firm hand to work properly. We call them nanoj.¡± Akaos, answers Meikosil. ¡°You said that these fleshbenders created the dark elves, what did you call us?¡± Meikosil asks with legitimate curiosity. ¡°Longajoreloj. In your language it would be something like long ears.¡± Says Akaos. ¡°Fascinating.¡± Completes Meikosil thoughtfully. ¡°Father, from the vision you gave me, I saw that the palace and the city around it were taken over by the forest. Before it could be worthy of your use, I would have to perform a miracle and make the place fit for your presence, your wives and your future subjects. Do you allow me?¡± Akaos asks as if he wanted to know if Crixus would like to drink water. Crixus looks at his wives, who nod in agreement and then looks at Akaos. ¡°Yes, do it.¡± Akaos begins to chant the magic while making gestures with his hands, his eyes turn white and a red flame covers his body. In a few seconds it is finished. ¡°There, it is done, Father. I can take you now if you want and allow me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Crixus says excitedly. ¡°Please, everyone touch my hand.¡± He extends his huge, coal-black hand. Crixus, Hethress, Meikosil, Hiutotiaco and the six D.K.s approach and in the blink of an eye we are on top of a terrace, we are on top of a building about 20m high, the floor is enameled in a watercolor blue, smooth, but not slippery, the front of the complex of six buildings that are part of the palace, stretches for several kilometers ahead, the palace is at one end of a walled city, the walls are the same height as the palace and surround the entire perimeter of the city where the palace is located. And the city is at the top of a rise that is over 60m high. The city is in perfect condition, free of any trace of vegetation or marks of the temple''s passage. "It is beautiful, what is the name of the city?" Hethress asks. "...I do not remember the name, milady. But it would be an honor if your new Lord baptized it." He looks at Crixus, still in his true form. "I am not very good with names. Hethress, what''s the name of that river over there?" Crixus points to the river that splits into two branches and runs alongside the walls. "Trosex." She answers. "River Trosex, that will be the name of the city and the palace will be called Trosex Palace." Crixus says, feeling very inspired. Hethress starts clapping and is soon followed by everyone, including the D.K.s. "It''s really an embarrassing scene, but since there are no social networks yet, it''s not that much of a problem," Crixus thinks. "It''s a beautiful and well-located city, with access to water, an elevated position, high walls, how many people lived here, Akaos?" Meikosil asks, looking appraisingly at the city in front of her. "I don''t remember, it seems like this is getting repetitive, but I think a city this size could easily support ten to forty thousand. I remember that there were slave villages outside the city, but they probably don''t exist anymore, they weren''t built to last forever.¡± ¡°All the inhabitants of the villages in the region, both the serpent people and the dark elves, could easily fit here in this city.¡± Meikosil concludes. ¡°Yes, it''s a perfect city in every way, but one main thing is missing: food. There wouldn''t be enough time to migrate everyone here and create a support network, how would we feed the livestock and the people? We would have to plant and then wait for harvest time. Everyone would die of hunger long before then. Moving to this city requires detailed and complex planning, which I don''t think any of us have that kind of knowledge about. Sorry, husband.¡± Hethress says with her usual gesture of concentration. ¡°Waiting for plants to grow from crops, how primitive, that''s something for slaves and inferior beings. Dying of hunger, how ridiculous. Father, we only eat Little Balls.¡± Akaos speaks with astonishment and disbelief. ¡°Little Balls, explain better.¡± Crixus asks. ¡°You don¡¯t know what little balls are?¡± Akaos looks in disbelief, and then looks at everyone and sees the same expression of curiosity on everyone¡¯s face. ¡°In every house, in every city in the kingdom, there is an obelisk, made of stone and magic. On this obelisk, there are symbols engraved on them, a column of sixteen by a row of eight of these symbols, pressing a combination of them gives 1024 possible combinations of flavors. After touching the symbols in the chosen sequence, a niche opens in the obelisk and from this niche comes out a little ball, red is for food and blue is for drinks, white is for illnesses and black, only with the king¡¯s authorization. You only need one blue and one red a day to stay healthy.¡± He says looking at everyone. ¡°But do these obelisks still work?¡± Crixus asks. ¡°Of course they do, Father, as I said, everything the giant race does was made to be eternal. There must be several in this palace, we can test it. Hhuuumm... I feel like eating a little rain cake.¡± He says with the air of a dreamy child. ¡°Shall we?¡± He extends his hand towards a staircase that goes down into the building. Walking through the palace we are amazed by the titanic architecture around us, stone polished like a mirror, red stone floors, multi-colored stone mosaics with historical scenes and more everyday scenes from the lives of giants. Even in one of the various environments we pass, rooms of various sizes. And in one of them we find the aforementioned obelisk, Akaos goes to it. ¡°It¡¯s very simple, you press the symbols, wait and that¡¯s it.¡± As Akaos speaks, he presses the symbols and soon the niche opens and a ¡°ball¡± the size of a large apple appears. Akaos takes the ball and offers it to Crixus. ¡°Father, be the first in millennia to try a little rain cake.¡± Crixus takes the ball and eats it. ¡°Hhhuuummm... I like wheat dough, sugar, cinnamon and fried in very hot fat. Divine. How many of these can each obelisk provide per day?¡± ¡°As many as you want, but more than one per day does cause certain unwanted side effects.¡± He says measuredly. ¡°Side effects?¡± Crixus asks. ¡°Diarrhea.¡± He says succinctly. ¡°Hethress, Meikosil, and Hiutotiaco, what do you want?¡± Crixus asks. ¡°Custard Apple pie.¡± Hethress says. ¡°Roast boar.¡± Meikosil says. ¡°Roast boar, for me too.¡± Hiutotiaco says. Akaos turns to the obelisk and begins to press the symbols. Soon three balls are delivered. The three women eat the ¡°balls¡± in small bites and soon all three are amazed. ¡°It really tastes like Custard Apple pie.¡± Hethress says. ¡°Impressive.¡± Meikosil says. ¡°Delicious.¡± Hiutotiaco says. ¡°I advise you ladies not to eat the whole ball, I think it would be like an overdose for you.¡± Akaos says. Hiutotiaco, with his mouth full and more than half of the ball devoured and his mouth stuffed, now seems to remember the possible side effects. ¡°Great, then let¡¯s go back and organize the migration, to the city and then we¡¯ll meet to solve the mantis problem.¡± Crixus says. ¡°Mantis, I don¡¯t know that breed.¡± Akaos says. ¡°Giant and intelligent insects, similar to praying mantises, they reproduce quickly and are a plague that attacks all living beings within their reach.¡± Meikosil says. ¡°I understand.¡± Akaos says. ¡°Akaos, take us back." XV.2 - 8th day to THE DAY 1 -FAIL A blue screen appears in the field of vision of all beings around the world, even those who did not accept, who accepted the world quest previously.
World Quest
The Hunt for the True Core - UPDATE *????FAIL???? Unable to destroy Entity Known as TRUE CORE *(red flashing text) Mission parameters updating: 1¡­ 2¡­ 3¡­ 4¡­ 5... Parameters updated successfully. New mission. Objectives: contain contamination Accept? Yes/No. Prerequisite: Free Alignment: any Class: any Race: any Time limit: none ???AUTOMATIC ADM ALERT 42 ???
This became known as year zero of the Gods, it was on this day that historians later unequivocally identified that Dahara entered the synchronized worlds of the system.
ACTIVE SYSTEM
## Welcome to the World of Dhah''ar!## We are excited to welcome you to our magical world! Get ready for an epic journey filled with adventure, challenges and, of course, lots of fun! TUTORIAL **Navigating the Menus:** Here you will find the Options: * **Main Menu** * **Character Menu:** Here you can access your profile, view your status, equip items, learn skills and manage your talents. * **Inventory Menu:** Here you can organize your items, equip weapons and armor, and manage your resources. * **Quest Menu:** Here you can track your quest progress, receive new quests and view their objectives and detailed descriptions. * **Map Menu:** Here you can view the local map, find nearby locations and points of interest, locate your objectives and plan your routes. * ?War Fog Enabled? * **Character Status:** Shows your attributes * **Strength:** Influences physical attack power. * **Dexterity:** Influences attack accuracy and speed, as well as dodge chances. * **Constitution:** Influences HP and resistance to physical damage. * **Intelligence:** Influences magical attack power and mana regeneration. * **Wisdom:** Influences resistance to magical effects and healing. * **Charisma:** Influences acceptance, manipulation, social empathy * **Level:** Represents your character''s strength, which increases with the experience (XP) you gain by completing quests and defeating enemies. Cap Level 20 (for mortals) * **Health Points (HP):** Represents your character''s health. When your HP reaches zero, you are at death''s door, but you can be healed, passing a negative value equal to your constitution and needing to be revived. * **Character Classes:** * **Villager:** Villager include peasants, serfs, slaves, servants, pilgrims, and hermits. Skilled in basic manual labor, they are only able to use basic tools such as: bow, spear, sling, knife, hammer, and axe. * **Noble:** The social elite of a country. They tend to focus on the more social skills, focusing on courtly intrigue some even master the arts of manipulation, politics, administration, bureaucracy, and heraldry. * **Craftsman:** The craftsman is a master of specialized crafts; jewelry, clothing, cutlery, metalwork, architecture, engineering, arts, commerce, etc. They have high dexterity and agility, and do not know to sue any weapons or armor. * **Warrior:** The warrior specializes in close and ranged combat, with high strength and resistance. Their attacks are powerful and direct, and they are excellent tanks, absorbing enemy attacks. **Rogue:** This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.The rogue is a master of stealth and rapid attack. They have high dexterity and agility, and can cause great damage with critical hits. * **Mage:** The mage is a master of magic, with high intelligence and the ability to cast powerful spells. Their magical attacks can cause great damage, and they can control the battlefield with their spells. * **Priest:** The priest is a healer and protector, with high wisdom and the ability to heal allies and protect against magical attacks. They can also cast support spells, such as shields and buffs. * **Barbarian:** The barbarian is a savage and ruthless warrior, with high strength and agility and the ability to go into a rage, increasing their attack power and resistance. They are excellent in close combat, throwing weapons and can cause great damage. * **Game Mechanics:** * **XP:** You gain XP by completing quests, defeating enemies, complete quest, perform feats and exploring the world. When you reach a certain level of XP, you level up and increase your attributes. * **Combat:** Combat is in real time, and you need to use your skills and strategies to defeat your enemies. Each class has its own attacks and abilities, and you need to choose the best strategy for each situation. * **Magic:** Magic is a fundamental element of the system, and mages and priests can use their powers to attack, defend, heal and control the battlefield. Each spell has a cost, and you need to manage your resources to use your powers wisely. * ???Tips for Newbies??? * **Start with a class that you find interesting and that suits your playstyle.** * **Explore the world and complete quests to gain XP and level up at your own pace.** * **Try out different weapons and equipment to find the one that best suits your character.** * **Play with other players to share the experience and complete more challenging quests.** * **Don''t be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes!** * **Help** Submenu with detailed description of each item * **Exit** Close this window * **I wish you an epic journey full of adventures!** * Note: time will not pass during the use of the tutorial window. In subsequent uses, time will continue as normal. Use it wisely and in safe places.! * ???ADM 42??? * version 1780556.0.0.2.9
On DAY ONE of the new era of the world of Dhah''ar, the veil opened, not with thunder and lightning, but with a soft, azure glow. In every sensitive mind, ten years of age or older, a message settled, a silent voice that echoed in their thoughts, the neutral voice of the SYSTEM, which many identified with the Father of the Gods, Cystemis. From that moment on, life in Dhah''ar would never be the same again. The message, cold and relentless, said that now everyone over the age of ten had a status, a level, a class and a alignment. A new order had been created directly by the Gods, in the blink of an eye, without omens, without warnings, taking everyone by surprise. Society, a subjective and undefined entity, was now divided into rigid levels, each with its own alignment, status, classes with clear abilities and easily perceived functions. The classes became an indelible stamp, defining the destiny of each one. The alignment became a label, a code that clearly defined their behavior and their ideals. Fear, like a virus, spread throughout Dhah''ar. Fear of the unknown, fear of the gods, fear of not understanding this new world and these new rules. Minds were not prepared for such drastic changes. The spiritual consequences were devastating. Faith shattered against the walls of the new order, there was a purge of all those who did not correctly align with the gods they follow, most were expelled, but many were killed. The message of the SYSTEM, It was understood as a divine decree, that the Gods were furious with this world and that is why Dhah''ar now felt the heavy hands of the Gods with this radical transformation. The 2nd age had come to an end, as had the age of the giants. The 3rd age had begun the age of CYSTEMIS. The Cystemis, with its classes, levels, status and alignments, had taken hold, casting a shadow of fear and uncertainty over the future of Dhah''ar. No one knew what to expect. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hiutotiaco, the Paladin of Rage, felt the tremor in the air. It was not the tremor of the earth, but rather a tremor of souls, a tremor of fear and despair. It was the call of Cystemis, the Father of the Gods, echoing in her heart, a call that echoed in every fiber of her being. Cystemis, it sounded in her mind. "Accept: Y/N?" "YES!" Hiutotiaco felt what this meant. The True Core, the source of all insidious corruption, was this being before her, this creature called Crixus. She, Hiutotiaco, the Paladin of Rage, had no chance in the face of this threat. Her fury, fueled by Cystemis and Hylasis the Goddess of Rivers, filled with grief and urgency, sounded in her mind. Goddess of Rivers was unshakable. But she knew she had no chance. The True Core was a colossal force, an entity that transcended human comprehension. ¡°I will go, Hylasis,¡± she said, her voice firm, without fear. ¡°I will face evil, even if it is the last thing I do.¡± With a heavy heart, Hiutotiaco prepared for her suicide mission. She drew her sword and held it, a sword that shone with the light of her fury. She was the Paladin of Fury, and she would fight to the end. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Hiutotiaco. You don¡¯t stand a chance against me, and I don¡¯t want to kill you. Go far away, and never come back, live your life, fight your battles, but go. Because if you continue on this path, only death will remain for you.¡± Crixus said in a voice of regret. ¡°Father, you shouldn¡¯t soil yourself with this traitorous excrement. Let me take care of this for you.¡± Akaos speaks while looking at Hiutotiaco with deep contempt. ¡°Hiutotiaco, why are you betraying the Goddess¡¯ chosen one?¡± Hethress asks, unable to understand. ¡°Tttsss...Tss. A snake is always a snake. Husband, she would make a great D.K.s. Will my lord allow me to make her mine?¡± Meikosil. ¡°No. Akaos, don¡¯t make her suffer. Let¡¯s go wives,¡± Crixus says, leaving the great hall towards his room. ¡°Do your best, my little snake, pray to your pathetic goddess.¡± Akaos says this with a smile on the corner of his mouth. Hiutotiaco¡¯s fury fills his entire being and he casts support spells: Holy Shield and Shield of Fortification. And with a war cry he charges at the giant. ¡°HHHYYYLLLAAASSSIIISSS!¡± ¡°Implosion.¡± Akaos extends his arm forward and flexes his hand, closing his fist. A small dark sphere fell to the ground. He bent down and picked up the tiny sphere. ¡°As you ordered, Father, she does not suffer. What should I do with the remains?¡± ¡°Keep it. Let¡¯s make a memorial for her. She deserved my respect.¡± Akaos felt his Father¡¯s sadness for Link. ¡°Let me take care of this, Father.¡± Then he disappeared. XVI - 1St day - Elephant Effect The chaos theory known as the butterfly effect indicates that very small variations may seem insignificant, but will generate enormous changes over time, causing a feeling of chaos. On the opposite extreme. The Elephant Effect Theory*: When Stability Goes Down the Drain exactly like when an elephant falls into a kiddie pool. Imagine a world in balance, like a calm lake. The waters, although in constant movement, maintain a gentle rhythm, without large waves. But suddenly, an elephant jumps into the lake. The lake becomes agitated, and gigantic, relentless waves rise, destroying everything in their path. This is the essence of the Elephant Effect Theory. The Elephant Effect is a sudden and powerful force that breaks with the established order, causing drastic and irreversible changes in a short space of time. It is like a thunder that breaks the silence, a volcano that erupts, an earthquake that tears the earth apart. The pillars of the Elephant Effect Theory Stability is an illusion. The world, although it seems stable, can change quickly with the use of extreme force. The Breaking Point. When variations exceed a critical limit, stability suddenly breaks down. The Cascade of Changes. The breakdown of equilibrium triggers a series of chain events, each one amplifying chaos and destruction. It is like a domino, where the fall of one piece causes all the others to fall. The New Equilibrium. After the storm, the world reorganizes itself, with a new order, different from the previous one. The lake, after the fury of the waves, calms down, but its landscape will be forever changed. Examples of the Elephant Effect Theory The extinction of the dinosaurs. A giant asteroid collided with the Earth, causing a global catastrophe that extinguished most species, paving the way for the dominance of mammals. The collapse of ancient civilizations, wars and social crises can lead to the collapse of empires, transforming prosperous societies into ruins. The beginning and end of ice ages, where rapid changes (a few decades) of up to +10C¡ã/-10C¡ã caused mass extinctions. The entry of a reality into the system. Which always happens suddenly as in the case of Dhah''ar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a tavern of fishermen, adventurers and exiles, a paladin drowns her sorrows in drink. The waitress with a jug fills the empty mug. Antinua takes a good sip, placing the mug with some force on the table, splashes flying. ¡°This is the first time I have failed a mission, there will be no second!¡± The air in the tavern, thick with smoke and murmurs, became heavy as lead. Antinua, the paladin with shining armor and a stern look, stood up, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The noise of conversations ceased, the glasses of beer stopped in the air, and all eyes turned to him. ¡°I, Antinua, daughter of Aethel, servant of Cystemis, the Father of the Gods, solemnly swear!¡± His voice, normally deep and firm, trembled slightly, charged with an emotion that few had seen before. "If I fail again in the mission entrusted to me, if my blade fails to do the will of the God, then may my voice be forever silent! May my lips be sealed, and may my words be but whispers in prayers to the Father of the Gods, or in incantations to cast magic!" She raised her right hand, palm open, toward the ceiling of the tavern. The light from the fish-oil lamps danced across her armor, casting strange shadows on the walls. "May my silence be a testament to my failure, and may my fate be sealed by this oath!" A deathly silence fell over the tavern. The faces, once curious, now reflected admiration, fear, and even compassion. Antinua, with her head bowed, let out a deep sigh. "May the gods help me fulfill my mission, and may this oath be but a distant echo, a reminder that failure is not an option!" She sat down, her posture slumped, but her gaze, now fixed on the ground, held an unshakable determination. The murmur returned to the tavern, but the air, even with the smoke and noise, still carried the aura of the solemn oath, forever engraved in the minds of those who witnessed Antinua''s promise. ¡°Impressive. Then let''s start acting without delay.¡± Filiz says in a neutral tone of voice. ¡°Wow, five days to get here, on a journey that should have taken at most three. My insides are grateful to be back on solid ground.¡± Antinua says in a sip and a forkful. ¡°Teleportation magic has a habit of not working in half the cases, and the networks only work a little better. The southern sea is dominated by Krakens, pirates, the people of the sea and leviathans. And we saw firsthand how quickly the weather changes, if we didn''t have to flee from storms and hurricanes for three days. In three days we will return to the expedition, after repairs, resupply of supplies and hire guides, woodsmen, some porters and pack animals.¡± He calls the waitress to collect their plates. He stands up and takes a brass tube hanging from his chair and opens it, taking out a rare and very valuable fairy map. A magical map that shows everything that is known by explorers who used the map on previous expeditions. Even so, eighty percent of the continent is unknown and on the map it appears as an area with a mist that moves slowly, like oil on a puddle of water. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.¡°We are here.¡± And he points with his finger at a pulsing red icon. ¡°Come closer.¡± And when commanded, the map shows a top view of Porto das Pedras, with the icon marking the tavern. ¡°The expeditions have reached 100km away from Porto das Pedras, going up the Marrom River, and a few kilometres along the river banks, up to the limit of the last expedition, 4 villages of native dark elves were found, we will go straight to the furthest village and from there continue on, my idea is to have one of the natives take us to a place called, Obsidium Tower.¡± ¡°Any special reason for choosing this place?¡± Antinua looks inquisitively at Filiz as she continues to eat and drink. ¡°Because this place fits all the points of the quest: ? Cursed forests ? Haunted ruins ? Ancestral temples ? Lost and wild continents At each point Filiz raises her finger to mark. ¡°Right.¡± Antinua thinks "that in a desert, any direction is as good as any other". Cystemis gave no sign other than that Evil would be in Xok''al, and that he should gather his companions and leave as quickly as possible. ¡°I have never heard of this Tower.¡± Antinua "The majestic and imposing Obsidium Tower, a construction from the age of the Giants, rises from the depths of the jungles of Xok''al, where the dense vegetation seems to envelop the world in a suffocating embrace. Its black, polished surface reflects the light filtered through the treetops, creating an almost supernatural glow that deceives the eyes. Three kilometers high and two hundred meters in diameter, the tower is a work of natural and magical art, a scar on the wild landscape.It is only when we are a few hundred meters away that the Obsidium Tower reveals itself, which is why we need a native guide. The accounts collected by explorers speak of a structure composed of black obsidian, with veins of colored rocks that snake through the material, giving it an almost living appearance. At night, the tower glows with an ethereal glow, as if it were breathing, pulsating with a magical energy that echoes through the trees. It is said that the obsidian absorbs the moonlight, creating a spectacle of mesmerizing colors. Local legends speak of an immeasurable power that resides within. All have tried to climb the tower, but have been repelled by an invisible force; it also has no visible opening. The natives of Xok''al revere the tower as a sanctuary. They believe that its magic radiates, affecting the flora and fauna around it, creating a balance that keeps the jungle alive and vibrant. To the natives, the Obsidium Tower is a symbol of wisdom, power, and mystery, a monument that defies time and comprehension." "That seems like a good place to start." Antinua slams her empty beer mug on the table and raises it high again. "MORE!" By the Gods, does this paladin have no bottom? Filiz thinks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hethress and Meikosil sat on a stone bench in the garden of the Great House, under the shade of a tree with amethyst-colored flowers. The gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and damp earth, but the air was filled with sadness. "I still can''t believe Hiutotiaco did this," Hethress said, her voice low and hoarse from crying. "She always seemed so loyal, so... devoted." Meikosil nodded, her eyes fixed on the ground. "She was. But we never know when a poison can corrupt even the noblest souls." "And now, what do we do?" Meikosil asked. "The blue screen... it''s still affecting everyone, and the kingdom is in chaos. The people are afraid and being driven crazy. Stranger still, neither I, nor you, nor Akaos or the D.K.s will see this blue screen." "That just shows how powerful our husband is, and his influence protected us from this evil." Heathers said with a sigh and hugging herself in a protective reflex. "We can''t give up," Hethress replied, lifting her chin. "We need to find a solution. I know our husband is devastated by Hiutotiaco''s betrayal, and the situation is getting worse every day." "What do you suggest?" Meikosil asked, a glint in her eyes, your mind wandering through some very naughty ideas, husband seems to be more relaxed after "night exercises".. "We will form a barrier, we will prevent anyone who is not one of his children or his wives from being part of his husband''s closest circle," Hethress said. "We also need to form a powerful army that can help us. We need to search every corner of the kingdom for resources to face our enemies." "To be clear, by ''enemies'', you mean everyone who was not created or reborn by your husband. Right?" "Correct, none who has been purified by her husband, it has already become clear that weakness and corruption can affect anyone whose husband has not touched. The lack of trust he has was only confirmed by the betrayal of that false snake." "But how to find these ''resources''?" Meikosil asked ironically. Hethress either didn''t notice the irony or didn''t care. ¡°The easiest and most obvious source is the ruins beneath the Aunnas Ziggurat. Let¡¯s present a rebirth schedule to the husband. My idea is to start with; C¨­pa..¡± ¡°C¨­pa? Why?¡± Meikosil genuinely surprised. ¡°Do you want to take care of the day to day running of the house, the city, dealing with employees, servants and slaves?¡± Hethress narrowed her eyes at Meikosil. ¡°Continue.¡± He would never admit that Hethress was right, not out loud. ¡°...the King and Queen of the Giants, then the 4 champions of the giants, followed by the dragons after that we take our forces and take the capital. With that we will make the Valley of Shadows our base of operations, and when the enemies come, they will have a great reception.¡± She finished by clapping her hands on her knees. Meikosil took a deep breath. "So much ambition, I didn''t expect it from you, but I really like this side of you. It''s a good plan, but we need to work a little more on the details. Together, we will present a ready and perfect plan and with it we will bring peace back to our husband. We have time, the husband is in the river, I feel that he is slowly calming down." ¡°In a month or so we will control the entire Vale region, then we will subjugate the elves, the bee people, the mantis and the giants. Yes, it is a good basis for a secure future." "I hate to see him suffering!" says Hethress with tears in her eyes. "Me too!" Condorda Meikosil. XVII - 2nd day – Death Star ¡°I know we should make a barrier to protect the husband. But this is ridiculous.¡± Hethress. ¡°I know, but it makes sense. And in terms of a barrier. Although that¡¯s not what we had imagined. What did he call it, even?¡± Meikosil. ¡°Deadly Star or Death Star... something like that.¡± Hethress. The icy breeze of the altitude whipped against Hethress¡¯s face as she stared at the horizon, she wrapped her coat around herself even more, her breed didn''t handle low temperatures well.. The Death Star Fortress, her new home, glided silently above the clouds, an eight-pointed giant of earth and stone, 332 meters wide, 606 meters long and 514 meters high, inspired by the star fortresses of the 18th century that defied the laws of physics. Beside her, Meikosil, the second wife, observed the same landscape with an uneasy look. Both at the top of the central tower of the palace which is in the center of the fortification. ¡°It¡¯s unimaginable, Meikosil. What was the name of the magic he used, again?¡± Hethress''s voice held a tone of disbelief. "Indeed, Hethress. There were several; Floating Island, Wish, throughout the days, until our final destination, he will use a series of spells; summon monster I, II, III, IV, permanency and Create Greater Demiplane on each of the points of the fortress''s star." Meikosil gestured with her hands, expressing the magnitude of the feat. "My admiration for my husband only grows, to be chosen as his wife and future mother of his offspring, is the greatest feat of my life." Hethress let out a heavy gasp, her eyes fixed on the sea of ??clouds that stretched out below them. "Hiutotiaco''s betrayal was a terrible blow. But this...this is something beyond my comprehension. As if the very fabric of reality had been torn apart, Husband is indeed something that even the Gods must fear." "All plans were changed because of her. Betrayal is a thorn in the husband''s side, his plans to place the peoples and races of Shadowdale under his banner were thrown away, he no longer trusts anyone, especially after Cystemis, and its blue screen appeared, inciting everyone to hunt him down." Meikosil murmured, her fingers playing with a strand of her long silver hair. Hethress nodded, her face grim. "We need to act, Meikosil. We need to find a way to stop this." "Husband said he has a plan. But I agree with you, we need to help him find a solution." Meikosil seemed undeterred. Hethress turned to her second wife, a glint of determination in her eyes. "We will start where we always do, Meikosil. Investigating, we must seek knowledge, discreetly, seek clues and above all, keep the faith. Even in the midst of chaos, hope is the only light that guides us." Meikosil smiled weakly, his eyes shining with a reflection of his first wife''s determination. "Faith has never been my strong point. Intelligence and perseverance have always been my best weapons." The two women remained silent for a moment, observing the world below, a sea of ??gray clouds that now represented the uncertainty that hung over the future. The Star Fortress continued to sail through the sky, a monster the likes of which this world had never seen before. Soon it would have its baptism of fire. Inside the fortress, in the 3rd demiplane, the 2nd being elemental fire and the 1st elemental water. Crixus was seething with hatred and outrage. ¡°Why? I didn¡¯t do anything! I was quiet in my corner, on a lost continent, where Judas lost his boots! And this infernal system came to hunt me down, wants to kill me? I was satisfied with what I had, my basic plans, a harem with several elves, some other attractive species, a redhead, a blonde, a brunette, a black woman and an oriental woman. And to top it all off, to be the lord of this valley that no one even knows where to be. But no, they had to come and mess with me. Well, they managed to do it, they must have a lot of free time, few problems. But I¡¯ll solve this, it won¡¯t take long. They¡¯ll learn a lesson! Never mess with someone who¡¯s quiet.¡± It was clear that I could only trust my copies. If I was going to help someone, it would have to be through intermediaries. It was also clear that my copies do not receive the blue screens of this damn system. On the one hand, this is good, my copies are immune to these quests, it remains to be seen whether they cannot receive any type of quest, or if it is only those related to me. On the other hand, I will only find out about these quests via a third way. It''s a good thing I copied Akaos, he knows what is possible and what is not when casting Wish and helped me a lot with the flying island and I also save my magic for any sudden misfortune. Before we left everything behind, we did a real loot in the Aunnas Ziggurat, parts of the bodies of giants and other powerful creatures, a hundred magic items, gold, jewels and works of art, from the city of Rio Trosex we took 10 feeding obelisks, we left 5 in the city more than enough for the whole village. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Damn... my first city, brand new and I already lost it because of these bastards. ¡°Father, the last respawn point has been placed, now at each point of the star there are 4¡­¡± ¡°They are respawn points.¡± I correct him. He confirms his understanding with a nod, ¡°...summon monster, set to summon twice a day; Bloody Skeleton, small fire elemental, dire rat, medium fire elemental. When the towers are full, the monsters will start to leave the fortress¡­¡± ¡°Dungeon break.¡± I interrupt him again...just to get on his nerves. Akaos looks at me, understanding the joke, and with a crooked smile continues ¡°...and this spreads throughout the world. This should attract a good number of adventurers, and since the spells were made by me and you, they will be very difficult to undo. Father, I just don¡¯t understand why you would use such a devious plan, with your power you could simply exterminate all the vermin that dare to go against your will.¡± He looks at me, waiting for an answer. That¡¯s a good question. Why not? The quick and obvious answer is that no one wants to be the villain of their own story. Only sick and rotten people want and yearn to cause pain, destruction, suffering and death to others and, consequently, to themselves. Crixus, the immortal, with his paranoia and distrust, has complex reasons for not eliminating his persecutors completely. Despite his immense strength, he is not relentless. Here are some reasons. I want more than just survival, I want to have a full and happy life. Yes, the basics that every human being wants. Leaving aside the fact that I am no longer human, the idea remains valid. I don''t need to eliminate all opposition. I just need to make it "inadvisable." After all, there is plenty of room for everyone. It is possible to live with differences. Crixus may have a hope, even if minimal, that one of his persecutors can become an ally, a confidant, or even a friend. As soon as he proves that he is not the monster that the system is. Yes, he is a monster, but not the Demon Lord, Chaos God type who aims to destroy everything. Not that he is a Saint, no, not really. What he wants is a balanced coexistence, even if he has to break a few eggs to make this omelet work. In two days we will see if his plan will work. Turning his attention to Akaos, who was waiting patiently for his Father''s answer. ¡°Son, just because you can do something doesn''t mean you should do it. See, if I decided to destroy all my enemies, what would probably happen is that I would create a new legion of enemies. In this endless cycle, there would only be two possible endings: one in which everyone other than my family would be dead, or one in which I and my family would be dead. Neither of these two endings pleases me. There is an old saying: ¡°If a student doesn''t learn the lesson, it''s not the student''s fault; it''s the teacher''s fault, who didn''t know how to teach it in a way that the student would understand.¡± ¡°And the lesson would be¡­?¡± ¡°That letting me live in peace will be much easier and more beneficial, in the big picture, than facing me and dying trying to destroy me. That it''s useless and futile to follow that path.¡± ¡°What a grand vision, Father, truly worthy of such a powerful and magnanimous being, to show in a way that these inferior beings can understand. Glorious are those chosen for being the first to learn this lesson directly from the Father.¡± ¡°How are the wives adapting to the new house?¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t have much contact with your wives, but we need staff to take care of the daily, frugal things. The undead I created don¡¯t have the ability to handle certain more sophisticated or specific tasks, and apart from Lady Meikosil who gets along very well with undead, Lady Hethress doesn¡¯t feel comfortable with them around. Lady Xena is putting down her roots in the front yard, she asked me to inform you that she wants a circle of cherry trees, a tree she saw in her mind. We need personnel to take care of the day to day running of the fortress. My calculations estimate that a fortress of this size requires between 350, minimum to 500 slaves to operate.¡± Akaos completes. ¡°Akaos, no slaves, I already told you.¡± Using his disappointed Father tone. ¡°Sorry Father, but without using slaves, and taking Hiut¡¯s betrayal¡­¡± ¡°That name must never be spoken again.¡± ¡°Sorry Father. Taking into account possible betrayals and I don¡¯t see how we can solve this problem.¡± ¡°True. What if we use prisoners and criminals?¡± ¡°That still wouldn¡¯t solve the problem of betrayal Father.¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s not betrayal when it comes from your enemy. And using criminals leaves my conscience at ease.¡± ¡°Yes Father. The Capital of the Snake People must have many criminals, it will be an easy and plentiful harvest.¡± He joins his hands and crosses his fingers thoughtfully. ¡°Yes, but I want a screening to be done, those who are innocent must be released. As for the useful ones, use Geas to compel loyalty. Rapists and murderers must be eliminated, I don¡¯t want those kinds of people near my family.¡± ¡°Any preferences, Father?¡± He asks curiously. ¡°No, son. Do as you see fit, but without any dirt. Akaos, do you know about cherry trees? If so, how can we get them?¡± ¡°No, Father, I don¡¯t know about that type of tree.¡± Akaos says sadly. ¡°Wish?¡± What we don¡¯t do for the happiness of our family. ¡°Yes, Father. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Akaos bows. ¡°Take your time, son. It¡¯s not a priority, especially since Xena¡¯s notion of time is different from ours.¡± Crixus says and dismisses him with a gesture. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± He takes 5 steps back before turning to leave the Sanctum Plane. XVIII - 3rd day – School The doors to the cafeteria opened with a soft bang, revealing Kawada Shinji and Maeda Shinji, two students from the Magic Academy of the City of Heaven. Their flawless beauty, as if sculpted by the gods, made all eyes turn to them. A murmur of admiration ran through the room, interrupted only by the clinking of cutlery. "I still can''t believe the mission went wrong," Kawada said, sitting down at the table with an ironic smile. His shiny silver hair framed an angelic face, and his blue eyes shone with a shrewd intelligence. Maeda, with his hair as black as the darkest night and very dark and intense green eyes that seemed to reflect the afternoon sun, let out a melodious laugh. "Me neither, brother. It was such a ridiculous mission. Imagine, the two of us against a monster capable of instilling fear even in the Gods! Absurd." "You noticed that they changed the way they treat us. Before, it was all red carpet and flowers. Now they treat us coldly and with distance." Kawada made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Does the princess treat you coldly?" I asked with an enigmatic smile as he took a bite of a fruit that looked like an apple but tasted like a grape. "She''s breathtaking!" Maeda gestured with his hands, fanning himself. "Really? What about the prince? Has he kissed you yet?" Kawada replied as he stole a piece of fruit his sister was eating from the plate. "Hey...it''s mine. If you want it, get off your ass and go get it." Maeda slapped his brother''s hand, but that didn''t stop him from putting the piece of fruit in his mouth. "He''s a prince, he doesn''t do such rude things. After all, we''re already engaged. But that''s okay. The mission just changed focus. I think it even got easier now that we don''t have to destroy the thing." ¡°You think so? I don¡¯t know, no one knows what this thing is, where it is, or why the whole world, from what I¡¯ve heard, is against it.¡± Kawada fiddles with his plate and cutlery. ¡°It must be something like a Demon Lord.¡± Maeda looks at the other students, who are still looking at them. She still hasn''t gotten used to all the changes, her absurd beauty, worthy of a Miss Universe, her height, she and her brother are over two meters tall, her brother being about three fingers taller, but their bodies are almost identical, both slender and delicate. He would prefer to have bigger breasts, but "don''t look a gift horse in the mouth". Being the center of attention of all the boys and men is a little scary. According to her fianc¨¦, this was one of the reasons for their engagement, to protect the Heroine''s honor. But she imagines that there were other reasons, both political and carnal. The prince is handsome, charming and it is increasingly difficult to resist his advances. She thinks about the brief moments when they manage to be together without anyone around, about the stolen kisses, about the careless hands... a deep red appears on her face, white as the purest winter snow. "What nonsense are you thinking, sister?" Maeda returns to reality. "Shut up." She thinks about how her brother''s dark skin has its advantages in this area, there''s no way to blush. But on the other hand, if she draws attention with her divine beauty, her brother draws double the attention, his shiny black skin, like vinyl, draws much more attention than she does. Her brother seems to handle this attention better than she does. Maybe it''s because he''s madly and hopelessly in love with the princess, on all fours, with all her tires flat. He starts to laugh. ¡°What are you laughing at, you idiot?¡± Kawada glares at her. ¡°Nothing. What''s on the agenda for today?¡± She changes the subject. ¡°Conjuration magic, practical weapons class, calligraphy and etiquette. I hate etiquette class.¡± ¡°As royal fianc¨¦s and future consorts of the rulers of this country, we can''t embarrass them.¡± Kawada grumbles. ¡°I know, but it''s so boring, ten pieces of cutlery, to eat, I only have two hands, just kidding.¡± ¡°How long are we going to stay here?¡± Maeda asks. ¡°Fang said that in two more months we will know the minimum so that we don¡¯t die in an idiotic way, then we will start looking for the CODEX artifact and with his help, we will go after the True Core.¡± The siblings finish eating and quickly separate, each to their respective rooms. The school of magic has mixed areas, such as the cafeteria and gym, but dormitories and classrooms are separated by gender. The air in the corridors of the school of magic was dense, charged with expectation and a hint of electricity. Roper, with his face flushed and his eyes shining, lurked behind a statue of a stone griffin, his breathing ragged. His fingers drummed impatiently against the scabbard of his sword, a nervousness that contrasted with the audacity of his plan, ok... actually, his crazy sister''s plan. Seducing and causing a public scandal, forcing their father''s hand, not too difficult in terms of procreation, when it comes to the father. On the other side of the corridor, Trifina, with a mischievous smile on her lips, was also hiding behind another stone griffin on the opposite side. Her blue eyes sparkled with the promise of an adventure. She adjusted the ruby ??necklace that shone like embers, a gift from her grandmother, a powerful sorceress, used to make a woman irresistible, not that she needed it, but it''s always better to be safe, as her grandmother used to say. Your brother is using an oil made with a similar spell. The clock in the school tower chimed, signaling the crucial moment. Roper, with a quick and precise movement, launched himself forward, intercepting Maeda, who was walking unawares down the hallway. "Maeda!" Roper exclaimed, his voice hoarse with excitement. Maeda, taken by surprise, choked on her own saliva. "Roper? What... what''s going on?" Roper, with a mischievous smile, approached Maeda, wrapping her in a tight hug. "You can''t escape me, my love!" It was clearly an illusion that they both shared. Maeda was a head taller than her fianc¨¦ and stronger and more agile than him, but when he touched her like that, hungry, possessive and dominating, she turned into jelly. Until recently she was the ugly duckling and forgotten for a while, she was almost invisible... and now she had a legion of fans and a handsome prince who was crazy about her. Of course she had every right to turn into jelly. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Maeda, despite her confusion, felt a tremor of pleasure run through her body. "Roper, are you... crazy?" "Crazy in love with you!" Roper replied, pulling her head and sealing her lips on Maeda''s in a passionate kiss, his tongue doing devilish things in her mouth. At the same moment, on the other side of the hallway, Trifina intercepted Kawada, who was walking distractedly, observing the gargoyles that decorated the arches of the ceiling. "Kawada!" Trifina exclaimed, her voice melodious and seductive. Kawada, surprised, turned to face Trifina. "Trifina? What are you doing here?" Trifina, with a smile that promised mischief, much more aggressive and possessive than her brother, jumped, grabbing her prey like a spider, a scene not worthy of a princess. Her teeth soon sank hard into her beloved''s neck, who let out a loud moan, a mixture of pain, surprise and pleasure, her hands sliding through her fianc¨¦''s long, silky hair and digging into him. He was hers and no one else''s. Ever since they first saw each other, she knew her world had changed axis, he had to be hers, only she could be the mother of his children, only she would carry his seed, her bed would only have his scent. This only got worse when the court magician informed her that the Heroes were Progenitor Elves, SHE would be the mother of a new race. It was easy to convince her family, bringing such powerful blood to the royal lineage would only bring benefits. Besides, everything about him lit a fire that drove her crazy, his hair, his dark blue eyes, his soft, smooth skin, muscles sculpted by an artist, his hairless and different body, his smell, there was something that always made her wet. And the problem was that this wasn''t just hers, her maids also commented the same thing, it was only a matter of time until a whore attacked him. She would never wait for the end of this quest to have what was rightfully hers. That''s why she and her brother would make such a fuss that it would be impossible to postpone the wedding for long. He would only leave her side after his seed was in her womb. "I came to find you, my love." One of her hands let go of his hair and went down like lightning to the middle of his pants and "he" was already hard, hot, throbbing and ready to wait for her. Kawada, despite the surprise, felt a shiver of desire run through her body. "Trifina, are you... kidding?" "Playing at making love to you!" "You''re crazy..." Trifina replied, pulling Kawada''s head into the middle of her cleavage. Her response was silenced by a nipple and a nail digging into his penis. On the other side, her brother already had his mouth on Maeda''s breast. Maeda writhed like a fish out of water under the prince''s attacks. Everything was going according to plan. Trinfina thought happily. The corridors of the magic school echoed with the sound of passionate kisses and muffled moans. Roper and Trifina, with the audacity of their hearts, had ambushed their fianc¨¦s, transforming the corridor into a stage of love and passion. A curtain of servants and attendants, appears, coming from adjacent rooms, like a choreographed ballet, with a knowing look and discreet smiles, protected the scene from curious eyes; all had received assurances from the three princes that there would be no reprisals for their "failure" to protect the princes'' honor. The barrier ensured that the unique moment of love and rebellion would continue until the planned outcome. Both brothers can see the barrier of servants and the small rebellion that their mind was trying to mount, collapses. On the other side of the T-shaped corridor, two servants of the princess and the prince were bringing the outcome of the trap. Each one brought a professor in tow, with the excuse that the prince and the princess wanted to talk about new research funds and sponsorship of promising young people. Like a choreographed ballet, the two professors, each coming from a wing, meet in the hallway leading to the student cafeteria. Moran Kerdoncuff, professor of poetry, art and divination. Wearing a red stole from his tower, He wears dark green sweaters, baggy black pants, and alligator-skin shoes. Underneath the sweater, he keeps a flail hidden, just in case. He has moderate-length blond hair. He has a tattooed face. He is grumpy, and has been known to invite prodigy students to lunch so he can criticize them. However, he still seems generally friendly. ¡°Good afternoon Professor Alana.¡± She is corpulent, but not excessively obese, as Moran likes to think, a woman who fills the bed. She wears black pants with a two-tone pastel green striped stole, a colorful collared shirt, and has the silver hair of a mature woman in a very large beehive style. Her eyes are also green. Her teeth are white and perfect. Aggressive, greedy and ambitious. She is a woman to be respected. ¡°Good afternoon, Professor Moran.¡± She greets him and then they turn to walk together down the hallway. And they come upon the scene. On one side, the prince¡¯s servants and knights are pressed against the wall and a little beyond them the prince and the heroine are grappling, the heroine¡¯s hand between the prince¡¯s legs and the prince holding an exposed breast with one hand and the other in his mouth. The heroine moaning scandalously and all pink with excitement. On the other side of the corridor a similar scene, the princess''s servants and knights also placed on the wall, the princess mounted on the Hero, with the latter holding her by the buttocks, her legs exposed and the hero sucking her breasts, her hair completely disheveled. A crash echoes through the corridor. ¡°BEHAVE!!!!¡± Professor Alana screams at the top of her lungs. The two heroes turn their heads at the same time. The Hero lets go of the princess, who falls on her butt on the floor and lets out a not-so-noble little scream. The Heroine tries to hide behind the prince, who starts adjusting his pants. ¡°ALL FOUR, FOLLOW ME IMMEDIATELY!¡± Professor Alana screams at the top of her lungs again. As if by magic, the hallway fills with students attracted by the noise. The teacher turns and heads towards the school¡¯s main building. Moran thinks and walks next to Alana. Who would have thought that Prince Roper would be so bold? Lucky man. I won¡¯t give him a week to be between Goddess Maeda¡¯s legs. Lucky man. Yes, lucky people, think students of both sexes about the two princes. XIX - 4th day – Attack on the Death Star The wind whistled in the ears of the winged knights (Arambourgiania), carrying with it the metallic smell of oiled armor and the sweat of tension. Two hundred winged knights, each with the strength of a mountain lion and the loyalty of a cave wolf, flew in impeccable formation, their winged mounts flapping their wings in unison. In the second saddle, my companion, a member of the Rising Sun Brigade, composed of two hundred mages, emanated an aura of power and mystery. Their eyes glowed with the magical energy that flowed through their veins, ready to cast spells of fire and ice. The sky was filled with damp clouds, an ominous shadow that stretched across the capital. In the center of this mist, a flying fortress, colossal and imposing, advanced with silent fury. It was a structure of metal, rock and earth, punctuated by eight towers. Its proportions were typical of giants, but its architecture was unlike anything they had ever seen. The fortress emanated an immense aura of danger. The wizards tried to penetrate the mist with their divination magic, but it was like trying to touch darkness. The fortress seemed to be surrounded by an invisible shield, repelling any attempt to peer inside. The scouts, elite warriors tasked with exploring the terrain, were killed before they even approached the fortress, their lifeless bodies seen falling from the sky, like slaughtered birds. The air was thick with apprehension. The threat was real, palpable. The capital, once a symbol of peace and prosperity, now bowed under the weight of fear. The flying fortress, with its hostile and sinister intentions, was an omen of war, a threat to the very existence of the capital, Rashakn. The Winged Knights and the Rising Sun Brigade head headlong towards the fortress. Queen Calxochitli IX D¡¯Vipura Nestodomo, her mind filled with worry, watched the fortress approach the horizon, the feathers on her head trembling. Her advisors, with pale faces, murmured among themselves, searching for answers in a sea of ??uncertainty. The fate of Rashakn was at stake. Queen Calxochitli IX D¡¯Vipura Nestodomo watch from the palace if the brave warriors begin the attack.They began to fly in circles around the fortress, testing its defenses. Meztli and Zyanya flew in formation, the leader of the wing began to circle the flying fortress, in the center of it a huge tree was planted in front of the central building of the fortress, the buglers signaled for a long-range fire attack, the formation inclined for the mages to launch their fireballs, 200 of them descended towards the fortress, aiming at the defense towers that were licked with fire, stones flying at the impact of the fireballs. Through the communication stone Zyenya said to Meztli. ¡°Look, the tower walls are regenerating the damage. Damn.¡± The bugler signaled again, ¡°Attack the same target as the leader.¡± The wing leader brought the formation closer to the fortress, now flying over the fortress towers. The towers remain silent and inert. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to attack the tree.¡± Zyenya said to Meztli. ¡°So far the fortress hasn¡¯t fought back, it¡¯s too easy.¡± Meztli said worriedly. The lead mage fired a bolt of lightning towards the tree. In the blink of an eye, 199 bolts of lightning headed towards the giant tree in the central courtyard. The bolts disappeared just before touching the tree. ¡°Anti-magic barrier!¡± Zyenya said after throwing the bolt. ¡°I don¡¯t think my javelins will make a difference, then.¡± Meztli frustrated. Her iphiko folded its huge wings and the formation dived to land the mages in the central courtyard of the fortress. The fortress approaches quickly and she and Zyenya are thrown forward from the saddle, they fall a few meters before the soft fall rings are activated, the two still connected by the life belt try to understand what is happening. During the fall they look at the formation in complete disarray, the animals struggling in the sky, many with broken wings, some already dead, falling slowly, knights struggling to free themselves from the saddles, some swimming in the air, as if they were underwater. Meztli looks on without understanding, her own iphiko is sinking through the air, both wings and long neck broken, instantly dead. Of the 200 pairs, she counts just over 50 still alive and falling like her towards the courtyard. Zyenya is still recovering from the sudden ejection, says. "It is an illusion, an immense and powerful illusion" She says with deep astonishment. From the defense towers, dozens of giant skeletons begin to emerge, followed by 10 skeletons wearing flaming armor. The wind howled around Meztli and Zyanya, carrying the smell of damp earth and old bones. The two wyvern riders, mounted on their winged dragons, spiraled down over the courtyard, a sea of ??bones stretching as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of giant skeletons, armored in bone and wielding tree trunks as clubs, rose from the ground, their empty eyes fixed on the two warriors. Meztli, her scale armor gleaming in the bright light of the midday sun, shouted to Zyanya, "Brace yourself, sister! They are many, but we are stronger!" Zyanya, in her green gunner''s tunic and a cruel smile on her lips, replied, "Let us show these old bones the power of the Empire!" Her iphikos fell around her, toward the army of skeletons below. Meztli, with a quick movement, threw her javelin, which pierced the skull of a giant skeleton, which completely ignored the attack. Zyanya, threw a fireball at the skeleton army, several were blown into flaming pieces, the survivors began to gather in a defensive circle, the mages in the center and the knights on the outside of the circle. The courtyard turned into a whirlwind of bones, flesh and fire. The warriors, with their sharp swords and javelins, tore, cut and broke the skeletons, while the knights delivered relentless blows with their weapons. Meztli, with her spear, pierced the skeletons with precision, while her sword cut through bones, while Zyanya, threw another fireball. "It was my last fireball." The skeletons in flaming armor just watched, their weapons still sheathed. Some fireballs were thrown at them, but it was like wind, it didn''t affect them at all. The warriors, with their agility and speed, dodged the skeletons'' attacks, throwing themselves at them with fury, but there were too many of them and each warrior that fell weakened the defensive formation. The battle intensified, the courtyard turning into a bloody battlefield. Meztli and Zyanya, with their companions, fought like a hurricane, devastating the ranks of skeletons. The air was thick with bone dust, blood and the laughter of the skeletons in flaming armor who finally drew their swords. They walked around the battlefield without haste. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The survivors forming a circle surrounding the wizards forming a last line of defense. But the skeletons were countless. With each skeleton that fell, another rose in its place. Meztli and Zyanya, despite their bravery and skill, were beginning to tire. Her companions, wounded and exhausted, struggled to keep up. "Sister, we must retreat!" Meztli shouted, her voice hoarse with exhaustion. Zyanya, her eyes red with rage, replied: "We cannot let these old bones defeat us!" But it was too late. The skeletons in flaming armor released a wave of fire that licked the defensive formation. Meztli and Zyanya, with their wounded companions who did not die in this attack, saw their formation crumble. A flaming sword pierced her chest and the last thing she saw was a burning smile and a cold laugh. The battle was over. The courtyard, now covered in a sea of ??bones, and bodies cut, burned and crushed, was a testament to the epic battle that had been fought. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Queen Calxochitli IX D¡¯Vipura Nestodomo sees columns of smoke rising from the flying fortress. The attack has begun. The Queen, with a firm posture and a piercing gaze, stepped from the balcony of her palace and entered the Vizier¡¯s room. The light of the midday sun, peeking through the high windows, cast long shadows on the richly embroidered tapestries that adorned the walls. ¡°Vizier,¡± the Queen began, her voice ringing with the unquestionable authority of a ruler, ¡°how do the city¡¯s defenses stand? The enemy approaches, and time is of the essence.¡± The Vizier, a pureblood with dull scales and white eyes of age but still with a keen gaze, bowed in reverence. "Your Majesty," he replied, "our walls are reinforced, the scorpions are ready, and the archers and court magicians are at their posts. The city is ready to resist, with the bravery of its warriors and the loyalty of its citizens. The priests have been making sacrifices to the Gods since we first came within sight of the fortress." "And the evacuation plans?" the Queen asked, her voice thick with concern. "My family, my people...I must ensure their safety." "The escape route is ready, Your Majesty," the Visir assured, "with faithful escorts, the royal refuge is already prepared for your arrival. The secret tunnels are ready to carry the royal treasures, and the ships are waiting in the harbor, ready to take those who cannot escape by land." "And the security of the city?" the Queen asked, "How can we ensure that the city does not fall into enemy hands?" "The city is prepared, Your Majesty," the Visir replied, "but the threat is great. The enemies are unknown but their power is immense. Resistance will be arduous, and sacrifice inevitable, but we will prevail." "Then we will fight," the Queen declared, her voice firm and her gaze unwavering. "We will fight to the end, to protect our people and our city. And if victory is not ours, we must preserve the royal line." The Visir silently contemplated the Queen. The determination in his eyes was unshakable, the strength of his spirit unbreakable. But his words were emptier than a glass of water in the desert. Everything indicated a terrible defeat. He was old, he had seen many things but nothing like this. Initially they thought it was a new clan of cloud giants, some dissidence from the tribe of the gray citadel, beyond the circle of mountains. But that was not the case. The flying fortress did not have the characteristic cloud wall of the cloud giant cities, and none of them, as far as anyone knows, could move through the sky. Their construction style was also strange. No divination magic, either arcane or divine, shows anything about this fortress. He waited for the Queen to release him, went to his office, finished his business, and upon entering, called his secretary. Call my children, bring them to my office. The secretary looked at the Vizier in surprise. It was known by everyone that the Vizier did not get along with his children and that his office was a sacred place, only the Vizier and his secretary had access and could enter this sacred place. Without a word, he bowed and left to carry out his orders. The Vizier, with a tired voice. His children, Necali and Natlali, were in front of him, serious and tense. "My children, the time has come. The imperial city will fall today. The storm is approaching and we must prepare for the worst, the Queen and the royal family are already ready to flee.¡± ¡°Father, what do you intend to do?¡± Necali asks worriedly. ¡°You will flee. You used a teleportation circle to take our goods and treasures to a safe place.¡± Vizier. ¡°But where?¡± Natlali visibly afraid. ¡°To a secret fortress in the mountains. A place that few know about, hidden in a steep cliff. There, you will wait for the storm to pass.¡± Vizier calmly explains to the two. ¡°And the others? Our people?¡± Necali, thinking about how she would live without her servants and slaves. ¡°The people have no place in our plans. They must take care of themselves.¡± Vizier says dryly and without room for argument. ¡°Father, is it that serious?¡± Natlali, the feathers on her head trembling with fear. ¡°Natlali, don¡¯t be foolish. Our family must survive. If we don¡¯t protect ourselves, who will take care of our legacy?¡± Vizier speaks like a whiplash. ¡°But our family¡¯s legacy has always been to serve the Empire!¡± Necali says incredulously. ¡°Necali, don¡¯t be sentimental. Loyalty becomes a burden when the world falls apart.¡± Vizier looks at his son cynically. ¡°What will we do with our possessions?¡± Natlali. ¡°We will take everything of value. Jewels, gold, artifacts. Nothing should be left behind.¡± Vizier. ¡°And the library?¡± Natlali worried about her beloved library. ¡°The library is a burden.¡± Vizier. ¡°But knowledge...¡± Natlali ¡°Natlali, don¡¯t be foolish. One has to be alive to use knowledge.¡± Vizier. ¡°Father, we can¡¯t just...¡± Necali. ¡°Necali, enough! I¡¯ve decided. The teleportation circle is ready and waiting for you. Go. If all goes well, I¡¯ll come get you in two days. If not, the fortress has provisions for 3 months, and you¡¯ll find instructions on what to do there.¡± Vizier. ¡°Father, please think¡­¡± Natlali. ¡°There¡¯s no more time to think. The fortress is getting closer.¡± Vizier. Necali and Natlali looked at each other, despair written all over their faces. The Vizier¡¯s decision was cruel, but it was the only solution he saw. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the Vizier¡¯s family was more important than the empire; his own survival came first. XIX.2 - 4th day – Attack on the Death Star - Rashakn ¡°DRAGONS!!¡± The queen said in surprise, her feathers ruffled and trembling with fear. The Vizier looked in dismay at the nobles gathered in the audience hall, normally a place of pomp and power, but now it was filled with a dense silence and laden with apprehension. The nobles, silent and wide-eyed, gathered in small groups around the hall. The Queen regained her firm posture, but her feathers trembled slightly under the pressure of the moment. The air was thick, heavy with the smell of fear. The Vizier tried to remain calm. The queen speaks so that everyone can hear. ¡°Run away? And my people? Abandon them to the mercy of these monsters? Never, call the Marshal, the council room, let''s plan the defenses.¡± But this was a coded phrase that actually said: ¡°Evacuate the royal family, destroy the teleportation portal after I leave, we will leave in 5 minutes.¡± Murmurs of agreement came from the court of nobles present in the room. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Vizier makes a sign and the guards accompany them to the council room. The Queen looks at the nobles, demonstrating the maximum confidence and courage possible, her feathers slowly returning to their normal position, placed on her head. Some of the Nobles nod their heads, others remain silent, fear written all over their faces, they follow her, leaving the hall, each one going to their private quarters, probably to escape discreetly like the queen. "Your Majesty, I have already prepared everything. We have a safe refuge in the mountains. There, my Queen will be able to gather forces and plan our defense." Vizier says with his typical calm. The Queen hesitates. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡± She asks in surprise. ¡°No, my queen, for two reasons. The kingdom lives on in you, my queen, and in the blood of your lineage. But someone has to stay and try to save something when your grace returns. The nobles will flee, and those who don¡¯t will sell every last piece of furniture in the palace to save themselves. The other reason is that my bones are tired. I have little time left to live. My successor has already been trained. Let this old man be useful to the kingdom one last time.¡± He bows before the queen. ¡°Your Majesty, please do not hesitate. The life of the kingdom depends on your grace living.¡± The queen, overcome by a mixture of despair and hope, finally gives in and sighs. ¡°Very well, Vizier.¡± The Vizier stands up and smiles weakly. ¡°Your Highness, I will do my best.¡± The queen, with a heavy heart, rises from the throne and says goodbye to the Vizier, using the secret passage, steps into the teleportation circle, leaving behind the city she loved, in order to save the kingdom she ruled. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The 3 black dragons fly in formation passing through the outskirts of the city. Bhenkumbyrznaax, Crixus'' 4th wife, is accompanied by two phantom copies that her husband gave as gifts to his 1st and 2nd wife. Copies of 2 pathetic males who had the audacity to one day court her with cheap gifts and would now be forever used as beasts of burden and pets by these weak females. While she was now the only one to be ridden by her husband, to have the pleasure of his contact and presence. The city passed by quickly, she looks with contempt at the buildings and searches for some danger or threat. But of course no one would have that audacity, her mouth was salivating with the desire to spurt acid on the city below and provoke pain, fear and destruction, but her husband made it clear. ¡°No wanton destruction and only use the force necessary to eliminate the threat, Bhenk.¡± The diminutive way he used to call her was something that touched deep into her soul, bringing peace and happiness that not all his treasure could ever bring. Bhenk, circle the palace three times, each time in a smaller circle, ¡°Let¡¯s see if they still have any courage left in their spines.¡± She says in her mind to her husband. The formation gained altitude, she flapped her wings harder, to force the males to suffer to follow her. According to her husband, the phantom copies were permanent illusions created using the images and knowledge that her husband sought in his mind. For all practical purposes, they were real dragons, and they were bonded to their wives. A powerful magic that she had never seen before. There are some limitations, like they can''t move more than 500m away from them, but even so... Each of the two dragons carried on their backs a structure with capacity for 10 passengers, but they only had four occupants now, the wife and three D.K.s as honor guards. Her husband wore none of these. He stood gloriously, unmoved by the winds or the movement of his powerful back muscles, wearing armor of the fire giant design and in his fire giant form, with his long, fiery red hair of the royal caste. She looked at the palace defense towers, but they were abandoned, during the approaching circles she did not see a single soul anywhere in the palace. The rats must have fled. The three dragons and their passengers landed in the palace''s front courtyard, the wind from their powerful wings kicking up clouds of dust. Bhenkumbyrznaax lets out a mighty roar, daring anyone to confront them, but receives only silence in response. Her husband jumped from my back into the palace courtyard as the others climbed down from the other dragons who lay on the ground, like the dogs they had become. As soon as they all dismounted, the dragons assumed humanoid forms. The dragon, the 1st wife, took the form of the serpent people, the 2nd wife, the dark elves, and I, as did my husband, took the form of the fire giants. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.We formed up, three D.K.s in front, my husband in the middle, the 1st wife on his right side, the 2nd wife on the left side, me in the most important position, right behind, protecting my husband''s life and his back with my life, and the other three D.K.s behind me. The D.K.s blow up the palace doors with their fire magic, marking our entrance. We headed for the Throne Room, following the 1st wife''s instructions. Through the silent corridors we saw clear signs of a hasty escape, broken vases, empty spaces on the walls where works of art used to be. At one time or another we saw the servants hiding or running away. Outrageous, none of the rats came to greet the conqueror of the city. Truly outrageous! ¡°I¡¯m the only one who finds this very easy, apart from the initial resistance nothing else happened.¡± Crixus says, his paranoia gaining strength. ¡°Three dragons and a flying fortress. Husband, I don¡¯t think such a powerful force has been seen in these lands in millennia. My people must be terrified. All the nobles must have fled along with the royal family. Once again I thank you for not having razed the city. Thank you, Husband.¡± ¡°It was never my intention, 1st wife.¡± Crixus, through the link, just for her. The D.K.s open the doors that lead to the throne room. The immense throne room, all in polished stone, marble in various shades of white and beige, wide and high ceiling, the sound of footsteps echoing on the polished marble floor. The air is fresh and lightly perfumed, with a hint of flowers. Ahead, we see the imposing presence of the royal platform, covered in a rich, embroidered fabric, resembling silk and velvet underneath, emanating an ancient power, a history of kings and queens who sat on this same throne. Around it, the presence of other chairs and platforms, equally imposing, with soft upholstery and dark wood details. The wood is smooth and polished, with a light scent of wax. The walls are high and imposing, covered in tapestry. Beneath the floral scent is a faint smell of dust. Tall windows let in daylight, creating a soft glow in the room; you can feel the warmth of the sun, which warms the marble floor and illuminates the walls. At the opposite end of the entrance, a platform with four steps and on it a huge serpent stands in front of the platform, its head adorned with jewels and ornaments, the serpent raises its head from its resting position and slowly bends. Its whole body trembles, the smell of fear is intense. Crixus, with his shining armor and implacable gaze, advanced through the room, his armor creaking with each step. She stopped before the empty throne and stared at the Vizier, hunched over, his eyes dull with old age, reflecting the weight of defeat. ¡°I am Crixus, this jewel you wear is interesting, and I see that your gaze pierces my illusions. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. The kingdom has fallen. You, the queen¡¯s right-hand man, the advisor who guided her to ruin, stand before me to prevent further damage to the Kingdom, is that not so? What do you have to say in defense of the Queen that would make me change my mind about destroying it?¡± He assumes his immense true form and floats over the royal platform. The Vizier, with a hoarse and stuttering voice, ¡°The defeat is bitter, Lord Crixus. But I ask that the glory of the Kingdom not be erased.¡± ¡°Glory? The kingdom drowned in its own blood, in the blood of the innocent, and in endless wars with its neighbors guided by blind ambition. Your Queen is just a puppet of the nobles. But that ends today.¡± The Vizier, raising his head, still afraid but with a glimmer of pride in his eyes, says. ¡°Queen Calxochitli is a divine being! She sought a better future for her people!¡± ¡°Hhuuuunnnfff!¡± Crixus snorts. ¡°A better future. Great, I¡¯ll explain it to you and then you can tell your people what that better future will be like. 1st- Unconditional surrender of the Kingdom. 2nd- The Queen must surrender herself to me, she will be one of my wives, she has 3 days to return, by hook or by crook. 3rd- Slavery is banned in the lands of the kingdoms, all slaves must be freed immediately. Those who do not comply with this order will be sent by my D.K.s. At this, the six D.K.s light their magical fire and humanoid torches they become, all accompanied by their sinister laughter. 4th- All lords must present themselves to me in 5 days or their lands will be taken and their lineage will be erased. ¡°Now, the only glory that remains is that of your peaceful and unconditional surrender, Vizier...¡± The Vizier stares at Crixus. ¡°Surrender is an act of weakness. The Queen will never bow!¡± ¡°Weakness? I think you misunderstood, Vizier, WITH...WHAT...YOU...ARE...DEALING. Let me be clear.¡± Using the knowledge he had gathered from the Vizier¡¯s mind, he began to repeat the final dialogue between the Vizier and his sons, a faithful copy of both what was said and the voices of those involved: ¡°Natlali, don¡¯t be foolish. One must be alive to use knowledge.¡± Vizier. ¡°Father, we can¡¯t just¡­¡± Necali. ¡°Necali, enough! I¡¯ve decided. The teleportation circle is ready and waiting for you. Go. If all goes well, I¡¯ll come get you in two days. If not, the fortress has provisions for 3 months, and there you¡¯ll also find instructions on what to do.¡± Vizier. ¡°I know where they are, just as I know where this queen is. Let¡¯s start with you, Vizier.¡± Vizier, trembling with fear and now truly defeated, looks at the monster in front of him, a creature of terror and madness, who commands powers he has never seen before. His family has existed for centuries, while he is alive, there is hope. For my children. ¡°Yes, Lord Crixus. I bow to your will...my lord.¡± ¡°Wise decision Vizier.¡± Hethress says happily beside her husband. Today the empire that my husband deserves is born. XX – Near Future – Order of the Golden Flame The Order of the Golden Beliefs ? The Order of the Golden Flame is the force of light against darkness. ? Every mortal soul must find the light. Inspire and guide others through virtuous behavior and the use of force is the last resort. ? Beware the deceptive whispers of those who court darkness. At its core, the Order of the Golden Flame is a fanatical group that hunts and fights evil in all its forms. For the warriors of the Order, this means combating the many supernatural and mundane threats present in Dhah''ar, such as the undead, demons, the corrupt, assassins, thieves, drug dealers and and all those who do not follow the laws.. To the government forces, both secular and religious, the Order is a group of vigilantes and terrorists. And to the population, they are the last resort of the weak. Purists classify evil into five categories ? Alien evil entities: Extraplanar beings such as demons and others. ? Supernatural evil entities: This includes the undead and lycanthropes, fundamentally creatures corrupted by malevolent forces. ? Innate evil entities: This includes "monsters" that target good sentient beings. ? Those who choose evil: Evil humanoids who have consciously chosen evil and must all be put to the sword. ? The evil within: These are those who are born with an "alignment" for evil. The order gives these a deadline. Those who do not change their alignment by the time of the Ceremony must be slaughtered. History The Order of the Golden Flame was founded in the early years of Cystemis, the Father of the Gods, by the emergence of the "Templar" class in the Talay Empire. The influence of the Order spread over the centuries, but its heart remained in Talay. During the Class Wars, King Herveig XI recognized the Order. By the time King Herveig XI died after his long reign, the Order had already gained the fame and strength for which it is known today. The most common representation of the faith is the image of a bronze shield with a flaming sword in the center inlaid with gold. Torches are also associated with the Order. Symbolically, torches represent the fire that purifies evil. ------- -------------------------------------------------- ------------- The cool night air hung over the Order of the Golden Flame safehouse, seeping through the cracks in the windows and causing the flames dancing in the fireplace to flicker slightly. Around the massive wooden table, five hooded figures gathered, their faces obscured by shadows. ¡°Andrev,¡± Paskell said, his voice deep and gravelly, ¡°she is a disheveled and always hungry woman, dressed heavily no matter the weather, with brown hair held back by a thin leather thong. Her amber eyes glow with joy most of the time. She believes the world must come together to rid itself of evil once and for all. ¡°It is a threat that must be eliminated. It has been moving in the shadows, feeding on the ignorance of good people, and with each passing day, its influence grows stronger.¡± "He''s been meeting with his ''friends'' in an old tavern on the outskirts of town," added Marc''harid, a middle-aged half-elf who wears a mix of clothes and, depending on the season, will wear even more layers of different clothes continuously. His hair is always cut short. His green eyes dart to random spaces in the air, always searching for something. He''s a supremacist due to his elven ancestry, although he''s not a pure elf, he''s a coward and always attacks from the shadows. His eyes glow with an intensity that contrasted with the darkness of the room. "There, he plans his next steps, we fear he''s preparing for something terrible." "The information we''ve received indicates that he''s using magic on people, enchanting them," said Tr¨¦phina, her voice soft but full of unshakable authority. She wears a black collared shirt and a blue skirt. She accessorizes with a gray scarf around her waist and a diagonal strip on her blouse. She has blonde hair in a pixie cut. She''s a woman with a huge range of feelings. She goes from being happy and joking with the occasional self-deprecation to crying, stating how she will be a better person from this day forward. She doesn¡¯t mind the isolation, but she doesn¡¯t hate company and tries to welcome it as best she can. ¡°If it¡¯s true, he needs to be neutralized as soon as possible. We can¡¯t risk him using his powers to spread chaos and destruction.¡± ¡°We need to proceed with caution,¡± warned Ioena, the youngest of the group but no less shrewd, an imposing woman with a heavy frame, she wears custom-made plate armor adorned with beige lining and desert motifs. Her red hair is tied in a tight ponytail with a dried green ribbon in a bow knot. Her eyes are equally blue. Her teeth are yellow and misaligned. She misses her glory days with her family on the farm. She doesn¡¯t care about her work, but she does miss the peace and a simpler life with less death and blood. "He is cunning and dangerous. One mistake could cost us dearly. We must be prepared for anything." "I agree," said Morgan, the calmest of the group, but with an unwavering determination, a middle-aged man, he wears yellow robes with leather shoulder pads. Though he occasionally wears more armor. He prefers to carry a bow, but if one is unavailable he will use his scimitar, which he treats better than his women. His hair, though still brown, has prominent gray streaks. He is missing an eye, and his face is severely sunburned. His one remaining eye glows blue. He is almost overly polite to everyone, even when angry. He is a font of random tidbits of lore and the stories he has uncovered. "But we cannot allow him to remain free. He must be cleansed." "We have a plan," Paskell announced, gesturing to a map that lay on the table. "We will wait for him to leave the tavern, after he has separated from his friends. We will purify him and take his remains to the Order''s headquarters, where he will be sent to the great void for his crimes." "We must act quickly," said Tr¨¦phina. "He cannot be left to grow stronger. His powers are growing by the day and he becomes more dangerous." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "We will enter the tavern and arrest him," said Ioena, her eyes shining with determination. "No. Many people, his friends, can help, even though I doubt it, we must be prepared for anything. Best to catch him when he is alone." "He will not stand a chance," said Paskell, his voice firm. "The Order of the Golden Flame does not fail. We have defeated evil before, and we will do so again." "Then let us begin," Marc''harid concluded, his eyes fixed on the map. "Andrev''s time has come to an end today." The shadows moved in the room, and the inquisitors stood, ready to carry out their mission. The fight against evil was about to begin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The smell of rain and damp stone permeated the cold air of Lundine. Andrev, with his black hood covering his face, ran through the dark and labyrinthine streets of the imperial city, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the narrow alleys. The pursuit was relentless, the voices of the purists and their hunters echoed behind him, like hungry wolves searching for their prey. "Stop! Little Seed of Evil! You will not escape!" The hoarse voice of the leader of the purists echoed through the streets, mixing with the sound of his heavy footsteps. Andrev, his heart pounding in his chest, increased his pace, his eyes searching for an exit. "Why are you persecuting me?" She murmured to herself, her voice trembling. "What have I done to deserve this?" He did not know the reason for the persecution. He lived a quiet life, practicing his magic discreetly, petty crimes in secret. But suddenly, the city became a hunting ground, people disappeared in the middle of the night and now he was one of them, the target. "He''s there! Don''t let him escape!" A hunter''s voice rang out, and Andrev felt a chill run down her spine. She knew she couldn''t afford to hesitate. "No!" He shouted, with a strength that surprised even herself. "I won''t surrender!" He turned sharply, his eyes shining with an unearthly intensity. With a quick gesture, she summoned a thick, opaque fog that spread across the streets, obscuring the vision of her pursuers. "Where is he?" The voice of the leader of the purists rang out, full of anger and frustration. "He can''t have disappeared like that!" Andrev, using the fog as a shield, continued to run, his heightened senses picking up every noise, every movement. He knew he couldn''t afford to miss. "He''s close! I can smell him!" A hunter''s voice rang out, and Andrev felt a shiver of fear. He knew he couldn''t hide forever. He took a deep breath, concentrating all his energy on a single point. With a quick gesture, she summoned a beam of pure energy, which tore through the mist and struck the ground, creating a smoking crater. Two incinerated bodies fell to the ground. "Damn you!" The leader of the purists shouted, his eyes full of fury. "You will not escape!" Andrev, tired and still in panic, disappeared into the mist, leaving behind the smell of sewage from the streets, burning flesh, and the confusion of his pursuers. He knew the chase would not end, but he would not let himself be captured. He was a survivor and would fight for his freedom until the end. He entered an abandoned building and crossed several rooms and corridors, gaining distance from his pursuers. As he crossed one of the building''s corridors, he felt a deep pain in his stomach and with a thud he fell to the ground. From the shadows, one of the purists appeared in the blink of an eye. He looks at Andrev, lying on the ground while wiping the blade of his rondel with a cloth. ¡°A guardian, vigilant and strong, will prevent the bad seed from finding luck. With firm hands, he pulls it from the ground and prevents it from growing, from spreading its affliction. The fertile soil, a cradle of life, will not be contaminated, hope will not die. The bad seed, in its contained rot, will find no place to grow, in the pure land of the righteous.¡± Says Marc''harid. Andrev, feeling his life slipping away, thinks. What did I do wrong? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Order of the Golden Flame¡¯s safe house, normally a haven of peace and strategy, was filled with a charged atmosphere. The scent of fresh blood hung in the air, mingling with the scent of medicinal herbs and the woodsy smell of the fireplace. Paskell, Marc, and Tr¨¦phina gathered around a makeshift bed, where Ioena and Morgan, both dead, were being revived by a healer from the Order. Paskell¡¯s expression was one of restrained fury, his eyes dark and piercing. ¡°He fought back,¡± Paskell said, his voice hoarse with anger. ¡°He fought with a strength we didn¡¯t expect. He used magic stronger than the scouts reported. A stupid mistake.¡± ¡°He almost killed us,¡± Marc¡¯harid muttered, his voice thick with a fear he tried to hide. ¡°I hate summoners.¡± ¡°He was prepared,¡± Tr¨¦phina said, her voice low and strained. "A normal person wouldn''t memorize a destructive damage spell in a civilized city. But we managed to stop him from escaping." "He''s dead," Paskell said, his voice unmistakably tinged with frustration. "But the price was high. Ioena and Morgan...they were killed, too." "I shouldn''t have let my guard down," Ioena said, her voice weak but firm. "He tricked me with a mist spell." "He also caught me with the mist," Morgan said, his voice hoarse with pain. "We shouldn''t have let him get his magic in, we should have given him space, a classic, basic mistake, never far from a magic user," Marc''harid said, his eyes fixed on Ioena and Morgan. "He was a danger, and now we''re safe from the harm he could do." "That''s all I can take comfort in," Paskell said, his voice firm. "We will deliver his soul to the void. And when we do, he will have no chance." "Yes, his death will be final," Tr¨¦phina said, her voice thick with determination. "He will pay for what he has done." "He will pay," Ioena said, her voice weak but filled with anger. "He will pay for hurting my friends." "He will pay," Morgan said, her voice hoarse but firm. "He will pay for defying the Order of the Golden Flame." The shadows moved in the room, and the inquisitors stood, their faces etched with fury and determination, staring at Andrev''s body, waiting for the healer to revive their friends and then purge the rotten soul of the evil spawn. Tr¨¦phina, her voice soft and low. ¡°What was this one¡¯s alignment, again?¡± ¡°Lawful Evil.¡± Paskell says as if spitting. XXI - 5th day – Rashakn The air in the Vizier''s room was thick, charged with the tension that hung over Rashakn. Necali''s words echoed, filled with disbelief: "Father, it is unimaginable! Crixus took the capital without a single war cry, without a single sack! How is it possible that such a powerful army behaves with such... clemency?" Natlali, always the more pragmatic of the two, frowned. "Clemency? Or is it a trap? Why were there no casualties among the population? Why was there no looting? What does Crixus intend with this apparent kindness?" The Vizier, a "man" of many years and with a scrutinizing gaze, observed his sons with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. "We cannot ignore the ceremony. Crixus made all the nobles swear allegiance to him, using blood. Blood rituals are the worst, although I did not feel any magic during the ceremony and that scares me even more. What he intends with this show of strength and this... calmness... is a mystery that needs to be unraveled." Necali, more impulsive, stood up. "We need to act, father! We cannot simply wait for Crixus to decide our fate. We need to know what he wants, what his plans are!" Natlali, with her calm and thoughtful voice, interrupted her. "Necali, calm down. We need to act cautiously. Crixus is an enigma, a monster and any false step could lead us to ruin. He has 3 dragons with him, a flying fortress and a legion of undead. We must infiltrate his circle, discover his objectives and then plot our next move." The Vizier, observing the discussion between his sons, took a deep breath. "Stay calm. Both points of view are valid. Necali, action is important, but we must be strategic. Natlali, caution is essential, but we cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by fear. We must act, but with intelligence and discretion. Crixus is a powerful opponent and we must prepare for what he has in store for us." The Vizier watched his children, Necali and Natlali, in front of him in silence, his expression serious. "The Queen and her family refuse to surrender," the Vizier said, his voice low and hoarse. "Pride and stubbornness blind them to reality. Crixus is unpredictable and resistance is futile, his dragons, both illusions and real, can destroy the city with impunity. We must convince her to surrender before the city is destroyed." Necali spoke up: "Father, the Queen will not listen to reason. She believes that Crixus will not dare touch her family." "But he will dare," the Vizier replied, a cruel gleam in his eyes. "He has already proven that his power knows no bounds. If the Queen does not surrender, he will destroy the city, and everyone, including her family, will be sacrificed. I think she believes I betrayed her by telling Lord Crixus where she is hiding." Natlali, the feathers on her head fluttering, stood up and approached her father. "Father, we cannot allow that to happen. We must find a way to convince her. We can offer her something in exchange for surrender." "Something the Queen truly desires," Necali added, "something that will convince her that surrender is the best option." The Vizier pondered for a moment, his eyes fixed on nothing. "Perhaps... perhaps the promise of safety for her family. And perhaps... perhaps the promise of a prosperous future under Crixus'' rule." Necali and Natlali exchanged glances, understanding their father''s plan. It was a risky proposition, but perhaps the only chance to save the city and the royal family from destruction. "We must act quickly," Necali said. "It is difficult to read that monster, but I think Crixus has no patience for games." "Yes," the Vizier agreed. "We will prepare an embassy and present our proposals to the Queen. We will emphasize that Lord Crixus only asked for the Queen, his family was not mentioned and that he spoke of marriage, demonstrating a clear interest in maintaining the royal lineage. May the gods help us." The room fell silent, tension hanging in the air. The invasion of Rashakn was only the beginning. What Crixus planned, no one knew, but one thing was certain: the future of Rashakn was at stake, and the decision of the Vizier and his sons would be crucial to the fate of the city. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The smell of wine and fried fish hung in the air of the tavern, mingling with the smoke rising from the fireplace. Loud laughter and hoarse voices echoed off the wooden walls as the residents of Rashakn toasted to the night and to life. "The invasion was a walk in the park!" exclaimed Grog, a giant with red feathers, slamming his wooden mug down on the table. "Not a scratch on the city, not a drop of blood spilled! What can''t 3 dragons, a flying fortress, and from what I''ve heard, a legion of undead, do?" He finished with a laugh. Other patrons of the tavern looked at the drunk and just shook their heads. "It must have been the queen''s doing," said Elara, a young woman with bright blue eyes, smiling at the group. "They say she has a special gift, capable of calming the wildest hearts." "Ah, the queen!" interrupted an old man with dull scales, with a mischievous look in his eyes. "They say she''s going to marry a giant! A real giant, with immense strength and a heart of gold!" "A giant?" laughed Grog, patting his belly. "If she''s going to marry a giant, let it be me! I''m the strongest ''giant'' in all of Rashakn!" "Idiot! Shut up, someone might hear. And I''m talking about a real giant, you imbecile," said Elara, with a mischievous smile. "And they also say he''s very handsome, for a giant." "Handsome?" Grog grimaced, crossing his arms. "I don''t believe a giant can be handsome. It must be a fairy tale." "Maybe," said the old man, with an enigmatic smile. "But they say he has ruby ??eyes like lava from a volcano and hair of true flames from the royal line of fire giants. And that he is so strong that he can lift a castle with one hand!" "Well, if he is that strong, let him come and challenge me!" exclaimed Grog, beating his chest with his hand. "I will show him who is the strongest giant in Rashakn!" Soon after he passes out drunk, hits his head on the table and falls to the floor with a dull thud The tavern exploded in laughter, as the residents toasted the health of the queen and her future giant husband. The night was just beginning, and the stories and legends continued to flow like beer, warming the hearts and minds of the residents of Rashakn. Happy to be alive after the power struggles between the powerful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Serpent''s Nest, the royal family''s secret refuge. Queen Calxochitli watched her many children play in one of the inner courtyards of the hidden fortress, Serpent''s Nest. By royal standards, calling Serpent''s Nest a palace was an affront. There were only 3 rooms worthy of royal blood and the other 22 rooms only worthy of a baron. The palace only had capacity for 100 guards, which was only ten percent of her guard, not counting the personal guard of her children. She could not bring any of her favorite slaves, and only 5 of her servants came with her. Just thinking about it made her feathers vibrate. The last straw was when the head chef said that the palace only had combat rations and no fresh meat. How would she live without elf breast fillet in brown sauce? This morning she received a message via pigeon from the Vizier saying that the capital had fallen, that there had been no looting or deaths, that all the troops had been defeated, that the nobles had already bowed to their new lord and that the conqueror demanded that she return immediately to the capital to marry him. The only guarantees were that she and her lineage would not be killed. But who would believe that, it was all very strange, an invasion without deaths or looting? She turned, left the balcony where she had been watching her children and returned to the royal hall together with her two most faithful guards. Her body, colossal and shining, shone like cobalt on the upper part of her body and gold on her belly, under the light of the afternoon sun. Blue and red feathers, like those of a peacock, adorned her head, forming a glorious crown, and a golden crown, adorned with rubies and emeralds, in front of the feathers, crowned her head. Her piercing golden eyes swept the sparsely decorated corridor that led to the hall, and a magical glow emanated from her body, spreading across her immense rainbow-colored bird-of-prey wings, glued to her heavy, long, and sinuous body. Queen Calxochitli flicked her tail impatiently, the fine feathers trembling slightly. Her normally bright golden eyes were filled with concern. "Itzcuintli, Amox, did you hear what the messenger said? What do you think of the message sent by the Vizier? Crixus invaded the capital! But... without bloodshed? Without damage? How is that possible?" Itzcuintli, tall and imposing,wearing his ceremonial armor and sword at his waist, with a scar that cut across his left eyebrow, frowned. "It is true, Your Majesty. The messenger seemed sincere, and his accounts coincide with those of other reports that have arrived from the capital." Amox, the younger of the two, also wearing his ceremonial armor and sword at his waist, with a shrewd look and sharp intelligence, added: "But what does he want? To invade the capital without causing damage... and then ask for your hand in marriage? That doesn''t make sense. He''s not even of the same race! A damned, stupid, brute giant!" Calxochitli nodded, agreement written all over his face. "That''s true. He offers no guarantees, only a safe conduct to the royal family. What if he''s lying? What if it''s a trap?" Itzcuintli, with a calm and thoughtful tone, replied: "Your Majesty, we cannot ignore the threat. Crixus is an unknown conqueror but he has shown himself to be powerful and benevolent. If he wants your hand in marriage, there must be a reason." Amox, ever strategic, added: "Perhaps he is seeking legitimacy, a link to royalty. Or perhaps he wants to control the kingdom through you, Your Majesty." If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Calxochitli sighed, her concern turning into a tightness in her chest. "I don''t know what to think. But we can''t remain paralyzed. We need a plan. Itzcuintli, you will lead an expedition to the capital. Find out the situation, talk to the inhabitants and seek information about Crixus''s real intentions. Amox, you will stay here, taking care of the palace''s security and organizing a plan. If he wants legitimacy, we can bargain for something. But prepare yourself for an escape plan, this place has already been compromised." Itzcuintli and Amox bowed in respect. "Yes, Your Majesty. We will do whatever is necessary to protect the kingdom and your safety." Calxochitli, despite the uncertainty that consumed her, felt a ray of hope. Her warriors were loyal and brave, and she would not be intimidated by a conqueror, no matter how powerful he was. One thing was clear, this giant wanted her alive, probably to legitimize his conquest, now it was a question of how much he would be willing to pay for it. She would not sell herself dearly. Would the usurper accept one of my daughters or sons? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Pit Master, a burly male with a stern look on his face, strode into the slave quarters, his hoarse voice echoing off the stone walls. "Rise! All of you!" the Pit Master orders. Along with the other servants of Lord Atlal D''Okulo''s household, they are led into the courtyard. There the Pit Master turns to the assembled servants, already lined up in the usual roll call, and says, "Imperial Lord Crixus has a gift for you!" But the expression on his face says otherwise. The news spread like wildfire among the slaves, causing a growing murmur of confusion and apprehension. Rennyn, Carnorin, Luthais, Phixidor, Aimar, and Sylqirelle, six dark elf slaves, all thin, wearing only a thick cloth loincloth and with shaved heads, still dazed by the events of the previous day, looked at each other, their faces expressing a mixture of surprise, disbelief, and fear. "A gift?" Rennyn murmured, his eyes wide. "What does he mean by that?" Carnorin, always the most pragmatic of the group, frowned. "I don''t know, Rennyn. But we can''t just trust. Who is Crixus? I don''t like this." "SHUT UP, SCUM!" Master of the Well. Luthais, the youngest in both age and time in slavery, trembled slightly, muttering. "What if it''s a trap? What if he wants to use us for something?" Phixidor, the calmest and oldest slave in the house, tried to calm the mood, also muttering. "We cannot be paralyzed by fear. It may be true, it may be something else, but we must understand what is happening. Perhaps it is a chance for us to escape slavery¡­ one way or another." Aimar, with a look of hope, agreed: "Yes, Phixidor. If Lord Crixus truly frees us, we can finally have a free life." The whip cracked in the air, "SHUT UP, SCUM!" Master of the Well. Sylqirelle, one of the few elves in the group, pondered: "But what if he frees us, what will we do? We have no clothes, no food, many of us are old and injured, we are weeks away from our lands? It would be the same as killing us." The six servants, each with their own fears and hopes, found themselves caught in a whirlwind of emotions. The news of their liberation, although promising, brought with it a shadow of uncertainty and distrust. What did the future hold for them? The answer, for now, remained shrouded in mystery. All 64 slaves of the house leave, led by the Well Master, and escorted by 6 guards from the House of Okulo, as they leave the streets of the capital they see the same scene repeated several times. Other slaves from several other houses, led by their Well Masters and escorted by guards. The streets are crowded and everyone heads to the city''s amphitheater for games. The walk takes almost an hour and when the slaves of the House of Okulo arrive at the amphitheater in the heart of the region inhabited by the upper classes, under the gray and humid sky under the 2 suns, a monumental stadium stands. It was made of gleaming red marble, built by the giants of legend, made from a single block of rough stone, strong wood and tiles. It was a perfect oval, with finely carved stone walls that rose imposingly, surrounding a vast and flat space. The arena, covered by a thin layer of sand, on tiles that had already drunk rivers of blood, was the stage for deadly and grandiose spectacles. Fifty thousand people could crowd the wooden stands, built on a thousand-year-old structure. Upon entering, they saw their faces reflected in thousands of other slaves who were already waiting there, their clothes made of raw and dirty wool, their murmurs creating a background hum that echoed through the immense structure. In the center of the arena, a wooden stage had been built. The stadium was a symbol of the serpent people¡¯s power and oppression. It was here that they celebrated their gods, demonstrated their strength, and honored their warriors. Gladiator fights were an ancient ritual, a form of entertainment, and a demonstration of bravery and courage. The atmosphere was tense, the crowd waited anxiously, and adrenaline pumped in the air. This was a place of death, fear, and suffering, not a place for hope or liberation other than that of death. Rennyn, Carnorin, Luthais, Phixidor, Aimar, and Sylqirelle and their companions from the House of Okulo were among the last groups to crowd into the Amphitheater. The air in the Amphitheater was thick with anticipation and apprehension. The crowd, a sea of ??anxious faces, pressed toward the stage, their murmurs low and tense. Rennyn stood firm beside Carnorin, whose expression was impenetrable. Luthais nervously bit her nails, while Phixidor watched everything with cold eyes. Aimar prayed softly, his fingers intertwined. Sylqirelle seemed serene, but her eyes shone with an unusual intensity. "What will happen?" Aimar whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "I don''t know," Rennyn replied, his voice firm, "but we have to be prepared for anything." Carnorin, who had remained silent until then, let out a sigh. "I hope it will be liberation. We have suffered too much already." Luthais, without taking his eyes off the stage, murmured: "If it is not liberation, at least let it be a quick death." Phixidor, with his hoarse voice, said: "No matter what happens, as long as we are alive, there is hope." Sylqirelle, with a weak smile, added: "Yes, we will go through this together with dignity." The six members of House D''Okulo looked at each other, a mixture of hope and fear on their faces. They were united, ready to face the unknown, whatever fate awaited them. Everyone in the amphitheater felt the hairs on their bodies stand on end. In the blink of an eye, there were 7 beings: Rennyn, Carnorin, Luthais, Phixidor, Aimar, and Sylqirelle, who were the last to arrive. They were closest to the central arena and saw that they were: a fire giant wearing rich clerical robes. A richly dressed female serpent-folk stood right next to a creature made of nightmare matter, with too many eyes and many tentacles. On the other side of this monster was a dark elf, also richly dressed. In front of them, on a step below, were 2 enormous male Lizardmen, and in the middle of them, a female, also a lizardman, even bigger. The 3 had black scales, identifying them as being from the black scale tribe. Crowning the scene, high above in the background, was the magical flying fortress. The giant descended the steps of the platform and stood in front of the three lizardmen. With a powerful voice, which was heard by everyone in the amphitheater, he proclaimed: ¡°Compatriots, brothers and sisters! Today, on this historic day, we celebrate the liberation from a yoke that has long oppressed the bodies and souls of the people of the Valley of Shadows. Today, freedom finally rises upon us, like the suns that break through the darkness of night. For centuries, ancestors of various peoples and races were torn from their lands, separated from their families and forced to work in horrible conditions. Their bodies, which were supposed to build, create and love, were used to enrich others and to give pleasure in the most monstrous ways, while they themselves lived in misery and pain. But hope never went out in the hearts of these people. The flame of freedom burned in our spirits, fueled by the belief in a better future, a future where our children could live free and with dignity. Today, this flame is transformed into a fire that lights the way to a new era. An era where justice prevails, where equality is the law, where everyone, without distinction of color, race, religion or origin, can enjoy the fruits of freedom. The fight for freedom was not easy. Many brave men and women gave their lives so that today we could celebrate this historic moment. Their memories inspire us to build a future where slavery is just a sad chapter of the past. The journey to freedom is long and requires continuous effort. We must work together to ensure that equality is a reality for all. We must build a society where everyone has opportunities, where everyone is treated with respect, dignity and equality. May this day be a milestone in the history of our nation, a day that symbolizes the end of slavery and the beginning of a new era of freedom and justice for all inhabitants of the Valley of Shadows. Blessed be LORD CRIXUS! Always! Then, little by little, a chorus, weak at first, was led by the Masters of the Wells. Blessed be LORD CRIXUS! Always! Blessed be LORD CRIXUS! Always! Blessed be LORD CRIXUS! Always! Soon the entire amphitheater was vibrating with the chorus. The Giant then raised a hand and silence fell. The same sensation of goosebumps came again, but this time much stronger. A wave of golden energy spread from the monstrous creature in the center of the arena. No one had time to do anything. And like in a fairy tale, all the pain, fatigue, hunger, wounds, scars, disappeared and even lost limbs returned... A roar of surprise swept through the entire amphitheater, many fell to the ground crying, others were in shock. Rennyn, Carnorin, Luthais, Phixidor, Aimar and Sylqirelle looked at each other and soon hugged each other crying rivers of tears. A strange, out of sync voice that made the skin twitch was heard and everyone was stunned, like a mouse looking at a snake. ¡°Freedom is good, but for those who have lost everything, it can also be a death sentence. I would like to do more, but this is the most I can do, give a chance to those who have lost everything... to start over.¡± Another wave of even stronger magic energy came from the creature, a feeling of falling, a hole in the belly, as if jumping from a cliff into a lake of icy water. Once again, like in a fairy tale, Rennyn, Carnorin, Luthais, Phixidor, Aimar and Sylqirelle found themselves in their old village, which was now just ruins, they looked at each other and everyone was the same. Good quality traveling clothes, a heavy backpack on their backs, a short sword at their waist, on the other side a quiver, a knife and a canteen, in one hand a good spear and a recurve bow. They all looked at each other and thought the same thing, in that order. Am I dreaming? Blessed be LORD CRIXUS always!
EPIC Chainbreaker
Achievement
In a single event was released total of 50k sentient beings held in unjust captivity. +10 Gain a bonus to damage when fighting slave owners.
XXII - 7th day – Xokal ¡°The two most basic instincts of humanity: sex and feeding.¡± The veteran took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on his sword. ¡°Okay, Lord Crixus. But... I promise I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Another day of flying on the Blue Marlin¡± At least in the heights the heat became bearable and there was peace from the ever-present blood-sucking insects of this green hell. Below stretched the landscape, beautiful and at the same time terrifying, of the immense green carpet of this region of the continent of Xok¡¯al. Full of resources, wild and violent people, but what would be expected of a backward race like the dark elves. Ahhh, the women were a special case, so much flesh on display, and skin as black as the darkest night, bodies full of promise and easy ecstasy. Flying low, the captain of the Blue Marlin, Brewal, signaled that we could see something on the ground, another of those small villages lost in the green hell. Antinua points ahead, slows down to ignore detours and we continue to our destination. Brewal, after a few hours of traveling, we arrive at our destination, the Blue Marlin, begins the descent on the river near a small beach of white sand, a few seconds after the hull touches the waters of the river with a wet thud. Two hours later, all the preparations for the expedition are unloaded. The beach is good, many branches and pieces of wood nearby and cover of trees nearby, and close to the village, making it easy to start the expedition. They look and see him pointing to the river. A sight that he sees gives him a surge of joy. Going up the river a log canoe with natives approaches. With the help of the native dark elves of the Aparaik''ka tribe, who were introduced by the guide, in 3 canoes, they are taken to the nearby village. There they are introduced to Estro Aocapotu''ka and his beautiful daughter Macarra''ka. Messengers were sent to the temporary camp to report that they had been well received by the natives and to communicate that the expedition should change location and come closer to the village. After receiving a warm welcome from the Aparaik''ka tribe, water and food, and gifts, a conversation began with Estro and the village elders. Two things became clear as time went by: the Aparai were happy to help and that the chief''s daughter was watching Filiz with narrow, covetous eyes. That night, a welcome party was arranged for the Germans as soon as their group arrived, which would probably be in two or three days. The days passed lazily, Antinua tried to learn as much as possible about the region by talking to the tribe''s elders, through the tribe''s oral traditions. But Filiz only had eyes for Macarra''ka, she was a goddess walking the earth, her skin the color of black opal and her hair silver, long and straight down to her waist. By Mione, and the balance of her breasts that fit in the palm of his hand, her sex covered by a tiny strip of fabric and her entire ass exposed, she was certainly one of the daughters of Rhualdir, God of Beauty. No one but him seemed to mind such a broad display of sexuality. By Aher, these savages might be inferior in everything, but their women were worthy of being taken. Of course, he would never think of introducing her to his social circle, but he would certainly add her to his bed maids. Who knows, for a good price, he could take her? While he was musing about these things, he lost focus of the events around him, until some feminine laughter called him back to earth. Macarra''ka was walking with a nap on her head next to other young people and they laughed and looked at him shamelessly. That made him a little irritated, this added to the heat, the insects and the headache and body ache made him decide to take a bath. A shallow stream runs near the village, its calm waters inviting in the heat of the jungle. He entered the water wearing only his underwear and took a dip. He swam a little and returned to the bank where he knelt on the riverbed, with only his head sticking out. The cold water made him feel better. The sun reflecting off the river water made him close his eyes and he almost fell asleep. Until he felt someone in the water near him. It was Macarra''ka, she was carrying a kind of plant in her hands and stood in front of him with water up to her waist. She pointed to her head and the plant and spoke words in her barbaric and exotic language, "May I wash your head, Mr. Filiz. Is it possible for you to wash your head?" He discovered with his head. She really does sell her fault, she crushed the plant with her small hands and then wet it, she did this she squeezed this water on her head. At that moment he smelled a pungent smell of forest, but sweeter. She repeated the process once more, threw the plant away and She began to rub her head. It seemed like the plant was some kind of natural soap, it was the last rational thing I could think of before she bent down and placed her breasts just inches from his face. He felt an explosive erection. She threw water on his head and then knelt in the same position as him. Filiz had never felt so lost. His desire was to jump on her and possess her in the wildest way his dreams allowed, but at the same time he looked beyond her back and saw the entire village going about their daily lives. He was not a savage, nor a young man with a woman for the first time! But praise be to Oxlene, finding such a raw jewel, lost in the middle of the jungles of Xok''al. He had never felt this, he never thought that Xoxa, the God of Love, would hit him with her staff, because his desire certainly turned to baby food when this woman was near. At that moment, he almost jumped out of the water. The wild woman had grabbed his penis with both hands. When he almost stood up by reflex, she grabbed him by the balls. Never in his life had he felt so controlled, and the strangest thing was that he was loving it. No woman had ever been so aggressive, possessive and direct. Since they arrived, he had never seen her looking at any other man, only at him. No, she had to be more than his slave. She had to be his concubine. Yes, it was decided: he had to be mine! With a smile that would make Xoxa blush, she began to move his penis. The stress and fear that he didn''t even know he felt disappeared under the touch of this woman. The unusual situation and a million other things that he couldn''t even identify later made him reach his climax in mere minutes. She looked down, then looked up and laughed. After that, she stood up. When she reached the beach, she looked back and smiled at him. This wild woman had to be his no matter what, no matter the cost. In the background, a young Aparaik''ka, inside a canoe and fishing with a bow and arrow, watched the scene with a murderous look. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The bonfire crackled merrily, casting dancing shadows over the painted faces of the Aparaik''ka. The aroma of meat and fish roasted in herbs mixed with the scent of incense, creating a magical and inviting atmosphere. Brewal, with his imposing posture, watched the party with a satisfied smile. The Blue Marlin, anchored on the beach, looked like a sleeping monster under the moonlight. Antinua, in his shining armor, chatted animatedly with Estro, Aocapotu''ka. The spiritual leader of the tribe, with his piercing eyes and enigmatic smile, seemed fascinated by the paladin. "The strength of your soul is remarkable, Antinua," Estro said to Aocapotu''ka, his deep voice echoing in the night. "You carry with you the light of justice." "I thank you, Estro, Aocapotu''ka," replied Antinua, bowing his head in respect. "But true strength lies in the union of the Gods of Light and their followers." Meanwhile, Filiz, the Archmage, watched Macarra''ka, the young Aparaik''ka, from afar. His eyes shone with a mixture of admiration and desire. Macarra''ka, with her agile body and silver hair with the 8th Moon, Durnar, seemed hypnotized by the wizard. "Filiz, you''re looking at me as if I were a drowning man," Macarra''ka said, with a mischievous smile. "It''s not quite like that, Macarra''ka," Filiz replied, blushing slightly. "It''s just... you''re simply charming." What was happening to him, this woman was driving him crazy. On the boat he had cast several spells to see if he was under some enchantment, his magical defense items were inert, but even so, he looked like a child at the fair when she was near him. Without waiting for an answer, Filiz reached out and pulled Macarra''ka away from the party. They got lost among the trees, her laughter and his heavy breathing mingling with the sound of the music and the voices of the tribe. "Where do you think you''re going?" Macarra''ka asked, as Filiz led her through the bushes. "To a place where no one will find us," Filiz replied, with a sparkle in her eyes. "To a place where it can be just the two of us." Macarra''ka, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, could not resist the magician''s fascination. Something in her told her that he was hers. She had never felt this before. Desire, yes, adult games, yes, but this madness was the first time. In her 60 years of life, it was the first time that the madness of the Goddess Uixtocihuatl had been felt in her body. She let herself be carried away by him, and together they lost themselves in the darkness of the forest, promising a night of love and passion. A little behind, red eyes of hatred followed in silence. The full moons, with their various colors, created a magical atmosphere in the forest, peeking through the leaves of the centuries-old red fig tree, casting a ghostly glow over the scenery. Filiz, the Archmage, and Macarra''ka, Estro''s daughter, were wrapped in a passionate embrace, their clothes disheveled, their skin damp with sweat and desire. "Filiz...", Macarra''ka whispered, her voice hoarse with pleasure, "you are like a spell, you hypnotize me, I no longer have control over my body." "And you, Macarra''ka," Filiz replied, his fingers digging into the curve of her ass, "are the magic that makes me want to live forever, you have to be mine! Say yes." "Only if you say you are my man and swear to always obey me!" She said it with such ardor and desire that it was like lightning striking Filiz''s soul. He didn''t think for a second, "I swear." He said with a growl, his mouth on the curve of her neck, one hand on her ass and one in her hair, holding her tight, so she wouldn''t run away. She responded with a half-purring moan. "Yes!" A burning kiss, full of desire and promise, sealed the lives of the two. The night pulsed with the energy of passion, the forest fell silent in respect for that union. Suddenly, a scream tore through the silence. "Filiz! Macarra''ka!" Hagas, the jealous warrior, one of Macarra''ka''s former lovers, emerged from the shadows, his face contorted with rage. "I knew it! I knew you were together!" Macarra''ka backed away from Filiz, terrified. "Hagas, no! No, what are you doing, you madman!" Filiz stood up, her right hand glowing with a magical light. "Son of a bitch, you''re going to die for this!" His figure wasn''t the most intimidating with his pants down. "Not before I kill you, you damned thing? After you steal the woman I love?" Hagas stepped forward, sword in hand. "You''ll pay for this, you worm!" Macarra''ka stepped in front of Filiz, begging. "Hagas, please! Go away!" "Shut up, Macarra''ka!" Hagas shouted. "You have no say in this matter!" The air became dense, charged with tension. The moon seemed to observe the scene, impassive, as if it were witnessing a tragedy foretold. Hagas, bow and arrow in hand, fires two arrows right at Macarra''ka''s chest! He falls stiffly to the ground, already spitting blood. Filiz cried, overcome with fury. "DIE, DAMN YOU!" 5 energy daggers shoot right at Hagas'' chest. Hagas roared in pain, dropped his bow and arrow, drew his wooden sword and went into personal combat. He knew that his best chance against wizards was this. The 2 sword blows opened deep cuts in the wizard''s chest, who screamed in pain. Filiz, "The barbarian is good.", he activated his permanent spell, invisibility. I have to finish this quickly, Macarra''ka will die if he keeps bleeding. Hagas makes two more cuts in the air in front of him. But he doesn''t hit anything. Damn wizard. He turns to Macarra''ka who is crawling on the forest floor, trying to escape. "Bitch, if you''re not mine, you won''t be anyone else''s." He turns to her and raises his sword for the fatal blow.A bolt of lightning, as thin as a fluorescent green string, touches his back. And in the blink of an eye, it explodes into a cloud of green dust that spreads like the night breeze. Nothing is left, not a single hair. Filiz reappears running, kneels next to Macarra''ka, takes a healing potion from his bottomless bag and makes her drink it. While the potion takes effect, he pulls the two arrows from his beloved''s chest. In an instant epiphany, he realizes that this woman has become his opposite, that if she is ever taken from him, he will no longer have any meaning in living. For something like this to happen to the two of them, so fast, so certain, so strong. It''s something divine, for sure. He says a prayer to the pantheon of Light and thanks for this gift. Macarra''ka, my gift, my, blasphemous, Goddess. XXI.2 – ADM 42 A system''s containment acts as a security barrier to prevent infected, corrupted, or damaged universes from spreading across realities. When the system detects a suspicious universe, it isolates that universe in a secure area, preventing that universe from accessing other parts of the system. This secure area is called a vault. The vault is a special protective space managed by system agents to prevent the potential universe from spreading throughout the system. The difference between containment and vault is that containment is a broader term that refers to automatic measures taken to prevent the spread of a defect, while a vault is a specific method of containment that involves isolating universes. SEED #: 336-THX-1135 STATUS: Containment Special Containment Procedures: 336-THX-1135 may be held in standard containment storage at Area-20-TJK-00001/3000-325. 336-THX-1135 is to be held pending review by ADM. Experiments with SEED 336-THX-1135 must be approved by at least a Level 3 ADM. Description: 336-THX-1135 refers to a universe contamination via erroneous automatic determination of the Traveler reincarnation/transmigration system. Traveler triggers cascading error, report and alert were sent by the automatic system to the standard ADM sector. ADM 42 initiates divergence correction procedures. New Travelers have been sent to correct the anomaly. Anomaly reaches critical status, correction procedures are not possible. Alert sent to ADM. My paige vibrated, the automated system opened a new call. I hung up the paige, finished my coffee, why does this always happen during my coffee break? I go back to my sector and open the call. ¡°Hmmmm¡± The Heroes and the automated systems failed, containment at risk. Ahhhh that explains it, probability of elimination/containment of the traveler is 0.0005%. Seriously, why did this have to happen, this was supposed to be a calm, peaceful sector, without surprises, a small step towards higher positions and responsibilities. ¡°FFFFFFFRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAKKKKKK!¡± Fuck it. I open the safe and enter with my authorization. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. In the heart of the System Nexus, where the very fabric of realities bends and folds, there is a place called the Vault. It is not a physical place, but an abstract space of existence, a repository of infinite possibilities. Within the Vault lie trillions of universes, each a dream woven of matter and energy, a unique set of physical laws and constants. But not all of these universes are perfect. Some are defective, corrupted, or poorly designed, born with fundamental flaws that condemn them to inertia, disintegration, or meaningless existence. Others await the analysis of the Administrators, beings of incomprehensible power and wisdom who determine the fate of each universe. The Vault is a silent place where time has no meaning. Universes continue as if nothing has changed, all at different stages of development, some with only a single atom, others with entire galaxies, waiting. The Administrators, with their abstract minds, examine each universe, seeking the perfect balance, the cosmic harmony that will allow life and evolution. Some universes are discarded, erased from existence, like forgotten dreams. Others are modified, their laws and constants adjusted to correct the flaws. And some, the rarest, are freed, cast into the infinite void to become autonomous realities, with the promise of life, growth and evolution. That''s what the manual says, but in reality the vault is a system within a system. No one cares about what happens inside the vault, no one worries or tries to solve anything. The vault has become a large repository of things that no one wants to know, deal with or remember. VAULT: 50,907,032,140,588,111,042.00 SEEDS INTEGRITY; 96.2% INSERT NEW SEED: Y/N? Y "There. Another one for the Vault. 336-THX-1135, registered and archived. Oh, what a relief!" ADM 42 sighed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "But... how many universes are there? It''s unbelievable! It seems like each one of them has a story to tell, a tragedy, a flaw..." He looked at the vastness of the Vault, a sea of ??universes that had been swept under the rug, each with its own uniqueness. "It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. Just look at this amount... If there are so many defective universes out there, it means that the chances of someone coming to me to demand something are much lower. No one will notice one more, right? After all, who am I to question the Administrators who came before me?" He gave an ironic smile, the guilt dissipating like smoke in the wind. "And if, by chance, something "explodes", I won''t be the only one to have to deal with the consequences. The blame will be shared by thousands of others, and there are some very powerful Administrators here at Log." "Yeah... I think I can continue my career in peace now. At least until the next problematic universe appears." XXIII - 6th day – Rashakn The morning suns beat down on the parade ground, warming Crixus''s armor as he prepared for another training session. His muscles, accustomed to the brute strength of his natural form, felt strange and awkward inside the humanoid armor. He stared at the warrior, a veteran of the former queen, who seemed hesitant, almost embarrassed. "Begin when you are ready, Coszca," Crixus said, his voice husky and deep, a little different from what the warrior had expected. The veteran choked, clearing his throat. "Y-yes, Lord Crixus. But... perhaps we can..." He gestured to his sword, looking uncertain. "Tell me what''s on your mind, Coszca. There''s no need for ceremony." "It''s just... I''m afraid I might cause you harm." The veteran stumbled. "And that could bring great misfortune to me and my family." Crixus frowned, understanding the warrior''s difficulty. "Are you afraid of reprisals, Coszca? Don''t worry, my skin is as tough as steel and my body regenerates like a troll. Let''s do this, if you can get blood from me I''ll grant you a noble title and lands." "No! That''s not it! It''s just... I don''t know what to say, my Lord... Thank you." The veteran bowed again, unable to find the words. Crixus sighed, feeling the strangeness of the armor. "Alright, General. We can train however you prefer. But know that my natural form is the most powerful. And it''s the one I feel most comfortable in. This form I''m currently in doesn''t please me very much. But I want to try something." "I-I know, Lord Crixus. But..." The veteran hesitated, looking at the sword. "Perhaps... perhaps we could skip the training... there''s no need to..." "Need for what?" "With... with... taking risks?!" The veteran choked, the words seeming to catch in his throat. "With... using real weapons?" Crixus laughed, his laugh deep and resonant. "Coszca, there is no need to worry. I understand your hesitation. But if you do not wish to train with me, I will choose someone else." The veteran took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the sword. "Very well, Lord Crixus. But... I promise I will do my best." Crixus nodded, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. "I know you will, Coszca." And so, the training began, with the veteran fighting back his fear, feigning blows and movements, while Crixus moved with a stiff body, missing his natural form, each movement a pitiful sight. Hethress, Lord Crixus¡¯s first wife, watched the fight in the parade grounds with a worried expression. Her dark, normally bright eyes were clouded with a shadow of apprehension. She squeezed the hand of Meikosil, his second wife, who also looked uneasy. ¡°What is he doing, Meikosil?¡± Hethress asked, her voice low and strained. ¡°This fight¡­it doesn¡¯t look like training.¡± Meikosil, with her silver hair and piercing green eyes, frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand either, Hethress. Crixus was never a skilled warrior, but this fight¡­two children fight better. And that warrior, he fights with fear, as if he¡¯s being forced to fight.¡± The stern-eyed Patriarch Akaos watched the scene with an impassive expression. He is the advisor and spiritual guide of his father, Crixus, and he knew the Lord better than anyone. He knows what his father wants from this fight. Know your limits. "He is testing your limits, Hethress," Akaos said, his voice grave and deep. "Father Crixus seeks to discover the extent of his power. The traitor has shown him that he must not let his guard down, and as Father said, in his great wisdom, "He who does not know himself is bound to be defeated. He is seeking confirmation of something he has suspected for some time." Hethress took a deep breath, trying to control the anxiety that was consuming her. "But why this man? He is not a worthy opponent for Crixus." "Strength is not measured by skill alone, Hethress," Akaos replied. "Crixus is learning to fight against doubt, against fear. This man, with his weakness, is the reflection of the fears that haunt Crixus''s mind. Father''s wisdom is infinite, as is our love for him. Nothing that Father does is by chance." Meikosil, who had been watching in silence until then, interrupted: "But what is the purpose of this, Akaos? Crixus is not a man, he is a divine and immortal creature, what he felt with the traitor was not fear, it was disappointment and hurt. A husband would never let himself be overcome by the fears of mortals or worldly things, but if that were to happen, we, his family, will always be by his side." "He is preparing for something, Meikosil," Akaos said, his eyes shining with an enigmatic light. "Something that will require all his strength, all his courage. And he needs to be ready." The three women looked at each other, their faces marked by uncertainty. What was Crixus planning? What challenge awaited him? And what led him to fight against such an inferior opponent? Hethress, Meikosil and Akaos continued to watch the fight, each struggling with their own thoughts and concerns. The scene in the parade ground was an enigma to all who observed it. Hethress, Lord Crixus'' first wife, clasped hands with Meikosil, his second wife, as they watched the fight in the parade ground. Both shared the same uneasiness. The fight was brutal, without technique, and the opposing warrior fought with visible fear. Bhenkumbyrznaax, Crixus'' fourth wife, a brutal, arrogant, sadistic and cruel, but to please her beloved husband she was in a draconian form, her exotic beauty chosen from her lover''s desires, with a penetrating gaze, she observed the environment around the parade ground, with an impassive countenance. Her eyes, however, were not fixed on the fight, but wandered around the courtyard, the walls of the wall and the sky, as if she were searching for something, or someone. "Bhenkumbyrznaax, what do you see?" Hethress asked, noticing the fourth wife''s lack of attention to the fight below. Bhenkumbyrznaax, without looking at the first wife or the fight, replied in a low, grave tone: "I sense something... a strange presence. Someone is trying to watch us. Trying to penetrate the veil that prevents this kind of magic from working right here on this continent. Fools" Patriarch Akaos, who stood behind the three women, watched the fight with a stern and experienced gaze. He knew Crixus better than anyone else. ¡°I feel it too, but it is useless. The entire valley is resistant to divination, and the Father is immune to the magic of mere mortals.¡± Bhenkumbyrznaax finally looked away from the courtyard and faced the other women. ¡°He is preparing for war,¡± she said, her voice firm and certain. "I feel it in the air, in the smell of the earth, in the energy of the battle. Thousands have died under the power of the Husband, rivers of blood have fed his soil, infinite riches will be his treasure, his power will cover the entire land, all who dare to oppose him will be slaughtered, their flesh given to worms, their bones ground to nothing but dust and their souls eternally held in suffering for such audacity." Hethress and Meikosil looked at each other, their faces marked by uncertainty, nothing of what the fourth wife said they saw in the mind shared with their husband. But if what the fourth wife said was true, so it would be done, all to bring happiness to her husband, that was all that mattered, is his happiness the happiness of all family members! Hethress, Meikosil and Bhenkumbyrznaax, along with Patriarch Akaos, continued to watch the fight, each with their own thoughts and concerns. The scene in the parade ground was a pity. They just hoped it would end soon. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The training continued for an hour. Lord Crixus signaled and both ended the training. ¡°Thank you Coszca, that¡¯s enough for today.¡± ¡°Always at your service, my Lord.¡± Coszca bowed and walked backwards for 3 steps before leaving the arena and turning to leave the Courtyard. One thing was clear: with my basic attributes, I can fight any normal person; my raw strength and agility are enough. But as for technique, using a humanoid body is like a person without arms eating with chopsticks using his feet. By the way, now i remember this being a comic book character from my past life, spider-man, but now I don¡¯t remember if he was half spider or just had a spider name. But he was definitely black and white. Another thing that was useful was that during the fight with Coszca, since he was focused on not hitting me, his mental defenses were very low. I was able to search through his memories of the royal family. How can such beautiful and majestic beings, Feathered Serpents, with the colors of a peacock at carnival, be such corrupt, evil and perverted beings? No one in the family is saved, from the Queen to her youngest son. Will it be a racial thing, a genetic characteristic of the family or environment plus upbringing. Well, it doesn''t matter, their fate is already sealed, they will all be eliminated and I will only keep a copy of the Queen and let her rule under my guidelines. Another meeting with the lords of the city, Akaos wants an expedition to search for a Artifact of the royal family of the Giants, but for that I need to copy the King and Queen first, then copy C¨­pa, I really need a secretary. And then there are the two dragons, the bodyguards of my wives, my illusions are useful and powerful, capable of affecting the real world, but as the Vizier demonstrated, they are illusions. I have to copy the real bodies of the two dragons. There is still the matter of the quest and my plan to divert attention from myself. So much. I just wanted a week off... aaahhhh, a month, a month and I would have my batteries rested. Later in the council chamber. The city council chamber, normally vibrant with sunlight streaming through the Gothic arched windows, was now plunged into a heavy gloom. The tapestries adorning the walls, with their designs of dragons and legendary warriors, seemed to absorb the light, leaving the room charged with a tense atmosphere. Lord Crixus, in shining armor and with a stern gaze, took the place of honor at the solid oak table. His slender fingers drummed impatiently on the polished surface, while his dark eyes roamed the somber faces of the other Lords present. "Gentlemen," Crixus began, his deep voice echoing in the silent room, "the occupation has brought undeniable hardships to our city. Although there has been no loss of life or destruction of property, there is still uncertainty about the future, and this distresses us deeply." A murmur of agreement ran through the table. Lord Aethelred, a burly feathered serpent wearing an ornate belt, nodded. "It is true, my Lord. The people are still in fear, the economy is in collapse, and morale is in tatters." "That is why we are here today," Crixus continued, "to find a path to peace and reconstruction. We must ensure a smooth and just transition of government, so that together we can rebuild our city and restore order." Lord Elara, a piercing-eyed feathered serpent with black scales and feathers, raised her head. "But how can we ensure the safety of the people under your rule, my Lord?" "Time," Crixus agreed. "Time will show my intentions, and short of the loyalty I demanded and the freeing of the slaves, all will remain the same. You, dear Lords, must be wise and cautious. Violence will only breed more violence." "I see." Said Lord Gareth, a thin, nervous feathered serpent with a suspicious look on his face. ¡°We will honor our word. You can trust us, my Lord.¡± ¡°Trust is a luxury that only my family is afforded,¡± Crixus replied, ¡°but the need for peace is imperative. As long as their treachery and petty ambitions remain in their minds¡­but once they come out into the real world, my wrath will spread throughout their bloodline.¡± A heavy silence hung over the room. The Lords, each with their own fears and ambitions, pondered Crixus¡¯s words. ¡°So, my Lord,¡± said Aethelred, ¡°what do you propose? How shall we show the people that all is well?¡± Crixus smiled slightly, in his fire giant form, a Machiavellian glint in his eyes. ¡°That is the question, gentlemen. That is the question we must discuss, debate, and find an answer to. Together. Because your future depends on it.¡± ¡°A royal wedding feast, with Queen Calxochitli, with games and food and drink for the people.¡± Akaos suggested. A murmur of agreement ran through the table. It is decided then, a wedding feast. Akaos, consult my wives on the matter. Gentlemen, we will see you tomorrow. The lords bowed in greeting and left the room. As soon as the doors closed. ¡°I understand your situation! Father has many challenges ahead: the expedition to find the artifact, the need to copy the King, Queen and C¨­pa, the protection of your wives with the dragons, the need to copy the dragons¡¯ bodies, the quest and the plan to divert attention from you, Father. Really, Father, you need a secretary to organize all of this! And a family member is adequately qualified for that role. It is understandable that you are overwhelmed. Organization is essential to deal with so many responsibilities. How about we start by prioritizing the tasks? First, let¡¯s analyze the expedition. We have to find the artifact, but to do so, we need to copy the King and the Queen. Which one should we choose? The King is a powerful warrior and the Queen is a good magic user. And I advise the Queen. He is a more adaptable asset. The King is just brute force. Next, the issue of the dragons. You need to copy their bodies to ensure the safety of your wives. This creates another problem. The fourth wife doesn''t like them. So first, we have to soften the fourth wife up. Finally, the quest and the plan to divert attention from your grace.¡± Crixus assumes his natural form. ¡°I have a headache. Can we deal with it tomorrow?¡± ¡°I''m sorry, Father. I''ll see you at the coffee, tomorrow. Until then, I''ll try to present a detailed plan to you. Good evening, Father. Should I call your wives?¡± ¡°I''ve already called them, Akaos. Good evening.¡± The solid oak door, carved with the image of a serpent-people warrior, creaked open, revealing a room truly fit for a queen. The ceiling, almost ten meters high, was high enough to allow the former queen, with her immense serpentine body, to move freely without bumping into things. The bed, carved from a single trunk of a tree of the same type as the 3rd wife, was a monument to grandeur, with enough space to comfortably accommodate the queen''s various consorts. The bedspreads, woven with silk and vegetable wool threads, were soft and cozy, adorned with gold embroidery and precious stones that sparkled under the light of the hundreds of candles that illuminated the room. Opposite the bed, an imposing fireplace, built with volcanic stone, roared with the fire that consumed enormous logs of wood. The heat emanated into the room, warming the room and dispelling the night''s chill. Above the fireplace, a mirror made of rock crystal, silver and gold reflected the image of the room, and now he. As you approached, you could admire the beauty of her real body. On the other side of the room, a wooden door in a rich red tone, inlaid with mother of pearl, led to a private suite, an oasis of luxury and privacy. The floor was made of white marble, polished to a shine. In the center, a pool, carved from a single piece of jade, crystal clear water, fed by a magical spring with medicinal and hygienic properties, invited you to take a refreshing dip. The walls of the suite were adorned with mosaics of precious stones, which represented scenes from the queen''s life and her heroic deeds. The queen''s room was a reflection of her strength, her beauty and her grandeur. Now it was his, a place where he could rest, have fun and receive his wife in the right way. The Queen had good taste and, as they say, copying is a form of homage, he would probably use this room as inspiration. The pool was a touch he would never give up again. Being submerged was a source of pleasure and peace in itself. His wives were already anxiously waiting for him in the huge bed. They also said they felt much more pleasure than him, which was a lie that, given the shared link, would never come true, 4 women to show their virility, dream that any....monster? He laughs at his own joke. With 6 tentacles, he thought he could handle 6 wives at the same time, but lately an idea had been growing in his mind: "we have to get them all" - copy one of each being, object or material. In the case of wives, have one of each species. Crazy? Definitely! But to keep this crazy dream under control, he would only marry definitely evil beings. And under his control, they would be a force to build good and great things. " Follow your dreams and don''t let anyone stop you!" He saw this phrase somewhere, but he doesn''t remember where. XXIV - 8th day – Rushawn, New Empire The afternoon sun bathed Rashakn in a melancholy blue. Calxochitli, the exiled Queen, watched the city approach, a knot of apprehension tightening her heart. Behind her, her children, small warriors with eyes full of fear, followed in silence. The faithful troops, reduced to a handful of soldiers, formed a fragile shield around the queen. "Your Majesty," said Xochitl, her faithful Vizier, approaching cautiously, "Crixus guarantees safe passage to the city. He promises to welcome you as queen and his future wife." Calxochitli gave the Vizier an icy look. "And do you believe his words, Xochitl?" "I fear there is no other option, Your Majesty. The nobles have turned against us and have already changed their allegiance. Without their support, we cannot resist Lord Crixus." "But he is a monster, according to what you told me! He wants to destroy me, Xochitl. I do not trust his promises!" "I understand your distrust, Your Majesty. But the situation is desperate. If we do not surrender, he will hunt us to the end. And I have seen his magic, his dragons, he would easily find us, Your Majesty." Calxochitli clenched his jaws tightly, venom dripping from his fangs. "So, are we going to surrender ourselves like lambs to the slaughter?" "No, Your Majesty! We can use this situation to our advantage. Crixus wants to marry Your Majesty, clearly to legitimize his power more easily and quickly. As his Queen, even if it is only a facade, we can infiltrate and learn about his plans and find a way out of this alley." "What if he does not fulfill his promise? What if he kills us, or my children?" "Then, Your Majesty, we will have to fight. But at least we will have time to plan our escape. But I think that is not the case, the preparations for the wedding are already being made." Calxochitli pondered the vizier''s words. The idea of ??surrendering herself to Crixus filled her with repulsion, even more so with the description of the monster that the vizier had reported, but Xochitl was right. It was a risk, but perhaps it was the only chance to save her children and her people. "Very well, Xochitl. But do not trust Lord Crixus. Keep your eyes open and your ears alert. If he tries anything, prepare to flee, here is a teleportation ring, my queen." Using Mage Hand she places the ring on one of the spikes on her head. "How many can I take with this ring?" "Your Majesty +3." He says in a whisper. "Choose between my children..." The queen says with deep regret. Xochitl nodded, a gleam of hope in her eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty." Calxochitli stared at her city, its imposing walls, the fortress of her former palace, now taken by the usurper, Crixus. It was a trap, but she was willing to risk it. She would not surrender. She would fight. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For an hour she waited for the wretch to call her, for her eggs to crack and break. The throne room, once a testament to the glory of Calxochitli''s kingdom, now resembled a tomb. The royal dais, once carved of jade and adorned with gold, was cracked, cracked, and covered in a fine, dark dust. The queen herself, Calxochitli, standing atop the remains of her power, was a shadow of her former magnificence. Her eyes, once bright and full of life, were now dull, filled with a silent terror that consumed her from within. Her sons, young warriors, stood by her side, their faces contorted in a mixture of fear and anger. The creature that hovered before them was an aberration, a nightmare born from the darkest dreams. Its body was a tangle of tentacles and appendages, writhing and pulsing as if in constant agony. Its skin, if you could call it that, was a leather armor with several segments, from which several small tentacles with eyes at the ends protruded, eyes of elves, reptiles and other things that she had no idea about. The creature had a mouth at the end of three of its tentacles, long poisonous fangs followed by rows of razor-sharp teeth, shining with a sickly light. It was as if an Otyugh had had a night of orgy with the Beholder and the second generation had spawned. Xochitl, the Vizier had prepared me, but seeing the creature with my own eyes was a scene that really made me run away, run away. But I I am a Queen, I would not make a scene like that. After all, it would be useless. Her eyes, if you could call them that, were dark abysses, without pupils, that seemed to suck the light from the room, making the room even darker. They did not blink, several of them fixed on Calxochitli and her children, as if they were observing them, analyzing them, before devouring them. A nauseating odor permeated the air, a smell of rancid things, sulfur and something even more terrible, a fragrance that hinted at the presence of something ancient, primordial, something that was beyond human comprehension. Standing beside her were her wives, a fire giant and 2 Draconian servants, watching the scene without showing anything. On the sides of the hall were the nobles who betrayed me. Aaahhh...they would pay, with their own skins, for that. The herald announced us and we entered, our guards right behind, all tense, I felt naked and defenseless in a place that was once my home and by the Gods, would be again. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.¡°Welcome, Queen Calxochitli, I hope your trip has been good.¡± The monster says with 3 voices, which sound like disgusting insects, crawling on my feathers. Crixus looks at the creatures before him, slender, elegant, with shiny scales that change color in the sunlight. Their bodies snake, agile and sinuous, like a snake slithering through the grass. With a reptilian head, with delicate features, piercing eyes and thin fangs protruding from its mouth. Vibrant feathers flutter from its head, in shades of emerald green, gold and ruby ??red, forming a majestic crown. The feathers move gracefully, as if dancing to the rhythm of the wind, creating a striking contrast with the scaly skin and agile body. A feathered serpent, a mythical creature that evokes mystery and beauty. But here, in this world, in this life, they are beings of the purest, evil, depravity, debauchery and corruption, all of them. But they have purified them. Yes, they will fit into the image he has in his head, for better or for worse. ¡°Yes, Crixus.¡± When he says his name without honorifics, his wives tense up, but don¡¯t make a sound. Well-trained sluts, they would make great slaves. Crazy, I feel something trying to penetrate my mind. ¡°Stop. That is very rude.¡± With a hard voice I look at the creature. My guards put their hands without their swords. What is very strange, the monster did not stop them from carrying weapons in his presence. A sign of great confidence or arrogance. With my guards assuming a more aggressive position, no one showed any reaction to the change in posture. That scared me even more. With a snap of his fingers, the atmosphere in the room changed and the monster cast a spell. It was a spell that I had only heard of, Mass Paralyze. I realized that my children and my guards had been hit by the powerful spell. I began to cast Summon Monster III, but before I could finish, the giant also used the same spell on me, and this time I was hit. Panic took over me, all I could think about was running away, leaving everything and everyone behind and running as far away as possible. The monster floated slowly, its immense form taking up my entire field of vision. Lord Crixus, with an aura of cold fury, raised his voice, each word echoing in the silent chamber. "Listen, everyone! The royal family has fed on pain, our misery and suffering for too long! Their crimes pile up like mountains of bones, their cruel and heinous acts have stained the earth with innocent blood! THIS ENDS TODAY, NOW!" Crixus''s dozens of eyes swept the assembly, searching each face for any sign of revolt or confrontation. "Their luxuries, banquets and power games were bathed in blood and the pleasure of seeing lives destroyed!" Crixus paused, his voices filled with contempt. "Their cruelty was not limited to oppression and slavery. They delighted in torturing, in mutilating, in extinguishing lives with the same coldness as extinguishing candles! Their acts, acts of monsters, echoed through the centuries, haunting the nights of the peoples and races they persecuted!" The silent room was now a pit of fear, palpable, with a sweet and sickening smell. "Therefore, the royal family ceases to exist today. Their lineage ends today! There is no place for them in this kingdom, nor for those who are like them, there is no forgiveness for their crimes! They will be exterminated, their names erased from history! May this be the end of tyranny, the beginning of a new era of justice and peace!" Crixus finished his speech, his body now serene, determination shining in his eyes. The room, taken by a wave of tension, awaited the events. She tried everything, but nothing worked. The monster approached and one of its disgusting tentacles pulled her close, dragging her body across the floor of the hall in a dignified manner. Then it turned her defenseless body towards the place where her children, guards and most faithful servants were still paralyzed. One of the tentacles with a mouth began to vomit a dense mist towards them, when it touched the floor a crackling began to rise from the floor, when the mist touched the first of the guards the mist began to dissolve him, and so it continued dissolving everything in its path, I could not look away, nor close my eyes. My children... Then everything went dark. Xochitl, the Vizier watches everything with the panic being controlled with all their strength, other nobles could not, some vomited, 2 fainted. As soon as our Beloved Lord Conqueror Crixus, yes he knew that the monster could read minds, but never if all the time, when or with whom, but it was better to train the mind. While the bodies were still being dissolved by the terrible magic, one of the mouths of the Beloved Lord Conqueror Crixus, stuck its venomous fangs into the queen''s skull, who showed no reaction, it was possible to see the muscles of the mouth pumping poison into the brain of the deceased queen. A few seconds later the mouth began to swallow the queen. More people in the audience vomited and some fainted. Discreetly he looks at the royal platform and sees the Sacred Wives, all watching with crazy smiles, the scene before them, except for the dark elf, who looks at the engravings on the ceiling of the hall. In a few minutes there is not even a feather of the queen. The fog has already dissipated. The Sacred Wives went to meet our Beloved Lord Conqueror Crixus. Then he began to shake his immense body, as if he were having convulsions. In a jet he spits out the queen''s entire body, now covered in a fluorescent blue slime that smelled of cinnamon. The body began to move, the nobles were now in panic, many fled through the doors. Only 2 remained, excluding those who had fainted. The Queen stood up and looked at our Beloved Lord Conqueror Crixus. She prostrated herself on the floor and turned her belly up. The ultimate sign of submission. Our Beloved Lord Conqueror Crixus touched the queen''s head with one of his tentacles, who stood up. "Welcome, 5th wife!" He said in a complete change of attitude. The few who were still in the Great Royal Hall looked at the scene and then at each other without understanding anything. Crixus begins to laugh, a cacophonous laugh, made of many voices and tones. Soon his family laughs with him, a laugh full of madness fills the hall. ¡°Welcome to the New Empire.¡± Crixus says, cutting off his laughter and each of his eyes fixes on those still present. Everyone prostrates themselves in respect, fear, terror and obedience. XXV - 9th day – Lundine The morning sun bathed the cobblestone streets of Lundine, the octagonal capital of the empire, in a blue glow. The air vibrated with the energy of two million souls and the constant hum of magic. From street vendors conjuring blue flames to roast chestnuts, to messengers using magic to fly and deliver scrolls, magic was as common as the air they breathed. The sky was colored with dragonflies, the large, fat ones bringing goods from various parts of the continent to the hungry capital, the slender, beautifully built ones of the nobles and wealthy merchants, and the small, agile, and quick ones for personal use. Occasionally, griffins and wyverns were also seen. But today, the atmosphere carried a different electricity. The day of the double royal wedding approached, uniting not one, but two heroes of divine beauty in Princess Trifina and Prince Roper. The streets were overflowing with people, who had come from every corner of the empire to witness the event. Colorful fabrics adorned every window and balcony, flags bearing the royal coat of arms fluttered in the wind, and the intoxicating scent of magical flowers, capable of shimmering in shades of pink and silver, permeated the air. Near the canal that ran through the city and led to the palace, the crowds gathered in anticipation. Craftsmen were putting the finishing touches on the triumphal arches, which were to be adorned with sculptures of ice that would not melt, the work of renowned water magicians. Several bards, hired by the royal family, played lively melodies on enchanted instruments, each note reverberating with magic, while jugglers manipulated spheres of light that danced in the air, in the various squares of the capital. Outside the capital''s walls, in the area where the general population lived. On the bridge that led to the first of the palace¡¯s three imposing walls, a group of children sat on the bridge¡¯s railing, chewing on grass stalks, their eyes wide with wonder, watching everything. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe we can eat twice a day!¡± Jiakel exclaimed, her eyes shining with joy. ¡°Before, we only had one meager meal and had to share it with the others. Remember the mud cakes? Now, we have real food and even some dessert!¡± Solen, her younger sister, nodded, a shy smile forming on her face. ¡°And Mother Marianna doesn¡¯t cry anymore,¡± she murmured, ¡°she looks so happy now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± agreed Kai, a tall, thin boy, with curly black hair and black eyes . ¡°She always looked so tired and sad. Now, she smiles more and sings while she cooks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the uncles,¡± said Maya, a smart and observant girl, also, with curly black hair and black eyes. ¡°They really helped us a lot. The orphanage is much more beautiful now.¡± "And did you hear about the wedding?" asked Liam, the oldest of the group, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, pastel green skin, slightly pronounced lower canine teeth signaling his non-human, ork, or goblin ancestry.. "A double wedding! The Prince and Princess are getting married at the same time to the 2 magical heroes! It''s going to be a huge party." "Just imagine, a banquet with real food for all of us!" exclaimed Jiakel, his eyes shining with excitement. "It''s going to be the best party ever!" "Do you think Princess Trifina will really fly down the aisle on a dragon made of light?" asked Maya, his voice full of expectation. "Of course she will!" replied his Solen, with conviction. "She''s the most powerful light mage in the kingdom! And they say Prince Roper will use his magic to make it rain crystal petals! I hope the uncles come and they bring such cool gifts." "I hope the Princess is beautiful," said Maya, "and that the Prince is strong and brave." "And may they live happily ever after," Kai added, dreaming of a future full of joy. With each passing minute, the anticipation grew. The murmur of the crowd grew louder, until suddenly, an expectant silence fell over everyone. Coming from the east, the first Dragonfly of the Romani Empire appeared, white as snow and adorned with gold and diamonds. It was the beginning of the royal procession, a spectacle of magic and splendor that would forever be etched in Lundine''s memory. The five friends looked at each other, their hearts filled with hope and happiness. Life at the orphanage had changed for the better, and they were eager to celebrate the new era of prosperity and joy that was approaching. Jiakel, with a mischievous smile on his face, jumped from the wall onto the bridge, his feet touching the asphalt with a light thud. "The last one to arrive is a goblin''s son!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the bridge, before he ran towards the orphanage, his feet stomping hard on the ground. Liam, watched Jiakel leave with an amused smile. "He''s always been a fierce competitor," he said, before launching into the race, his steps firm and fast. Maya was already a few steps behind Jiakel, her brown hair flying in the wind. "I won''t let him beat me!" she exclaimed, her voice full of determination. Kai started running slightly behind, but his long, powerful stride propelled him forward. "I''ll catch you!" he shouted, his voice ringing with confidence. Solen, the youngest of the group, ran with all her might, her small feet pounding the ground quickly. "Me wait!" she shouted, her voice full of enthusiasm, determined not to be the last. The bridge echoed with the sound of the children''s laughter and panting breaths as they ran towards the orphanage, each determined to win the race and avoid the title of "son of a goblin." The atmosphere was one of pure joy and competition, a reminder of their childhood and the vibrant energy that filled their lives. -----------------------------------------------------------------------¨CUnauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. 4th - Demiplane, Paradise - Patriarch Akaos, passes through the 4 demiplanes recently created by the Father, the outermost being the plane of water. For those who are not part of the family, the plane is made of salty water, cold and dark with the depths of the sea, with strong currents that make navigation difficult even for leviathans, but for the family members, it is a gentle sea that leads to the center of the plane where the entrance to the 2nd plane is located, made of fire, similar to the 1st, it is a sea of ??voracious flames capable of melting iron in seconds, as soon as he enters the plane a protective bubble of water surrounds him, protecting him from the voracious flames, the currents of flames instead of throwing him in all directions take him straight to the portal of the 3rd plane, a plane made of a single sphere of the most perfect diamond, but for family members it''s like swimming in a jelly pool, in its center, a little over 100m away, is the last portal created for the benefit of the wives and their children. In the heart of a magical kingdom, where the magic of Permanent Demiplane wove reality, Father, a wizard of great power, built a paradise for his family. It was a place of beauty unparalleled, an oasis of peace and serenity, isolated from the outside world by a veil of magic. Exotic trees, with leaves that shone in shades of emerald, ruby ??and sapphire, stood majestically, their crowns intertwined, forming a canopy that filtered the sunlight, a strange, yellowish light, but deeply calming, creating a play of shadows and lights that danced on the ground. Flowers of vibrant colors, as if painted by the hand of a celestial artist, perfumed the air with intoxicating aromas. In the center of paradise, a lake of crystal clear and pure waters reflected the beauty of the sky and the trees, like a magic mirror. A river of clear waters, born from a hidden source within the demiplane, fed the lake, its soft murmur, a melody that soothed the soul. The atmosphere was pure and invigorating, the fresh and fragrant air, charged with the vital energy of nature. Not a sound was heard other than the sound of the light breeze swaying the leaves and flowers. Crixus, the creator of this paradise, had woven a magical enchantment that protected the place from any external threat. It was a place of peace and harmony, where nature and magic merged in perfect union. A refuge for the soul, a paradise created by the Father, a gift for his family. Akaos went to the lake, where his Father usually stayed. He had already noticed that his father had a strong connection with water, it made him feel calm. His father always took refuge in the family lake. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Yes, my son.¡± ¡°Forgive this impertinence of your son, but even though you are an apotheotic being beyond mortal comprehension, with so many things happening, perhaps you may have missed something. If not, forgive me immediately.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± He heard his voice with a tone of humor. ¡°I will. Father, I see that you are concerned about your wives, specifically Hethress and Meikosil. You are not so pleased with your magical protections, the dragons made of illusion. In addition to the pressure caused by the world quest, the construction of this fortress and your plan to divert attention. You have the power to do all of this, but your greatest enemy is time. One of your greatest assets is the power to copy everything and everyone. But this takes a long time, 4 days, which gives 100 copies over the course of a year. 100 beings of great power is a force to be respected, but it is not an unbeatable force.¡± ¡°And what do you propose, my son?¡± "The magic you used to create this place¡­¡± ¡°Permanent Demiplane.¡± ¡°Yes, that one. It is a magic with great creative freedom. This paradise you created is proof of that. But there is one characteristic that you, an immortal being, can use in a way that will make it unstoppable." ¡°Time.¡± Crixus read the idea in Akaos'' mind, as he had already done reflexively. For some time he had realized that his family''s minds worked like a biological internet, with the server increasing in capacity the more beings it copied; with the link he had access to everything they thought and knew. "Of course, Father already knew where I wanted to go." Akaos was always amazed by his father''s strength and mental grandeur. "Go on, Akaos, I want to see if you can glimpse my grand plan." Crixus had not thought anything of it until then, but he was getting used to this flattery and how even when he stole ideas from his copies they ended up loving him even more for it. It was hard not to get used to having one''s ego inflated like this, very hard. "As you said yourself, Time is your greatest enemy. With the Permanent Demiplane magic, you can manipulate time in this plane. My idea is that you put the time here in paradise at a ratio of 1/1000, one day outside when 1 day passes, 1000 days would pass here inside, with that in 1 normal day you would be able to copy 250 things.¡± ¡°1000 days here inside, doing nothing, I think I would go crazy, even with my wives ¡°entertaining¡± me. It would be incredibly boring.¡± Crixus slowly emerges from the lake and floats about 2m above the placid waters. ¡°Of course, of course. I thought about it too and you must have thought about it too. Since you don¡¯t sleep, but your wives do, in that time I also realized that you get quite bored. With that time, you could make 4 copies per day. Sorry for bringing up something so obvious.¡± He looks anxiously at his father. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s all right, everything is going according to plan, but I also want my children to develop, in every aspect. That¡¯s why I was waiting for you to reached the same conclusions. Congratulations, my son.¡± Crixus thinks, what a blatant lie, he holds back his laughter. Playing the infallible supreme being is actually fun. Akaos almost explodes with pride and joy at the compliment he received and through the link he feels that his father is in a good mood too. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± ¡°Yes, my son. And I would like some time alone, don¡¯t say anything about these plans to my wives, I want to surprise them.¡± Crixus finishes with a conspiratorial tone. Akaos bows and says goodbye. ¡°Yes, Father, see you later. Aaahh, tell me when you think it¡¯s best to set up an expedition to get the Forge of Creation.¡± ¡°Of course. See you later, my son.¡± Crixus dives back into the lake. As soon as he feels Akaos leave for the other plane, he redoes the spell and sets the time to 1/1000. XXVI - 10th day Copies: Nikkan ¨C Black Old Dragon Condrus ¨C Black Adult dragon C¨­pa ¨C valet of Crixus C¨­p? ¨C valet of Bhenkumbyrznaax Nikkan, a black dragon with scales like night and eyes like glowing embers, was a living legend in the Irmir Marshes. His story was woven into tales of terror, sung in songs of lamentation, and carved into bones, a testament to the fear he inspired. Born in an age when dragons still fought for world domination, Nikkan was a being of brutal power and fury. His rise to infamy began with the destruction of a kingdom of the region¡¯s giant tribes, his insatiable thirst for gold and gems driving him to burn villages and massacre entire populations. With each atrocity, his soul grew darker, his fury more relentless. For centuries, Nikkan terrorized the Marshes. His wings, which looked like torn curtains of night, covered the sky, casting shadows of death over the lands. His roar, a thunder that broke ancient trees, echoed through the valleys, spreading panic among the inhabitants. He was a relentless predator, hunting everything and everyone, even other dragons to satisfy his insatiable hunger. Nikkan''s history is marked by a cycle of destruction and revenge. Each attack was a response to a real or imagined offense, fueling a cycle of violence that perpetuated itself for generations. He was a symbol of chaos, a nightmare that haunted the dreams of the inhabitants of the Irmir Marshes. Even the bravest warriors trembled before Nikkan. His attacks were unpredictable, his strength unshakable. He mastered dark magic, casting rays of darkness that incinerated everything in their path. His natural armor, scales as black as obsidian, was impenetrable, protecting him from any attack, and his breath dissolved the best armor and weapons. But Nikkan was not just a monster. He was a complex being, driven by deep pain and an insatiable desire for revenge. His story is a cautionary tale, a reminder that fury and hatred can corrupt even the most powerful beings. Or should it be? Tens of thousands of years later, no one remembered his stories, his deeds. Not even he remembered how he had ended up in this place. It was a place of unparalleled beauty, an oasis with exotic trees, clearly magical, the light of a single yellow sun, with no moons in the sky indicating that he was either in a very powerful illusion or on another plane. His body was covered in a fluorescent blue slime that smelled of cinnamon. In the center of paradise, a lake of crystal clear waters and in front of him a creature that in all his centuries of life he had never seen. But even so, he knew that the being in front of him was what made him fight, take and destroy everything and everyone that prevented him from reaching it. Happiness and complete fulfillment, something he had never felt before, not even when he dove into his treasure, or listened for days to the cries and screams of his victims. ¡°Nikkan, welcome back, my son.¡± A voice he had never heard entered his mind, but it was a voice he had always hoped to hear. Nikkan felt a tremor run through his body, a tremor that did not come from his muscles, but from his soul. A feeling of familiarity, of a home he had never known, flooded him, making him move slowly. The creature in front of him smelled like home, and from it came the voice, deep and resonant, echoing inside Nikkan¡¯s head, not through his ears, but directly in his mind. It was a voice he had never heard, but which he instantly recognized as his father¡¯s voice. Nikkan stood up, his legs wobbly, like a baby bird just hatched from its shell. He felt strange, different, as if he were waking up from a dream. The last thing he remembered was a battle, a desperate fight against an army of giants, his eternal enemies. "Father?" He murmured, his voice hoarse and strange. The black dragon inclined his head, his scales shining under the yellow light. "Yes, my son. I am your Father and I brought you back, I need you. My son." Nikkan felt a lump in his throat. He remembered his parents, 2 of them, but this memory was vague and more and more he thought this memory was wrong, soon those beings that he mistakenly thought were his parents disappeared and his memory began to correctly remember who his Father was. His Father had created him to be feared, respected and worshipped, he could never have been raised by such inferior dragons. But now, here was his father, a perfect being, beautiful, powerful and as imposing as a legend. "Where...where was I?" Nikkan asked, his voice still shaking. "You were dead, my son. By those who feared our power. But I brought you back." The black dragon let out a low roar, which made the nearby trees and the surface of the lake tremble. "Now you are alive again. Alive to meet and fulfill your destiny." Nikkan looked at his father, his eyes full of questions. He didn''t know what to expect, what to do. But one thing he knew: he was no longer alone. He had a Father, a legacy, a destiny to fulfill. And he was ready to face it. For 12 days he listened to his father speak of his family, his sacred mothers, who he and his brothers, Condrus, his younger brother and the 2 twins, C¨­pa and C¨­p?, would be responsible for caring for and protecting. As the oldest brother, in the family sanctuary, his Father left him responsible for teaching and passing on the sacred information that his Father had confided in him. Despite the deep desire to dismember his younger brothers, Condrus, a pathetic little Dragon that he had already chased away before, and the twins, inferior beings, unworthy of being of the same flesh as their Father, despite him being present at the birth of the 3. But his father remembered the family rule: ¡°Family does not fight, always supports each other and is the only one you can trust, always.¡± And as if by magic, everything became clear and even though he still wanted to tear his brothers apart, but knowing the deep feeling of disgust that this would cause his father, everything was thrown under his wing. And through the link that everyone shared, he knew that his brothers would do the same and thought the same. The four would bring glory, victory and great reasons for pride to their Father.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Crixus, with the firm aura of a leader returning from an epic journey, entered the inner courtyard of the flying fortress where Xena had planted herself. His sons, Nikkan, Condrus, C¨­pa and C¨­p?, followed closely behind him, their faces radiant with the expectation of meeting their mothers. Hethress, Meikosil, Xena, Bhenkumbyrznaax and Queen Calxochitli, stood in the center of the courtyard, their gazes calm and happy on their new and recently arrived children. Crixus, with a joking and cheerful smile, introduced his new children: "My dears, these are my children, Nikkan, Condrus, C¨­pa and C¨­p?. I brought them to join us." Hethress, smiled gently at them. "Welcome, my children." Meikosil, with her penetrating gaze, analyzed each of the newly arrived children carefully. "I hope you are prepared for the responsibilities that await you, your Father has great plans." Xena, with a mysterious smile, only shook the branches, but it could also be because of the light breeze in the courtyard, for the newly arrived children, her eyes shining with a strange energy, when she opened them, for a few seconds. Bhenkumbyrznaax, always impulsive, exclaimed: "I hope you will be as brave as your father and not embarrass him!" Queen Calxochitli, with her regal bearing, watched everything attentively in silence. Crixus, with a firm voice, explained: "Nikkan will be the chief steward of Hethress, Condrus will be the chief steward of Meikosil, C¨­pa will be the castellan of the flying fortress and my chief steward, and C¨­p? will be the chief steward of Bhenkumbyrznaax." They nodded with determination and bowed to their mothers. Nikkan, the eldest, said: "We are ready to serve." Condrus, with a twinkle in his eyes, exclaimed: "We will do our best, Father!" C¨­pa, still brimming with pride and happiness at being Father''s chosen one, declared: "The flying fortress will be in good hands, just like you, my Father!" Cop? merely nodded, but his eyes showed an unshakable will to serve, and thinking that he had been given the task of being the most important servant of the strongest of his Father''s wives, the trust and honor that his Father placed in him made the feathers on his head tremble vigorously with joy. Queen Calxochitli, with a stern and sad look, said: "I understand that this is a form of punishment for Husband, but I hope that time, my love and efforts will reverse this disappointment." Crixus replied: "Yes, my queen. I hope you learn the importance of my actions and will. I hope you build the Empire I desire, do not disappoint me." Through the link and only for the wives. "It seems to me that I haven''t seen you in days, my ladies, I want you all in my room in 2 hours." Everyone felt the sudden change in the mood, until then sober, to something more animalistic. The wives who were happy are beaming and looking at each other conspiratorially. I think it''s a good time we didn''t use "Irresistible Orgy". I don''t know why this spell is in my portfolio, and how I can''t change it...But I would give a kiss to whoever put it for me. 2nd Cup, if it works out, he''ll be my default secretary, amazing how I just said they were twin brothers and they accepted immediately. I have to make another dragon to stay with the queen. I wonder if Akaos will know where to find the other dragons? I want one of each color. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Majestic and imposing. Its black and polished surface, with its magical beauty, causes fear wherever its shadow passes. Three kilometers high and two hundred meters in diameter, it hides secrets and mysteries that have attracted many. Antinua, with his hand resting on the railing of the command bridge, observed the horizon. The Obsidium Tower, his final objective, stood imposingly in the distance, a black monolith that cut through the sky. An ironic smile formed on his lips. On the bow of the Blue Marlin, Antinua and Charlig Abguillerm gaze at the gigantic tower that appeared as if by magic a few hundred meters from the dragonfly. "Charlig, my friend, the Tower is in sight. Soon, we will get our hands on that which we so desire." Antinua tightens the hilt of the sword at his waist, boredom killing him inside. Charlig Abguillerm, with his usual taciturn expression, approached, his piercing blue eyes analyzing the tower. "It looks like a giant penis." "What a dirty mind, Charlig." Antinua says with a laugh, at how Charlig always manages to say the most vulgar things with the most serious and clean face. "Indeed, Antinua. The journey was long and arduous, but we finally reached the end. My hand itches for action." "Mine too, Charlig, mine too." Antinua, with a sigh, continued: "But, my friend, tell me, have you ever seen a couple so... attached as Filiz and Macarra''ka? It''s been two days since they entered the cabin, and there''s no sign of them leaving." Charlig, with a slight smile, replied: "I think their honeymoon is being a bit... intense. But who are we to judge? I would do the same with a black pearl of that carat and he paid a lot for it, that shaman was an old fox and took the archmage in the beak? Love, after all, is a powerful feeling and apparently it costs a lot" he gives a restrained laugh. "They could only be less noisy." Antinua, with an amused look, rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I don''t know if it''s love that''s their thing. But they didn''t have to be so... loud. The walls of my cabin reverberate with every moan from Macarra''ka. Maybe I should have bought a lover for myself too, she''s my style, small, delicate and fragile-looking, all she''s missing are parts." Charlig, with an ironic tone, said: "Maybe Filiz is finally learning to appreciate the delights of the flesh, I thought he was a eunuch. After all, he spent his whole life immersed in books and scrolls. As for a toy for you, there''s still time, we can get one on the way back, if we go back. But you know they never last long, you always do until they turn into just bones and skin, and besides, you become impossible when you''re without the adrenaline of battle for too long." Antinua, with a breathy laugh, agreed: "That''s true, they can''t handle my vigor, my pen." She laughs, ¡°But it¡¯s so fun to watch them beg me to stop, to let them rest a little. But who knows, maybe he¡¯s just trying to make up for lost time. After all, Macarra¡¯ka is no ordinary woman, she¡¯s an exotic piece. And maybe I¡¯ll be as lucky as he is to find something special, it seems these elves have quite the stamina.¡± Charlig, with a thoughtful look, murmured: ¡°Indeed, she is a fascinating creature. But I hope this honeymoon ends soon. I¡¯m already starting to miss the silence.¡± Antinua, with a mischievous smile, said: ¡°Liar, you wish you were in his place. Me too. But don¡¯t worry, Charlig. Soon, we¡¯ll be at the Obsidium Tower. And then, we¡¯ll have plenty of time to vent our frustrations, without interruptions.¡± Charlig, with a slight smile, replied: ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, Antinua. I hope you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Prepare drift anchors. "Let the starboard sail, tuck in the wings!" They hear the captain shouting orders to the crew. "15 minutes after the ship stops, interrupt the lovebirds." Antinua, winks at Charlig. "Yes, commander." He bows and leaves to begin preparations for the expedition. XXVII - 11th day The afternoon suns beat down strongly on the mansion, dyeing the walls a lavender-blue hue. Joavan, the trough, as many knew him, watched the head butler, a tall, burly man with a short, bushy beard and dark eyes, walk through the garden with an air of satisfaction. "How beautiful, Joavan!" exclaimed the head butler, with a heavy accent that reminded him of the sea. "This mansion is a true paradise!" Joavan smiled, a discreet smile that barely touched his lips. He knew that the head butler was not really interested in the beauty of the mansion. It was the comfort, the abundance and the freedom that attracted him. The head butler, a man from distant lands, had recently lost his job when his lord died in a duel, leaving no heirs. It was like a gift from the gods that he met a friend in a tavern and found out about this job opening. "Yes, sir," Joavan replied, his voice low and husky, "a mansion fit for a noble." "And you, Joavan, have been an excellent steward," the chief steward said, reaching for a fruitcake that one of the servants was offering him. "Your work has been impeccable." "It is a pleasure to serve, our lord," Joavan replied, winking at the head butler. The head butler took a bite of the cake, his eyes shining with satisfaction. "The mansion is fascinating, Joavan. How did you manage to find this opportunity?" "The capital is rich in opportunities and with money you can do many things, head butler," Joavan said, watching the head butler carefully. "As for the servants, are they as expected?" "The servants?" the chief steward laughed, a hoarse laugh that echoed through the garden. "Don''t worry, Joavan, I have everything under control, I keep them on a tight leash. And with the salary you''re paying, plus the advantage of working for a gentleman who doesn''t show up, it wasn''t hard to find candidates." Joavan just nodded, without commenting. He knew the head butler wasn''t wrong. Money could buy a lot of things, but it couldn''t buy security. "But tell me, Joavan," said the chief steward, turning to him with a piercing gaze, "what do you think of our lord?" Joavan hesitated for a moment. "Our lord speaks little, I have dealt more with his wives," he replied cautiously. The head butler frowned, seeming not to have understood. "Wives? How many, Joavan? I need to know these things, man, what clothes they like, food, perfumes, cosmetics, do they sleep together? Will each wife have a separate wing? Because each wife has to have her own servants. This increases the cost of food and clothing." "That''s true, Head Hutler," Joavan said, watching the head butler take several small sips of tea as he spoke nervously. "But, as I said, I''ve only had contact with him a few times, but from what I''ve researched, he slept with them in the same bed." He picks up his teacup and gives the head butler a suggestive look. "Mmmmm. That solves a lot of problems. But please keep me informed. I want our lord to have a dignified reception when he comes." "Of course, of course!" Then one of the maids he had his eye on came in, Goulwena, a fair-skinned woman, dressed in colorful clothes like a kitchen helper. She wore her golden hair tied up under a linen cap. She was a beautiful young woman, but her beauty was already fading from hard work. At 20, she was past the marriageable age, which in itself was an attraction to Joavan, who was not handsome and was also a poor man. At 40 and with his new master, it was high time he had children and a real home. One thing he liked about her was that she always tried hard to put a smile on everyone''s face. There was no one in the house who didn''t like her, and that was also a very strong point in her favor. Despite her poor-girl ways, she was extremely passionate and proud of her work. She prided herself on being meticulous and never missing a detail, great qualities for a housewife. He had been researching her and her story. She was born into a poor family in the city. Ever since her father passed away years ago, her mother adored her and her neighbors had nothing but praise for her and her mother. She had 2 young children and was a widow. Apart from her 2 children, she was a great catch. The other maid he had his eye on was Mikaela. She had passionate and lively violet eyes, wavy black hair, was strong as a bull and large, wide hips promised a large and healthy offspring. She was someone who was used to having a great deal of sex appeal. She was vulgar and talkative. She had no children and was younger than Goulwena. She was a filly that would take work to tame and would attract many envious glances. He looked at Goulwena. ¡°Thank you. Tell the cook that the cake and tea were delicious, as always.¡± He reached into his money bag for 3 silver pieces and placed them on the table. ¡°One for the cook and one for each of you.¡± He smiled at Goulwena, who turned as red as a cherry. So beautiful. ¡°Thank you, my lord, I will pass your thanks to the head cook.¡± She takes the 2 coins and leaves, somewhat dazed. Joavan hears a snort and a low, short laugh in front of him. ¡°Subtle as a mule¡¯s kick. Where did you learn to court a lady, man? In a brothel?¡± ¡°I never learned, and I¡¯m tired of brothels.¡± He laughs right after. ¡°Have you decided which of the two you¡¯re going to choose? Goulwena or Mikaela.¡± ¡°It depends¡­¡± He looks at Goulwena¡¯s ass as she enters the house. A beautiful ass. ¡°It depends on which man?¡± The head butler asks as he eats the last piece of cake on the plate. ¡°It depends on my next meeting with our lord. I have some ideas to propose to him and if everything goes as planned, I can follow the same path as our lord.¡± He looks and winks. ¡°Two wives? Yeah, that¡¯s not a bad idea. But let me know first, so I can put someone to fill the vacancies.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Two wives, hmm, I think I have to go to that alchemist and buy wild ork balls. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Joavan, the man, was traveling in a cabriolet, along with one of his bodyguards; the other always stayed in his office. What a change. Before, he had to walk through the streets covered in mud, shit and piss. Now he could rest and be a civilized person while going from one place to another. The two hired bodyguards were also a great change. No more drunks and bullies wanting to take out their misfortunes on some cripple. Every two days, he went to the White Brick Orphanage. He was still trying to understand why this orphanage had interested his employer. Not that he would complain. After all, it was because of the two orphans that he had received this divine gift. They knew a tavern owner, the tavern owner knew him, and there he was milking a fat cow. That''s why he went to the orphanage and mansion, he wanted to present a detailed report to his employer and show, along with some new investment ideas, how he could offer his services on a long-term basis. The White Brick Orphanage is a tenement-style building, a portrait of the poverty that plagues the outskirts of the capital, standing in a decaying manner, in the middle of other smaller one-story shacks. It was a two-story building, built in white bricks faded by time, with cracked and peeling walls, revealing the structure underneath made of logs. The windows, often broken, were protected by rusty bars, which looked more like cages than protection. The roof made of clay tiles in the pre-imperial Talay style, with plank patches in several places, leaked water on rainy days, creating a frenetic rhythm of drips that echoed through the corridors. The central corridor, narrow and poorly lit, was a maze of doors, each opening to a tiny room, without adequate ventilation. The smell of damp and mold permeated the air, mixed with the odor of food and sweat. The walls, painted in faded shades of green and blue, were covered in graffiti and scribbles, marks of the hard and hopeless life that was lived there. It was a crowded place, where entire families once shared a single room, with no privacy. The lack of basic sanitation was a constant problem, with shared bathrooms that were dirty and poorly maintained. Now, the noise was incessant, a symphony of voices, laughter, children''s cries and fights, which echoed through the narrow corridors. In the middle of the building, an internal courtyard open to the sky, was the heart of the orphanage, a mix of playground, kitchen and laundry. The White Brick Orphanage was a place of solitude and despair, where life was limited to the daily struggle for survival. But It was also a place of hope and resistance, where bonds of friendship and brotherhood were created. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.But now it was a hive of stone and wood workers, renovating and repairing the decaying building. The mother, who used to do everything by herself, now had a team that took care of the cleaning, nannies for the little ones who couldn''t walk yet, a cook with 2 assistants and 3 security guards. He passed through the entrance of the building and went to the Mother''s room/office, saying good afternoon to everyone he passed. It''s always good to have a good relationship with the servants. Everyone in the neighborhood noticed the sudden change and many of the hired workers were from the neighborhood. Most were happy with the good graces of the Mother, who was very well-liked in the region, but there were always those with corrupt souls. The Mother''s room/office had no door, like most of the rooms, it only had a curtain. So there was no point in knocking on the door. "Good afternoon Mother." "Good afternoon Mr. Joavan." Mother Marianna stood in her small room, a cubicle 4 meters square, and breathed a sigh of relief. The day had been long and the stillness of the space, despite its simplicity, was comforting. The dark wooden cot covered with a thick woolen blanket took up most of the space. Beside it, a small oak wardrobe with heavy, carved doors held her few possessions: an extra woolen habit, a prayer book, toiletries, and a few parchments. A single window, with long-broken glass and rusty iron bars, allowed the dim light of the afternoon sun to enter, illuminating dust that danced in the rays. The door, made of a thick curtain of rustic fabric, was held closed by a metal hook. In the corner, a simple wooden bedside table held a basin of water and an earthenware jug. It was there that Mother Marianna washed herself and prepared for the night, amidst the austerity that the religious order required. The room was small, but for Mother Marianna, it was a haven of peace and prayer, a space where she found the solitude necessary to connect with Gyldin, the God of Virtues, and reflect on her life dedicated to service. ¡°I came to make the payments and to see if everything is going properly.¡± He looks at the Mother and is always amazed that someone so young could take on such a responsibility. Mother Marianna is a young woman with an exceptionally muscular appearance, typical of peasants, the eaters of oats and barley. She always wears a long, wide tunic in pastel brown. Her hair is silver and very short. Her face is always drawn, looking nervous, but this is because she has poor vision for distance. She is an agitated person, almost nervous, difficult to keep still, which only happens when she is very tired, like now. She is a former slave who was adopted by an old cleric. She took care of him in his last years of life and when he died, he left her a year of apprenticeship in the temple and this orphanage. ¡°Take it, water, I think a warm bread is coming out now.¡± ¡°Thank you very much Mother, but I am coming to Our Lord Crixus¡¯ mansion and I have already eaten there.¡± The smell of the bread is delicious, but he wants to get home before nightfall. ¡°Have you decided, when are you going to get married, Mr. Joavan?¡± She asks with a smile on her face. If she were another woman, he would think she was flirting with him. But Mother Marianna only had room in her life for her orphans. Crazy is the man who marries a woman with more than 40 children. He laughed to himself. Mother Marianna looks at him curiously. ¡°It depends, Mother, it depends on whether they will accept.¡± ¡°They?¡± She looks at him appraisingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were devoted to Grana, Goddess of Marriage, and Heenar, Goddess of Fertility, and her consort Dhuenar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, but I may be.¡± He looks at the mother with a smirk. ¡°Men, all the same, can¡¯t see a skirt without wanting to get in the middle. At least you want to marry them. May the Gods guide your path, Mr. Joavan.¡± She says, getting up from the bed where she was sitting. ¡°I¡¯ll call the staff to make the payment.¡± ¡°No need, rest, Mother Marianna. Just looking at these children makes me tired. Ahh, I brought you some cookies.¡± He reaches into his jacket pocket and takes out a handkerchief with several buttery cookies inside. ¡°You know how to please a woman, Mr. Joavan. That way you¡¯ll get married soon.¡± He accepts the cookies with contagious joy. ¡°I hope so, I hope so.¡± He thinks again about the wild ork balls. Better buy a batch. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crixus leaves the royal bedroom at first light, making as little noise as possible. Before leaving, he looks at the huge royal bed, his sleeping women, the last to fall after the intense nighttime ¡°battle¡± was Bhenkumbyrznaax, she only gave up when he started to bite her in a dominant way in her most vulnerable spots, neck and tail. The bed was destroyed, torn sheets and feathers all over the room showed the intensity of the fight, then he goes to check if the royal bedroom has any kind of soundproofing. He imagines for a few seconds, the room with some more women of other species that he saw in the capital Lundine. FOCUS! FOCUS! Before taking the artifact and copying the royal couple Velbog IV and Ingath the Thunder. One moment he was in the royal palace of Rashakn, the next he was in the access portal to the first plane created by him, inside the castle of the Star Fortress. He passes through the first 3 planes, 3rd-earth, 2nd-fire, 1st-water. As soon as he entered the plane of 4th-¡°Paradise¡±, he immediately placed half of his immense body in the central lake. and began to think about the pros and cons of who he should copy: 1st The King or the Queen. The king had no attractiveness whatsoever, he is a male of the species. From what he saw in Akaos'' mind, fire giants are known for being authoritarian, stubborn, explosive, brute, with a terrible reputation as soldiers and conquerors, capable of burning, pillaging, enslaving and destroying all those they consider to be small races. Even other races of giants are treated this way, with the exception of the storm giants, who they have respect for, but mixed with hatred and envy. Hmm...hmm, not very attractive. He could change the king''s gender. But that would defeat the purpose of copying him, which was to use the king to lead the disunited tribes of fire giants who lived in the mountains and volcanoes surrounding the Valley of Shadows. Giants are a patriarchal and warlike race, and the King would probably fight many battles to confirm his leadership in the region. As for the queen, he had idea what she was like, her personality, her appearance, but she would probably be a female version of the king. Bossy, stubborn, explosive, brutal, in short, a woman with eternal premenstrual tension. Let''s decide by chance. He picks up a flat stone from the edge of the lake and makes a mark on one of the sides. If it falls with the marked side facing up, it will be the queen. He throws the stone upwards and it spins several times. The stone falls to the ground and bounces twice before falling with the marked side facing up. Crixus''s 3 serpentine mouths smile. Whatever, it''s destiny. He accesses his repertoire of copies and chooses Ingath the Thunder. Soon the contractions come and he vomits the queen a few seconds later on the lake shore. She is about 3m tall, muscular, dark gray skin, oriental features, thick legs, large breasts, a normal face, but overall, she pleases me a lot. She begins to wake up and the mere fact of sitting up makes her look like a perfect lady. Her golden hair shines like a sun. Her eyes are pure fire, thin strands of smoke come out of the corners of her eyes and now focus on me. I help her up, not that she needs it, but she is happy for me to do it for her. ¡°Welcome back Queen Ingath the Thunder. Come to the lake, wash yourself.¡± I guide her with a tentacle. ¡°Crixus?!¡± She asks uncertainly. Her memory rewrites itself to put me at the center of her life. As it does with all my copies. ¡°Yes, wife. I missed you and we have much to talk about.¡± One more step towards the final imprint. ¡°What happened, I remember, a battle¡­.I was betrayed¡­nobles¡­poison¡­my firstborn.¡± Her face contorts with the fragments of memory. ¡°SSShhhh¡­¡± With one tentacle I touch her lips and with another I touch her face. ¡°That was in the past, thousands of years in the past, all of them turned to dust. I brought you back, through the ages, from the veil of death, to be by my side¡­again.¡± ¡°Yes, husband. My lord is right, only now matters and only you matter.¡± She begins to wash herself sensually in front of me. Yes¡­these 4 days are going to be intense. My first fire giant¡­.TTTSSSSHHH. XXVIII - 12th day – Golden Soldier Crixus and Queen Ingath the Thunderer were back in their kingdom after an intense honeymoon in the Paradise Plane. The air was charged with expectations and challenges, especially after the creation of the three copies of King Velbog IV. During the breaks, between sexual exercises, he talked a lot with his new wife, who was everything a perfect model of what one would expect from a fire giant; owner of an engine driven by intense passions. She lives her emotions deeply, experiencing love, anger and joy with an intensity that can be surprising and changes her mood as well. It is probably a bipolar race, I will confirm with the copy of the King. I also noticed that they feel great pride in their heritage and their abilities, and that this is a sensitive point. She is wise and cunning, it was she who came up with the idea of ??making several copies of the King and using them to create several governments, divided by regions. And she also said that there could only be one king, which of course would be me, the kings would be demoted to the rank of captains, who would govern captaincies. She said that mortal beings should not be treated on the same level as divine and immortal beings. Yes, she has a diplomatic level of ass-kissing. It''s hard not to like her. Her intelligence, sharp mind and accustomed to governing gave me several tips that I would adopt immediately, she would be a great advisor just like Akaos had already shown himself to be. Despite being arrogant, bossy and very proud, her presence is magnetic, like the way she speaks, the way she positions her body, the smallest hand gestures and looks are weapons that she was trained for decades and practiced for centuries, all done to attract others around her. She was a natural leader, who was honed to be the perfect ruler. Everything is very good, everything is very beautiful, everything is perfect. But... There is always a but, always. Making her fit in with the other wives, especially in the 6th position, would be like drinking a beer that goes down square. She wouldn''t take orders from anyone but me. Her pride was the basis of her being, if I broke that she would be a defective queen. And my experience in this was -10, I would have to talk to someone, Akaos or C¨­pa. As soon as I left the last plane for the inner castle of the fortress, trumpets played in fanfare. "What is it..." At that I saw my C¨­pa running towards me. If this was some kind of danger alarm, it was a very strange alarm. "Master... I hope everything went ideally." He looks at the 4 giants sweating in togas around me. "Yes, C¨­pa, what''s that noise?" "I asked Lord Akaos to place an alarm at the portal exit to warn me and the future inhabitants of the fortress of your return. But if it is not to your liking, I can change or remove it." He bows and says in a contrite tone. ¡°No, leave it to me. I just found it...unexpected.¡± ¡°Your wives are waiting for you with longing, Lord Akaos also asked for some of your time to discuss matters of the expedition.¡± He stands in front of me with the perfect representation of an English butler, all that was missing was a suit and tie. Hhhhuuummm...I like the idea. ¡°My love. The power we share is intense. This reception is not worthy of your power, that has to change. My lord also needs an honor guard, at least 5000 fanatically loyal warriors and they need to be ready to defend him with their lives 10/30.¡± Ingath uses the link to tell me this with great displeasure. ¡°5000...it would be a bit complicated, wife, but fanatically loyal warriors, it¡¯s easy. Anyone in mind? Any suggestions?¡± I ask, trusting that she already has someone or something in mind. ¡°Grishinak and the Golden Soldier. Grishinak, the greatest General of the Fire Giants, demonstrated unparalleled bravery and skill from a young age. His career is marked by heroic deeds, epic battles, and ultimately a defeat that would echo through the generations. Grishinak grew up in the Daam clan. From an early age, he was trained in all weapons and learned to master the principles of fire magic. During his adolescence, Grishinak distinguished himself by repelling invaders who threatened his ancestral home. He saved his clan from an attack by a clan of fire dragons, using cunning and daring tactics, earning the respect of his peers and the prestige of the other clans. Over time, Grishinak became one of the most respected leaders among the fire giants. His bravery in battle led to his being named general, and he quickly became a legend during the reign of Bingrog VIII. Under his command, the fire giants defeated numerous enemy forces, including trolls and creatures of darkness. Grishinak was known for his impeccable strategy and ability to motivate his troops. The Battle of the Vale began when an old white dragon, known as Nocgale, threatened the lands of the fire giants. The dragon, feared for its animalistic cunning and icy power, launched a devastating attack on the villages of the icy southern borders. King Bingrog VIII then called his best general, Grishinak, who gathered his army and prepared his troops for the confrontation. He knew that this would be the most difficult battle of his life, but his determination was unshakable. The Dragon used the environment, patience and over months of campaigning, gradually undermined the army''s forces, until only the two remained: the dragon and Grishinak, who out of pride and to not tarnish the name of the clan, fought until the end. The battle between the 6 lasted for days, with the fire giant and the white dragon each using every tactic and trick to defeat the other, it was a cat and mouse game, with each switching roles all the time. At the climax of the battle, when victory seemed uncertain, both exhausted, wounded and filled with uncontrollable rage, Nocgale launched a devastating attack, hitting Grishinak with a blast of ice at close range. The general, wounded and exhausted, fell to the ground, but not before his sword pierced the dragon''s skull and both died. The bodies of both remain where they fell to this day, both frozen in an ice tomb. Their defeat became a landmark in the history of the fire giants and their tomb became a place of pilgrimage for the warriors. He became a symbol of courage and sacrifice for the fire giants. His stories were told in songs and legends, inspiring future generations to fight for their land and their people. "Wife, what an impressive story. From what I gather, you never met this general." "No, but he was studied until the days of my reign and he became the patron saint of the Warriors. And as you showed me, you have his bones in your treasury. Making copies of him would be the best of all worlds. A legion of the best warrior that ever existed. Husband, you deserve nothing less as a divine being, and I would not accept anything less than that for your own dignity.¡± He looks at me with his burning gaze. Intense, always intense... ¡°Hhhaaammm and the other one, this Golden Soldier?¡± And I ask to deescalate the situation a little, because from the link I can already see that she is wet and is one step away from attacking me. And if there is one thing I have already realized. My wives allow me to have the first night alone with a new wife, but the others have to be shared. The Golden Soldier, A golem that protects the Forge of Creation, the artifact we are going to get. The Golden Soldier is faithful to his master, but has little regard for any form of life and is driven by a desire for violence and carnage. Its creator, after demonstrating his creation to the royal family, who after witnessing the Golden Soldier''s abilities firsthand, decided that no more golems of this type should exist. The golem''s creator was assassinated and later had his name erased from the annals of history, so as not to pass on the knowledge. Its creator had the idea of ??creating a legion, the Army of the Sun, but the royal family saw the time of this and there is only one Golden Soldier. Wise was his decision, the golem proved to be much more intelligent than the common golems and with genocidal tendencies and a habit of calling anyone who is not his master a "bag of shit", especially those who were not giants he calls little shit. The first Kings tried to use him as a special soldier at first, but it was observed that he enjoyed - and often caused - unnecessary death and destruction, showing a complete disregard for collateral damage on more than one occasion. Despite this, the Golden Soldier''s programming often senselessly massacred everything that stood in his way to his target. The only things that the Golden Soldier showed respect for were his masters.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After these disastrous attempts at use, he was relegated to the role of bodyguard. But his arrogance, intelligence, intractable personality, pride, sadism, disrespect and dangerous lethality to the point that he was more than willing, on several occasions, to get rid of anyone who irritated his master, or worse, anything that he thought could irritate his master. After this, and some diplomatic incidents, he was relegated to guardian of the Forge of Creation. Where he was during my reign.¡± ¡°Wife, wouldn¡¯t it be a little irresponsible of me to copy such a dangerous being?¡± This woman must be crazy, this soldier is like holding a bottle of nitroglycerin during a carnival party. ¡°Of course not, husband!¡± She said vehemently. ¡°The Golden Soldier was created with my Lord Husband in mind. An all-powerful being. After you acquire the Golem, the Lord will devour it, destroying a potential enemy and after copying it, any imperfections will be eliminated, because the New Golden Soldier will have perfect programming, proof against errors, because it was made by the divine and perfect Husband.¡± She said this with the deepest confidence and convincingly. I almost believed her. ¡°Of course, wife. But let¡¯s start with the warrior, then we¡¯ll move on to the Soldier. The warrior seems more dynamic to me.¡± DYNAMIC??? What did I mean by that? ¡°Wise decision, husband.¡± She smiled as if I had said something incredible. The King¡¯s Copies follow us as we talk in silence, nervous about being in an unfamiliar environment and being naked. A warrior without his armor and weapon is, for all intents and purposes, naked, at least that¡¯s what they think. I gather everyone in the courtyard of the fortress castle and teleport to the royal throne room of the Rashakn palace. In the throne room, my wives, Akaos, the D.K.s, the Dragons, the Vizier along with some nobles, plus the palace guard are gathered. Crixus prepares to introduce Ingath to the other wives. And the plan changes in general. Let''s first disarm the minefield. "What a beautiful sight it is to be received by the most beautiful wives the world has ever seen." The reaction to my words is immediate. "ROOM! ROOM! ROOM! ROOM!" That''s what comes to the minds of my 4 wives in front of me, Xena who is not present, her mind is wandering in a timeline so slow that for her only a blink of an eye has passed since we saw each other. But I change the subject quickly. "This is Queen Ingath the Thunderer, my 6th wife." The emphasis on the word ¡°my¡± gives Ingath the necessary boost of pride, which throws her into the corner and she accepts the fact that she is the 6th wife. I quickly change the subject to less dangerous things. And without leaving room for discussion, with one of my tentacles, I indicate the kings at my side. ¡°These are the twin brothers Velbog IV King of the North, Velbog V King of the South, Velbog VI King of the East.¡± Creativity with names is not my strong point. He and his brothers have an important mission.¡± They bow to my wives, and only to them. With a mental command, I tell Akaos to dismiss all non-family members from the room. With three slaps that are like a quarry explosion, he tells everyone to leave. Soon we are alone. ¡°I have made a change in our plans to ensure the safety of the kingdom and myself.¡± ¡°We are ready, Father. What do you need us to do?¡± everyone says, while my wives speak. ¡°Count on us, Husband!¡± They say almost together. "Being a king comes not only from power, but from the wisdom in delegating that power. Kings Velbog IV, V, VI are experienced rulers and great warriors. And with that experience and the advice of my beloved wife." At that, I indicate to Ingath to take a position alongside the other wives. "We will dominate the entire valley and beyond, the serpent people are already ours, now the second largest force in the region are the fire giants that surround us in the mountains around the valley. Using their experience and capabilities, the kings took control of these disunited tribes and each will take care of a sector." "Husband, you said north, south and east. Was it just me or is there one missing?" Hethress as he looks appraisingly at the 6th wife. "Yes, King Velbog VII will arrive tomorrow, along with more reinforcements. While they leave on this expedition, we will search for the Forge of Creation. We''ll be leaving in two days, but tomorrow we''ll go to Lundine. I want to see how things are going at the orphanage.¡± ¡°Husband, we have to celebrate our new wife and the growth of our family in the right way, don''t you think so!¡± The tone she uses makes her intentions clear, and soon everyone agrees that we have to eat. How can I say no? Impossible. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Looking through the veil that separates mortals from revelations. A being of unparalleled beauty, who attracts and seduces those who gaze upon her, of both sexes. Every detail of her body is perfect, evoking a sense of desire and fascination. Her skin is smooth and lustrous, often in tones ranging from vibrant purple to gold, exuding an almost ethereal luminosity. Her eyes are mesmerizing, and can be portrayed in elongated colors like and change color. All the colors of the rainbow pass through her eyes, and they convey seduction and power, capable of capturing the attention of those who observe them. Her hair is long and flowing, with colors that can vary from silvery white to deep black, often adorned with jewels, like small stars in the night sky, when her hair is black, or exotic flowers that symbolize beauty and desire, when her hair is silver. Her body is sculpted and graceful, with curves that evoke perfection and sensuality. Every movement is smooth and mesmerizing. Wearing garments that enhance her beauty. The clothes are made of fine, translucent fabrics that flow with her body, symbolizing opulence, eroticism, and luxury. Around her, there is an aura of intense pleasure, attracting mortals to her presence. This aura is often represented by vibrant colors and shapes that evoke festivity and celebration. Look at a certain room in the mortal world, a room where 6 people celebrate life in the best possible way, almost as if they were performing their cults. The being who recently entered the mortal sphere is doing things that not even the most fanatical of his servants or priests do. Promising. She looks like one of his children. It''s been a long time since I last had a champion. It would be an honor for this intruder to be my chosen champion. Yes, it definitely would be. And best of all, the others would be jealous of her. Why fight her if I can corrupt her and bring her to my side. But first, a gift. First the candy...then the whip. It''s been so long since I last had this much fun. XXIX - 13th day The night before the 13th... I don''t sleep, but oddly enough, I think I had a dream. I was in a place that looked like a church or a temple of some religion. The temple was adorned with vibrant colors, such as purple, gold and pink. The walls were covered with carpets representing beauty and desire, and the soft lighting created a seductive atmosphere. Statues depicting a goddess in sensual forms were positioned throughout the church. Icons of excess and pleasure, exotic fruits and rare flowers adorned various niches, alcoves and the altar. Soft music created an atmosphere of complicity and pleasure. A banquet was served, with extravagant food and drinks. The Goddess''s followers tried the exotic flavors of food, celebrating the pleasures of the palate. In the alcoves and niches, they expressed their devotion to the Goddess by seeking the pleasures of the flesh. In front of the altar, other believers performed mesmerizing dances and artistic performances. The faithful brought offerings of items that symbolized pleasure and luxury, such as rare perfumes, jewelry, and works of art, placing them on altars dedicated to the Goddess. Then the cultists chanted songs that extolled beauty and desire, invoking the presence of the Goddess and asking for blessings of pleasure and perfection. The blessing of the Goddess descended on the temple, everyone felt it, it was like sticking a finger in a socket. And as if a switch had turned all the repressed desires of the faithful, they came to the surface, lust is seen as one of the greatest forms of divine connection with the Goddess. I observed everything but without being there, as a mere observer. The largest statue of the Goddess opened its eyes, eyes that constantly changed color. ¡°Crixus, welcome to my home.¡± She said in a voice that sent shivers down my non-existent spine. ¡°Who are you?¡± Man, this dream was too realistic. ¡°Mahena, Goddess of lust and...other things.¡± She said it like a cat purring happily. ¡°Is this a dream?¡± Usually when we ask this question, it¡¯s because the dream is good and we wake up soon after. ¡°Yes, it is. But it¡¯s also real.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± This dream is getting weirder and weirder. ¡°Dreams are one of the safest ways for Gods to talk to mortals. Mortals tend to explode or go crazy when they come to us in a real way.¡± She says it like she¡¯s telling a light joke. ¡°Hhuuummm, that¡¯s great...but why am I here.¡± ¡°Several reasons. But did you like what you saw here?¡± I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s possible to lie in dreams, but why would I lie anyway. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a really...fun party.¡± ¡°Yes, my cult and my temple celebrate life the only way it deserves, without limits.¡± ¡°I noticed, everyone seems to be having fun. Are they real or are they things from my dream?¡± I¡¯ve never participated in an orgy in my dream, does observing, count? ¡°Yes, they are real, each one of them is a believer who deserves to be called to this kind of joint celebration.¡± ¡°I brought you here so we can get to know each other and to offer you a gift.¡± ¡°Gift? What gift?¡± I look at several people and objects in the temple. ¡°Surprise. Tomorrow, my gift will be a blue rabbit.¡± ¡°Hhhaaaamm?¡± ¡°Time to wake up, but we¡¯ll see each other soon, my little Crixus.¡± She says this in a very condescending way, even though she¡¯s a goddess, beautiful, sexy, hot...FOCUS, FOCUS...I think she can do it. _________________________________________________________________________________ The dense fog embraced Ludine like a damp sheet, obscuring the streets and engulfing the few passersby who ventured out in the morning. In front of the Blue House Inn, a three-story building with peeling blue paint in patches, an unusual group materialized out of nowhere, like a specter emerging from the mists. Crixus, tall and imposing, wearing his preferred form, a dark elf, with an aura of power emanating from his rich clothing, a long silk toga in shades of lilac and light blue and a dark blue cape that covered his shoulders and back, he led the entourage of 17 people. Beside him, the four wives, each with a singular beauty, observed the scene with different expressions. Hethress, with piercing eyes and holding hands with her husband as a right of first wife, seemed to assess the situation cautiously. Meikosil, with an enigmatic smile on her lips, watched the movement on the street with an amused look; mortals always cause her either boredom or amusement. Bhenkumbyrznaax, with a serene face and long, black hair, also using a dark elf form, kept his head down, admiring his nails, while Ingath the Thunderer, barely containing her discontent at using an inferior, slave-like body form, emanated a palpable electric energy, her blue eyes shining with restless curiosity. The sudden appearance of the group caused a stir on the street. The few residents who had ventured out of the early morning mist moved away, their faces showing a mixture of fear and curiosity. A barber, with an apron stained with shaving foam, dropped his razor, choking on a muffled scream. An old woman, with a basket of fruit in her hand, muttered "Gods forbid" and ducked into a dark alley. "Condrus, find Joavan and bring him to me." Crixus, his deep voice echoing through the street. I should have thought of a better way to keep in touch with the lawyer." A short time later Condrus comes out in his heavy plate armor, built in a style not seen in thousands of years, carrying by the scruff of his neck a fat, balding man with a brown beard and frightened eyes. "According to this worm, Joavan no longer lives here; he moved to a small apartment a few days ago." Condrus says, grabbing the owner of the Inn by the neck. "Good morning, Mr. Brelawan." As he says his name, the innkeeper, who looks frightened at the group of clearly rich and powerful people, begins to tremble and stutter. "Do you know where Mr. Joavan has moved to?" Images quickly flash through the host''s mind and I discover where Joavan has moved to. Without a word, all 17 touch the central figure, the dark elf in a lilac and blue toga, with a blue cape, and in the blink of an eye, they disappear. At another point in the city, 18 beings appear in front of another building, a 2-story building, in a better neighborhood, with paved streets and new paint. The building is long and has 10 windows per floor that look out onto the street. Condrus enters the building without needing to be commanded. A short time later, we hear screams and the sound of confusion. The scene soon repeats itself, but now, instead of a host, there is a very scared Joavan in front of me, wearing pajamas and with a suspicious stain in the middle of his pants. "Good morning, Mr. Brelawan." Crixus says in a neutral tone. "Who are you?" He asks with a broken voice. ¡°Crixus, your employer, the one who gave you a bag full of precious stones and told you to take care of an orphanage and buy a house.¡± Crixus says this in a very calm voice. ¡°Eheehh?? Lord Crixus... sorry, you¡¯re different.¡± He looks at me nervously. ¡°Condrus, let the man go. Lord Joavan, this is my real appearance.¡± I feel 4 stabs in my back. ¡°And these are my wives, 1st wife Hethress, 2nd wife Meikosil, 4th wife Bhenkumbyrznaax, Terror of Lake Teicui, 6th wife Queen Ingath, the Thunderer. These are my children Akaos, Nikkan and Condrus. Lord Joavan, would you like to see my house, could we?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Crixus, give me 10 minutes to make myself presentable and we can go there, in the meantime I¡¯ll call some carriages.¡± ¡°10 minutes, no need to call the carriages.¡± Crixus says with an amused look and a half smile on his lips. ¡°Ahhhammm¡­.¡± ¡°Worm, what are you still doing here, mast¡­¡± Bhenkumbyrznaax raises his voice to the crippled man. ¡°Bhenk... please.¡± He says as he touches his 4th wife¡¯s shoulder. In seconds, Bhenkumbyrznaax forgets about the man in front of him. Joavan bows and, taking advantage of the change in focus, runs into the inn. He runs to his room and passes by the bodies lying on the floor, his hired bodyguards. He realizes that they are still breathing and there is no blood on the floor. He gets into the room and quickly changes his clothes, washes his face and wets his sparse hair. In record time, he is back at the entrance to the inn. ¡°...wouldn¡¯t it be too traumatic to cut off the man¡¯s leg to grow another?¡± asks Crixus to one of his wives, a stunningly beautiful dark elf. Then Crixus notices Joavan¡¯s return. ¡°Can we go, Lord Joavan?¡± Crixus asks, still with his half smile. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.¡°Yes, it will take about 40 minutes of walking and we will be there.¡± ¡°Give me your hand, Mr. Joavan.¡± Crixus extends his hand to Joavan, who looks at Crixus without understanding and with fear. He literally hears a growl coming from the 4th wife. He takes Crixus¡¯ hand and in the blink of an eye he is in the inner courtyard of the mansion he bought for Mr. Crixus. "Husband, this house is not worthy of your presence," Hethress said, stroking his arm with a gentle gesture. "This house is a house like any other, my beloved husband deserves at least a palace..." "A palace would draw too much attention and I also don''t think there are any for sale." Crixus laughed, a hoarse but light and amusing sound. "Isn''t that right, Joavan?" "No, Lord Crixus, Palaces are not for sale." Joavan said, still uncertain and looking apprehensively at the 8 warriors wearing clearly magical armor. "Lord Crixus, let me tell the house servants. So they can welcome you properly." "Naahhh." Crixus said and gestured with his hand. "Take me to see my house. They''ll soon know I''m here." With that, he started walking and entered the house. Since there was only one person, everyone followed, Joavan was lightly pushed by one of the warriors. The entourage enters the house and Joavan shows them the rooms. In one of these rooms he takes one of the maids by the arm and whispers: ¡°Find the butler, tell him that the lord of the house has arrived, and I will take him to the main bedroom.¡± Crixus¡¯ warriors moved as a single entity, their armor shining through the room, while the four wives followed him, their faces impenetrable, but their appraising looks were visible. And it was clear that they did not like what they saw. Hethress runs her index finger along one of the pieces of furniture during the tour, checking for dust. When they enter the room, the butler and the housekeeper are there. Mr. Emeran, the impeccable butler from the classic stories, is the very image of dignity and order. His gray hair is combed back with precision, using only the best perfumed oils, revealing a thin and severe face, marked by the lines of a life dedicated to service. His brown eyes, penetrating and perceptive, observe everything with an attentive and calculating gaze. His posture is erect and imposing, as if he were always ready to answer a call. He wears an impeccable butler''s uniform: A short single-breasted dress, worn under the jacket, made of luxurious fabrics such as embroidered and brocaded gold silk. A blue coat, fitted to the body with buttonholes with elaborate gold brocade. Blue pants that stopped at the knee. White cotton stockings. High-heeled shoes, black lacquered, with large square buckles polished to a mirror-like shine. White linen shirt. High, starched collar and white gloves. Mr. Emeran has an air of unquestionable authority, but also an aura of kindness and respect. He is a man of few words, but his actions speak for themselves. His dedication to duty and the Le Peven family was unwavering, right up until his downfall. At his side was the housekeeper. Mrs. Marina was the Rock of the Mansion The housekeeper, Mrs. Marina, is one of the most beloved characters in the mansion. She is a strong, fair woman with a heart of gold, who always puts the needs of others before her own. Mrs. Marina''s presence is the very embodiment of stability. She is a mother figure to all, always ready to offer wise counsel and a helping hand. Her loyalty to her family is unwavering, and she is dedicated to maintaining the order and tradition of the house, even when faced with challenges and changes. Her relationship with the butler, Mr. Evaran, goes back a long way; both have worked for the same family for decades and have seen its rise and fall. They are a couple of kindred spirits, united by a deep mutual respect, love for their profession and an unspoken understanding. Mrs. Marina is a strong, big and independent woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to fight for her ideals. She is an example of how kindness, compassion and integrity can make a difference in the world, even in difficult times. She wears a dark brown, patternless cotton work dress. Her dark hair tied in a bun and her slightly drooping black eyes make her an invisible person, but she is essential, as she represents the soul of the house, while Mr. Emeran is the heart, the engine of the house. They both bow as they enter their new masters'' room. Joavan takes a half step forward and introduces the two to Crixus. "Mr. Crixus, these are Mr. Evaran, the head butler, and Mrs. Marina, the housekeeper." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SKLAVO Types of sklavo: - domestic - war sklavo - criminal - gladiators sklavo Becoming a sklavo: There were specific rules about how someone could become a slave: - for debts - being captured in war - for crimes Accepted breeds: Human-races: all for debt and crime. Non-human races: Gray Trolls, Gray Ogres, Gray Orks, Gray Goblins, Gray Gnolls, Dark Elf Most common.Aall for debt, war and crime. GLADIATORS - gladiators and their fighting styles: 1. Samnitoj: Equipment: Short sword, round shield and crested helmet. Fighting style: Hand-to-hand combat, using the sword and shield to defend and attack. They were known for their strength and endurance. 2. Trakioj: Equipment: Curved sword, small shield and helmet with a single feather. Fighting style: Fast and aggressive combat, using the Curved sword for quick blows and the small shield to protect the body. 3. Hoplomaho: Equipment: Full armor, large shield and sword. Fighting style: Heavy, defensive combat, using armor to protect oneself and sword to attack. 4. Retiuloj: Equipment: Net, trident/harpoon, and 5-fingered short sword. Fighting style: Agile, strategic combat, using the net to trap the opponent and the trident to attack. 5. Sekuristoj: Equipment: Short sword, shield, and helmet with visor. Fighting style: Fast, offensive combat, using the sword to attack and the shield to defend. They were specialized in fighting the Retiuloj and Murmilloj. 6. Murmilloj: Equipment: Short sword, shield, and fish helmet. Fighting style: Heavy and defensive combat, using the helmet to protect the head and the shield to defend the body. 7. Provokantoj: Equipment: Short sword, round shield and helmet. Fighting style: Aggressive and provocative combat, using the sword to attack and the shield to defend. They were known for their ability to irritate and provoke opponents. 8. Equesoj: Equipment: Armor, sword, plate shield and spear. Fighting style: Mounted combat, using the spear to attack and the sword to defend. 9. Subtenu Mage: Equipment: Staff, wand or rod. Fighting style: Strengthen your allies, weaken your enemies, using a combination of protective shields and debilitating curses. 10. Atakmage: Equipment: Staff or wand and a magic item. Fighting style: Ranged attacks by casting powerful fire, ice or lightning spells from a distance, causing massive damage to your enemies. And mobility 11. Kleriko: Equipment: Staff or wand and a magic item. Fighting style: Strengthen and heal your allies, weaken your enemies, using a combination of protective shields and debilitating curses. 12. Kondamnita Equipment: Wooden sword and rags or completely naked and unarmed Fighting style: Hope for a quick and painless death. 13. Exekutistoj Equipment: 2m heavy rapier sword and scale helmet and tunic Fighting style: Using the great reach of the rapier, which is only a piercing weapon and has no cutting edge, they pierce the judicial slaves, causing little damage. Because the bodies will be sold to the necromancers, and the less damage, the more valuable the body and their commission. Slave gladiators have the word sklavo added. Slave gladiators fight to pay off their debt by deducting from their share of the prizes, which can be 10-25%. They fight for 50 fights, where they are guaranteed 10 free resuscitation. After the 10th resuscitation they are forced to stop being a gladiator. Whoever reaches the end of the 50 fights without using resuscitations wins a prize and over the course of the season whoever reaches the end of the season with the fewest resuscitations and the most victories also wins a prize. The Arena, as the Morvredian Amphitheatre was known. Its construction began in 258 BC and was completed in 236 BC and was dedicated to Aher, the God of conquests, by King Edwin II. XXIX.2 - 13th day ¡°My lord, welcome to the Kilien mansion. I take full responsibility for not receiving you properly, my lord.¡± ¡°10 lashes¡­¡± Bhenkumbyrznaax begins to speak with contempt but is cut off by Crixus. ¡°Bhenk, my dear, we did not whip anyone, remember our conversation. Even though there is no problem, we arrived by surprise and without warning. Mr. Evaran could take over the tour of the house, Mr. Joavan must have other matters to attend to while we get to know my house.¡± ¡°I leave you in the capable hands of Mr. Evaran.¡± Joavan cannot hide his relief at leaving the oppressive presence of the group. He knew that Mr. Crixus was a wealthy merchant or ex-mercenary, pirate perhaps. But 6 wives, but such a large number of bodyguards and on top of that well equipped. The group begins to move. But before turning around he seems to speak in his head. ¡°See you again at lunchtime, Mr. Joavan, is that okay? You are invited and you can bring your wife.¡± He bows to the group¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you very much, Mr. Crixus, but I don¡¯t have a wife.¡± He stands up and sees that the group has already moved to another room. The Kilien mansion is a 3-story building, with the third floor being the attic and the master bedroom in a small tower. It is located on the outskirts of the capital Lundine. It has 51 rooms, 8 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, three common bathrooms, and occupies an area of ??2 acres. It had been closed for 10 years. It was bought for a relatively low price when its former owner was murdered along with his family by rival merchants. Since it is outside the walls, it is between a 30 and 40 minute walk from the main gate of the capital¡¯s walls and is therefore outside the protected area. But it is a good property, one of the best that a common citizen can buy without being a nobleman or an important official of the kingdom. Taking advantage of the fact that he was left behind, he goes out into the street and walks to a nearby tavern where he pays a few bucks for a runner to go to the orphanage and tells the Mother that Mr. Crixus is in town and will probably pay a visit. Now he has to run and buy some decent clothes, if all goes well he will soon be getting married. Six wives and four bodyguards!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- It took an hour for Crixus'' entourage to get to know his new home. It was a beautiful and solid mansion, but it needed urgent repairs and maintenance while he talked about some things that Mr. Evaran would do, buying a carriage for each wife, horses and a group of maids for each of his wives, in addition to hiring someone to build a pool and start the renovations. Hethress went to a separate room to tell Mrs. Marina the new family''s preferences. Crixus walked away with his bodyguards, when the wives began to decide which room each would stay in. Dangerous subject, very dangerous. Crixus heads to a balcony that overlooks the street on the second floor of the mansion. The four guards take strategic positions on the balcony while he sits at a table on the balcony. Soon one of the maids comes and asks Crixus if he wants anything. He asks for tea to pass the time. Through the link he sees that the wives are still arguing but still in a civilized manner, with Ingath being the one who puts up the most obstacles. Being a former Queen she is still adapting to being the 6th wife. Humility has never been her strong point, but she will learn. Crixus liked the house, but now looking at it more calmly he would like a larger plot of land where he could build an orphanage and a school along with a larger mansion. He will definitely need a larger house if he really wants to have a wife of each race. A library, he needs to go to a library to get an idea of ??how many there will be. He starts to laugh as he drinks his tea. Through the link, all family members feel the good mood of their creator and are also in a good mood, even the wives feel the tension decrease and reach an agreement about the bedrooms. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the dining room, which is 10m by 12m, full of details and refinement. Dark wood is present in the furniture, such as imposing tables, chairs upholstered with pastel-colored brocades and sideboards with carved details. The walls are covered with frescoes, paintings or rugs in wine or dark green tones. The heavy velvet curtains follow the same tones, but already show signs of age, as do the decorative rugs. Crystal chandeliers and brass candelabras illuminate the room, creating a cozy and elegant atmosphere. The dining table is the center of attention, usually with a solid wood top and seating for 16 guests. Silver cutlery and fine china were placed on an immaculately white linen tablecloth. Arrangements of fresh flowers in white porcelain vases with red details decorated the table. Crixus sat at the head of the table, with his first wife on the opposite side and to his right were his wives in order of ¡°arrival¡±, next to him was Akaos, in the 4 rooms of the room were his bodyguards. The house was a veritable hive of activity. Today was the lord of the house''s first day. Everything had to go as smoothly as possible. Mr. Evaran was indignant for having failed to receive Mr. Crixus and his family and was putting all his chips on lunch, the servants felt the pressure, they knew they could lose their jobs if the lord of the house was displeased. Many were still surprised that Mr. Crixus was a ¡°Knife¡±, the slang used by the lower classes to call the elves. And none of them had laid eyes on a black knife, who were generally slaves of the elite, brought from the exotic and distant continent of Xok''al and bought by the wealthiest nobles. Some even thought about leaving the house to work elsewhere, for fear of having their reputation tarnished. But it was a thought, insignificant compared to the harsh reality: it was difficult to find work in a good house. And everyone saw the wealth demonstrated by Mr. Crixus. His entourage and number of wives were well above what was common for a baron, he was on the same level as a viscount. Money and sex... two of the biggest engines of the continent of Zeisibar. The servants enter the room and place the meals while Mr. Evaran announces which dishes are being served. Mr. Joavan is on Crixus'' left side and in the middle of the table. He doesn''t know how to behave, he has never had contact with the nobility or such rich merchants. He waits to copy the others. Crixus, sitting at the head of the table, searches among the family''s minds how to start lunch. He finds the memories of King Velbog IV. The aroma of roast lamb and exotic spices hung in the air, mingling with the scent of fresh flowers that adorned the imposing dining room table. The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the arched windows, bathing the scene in a bluish glow.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. At the center of the table, Crixus, his eyes roaming the table, his face serious. "My dears," Crixus began, his voice calm, "It is with great joy that I welcome you to this new home. A new chapter begins for our family, and may this home be filled with happiness, prosperity, and, above all, unity." A chorus of "Crixus" echoed through the room, accompanied by applause and smiles. "As you know," Crixus continued, "this mansion was purchased with the dedication of our family. It is a symbol of our prosperity and a legacy for future generations. I hope each of you, my family, will enjoy its fruits." The first wife, Hethress, smiled fondly. "Husband," she said, "this mansion is a gift to the entire family, but it is only a small symbol of your greatness. May peace and prosperity reign in your halls." Queen Ingath, known for her beauty and intelligence, added, "Your Majesty, the beauty of this mansion reflects the beauty of your soul. May joy and happiness flourish here." Meikosil, the more reserved and introverted, simply nodded, her eyes shining with admiration. Akaos, a man of keen mind, stood and said, "A toast to father''s visions!" The lawyer looked at the man who stood up and looked at Mr. Crixus and thought, Father. You can never tell age with these knives, but following his lord''s son, he also stood and joined the toast, as did everyone in the room. Crixus smiled, pleased with his family''s words. "I thank you all for your kind words," he said. "May this day be remembered as the day our family was united under a new roof, and may prosperity and happiness accompany us for many years to come." He raised his silver goblet, filled with red wine. "To our family, to our future, victory!" Everyone present raised their goblets, toasting the health of the new lord of the mansion and the new home. The sound of laughter and cheerful conversation filled the room, creating an atmosphere of happiness and togetherness. ¡°Mr. Joavan, I really liked the property and Mr. Evaran, the servants, under your leadership, are to be congratulated, my compliments to the ¡°chef¡±.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Mr. Evaran says in a serious and sober tone. ¡°Mr. Joavan, I am thinking of buying a large rural property, where I can build or already have a larger property, to accommodate my wives and future wives ¨C at this point four pairs of eyes focus on Crixus, he quickly changes the subject and continues ¨C and where I can build an orphanage and a school for 1000 students, I would like you to make this available to me.¡± Joavan, who was between bites, almost choked and then took a sip of his glass of wine. ¡°Mr. Crixus, rural properties can only be owned by noble people, of the size you want, at least a baron title is necessary.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you buy one?¡± Crixus speaks very naturally, and remembers that in his past life he had bought one from a place called Sealand. ¡°Eeehhh... Mr. Crixus, I don¡¯t know how these things are in your homeland, but here in the Talay Empire, titles cannot be bought, not officially.¡± ¡°Explain better, Mr. Joavan.¡± Crixus asks, having barely touched his dishes and drink. Leaving the Chief Butler worried. ¡°You cannot buy titles, that is a fact, but you can marry the daughter of a bankrupt nobleman and if within a year the daughter of this nobleman becomes pregnant and it is confirmed that it is a boy, the lands and the title will go to the male. If this does not happen, the property and the title will go to the closest male relative on the paternal line. It is a risky move that few merchants are willing to make. But even if you are, this type of bankrupt nobleman would not be easy to find in the vicinity of the capital, but I can look for one.¡± ¡°Hhuuuummm. Do it!¡± Without any signal, Akaos takes out a large bag, the size of one used to carry a meal of cheese and bread, and places it in front of Joavan. He takes the bag and discreetly opens the bag on his lap. Inside he sees at least 3 handfuls of rubies. ¡°Today I will look for a matchmaker.¡± At that, 4 voices say together, ¡°We will go with you.¡± Joavan looks at his master¡¯s wives and then at him, who seems to have lost something on his plate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The dust of the arena, terracotta and dried blood, fluttered beneath the gladiators'' feet. Two criminals, thin and wounded, faced each other with fury and desperation, their swords clanging against the armor of the two executioners, imposing and implacable, waiting for the moment to deliver the right blow, their heavy rapiers, heavy ¡°swords¡± 2 meters long and without a sharp edge, but with a point as fine as a needle and hard as a diamond, shining under the scorching sun. In the almost empty stands, two body merchants watched the spectacle with eager eyes. "These two are weak, but their blood is good. They would make great soldiers," one commented, with a cruel smile. "Yes, and this other one - with the scar on his face - would make a miner." agreed the other, gesturing to one of the arena''s drink vendors. "But the real jewel is marriage. The prince and princess marrying the heroic brothers,¡± said the first, with a tone of admiration. ¡°A masterstroke, isn¡¯t it? Uniting the prince and princess and the heroic ones, oh, the heroic ones... life is never fair, rich and powerful, and now with those two magnificently beautiful beings,¡± laughed the second, with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°And with the gladiators, especially. I imagine the next festival will be grand. I heard that the crown prince wants to give his younger brother the champion of the games and a complete set of the best 4-legged and 2-legged "stallions" as a gift,¡± observed the first, with a sparkle in his eyes and he began to laugh. ¡°Indeed, indeed. A feast for the eyes and the soul,¡± concluded the second, satisfied. The fight in the arena continued, a ballet of blood and pain. The two criminals, Kondamnita gladiators, wounded and exhausted, clung to life, fighting with all their strength. But the fight was unequal, they were fighting against a pair of Retiuloj, armed with a fine-tipped spear and a net, and the end was inevitable. The body traders watched the scene impassive, imagining the price they could get for those bodies once the dust settled. And in the blink of an eye, each of the Kondamnita gladiators received 2 meters of steel in the heart, dying in a few seconds. A perfect FATALITY. XXIX.3 - 13th day 3 days, 3 days in this damned green hell, of mosquitoes, diseases, savages and this damned Tower. On the first day, we tried to make camp at the base of the Tower, but the constant night attacks by beasts and monsters made us change our minds. For 3 days we circled the entire tower and saw no entrance on its facade, at the top, an immense, perfect dome. So many times the tower was pierced with physical and magical means and it remained unchanged, not a scratch was left on its surface. The mood on the expedition was one of defeat, everyone was tense and looking for something or someone to blame. No one had the courage to blame the paladin, her charisma and beauty made her an untouchable target, as for Filiz, the archmage, he was known for being explosive, in every sense of the word, but oddly enough he was the calmest and most peaceful of all, all thanks to his new concubine, only losing to the captain of the Blue Marlin, who spends the day destroying his private wine cellar. Antinua, with a sigh that seemed to echo the frustration of the day, crushed a piece of cheese bread between her fingers. The watery wine, almost as tasteless as the ¡°green sea¡± that stretched out the window, ran down her throat without leaving any trace of consolation. ¡°Another day, another dead end,¡± she grumbled, casting a melancholic look at the vastness of the ¡°green ocean. This damned, stinking, old, and stupid Tower looks more like a monster than it laughs in our faces.¡± Charlig, always optimistic, smiled weakly. ¡°We can¡¯t lose hope, Antinua. We¡¯re already so close¡­ we just need to find the ¡°key¡± to open the ¡°door.¡±¡± ¡°The key? That key is an archmage with powers of divination, Charlig. And convincing him to help us, with Filiz being as stubborn as a donkey on market day, is a nearly impossible task.¡± Charlig took a sip of wine, grimacing. "He''s stubborn, but he''s not stupid. The Red Tower has a reputation for being... complicated. If Lord Filiz doesn''t want to call anyone from there, he must have a good reason." "And what would that be? Fear of losing control of the expedition? Fear that he''ll lose prestige for the Red Tower? Or maybe he just doesn''t want to share the glory?" Charlig stood up, walking to the window. "It doesn''t matter the reason, Antinua. We need to convince him. The Obsidian Tower is there, waiting for us, we need to get inside. It''s the only chance we''ll find what we''re looking for, all other options have already been exhausted." Antinua, with a thoughtful look, observed Charlig. "And how are we going to convince him? Besides convincing the tower to come help us, we can''t just break into the Red Tower and steal a soothsayer." "No, but we can try to reason with him. Show him that we need their help, that the Red Tower is the only key to our success. And even offer a share of the glory in exchange for joint leadership." Antinua, with an ironic smile, shook her head. "Glory? Charlig, you know this expedition is not about glory. It''s about saving the kingdom, about stopping evil from spreading. And for that, we need all the help we can get." "Exactly! And the Red Tower is the only one that can give us that help right now." Charlig, with a sparkle in his eyes, turned to Antinua. "We''re going to convince Filiz. Together, but with special help." "What are you talking about, man? Don''t beat around the bush, just say it!" Antinua said, slamming her hand on the tabletop, sending splinters flying, showing no signs of irritation at having stood still for so long without hitting anything. "Macarra''ka..." said Charlig and took a sip of wine. "HHHaaaammm, you''re going to convince him through the head below." Antinua laughed and took the glass and made a toast. "Macarra''ka." Antinua, despite still being worried, felt a thread of hope reborn in her heart. Maybe Charlig was right. Maybe, together, the three of them, could convince Filiz and finally find the key to open the door to the Obsidian Tower. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The roar of the crowd echoed through the coliseum, mixing with the clang of swords and the crash of blows. Kawada watched the fight with a distant look, his mind divided between the adrenaline of the arena and the bitterness of the fight with his sister. "Maeda," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "Don''t you think we''re being a little childish?" Maeda, sitting next to him, stared at the fight with a horrified look. "Childish? Kawada, you accused me of the same thing you were doing just a few meters away from me, with the princess!" "But I''m a man..." Kawada retorted, his voice low and tense. "IDIOT!" a glass of wine flew at Kawada''s forehead. "Darling! Stop, for all I care, today is a day of celebration, everyone here is to celebrate our wedding." Roper touches his beloved''s arm. "Sorry, dear, it''s just that everything is happening too fast and my idiot brother isn''t helping. Besides, seeing people fighting to the death isn''t the kind of celebration I would imagine for myself on my wedding day." Maeda replied, his voice thick with frustration. "We''re all brothers now, Maeda! We should trust each other, not fight amongst ourselves, dear!" Trifina takes Kawada''s hand and squeezes it, making him turn his attention to his beautiful fianc¨¦e and deescalate the mood between the brothers. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.A heavy silence hung between them. The roar of the crowd seemed to intensify, but for Kawada and Maeda, the world was reduced to a small space of bitterness and resentment. "What do you want me to do, Maeda?" Kawada asked, his voice hoarse. "Do you want me to pretend nothing happened? To forget what you did?" Princess Trifina, sitting next to her fianc¨¦, whispers in his ear. ¡°Be quiet, or I¡¯ll punish you!¡± She kisses his cheek and with a perfect smile turns to watch the fight taking place in the arena below. Kawada swallows hard and closes his mouth in an instant. On the opposite side, his brother, prince Roper, starts talking to his fianc¨¦e. ¡°My flower, my life, the final battlers are famous, respected and admired, it would be very bad if they died for good, duels of this level rarely lead to death, usually end when one of them knocks down or disarms the opponent. But when that happens, they are resurrected." But Roper... today is our wedding. We cannot start our lives together with this fight. The future of our kingdom cannot start like this. If we can''t understand each other, how can we rule together?" Kawada''s gaze met his sister''s, and for the first time that day, he saw the pain and anguish reflected in her eyes. The fight in the arena seemed to fade away, the crowd fading into a distant murmur. "Maeda," he said, his voice soft and full of regret. "I... I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you. Maybe I overreacted, but I didn''t mean to." Maeda hesitated, his eyes fixed on Kawada''s face. "And I want to be angry with you too, Kawada. But we... we have to get over this." A shy smile played on Kawada''s lips. "Yes, Maeda. We have to get through this." He held out his hand, and Maeda took it. Their fingers intertwined, they looked into each other''s eyes, the promise of a future together shining in their hearts. The fight, as painful as it had been, was just an obstacle to be overcome. Brotherly love, strong and deep, would bring them together again. "WWWWAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Roper leaps from his chair and stands up, arms raised. Maeda looks at her fianc¨¦ and sees that the entire arena has done the same. The roar of the crowd is deafening, a sea of ??faces turned toward the sand pit. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows over the gladiators as they battle. On one side is Murdinto, the son of a Romani general who is addicted to combat and is now a Hoplomaho gladiator, his body ripped with muscles acquired during the skirmishes of the Red border. On the other is Sphiokus, a seasoned and ruthless Sekuristoj gladiator known for his strength and brutality. The bloodthirsty crowd shouts the gladiators'' names, their voices mingling in a wild chorus. The combat begins with a clash of swords, steel against steel, sparks flying in the air. Murdinto, with the fury of a wounded lion, attacks with precision and force, while Sphiokus, more agile, attacks with great precision and power. and unpredictable, he dodged the blows, looking for a gap in his opponent''s defense. The fight was a deadly ballet, a dance of swords and blood. Every movement was calculated, every blow charged with intention. Murdinto, with his military experience, fought with strategy and experience, while Sphiokus, with his agility and ferocity, fought like a hungry wolf. The first attack was from Murdinto, a powerful blow that Sphiokus dodged with a quick movement, followed by a kick that hit the Romani''s knee. Murdinto staggered, but recovered quickly, responding with a furious attack, a series of blows that Sphiokus skillfully blocked. The fight intensified, a whirlwind of steel and flesh. Murdinto, with his brute strength, tried to pressure Sphiokus, who moved like a snake, dodging and counterattacking with precision. Blood began to stain the sand, a bright red that contrasted with the white of the gladiators'' tunics and armor. Sphiokus, taking advantage of Murdinto''s carelessness, landed a deep blow on his arm, making the romani roar in pain. Murdinto, wounded but still with fury in his eyes, threw himself at Sphiokus, trying to knock him down. The fight turned into a deadly dance, with every move risking his life. The audience cheered, with every blow, every scream, every drop of blood. Adrenaline ran through the veins of the gladiators and the crowd, the pain and thirst for victory driving them. In a moment of desperation, Murdinto risked everything, a final blow, a suicidal attack that Sphiokus dodged with an agile jump. Murdinto''s sword grazed Sphiokus'' face, who, in a quick movement, plunged one of his sword into the Romani''s chest. Murdinto fell to his knees, a groan of pain escaping his lips. Blood gushed from the wound, dyeing the sand red. Sphiokus, exhausted, breathing heavily, looked at Murdinto, his opponent on his knees, sword in hand and shield lying on the ground beside him. The crowd watched the victor in silence. Sertorius raised his sword high in triumph. The crowd roared deafeningly and applauded the victor. Life and death intertwined in the arena, under the relentless gaze of the sun. Murdinto, on his knees like a snake, struck with a precise blow, his sword finding Sphiokus'' body, straight to the heart, a clean and accurate blow. Sphiokus was dead before he hit the ground. The audience, ecstatic at Maximus'' victory, roared in approval. The gladiator, bathed in sweat and blood, raised his sword towards the royal box, receiving the acclaim of the crowd, then turned to his opponent, bowed in respect, took his opponent''s sword and now raised both swords to the crowd, which went wild. And falls next to his opponent. Dead, with the sword still stuck in his torso. Murdinto''s fight against Sphiokus, a brutal and exciting combat, became one of the most memorable moments in the history of the arena, engraving in the memory of the Talayans, the strength, courage, glory of the gladiators and the promise of riches that few can achieve, as the King''s prize was lands, title, mansion, slaves and an annual stipend paid by the crown. Behind the scenes, Murdinto''s sweat and blood were sold for a gold coin a drop, and legend has it that a night with one of the gladiators could cost 1,000 gold coins an hour, and that many firstborn sons of the empire had their seed in the champions, Murdinto and Sphiokus. As far as we know, Sphiokus and Murdinto, after being resurrected, retired after this fight, and the two gladiators became good friends. Sphiokus became a master and owner of a gladiatorial school that later became recognized for its own style, which focused on agility, acrobratics, and "stage" presence. Murdinto had several wives and many children, some of whom became important and respected figures in the military throughout the history of the empire. XXIX.4- 13th day Elysande Sausage was born amidst the strong smell of spices and fresh meat, in the heart of a bustling market. The eldest daughter of a wealthy merchant family, she was the heiress to an empire of sausages, salamis and exotic seasonings. But unlike her sisters, Elysande was not graced with the typical beauty of her lineage. She was tall, with broad shoulders and a face marked by freckles and a hooked nose that, according to society, made her "ugly". Her hair, frizzy and unruly, already showed gray strands at the temples, an early sign of her advanced age by the standards of the capital. The Sausage family was traditional and wealthy, and the expectation was that Elysande would marry a man of good family, fortune and nobility, thus ensuring the continuity of the business and the social ascension of the family. But Elysande never fit the mold. From a young age, she showed an unusual interest in the world of magic, especially the art of divination. While her sisters devoted themselves to learning the nuances of social etiquette and the art of negotiation, Elysande lost herself in books of charms, predictions, and prophecies. Her passion for magic was as strong as the smell of roasting meat that permeated the air of her home. She devoted herself to her studies with fervor, spending sleepless nights deciphering ancient texts and carrying out risky experiments. Her parents, initially skeptical, eventually surrendered to their daughter''s talent, recognizing her unusual ability for magic. Over time, Elysande became a level 10 red mage, a rare and admired feat. Her ability to predict the future was renowned, and she became a valuable advisor to the family, helping them make sound business decisions. But the fame of her magic also attracted the attention of others, her masters at school and noble rivals jealous of her talent. Despite her success, Elysande never felt at home in the social world. Her peculiar appearance and introverted personality kept her out of the parties and balls, where other young women tried hard to attract suitors. She preferred the solitude of her library, where she could devote herself to her studies and her magic. As the years passed, the pressure to marry intensified. Her family, concerned about the future of the Sausage dynasty, pressured Elysande to find a husband. But she refused to submit to social expectations. She was not looking for a husband, but rather a companion who would understand her and support her on her magical journey. And she had already found that person. Gildas Le Mee, her pupil. She had already been warned that this would happen, she saw it happen to herself, when for 3 years she dragged a dragon for the Aurospicina teacher, a subject hated by many, with its blood and animal laments, she herself never bothered by it, coming from a family that dealt with cattle and cuts of meat, she knew from an early age the bloody origin of the fine dishes that the nobility ate. Her crush only ended and in a crushing way, when she overheard, before entering Gildas'' room, him commenting how the sausage was running after her, and that if she weren''t so ugly and always breaking the market, he would even invite her to his bed, and after that she burst out laughing. She ran to her room and then began to hate Aurospicina. But despite knowing all this, when years later, as a Taromancy assistant, she found herself in the opposite position, the target of a young man''s crush, she didn''t believe it. It was only when her master commented that young Elorn Le Foll was becoming ridiculous in the way he behaved when Elysande was around. With her mind built on a family of traders, she stopped and analyzed the situation as a business opportunity, as her father always said. Everything is business, everything has gains and losses, a good business is when the gains are greater than the losses. A great business is when there is no risk of losses. Elorn Le Foll, a simple young man, his brown hair is of moderate length, neither short, in the military style, nor long as is fashionable among the dandies of the nobility. He is missing an eye and his face is severely sunburned, almost like a peasant''s, and his one remaining eye glows a deep blue. Although he acts like a brute, he is much kinder than he appears. Flattery will make him almost like putty in your hands. Despite his strong build, he has a thin voice and this only reinforces his insecurity and shyness. Born to a pair of adventurers, Elorn Le Foll grew up listening to his mother''s many stories. They were part of the caravan escort team. A botched job caused the group to be disbanded. But luck struck when her husband, the sixth son of a knight, became the sole heir. He is not handsome, but not bad-looking, with a strong and masculine body, for a wizard. She would have a guaranteed position in the court of the viscount of the region, as a future fortune teller, her family will no longer demand that she marry, he would still inherit a small title by the standards of the nobility, but a long leap for his family, he has position and prestige and is completely crazy about her. These are the pros of the business. The cons, he is ten years younger than her, she will have to leave the capital. It was in this line of thought that she was walking through the corridors of the school of magic when one of the freshmen came running and handed her a note. "Come to my office." Her master was calling her. She was almost decided to accept the courtship of the young Elorn, all that was left was to play cards and seek advice from her father and her master. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was so good that she now had access to a school dog-bee. The coachman calmly took the dog-bee over the city below, at his side her future fianc¨¦ Elorn Le Foll, she would invite him to lunch with her at one of the taverns that were clients of her father and where they always had free lunch and there she would officially accept the courtship of the young Elorn. By her calculations it would take no more than an hour to carry out the investigation of teleportation in an unsanctioned area. The dog-bee passed over the outermost wall of the capital and headed towards the suburbs that surrounded the city, although the dog-bee was not a large vehicle, the suburbs had narrow streets and few places to land easily. Luckily the place was in a square, as it descended many the vehicle attracted many looks, dog-bees were uncommon in this area, but with the colors of the school of magic no one in the neighborhood had seen one around here. Elorn got off the ship first and helped her off the ship. For the first time in his life, he touched her, holding her by the waist with his big, strong, hairy, calloused and warm hands. What was this heat that suddenly hit her? She had better go straight to the inn. As they entered the inn, several heads turned. She ignored everyone and went straight to one of the inn''s servants to ask for the owner. "Good afternoon, my good man. May the peace of the Gods be with you." Elysande said with her best merchant smile. Her father always said that a good business starts with a good smile and politeness, even for those below you. The man blinked a few times, looked at the clothes and the wand placed on the belt of the two in front of him, an ugly woman and a one-eyed young man. But wizards and such people were always better off being careful. "Good afternoon, my lady and my lord. How can I help you? My best rooms are available." With a light laugh, Elysande undoes the mistake. They are not a couple of runaway lovers looking for a love nest. ¡°I am Elysande Sausage, assistant mage of the tower, and this is my pupil, ¡°Elorn¡± Le Foll. We were both sent by the college to investigate unauthorized use of transportation magic in this area. Are you aware of anything out of the ordinary that happened today?¡± The man became a little more nervous when Elysande mentioned the college. The incident where the college had closed a famous tavern and ruined its owner and his family was still recent. ¡°Nice to meet you, I am Brelawan, tavern keeper. My lady, I know nothing about magic, and the only mage I know is a bard who passes by here at harvest time. But about strange things, today a group of black knives, people with money, lots of money. Just the clothes and armor they wore would be enough to buy my inn several times over. They were looking for Joavan the Trough¡­¡± Elysande interrupts him. ¡°Joavan the Trough?¡± ¡°Yes, he is a lawyer and lived in my inn for a little over 10 years¡­¡± He is interrupted again. ¡°What did they want with this lawyer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, my lady. But their leader, a black knife that I¡¯ve never seen in my house, asked me if I knew where he lived. I was so scared, by the way I was treated that I was still putting my ideas in order and out of nowhere his henchman let me go and the whole group disappeared, disappeared in the blink of an eye.¡± ¡°How many were there in this group?¡± Elorn says in his voice, low, thin and timid. ¡°Hhaamm?¡± Elysande repeats the same question more audibly, which makes Elorn blush like a strawberry. Brelawan the tavern keeper scratches his head while counting with his fingers. ¡°It all happened very quickly, my lady, I was very scared, I couldn¡¯t count, but there were more than ten, for sure.¡± ¡°Has anyone else seen this?¡± Elysande asked after a few moments to digest the information. ¡°Yes, my lady, you can ask everyone here, many have seen it, the barber is one of them.¡± Brelawan the tavern keeper speaks with conviction and points to a small door on the other side of the square. ¡°Thank you, my good man.¡± -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elysande Sausage and Elorn Le Foll were at the Silver Skewer tavern, famous for its roast pork and lamb. They were both tired and thirsty because of the investigation. Elysande was still trying to accept that there was a wizard so powerful as to take more than 5 people with him in a teleportation spell. Her mind was trying to think who, where and why this wizard had come. It was probably because of the royal wedding. In front of her, Elorn Le Foll was in shock. His beloved had accepted his courtship and had even set a date for the wedding, 1 month after meeting her parents. She had never shown anything, and suddenly she was already setting a date for the wedding. He had lost his appetite because he was so happy, and his eyes focused on his future wife without blinking and not listening to anything she said. Elysande, with a tired sigh, picked up the mug of beer and took a long sip, watching the movement in the tavern. The smell of roast meat, which would normally make her salivate, now only reminded her of the long journey to get there. "Elorn, are you listening to me?" she asked, a little impatiently. "I''m trying to understand how someone can simply teleport with more five people, not even the best orange wizards can do that, the best of them, Lord Tunio Le Diouron can only take 4 and according to some of the witnesses the number was between 12 and 20 people, and everyone agreed that there were more than 10 people." Elorn, with a silly smile on his face, looked at Elysande, his eyes shining. "Sorry, Ely. I was thinking... about our life together." Elysande frowned, trying to understand what was going on in her friend''s head. "Elorn, are you okay? You''re acting strange." "I''m great, Ely! I''ve never felt so good, so happy. It feels like I''m dreaming! Let''s get married now!" Elorn exclaimed, his voice vibrating with happiness. "Marry? Yes! But only after our families meet and agree on the marriage. Could it be that this powerful wizard is here because of the royal wedding?" Elysande was confused and didn''t even realize that her unofficial fianc¨¦ had already given her a loving nickname. "One month! One month, Ely!" Elorn repeated, mumbling, as if she couldn''t believe her luck. Elysande watched her fianc¨¦, a mix of confusion and joy taking over her. "Elorn, you''re happy, that''s great. But let''s focus on the current problem, how am I going to write a report with this crazy story?" Elorn, still beaming, replied: "It''s just... it all happened so fast. It''s like destiny brought us together." He was beaming. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Elysande, with a gentle smile, watched her fianc¨¦. "Well, Elorn, if you''re happy, I''m happy too. But I don''t want you to focus on the problem." Elorn, stretching his hands across the table and taking her small hand between them, replied: "You are the best woman anyone could have, Ely. Thank you for everything." Elysande, for the first time in her life, was the focus of a man''s interests, thinking about how unpredictable destiny was. In the midst of a dark mystery, when her family had no hope, she would finally enter the select group of matriarchs. Heeeehh...Matriarchs...children...ooohhhh...hhhooo...doing that. Now she understands why her fianc¨¦ was so in the clouds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crixus walked through the mansion, the heavy footsteps of his guard echoing on the polished marble floors. The fresh afternoon air came in through the tall windows, bringing with it the scent of flowers and freshly cut grass. It was a sunny afternoon, but Crixus''s heart was heavy. He had not yet gotten used to the opulence that surrounded him, the immensity of the house and the ability and power to buy practically anything he wanted. "Is this castle very vulnerable, Father?" said a voice behind him. It was Grishinak, his bodyguard, imposing and with an eagle''s gaze just like his "twin brothers." "Yes," Crixus replied, without taking his eyes off the landscape that stretched out beyond the windows. "But this is not a place where we will stay for long." Grishnak nodded, understanding the feeling. Crixus had arrived in this world a little over 2 weeks ago and was still a bit lost with everything that was happening around him so quickly. Now, he began to think about what he wanted for the rest of his immortal life, immortality, he still didn''t feel that way, quite the opposite, he now lived in constant worry of losing everything he had achieved in this short time. "The royal wedding. The princes will marry the heroes Kawada and Maeda, today." The names brought vague memories of warriors with a two-handed saber and a white flag with a red circle in the center. Crixus frowned. "Heroes, everyone in the house only talks and thinks about them. The heroes of the kingdom, legendary for their beauty. All the men are jealous of Prince Roper, and all the women of Princess Trifina, for marrying the sons of the God Cystemis." Crixus, but he felt nothing more than a slight curiosity. He wasn''t interested in heroes or kingdoms. He just wanted peace, a place to rest and be left alone with his family and wives. Continuing his walk, Crixus arrived at his office. It was a large, imposing room, with dark wood walls and windows that looked out onto the street. A solid wood table occupied the center of the room, with a leather-upholstered chair. On the table, Crixus saw a small red box, made of a material he didn''t recognize. It was carved with scenes of an orgy, human figures intertwined in lascivious positions. "What is this?" Crixus asked, picking up the box. "I don''t know, Father. It looks like a gift," Grishinak said. Crixus picked up the box, which was the size of a melon, lighter than he imagined, its material had an organic quality to the touch. He shook the box, but no sound came from inside. Driven by curiosity, he opened the box. Inside, he found a ring made of hair or perhaps fur, held together with a gold clip in the shape of a... penis. The penis was studded with white stones and perhaps diamonds, shining brightly in the sunlight. On the inside of the lid of the box there was a stylized drawing of a blue rabbit''s head, all set with precious stones, sapphires, topazes and lapis lazuli. Someone had questionable taste in jewelry design. Who sent this? Crixus thought. "I don''t know, Father. But I can ask the servants." Grishinak said. Crixus looked at the hair ring, feeling as if someone was looking at the back of his no longer existing neck. He didn''t know what to think. Was it a welcome gift? Was it a prank? He didn''t know anyone to send him anything. He closed the box and as he did so he heard a voice he knew. A melodious, hypnotizing and seductive voice, with deep tones, velvety like full-bodied red wine, a rich and captivating voice, capable of awakening the senses, whisperingly seductive, almost like a shared secret, interspersed with melodious laughter that was full of joy, pleasure, satisfaction, indulgence, all seasoned with a touch of mischief. To hear the voice of the Goddess Mahena was to be invited to a world of pleasures, where morality dissolves and the deepest desires are set free. Her voice was an irresistible invitation to indulgence, a promise of intense and intoxicating experiences. ¡°Eat!¡± As that simple and single word caused a whirlwind of lustful emotions in him, his hand, like an independent being, places the hair ring with penis clip in his mouth and he swallows it all at once.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait ---/--- before doing so again.
Analysis 100% Registered entities: 1 1-Agatan, Chaotic Evil, succubus Cleric 15 Inorganic material gold, sapphire, red coral, topaz, platinum, lapis lazuli, etc. Copy; Yes/---
Crixus looked at the blue system window, he correctly understood the text ¡°---/--- before doing so again.¡±????? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elysande Sausage scanned the room with a critical eye, her thin, hooked nose almost touching the lace bodice of her wine-colored dress. The music, a sickly waltz, echoed through the room, but Elysande could not pay attention. Her eyes, blue and cold as ice, analyzed every detail of the guests. "A merchant''s son in debt, a womanizing baron, two sons of knights addicted to gambling, a hunter of adulterous wives... Oh, and a baronet who looks like a beached whale!" she muttered to herself, writing down the titles in a small notebook she carried in her velvet bag. "But none of them seem fit even as a paperweight. My sister deserves better and can afford better, yes, certainly." Her younger sister, Bredig, a delicate girl with brown curls and honey-colored eyes, twirled gracefully with a tall, slender young man, the Chevalier d''Montreuil. Elysande frowned. "He looks a little thin, don''t you think, Father?" she asked, her voice dry and sharp. Privel, beaming, didn''t notice the acidity in her daughter''s voice. "Oh, Elysande, he''s charming! And he dances very well, and his sister is the prettiest at the ball, she''ll certainly find a good match." "Charming, yes. But you know that charm doesn''t pay the bills, Father. And he doesn''t seem to have much money. That brooch of his, for example, seems to be silver, not gold. And the fabric of his jacket... well, it''s not top-quality silk." Privel sighed. "But Elysande, he''s so kind, so charming..." "Kind and charming don''t feed a castle, Father. And Father, with Bredig''s beauty and our fortune, the least she deserves is a baron or a viscount; she has everything to be the great leverage of the family." Privel fell silent, her eldest daughter was right. Privel continued to observe the room, his eyes fixed on the guests. "Did you hear about the black knife who came to the ball today? They say he owns a precious stone mine overseas. And the baron... oh, the baron is a good match, but he doesn''t have the land I''d like and he''s in a lot of debt." Suddenly, a loud noise caught Elysande''s attention. A group was approaching, led by a tall, imposing dark elf with silver hair and piercing eyes. He was wearing an exotic silk outfit in vibrant colors, completely oblivious to the capital''s fashion. At his side was a retinue of 14 other black knives. "Ah, the black knife!" Privel exclaimed, his eyes shining with interest. "He''s finally shown up." Elysande, who had been watching the dark elf with admiration, almost choked. Both the elf and the women accompanying him were beautiful. "He''s handsome, don''t you think?" "Beautiful? Yes, certainly, a little too dark for my taste, Elysande. And from what I understand, he is absurdly rich and bought his ticket to this party with rubies. Very rich, you should know that he is hunting for a bankrupt bride, thank goodness we are not going to compete." Privel drinks a sparkling wine and eats a canap¨¦ that a butler distributes on a tray around the room. Elysande smiles, a thin and calculating smile. The black knife, despite his fortune, was not Bredig''s match. And she, Elysande, with her skill in divination, could ensure that her sister''s future would be prosperous and full of riches. "Go talk to her, Bredig," she said, pushing her father toward her sister. "It seems the knight wants to enjoy my sister''s ''main course''." Privel, hesitant, followed her daughter''s advice. Elysande watched, satisfied, as her sister joined her father, her eyes focused on the knight project. For some reason a very strong curiosity stirred her spirit and discreetly she took a monocle from her handkerchief bag. This monocle is a magical object that can be used 3 times a day and grants whoever looks through its lens the magic True Seeing and Aura Sigh, 10 minutes per use and together with her own magic she had a reasonable repertoire to sift through the best candidates for her sister. But although she came to this party specifically to select her future brother-in-law she decided to use the item on the black knife. As she discreetly picked up the magical object she reflected on why she was doing this. The black knife had nothing that her family wanted, yes gold was always good, there was never too much, but now they had hit the ceiling and her family needed to enter the aristocracy and a black knife would never bring that. But she was already following her instincts and so she put the monocle on her eye. What she saw was the biggest surprise of her life, monsters, all of them, 6 fire giants, only one of the women was a black knife and 4 high-level skeletons, a demon of lust, 2 black dragons, and in the middle of it all, some kind of Beholder, a monster of pure evil and power, a frightening sight. Its body, the size of a large water tank, is covered in skin like basilisk leather and dark, dotted with stalks with a single eye at the end. So many eyes, that it is impossible to count, unlike the classic Beholder, this one does not have a large central eye, nor a mouth full of teeth. Its 6 tentacles are also different, 3 tentacles like those of a squid, and 3 like snakes. Its tentacles, if the creature were in its natural form, would take up the entire room. The Beholder is an aberration, created by the gods of chaos, Rholo, God of Dark Things, Axysus, God of Chaos and Enja, Goddess of Madness, emanating from the aberration, an aura of fear and despair covered her skin like a tight garment. If this aura were released, many here would fall hard on the ground from a heart attack, even from afar she was able to feel the blood in her veins freeze, and its appearance is capable of causing nightmares for a lifetime. A cutting chill ran up her spine, the taste of bile came to her mouth, but years of training, years of making contact with other planes prepared her for this, her face was impassive, she lowered her monocle then she saw 14 pairs of eyes focused on her. A horrible, dissonant voice came to her mind piercing all her defenses. "Elysande Sausage, daughter of Privel Sausage, sister of Bredig Sausage, mage of the tower of divination. I know who you are and who your loved ones are.¡± Then the entourage passed by her, completely ignoring her. She stood still for a minute and then calmly left, following her father and sister. They had to get out of here immediately. XXX - 14th day - Expedition Crixus, along with 40 bodyguards, his son and advisor Akaos and his 5 wives: Hethress, Meikosil, Bhenkumbyrznaax, Ingath, Agatan were in front of the ancient Vrender fortress, created thousands of years ago by the fire giants, on the outer slopes of the Tesor volcano, one of the 7 volcanoes that surrounded the Valley of Shadows. The fortress was located on the Vrender volcano, in front of it stretched the vastness of the Mardor desert. The ancient fortress was protected by several protective spells that could only be deactivated by royal blood. Everyone was anxious for the upcoming expedition. The morning suns, still timid, cast blue rays over the arid landscape. Crixus, in his immense natural form, observed the Vrender fortress, rising imposingly before him. "Father, are we ready for the expedition?" The voice of Akaos, his son and advisor, rang with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Crixus nodded, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the fortress. "Yes, my son. We are ready to take the key piece of my plan, which will bring me safety and power." Hethress, his first wife, approached, her eyes shining with the promise of adventure. "Crixus, husband, our destiny awaits us. The treasures of the age of the Gods are just a few steps away." "Yes, Hethress. Ingath, do the honors." Crixus gestured toward his 6th wife, who waited in silence. Ingath stepped forward, drew a dagger from her belt and cut her palm, with a quick gesture of her hand, blood flying in front of her, touching the magical wards, as she spoke. "I am Queen Ingath the Thunderer, and by right of blood I come to take what is mine!" "Father." Akaos exclaimed, making a gesture that invited Crixus to be the first to enter the fortress in over 25,000 years. Crixus smiled, a gleam of determination in his eyes. "Yes, my son, let us recover what is rightfully mine." Crixus''s five wives approached, each with a different expression. Meikosil, as always cold and distant, watching everything with her curious and analytical mind when she was engaged in magic, looked at the fortress with fascination. Bhenkumbyrznaax, the most cruel, greedy and selfish of his wives, kept her gaze fixed on Crixus, possessive, her thoughts varying between hatred for the other wives, especially the youngest, the succubus Agatan, her husband, and how much more gold she would add to her nest, with the treasures of the fortress. Ingath, the most violent of the wives, living up to her hair of living flames, carried her staff with pride, ready for battle. Agatan was the one with the calmest mind, her mind always had two trains of thought, her Goddess and all the lewd things she would do as her husband, for eternity, she was the only one who did not wear clothes, in fact refusing to cover her perfect body, her beauty and sensuality were her clothes. "Crixus, be careful," Hethress whispered, placing her hand on his arm. "The fortress is dangerous, and the legends about the creatures that inhabit it are frightening." In the background they heard Ingath''s grumbling. "Don''t worry, Hethress," Crixus replied, squeezing her hand. "We are prepared to face any challenge. And together, we will win." With a firm gesture, Crixus ordered: "Advance!" The 40 guards, in formation, moved towards the entrance of the fortress, which was now visible to the naked eye, after they passed the limit of the magical protections, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the cold, rocky slope. Crixus, followed by his wives and Akaos, entered the Vrender fortress, ready to take his prize. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After crossing the entire Fortress complex, Crixus and his troops arrive in front of the vault where the Forge of Creation is kept. In the heart of the fortress, there is the Golden Soldier. It is a small room by fire giant standards. If something goes wrong, there will be a knife fight. There is room for a maximum of 6 people in the room. My 40 elite giant warriors cannot be used. ¡°Father, let your wife, Queen Ingath and 4 of her bodyguards go ahead,¡± Akaos advises. "Yes." The echo of firm footsteps resounded through the entrance to the room ahead, interrupting the ancient silence that hung in the air. An imposing figure, a golden armor adorned with engraved lightning bolts, appeared in the shadows. It was the Golden Soldier, guardian of the royal vault, an imposing, steampunk-style golem, a powerful presence. His robust armor, predominantly golden and immaculate over time, does not reveal his millennial existence. The dome-shaped torso displayed a circular hatch, and exposed beams of red energy ran down its powerful arms. The intricately-mechanised joints and exposed crystals indicated great strength and mobility. Its armor, without ¡°eyes¡± or ¡°mouth,¡± revealed nothing of its interests, adding an air of mystery to its imposing figure. Queen Ingath the Thunderer advanced with determined steps, her presence radiant and powerful, accompanied by 4 of my bodyguards. The fiery aura surrounding her shook the air, while her voice, roaring like a furnace, cut through the silence. ¡°Guardian of the royal vault, I, Queen Ingath, the Thunder, claim my blood right to this sacred place. Open the doors, for royalty demands access to what is rightfully theirs.¡± Her voice echoed off the stone walls, instructions of authority and power. The Golden Soldier¡¯s remains impassive. The right golden hand, slowly moved towards the sword that hung at her waist. "Mockery: Your claim will be proven, Queen Ingath. The royal vault is not opened for just anyone. Mockery: You little piece of dung." The golem spoke in a monotone with his hand on the hilt of the sword. "Insolent machine, I am your Queen, open the vault, you old piece of junk!" He screamed in hatred at the queen in front of him and humiliation before his king and husband. Tension hung in the air, brought by the promise of a confrontation. Queen Ingath demanded, facing the guardian. The battle of wills had begun. "Mockery: Insolent machine? Old piece of junk? Oh, yes, little piece of dung, I am all that, I am fine, and you? Statement: For 23,750 years, I have been in this fortress doing nothing only to discover that a little piece of dung, who died 32,508 years ago, wants to steal what no longer belongs to her." With a speed that should not exist in such a large machine, the golem draws its sword and from it roars a beam of energy, a mixture of electricity and fire. The eldritch energy sweeps everyone in its path, burning everything. In the tight space, everyone was fried like rats in an incandescent electric trap. Hethress, as 1st wife always by my side, exploded in a cloud of ash, no one was unharmed, everyone suffered severe 3rd degree burns, many were blinded, an incredible pain ran through my body, all my eyes in the frontal hemisphere exploded. And in a reflex I teleported myself, to the first place that came to mind, my castle, in seconds I went through the portals that led to ¡°paradise" and sank into the my lake.¡± -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ingath, like all of her race, was immune to any type of fire. She could bathe in the lava of a volcano, which for her would be like swimming in a pool of Nutella. But the other energy of the attack hurt, it hurt a lot, but what hurt the most was the shame. This "fire" was a greater weakness. Her pride was thrown to the ground in front of her husband. This foul-mouthed and treacherous old thing would pay. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.She twirled her staff with the skill and practice of millennia. In the middle of the spin, her staff transformed into a war mace at her will. The golden soldier was an Eldritch Golem, particularly vulnerable to magical impact weapons. Her brain shut down and she gave in to the berserker fury characteristic of her race. The weapon hit the golem in a blur, 4 impacts that roared through the interior of the fortress, but only the first connected with the damn thing. The bodyguards surrounded the golem and began to beat him, but since only the first blow connected, the following blows did not pass through his armor. Behind her, at the entrance to the room, Akaos, recovered from the attack, through the link he asked them to divert the golem''s attention until he generated a defense in the corridor. Agatan asked the same to resurrect Hethress. "Declaration: Your resistance is very amusing, sacks of dung. I thank you in advance for the pleasure of crushing your bones and disgusting flesh. As a parting gift, you can tell me the name of some sack of dung you don''t like and I will kill them." The golem jumps into the air while spinning its torso 360¡ã forming a deadly sphere with its golden blade, Ingath and the 4 bodyguards are thrown against the walls, making the fortress tremble. In the hallway, Akaos casts Antimagic Field in the hallway entrance, a very effective spell against purely magical beings. With this spell, the golem would not be able to launch the energy blast through the hallway or cross it. For at least 200 minutes. ¡°Hethress. Her soul refuses my call. Only her husband can bring her back.¡± Agatan says and begins to cast a healing circle. Bhenkumbyrznaax is seething with rage. She wants to rip Ingath¡¯s limbs off for letting this mess happen. Her beloved husband was injured in front of her. Now she can¡¯t even take her rage out on Ingath or the golem. Her husband would be furious if she attacked Ingath, and he has no room to personally beat the insolent golem. Her only consolation is having seen his pathetic first wife vaporized. Suddenly, now her husband will see him. His first wife has to be strong, and no one is stronger than her! ¡°I WILL TURN YOU INTO A TOILET!¡± Ingath screams, throwing herself from the wall where she fell, straight at the golem, her clothes and armor with a huge tear in their chest, blood running down from the wounds, the 4 bodyguards do the same, all shouting war cries. Blows rain down on the golem. The sound of metal against metal is intense. ¡°Mockery: Nothing like the smell of barbecue in the morning, one of my masters once said.¡± The Golden soldier, with several dents, points his sword at Ingath¡¯s chest. Once again the queen is licked by the magical electric fire. She grits her teeth and swallows the pain, the pain turns to hate and the hate turns to more energy in the next blow. The golem never dodges, always trusting in its armor, the blows rain down on it, but it does not feel pain, does not feel tired, it only has 3 feelings, boredom, pleasure in killing and destroying and unconditional love for its master. It takes another leap. His first master called this move a deadly spin, so that he could use it when he was surrounded by enemies. At the beginning of the spin, his sword hits the middle of the dung queen''s waist, and he notices with satisfaction that she is divided into two parts. In the second dung, his sword and cuts the thigh muscle, leaving his opponent with a useless leg. Good thing he''s not dead yet. The third one receives a blow to the abdomen, his armor is torn and his guts start to come out. The fourth one receives a blow from the side of blade, his helmet is ripped off and he falls to the ground. Damn, it''s so bad when dung bags die quickly. The fifth has its main hand cut off, and it flies across the room like a crazed spider. Ingath looks furiously at its legs lying a few feet away from her, its face kissing the floor of the room. Turning this old can into a chamber pot won''t be enough. She activates one of the 3 Heal Mass charges that Akaos placed in his magic storage ring. New legs grow in the blink of an eye and the same effect happens to the other 4 warriors. The four reinforce their attacks, the golem takes all the hits, its armor resisting most of the hits received but the accumulated damage has already exceeded more than half of its capacity. It makes another jump. "Statement: magic will not save you, bags of dung." "HOLD THIS DIRTY POTTY!" Ingath shouts. Each of the 4 warriors obeys the command of their Queen Mother and blinks and immobilizes the golem. The Golem is now immobilized on the ground, its 4 limbs being held, each one, by a warrior. It receives all the fury of the Queen, with 4 powerful blows, she hits the now defenseless golem. Her blows target the joint of the arm that wields the sword, in the last blow the arm has its joint crushed and separates from the golem''s body. "YOUR NAME SHALL BE CHAMBER POT, FROM HERE ON!" "Question: Does this mean I will not be destroyed?" "AHHHHAAAAAAA!" With even more hatred, she continues her work, dismembering the golem. Her husband needs the golem to work, to ensure a perfect copy. She doesn''t want to risk giving her beloved a defective gift. After several seconds of cathartic beating, the golem lies on the floor, its golden torso all crumpled. "Question: are you done, you little piece of shit?" Out of pure hatred, the queen strikes the nearest warrior, who receives the blow in the chest and takes 2 steps back, without making a sound. She breathes 3 times, or rather, 10 times. "Husband, we are done, your gifts are ready and the 1st wife awaits you." A few seconds later, Crixus appears in the hallway. He comes floating into the reach of his tentacle with a mouth and grabs one of the crushed arms and swallows it.
SPECIAL ABILITIES-Improved Copy(Su)
Same. After spawning, a True Core must wait ---/--- before doing so again.
Analysis 100% Registered entities: 1 1- Golden Soldier, Chaotic Evil, Eldritch demon soul golem Copy; yes/no
Pure distilled hatred comes out of Crixus'' mind towards everyone in the link. "Cru-sh-him!" 5 war maces descend at a constant pace until they transform the golem into a twisted mass of metal, which seconds later, darkens and turns to dust. "Husband, the 1st wife did not accept resurrecting." Agatan speaks in a seductive and honeyed voice. Crixus learned from Akaos that resurrecting and rebirth magics need to be accepted by souls. Most of the time, souls accept, but some do not. He felt that if he used even a stronger resurrecting magic, she would not accept it. But he would not accept her leaving, nor any of his wives, ever. The gift of the Goddess Mahena was not Agatan, his 7th wife. It was to remove the need to wait 4 days to make copies, now he could make as many copies as he could per day. General Grishinak''s 40 copies were proof of that. Everyone waits for Crixus. Soon he starts having contractions and vomits his first wife. Deja vu! He observes the body lying on the stone floor. She breathes softly, with one of his tentacles he pokes her. She wakes up, sits up and turns towards him. She looks at me with yellow reptilian eyes and asks me in a gentle voice. Like the first time. ¡°Hello?¡± FRAK! ¡°Hello.¡± Do you know your name? Crixus asks with his 3 out of sync voices. ¡°Of course, my name is Hethress daughter of Grmballhyst ¨C Champion of hylasis, Goddess Of Rivers¡± She bows. ¡°Who am I?¡± Crixus asks, already knowing the answer but not wanting to believe it. ¡°Ehhheee...I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Hethress says, looking around in fear. "FFFFFFFFFFRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKK!!!!!!" XXXI - 15th day ¡°SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Crixus shouted, venting his frustration with the last blow that destroyed the 4th copy of the Golden Soldier, who was renamed Scum. The copy I made for Ingath, she initially nicknamed Potty, but when he told her it was now the happy repository of her new master''s golden liquid, she changed the name to Scrap. The mission failed miserably. And it was my fault, my arrogance, my overconfidence. In the end, the Forge of Creation was not inside the vault, it had already been taken thousands of years ago by another King, its whereabouts lost in the sands of time. The vault contained only worldly treasures, which I gave to Bhenkumbyrznaax. She was very happy about that. Hethress was lying asleep in a bed, in a forest here in Paradise. She suffered the same problem as that character from the movie 50 First Dates. I had to, for a few hours, through the link, share everything we talked about together. Some things were confirmed with this expedition. First, my copy power, I really copied everything, even souls. Magics to resurrect and reincarnate or be reborn, transfer, bring or collect the soul to a new body. A magic like a Clone, does something similar, a person can have clones at the same time, but only one of the copies will have a soul, the others will not and this is one of the probable causes of several clones going crazy and having mortal hatred for each other. This does not happen with my Copy power. Second, all these magics have to have the soul''s permission, if it refuses it can be a magic of the power level that stops, that will fail. In the case of my power, this option does not exist, the soul comes whether it wants to or not. Of course I would never do this to someone nice, well, you understand me. Even if it was to bring back someone who died unfairly, because that person would be irrevocably linked and suddenly to me. I see this happening with Queen Calxochitli, as I put her in the ¡°reflection corner¡±, giving her only cold treatment, the mental suffering she suffers is like someone being tortured by a KGB specialist. She deserves it for everything she did and I don''t feel bad about it, maybe in a few centuries, if she changes, I''ll take her out of the ¡°reflection corner¡±. The third was the implementation of a backup protocol. While destroying Escoria, I had the idea of, after destroying it for the second time, consuming it again and when I copied it for the third time it had memory of its previous destruction, but did not know that it had already been destroyed twice, once in the fortress and once in Paradise. So now I received daily, for ¡°breakfast¡±, daily doses of drops of blood from all the members of my family, except Xena. As it happened, during a journey back I talked to the 3 people with the greatest magical knowledge in my family, Agatan, Akaos and Meikosil, after a battle of ideas Meikosil came up with the idea of ??creating an item that would transfer blood directly to me, regardless of where I and the donor were, as long as we were on the same plane. Akaos was to make the necessary modifications to the magic and Agatan came up with the idea of ??a collar as a magic item, Yes, a collar. While I would use a ring to receive everyone''s blood. Yes, The One Ring, to control everyone. MMMMUUUUUAHHAHAHAHA! What did you expect from a priestess of a BSDM Goddess, full pimp, extra-spicy? And as soon as this idea passed through the shared mental link, everyone went crazy, wanting one. And the rabbit hole was bottomless. Soon they were deciding on the material of the necklace, which was decided to be made from the scales of Bhenkumbyrznaax. The necklace would have a symbol, also Agatan''s idea who spoke about the power of symbols and was adequately supplied by everyone. The symbol was a circle with 6 wings coming out of the outer part of the circle, half of them larger than the others and with small dots on the ends. It was my real stylized appearance. The wives would have the symbol made of gold, the family would be in silver and the people in the ¡°reflection corner¡± would be in bronze. Soon my troops were already asking for a system of patents, with different precious stones and other things, at that time I put it aside and left it in the hands of Akaos and Grishinak. To stop thinking about my mistake I thought again about the encounter we had at the ball at the house of the widowed baroness, Loeiza Le Cam. My ticket was bought for an absurd sum of money, which fortunately, money, is not a problem in this life. In the afternoon my wives and the lawyer met with a matchmaker who, through a network of contacts that I found absurd, in the end placed us at this ball with 3 suitors already selected. Because of the Royal wedding, the city was crowded and many balls like this were happening throughout the capital, nobles from various parts of the empire came, but as only the cream of the nobility was invited, the other nobles held their own parties, the part in homage to the royal house. The city was filled with romance and the marriage market was booming. Despite this, only 3 were found who fit the desired profile, low nobility, bankrupt and without firstborn males to inherit the title. They were: Torbera Trollbleeder, dwarf daughter of a Baron. Torgga Steelfist, dwarf daughter of a Baron. Falkrunn Caebrek, dwarf daughter of a knight. It seems that it was a very common story among the dwarves of the empire, fathers gained renown and titles and their sons, mainly, spent it all on drinks and women. This had already become a clich¨¦, but it was almost like 2+2=4 among dwarves. But even so, only 3 were found who fit my specifications. It was the first time that I would go to a social event in this country, with many humans and the classic races of fantasy stories, elves, dwarves, gnomes, etc. After the whirlwind of preparations for the ball, dresses, makeup, etc. We rented carriages. Akaos advised me against using teleportation magic too often, because it can be tracked. Even though mine has a characteristic that makes it very resistant to the school of divination, it''s better not to risk it.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I told the Lawyer to take care of another thing: buying carriages, horses, etc. Before we left, I asked the Lawyer to gather information about the heroes, until next week. When we arrived at the ball, which was on a property 40 minutes by carriage from the capital. We attracted everyone''s attention; we were the only dark elves. Here they call us black knives, and the common elves knives, because of our ears. And yes, it is a pejorative term. Elves have a reputation for being treacherous and two-faced, which is why they are nicknamed knives, which refers to both their ears and the fact that it is almost certain that when dealing with an elf, the person will get a knife in the back, which can be both metaphorical and real. As soon as we entered, I felt someone using magic on me. It was a tall woman, of ordinary appearance, if it weren''t for the gray hair at her temples and a witch''s nose. She tried to hide it, but I saw her eyes bulge, the eyes of prey and the sweet smell of fear, when adrenaline rushes and the prey switches to flight mode. I entered her mind easily, her mental defenses were weak. And I sent a message full of implicit threats. "Elysande Sausage, daughter of Privel Sausage, sister of Bredig Sausage, mage of the tower of divination. I know who you are and who are those you love." If she was terrified, now she was in full panic mode. I was surprised she didn''t run away immediately. We passed by her and in the meantime I told Akaos to send the lawyer to start an investigation into Elysande Sausage. From what I could tell, she was a good person, her family was quite normal, so my implicit threat was a bluff. But it was good to be informed when the "cat got out of the bag". It was inevitable that this would happen at some point. Soon my wives showed me the suitors. Torbera Trollbleeder, dwarf, daughter of a baron. She is wearing dark red clothing, keeping many of her physical features obscured. She has a moderate pudge and is not very fit. She keeps her long gold white hair kept up in a rat tail. Her eyes are similarly brown. She is a woman who does what she needs to. She will acquiesce to black mail and extortion to avoid trouble. She was born blind and as such lacked many opportunities to get married. She dreamed of being psionic-users and wanted to develop the talent, but never had the affinity for it. She desires power and/or immortality has a soft, murmuring voice. Torgga Steelfist, dwarf, daughter of a baron. With 1.25m and lanky with angular features, she is an attractive figure. She wears a custom-built dress that''s adorned with gray lining and desert motifs. Her hair is graying and her face has many wrinkles. Her face is feral with sharp distinguishing features. Her spectacle hidden eyes are a deep gray. She is a jovial happy person, but she is convinced people are living their lives too quickly and is selfish and calculating. Her brief stint in the army gave her the idea she was invincible and that she is the toughest woman alive and had a hobby of facilitating the escape of prisoners to make bets among her friends about who would be able to catch them, dead or alive. His voice is hoarse and deep. Falkrunn Caebrek, dwarf daughter of a knight. This petite short woman. She wears lavender dress. Her chestnut hair is braided into rings. Her blue unseeing eyes and is depressed and alcoholic. Without thinking twice I told the wives that the chosen one was Torgga. She fit like a glove, petite, slim and killer. But no matter how much I tried to escape, my mind kept bringing me back to the present, to my failure. Not only because of the loss of Hethress but also because of my plan to create several floating islands over the capitals of each kingdom in this world, from which monsters would gush out, causing panic and diverting attention from me. All of this depended on the possession of the Forge of Creation, with it I could create a respawn system like in RPG games, the famous dungeons. I would place Forges on each of these islands that would constantly create monsters. But apparently it was not meant to be. At least not for now. My wife wanted to comfort me and between self-flagellation and running away to their arms and losing myself in pleasures for a few hours... better yet, a few days. Yeah... I tried to think of a con, there were several, but I quickly swept them all under the proverbial rug. As a great wise man from my old life once said, "It''s my fault and I''ll blame whoever I want!" And the chosen one was Agatan, damn, hot and who in 1 day already discovered all my weak points. XXXII- 16th day A Treatise on Magic: Desire, Consequences, Dangers, and Limits ¨C The Epic Backfire Spell Magic, that ancient force that pulses through the veins of the universe, is both a fascination and a terror. It is the promise of achieving the impossible, of bending reality to one¡¯s will, but it is also a treacherous path, fraught with danger and limits. Desire Desire, the driving force behind all magic, is the fuel that feeds the flame. It is the thirst for something more, the aspiration to transcend the natural order of things. Ambition, need, love, revenge¡ªall of these desires can be catalysts for magic, for good or ill. The Consequences: The Dance with Fate Wish magic is not free. Every act of reality manipulation comes at a price. The consequences can be subtle or devastating, immediate or delayed. A cure can result in an unknown illness, a wish granted can bring new and greater suffering. Wish magic is a dance with destiny, and every step can change the course of the future. The Dangers: The Darkness That Hides the Light Wish magic, by its very nature, is an unstable power. It can corrupt, distort, and destroy. Desire, if left unchecked, can turn into obsession, leading to acts of cruelty and despair. Magic attracts the attention of dark entities, who can corrupt the magician and use him or her for their own ends. The Limits: The Chains That Confine Power Wish magic, however powerful, is not limitless. There are intrinsic limits to its power, barriers that protect the fabric of reality from complete disintegration. The laws of nature, the will of the gods, fate itself can all stand in the way of magical power. Arrogance and the pursuit of unlimited power are the greatest pitfalls of the magician when using this magic. The Wisdom of the Magician: The Path of Balance True wish magic lies in balance. The wise magician recognizes the power and dangers of this magic, using it with moderation and responsibility. He understands that power must be used for good, and that desire must be controlled by reason. Wisdom is the compass that guides the magician through the labyrinths of magic, allowing him to use his power for the good of humanity. Conclusion Desire magic is a powerful force, capable of wonders and horrors. It is a gift and a curse, a path of light and shadow. The magician, when approaching this power, must remember the responsibility it carries, the price it must pay, and the limits that must be respected. Only with wisdom and control can magic be used for the good of humanity, without succumbing to its dangers and limits. -Nolo Ar Gall ¨C Grand Master Order of The Aurora - A.C. 809 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Elysande Sausage and her fianc¨¦ are facing a very challenging situation with the infiltration of monsters into Lundina''s society, including Beholders and undead giants. They think of possible strategies they can consider to deal with this threat: 1. Gathering allies - They can summon other members of the community, such as warriors, mages and monster experts, to form a strong alliance against the invaders. But the implicit threat of the monster puts their entire family at risk. 2. Investigation and intelligence: It is crucial to understand the origin and objectives of the monsters. They can send spies or use magic to obtain information about the Beholders and the undead giants. And she had already started doing this and expected answers in a few days. Her searches in the library had been fruitless as to the type of monster they were dealing with. Probably some unknown subspecies of beholders. "I''m telling you, this monster, to appear here, in the capital of the empire, at a social event, is either very crazy or very powerful. I also don''t believe in coincidences, these monsters appearing here at the same time as the royal wedding. ¡°I agree, Elysande. We need to gather our allies. Maybe we can summon the city''s warriors and the wizards we know. Together, we are stronger.¡± Says Elorn Le Foll, trying to comfort and inspire his fianc¨¦e. ¡°Yes, we also need information. We can''t face what we don''t understand. I searched all night for information about the monster, but nothing fit. I spoke to my father and he said he would see who invited the monster to the event. Beholders, they are cunning and have terrible magical powers.¡± Great idea! And in the meantime, we can convince him to leave Lundine. Do you still think it''s a bad idea to tell anyone in the tower?¡± ¡°Definitely! The towers are still recovering from the plague and everyone is worried about the great evil that Cystemis, Father of the Gods, warned us about. As for my father and sister...she shakes her head... They will only leave here if she is married or promised in writing.¡± ¡°So Elysande, we have to act with great care and caution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But we need to be prepared for the worst.¡± Elysande still felt a strange sensation when her fianc¨¦ said her first name out loud. It was such an intimate thing and even though she had known for some time that he was crazy about her, she still found it very strange to be the target of a man¡¯s attention. ¡°Together, we can face any challenge that comes our way. We won¡¯t let those monsters destroy our home!¡± He said this and took her hands. And for the first time he began to see himself as a matron. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crixus left Paradise with his 5 wives, 4 days in paradise, just a few hours later, in the world of Dhah''ar. C¨­pa was already waiting for him at the exit of the portal with his praetorian guard and the guard of his wives, inside the star fortress. Yes, the word is procrastination. For almost half a week, he found every excuse to lose himself in the arms of his wives and when he ran out of excuses, his wives helped him with dozens of other forms and types of excuses. He was already expecting to receive the title ¡°master of putting things off¡± at any moment. But the link wouldn''t let him, the collective mind, his curiosity to see what his family thought, saw and felt, was as addictive as surfing the internet in his past life and because of that he knew the problems were there, waiting. The golden light of the Paradise portal went out, leaving behind a trail of heat and a faint smell of incense. C¨­pa, the imposing figure with piercing eyes, waited anxiously on the other side. His tense muscles revealed the apprehension that consumed him. Beside him, Captain Grishinak, a tall and corpulent giant, even by the standards of his race, maintained his rigid and implacable posture. Akaos, his father''s personal advisor with a mischievous smile, his father''s presence always made him happy and calm, observing everything with a scrutinizing gaze. The first to emerge from the portal were C¨­pa''s wives: Hethress, followed by Meikosil. Both looked exhausted, but their faces radiated wild joy. Bhenkumbyrznaax, Ingath and Agatan soon passed through the portal, all radiating happiness, with the 7th wife, Agatan, being the star that shone the brightest. Her sexual energy was palpable. But none of the men had the slightest improper thought in the face of her nudity and sexuality; for all the men in the family, she was one of the sacred mothers. Soon after, the immense form of the Father emerged from the portal, his mere presence bringing peace and happiness to his family. Crixus, who would rule the world with wisdom and justice for eternity. C¨­pa and all the others who awaited the return of the Father, knelt as one being, like a trained troop, joy flooding their hearts like a river, a feeling shared by all present. "Welcome, Paradise... was it as you expected?" Hethress smiled, her eyes shining. "It was more beautiful than I ever dreamed, C¨­pa. The peace and beauty... are unimaginable, but the best thing is to share all of this with the Husband and my sisters." Meikosil, with a slight tremor in her voice, added: "Yes, it was all wonderful, we have to do more of this, C¨­pa." C¨­pa looked at his father, who was watching him with a serene gaze. "Father, how was it?" Crixus placed one of his tentacles on C¨­pa''s shoulder, his gaze full of understanding. "I have found the peace I have been searching for. My batteries have been fully charged." "Batteries?" C¨­pa did not understand the analogy. Grishinak, who had been watching the scene with an impassive expression, interrupted the moment. "Your Majesty, the cardinal kings wish to make reports, personally, they must return to Rashakn in 2 days." Crixus already knew what the 4 kings, Velbog IV, Velbog V, Velbog VI and Velbog VII, wanted to say. By all indications, the pacification of the Valley of Shadows was going well, the 4 kings each with a copy of the 2 dragons, Nikkan and Condrus, but 10 copies of Grishinak had little resistance from the leaders of the disunited tribes of the giants of the Valley. Velbog V, King of the South, had a surprise, of course it would be a surprise for the family, not for me. But why spoil it, he was happy to have found a gift for me. C¨­pa nodded, joy now mixed with the responsibility that surrounded him. "Yes, Grishinak. Let''s go back. Father, Mothers, we have much to do." With a step back and to the side he gestured with his arm, the praetorian guard formed a corridor of honor and Akaos, took his position right behind the wives and mothers. Akaos, with an enigmatic smile, approached C¨­pa. "Father was really in need of a rest. Now we can focus on the grand plans to bring peace and happiness to Lord Crixus.." C¨­pa, with a firm and determined gaze, faced the future. "Yes, Lord Akaos. And we are ready to follow Lord Crixus''s will." The group headed into the castle, leaving behind the portal to Paradise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The royal chamber in the palace of the capital Rashakn shone with the light of the torches of magical fire. Crixus, the conqueror of the Kingdom of the Serpent People, floated in his imposing true form on the royal dais, in front of him in the position of a beggar and supplicant, was Queen Calxochitli, his 5th wife, the Feathered Serpent Queen, her cold and piercing eyes fixed on her husband, feeling the full weight of her contempt. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.¡°Calxochitli, does peace reign in my domains?¡± He of course already knew the answer. ¡°Peace reigns, my love. The homes are full of plenty, the harvests abundant and the warriors strong.¡± ¡°The slaves?¡± ¡°They are well, Lord Crixus. Your advice is like the wisdom of ancient snakes, guiding us along safe paths. Those who dared to question it were impaled alive, after that, no one dared to question your wisdom again.¡± Calxochitli said with joy in her voice. Impale, heavy, really heavy. We have to improve the judicial system in my lands, something in the Roman style, when we return to Lundine I will research the judicial system of the Talay Empire, maybe I can use something. "And the merchants? Does trade flow like blood through the veins? How are the dark elf tribes, the mantis and the bee people doing? "Trade is prospering, my love. Peace is good for business. The dark elves are calm, probably still in shock from the flood of freed slaves returning to their villages and enclaves. The mantis are also calm. Kings Velbog IV and VI attacked, with their dragons, some nests during their trip to the mountains and they are still recovering. As soon as the kings pacify the giants it will be easier to deal with the bee people." "That is good to hear." "Do not worry, husband. Our warriors are prepared. The sentries watch the borders and our spies bring information about the movements of any trouble. The valley will be completely yours in a few weeks at the most.¡± ¡°Great.¡± ¡°The gods are with us, Crixus.¡± Through the link she sends me a request for permission to share the bed. ¡°Only when the Valley is at Peace and under my complete control.¡± Crixus says. And all the wives look inquiringly at Queen Calxochitli, each one trying to imagine what the viper wants from her husband. Calxochitli. The queen, with a look of love and trust, bows and leaves the hall. She will do anything to be worthy of her husband''s love. Everything. Soon after they leave, Crixus orders his court to leave the hall. No one even looks at the monstrosity that now rules them with iron tentacles. Everyone saw what happened to Queen Calxochitli and those who didn''t saw it soon found out. The queen had been corrupted in a way no one had ever seen. The way she behaved with the monster that slaughtered her children was abject. And according to the Vizier''s reports, this could happen to anyone who disobeyed the monster. Soon after everyone left the hall, Crixus reunites with his wives and children. Lord Crixus, with a strategic look, turns to his wives, gathered around a giant map of the known world, their fingers tracing the lines that delimit the continents. "My beloveds, Shadowdale will soon be in our hands. Our strength is unbeatable in this region, and our power will soon extend throughout the region. But the future... We must decide what steps we will take next. I want ideas. Hethress, 1st wife, what do you advise? Should we be content with Shadowdale, or should we expand our domains? If so, where should we direct our efforts?" Hethress, with a piercing gaze, replies: "Lord, ambition is a powerful engine, but prudence is an essential compass. Shadowdale is a cradle of power, unknown to most of the world, protected within a wall of Volcanoes, but it is also a hostile territory. Expanding our domains must be done with caution. The continent of Xok''al, with its abundant resources and fertile lands, is tempting, but it is also a territory populated by fierce warriors, secrets and ancient curses. Conquest would be long and bloody. Diplomacy may be a more effective tool to ensure their loyalty." "Meikosil, what do you think about the conquest of Xok''al?" Meikosil, with a calculating look, answers: "Hethress is right, husband. Xok''al is an ambitious target, but it is not the only continent. Zeisibar, with its precious mineral mines and strategic ports, offers a greater reward. We can dominate Zeisibar with relative ease, infiltrating the summits of power and thus ensuring a constant flow of resources and a much larger power base. Zeisibar is a house already set up and ready to be taken." "Bhenkumbyrznaax, what do you think about Zeisibar? Are there hidden dangers in this territory?" Bhenkumbyrznaax, with a dark look, answers: "Zeisibar is a territory of power, but also of new magic. There are hidden forces that can harm us. Caution is needed. But, if we know how to deal with these forces, Zeisibar can become a center of unparalleled power." "Ingath, you, with your strength and knowledge of the magical arts, what do you think about Zeisibar? Can we really infiltrate this continent using copies?" Ingath, with a determined look, answers: "Zeisibar is a powerful continent, with a strong army and a complex society. Infiltration through copies is risky, but not impossible. If we do it carefully, we can obtain valuable information and perhaps even copy the region''s cupola of power, as suggested by the 2nd wife - key people, leaders, anyone important. But we must be careful, because if they discover our true intention, the plan could fall like a house of cards, our greatest asset would be lost." "Agatan, what do you think about all these options? What is the best path to follow?" Agatan, every slight movement a whiplash of sensuality, replies: "My Lord, all options have their risks and rewards. Xok''al offers wealth, lands and relative safety in the unknown. Zeisibar offers resources and power, but also a greater and more dangerous resistance. Zeisibar brings the risk of full-scale war. Currently its forces are considerable¡­ She licks her lips...but...they are not yet ready to face 2 Empires and the heroes, but - she touches one of his tentacles with her needle-thin fingers - the final decision is yours, my husband and Lord. But I advise caution and wisdom. Do not rush into rash decisions. Patience and strategy are the most powerful weapons we have and my husband has a weapon that few have. Immortality." Lord Crixus, listening to the words of his wives, ponders his options. He knows that each choice will have consequences, and that the future of the Valley of Shadows, and perhaps even the world, depends on his decisions. Then the lyrics of a song came to mind, Time Is on My Side, he only remembered the chorus, he didn''t even remember the name of the song anymore. Yes, time was on his side. He would build an empire, one that no one could ever challenge. Agatan continues. "Husband, we need information and I, with my skills and powers, can infiltrate almost anywhere and get that information." "Agatan the spy, I like it, but it won''t be you who does that, it will be your sisters." "The wisdom of the husband is infinite." Agatan says, thinking about how she was the only one her husband wanted to make more copies of. Soon she would be the 1st among the wives, her and her sisters. A little while later. Only Akaos, 7th wife Agatan, 8th wife Agata and 9th wife Agar were present. How I miss my random name generator. Agatan, you will be the Spy Master, Agata you will go to the Zeisibar continent and collect information there, also check things in the Mansion and the orphanage, in addition to continuing the marriage with the daughter of the bankrupt baron. Agar you will go to the Eadrus continent and infiltrate the Romani Empire. I want weekly reports. Three sensual voices respond together. "Of course husband, we will leave immediately." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The air in the blue tower, once dense and full of magic, dissipated, leaving behind a smell of sea air and a light touch of breeze. Four exhausted figures emerged from the teleportation circle, their faces marked by the journey. Filiz, with a tired but satisfied look, turned to his wife, his hand instinctively reaching for hers. "My love, we are finally back. The Blue Tower awaits you, but I promise we will meet again soon." His wife, with a smile that lit up her eyes, replied: "I know, my love. Go carefully. I will wait for you." With a gesture he indicated one of his assistants. "Take my wife to my chambers." Filiz, giving his wife one last look before turning and leading the paladins towards the tower exit. Antinua Ofandrus, with a sigh of relief, stretched. "Finally! The red tower can wait. I need a hot bath, a good glass of wine, a good hog to ride and a wild pig wheel from Aunt Nena." With that she gave Filiz a nudge. Charlig Abguillerm, with a mischievous smile, replied: "I agree with you, Antinua, except for the stallion part. But before we relax, we have to make the expedition report. I imagine the cathedral is full of curious people." Filiz was happy to be free of the paladin and her rudeness, accepting the nudge as a small price to pay for being free of her. Antinua rolled her eyes. "You''ve always been a fan of reports, Charlig. But you''re right. We have to inform the Council about our deeds." The two friends, side by side, walked towards the tower exit, their steps firm and their hearts light. The adventure was not over, but life, with its joys and challenges, continued. Before they leave, Antinua turns to Filiz and asks: ¡°How long do you think it will take to convince the red tower?¡± A little while later. At Aunt Nena¡¯s tavern. Antinua is enjoying a good wine from the Totoro region, Charlig thinking about his children he hasn¡¯t seen in a few months and whether he¡¯ll have time to see them this time, while they eat pork rinds. On Antinua¡¯s lap sits his new toy, a bard, Drogo something or other. Fragile and delicate, his fiery-colored hair tied in a ponytail, his deep, hoarse voice isn¡¯t good for singing, but from the little he¡¯s talked to him, he¡¯s more of a storyteller and poet. He¡¯ll bet that this one will last 2 days, maybe enough to buy him some nice gifts if he wins this time. Antinua is holding the bard possessively by the neck while drinking a mug of wine and starting a conversation. ¡°Damn, we lost the finals, they say the final fight between the champions was epic. And we also missed the parties that were happening in the city on the wedding day.¡± ¡°Some are still happening, the wedding spirit is strong this season, some say. Who knows...¡± Charlig, hiding a wicked smile behind the mug of wine. Two huge, golden doe eyes fix on Charlig, in despair, and a slight nod. Antinua focuses on the pig, not noticing anything. The bard moves his lips without making a sound ¡°Please, no.¡± Charlig starts to laugh out loud, almost spitting out the wine. Antinua looks on without understanding. ¡°I remembered an old joke.¡± ¡°It must be a very good one if it still makes you laugh.¡± ¡°Yes, it is, the food was great, Captain, but I miss my family, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen them, I¡¯m going to take advantage of this break. I¡¯m going to leave the bunnies alone.¡± He gets up, bows to Antinua and leaves. Antinua. ¡°Basic needs satisfied, now let¡¯s have some fun.¡± She stands up and throws Drogo over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. A crack is heard as Antinua slaps Drogo¡¯s ass in front of everyone, ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, my little bunny.¡± Everyone present laughs. Aunt Nena looks at her guest of honor and thinks it was a good investment to put anti-sound spells on the paladin¡¯s room. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In another part of the city, Agata, the 8th wife, teleports to an alley near the address where the lawyer lives. She has just come from the mansion, where she left money and orders for renovations and the construction of a swimming pool for her husband. When she arrives at the building, she learns that the lawyer was murdered along with one of his bodyguards; the other is missing. She teleports again to where the body is. She appears in a place outside the city, about 2 km away. Several bodies are piled up, in various stages of putrefaction, most of them naked or in rags. Four men are working on digging new graves. The beautiful woman appears out of nowhere, wearing noble clothes. They quickly kneel down, acknowledging her power and prestige, fascinated by her beauty. Agata, without looking at the men, ¡°Bring me that body.¡± She points to the lawyer¡¯s body. They drag him to her. A stab wound in his back, a combat knife of the same type that his bodyguards used to wear. Without wasting much time, she resurrects Joavan. Joavan blinks and sits, staring without understanding where he is and how he got here. ¡°You were murdered, robbed and probably betrayed. Such an affront will not be allowed.¡± Agata says in a cold and hard voice. He now remembers, Arnold stabbed Miles in the back when they were entering the room. He tried to defend himself and escape through the window when he felt a terrible pain in his back. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Joavan, still dazed and weak, extends his hand and disappears with her. 4 men look at each other thinking, was it a dream, too much sun on the head? Bad drink? ¡°Husband, the lawyer was attacked, murdered and robbed.¡± Agata says through the link. Crixus thinks, it was taking too long, Joavan was carrying a lot of money and spending a lot, not that it was his fault, but it was inevitable, this was going to happen sooner or later. ¡°Agata, I want you to send a message, a clear message, serious consequences will occur to those who confront me in any way. Leave it up to you how to do this, Akaos is warned to help you in whatever way you see fit.¡± ¡°Yes, husband, your will be done.¡± How one sentence can have so many effects. Crixus didn¡¯t know yet, but he would learn. XXXIII- 17th day - 1st Demon King The Ten Moon Massacre, which occurred on August 17, Year 1, was one of the most tragic and significant events that led to the Demon Wars, marking a turning point in the struggle between the Worshippers of Evil Gods and the Worshippers of the Gods of Good and Law. Here is a detailed description of the events that led to this massacre and its aftermath: Events leading up to the massacre 1. Background of the Demon Wars: - The Talay Empire was in a state of relative peace, with frequent conflicts only occurring on the borders with the barbarian tribes of the west and small skirmishes in the east with the Romani Empire. The Demon Wars began 4 years later and intensified over the next decade. 2. Marriage of the Princes: - The marriage between Trifina, 2nd princess and Roper, 3rd prince, and the Heroes Kawada and Maeda, was planned to strengthen the lineage and power of the royal family. The ceremony took place in Lundine, attracting many nobles from the empire and beyond. 3. The massacre - Four nights after the royal wedding. The massacre quickly spread throughout the city in a night of fury, violence, destruction and fear, thousands of members of the various criminal guilds were killed. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 30,000 people were murdered, including nobles, imperial officials, merchants and adventurers, all by the forces of the Demon King. Consequences of the massacre 1. Intensification of Religion. - The massacre intensified hostilities between the various factions of the empire, being one of the triggers of the Demon Wars. 2. Destruction of several temples dedicated to Evil Gods in both the Talay Empire and the Romani Empire. - The massacre virtually decimated the leadership of the criminal guilds. All the leaders were killed and only the lower-ranking ones managed to escape, resulting in a significant weakening of the influence of these sectors of society in the Talay Empire. 3. Exile and Dispersion - Of the few criminals who survived the massacre, most sought refuge on the Xok''al continent, leading to the dispersion of the criminal guilds in Zeisibar for decades. 4. Religious Polarization - The massacre deepened the religious divide in both Zeisibar and Eadrus, the home continent of the Romani Empire, creating a climate of distrust and hostility that would last for eons. Violence and repression became commonplace, and religious intolerance intensified. 5. Impact on Talayan Politics - The event had significant political repercussions, leading to a greater centralization of power in the hands of the monarchy and the need for tighter control over the various religious factions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Massacre of the 10 Moons A dark, damp alley in Lundine, under the pale moonlight of the 10 moons on an August night. The air is thick with fear and the metallic smell of blood. Jeanne A young thief, pale and wide-eyed with terror. Pierre Her father, a blacksmith, his face lined with wrinkles and his hand shaking. Jeanne clings to Pierre''s hand, her thin, cold fingers pressing into his father''s rough skin. The sound of screams and metal clashing against metal echoes through the narrow streets, getting closer and closer. Pierre whispers. "Run, Jeanne! They''re coming!" Jeanne cries. "Father, where are we going?" Pierre looks around, desperate. "It doesn''t matter! We just have to hide! We''re going to hide!" They hide behind a wooden barrel, the smell of fermenting wine mingling with the smell of blood. With each moment, the noise grows louder, fear gripping their hearts. Jeanne trembles. ¡°Father, what¡¯s going on? Why are they killing people? Pierre¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems like something from another guild, you saw, they were demons.¡± Jeanne¡¯s gaze fixed on the darkness. ¡°But why? We didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Pierre sighed heavily. ¡°This is no time for reflection, we have to run away. Get out of the city.¡± A loud noise made them cower, in a recess inside the guild tunnels. A group of men ran past, armed with swords and axes, their faces distorted with fury. Jeanne used the thieves¡¯ sign language to speak to her. ¡°Father, they¡¯re going to find us!¡± Pierre hugged her tightly. ¡°No, Jeanne. Stay calm. The Gods protected us.¡± Jeanne looked at her father, tears in her eyes. ¡°Father, I¡¯m scared.¡± Pierre smiled weakly. ¡°Me too, my daughter. But we have to be strong. Because of us, our family will always survive.¡± The noise fades away, silence returns, but filled with unbearable tension. Jeanne clings to her father, seeking comfort in his embrace. Jeanne whispers. ¡°Father, there¡¯s not much left.¡± Pierre looks up at the sky, his voice full of hope. Odos, God of thieves will guide us, Jeanne. He will never abandon us. They run to the edge of the forests near the capital, leaving everything behind. In the background, several columns of smoke rise over the city. Later, they discover that they were the only ones from their sector who survived the massacre. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sun was beginning to set, tinting the sky with shades of orange and purple, when a tremor ran through the earth. It was no ordinary tremor, no natural tremor. It was something deeper, more menacing. I looked up, the direction from which the sound came, and saw a colossal figure falling from its clearing towards the outer walls of Lundine. It was a Golden Soldier, a metal statue, as tall as a building, with golden armor that shone like a thousand suns. His robust armor, predominantly gold and untarnished by time. The dome-shaped torso displayed a circular hatch, and exposed red energy beams ran down its powerful arms. With jewels encrusted on its body. It had no ¡°eyes¡± or ¡°mouth¡± . Then a song came from the creature, Nazer put his hands to his ears, but the sound made his body tremble inside. Well, I''ve been watching While you''ve been coughing I''ve been drinking life While you''ve been nauseous And so I drink to health While you kill yourself And I''ve got just one thing That I can offer Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me, yeah I''m not a martyr I''m not a prophet And I won''t preach to you But here''s a caution You better understand That I won''t hold your hand But if it helps you mend Then I won''t stop it Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me, yeah Drown, if you want And I''ll see you at the bottom Where do you crawl? On my skin And put the blame on me So you don''t feel a thing Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me Go on and save yourself And take it out on me , yeah Fear, confusion and admiration ran through his mind in rhythm with the strange music. He did not understand the song, sung in an unknown language but it would be It was impossible to ignore the energy and intensity of the event. The music mixed with the golem''s magic, creating a chilling effect. The air was charged with energy, and the walls of Lundine shook under the force of the melody. The Golden Soldier released a wave of a greenish energy formed in his chest, like a thunderclap ready to be unleashed. The impact was devastating. A section of the wall, a symbol of strength and protection, shattered into a million pieces. Stones flew through the air, hitting houses and people, and a scream of terror echoed through the city. The Golden Soldier, with the music still deafening everyone, fell amidst the devastation he had caused, his golden armor disappearing within the cloud of the explosion. The scene was apocalyptic. Fear settled in the hearts of everyone present, hope seemed to fade away with every second. Nazer ran, leaving everything behind, the demonic music literally pushed him away, his hands covered his ears, which were dripping blood... so high...so high. Thanks to Scrap, Dhah''ar was introduced to rock, which became known as demonic song, a stigma that would last for millennia.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Antinua coughed, the metallic taste of blood in her throat making her choke. The air was thick, heavy with the smell of soot and burning flesh. Three bodies lay around her, two fire giants, all with the same expression of shock frozen on their faces. "Damn it..." she muttered, wiping the blood from her face with her dirty sleeve. The group that had been seven was now just three: her, the elf archer Lyra, and the dwarf Ragnarook, the only one who seemed relatively intact. Lyra, with her bow in hand, watched the horizon. "Antinua, what''s going on? It looks like the whole city is on fire..." Ragnarook, with a cut on his leg, leaned against a wall, gritting his teeth. "A good question, giants, did they have to be giants? Damn bastards... this strength... it''s something I''ve never seen before." Antinua stood up, her muscles aching. "It doesn''t matter. We have to help. You two gather as many people as you can and take them away from the battle. I''ll go to the temple to get reinforcements." "Where are we going?" Lyra asked, her eyes fixed on the columns of smoke rising into the sky. "It doesn''t matter. Anywhere but here. We have to find a safe place, treat our wounds and understand what''s happening." Ragnarook said, gritting his teeth. Ragnarook coughed, his voice hoarse. "And who''s doing this? Why are they attacking the city?" Antinua sighed, frustration and fear mixing in his chest. "I don''t know, Ragnarook. But we''ll find out. First, we need to survive." Lyra approached, her blue eyes full of concern. "Antinua, are you okay?" "I''m fine, Lyra. I''m just... tired, this isn''t how I imagined spending a few days in the capital. But we won''t give up. We have to keep fighting." Ragnarook stood up with difficulty, leaning on his sword. "Yes, we must continue. For our own safety and for the city." Antinua nodded, staring at the burning horizon. "Go find a safe place. May the Gods of Light and Order guide you." She turned and ran toward the capital''s cathedral. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A group of adventurers struggles to save as many people as possible during the devastation caused by a massive golem. The air is thick with the smell of smoke, and the sound of falling debris echoes around them. Half of the second section of the wall has already been destroyed, while the demonic music continues. The golem seems focused on destroying the wall, but doesn''t care when its magical attacks hit other things in its path. Veruna, the leader of the group, uses battle language, impossible to ignore the sound of the golem''s sonic attack. "Quick! We need to split up! Lill, you and Tom go left, I''ll go right!" Lill, an elf, nods, her gaze determined. "Watch out, Veruna! The golem could attack again at any moment!" Tom, the burly warrior, is already moving, his sword drawn. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure no one gets left behind! It seems that the Golem uses his magic attacks during a certain part of the song, there is a short interval and then he starts singing it again from the beginning." As they scatter, Veruna advances through the rubble, her heart racing. She sees a woman trapped under a fallen beam, her screams of despair piercing the air, but no one hears her. "Help me! Please!" the woman cries, her eyes full of terror. Veruna reads the woman''s lips. Veruna crouches down, assessing the situation. "Calm down! I''ll get you out of there!" With a concentrated effort, she tries to lift the beam, but it is too heavy. "Tom! I need you here!" Tom appears quickly, sweaty and covered in dust. "What do we have here?" He stands next to Veruna and together, they lift the beam, freeing the woman. "Thank you! Thank you!" the woman cries, standing up shakily. "Go!" Veruna orders, and with a gesture points towards the group of refugees they are gathering, before turning her attention to the next challenge. Meanwhile, Lill is in an elevated position, using her bow to protect the civilians trying to escape. She fires an arrow, hitting one of the approaching demons. In the sky, the wizards of the towers fight with demons that have climbed onto the rooftops and attack people amidst the chaos. "We are almost there!" she shouts, encouraging those around her. "Follow me! To the exit!" She gestures to the group, knowing that they can''t hear anything. The group gathers again, now with a few more rescued people. Veruna observes the destruction around her, her group was created to escort caravans, not to fight monsters and demons. She looks back and they have already managed to gather about 30 people, but she can draw the attention of the monster or demons, who are fighting with the wizards of the tower. "Don''t look back and GOOO ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The attack lasted 4 hours, but until the early evening the mages were still trying to put out the fires. The worst affected areas were the suburbs of the capital and the eastern section of the wall that was under attack by the golem. The city was in chaos, the citizens in shock. More than 500 years had passed since the capital had suffered an attack of this magnitude. The attack on Lundine was a devastating event, resulting in thousands of deaths and causing severe damage to the capital. The situation is alarming, especially with the presence of several missing people. Recently, the royal guard made several arrests in connection with the attacks, including the detention of two witnesses. In addition, there are several missing nobles who are being sought. Security in the area is being stepped up, and the authorities are working to clarify the details of the attack and locate the missing people. It is a critical moment for Lundine¡¯s leadership, and the council meeting, attended by King Neven VII, Crown Prince Herveig, the Warlord, Minister of Magic, Minister of Coin and Spymaster, High Cardinal and Grand Master of the Adventurers and Mercenaries Guild, is essential to discuss strategies for responding to and preventing future attacks. The situation demands a careful and coordinated approach to restore the security and trust of the population. King Neven VII raises his glass of wine and is served by his son who stands beside him. ¡°Gentlemen. Explain to me how my beautiful city was attacked without provocation, I want to know why, how and by whom.¡± He scans his ministers. ¡°Warlord?¡± Warlord Duke Evan Le Kermarrak is a dark-skinned man standing at 5¡¯11¡± and wearing a tabard in the imperial colors over his chainmail. His white hair is cut irregularly and amateurishly; evil tongues say that he cuts his own hair with a knife when it gets in the way of his fight. His amber eyes peer out from beneath his thick eyebrows. He is vehemently anti-magic, which in his opinion corrupts the soul. He looks at his cousin. ¡°My King, reports indicate that we were attacked by a mixed force of 60-200 monsters, consisting of the golem that attacked the walls, dozens of demons, and fire giants. The attack seems to have initially focused on the city¡¯s sewers, the territory of the assassin, thieves, and smugglers¡¯ guilds. But as soon as the rats began to flee, the attack spread to the outskirts of the city. There are reports of murders of merchants, minor nobles, wizards, and even a count, which seem to have been caused by a demon. At the end of the attack, several testified that the attacking forces disappeared with the help of a demon.¡± ¡°Minister of Magic.¡± The King says, massaging his temples with his eyes closed. Count Roland Le Barsong, Minister of Magic. ¡°The wizards who faced the demons reported that they were of the Babau type, also known as one-horned horrors or ebony deaths, they were a type of demon that served both as assassins and recruiters. These were controlled by a succubus, who was also a priestess of some underworld deity. The fire giants were some kind of clone, because they were all identical. The golem was an old model, I will have a meeting with scholars from the Brown Tower later, and I will have more information. But it seems that the attack was coordinated by the succubus priestesses, we will know more details after the necromancers process the bodies.¡± ¡°By them?¡± asks the prince. ¡°Yes, my prince, reports tell of between 5 and 10 of them.¡± The Minister answers in a low tone. ¡°That the Gods have abandoned us?¡± The prince murmurs. His dejected expression is a reflection of the general thought. ¡°No, my prince. I think quite the opposite. The wizards who fought the succubus and demons reported that she often said that this was a response, a message to those who dared to face her husband and her lord, Crixus. I believe that this is a response from the forces of evil to the marriage with the children of light.¡± ¡°It was divine will that made me give in to the princes¡¯ wishes and send them to the Red Mountains on their honeymoon. Do you think that this attack was intended to kill the royal couples, Minister?¡± The king says with a trembling hand. ¡°I do not rule out that possibility, my King.¡± Count Roland concludes. ¡°Master of Spies?¡± The king says. Koeth Inafhthar, the vampire, as he is called, an albino elf. ¡°My King, everything points to what the Minister of Magic said. So far it doesn¡¯t seem to be linked to any internal movement or our traditional enemies. We have 2 witnesses who we believe were at the beginning of the incident and they also point to this Demon King. At the time she used this same type of phrase that this was a message for daring to get involved with this being, Crixus. Clearly this succubus let the two escape to tell the story. My initial analysis indicates that the attack was aimed at the criminal underworld, both those directly involved and their accomplices. But this may just be to divert attention from the real target.¡± ¡°High Cardinal.¡± Jocelyn Greenwood, a half-elf, her long white hair divided into 3 braids, her centuries-old eyes and her always good disposition contrasting with the atmosphere in the room. ¡°My King, the signs are clear, the scriptures say that at the end of time there will be a fight between light and darkness, the darkness will be led by the great corrupter and the light by the children of Cystemis. There are no coincidences, everything was written, the sacred windows, the Heroes appeared, the failure of the children of light to lead the sacred journey, the royal weddings, soon the children of light were born, and soon after this Demon King appears. No! Everything goes as planned, but we must persevere, pray and protect the sacred lineage of the children of Light.¡± ¡°Grand Master?¡± The Grand Master looks first at Duke Evan and then at the King. ¡°My King, the guild has suffered many casualties, even more so because it did not have the support of the city guards.¡± Everyone knows why the city guards did not support the Guild on the outside of the wall. The guard was waiting in case the attacks reached the noble areas. ¡°Minister of Coin?¡± ¡°Between losses, compensation, and reconstruction, the kingdom has lost hundreds of thousands of gold coins, my lord. The coffers will be seriously affected, as will many ongoing projects. We will have to increase taxes for a few years.¡± The King downs the third glass of wine in one gulp. ¡°What a headache.¡±