《Companion Farmer》


 1: Uncles Secret

    ¡°Caleb, the companion farm is yours now,¡± Uncle Jamin said from atop his wagon. ¡°I can¡¯t say where I¡¯m going or why. All that matters now is that this is in your hands.¡±


    I nodded. He¡¯d repeated this countless times, but he was rightfully concerned that his farm was in capable and responsible hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do you proud,¡± I said.


    ¡°Just keep doing exactly what I taught you. Ensure the Replicator is well-oiled and maintain its runes. But do not . . .¡± He paused. ¡±Do not open the cellar.¡±


    ¡°Right. Keep doing the same thing I¡¯ve been doing for the last few years.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t open the cellar,¡± I said with a smile.


    He tugged on the horse¡¯s reins, and the cart bumbled along the road. It would be a good week before he arrived at anything resembling civilization, whichever way he went.


    In any case, I knew exactly what I was going to do.


    I turned toward the companion farm¡ªmy companion farm. It was a block of land that stretched ten miles in all directions, with a five-storey manor and a wooden shack in the center. The cellar was situated between the two buildings, its doors clamped shut by thick iron chains.


    I marched toward the shack, opened the door, and took a key from Uncle Jamin¡¯s hiding place. He¡¯d never suspected I knew where he hid it. The chains slid off the cellar door handles with a rattling hiss, and I pulled both doors open.


    A perfumed scent immediately hit my nose, and I spotted a woman standing at the bottom of the stairs. Unmistakably a woman. She squinted against the sudden light invading the confined space, which was like a spotlight revealing her entire figure¡ªand she was naked. My jaw dropped.


    A picture of feminine beauty, every curve was perfectly sculpted. Pert breasts sat above a flat stomach while her hips arched out above slender legs. Her eyes glittered as she opened them, and her full lips pursed as she took me in.


    ¡°Jamin?¡± The woman tilted her head, and I noticed pointed ears sweeping up from either side of her head. ¡°No, not Jamin. I have been here for many, many years. You must be his son.¡±


    Uncle Jamin, the seedy old bastard. So this was what he was hiding. A homunculus. And from the look of things, this one was sentient. He¡¯d broken about a hundred kingdom laws by creating her, and he hadn¡¯t had the guts to throw her into the incinerator.


    I didn¡¯t blame him. She was a perfect gem.


    ¡°I¡¯m his nephew, actually. Did Jamin really keep you in here all this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have tried to keep myself busy. But there is only so much you can do down here.¡± She gestured at the walls, and I saw etchings that looked like some kind of language.


    ¡°How did you learn this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°From the books.¡± She gestured at the handful of tomes on the shelves beside the wine bottles at the stairs. ¡°At first, when Jamin put me in here, I could barely speak. But I learned to read.¡±


    ¡°All while you were kept down there. . .you developed night vision?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I evolved.¡±


    Not only had Uncle Jamin created a sentient homunculus, but he¡¯d also made her capable of evolution. She¡¯d developed night vision, and then used that ability to teach herself a language.


    No wonder Jamin had decided to leave the farm. But why had he left the evidence of his crimes in my hands? He must have known I would end up opening the cellar. Or rather, that it would be the very first thing I would do. He knew I was curious, and it was the only place on the entire farm I was never allowed to approach, because of so-called toxic substances.


    ¡°How did my uncle create you?¡±


    ¡°He manipulated the Replicator. Through alchemy.¡±


    Maybe I could do the same thing? Nobody came anywhere near here, and I could always dispose of the evidence in the incinerator. I¡¯d avoid making anything sentient, because I didn¡¯t want to have to kill something with a soul, or whatever it was that this woman had.


    ¡°Come,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ve been in here too long.¡±


    I reached out to the woman¡ªthat she clearly was¡ªand she ascended the stairs before taking my hand. I brought her to the manor, trying my best not to ogle her glorious body in movement¡ªat least not the entire time¡ªand gave her some clothes my uncle¡¯s previous wives had left behind. She was far too tall and slender for them, but one of the blouses made for a short-length dress that barely covered her ass. I thought about handing her some pants but decided against it. The weather was warm besides. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.


    She shrugged. ¡°I have no name.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I call you Alexia?¡±


    ¡°Alexia,¡± she whispered the word and rolled it on her tongue as though tasting it. ¡°I like that name very much.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, I think it¡¯s time we did a little experimenting.¡±


    I returned to the shack and skirted around the Replicator to reach the shelves behind it. The Replicator was a crystalline cylinder with a maze of brass pipes circling it like castle battlements. Attached to the Replicator were three steel plinths and a crystal vial containing ether.


    I plucked from the shelves the tools necessary for creating a new homunculus. My uncle¡¯s primary customers were adventurers who sought crafting materials for the Emerald Glade. Because these adventurers tended to specialize in hunting, they were among the best marksmen in the region. But they lacked close-combat abilities, which were essential when facing wood goblins. So, my uncle created generic human fighter homunculi. It was his bread and butter, and a kingdom-approved method of companion farming.


    What I was about to do, however, was most definitely not kingdom-approved.


    Creating a generic human fighter required feeding the Replicator a human finger, a short sword of average quality, and a wooden shield. Those three items created the intended human fighter when fed into the replicator.


    Uncle had said that each Replicator could only create one type of homunculus, but the existence of Alexia meant he was lying. I¡¯d always suspected the Replicator could be manipulated if provided with different materials.


    And now I was about to find out.


    The items required for a human fighter were logical, so I decided to play a bit of a logic game myself. Homunculi could be dangerous when first spawned, so I needed something that wouldn¡¯t prove too difficult for me to defeat if it turned rotten.


    ¡°You wish to create another one of me?¡± Alexia asked from behind me.


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯d rather test something a little less. . .¡±


    ¡°Beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You could say that. I¡¯d hate to kill something as beautiful as you. But I¡¯m also thinking of the dangers. I just don¡¯t know what will come out of the Replicator if I replace the sword with a dagger, for instance.¡±


    A shield symbolized defense, so if I fed the Replicator two shields instead of a sword and a shield, the homunculus would probably have very little offensive ability. It seemed the best option to avoid any unnecessary danger.


    I grabbed two shields from the rack behind the Replicator and placed each on a plinth. On the final plinth, I put a human finger I grabbed from a pickle jar on a shelf.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°I was created here, but I have never seen the Replicator at work.¡±


    ¡°I just pull this crank,¡± I said as I yanked down the metal bar.


    This opened a valve inside the Replicator and released the ether. Once the magical material flooded the crystal chamber, the plinths descended, and the two shields and human finger were consumed.


    The Replicator gurgled and trembled as a figure started to form behind the crystal. Skeleton first, then organs. Pink flesh was stitched together before pale skin enveloped it. Hair grew on its limbs, chest, and head. Eyes plopped into the eye sockets, and a groan escaped its mouth.


    I pushed the locking mechanism on the chamber¡¯s door, and a barrel-chested human dropped to his knees and inhaled his first lungful of air.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Alexia took the parchment that rolled out of the Replicator.


    ¡°It provides the specifications of a homunculus,¡± I explained.


    She handed it to me. ¡°What does it say? I didn¡¯t learn this language.¡±


    I read the attributes aloud.


    Garmont Companion Farm has created a Shield Slammer (Human)!


    Attack Power: 2


    Toughness: 10


    Accuracy: 2


    Vitality: 10


    Intelligence: 4


    Skills: Shield Bash


    ¡°As I suspected,¡± I said. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have very much attack power. And his intelligence is low, too. Hey! Stop doing that!¡±


    The new human had discovered the orifice in his nose and was excavating so deep I thought he might poke his brains. He removed his finger, looked at it, and then stuck it into his mouth.


    ¡°Are they always this stupid?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°The ones Uncle Jamin made were mostly fodder for the wood goblins to busy themselves killing while the adventurers crept into the treasure caches. I think it might have something to do with the kinds of people the fingers were taken from.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I was created from a human finger?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Maybe. But you don¡¯t look quite human. Your ears,your figure. . .I¡¯d say you might have been created with an elvish organic component.¡±


    ¡°Elvish? I read of the elves. They are beautiful.¡± She paused. ¡°Am I beautiful?¡±


    ¡°Incredibly, you¡¯re a proper stunner,¡± I said. ¡°Now, we should probably¡ª¡±


    I was cut off by the sound of horse hooves approaching.


    ¡°Shit,¡± I said. ¡°Uncle Jamin must have forgotten something.¡±


    I peered outside the shack and saw a rider dismount and march toward the manor deliberately. A bastard sword was tied across his back, and a tabard bearing the symbol of the Northern Garrison covered his chainmail.


    ¡°Do you know this man?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered. ¡°His name¡¯s Rikard. He¡¯s been on the hunt for Uncle Jamin for years now, looking for some evidence that he was breaking the law. I¡¯d always thought Jamin was squeaky clean, but it looks like Rikard has finally found something to pin on him. I figure he was half the reason why Jamin decided to leave.¡±


    Rikard suddenly reached over his shoulder and drew his sword. He kicked open the front door and strode into the manor, both hands gripping his massive weapon.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s not come for a quiet conversation either,¡± I said.


    I checked the Replicator¡¯s gauge and confirmed it had produced only 30% of its daily capacity. I could make another two of these Shield Slammer Humans before the Replicator would have to cool down.


    Rikard would eventually find that the manor was empty, and then he¡¯d come to the shack. I could run, but then there¡¯d be no doubt I¡¯d broken the kingdom laws. Besides, I was having far too much fun to just leave an experiment like this behind.


    And what would happen to Alexia? I¡¯d barely met her, but she¡¯d become the victim of my uncle¡¯s fear of being found out. I wouldn¡¯t leave her behind, and I doubted she could run very far.


    Only one option left. I grabbed four wooden shields resting on the rack, plucked two dismembered fingers from a pickle jar, and cranked the Replicator.

 2: Shield Slammers vs Rikard

    Ether hissed as the Replicator consumed the new material on the plinths. Skeletons materialized within the chamber, flesh and skin slid over the bones, and two more Shield Slammers appeared inside the crystal vat.


    I unlatched the door, and the two fresh homunculi stumbled out of the Replicator beside the one I¡¯d created earlier. The sharp tang of alchemy touched the air as the machine cooled behind them.


    All three of them were identical. Barrel-like chests heaved in fresh air. One started picking at his skin, seemingly surprised at what he felt; the others just stood there, looking around with unfocused eyes.


    I turned to peek back outside. Rikard had vanished into the house, searching for illegal contraband. My uncle¡¯s collection of odd artifacts would keep him busy for a few minutes.


    The machine blinked and spat out two more sheets of parchment. This was the last thing it would be producing today.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Alexia asked when the machine¡¯s runes had stopped blinking.


    I smiled at my newest creations. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a chat with Rikard.¡±


    ¡°The guardsman looks as if he came here for blood. Can¡¯t we just hide in the cellar? Or take his horse and flee?¡±


    ¡°Rikard might look threatening, but he¡¯s just hired muscle with a big sword. I¡¯ll be damned if I let some thug just come waltzing onto my farm and break my shit. Besides, I want to see how these Slammers do against a real enemy.¡±


    Alexia glanced at one of the homunculi, which was staring at the wall and drooling. ¡°How are you going to make these creatures match this Rikard? Shouldn¡¯t we perhaps take a weapon from here?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all dull and badly made. The real weapons are in the small armory inside the manor. We¡¯ll have to sneak in. We have the numbers; we just need to catch him by surprise.¡±


    As the door creaked open, daylight filtered inside, making the Shield Slammers blink comically. Alexia shielded her eyes while her vision adjusted.


    I slipped out of the shack and gestured for the others to follow me into the manor¡¯s gardens. The naked Slammers shambled out while Alexia brought up the rear.


    Trees and shrubbery stretched out in concentric rings around the house. A breeze whispered through the carefully cultivated garden beds, and leaves danced when it touched them. I knew most of these plants had alchemical uses, because I¡¯d spent the better part of a decade trimming and clearing this garden for my uncle¡¯s experiments. He wasn¡¯t the type to idly fill his farm with pretty plants that had little use to him.


    A silky branch brushed my shoulder as I led my small party into one of the garden¡¯s wide corridors. The Slammers¡¯ heavy feet thumped against the pavestones. I kept my head down. A Slammer grasped a branch and ripped it away from his heavy-browed face. A loud crack echoed through the courtyard.


    I wheeled on the offending Slammer and glared at him. He stared back at me and blinked. The branch fell from his hand, and I recalled how Jamin had dealt with his creations in the past. They weren¡¯t sentient¡ªwith the exception of Alexia¡ªbut they followed basic instructions at least.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the plants,¡± I whispered. ¡°Follow me, and be quiet.¡±


    The Shield Slammers nodded in unison. We continued creeping through the garden until I caught sight of the back door of the manor house. The ringing, crashing sound of breaking glass and the bangs of heavy impacts echoed through the house. I fought to keep my irritation in check. No matter what dandy king he took orders from, Rikard didn¡¯t have the authority to simply break into my manor house and destroy the collection of priceless artifacts my uncle had spent his whole life collecting.


    I held up a fist to halt the progress of the homunculi and ducked down behind the cover of a wide, low hedge. One of themi imitated my movement and gave me a stupid grin of mismatched teeth, but didn¡¯t stop walking.


    ¡°Halt here,¡± I muttered.


    They obeyed. Alexia¡¯s delicate hand brushed my arm as she crouched down beside me, peering past the twisted trunk of an acid-leaf tree. Her seductive scent washed over me as she leaned in to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°Where¡¯s this armory you spoke of?¡±


    ¡°First floor on this side of the house. Rikard is taking his time searching the rooms. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking for Jamin. If he can¡¯t find my uncle, then he¡¯ll be looking for some proof to arrest him. He¡¯s been in there for close to five minutes. My best guess is he¡¯s probably on the second floor by now.¡±


    Alexia shoved a Slammer¡¯s hand off her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t sound much like a simple farming boy, Caleb.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s spent time reading books.¡± I smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Stay quiet and go straight for the back door.¡±


    I went first and kept my eyes on the second-floor windows. There was no sign of Rikard, which meant that he was on the side of the house. Alexia matched my pace with a smooth stride that put her long legs and pale skin on display, attracting my eyes like bolts to one of the powerful magnets in the shack. The trio behind me stomped along but stayed in a half-crouched stance. Our path through the gardens gave us the concealment we needed, even if Rikard decided to look out the window.


    The back entrance was unlocked. I pushed it open and thanked the Gods that I¡¯d oiled the hinges a few days ago. My small party was inside a few moments later. One step closer to the weapons room. One step closer to fighting off the destructive bastard who had come looking for my uncle.


    Rikard had made a serious mistake when he¡¯d decided to break into this house. He was about to get a taste of what a man with a Replicator could do.


    The manor house was almost unrecognizable. Broken glass and splintered wood covered the polished oak floorboards. Pottery, paintings, and carved artifacts lay scattered around. My uncle¡¯s eccentric assortment of alchemical tools, assorted insects, and fully reassembled skeletons lay in pieces. Rikard was on the warpath, and he¡¯d taken no prisoners.


    I gritted my teeth as one of the Slammers cut its bare foot on the broken shards.


    ¡°Mind the glass,¡± I said to Alexia in an undertone.


    She nodded and tiptoed around the jagged splinters as we moved through the kitchen. The fireplace crackled merrily and illuminated a tight space piled high with herbs, bread, and freshly made cheese. If the situation hadn¡¯t been so dire, I would have been reminded of the hours I¡¯d spent preparing meals for my uncle. The crackling fire covered the sound of our footsteps as we pressed onward and I left the memories behind.


    Alexia exhaled sharply when something crashed down heavily on the floor above us. Rikard had probably upended a bookcase. The idiot probably couldn¡¯t even read. The sight of books must have intimidated him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Alexia whispered.


    ¡°Just keep moving,¡± I said reassuringly. ¡°Stick to the plan.¡±


    The kitchen opened up into a hallway. I moved quickly and pulled a key ring out from around my neck. Jamin knew better than to leave a room full of weapons unlocked, even if he wasn¡¯t expecting visitors. He might have been a crazy old coot, but he was no idiot.


    I found the key, unlocked the door, and ushered Alexia into the armory. ¡°Follow her, and don¡¯t touch anything,¡± I said to the Shield Slammers.


    They bumped into each other as they filed into the room. Before following them in, I checked the hallway for any sign of Rikard. The sound of heavy boots and dark mumbling above me confirmed that he hadn¡¯t finished destroying every decoration in the house.


    He was about to get the surprise of his life.


    Uncle Jamin¡¯s armory was impressive for a man who farmed homunculi. The room was built like a vault. Simple spears sat in racks beside a collection of shields dangling from hooks driven into the thick stone walls. Four longbows and a large arbalest hung above barrels that bristled with arrows and bolts. A collection of basic daggers and short swords were arranged in neat horizontal rows above a low workbench to my right.


    I pulled the thick door shut behind, shutting out Rikard¡¯s stomping. He¡¯d need a battering ram to get into the armory.


    We were safe, at least temporarily. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I strode past the idle Slammers and pulled a heavy tower shield from the wall on the left. I handed it to a homunculus, who eagerly seized it.


    Alexia quirked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve done this before, haven¡¯t you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought with homunculi by my side before. Rikard¡¯s got more training in swordcraft than I do, so we can¡¯t afford to take the fight to him directly. But with the Slammers and a little ranged capability, we¡¯ll have the upper hand.¡±


    It took me no time to outfit the Shield Slammers with their shields. Pride stirred inside me as I admired the trio of naked, hairy creatures, each one carrying a tall, two-foot-wide shield designed for protection against a frontal attack. I recalled the stats the Replicator had spat out.


    Their Shield Bash skill was my best bet to neutralize Rikard¡¯s powerful sword.


    I lifted the heavy arbalest from the back of the armory and grabbed quiver of bolts off the wall. I started fitting the sling around my waist, and as I moved to set down the crossbow, Alexia stepped forward. She dropped to her knees and tightened the belt with slim, nimble fingers, all the while flashing beguiling smiles up at me. When she had finished, the elf brushed her hair out of her eyes and sat back on her ankles, her other hand still lingering at my belt. She let her eyes drift down over my trousers and a certain appendage that throbbed at her sudden touch.


    ¡°That looks like a very heavy weapon you have there,¡± she said mischievously.


    I winked at her and offered her a hand up. ¡°Size matters if you¡¯re looking to make an impact. And impact is what I¡¯ll need if I want to get through Rikard¡¯s armor.¡±


    Her grin widened as she stood up and I lowered the crossbow to the floor. I tugged on the crank, and the steel limbs of the weapon slowly bent as the mechanism wound the string back. It took me a few seconds to properly prime the arbalest and slip a bolt into the catch.


    I hefted the weapon over my shoulder and nodded to the wall of daggers. ¡°You should take one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I have you to protect me, after all.¡±


    The twinkle in her eye told me she knew something I didn¡¯t. She soon relented and took a thin dagger out of its sheath. My party was armed; we were ready to take the fight to the plunderer upstairs. I opened the door and turned to the Shield Slammers. One was chewing on the edge of his shield, but paused when I spoke.


    ¡°You take the lead. Spread out and fill the hallway.¡±


    I followed them out, Alexia pulled the door closed behind us, and we set off down the hallway toward the stairs.


    The stairs creaking under steel-reinforced boots above us heralded Rikard¡¯s arrival on the first floor. The manor had five floors in total, so something must have drawn his attention to make him return before visiting the top floors.


    Alexia followed me as I ducked around a corner. The Slammers paused. Before I could formulate the order verbally, the leader started moving forward.


    Was it possible that I could command my creations with just a thought?


    It certainly seemed that way. Uncle Jamin had never told me a mental link existed between homunculi and their owners. He always loved keeping secrets.


    ¡°Go to the stairs and draw Rikard out into the hallway,¡± I ordered.


    Then I redirected my thoughts to the other two Slammers in quick succession.


    ¡°Pull back to us and block off the hallway.¡±


    They reacted instantly. My verbal commands must have been too clumsy before, and difficult for their minds to comprehend. This new mental link worked far better. They didn¡¯t bump into each other even once as they followed my commands.


    The lead Slammer stomped out to the base of the stairs. I heard Rikard laugh.


    ¡°Oh, so now you decide to show yourself, Jamin!¡± the guardsman cackled from around the corner.


    The lead Slammer opened his mouth. ¡°Who Jamin?¡± he asked thickly.


    ¡°And you sent naked man-children to talk to me. How quaint.¡±


    The other Slammers followed my orders and backed away. They turned their tower shields sideways and created a slanting wall that blocked the corridor.


    Rikard appeared around the corner a moment later. I positioned my arm on the wall and lifted my crossbow over it to give myself a steady platform to shoot from. But I couldn¡¯t get an angle from here.


    ¡°Come on, then!¡± Rikard shouted.


    The lead homunculus raised his shield to fend off a series of devastating attacks. The guardsman grinned as he lifted his huge blade and swung it down again and again. The tower shield trembled under the strikes.


    Rikard suddenly kicked the shield aside with a smirk and then sliced through the unarmored body of the Shield Slammer. Blood and gore splattered the walls of the corridor as the top half of the homunculus bounced off the wall, sailed over the heads of the other two Slammers, and landed a few feet away from me. Scarlet pooled instantly around the truncated half-corpse.


    I adjusted my aim and saw Alexia touch the blood on the floor delicately with her right forefinger. She licked her finger and moaned softly. I ignored her and sent another order to my remaining Shield Slammers.


    ¡°Shield Bash him together. Rush in and pin him against the wall.¡±


    They surged forward as one.


    I stepped out into the hallway and took aim just as my homunculi crashed into Rikard. He couldn¡¯t raise his sword in time. Two heavy tower shields smashed into him like one big charging bull. The air blasted from his lungs, and he lost his grip on his sword. The Slammers shoved relentlessly onward as they heeded my mental command and pinned him into the far wall.


    I kept my iron sights levelled on Rikard¡¯s exposed face as he struggled to free himself. My Shield Slammers had done their jobs perfectly. The weight of the guardsman¡¯s armor, the loss of his sword, and the pure concussive force of the Shield Bash had bypassed all of his swordplay skills, as well as his natural affinity for one-on-one combat.


    ¡°Fuck your mother, you bastard son of a country-bred whore!¡± Rikard spat.


    I didn¡¯t reply, but strolled over to meet him.


    ¡°You have any idea who you¡¯re messing with, sheep-screwer? Bring me Jamin, and bring him right fucking now! He owes me! You all owe me!¡±


    I halted three yards away from him. ¡°What exactly do you want with Jamin?¡±


    ¡°I said it already, you fuckwit. He owes us. He made a deal with Longhorn Martyn, and I¡¯m here to collect what is due.¡±


    I¡¯d never met the man, but Jamin had told me that Longhorn had half the town guard in his pocket, and the other half scared shitless. People spoke his name in terrified whispers and paid him protection money just to run a business in Roarwind.


    Rikard snarled as my Shield Slammers increased the pressure. He spat at me, a commendable effort, but I leaned a little to the right and easily avoided the helpless projectile.


    ¡°What deal?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Where is Jamin?¡±


    ¡°Answer the question. What does Jamin owe Longhorn Martyn?¡±


    Rikard¡¯s eyes bulged as he tried to free himself. He had my homunculi straining. But all the weight of their heavy bodies and the hard edges of their shields had Rikard firmly pinned, and he knew it.


    I curled my hands around the trigger of the arbalest. ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°A blood mage homunculus,¡± Rikard finally said. ¡°He owes Longhorn a goddamn mage.¡±


    Jamin hadn¡¯t said anything about a debt. Rikard¡¯s presence was evidence enough that my uncle hadn¡¯t left me the farm out of pure altruism. A companion farmer wasn¡¯t likely to make a lot of friends in such a competitive market. I wondered if Jamin had left just to avoid confrontation with Longhorn and his lackeys.


    It didn¡¯t matter. He was gone, and this was my farm now.


    ¡°Longhorn is a scum-sucking piece of shit,¡± I replied. ¡°Why does an upstanding citizen like yourself work for a ruffian like him?¡±


    ¡°I do whatever¡¯s necessary for coin. And don¡¯t try to tell me Jamin¡¯s not the same. Or he should be. Anyone with half a brain knows that Longhorn runs Roarwind single-handed, not the Baron.¡±


    My options were limited. Jamin had never made a blood mage¡ªat least not to my knowledge¡ªand even if he had, I sure as hell wasn¡¯t about to just hand it over to a goon like Rikard. He had torn through the manor house like a storm. It would take a lifetime to rebuild his collections, and I knew for a fact that some of my uncle¡¯s old items were irreplaceable. Rikard had been a plague to the farm for months now, and the easiest thing to do was fire a bolt through his skull and feed his corpse to the incinerator.


    ¡°Jamin left,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of the farm now.¡±


    I stepped closer to him, flaunting the arbalest still aimed at his face. The eyes in his color-drained face flickered past me to the corridor.


    My fingers tightened around the trigger.


    Suddenly, a glowing orb of raw power shot past my head and collided with Rikard¡¯s face. Flecks of bone and charred brains showered my Shield Slammers. Rikard¡¯s truncated corpse collapsed, and the homunculi stumbled forward. Their shields bounced off the thick stone wall.


    I spun around to look for where the magical sphere had come from.


    Alexia lowered her hand and beamed at me. A glistening orb of scarlet energy crackled in her blood-soaked palm. Red tendrils wrapped themselves around the pale skin of her arm and throbbed in a heart-like rhythm. I lowered the crossbow as she laughed out loud in delight.


    ¡°Oh, did I forget to mention?¡± Alexia said. ¡°Your uncle created me as a blood mage elf. Rikard and this Longhorn creature must be looking for me.¡±


    I shook my head as I considered the information. It made sense now. Jamin had done exactly what Longhorn had asked, and the old man had kept me away from the result to ensure that his secret was safe. My uncle had simply been playing for time while he worked on other projects and taught me how to use the Replicator and find ingredients for recipes. The heat from Longhorn and Rikard was too much for my uncle. That¡¯s why he¡¯d left me his companion farm, the incinerator, and his beautiful blood mage.


    I wondered what other secrets he¡¯d kept stashed away on the farm.


    And what other kind of homunculi I could create with the Replicator.


    I was about to find out. I turned back to Rikard¡¯s corpse and the other homunculi.


    ¡°You two,¡± I said, picking Rikard¡¯s sword up off the floor. ¡°Use this. Cut off his fingers.¡± I paused for a moment as I remembered some of the other recipes I¡¯d studied, ones Uncle Jamin thought I¡¯d never seen. ¡°Actually, remove his head, too. Then meet me at the Replicator.¡±

 3: Youre the Blood Mage? (NSFW)

    The Replicator hummed gently as I dusted off the plinths and considered my next move. My uncle¡¯s companion-builder reverted itself into cooldown mode without enough essence to continue production. I was down a Shield Slammer but fate had given me a beautiful blood mage instead. A creak at the door of the shack drew my eyes up. The Slammers shouldered their way past the door and filled the room with the smell of blood.


    Rikard¡¯s half-vaporized head gaped at me as it swung from the second homunculus¡¯ hand. The other homunculus chuckled to itself as it swung the Guard¡¯s two dismembered arms around. Dead fingers slapped against each other in a weird rhythm and a surge of excitement blasted through me. Fresh materials meant that the next homunculus I created would have much better stat points.


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t ask these idiots to cut off fingers with such a big sword,¡± Alexia commented as she closed the door to the shack. ¡°They¡¯re just as likely to slice off their own.¡±


    ¡°Arms work fine,¡± I said and focused my mind. Set down the head and limbs on the bench.


    The Slammers deposited the grisly remains of our battle. I sent them outside to guard the entrance to the shack with a thought. My two soldiers grunted their assent and half-garbled murmurs hummed out of their throats.. The beautiful homunculus sighed in relief as the Slammers took up a defensive position outside and banged the door shut. Her blood-soaked blouse shifted over her rear as she leaned against the harvesting bench. Alexia caught me mid-stare with a laugh.


    ¡°Why did you send them outside?¡± the elf teased. ¡°Did you just want to get me alone?¡±


    ¡°It crossed my mind,¡± I grinned, ¡°but with Rikard gone, we need someone to keep watch. It won¡¯t be long before Longhorn notices that his pet Guard is missing and sends someone to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Does this Longhorn scare you?¡± Alexia asked me. ¡°He seemed to scare Rikard.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Longhorn is dangerous, but no, I¡¯m not scared of him.¡±


    The elf turned around one of the arms and nodded decisively. ¡°Good. Now, why did you have the other homunculi bring the arms and whatever is left of the head here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple enough,¡± I said. ¡°We lost a Shield Slammer to Rikard. And we need to keep our numbers high if we¡¯re going to keep you safe from Longhorn. The only glaring problem is that we can¡¯t use the Replicator until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So why bother harvest Rikard¡¯s flesh if you can¡¯t use any of it?¡±


    I waved a hand at the shelves piled high with pickled fingers, eyes, and other organs half-hidden in grey fluid. ¡°We can, just not yet. If we cut him up, store his fingers, then it gives us plenty of material to work with later.¡± I strolled over to a metal barrel and reached up to get an empty jar. ¡°This fluid keeps the life and vitality of the flesh intact while preparing it for alchemy. It¡¯s one of the cornerstones of creating homunculi.¡±


    Alexia held up her dagger. ¡°So you need his fingers?¡±


    The grey preservative splashed into the jar as I turned the spigot on the barrel. ¡°Yeah. Ten fingers means ten fresh homunculi when we have the resources to create them.¡±


    The elf harvested the fingers from the severed arms of the former Guardsman. She brushed her shoulder against mine innocently as I set down two jars of grey liquid beside her and directed her to place them inside. Alexia took the fingers with smooth, efficient slices of her dagger. I sat back against the bench to watch her work.


    ¡°Are you going to create more of those things outside?¡± she asked. ¡°Or are you going to create new homunculi like me?¡±


    She dropped a thumb and index finger into the preservative as I considered my options. ¡°Jamin only ever taught me how to create homunculi approved by the Crown. Using Rikard as a base ingredient is definitely not kingdom-sanctioned. We usually get our supplies from coroners and surgeons from long-dead corpses. There¡¯s a lot of paperwork involved. The body of a missing guardsman will bring the Companion Commission down on our heads if they found out about it.¡±


    Alexia frowned as she sawed through a bone. ¡°If Jamin created me as a favour to a criminal, then I¡¯m definitely not legal to own. Are you going to turn me in to this Commission?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re far too special to be turned over to someone like Longhorn, and besides, the only person that knows you exist apart from Jamin and I is having his fingers turned into Replicator ingredients.¡±


    The elf gave me a sly glance. ¡°You think I¡¯m special?¡±


    I sealed off the first jar and shot her a flirtatious grin. ¡°You know I do.¡±


    Colour crept into Alexia¡¯s cheeks as she started on the second of Rikard¡¯s arms. I dropped the new jar of fingers onto the shelf and considered my situation again. Longhorn would come after me once he found out that Rikard had vanished. He wanted Alexia bad enough to send one of his paid Garrison Guards after me. My two Shield Slammers weren¡¯t the ideal homunculi. Alexia herself was powerful, and I could cover a lot of angles with my arbalest from hidden positions around the farm. But we needed the advantage of numbers and a wider set of skills. That would be the difference between victory and defeat.


    But time was running out, and my recipes were limited. I couldn¡¯t afford to try and create new ones through experimentation. Jamin had cautioned me against it in the past, and after hearing the fates of over-enthusiastic companion farmers, I wasn¡¯t in any hurry to treat myself to the whims of fate.


    ¡°So if you¡¯re not turning me over to the Commission, or to Longhorn, what are you going to do?¡± the elf asked. ¡°You said you can¡¯t build any more homunculi today, not until the machine cools down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still figuring it out,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will,¡± Alexia giggled. ¡°You certainly seemed to know what you were doing against Rikard. I¡¯ve only ever read about people like you, Caleb. You¡¯re like the dashing captains of armies who knew exactly how to defeat their enemy, even if they were caught by surprise.¡±


    I shrugged as modestly as I could. ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet. And you were the one to put Rikard away, not me, remember?¡±


    Alexia sliced the last thumb from the arm, dropped it into the pickling jar, and cleaned off her dagger with a dirty cloth. ¡°I¡¯m almost as surprised as you are, honestly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re our strongest homunculus,¡± I told her seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    She blushed again and looked away as I sealed off the second jar and sat it next to the others on the shelf. Jamin had spent decades creating this collection, but he¡¯d always made sure to stick to the guidelines of the Commission.


    Well, at least until he¡¯d created a blood mage without telling me.


    ¡°How much do you know about Jamin¡¯s process in creating you?¡± I asked Alexia.


    She hopped up onto the bench and crossed her legs. I had to tear my eyes away from the curve of her hips. Even covered in blood, the elf tore my breath away.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked playfully.


    ¡°More I know about you, your powers, and how you came to be, the better,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m not looking to replace you, Alexia. But more homunculi with similar powers means that we can hold our own against Longhorn. The more options I have, the better we can adapt to an attack when it comes.¡±


    ¡°That seems wise,¡± Alexia nodded.


    ¡°Jamin never told me that I was a blood mage,¡± she said as she busied herself with wiping the blood off her arms. ¡°I knew that I was a created being, and that your uncle made me with your machine. But he left me in the cellar.¡± She caught my eye and smiled. ¡°Before this morning, I¡¯d never even seen the light of the day.¡±


    ¡°So how did you know you could use magic?¡±


    Alexia shrugged. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s instinct. When Rikard sliced your homunculus in half, I was drawn to the blood.¡± She sniffed the cloth in her hand and made a soft sound of appreciation. ¡°Once I tasted it, I remembered a book your uncle left for me in the cellar. It detailed the basic theory of magic. I¡¯ve always been curious about my existence, and wanted to experiment with magic. But it took me a lot of time to find it among all his recipes-¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said as excitement surged through my mind. ¡°Recipes in the cellar?¡±


    ¡°He has shelves of them down there,¡±Alexia confirmed, ¡°but most of them have been burned and blanked out with ink. I believed I asked him about it, and he said they were unsuccessful experiments.¡±


    ¡°Jamin, you sly bastard,¡± I grinned. ¡°Come on, we need to find them.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Alexia asked, sliding off the bench.


    I held the door open for her. ¡°No time like the present. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The Shield Slammers didn¡¯t so much as blink as Alexia followed me back to the manor house. Manic energy rippled through my body as I pulled the keys out from around my neck and unfastened the heavy padlocks that kept the trap doors shut. I heaved them open and descended the stairs in a flash. The midday sun illuminated the darkness.


    I took a few moments to let my eyes adjust. Alexia darted ahead of me to the rows of books beside the racks of wine bottles. Her fingers danced over the dusty tomes as she searched for the books she¡¯d spoken of. I joined her after a minute and she poked me in the ribs with her elbow as I peered over her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re crowding me,¡± she teased. ¡°Further down on the left.¡±


    The elf couldn¡¯t hide a self-satisfied smile as I left the stairs behind me and went deeper into my uncle¡¯s cellar. Alexia had kept her living space clean. Soft perfume mixed with the earthy scent of maturing wine and old parchment. A long shelf of books sat above a row of wine barrels. I narrowed my eyes as I searched the titles.


    The cellar hadn¡¯t just been hiding Alexia.


    Jamin had left his experimental recipes for the Replicator down here, I was sure of it.


    Three volumes stood out to me. Brewing Ingredients, A Culinary Guidebook, and an unmarked tome with a slashed leather cover. I piled them into my arms just as Alexia nudged me from behind with her hip. I hadn¡¯t heard her approach and I fought to keep from dropping my new collection of books.


    ¡°I have a place over by my bed,¡± she purred in my ear, ¡°if you¡¯d care to join me.¡±


    I¡¯d never met a sentient homunculus before. And certainly not one as teasing and sultry as Alexia. My eyes slid over the curve of her hips and calves as I strode after her. It was impossible to just see Alexia as a simple companion to be used and left behind.


    She had her own personality, self-awareness, and desires, just as I did.


    Her ¡®bed¡¯ was simply a large stack of leather tarpaulins and horse blankets tucked behind a pile of barrels. Books were stacked neatly at the edges and the elf¡¯s scent radiated from every corner of it. I left my findings with Alexia and took a minute to find a lantern. A simple spark off a flint with the elf¡¯s dagger, and an orange glow lit up my uncle¡¯s secret cellar. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for anything that resembles a Replicator recipe,¡± I said. ¡°Fingers, weapon effigies, and other ingredients. Even a few alchemy brews would be helpful.¡±


    The elf nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t read these in months, but it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    We got to work.


    Alexia hummed a quiet tune to herself as she pored through the pages of the books. She had this beguiling way of chewing the corners of her lips as she flicked through the pages. Her brow knitted itself into a perfect line of concentration as she pointed to a list of ingredients.


    ¡°An alchemy brew,¡± the elf murmured to me. ¡°In Jamin¡¯s hand. It¡¯s called a ¡®Draught for Unwelcome Guests¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like Jamin,¡± I laughed. ¡°Read out some of the ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Moonlake shadow, creeper bile, gorequinces-¡±


    My eyes widened at that. ¡°Shit, Jamin¡¯s not playing games with that title.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Poison,¡± I explained. ¡°Those are some of the most lethal toxins you can find in the natural world that don¡¯t have any of their own detectable scent or taste.¡± I paused for a moment and laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure glad he had me do most of the cooking once I was old enough. Wouldn¡¯t have wanted to piss him off.¡±


    ¡°Shall I write a copy? I have some spare parchment and a quill here somewhere,¡± Alexia offered.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a gentle touch of her shoulder.


    Her eyes met mine and the gaze lingered and almost turned into something deeper. The elf¡¯s breath tickled my cheek for a moment before I prodded her knee and nodded at the book in her hands. Alexia blushed fiercely and hurriedly fished through her collection of personal items for a pen and spare parchment.


    I was glad the blankets and the shadows kept me half visible. Straining trousers in the middle of research wasn¡¯t exactly something I wanted to try to explain to her just yet.


    I found what I was looking for in the scarred-leather volume. Three-quarters of it was filled with Jamin¡¯s slanted and tidy script. Most of the writing was a reflection on the Replicator and its basic applications, but an attached sheet stood out to me halfway through the tome. I tugged it out and held it up to the lantern to read. Three titles caused me to me fight off a shout of pure exhilaration.


    Pike Piercer


    Yeoman Archer


    Zweihander Mercenary


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Basic military homunculi recipes,¡± I said breathlessly. ¡°Perfect for our purposes.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the Shield Slammers like that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Shield Slammers are usually a distraction for low-level adventurers,¡± I explained. ¡°Jamin made most of his coin from providing cheap labor for farms, a few simple units for local guilds, and the occasional clerk for a merchant. The Commission would have his head if they knew he had a blueprint for homunculi designed for serious combat.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d want his head anyway, just for my existence,¡± Alexia pointed out.


    I shook my head in astonishment. ¡°I knew Jamin liked to keep his dealings quiet, but anyone with access to this could be arrested and executed with barely a question asked.¡±


    The elf shuddered at the thought.


    I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°With these homunculi and a few adjustments to the Replicator, I can create a small garrison right here on the farm. We¡¯d never had to worry about Longhorn coming after us. He¡¯d have to bring his own army to fight mine.¡±


    Her eyes sparkled at my words. ¡°So it¡¯s exactly what you needed.¡±


    ¡°I was looking for something more experimental, but this is enough for now,¡± I grinned. ¡°Jamin¡¯s a paranoid old bastard, and now I¡¯m starting to figure out why.¡±


    I copied down the recipes with a quick hand. Alexia put the other books back in their place and waited for me at the base of the stairs. A question gnawed away behind her eyes as I folded up the two manuscript pages and tucked them into my pocket.


    ¡°Speaking of experimentation, why can¡¯t you just try your own recipes in the Replicator?¡± she asked, as I waved her up the stairs. ¡°You know how the Replicator works. Why do you rely so much on your uncle¡¯s recipes?¡±


    I nodded as I climbed out of the cellar. ¡°It¡¯s a good question. I¡¯ll tell you while we stable Rikard¡¯s horse.¡±


    A brief scan of the gardens told me that the beast had ventured out into the gentle hills south of the manor house. Alexia bounced alongside me, glad to have the sun on her face and the breeze in her hair. I spotted the horse a second later and we strolled towards it at a relaxed pace.


    ¡°So, experimentation with a Replicator,¡± I said. ¡°Recipes are usually given to different farmers for different purposes. Roarwind isn¡¯t a large settlement, really, but there¡¯s still plenty of use for a homunculus on a farm or in a dungeon. So each companion farmer is issued a license by the Commission to regulate what each farmer can make.¡±


    ¡°But Jamin obviously didn¡¯t listen,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He found other recipes and did a little experimentation of his own. He only showed me simple recipes so that I could use the Replicator when he was traveling for business. So my knowledge of the Replicator is limited, and I can¡¯t just go throwing in ingredients. I need to build better homunculi and get acquainted with the machine before I even think about experimenting with it.¡±


    Alexia picked a small white flower from the grass as we approached the horse. It was a mighty beast, worth a lot of coin, and outfitted with the best saddlery that the Garrison had to offer. The horse glanced up at us and tensed. But then Alexia stepped forward with a soft murmur, pressed the small flower to its nose, and it relaxed.


    ¡°Elven instinct again?¡± I chuckled.


    She beamed at the horse. ¡°I suppose so. And what happens if you experiment with the Replicator? What would a hoof do, for instance?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, and that¡¯s the problem. Jamin told me a story about a local companion-farmer in the area who got drunk one night and decided to throw a lizard, a pile of bones, and some local potion he¡¯d never heard of into a Replicator. Poor bastard summoned half a Necrotic Bone Dragon.¡±


    Alexia¡¯s eyes widened as we led Rikard¡¯s horse back to the manor stables. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It broke through the tank, killed him, and then exploded. Took out half an acre of buildings. Apparently the place still smells like a graveyard, fifty years on.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t risk that, so we stick to finding recipes that work for now. There¡¯ll be plenty of time to try subtle changes once I¡¯ve created enough homunculi.¡±


    It took half an hour to unsaddle the horse, rub it down, and stable it properly. There hadn¡¯t been an animal in my uncle¡¯s stables for as long as I could remember. I made a mental note to source some feed and have my homunculi keep Rikard¡¯s old horse well-exercised.


    It¡¯d definitely be useful in the future.


    I reached out with my mind and found the clunky thoughts of the Shield Slammers. It took a moment to send them across a message to guard the main entrance to the manor house, and I realized that my ability to control them was affected by distance.


    ¡°What now?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°We get you some clothes,¡± I answered, ¡°and I¡¯ll clean up while you rest. It¡¯s been a long day for everyone. The Replicator is still cooling down, and an order of essences comes in tomorrow. That, and I need to sit down and think about the best way to fight off a crime baron.¡±


    Gratitude washed through Alexia¡¯s expression. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    I gave Alexia one of the upstairs rooms in the manor. Mercifully, Rikard hadn¡¯t been able to destroy everything in the house and I gave her an old suite. Alexia bounded inside as I pushed the door open. A large four-poster bed took up most of the room. A grey fireplace sat empty and dead opposite the silk-sheeted monster of a bed. A writing desk and wardrobe flanked the walls and created one of the better guest rooms of the farm¡¯s manor house.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Alexia said quietly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all yours,¡± I offered. ¡°If you want it.¡±


    The elf gazed out the window to the garden around the house. ¡°The view¡¯s wondrous.¡±


    A soft breeze sifted through the open glass and toyed with her hair. I¡¯d seen paintings that only just tried to capture how regal an elf could look, and Alexia all of them to shame. I left her to the view, strolled through the broken glass in the halls and found a spare set of clothes in the washing room downstairs. A screaming kettle and a large basin later, and Alexia had herself something to clean up with. I returned to room to find that she¡¯d lit the fire and was huddled naked in front of it.


    ¡°Here.¡± I left the trousers, tunic and boots on her bed and set down the basin and towel beside her. ¡°Get yourself cleaned up.¡±


    She turned and caught hold of my arm. My eyes were instantly drawn to the curve of her breast and gloriously pale skin. Alexia¡¯s eyes shone with mischief as she tried to tug me down to join her, but I twisted out of her grip playfully and stepped back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one to get between a lady and her bath,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°And if I ask you to join me anyway?¡± she giggled.


    I considered the offer very seriously for just a second. But I needed to secure the house, bar the door, and prepare the house for an attack over the night. It wasn¡¯t likely, but it never hurt to be prepared. I shook my head with a smile and squeezed her hand gently. Alexia didn¡¯t let go. She rose to her feet in a single motion and caught hold of my tunic.


    ¡°Join me,¡± the elf murmured. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Alexia-¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m not human?¡± she asked me. ¡°Because your uncle created me?¡±


    Her scent threatened to overwhelm me as I tried to form an answer. ¡°No, of course not. You¡¯re nothing like the Slammers. Hell, you¡¯re more a person that Rikard was.¡±


    ¡°So what is it?¡± Alexia insisted. ¡°I know you find me pleasing. You think I haven¡¯t seen you watching me?¡± Mischief colored her tone. ¡°And I still haven¡¯t thanked you properly for letting me out of the cellar.¡±


    Her lips brushed my cheek and a thrill of pleasure rippled through my body.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel obligated,¡± I managed. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like you owe me anything. I don¡¯t want you thinking that you¡¯re my slave or somehow in my debt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Alexia giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading all kinds of things in Jamin¡¯s books. Tales of men and women and what they do together when they¡¯re alone.¡± Her hand tugged at the ties on my tunic. ¡°And I¡¯ve never had an opportunity to experience anything like it.¡±


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    ny kind of resistance I had vanished after that. My mouth found hers hungrily and Alexia gasped as I pulled her against me. Steaming water soaked my tunic as I tore it over my head. Her soft fingers roamed over my chest and lingered on ridges of muscle. The curve of her mouth intoxicated me. A slight hint of blood melded with her own delicious taste and I couldn¡¯t get enough of her. The room spun around us and Alexia upended the basin as I scooped her up into my arms and carried her toward the bed.


    Every inch of her was smooth, scented with a soft perfume, and just fed my desire for her. It¡¯d been months since I¡¯d taken anyone to bed. The elf moaned and encircled my waist with her warm thighs as I kissed the pointed tip of her ear. Her arms tightened around my neck as she drew me in to kiss her again. I forced myself to slow down a little and to let her enjoy the experience. That sensual, unrestrained moan vibrated through her throat as our tongues danced against each other. It wasn¡¯t long before Alexia tore insistently at my belt. I kissed my way down her neck and to her round, pert chest. Her nipples tightened as I slid my tongue over them and uncinched my belt. Alexia¡¯s fingers curled in my hair as I found the warm centre between her thighs. The elf tensed into a perfect arch as I ran my mouth over her pussy and sent lightning bolts of ecstasy through her body.


    ¡°More,¡± she panted desperately. ¡°Gods above, give me more-¡±


    I slid up through her thighs and caught hold of her round ass. The warm water made her skin slick and welcoming as I took her. The elf writhed as I pushed her deeper into the bed with each stroke. Her fingernails tore at my skin as I kissed her neck, her chest, and anything else I could reach. Alexia¡¯s legs tightened around my waist and she shoved her hips back up into me hungrily. I was already inches away from bursting. But I couldn¡¯t finish, not yet.


    Alexia¡¯s first orgasm crashed through her like a tidal wave. She writhed like a possessed creature and clung to me with every ounce of strength she had as she climaxed. Her voice broke slightly as her moan turned into a primal scream of pleasure. The elf¡¯s eyes widened as I paused and grinned down at her.


    ¡°Your books describe it like that?¡± I laughed.


    ¡°They don¡¯t do it justice,¡± Alexia said breathlessly.


    She caught hold of my manhood and pulled me back to her.


    I kept on the pressure after that. Two orgasms later and I couldn¡¯t hold back the tidal wave any longer. Alexia screamed as I filled her and then slowed to catch my breath. Her eyes fluttered closed as I slipped out of her and found my trousers. I¡¯d barely missed throwing my boots in the fire.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked over my shoulder.


    A soft snore was all I got in response.


    I chuckled to myself as I re-fastened my belt and tied my boots again. Alexia hadn¡¯t spent any time outside the cellar. Her energy reserves weren¡¯t anywhere near as high as they should¡¯ve been. Jamin should¡¯ve probably thought of that, but then, my uncle had always put the farm at the top of his priority list.


    I kissed Alexia¡¯s forehead and wrapped her in the silk sheets.


    Dusk hovered outside as I left my beautiful blood mage behind and went to look for my arbalest. I found it against the wall in the hallway beside Rikard¡¯s corpse and resolved to have the Slammers bring the body to the shack tomorrow. I¡¯d incinerate what was left of the Garrison Guard and hide any sign that the bastard had even come here.


    Longhorn Martyn was one of the most feared people in the community of Roarwind. But he hadn¡¯t scared Jamin, and he didn¡¯t scare me. If my uncle hadn¡¯t delivered Alexia to Longhorn, then the old man had obviously intended for me to find the blood mage. The elf¡¯s power and beauty was second to none. She¡¯d be an invaluable asset to any man, criminal or companion farmer.


    But she¡¯d chosen me. She¡¯d had her opportunities to run.


    My plan hadn¡¯t changed. Alexia had just placed it in sharper focus for me.


    I¡¯d be damned if Longhorn or anyone else had the opportunity to fuck with my farm and the people who lived on it.

 4: Essence Delivery

    ¡°Wagon come. Attack?¡±


    The slow thought of my Shield Slammers woke me from a shallow sleep. I opened my eyes and shook my head to clear it. I¡¯d spent the night dozing on a balcony on the fourth floor that overlooked the entrance to the farm. I scooped up my arbalest and sent a thought to the Shield Slammers. It took a moment for the two homunculi to receive the order and stomp toward the stable. I didn¡¯t want anything on the farm to look out of place when the essence arrived. I stood up, stretched, and gazed down the wide road that stretched out the entrance of my farm. A covered wagon surrounded by an armed contingent of soldiers caught my eye.


    I retreated into the manor.


    The hallway floors were clear of glass. I¡¯d spent some of the night clearing out the debris from Rikard¡¯s attack on my uncle¡¯s old belongings. The Slammers had fed the corpse into the incinerator and left no sign that the man had even been here. The only thing I hadn¡¯t managed to fix was the front door, but I¡¯d get to it after I had the Essence I needed. ¡®Many hands make time for merriment,¡¯ as Jamin had used to say. A few worker homunculi would make it far easier to keep the farm well-maintained, and I resolved to create them once the farm was properly secured.


    Alexia didn¡¯t answer when I softly knocked on her door, so I left her to sleep. I left the arbalest just inside the front door and slipped out into the gardens. The armed escort was still far off in the distance, and the well-maintained gardens kept me safe from prying eyes. I hunkered down behind a hedge of trileaf and kept my eyes on the approaching cart. I couldn¡¯t be sure that this wasn¡¯t a trap. If Longhorn was as dangerous as everyone said, it would be stupid not to take precautions against a sudden surprise attack. The Slammers were still close to hand and I knew I could retreat to the house if the shipment turned out to be a trap.


    The covered wagon drew closer and I took the opportunity to size up the visitors to my farm. Sunlight reflected off their steel helmets and spears. Each of the soldiers wore steel-reinforced leather armor and carried a round shield over their back. Essence was a valuable commodity, and I¡¯d never seen a single shipment without an armed guard. I swept my eyes to the driver. He was a toad-like man with rich clothes and rings that sparkled in the morning light. A woman rode beside the cart on a well-bred horse. It was impossible not to notice the way her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders or the silver circlet around her brow that marked her as a mage.


    I frowned. Magic-users didn¡¯t usually involve themselves with trivial matters like the delivery of Replicator Essence. But it wasn¡¯t unheard of, either. Roarwind¡¯s roads weren¡¯t always the safest places. The Kingdom occasionally sent a magician out to oversee the mining of Essence and its transport. Jamin had always complained about the secrecy of the Essence mines and how closely the Commission guarded the secret of their locations. I shrugged off the thought and gritted my teeth when the merchant shouted to the soldiers.


    ¡°Pick up your feet, you lazy grubs!¡± he snickered. ¡°Not long to go, now!¡±


    The merchant¡¯s name was Kilcoy. He¡¯d been Jamin¡¯s supplier of Essence for years and my uncle often joked of the fact that the fat man would sell his own mother for a seat at a banquet table. The thought reminded me of Rikard and his mercenary tendencies. If Longhorn wanted to catch me unawares, then Kilcoy was the man to send. I could still remember the sting of Kilcoy¡¯s backhand after I¡¯d taken too long unloading one of his shipments. Jamin had told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn¡¯t to lay a hand on the man, despite his insolence.


    ¡°They might all be thieves and robbers,¡± Jamin had said, ¡°but we need them to keep our business alive. Sometimes you need to sacrifice your feelings for a greater end.¡±


    I made my way through the gardens and kept my head down. The best way to approach someone like Kilcoy was to catch him off-guard. Even something as simple as appearing from the garden would put him on the back foot and give me an opportunity to wheedle information out of the man. He had an ego the size of the Baron¡¯s castle, and if he thought that he was dealing with a simple farmhand, I knew he¡¯d be more likely to boast and give me an idea of his intentions. Even if Longhorn hadn¡¯t sent Kilcoy, I was willing to bet that the merchant would tell me about the current state of Roarwind.


    I needed the Essence. It was in my interest to make this collection run as smoothly as possible.


    ¡°Hey, Kilcoy!¡± I called.


    The merchant flinched as I strode out of the cover of the garden to his left. The soldiers raised their spears and levelled them at me. I held up my hands in a placating gesture. The mage beside the merchant stared at me in surprise with a hypnotic blue gaze. Our eyes met and she tilted her head curiously. A tendril of blonde hair slipped free and fell over an eye.


    She brushed it aside and offered me a dry half-smile.


    Everything about the mage oozed effortless sensuality and power. Her high riding boots, rich cloak lined with fur, and the golden etching in her saddle only added to that image. I offered her a subtle smirk in return, and turned my attention to the fat bastard on the cart beside her.


    ¡°You here with Jamin¡¯s Essence shipment?¡± I drawled.


    Kilcoy¡¯s shoulders tightened as he craned his neck over to look at me. ¡°Do I know you?¡±


    ¡°Jamin¡¯s nephew,¡± I replied with a shrug. ¡°You hit me once.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Where is the cunning old snake?¡±


    ¡°Out,¡± I said shortly. ¡°Did you bring the goods or not?¡±


    Kilcoy waved a hand over the covered goods behind him. ¡°Certainly did. Where do you want it?¡±


    I pointed to the shack. ¡°Just outside that.¡±


    ¡°Take it away, boyos,¡± the merchant said.


    The soldiers muttered curses and uncovered the back of the wagon. The gorgeous mage dismounted in a fluid motion. The cloak slipped away from her breast and I took a sharp breath at her low-cut corset of black leather. Her breasts curved impressively out and stretched the ties of her garment to breaking-point. She offered me another half-smile as I approached the wagon and glanced over the cargo. The soldiers lined up and began the process of shifting the sealed crates of Replicator Essence towards the shack. Kilcoy¡¯s ferret-like eyes flitted from me to his cargo and he chuckled to himself.


    ¡°Did Jamin mention how long he¡¯s out on business?¡± the merchant asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me when he¡¯d be back.¡±


    ¡°Shame, I¡¯d have liked to talk to him.¡± Kilcoy shifted in his seat and his eyes came to rest on the shattered remains of the front door. ¡°Was he expecting trouble?¡±


    ¡°We had someone who said he was with Longhorn here yesterday,¡± I explained to him. I made sure to keep my drawl casual and uninterested. ¡°You know anything about that?¡±


    Kilcoy blanched at my words. ¡°You sure he said Longhorn? Longhorn Martyn?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He didn¡¯t find what he was looking for.¡±


    The merchant chewed his wide lip for a moment. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to ask what he wanted? What his name was, why he was here?¡±


    ¡°He knocked me out,¡± I lied easily. ¡°Smashed up half the house and fucked off.¡±


    ¡°Strange.¡± Kilcoy glanced at the mage beside him. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what a Shadow Lord from the Underrealm would want from your uncle, or this farm. There¡¯s nothing here of interest to him, surely?¡±


    ¡°Just a companion farm,¡± I shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the Underrealm? Thought that was a myth or something. Wouldn¡¯t the King make it his business to stamp it out if it existed?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot the King doesn¡¯t know,¡± the merchant said as he tapped his nose. ¡°And I¡¯ll be willing to bet that your dear uncle knows something about the Underrealm and its demons, my boy, if Longhorn sent someone to examine your lovely manor.¡±


    I stared at him and played up the thick incomprehension. ¡°He does?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s plenty of us who know about it,¡± Kilcoy sniggered. ¡°But don¡¯t let it worry you, my boy. Us businessmen keep our secrets to ourselves. Your uncle and I have always had a good working relationship with a lot of little perks. I¡¯m sure Jamin will explain it to you when it¡¯s time.¡±


    I nodded and turned to watch the soldiers unload the Essence. The plot thickened with every word that Kilcoy told me. Everything about the man screamed ¡®suspicious¡¯. The way the merchant looked over the farm appreciatively, the little glances he threw at the mage, and his cunning smirk every time he laid his eyes on me was a dead giveaway. The merchant waved over the mage and they had a rapid conversation in harsh whispers. That was all the proof I needed.


    Kilcoy hadn¡¯t come here with good intentions.


    But neither had I. The discovery of Alexia, Rikard¡¯s attack, and the recipe for military-grade homunculi in my pocket were easy proof of that. I¡¯d have my own small army the moment I could get away from Kilcoy and his band of mercenaries. It was all very illegal, of course, but I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The Commissioners were almost a week¡¯s journey to the south, and there was nothing to worry about in the north except a mountain range and caves full of ravenous monsters. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I had this under control. I just had to keep playing dumb, and not a soul would know about Alexia, the illegal recipes, or the missing Rikard.


    I glanced over my shoulder. The young mage continued to watch me with interest. The slant of her eyebrows and almost-amused smile on her face told me that she knew more than she was letting on. I slid my eyes off her with feigned disinterest just as Kilcoy cleared his throat.


    ¡°Did Jamin talk to you about Longhorn Martyn at all?¡± the merchant asked. ¡°Did he mention a business partnership, or anything like it?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I said. ¡°Why would he join up with a fairytale demon?¡±


    ¡°Well, if Longhorn sent a man here, it would suggest that Jamin owed him something,¡± Kilcoy pointed out. ¡°Old Martyn won¡¯t stop coming until he gets what he wants. Wouldn¡¯t surprise me if Jamin left on a ¡®trip¡¯ for that very reason.¡± The merchant snickered to himself. ¡°Hells, the only way to get out of something like that would be to kill Longhorn himself. I¡¯d say your uncle left you a tall order, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m just a farmhand, Kilcoy. I look after the gardens and the cooking.¡±


    Kilcoy waved airily. ¡°Of course, forgive me. Just thinking out loud.¡±


    I left him behind and joined the soldiers at the shack. Half of the required delivery stood high around the left side of the Replicator building in untidy piles. The door to the shack creaked a little as I bumped it open with my shoulder and closed it behind me. Surprise rippled through me as I saw Alexia¡¯s lithe figure appear from behind the companion machine.


    The elf saw me and pressed a finger to her lips instantly.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I demanded in an undertone. ¡°You can¡¯t be out in the open. Not with Longhorn and gods-knows who else looking for you. I thought you were asleep!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to warn you,¡± she whispered. ¡°I was in the garden, and I heard the corpulent man talk to the one who smells of magic.¡±


    I stared at her. ¡°You can hear whispers all the way from the garden?¡±


    Alexia nodded. ¡°The merchant intends to invite himself to dinner and slit your throat when you least expect it. He¡¯s here to take over the farm.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could say I was surprised,¡± I said darkly. ¡°What did the witch say?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t like it,¡± Alexia said. ¡°Said something about it being ¡®messy¡¯.¡±


    ¡°At least not all of them want to kill me,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Call in the Slammers,¡± Alexia said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you your crossbow, and we can deal with them like we did with Rikard.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s too many. Even with your powers, it¡¯s too much of a risk. I¡¯ll keep playing along with them for now. Kilcoy basically admitted to being in with Longhorn. The bastard thinks that he can just come here and take the farm. I¡¯ll let him believe that.¡±


    ¡°And what about the witch? And the soldiers?¡± Alexia pressed.


    ¡°Mercenaries and criminals,¡± I said dismissively. ¡°They¡¯re here for the coin, nothing else. If you heard right, then they¡¯ll all get a piece of the spoils and they¡¯re just here for a show of power. Hell, the kingdom would probably pay us to put them out of their misery. They¡¯re all just as corrupt as Rikard.¡±


    ¡°So how are you going to deal with them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite them to dinner myself,¡± I said with a fierce smile. ¡°Here, take the recipe for the ¡®Draught for Unwelcome Guests¡¯. I need you to leave the list of ingredients in the kitchen. We¡¯ll get them comfortable and then make them disappear without a trace.¡±


    Alexia took the slip of parchment from my hand with a nod.


    I glanced back at the door. ¡°How did you even get in here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quiet,¡± she winked.


    ¡°You sure as hells weren¡¯t last night,¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Well, aside from that,,¡± Alexia said defensively.


    She kissed me lightly and slipped behind the Replicator again. I plastered the slightly confused look on my face again and left the shack. The soldiers joked with each other as they tossed the crates along the line. A quick count of the crates told me that the Essence delivery was almost complete. The blond mage approached me with a firm stride and gestured at the gardens. She looked as bored as I was pretending to be.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely garden,¡± she told me.


    Her voice was as silky and sweet as honey.


    I shrugged. ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°May I get a closer look?¡± the witch asked me.


    ¡°Go right ahead.¡± I walked past her and closed in on the covered wagon.


    The soldiers unloaded a small cask of beer from the back of the cart, their work complete. They sneered at me as I stared at it for a moment. If I¡¯d had some more time to plan and a way to anticipate their movements, it would have been child¡¯s play to poison them and eliminate Kilcoy¡¯s muscle. I shrugged off the thought and waved them towards the shade of the gardens. The loose knot of soldiers marched past and swapped stories. One of them paused in front of me and stared straight into my eyes.


    I kept my gaze as dull and bored as possible.


    ¡°You got any of those whore-munculi?¡± the soldier asked.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t gotten any made,¡± I told him. ¡°Don¡¯t have the licence.¡±


    ¡°Leave the sheep-fucker alone,¡± another soldier told the first.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know his ass from his elbow,¡± a third cackled.


    Kilcoy¡¯s hired muscle left me alone and retreated to a long bench near the garden. Each of them had mediocre gear at best, but it was functional. I could turn their collective fingers into a hundred and twenty Shield Slammers with enough Essence. A wall of dumb muscle that would discourage even the most aggressive mercenaries from invading my farm.


    But that came later. First, I needed to deal with Kilcoy.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss payment,¡± the merchant called to me. ¡°I think I¡¯m owed another fee.¡±


    I glared at him. ¡°You¡¯ve already been paid in full.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but--¡± Kilcoy froze mid-sentence.


    Black veins appeared under his skin and jutted out from his face. The merchant¡¯s weak blue eyes rolled back into his head until only the white showed. Every ounce of blubber on the man¡¯s body began to shake. I stared at him in astonishment and considered calling out the Slammers. What the hell was going on?


    ¡°Kilcoy?¡± I tried carefully.


    ¡°Jamin.¡± An otherworldly voice grated through Kilcoy¡¯s vocal cords.


    ¡°Jamin¡¯s not here,¡± I said carefully. ¡°You¡¯re not Kilcoy, are you?¡±


    The voice barked a gravelly laugh. ¡°You¡¯re perceptive. Who are you?¡±


    I dropped the farmhand half-wit act in the blink of an eye. ¡°I¡¯m the new owner of the farm.¡±


    ¡°So Jamin¡¯s left, then.¡± Kilcoy¡¯s body shuddered violently and blood spurted from the merchant¡¯s ears. ¡°I am Longhorn Martyn, and I want what is owed to me. A single, sentient blood mage.¡±


    I tried not to shudder at the voice. Kilcoy hadn¡¯t been joking. Longhorn was some kind of demon, and he¡¯d obviously found a way to possess my uncle¡¯s Essence supplier. I kept my tone clear and confident. Even with this sudden change, I had a plan. I needed to meet with Longhorn and find a way to eliminate him as a threat to the farm.


    ¡°I have the homunculus you requested,¡± I answered. ¡°But sending Rikard was a mistake. He wouldn¡¯t listen to reason and started damaging valuable property.¡±


    The voice of Longhorn snorted. ¡°Rikard¡¯s a fool. Where is he?¡±


    I didn¡¯t see a point in lying. ¡°I incinerated him after he threatened to kill me. You¡¯re a businessman, Longhorn, and so am I. This needs to be handled properly.¡±


    Kilcoy¡¯s body trembled again and black sludge leaked through his lips. Longhorn laughed through his human vessel. ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it the same way, boy.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll set up a meet and I¡¯ll bring you the blood mage. Personally.¡± I paused. ¡°I don¡¯t trust your people to do it properly, not after Rikard. Do you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done me a favour, disposing of that blundering half-wit,¡± Longhorn said. ¡°So I¡¯ll allow you your terms. We will meet in person. You will bring me the blood mage. And my business with Jamin will be complete. Do we have an agreement?¡±


    Relief washed over me. ¡°We do.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll have my people contact me when they see you in Roarwind.¡± Kilcoy¡¯s voice gurgled as blood cascaded out of the merchant¡¯s nose. ¡°Ride Rikard¡¯s horse. They¡¯ll know how to see you, and you¡¯ll be given instructions on how we proceed.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°You put old Jamin to shame with your steel, boy,¡± the voice of Longhorn rasped. ¡°I¡¯m impressed. Don¡¯t make me wait. I am not a patient creature by nature.¡±


    Thoughts swirled through my head. I had a meeting with Longhorn, but he was setting up the specifics and the location. I didn¡¯t expect the Shadow Lord to honor his terms. If it was that easy, then my uncle would¡¯ve stayed on the farm. Jamin had left me in a world of shit by giving away the farm, but he knew that I was up the challenge.


    Kilcoy¡¯s body lurched and I dodged a gout of vomit, blood, and a black fluid I didn¡¯t recognize. The flaccid flesh of the merchant wobbled around his skeleton in crazy ripples. It was obvious that Longhorn didn¡¯t like loose ends.


    Good. Neither did I.


    I had no idea how to kill a Shadow Lord, but I¡¯d find a way.


    Kilcoy pitched off the head of the wagon. The draught horses shied away from him as the body of the merchant hit the ground. The black veins receded, but it was clear that whatever Longhorn had done to the bastard had killed him. I stared at the corpse for a long moment and battled fear and excitement as they flooded through my bloodstream.


    Ten more fingers to add to my collection.


    But I couldn¡¯t take them just yet. I had other priorities.


    The soldiers behind me were too busy with their merriment. I could see the witch on the other side of the manor¡¯s gardens. She examined a row of elderblyn flowers with an appreciative eye. My eyes jumped to the huge stack of Essence still left in the cart behind Kilcoy¡¯s corpse.


    I had enough fuel for the Replicator for a small army of homunculi.


    Kilcoy had met his end and I hadn¡¯t even needed to lay a hand on him.


    And I had a meeting with Longhorn.


    Now all I needed to do was find a way to deal with the soldiers and the mysterious blonde mage. Thirteen armed and dangerous individuals who were all prepared to kill me just to get their hands on the farm or my Replicator.


    It was time for a new plan.

 5: Zweihandher Swordsman

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± a soldier roared from the gardens.


    I turned as the twelve soldiers snatched up their spears. Their tankards clattered to the ground, and they sprinted toward the cart. My half-witted farmhand expression appeared on my face again as I backpedalled away from Kilcoy¡¯s corpse with feigned shock. I held up my hands and shied away as the soldiers surrounded me. Four leveled their spears at my chest while the others clustered around the dead merchant. Fury blazed in their eyes, and I eyed the spears nervously.


    I needed to do some quick talking to get out of this situation. Playing stupid and offering the soldiers a carrot on a stick would be my best option.


    ¡°We need a physician.¡± I gasped again, only just refraining from bringing my hand up to my mouth¡ªI shouldn¡¯t overdo it, but I was kind of having fun fooling these drunkards. ¡°He just collapsed. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± a soldier said as he jabbed my ribs with the butt of his spear. ¡°What the fuck did you do to him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened! We were just talking, and he collapsed!¡±


    A bearded soldier bent over Kilcoy and shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s dead. Looks like something cut him up from the inside.¡± The man straightened up and glared at me. ¡°What sorcery is this, sheep-fucker?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have magic. I¡¯m just a worker here. Please, don¡¯t hurt me!¡± I raised my hands and entwined my fingers in a begging gesture. It made my stomach curdle to act like this, but a little theatrics would mean saving my head for the moment. After, I¡¯d deal with every last one of them. I just needed time to formulate a plan.


    ¡°We should kill him,¡± a man to my left growled. ¡°The Baron will have our heads for this if we don¡¯t have a scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m innocent,¡± I said. ¡°Please, there has to be something we can arrange.¡±


    The bearded man stalked closer to me. ¡°What could you possibly give us?¡±


    ¡°Food, lodging, anything you want.¡±


    The soldiers surrounding me glanced at each other with a glint in their eye.


    The mage¡¯s voice cut across them as she joined us. ¡°This is the work of a powerful mage, Brigmann,¡± she said to the bearded soldier. ¡°Look at the boy. He doesn¡¯t have the skill or the wit for this.¡±


    My eyes flitted over to her.


    She ignored me and stretched her arms. ¡°And I¡¯m tired, besides. Why don¡¯t we take up the young fool on his offer? Surely you and your men could use a place to rest your heads tonight, somewhere comfortable?¡±


    Kilcoy¡¯s soldiers murmured among themselves, and then Brigmann waved his men away from me. They lowered their spears as their new leader closed in. I averted my eyes and tensed as the mercenary pulled his gloved fist back. I moved with the punch so it barely connected with my jaw, and I let my legs slide out from under me. I even managed to make my snickers sound like whimpering behind my hand.


    ¡°You¡¯ll make us the best damn food you have here,¡± Brigmann growled.


    I nodded. ¡°Of course. I can even try to make the whores, if you¡¯d like that, to help you relax.¡±


    The soldiers guffawed and slapped each other on the shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± Brigmann said. ¡°Get to cooking, sheep-fucker. The food, and the whores. The lads are hungry.¡±


    The soldiers retreated from the cart and shot disgusted looks at the merchant¡¯s corpse as they strode away. I got to my feet slowly and watched them make their way back to their barrel of beer.


    My mind raced as I considered my options. Alexia had left the recipe for the Draught for Unwelcome Guests in the kitchen. I had all the Essence I needed to make new homunculi. The soldiers believed they were in charge, and if I could keep them thinking that, I would maintain the real advantage. Brigmann had the advantage of weapons and numbers. But he was definitely lacking in the brains department. The mage regarded me impassively for a moment before she turned on her heeled boot toward the manor.


    Kilcoy¡¯s mage friend was my greatest threat. She knew more than she was letting on.


    But I¡¯d deal with her when I came to it. I had my own mage, and I¡¯d seen the power Alexia possessed. If it came down to a straight fight, I liked my chances. I quickly made my way toward the front door of the manor. A soldier hocked a loogie at me as I passed, and I ducked my head to avoid it.


    I had a dinner party to prepare.


    My culinary skills were as sharp as they¡¯d ever been. It took me a few hours to conjure up the best meal they¡¯d probably had in years. It didn¡¯t take long for my unwelcome guests to find Jamin¡¯s wine stores. As the afternoon stretched on, the sound of singing, drunken merriment, and the occasional fight echoed through the house.


    I was glad that Alexia had decided to hide out in the shack. I didn¡¯t want any of these drunken, rapacious lunatics anywhere near her.


    The Draught for Uninvited Guests was a simple potion to brew. All the ingredients grew out in the manor gardens, and the soldiers didn¡¯t notice my trips outside to gather the required fruits and herbs. The only person who might have realized my plan was the witch, but I¡¯d told her she could have a room alone upstairs. She¡¯d seemed pleased to get away from the soldiers, and having her elsewhere meant my scheme was less likely to be discovered.


    I glanced out the window. Dusk had crept in over the sky.


    My pot of the draught flared as I dropped the gorequinces into it. The brew was odorless, and the recipe said it would be both tasteless and barely detectable to even an experienced alchemist. But I couldn¡¯t bet on the poison alone. It was a fast-acting neurotoxin that induced rapid paralysis quickly followed by death. If the soldiers didn¡¯t all start eating at the same time, they¡¯d realize I¡¯d poisoned their fellows, and they¡¯d likely try to kill me.


    But they wanted their whores. And that gave me an opportunity to work with the Replicator unattended. By the time all of Kilcoy¡¯s mercenaries had sat down to eat, I¡¯d have a new and improved homunculus waiting to clear the table of any survivors.


    ¡°Sheep-fucker!¡± Brigmann snarled.


    I glanced up and saw him at the entrance to the kitchen. Wine stained the front of his leather jerkin, and his eyes were slightly unfocused as he glared at me.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The lady upstairs wants to see you,¡± the soldier belched. ¡°Lay a finger on her and I¡¯ll jam my spear so far up your ass that you¡¯ll be tasting your own intestines.¡±


    I offered him a bow and hid my gritted teeth. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The leader of the mercenaries stumbled away to find his friends, and I covered the pot of poison before I left the kitchen. I didn¡¯t want to spoil my plan before it came to fruition. The dining hall was a mess of wine bottles and goblets, and stank of piss and bad breath. The soldiers jeered at me as I strolled past and started up the stairs. I hated them. All of them. Each of these bastards was just the same as Rikard and Kilcoy. Mercenaries went where they wanted and took what they felt they were owed¡ªbetter said, they took whatever they could grab.


    But each one of them would have their comeuppance.


    I paused outside the door to the witch¡¯s room. She wasn¡¯t like the others. Hells, the woman had even covered for me and allowed for the opportunity to set up this dinner party. Part of me wondered if she could read my mind, or see the future¡ªor both.


    I knocked twice on a closed suite door and waited.


    ¡°Come on in, farmhand,¡± a sultry voice said.


    I shouldered the door open and found that Kilcoy¡¯s mage friend had settled in rather quickly. Her wardrobe was scattered over the large double bed. Her boots sat beside me by the door, and her cloak hung from a coat hook above them. But once my eyes landed on the woman herself, I stopped inspecting the room. Her cloak, hood, and circlet had vanished. She stood in a small bath on the far end of the room by the window. Her blonde curls tumbled down her shoulders, and piercing blue eyes narrowed in on me as I leaned against the doorframe.


    The mage was naked from the waist down. Smooth legs and pale skin drew my attention to the gap between her thighs. A blond fuzz, neatly trimmed, guarded the way to her entrance. Her fingers tugged idly at the laces of her corset as she watched me with an expressionless gaze. Goosebumps dotted her bare flesh, and her lips were a faint shade of blue.


    ¡°Yes, m¡¯lady?¡± I asked her.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°I require coals. I¡¯m cold.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡±


    Her eyes softened and she offered me a sensuous smile. She finished unlacing her low-cut corset and let the minimal item of clothing slide off her, keeping it from falling to the ground with two fingers. Generous breasts slipped free of the leather, bouncing into the space they were suddenly granted. My eyes were drawn to her firm nipples¡ªsomething told me they were so tightly defined and rigid for more reasons than just the cold. The round, firm expanse of her breasts emphasized the amazing slimness of her waist. She didn¡¯t seem to need a corset to accentuate her body¡ªif anything, her breasts showed themselves even perter and fresher now, her outline a platonic hourglass.


    The witch flung the corset onto the bed and sat down. She beckoned me closer with a single finger, but I stayed where I was. This was a power play, a delicious peach placed onto a bear trap. And not even a subtle one. Although I sure wanted to bite.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find a basin in the washroom,¡± I told her as I tried to fight off a grin at her brazenness. ¡°There¡¯s an oven. A few minutes and you should have the coals you need.¡±


    She frowned at me and pouted.


    ¡°I have to finish cooking,¡± I said apologetically.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, farmhand?¡±


    The witch settled down on the rim of the bath and crossed her legs with unspeakable elegance. She leaned on her knees and gave me a perfect view of her breasts as they rose and fell with her breathing. She looked up at me with that look that all men know and no man can resist.


    ¡°Caleb. Yours?¡±


    ¡°Selene. How far off is dinner?¡±


    ¡°Another half hour or so. I¡¯m sorry, but I really must go.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow and offered me that trouser-tightening smile again. ¡°Really?¡±


    I backed out of the room, closed the door behind me, and chuckled to myself as I went downstairs to the kitchen. My last day had involved more naked women in Jamin¡¯s chambers than my uncle could have ever dreamed of. But I couldn¡¯t let myself get distracted. The beautiful mage was simply trying to pull my attention away from the task at hand. She knew something was wrong, and that death was in the air. In any other context, I wouldn¡¯t have had to think for a second to bring the coals up for her myself and join her for the bath.


    Selene wasn¡¯t like the others. She was a Kingdom-sanctioned mage, and a very serious obstacle in my otherwise simple plan. I didn¡¯t want to kill her. The witch hadn¡¯t broken anything, treated me unfairly, or otherwise made a nuisance of herself. In part, I had her to thank for this opportunity to end up on top.


    I decided to spare her life if the opportunity presented itself. But if she turned out to simply be another agent of Longhorn Martyn, I¡¯d kill her with the rest. I couldn¡¯t put my farm or Alexia at risk, even if it meant taking the life of such a powerful woman.


    About ten minutes later, while I was busy in the kitchen, another soldier came in. I gritted my teeth as I stirred the large pot of beef stew and met his eyes. This soldier was drunk, but not drunk enough. Danger glimmered in his eyes as he stalked forward and shoved me back against the bench.


    ¡°Where are our whores?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and see to them now,¡± I said. ¡°But you¡¯ll need to leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t work when people are watching. Also, homunculi need a few minutes before they¡¯re fully developed,¡± I told him honestly.¡± You wouldn¡¯t want a limbless whore, would you, no matter how pretty her face is. Now, how many do you need?¡±


    ¡°One each. And they¡¯d better be nice to look at.¡±


    ¡°Tell the others that I¡¯ll return soon. With your women, as promised.¡±


    He grinned triumphantly and returned to the dining room. I took the opportunity to remove the draught from the stove and cool it. It was almost ready. A pile of fire-roasted potatoes sat on a large dish, and I had prepared all the trays and plates, cups and cutlery.


    I left the kitchen behind and strolled out the garden as casually as I could. Soft moonlight tickled the leaves of dancing branches. I picked up one of the brand-new crates of Essence and entered the Shack.


    I lit a lantern at the workbench, set down the Replicator fuel, and kicked the door shut behind me. A hand touched my shoulder, and I snatched a cleaver from the wall as I whirled around to confront whoever it was. Alexia caught my arm. I knew it could have been her, but I had to be prepared to defend myself right away if it hadn¡¯t been. She touched a finger to my lips and smiled warmly as I placed the cleaver back to its wall mount.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me,¡± the elf whispered.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a little paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. They¡¯re repulsive creatures, these mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be even more repulsive when I¡¯m done with them.¡±


    ¡°What are you making first?¡± Alexia asked excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to stall for time and say that the Replicator is warming up. I¡¯ll build the best homunculus I can for a close-quarters battle and then feed them the poison. The Slammers will lead and pin them down, and a Zweihander homunculus will finish the job.¡±


    ¡°And the mage?¡±


    ¡°You can take her if she decides to join the fight. There¡¯ll be plenty of blood to go around for everyone. But I don¡¯t want to kill her if I don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Is it because she¡¯s beautiful?¡± Alexia asked innocently.


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. She¡¯s powerful and dangerous, and it¡¯s a lot harder to just make her disappear. Rikard, Kilcoy, these soldiers? They¡¯re nothing more than fodder for the Baron. But the Kingdom will notice if one of their mages goes missing.¡±


    Jamin¡¯s military-grade recipes were still in my pocket. I pulled out the hastily copied page and read the required ingredients for the Zweihander Swordsman. It required the arm of a ¡°fierce warrior,¡± a proper steel sword, and a thimble of the strongest firewine I had on hand. The ingredients would create a well-rounded attack unit. The arm for the body, the sword for the mind, and the firewine for the soul.


    I found the remains of Rikard¡¯s arm on a shelf above the workbench beside his huge sword. I¡¯d preserved everything I could in jars of preservation fluid.


    I replaced the empty Essence cartridge into the back of the Replicator. The machine came to life with a whirring hum. Blue light flashed through the shack as I placed the required ingredients onto the plinth and yanked down the lever. Steam hissed from the Replicator as the fresh ether bled through the valves and consumed the new items.


    A skeleton appeared in the central chamber a moment later. Organs spiralled out from its ribs, muscles sprouted, and skin curled around to create a brand-new homunculus. The machine spat out a piece of parchment, and I briefly examined the stats of my newest creation.


    Garmont Companion Farm has created a Zweihandher Swordsman (Human)!


    Attack Power: 10


    Toughness: 3


    Accuracy: 5


    Vitality: 3


    Intelligence: 5


    Skills: Cleaving Blow


    ¡°It looks like Rikard,¡± Alexia whispered.


    The homunculus thudded his fist against the Replicator¡¯s glass casing. He was built with lean muscle and possessed the same cruel features as Rikard. I reached out and touched the thoughts of the Swordsman. His mind flickered with knowledge of swordcraft and a streak of dirty, close-quarters fighting that I¡¯d never learned properly myself. The homunculus stilled at the touch of my mind, and I directed him to sit down.


    I turned to Alexia, and she suddenly leaned in to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°The witch is outside the house and coming this way,¡± she breathed.


    My heart pounded in my chest, and I had to force myself to breathe slowly. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. I need you to wait here until the Swordsman knocks three times on the Replicator door. Then you let it out, get my crossbow from behind the front door, and bring it to the kitchen. Oh, and don¡¯t be seen. Alright?¡±


    Alexia nodded, and a surge of pride joined my rush of fresh energy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get them comfortable and call on you if I need you,¡± I said. ¡°Here.¡±


    I pulled my large key ring from around my neck and handed it to her. ¡°Find the biggest sword you can in the armory and give it to the Swordsman when you bring him in. He¡¯ll follow you along with the Slammers. Be ready for a fight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± she murmured, and kissed my cheek.


    I grinned proudly as the blood mage took the keys from my hand. She had only been out of the cellar for the better part of two days and already she was proving to be worth her weight in gold. I picked up the lantern and admired her figure as she crept noiselessly into the deep shadows of the shack. I turned to the door, took a deep breath, and then assumed the persona of a clueless farmer as I went outside to meet Selene.


    She halted when I closed the door behind me. She glanced toward the blue light of the Replicator as it flickered through the cracks in the shack¡¯s dilapidated walls. I didn¡¯t flinch, but gave her an appreciative once-over. She raised an eyebrow. Her tousled hair was still wet from her bath, and even from five yards away I could smell her delicate perfume.


    ¡°How are the whores?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s been a problem with the Replicator. It¡¯s not working as intended. Something to do with the illegal recipe. I¡¯ll take a closer look at it after I serve dinner.¡±


    ¡°Brigmann and the others won¡¯t be pleased.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, any disappointment they might have will vanish once they taste my stew.¡±


    Selene smiled. ¡°Kilcoy never let me forget that Jamin was his best customer¡ªas well as being one of the shadiest. You said he was traveling abroad?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°He said something about a pilgrimage to the mountains. I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll return, but it shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡±


    The mage laughed. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the mellow, honeyed tone.


    ¡°Is he looking for the Immortal Elixir of legend?¡± Selene asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that, but knowing the old snake, he probably is. He always complained about getting older. Something about not being able to satisfy a lady.¡±


    ¡°Did he now?¡± Selene joined me as I started back to the manor. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought all the men of your stock were exceptionally virile. Or is that just you?¡±


    Her blatant flirtation sent blood rushing to my head. Images of her standing naked in the bath overpowered my mind, and I had to remind myself that I still didn¡¯t know what she wanted. All of this could be a trap. That said, that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t hold on to those beautiful images for my personal enjoyment.


    ¡°Just me, I suppose. Will you be joining us for dinner?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I¡¯m rather tired from the journey.¡±


    ¡°Could you explain the situation with the homunculi to the soldiers? Get them ready for dinner and assure them they¡¯ll be better off waiting until afterward?¡±


    Selene gave me a long look and eventually nodded. ¡°I can.¡±

 6: Dinner Guests

    I avoided the hostile gazes of Kilcoy¡¯s mercenaries as I returned to the kitchen. I laid out twelve bowls and arranged the cutlery on metal trays. Selene¡¯s voice cut through the ruckus in the dining hall, and the scrape of chairs and clink of tankards told me that the mage had settled down her fellows to eat.


    I cast my mind out to the Swordsman. Knock three times on the glass, follow the elf into the kitchen, and position yourself by the stove. Keep quiet.


    Then I sent a mental probe to the Slammers hidden in the stable. Move quietly to the back door of the kitchen and wait for the elf to open the door. Stay silent and hide in the pantry.


    My Draught for Unwelcome Guests bubbled viciously as I scooped up the pot and poured it into the stew. I needed to eliminate the threat posed by the mercenaries as rapidly as possible. My homunculi were the contingency, and I had a gut feeling that I would need them to finish the job. I poured the last of the poison into the stew, swirled the savory broth to dilute it, and doled out twelve servings.


    I still didn¡¯t know what Selene¡¯s game was, but my four homunculi and a blood mage could handle her if she turned out to be hostile.


    Jeering voices greeted me as I stepped into the dining room with the first six servings of stew. My uncle¡¯s long banquet table spanned out across the center. Carved mahogany chairs flanked the sides of the table, and I realized with a flash of anger that the soldiers had broken five to start the fire at the other end of the room. I wrinkled my nose at the stench of spilled beer, wine-laced breath, and old sweat. The mercenaries¡¯ weapons sat beside them at the table.


    They were still prepared for a fight, even at this level of inebriation.


    ¡°Where are the whores?¡± a man demanded.


    I fed them an improvized story about a fault in the Replicator as I handed out their food.


    ¡°It¡¯s a difficult process,¡± I said. ¡° I¡¯m not used to making them. I¡¯ll get right to it after you¡¯ve all eaten.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± snarled another. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting far too long for a good fuck. Roarwind¡¯s women are expensive, and most of them are disease-ridden bitches.¡±


    The others roared their assent. Selene stood beside the fire and quirked an eyebrow at me. Brigmann drove a backward elbow into my gut as I served the man to his left, and a flash of pain knifed through my ribs. I gritted my teeth and turned quickly back to the kitchen.


    Spoons clinked against the bowls behind me, and I doubled my pace.


    The greedy pigs were already eating. I wouldn¡¯t have time to poison all of them because the impatient ones would be halfway through their bowls before the last ones had eaten a single spoonful.


    It was time for the second stage of my plan.


    Alexia appeared through the back entrance of the kitchen just as I dropped the empty tray on the bench beside the stove. She unslung a quiver of bolts and my loaded arbalest from her slender shoulders. I took them from her as alarmed howls exploded from the dining room, followed by the sound of heads crashing into a solid table.


    ¡°We need to move quickly,¡± I said as I wrenched the pantry open.


    The Swordsman barrelled out of it at my command. The Slammers stomped out behind him and hefted their shields.


    I inhaled to calm my nerves. Alexia ghosted to my side. Her beautiful face was set with a dangerous calm as she glanced an unanswered question at me.


    ¡°Find that little ratfuck and bring me his fucking balls!¡± Brigmann shouted from inside the dining room.


    I lifted my crossbow to my cheek, angled around a little, and then sent my order out to the homunculi with both my voice and my mind.


    The Shield Slammers sprinted into the dining room. Kilcoy¡¯s hired muscle scrambled to bring their spears to bear as my homunculi crashed into them like runaway colts.


    My arbalest jerked in my hands, and a bolt punctured a soldier¡¯s eye socket. His legs vanished from under him, and his skull bounced woodenly off the table as he went down. Six of my uninvited guests had been felled by my poison, their bloated faces resting on the table.


    My Slammers collided with two mercenaries and forced them back while the Swordsman lunged after them with a sadistic grin.


    I reloaded without looking at my crossbow.


    The Swordsman impaled an unfortunate mercenary with a single thrust. The other mercenary¡¯s head exploded when my Slammer¡¯s struck him from both sides with their shields. A Slammer drove the edge of his shield into a soldier as the mercenary tried to scramble onto the table. I slid a bolt into my crossbow, lifted it, and pulled the trigger. The third of Kilcoy¡¯s surviving guards took the bolt in the neck in a spray of scarlet.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I heard a harsh crackle and ducked back into the kitchen. Hazy energy whipped past my face and washed against the entrance to the dining room. Gray confusion clouded my mind for a split second, and the kitchen spun around me. I found my bearings and shook off the spell.


    Selene had joined the fight, and it wasn¡¯t on our side.


    I swore as I slid my foot through the arbalet¡¯s stirrup. Alexia raced past me and leapt onto the table like a dancer. The elf dragged her fingers through a widening pool of blood and and charged it with magic. I rammed a new bolt into the crossbow just as the blood mage sent a fist-sized orb of pure power at Selene, whose eyes opened wide before she dived to the left. Alexia¡¯s orb of energy exploded against the fireplace in a cloud of burning cinders.


    My Swordsman shouldered past a Slammer to behead a retreating mercenary. Brigmann lunged forward with a snarl. The Swordsman turned aside the man¡¯s spear with a contemptuous flick of his wrist. Brigmann scooped up a bowl of poisoned stew and hurled it at the Swordsman, but my new killing machine was too fast. He shimmied to the side, planted a foot on a Slammer¡¯s tower-shield, and vaulted himself into the air.


    White light flared from his sword as he activated his special ability. Brigmann raised his spear to deflect the blow, but the Swordsman¡¯s blade sheared through it like straw and kept going. Brigmann opened his mouth to scream when the Cleaving Blow ripped through his skull as if it were butter and continued slicing downward. The leader of the spearmen fell apart into two halves, and his intestines splattered onto the floor in a tangled mess.


    A rippling haze filled the air as Selene countered Alexia¡¯s explosive orbs with what her disruptive magic. The blond mage grinned as she wove energy into the air to ward off the elf¡¯s projectiles. She seemed to barely notice all the mercenaries dying around her. She danced around Alexia, and it suddenly became clear that my own mage was outmatched.


    The mercenaries were down, and Selene was as powerful as I¡¯d anticipated. But she wasn¡¯t making any move to hurt Alexia or kill my other homunculi, which meant that all of this was a game to her.


    I wasn¡¯t about to let her kill my homunculi. But I didn¡¯t want her dead, either.


    I backed out of the dining hall and sprinted through the kitchen. I rounded a corner in the hallway and moved through the dining hall¡¯s other entrance. Selene went dead still as I lifted my crossbow and aimed it at her.


    ¡°Alexia, stop,¡± I ordered.


    The blood mage lowered her hand at my words. Blood dripped from her fingers as she stepped backward and almost tripped over a soldier¡¯s corpse. The Slammers flanked Selene, and my Swordsman climbed onto the table to level his sword at her throat.


    ¡°No need for such a show of power,¡± she purred. ¡°I surrender.¡±


    I didn¡¯t let my crossbow waver. ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as the surrendering type.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am. It just depends on the circumstance. I¡¯m not here to hurt you. Any of you,¡± the mage said as she smiled at Alexia. ¡°I wanted to see what you were all capable of. Why do you think I intervened when they wanted to kill you on the spot?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I answered, ¡°but since Jamin left, anyone who has set foot on this farm has either wanted to kill me, or wanted to take my homunculi. So forgive me if I¡¯m a little twitchy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgiven.¡± Selene laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t work for Longhorn, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. I hate the creature and any who follow him.¡± Venom colored her tone when she said the Shadow Lord¡¯s name. ¡°You want him stopped because he wants to kidnap your elvish friend here. I want him dead for other reasons. We could work together.¡±


    I considered the thought for a long moment. ¡°You knew I was planning this.¡± I gestured at the poisoned stew and the corpses.


    Selene nudged what remained of Brigmann with her foot. ¡°I sensed it. I didn¡¯t think it would be something quite so effective, but then, auras are notoriously difficult to read.¡±


    Alexia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You see auras? People¡¯s potential, you can see it with your eyes?¡±


    Selene nodded. ¡°You¡¯re colored with innocence, great power, and love.¡± She turned to look at me, and her smile took on a sensual edge. ¡°And you, Caleb, radiate wealth, cunning, and violence. It¡¯s really rather distracting.¡±


    I lowered my crossbow and thought hard. ¡°If you hate Longhorn so much, why did you come here with Kilcoy? Why were you willing to let these men die at my hands?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I was following Kilcoy to get closer to his inner circle and get an audience with Roarwind¡¯s Shadow Lord. As for these idiots, they were inconsequential. I¡¯m willing to work with whoever it takes to bring Longhorn Martyn down and kick his screaming ass back to the Hells, where it belongs. And if I can profit from it, so much the better.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a mercenary?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t get this far by being a Kingdom-approved mage,¡± Selene replied. ¡°Martyn used a demonic pact to possess Kilcoy and speak to you. Kilcoy obviously didn¡¯t read the fine print.¡±


    ¡°A mercenary mage with demonic expertise who can read auras,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re certainly not the kind of person I expected to have turn up here.¡±


    Stand down, I told my homunculi, and guard the front door.


    The Swordsman and the two Slammers turned and left the room. Selene watched them leave and gestured for Alexia and me to join her. I pushed a corpse off the chair and offered it to the blood mage. Alexia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Selene as she sat down. A mixture of fascination and excitement shone through the elf¡¯s eyes as she gazed at the mage.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not what I expected to find on Jamin¡¯s farm,¡± Selene said. ¡°Illegal homunculi, a very potent piece of alchemy, and a crack shot besides. Half of Roarwind would be shaking in their shoes if they knew what you were capable of. You¡¯re a man who¡¯s going places, Caleb. And I intend to follow you there, wherever it may be¡ªif you¡¯ll have me.¡±


    I held out my hand. ¡°You¡¯ll help me take down Longhorn?¡±


    Selene¡¯s sensual smirk crossed her features again. ¡°Oh, Master Caleb, nothing would make me happier.¡±

 7: New Companions

    <h1 style="text-align: justify"></h1>


    Selene shook the offered hand and laughed when Alexia gasped.


    ¡°If you can help me,¡± I said, ¡°then I¡¯m definitely interested in working with you. But what exactly do you have to offer?¡±


    Selene nodded and leaned back in her chair. ¡°Before the King employed me, I was a traveling warlock. The kind that removes curses, performs exorcisms, and brokers the occasional deal between the creatures of the Hells and mortals.¡±


    ¡°Longhorn Martyn is a demon?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Well, not quite. He¡¯s a Shadowborn. A demon in mortal flesh. They¡¯re powerful creatures with access to the Infernal schools of magic and a rather hardy physical constitution.¡± Selene glanced at one of the corpses slumped on the table. ¡°But they¡¯re still vulnerable to the maladies of the flesh.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be as easy as poison in his food,¡± I mused. ¡°Longhorn has too many enemies that have doubtless already tried that route. It¡¯ll need to be something more violent.¡±


    ¡°A knife in the throat or a spear in the gut?¡± Alexia suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯d drop a building on him if it got the job done,¡± I told her with a grin.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the start,¡± Selene explained. ¡°I¡¯d need to set up a ritual to tear a Shadowborn¡¯s spirit from its body. Once I have Martyn¡¯s spiritual form trapped, we have several options. We could send it back to the Hells where it came from. We could enslave it and store the damned creature inside a magical artifact. Or we could utterly destroy him.¡±


    I considered the options carefully. ¡°So enslavement would require a special vessel.¡±


    ¡°I happen to know a few practitioners in the area,¡± Selene offered. ¡°They¡¯d be happy enough to part with a soul-vessel if we pay them enough coin. A demon at your command is a powerful ally to have. But you¡¯ll need to find a way to hurt Martyn badly enough that my ritual can proceed smoothly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way,¡± I said. I had plenty of Essence now, but I¡¯d need to find more recipes for stronger homunculi. Unless I wanted to risk creating something without a recipe. I wasn¡¯t feeling foolhardy enough for that just yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear you have the ability to hurt a Shadow Lord,¡± Selene said. ¡°You¡¯re the owner of an unwarded Replicator.¡±


    ¡°Unwarded Replicator?¡± I repeated.


    Selene laughed. ¡°I take it that Jamin didn¡¯t tell you. Every Kingdom-built Replicator carries certain magical wards. They limit what a companion farmer can build. Yours, however, has no such limit.¡±


    ¡°What does it take to lower the wards around a Replicator?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sacrifices and some truly unpleasant rituals. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know the particular magic needed.¡±


    Memories of Jamin¡¯s long-staying visitors and their sudden disappearances came to my mind. My uncle had often invited beautiful women to help him on the farm while I tended to deliveries and gathered ingredients. But they¡¯d never stayed long and I¡¯d never seen them leave. Every time I¡¯d asked after them, Jamin had avoided the question.


    I put it out of my mind. My uncle had his secrets and unless he decided to return, I couldn¡¯t ask him about it.


    For now, there were other tasks at hand to complete. I stood up and reached out to the Slammers with my mind. The homunculi stumbled through the door a moment later and stood to attention while I looked over chaotic mess of the banquet table.


    The stench of viscera and spilled alcohol permeated the space like a thick cloud.


    Gather the weapons from the dead, I ordered, then drag the corpses and pile them beside the door of the shack. Move quickly.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll take my offer of working with you, Master?¡± Selene purred.


    I smiled at her use of the word. ¡°If I¡¯m to remove Longhorn as an obstacle, I¡¯ll need your services. You¡¯ll be well-compensated for your trouble once I have the farm running as it should.¡±


    Alexia turned to Selene. ¡°Can you teach me more about magic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a pleasure. You have serious power, but there¡¯s finer details I¡¯d be glad to show you. If your master doesn¡¯t have any objections, of course.¡±


    ¡°Our master,¡± Alexia corrected with a laugh.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Selene smirked.


    ¡°You should know something,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to trust you. Coin changes hands all the time, but it doesn¡¯t buy loyalty that lasts. So what happens if you decide that you can benefit from working against me, Alexia, or the farm?¡±


    I gestured to the Slammers as they dragged the two halves of Brigmann out of the room to drive my threat home. Selene met my eyes and nodded once. There wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of guile in her gaze. She took a moment to carefully form her words.


    ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less,¡± she said softly. ¡°But I have no intention of betraying you, Master Caleb. Our arrangement aligns our goals perfectly. This is the closest I¡¯ve ever been to destroying Martyn¡¯s empire, and I¡¯m not about to give it up for simple profit.¡±


    I nodded, satisfied. ¡°Just so long as we¡¯re clear.¡±


    ¡°Perfectly clear. So, our next move?¡±


    I slung a corpse over my shoulder. ¡°What you¡¯d expect after a dinner party, of course. Cleaning up, and some evening entertainment.¡±


    I took the corpse outside and half-dragged it out to the shack. The Slammers worked slowly, but their stout strength enabled them to drag two bodies at a time. I left the corpse lying beside the shack and paused to think.


    I needed to strip the corpses of their gear, stockpile as many weapons as I could, and clean out the dining hall. Once I had the pieces I needed, I could start building a fighting force to secure the borders of the farm and protect the manor house from any pre-emptive attacks. I also needed to acquire a soul-vessel and perhaps a few new recipes for more powerful homunculi. Longhorn Martyn¡¯s meeting could wait until then. I figured he wasn¡¯t the kind of man¡ªdemon. . . Shadowborn¡ªwho waited for anyone, but I wouldn¡¯t go to him unprepared.


    I watched the Slammers drag their grisly cargo past the Swordsman.


    The Zweihander fighting unit was the best homunculus I¡¯d managed to build so far. It had the close-quarters combat ability of Rikard and performed spectacularly against lesser-trained mercenaries. I sent a brief mental message for him to follow me as I strode toward the stable. Rikard¡¯s horse nickered softly at my presence. I took a few minutes to saddle the animal and lead it outside to the Swordsman.


    Climb onto its back, I told the homunculus.


    The Swordsman eyed the horse for a moment before he sheathed his weapon and put a foot into the horse¡¯s stirrup. The horse shied away, and I laughed as the homunculus desperately tried to hold on. The Swordsman grabbed the mount¡¯s mane, and Rikard¡¯s horse bucked. He lost his grip in a whoosh of breath and landed on his ass with a nonplussed look.


    So, Swordsmen homunculi couldn¡¯t ride a horse.


    It was a pity, but nothing I couldn¡¯t plan around later. If I could find a recipe for a mounted cavalry unit somewhere, then I could add an extra layer to my defenses around the farm. For now, I had to settle with patrols on foot. Selene¡¯s revelation about the Replicator echoed through my head. The possibilities were endless. I just needed the right tools.


    I stationed the Swordsman on watch outside the manor house and put the horse back in the stable.


    I returned to the manor, and the Slammers stomped past me with the last of the corpses. I commanded one of them to drag Kilcoy¡¯s corpse out to join the bodies of the spearmen.


    Laughter echoed from the dining hall, and I went to investigate. The blood from the fight in the dining hall was almost gone and the smell of viscera had vanished. Alexia smiled and gestured at a red stain on the wall. The dried blood peeled off the wall and swirled around Alexia¡¯s hand in a small whirl of broiling power.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Selene encouraged. ¡°Now concentrate on dispersing it.¡±


    Alexia¡¯s brow furrowed as she clenched her fingers into a fist. The flakes of dried blood vaporized into a soft mist and diffused into the air. Selene grinned as she pushed in a chair and straightened another.


    ¡°She¡¯s a natural,¡± Selene informed me. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a blood mage with such promise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only because you¡¯re such a good teacher,¡± Alexia blushed.


    ¡°Nonsense, I barely have to tell you anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using magic to clean my house?¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Alexia giggled. ¡°It¡¯s not like you have a butler or housemaids.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually a great idea,¡± I said. ¡°Come on, the fun¡¯s about to begin.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re building more homunculi?¡± the elf asked excitedly.


    ¡°Harvesting first, but yes. Care to join us?¡± I asked Selene.


    She inclined her head. ¡°It would be a pleasure.¡±


    A mound of corpses awaited our attention outside the shack. I sent the three Slammers out to join the Swordsman and directed them to take a short patrol route through the gardens.


    Inside the shack, we quickly established a process for harvesting from the corpses. I stripped the bodies of their armor, cut the limbs down to usable sizes, and handed them over to Alexia. Her dagger flashed in efficient strokes as she claimed fingers, arms, and anything else useful from the heaps of dead flesh. Then I stacked the recently-delivered crates of Essence inside the shack while Alexia finished her role. Selene was responsible for filling the pickling jars and arranging them neatly on the shelf.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I took the arm off the ninth soldier just as Selene asked a question.


    ¡°Why not use your older ingredients first? Jamin obviously hasn¡¯t used the Replicator an awful lot lately, and before today, you were low on resources.¡±


    ¡°Most of those fingers are from old corpses.¡± I tossed the severed arm to Alexia¡¯s workbench. ¡°Freshly-preserved organic ingredients create better homunculi that last longer. If you use an ancient corpse to create a homunculi, it becomes much harder to maintain and it breaks down faster.¡±


    ¡°I remember Jamin mentioning he used the freshest possible for me,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you barely have to eat or sleep.¡± I turned over the corpse and found its other arm. ¡°But combat homunculi are illegal for a farmer to own. Basic units to draw the attention of a simple dungeon monster? Dumb muscle, servants, whores? All relatively simple to make and legal besides. Mostly because the Commission makes sure that farmers don¡¯t get their hands on fresh ingredients.¡±


    Selene snorted, amused. ¡°The Commission is a joke.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever work for them?¡± Alexia asked.


    Selene glanced at the stacks of Essence. ¡°On the magic side, yes. Refining and guarding Essence was my main role. I was contracted out to merchants like Kilcoy.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think they trusted me with much else.¡±


    I examined the unusable portions of the corpses. Mostly livers since I couldn¡¯t trust them to make decent homunculi. I tossed the remains into the enchanted incinerator in the far corner of the shack. The boiling magic sizzled as it consumed them and left me soaking with sweat.


    I¡¯d lost count of the hours we¡¯d spent here, but my excitement prevented me from getting tired. It wouldn¡¯t be long before I had my homunculi army.


    Daylight was spilling through the cracks of the door when Alexia finished the last set of fingers. She stretched with an adorable yawn as Selene placed the last of the jars onto the shelf labeled for fresh ingredients.


    ¡°Will you come to bed with me, Caleb?¡± Alexia asked.


    Selene laughed. ¡°Yes, Caleb, will you take her on the bed or perhaps the floor?¡±


    I glared at her with mock anger. ¡°What¡¯s it to you, witch?¡±


    She covered her mouth to choke back another laugh. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just worried you¡¯re stealing away the poor girl¡¯s innocent years, is all.¡±


    Alexia crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m hardly innocent. And I had to drag him to me.¡±


    Selene lifted an eyebrow and traced her lips with her tongue. ¡°So that¡¯s how you do it.¡±


    Alexia dropped her irritated facade and tugged playfully at my sleeve. ¡°Come, Master, and I will bring you to heights no human woman could manage.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Selene said flirtatiously.


    I ignored the sudden and insistent pressure in my trousers as I pulled Jamin¡¯s recipe for the other homunculi from my pocket. Alexia trailed over to stand beside Selene as I gathered the ingredients I needed for a Pikeman Piercer.


    ¡°Is it a common thing, making love with a homunculus?¡± Alexia asked me.


    ¡°You¡¯re barely a homunculus.¡±


    Selene couldn¡¯t wipe the smirk off her face. ¡°You¡¯re certainly the best I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s common for rich folk to buy or build their own limited-uses homunculus and kill them to satisfy their depravity. But it¡¯s not exactly commonplace, no.¡±


    ¡°Neither is a warlock in the King¡¯s employ,¡± I pointed out.


    Selene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. Fate seems to have a sense of humor, bringing us together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that,¡± Alexia said. ¡°Caleb, are we going to bed or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep better knowing that the farm will be prepared for an attack.¡± I plugged a new cartridge of Essence into the back of the Replicator.


    ¡°And this is your idea of post-dinner entertainment?¡± Selene raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s morning. You¡¯ve had us here carving up corpses all night.¡±


    ¡°The results will be worth it,¡± I said.


    I double-checked the recipe. The Piercers required five cacti thorns, a human finger, and a polearm for their construction. I didn¡¯t have anything close to a well-crafted polearm, but the spears the mercenaries had used would suffice. The recipe wasn¡¯t complex, which meant that the homunculi themselves would be almost as dull as the Shield Slammers. Still, more numbers to guard the farm couldn¡¯t be a bad thing.


    I cranked the lever and gathered ingredients for the next Piercer as the first one materialized within the Replicator.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you create more homunculi for the dinner party?¡± Selene asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time,¡± I answered. ¡°The guests were hungry.¡±


    The Replicator hissed as excess ether whirled out of its ventilation system. I opened the chamber and watched my first Pike Piercer limp out of the machine. A warm slip of parchment poked out of it a moment later. I took a moment to read and memorize the statistics.


    Garmont Companion Farm has created a Pike Piercer (Human)!


    Attack Power: 8


    Toughness: 5


    Accuracy: 5


    Vitality: 4


    Intelligence: 4


    Skill: Penetrating Rush


    The Piercer differed from the Slammer in that he was taller and had less hair. He moved with a marching step that set him apart from the Swordsman.


    I sent him outside and started building fourteen more of them. I could have continued through the day, but I wanted to preserve my Essence in case I stumbled upon some better recipes.


    When I ran out of cacti thorns, I asked Alexia to retrieve more of them from the garden. Selene seemed all too pleased to be alone with me, but I didn¡¯t let her talk because I was busy working.


    The Replicator buzzed as it continued to churn out homunculi. Soon, they were all complete and standing to attention outside.


    Empty out the armory in the manor, I ordered.


    Their strict, focused minds accepted my suggestion instantly, and the naked army of homunculi set off at a decent pace. Selene and Alexia chatted quietly as I read through the recipe again.


    ¡°You¡¯re making more?¡± Selene asked. ¡°How many do you need?¡±


    I shrugged and motioned to the shelf behind her. ¡°Hand me that jar of Silver Yew leaves.¡±


    A Yeomen Archer required one cup of Silver Yew leaves, along with a fletched arrow, and a human finger. I only had about five cups worth of leaves in the jar, and there wasn¡¯t a Silver Yew tree in the garden. They were rare plants, but I could replenish my stock with little difficulty by venturing into the forest neighboring the farm¡¯s western border.


    I placed down the three items that represented the archer¡¯s mind, body, and soul. After I cranked the lever, flesh knitted itself together into yet another shape within the Replicator. My first Yeoman was smaller than the Shield Slammers and bristled with wiry muscle. Skin slid over the muscles in its face and formed into weasel-like features. Alexia handed me the parchment after I released the Yeoman Archer from the Replicator¡¯s chamber.


    Garmont Companion Farm has created a Yeoman Archer (Human)!


    Attack Power: 4


    Toughness: 3


    Accuracy: 11


    Vitality: 3


    Intelligence: 5


    Skill: Eye of the Hawk


    The Piercers returned a minute later with everything they could carry from the armory. I directed them to stack it all outside and smiled at my first ranged homunculus.


    Alexia peered over my shoulder at the parchment. ¡°What¡¯s Eye of the Hawk mean?¡±


    ¡°My best guess is a very accurate shot. Homunculi are creatures born of magic, and as such, they¡¯re all designed with a single skill. It¡¯s not always exactly clear what that is from the report, but I think it¡¯s obvious in this case.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where my report is?¡± she asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I think Jamin would¡¯ve destroyed any evidence that you existed. But I¡¯d be interested to know myself. You¡¯re not as simple as these homunculi, though. You can adapt, learn, and think for yourself. That¡¯s leagues ahead of anything I¡¯ve ever heard of.¡±


    I used the remaining Silver Yew leaves, four more fingers, and four arrows to create another four Yeomen. They joined the Piercers outside.


    Selene sat down on a half-empty crate of Essence. ¡°I can see from your aura that you¡¯re not done yet. What exactly is your end goal here?¡±


    ¡°Patrol teams of five that watch the perimeter of the farm.¡± I loaded up a recipe for a Shield Slammer. ¡°Two Slammers and three Piercers in each. They can follow basic instructions. That¡¯s all I need for the moment.¡±


    ¡°And the Archers?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°They¡¯ll cover the house from the upper windows,¡± I explained. ¡°Their vision is better, and their ability to fire accurately makes them perfect for stopping any threats that could slip through the perimeter.¡±


    ¡°Layers within layers,¡± Selene said approvingly. ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very busy,¡± I said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you direct the homunculi to arm themselves and strap on some gear? I had them bring the whole armory out here.¡±


    She nodded and slipped out of the shack. I sent the crowd of naked homunculi orders to listen to her and follow her directions.


    When I was done, the area outside the shack was a hive of activity. Thirty homunculi stood in a loose line. Spears, helmets, and the steel studs set into leather armor shone in the afternoon sun.


    ¡°Good job, Selene,¡± I said. ¡°They look incredible.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°All I had to do was point at a piece of equipment and they grabbed it. Except for those big brutes. I had to actually bend down, pick up a shield, and hand it to them before they got the idea.¡±


    ¡°They might be a little stupid, but they dealt with your mercenaries easily enough.¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t my¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± I raised my hands. ¡°It¡¯s time I greeted the farm¡¯s new protectors.¡±


    I reached out to the homunculi as a whole. They stiffened as my thoughts brushed against theirs, and I experimented a little with my mental commands. Each class of homunculus had their own particular feel. The Slammers were thick and slow in comparison while the Piercers had a kind of regimented discipline. The Archers had whiplike minds that crackled with energy. But all of them shared the same single-minded preference toward violent action.


    If Jamin were here, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have approved of what I¡¯d done, but then he¡¯d have shown himself a hypocrite. I had a strange concoction of emotions whenever I thought of my uncle. The old snake had left me here with a hungry Shadow Ruler to deal with.


    I sent a quick mental command to the homunculi and they moved as one. They created a wide circle and stood to attention about three yards away from each other.


    Selene shivered. ¡°It¡¯s uncanny. I¡¯ve never seen a farmer be able to communicate with a homunculi like that. Even adventurers struggle with simple commands and have to spend months cultivating a relationship with their companions.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about to get weirder.¡± I scooped up a spare spear from the pile beside the shack and drew a large circle thirty feet wide in the dirt outside the shack.


    Selene frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    I tossed the spear to her. ¡°You¡¯re going to fight the homunculi.¡±


    She snatched the weapon out of the air. ¡°All of them?¡±


    ¡°Just a few. I need to see how the Piercers operate.¡±


    Alexia giggled. ¡°This should be fun.¡±


    I handed her a pair of matched daggers. ¡°You¡¯re helping her.¡±


    The elf¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    I kissed Alexia¡¯s forehead. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you fight with weapons yet. Just remember your instincts, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Three of the Piercers stepped into the center of the ring at my direction. Selene twirled the spear in her hands as she passed through a gap in the wall of homunculi. I grinned as she gestured for Alexia to join her.


    ¡°The master is right,¡± Selene said. ¡°It¡¯s good practice for your magic.¡±


    ¡°No magic,¡± I replied cheerily. ¡°Just weapons. That goes for the both of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before!¡± Alexia protested. ¡°And isn¡¯t this a waste of resources?¡±


    ¡°Piercers are cheap,¡± Selene said with a fierce glint in her eye. ¡°Come on, Lexie, it¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    Alexia blushed fiercely at the nickname and nodded. She stood beside the other woman and fought off a shiver as she looked over the Piercers. I gave her an encouraging smile, then focused on the three minds of the spear-wielding homunculi.


    My plan was simple. Test how the Piercers operated in simulated combat.


    And to see the extent of Selene and Alexia¡¯s skills without magic.

 8: Testing the New Companions (NSFW)

    I sent the Piercers toward the women in a rough arrowhead formation. Selene¡¯s feet slid into a defensive stance, and her hands shifted on her weapon as my homunculi closed in. The middle Piercer jabbed at her throat, but she easily deflected it with a parry of her pike. A fierce grin flashed across her face as she smacked her weapon¡¯s shaft into the lead Piercer¡¯s knee. The homunculus uttered a pained groan as the bone shattered beneath her blow.


    Two Piercers confronted Alexia, and she raised her daggers uncertainly as a spearhead was thrust toward her chest. Selene¡¯s pike flickered out to deflect the blow as Alexia staggered back and yelped in surprise.


    ¡°Come on, Alexia,¡± I said encouragingly. ¡°You can do better.¡±


    The blood mage set her mouth in a hard line, and she slid up behind Selene. I tried to circle the two women with my Piercers, but Selene¡¯s expert defense made it difficult to edge the homunculi into position. Alexia avoided a swipe from a spear to her right and shuffled closer to her newest attacker. Her daggers flashed in, and I commanded the unit to retreat. Alexia growled in frustration as her blades missed the homunculus¡¯ throat by mere inches. She spun away from a retreating strike from the middle Piercer and slashed at the offending creature¡¯s arm. Blood spurted from the wound, and Alexia¡¯s eyes lit up as she backed away to cover the other woman¡¯s back. Selene¡¯s blond hair spun around her head as she tirelessly warded off stabbing pikes from her opponents with superior footwork and surprising technique.


    I called my trio of soldiers to back away from the women. Selene was far more proficient in close-quarters combat than I¡¯d anticipated. Did it have anything to do with her ability to read auras? Alexia wasn¡¯t used to this kind of fight, but she had speed and grace. She just needed more encouragement.


    Selene wiped her brow on her sleeve and flashed Alexia a grin. ¡°See? Not that hard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing all the work,¡± Alexia replied as she flicked blood off her dagger.


    ¡°So step up,¡± Selene said encouragingly. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot more power in that taut little body of yours than you¡¯re willing to believe.¡±


    The blood mage¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep crimson at the compliment.


    ¡°You need to work together,¡± I said. ¡°Alexia, you can do the most damage if you get in close. Selene¡¯s creating openings, you just need to capitalize on them. Keep your distance, though. The Piercers have the benefit of much longer reach with their weapons.¡±


    ¡°Leave the advice for my team to me.¡± Selene winked at me. ¡°Hope you¡¯re enjoying the show.¡±


    I tore my eyes away from her heaving breasts and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s about to get better.¡±


    My Piercers adjusted their formation and attacked again. I sent the first one to rush Selene and circled the others around in a classic pincer maneuver to hit the women from both sides.


    Selene deflected the sprinting thrust from the distracting homunculi in a whirl of leather and wood. Her foot snaked out, tripped up the Piercer, and sent him toward Alexia. Daggers flashed and the homunculus grunted as the elf found a chink in his leather armor. Blood splashed over the ground as Alexia ducked under a clumsy strike and slammed her knee straight up into the Piercer¡¯s groin. He collapsed on his hands and knees.


    ¡°Cover your partner¡¯s back!¡± I warned.


    Selene was a truly excellent staff fighter, but even she couldn¡¯t defend attacks from her fantastic rear. Alexia darted in to take on the Piercer behind Selene, and a brief expression of gratitude washed over Selene¡¯s face as she turned to focus on a single enemy. Pike crashed against pike, steel spearheads sparked off each other, then the mage turned the tide of combat. Selene snagged the Piercer¡¯s spear in her own, planted her feet, and spun. The homunculus lumbered past her toward the blood mage.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± Selene called.


    Alexia dropped into a crouch and stabbed out to the left and to the right with her dual blades. Steel bit into leather and found the flesh of my Piercers¡¯ thighs. Pikes were an excellent ranged weapon, but the beautiful elf had timed it perfectly. Snarls of pain ripped from both of my homunculi as they stumbled and tried to regain their balance.


    Rejoin your comrades, I ordered. It¡¯s time to finish this.


    With a satisfied smile, Alexia straightened up. Selene came to her side, they took a position in the middle of my ring of soldiers. Selene beamed at Alexia and bumped her shoulder playfully as the elf shook fresh blood from her weapons of choice. The Piercers limped into a tight knot and leveled their spears at the two women. A breeze blew through their hair, and I smiled as I appreciated them for a moment.


    A blond, mysterious warlock with astonishing power and fighting skills.


    A beautiful elvish blood mage who¡¯d been kept hidden away for years.


    I was damn glad that they were on my side.


    ¡°Penetrating Rush!¡± I shouted aloud to the homunculi.


    White light blazed from the Piercers¡¯ pikes as they charged the two women. Selene leapt into the air like an acrobat just as Alexia dived into a roll to the left. Selene¡¯s spear punctured the middle Piercer¡¯s throat in a spray of scarlet. The warlock¡¯s feet smashed into the homunculus, and she crushed it into the ground under her heeled boots. Alexia came to her feet, and a knife flashed out of her hand like a quarrel from a crossbow. The Piercer on the left caught the spinning blade in the eye, and his mind vanished from my hold.


    My final Piercer finished his rush and spun to slash at Selene. The warlock was faster. She deflected the blow with a flick of her own pike, swept in, and ducked under the homunculus¡¯ arm. Alexia raced in to help as Selene wrapped the shaft of her weapon around the Piercer¡¯s throat and hauled him backward. Alexia kicked the pike from the Piercer¡¯s hand and tore out his throat with a quick jerk. Blood splattered over her as she ripped the knife across the struggling homunculus¡¯ ribs, tore out the inside of his thigh, and rammed the dagger into his mouth.


    My mental connection with their last opponent faded as Selene released her hold. Alexia pulled her knife free of the corpse¡¯s skull, and it collapsed in a heap on the ground. I created a gap in the wall of homunculi and stepped into the ring.


    ¡°See?¡± I said to Alexia. ¡°You just need to get in close.¡±


    The blood mage closed the distance between us in a flash. Her mouth found mine before I could react, and she kissed me in a flash of tongue and teeth. I touched Alexia¡¯s face and gently pulled away from her.


    ¡°Is this close enough for you?¡± she breathed.


    Her eyes fixed on mine in a blend of hunger and happiness. I kissed her cheek and turned to three nearby Shield Slammers.


    Drag the bodies to the shack, I told them.


    Selene cleared her throat pointedly as Alexia pressed her body into mine.


    ¡°Have you done enough testing?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°I¡¯m covered in blood and sweat and the only thing I can think about right now is a long, steaming bath.¡±


    Selene flicked her hair out of her eyes and stretched out her arms, the curve of her breasts pushing forward suggestively. Lean muscle shifted under her skin, and I had to tear my mind away from the memory of her naked body.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to know,¡± I said.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Selene enquired.


    My mind reached out to the small army of homunculi around us. I rapidly divided them into groups of five. Three Piercers and two Shield Slammers populated each squad. The Yeoman Archers shifted into a separate squad and waited for further orders. Jamin¡¯s armor stores hadn¡¯t quite been enough to fully equip my new fighting force, but each of them held suitable weapons.


    Stand beside the blood mage, I instructed one the Archers.


    The Yeoman strode to join us. I wrapped an arm around Alexia¡¯s shoulders and pointed to a lone tree about 200 yards away to the east of the manor house. The elf peered closely at it as the Yeoman Archer drew an arrow from his quiver.


    ¡°You¡¯re testing for range,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°Fire at the tree,¡± I instructed the Yeoman.


    The Archer fitted the arrow to the string of his longbow with a practiced movement and drew it back. Muscles bulged in the Yeoman¡¯s bared back as he focused his gaze along the arrow, paused a moment, and released the string. The arrow hissed free of the longbow and bounced off the very edge of the lone tree.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t it hit what you asked it to?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°A homunculus unit like this is designed to fire at a large moving target, like a mass of soldiers,¡± I explained. ¡°They have individual accuracy too, of course, but we¡¯ll need to get closer for that.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t read about this or been told the information from Jamin, but it was easy to glean the Archer homunculi¡¯s function.


    I led Alexia and the Yeoman forward half the distance. Selene trailed along behind us; she seemed content to watch rather than join the discussion. Alexia offered me a knowing smirk as she leaned in closer to my chest and tickled my neck with her hair.


    ¡°Again,¡± I ordered the Archer.


    The arrow thudded easily into the center of the tree trunk. The homunculus fired off another two shafts under my instruction and created a tight spread no wider than the width of my palm. Alexia¡¯s eyes widened as the homunculus lowered the bow. Satisfaction glittered in his weasel-like eyes as he waited for his next direction.


    ¡°Eye of the Hawk. Aim for the center of the spread,¡± I instructed.


    The Yeoman widened his stance at my words and whipped another arrow from the quiver at his belt. He fitted it to the string in a heartbeat, and white light blazed out from the point of the nocked arrow. Then the Yeoman released. The arrow left a streak of white behind it until it slammed into the exact middle of the tight grouping.


    ¡°Maximum accurate range of about 200 yards,¡± I reminded myself, ¡°with an effective range of 100 yards. That¡¯s perfect for another layer of defense.¡±


    Alexia frowned at the tree and touched her fingers to her tight tunic. The blood of a Piercer came away on her fingers and formed itself into a marble-sized sphere of humming magic. She mage lifted her arm and aimed, before the tiny orb rocketed away toward the tree. It dissipated after six yards or so. The blood mage huffed in disappointment.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Alexia said sourly. ¡°I was hoping it would last longer.¡±


    I tightened my arm around her shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re still new to this. It all takes time.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°I can teach you a few things,¡± Selene interrupted, ¡°to make it easier, longer, and more enjoyable in the end.¡± The mage flashed me a wicked grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now.¡±


    Alexia brushed a line of sweat away from her eye. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Selene agreed, ¡°and if I don¡¯t get a bath and an evening of pleasure in short order I think I¡¯ll just about die.¡±


    ¡°Hard work breeds surprising results,¡± I said, echoing Jamin. ¡°And you¡¯ve both done superb work over the last few hours. Your combat ability is far better than I anticipated.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both full of surprises,¡± Alexia whispered conspiratorially.


    ¡°Words later, bath now,¡± Selene moaned in mock agony. ¡°Please, oh gracious Master, gift your lowly servant with a bath and a goblet of wine for her dedicated service.¡±


    ¡°You have earned it, my lady,¡± I replied as I softly pulled Alexia along with me toward the manor. ¡°Enter the manor house with all due haste and I will see to it that you are housed and cleaned forthwith.¡±


    Selene turned away from us and made her way to the manor ahead of us. ¡°Is that all I¡¯ve earned?¡± she said, looking back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll decide when I get there,¡± I called back.


    Alexia and I walked slower, and Selene had entered the manor when we were still some ways off.


    ¡°Are you going to take her to bed?¡± Alexia asked me with a pout.


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure about it,¡± I admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what her game is.¡±


    ¡°I like her. And I know she¡¯d appreciate you. I know I did.¡±


    A fantasy of both Selene and Alexia filling my room with shared moans, a confusion of bare flesh, and the combined smell of their perfumes flashed through my mind until I dismissed it.


    Business before pleasure. I turned to my homunculi and melded my thoughts with theirs.


    You¡¯re now known as the Perimeter Defense Squads, I informed them. Three Piercers and two Slammers to a team. You¡¯ll patrol the edges of the farm in a slow rotation of two hours each. If anyone arrives at the front gate, inform me. If anyone tries to sneak through the fence, kill them. Now, if any visitor wears gold-and-teal uniforms, you¡¯re to hide immediately to the best of your ability.


    ¡°Your face looks funny when you do that,¡± Alexia observed.


    I shot her a glare of mock indignation before I returned to my instructions. Archers, you¡¯ll stay on the upper floors of the manor house and watch the windows that face north, east, west, and south. One of you will move quietly through the garden and act as an early attacker.


    My instructions were complex, but the homunculi didn¡¯t even blink. Their minds seized upon the information and dissected it before they sprang into action. The Perimeter Defense Squads broke off in different directions at a slow jog. The Archers turned and moved swiftly toward the manor house. I relaxed my thoughts and a wave of tiredness flooded over me. I hadn¡¯t slept last night, but the results were worth it.


    Garmont Companion Farm was protected against invaders.


    The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, and the moon peered through the ruddy light of an early dusk. I sent Alexia ahead to catch up with Selene, spent a few minutes incincinerating the remains of the Pike Piercers, and created an additional three to complete the squads that lacked full strength. They marched out, scooped up the last few spears, and went out to join their comrades as they patrolled the fenceline.


    It was only then that I returned to the house.


    Selene and Alexia sat in the dining room and glanced up at me as I approached. Alexia blushed at my appearance, as if she¡¯d just been caught doing something wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room, Selene,¡± I said.


    ¡°Will you be joining me tonight?¡± Alexia asked me shyly.


    ¡°Go up to my room,¡± I said. ¡°Fifth floor, faces the north side.¡±


    The blood mage gave Selene a grateful glance and left the room with a hurried stride. Selene rose as I gestured to the stairs in the hallway to our right. Her boots clicked against the steps as we made our way up to one of my uncle¡¯s more pleasant guest suites.


    ¡°What have you been telling Alexia?¡± I asked.


    Selene made a dismissive gesture. ¡°Oh, nothing much. The poor girl is completely smitten with you, Master.¡±


    ¡°It does seem that way,¡± I said. I considered telling Selene to drop the ¡°Master¡± but decided it would serve for now. Maybe if she said it enough, she¡¯d never consider betraying me. I mentally laughed at the thought.


    ¡°She wanted a few pointers for the bedroom tonight,¡± Selene said. ¡°She mentioned something about wanting to surprise you.¡±


    My mouth went dry as I started up the next flight of stairs. ¡°That¡¯s awfully altruistic for a mercenary spellcaster.¡±


    Selene laughed. ¡°You¡¯re really rather paranoid, do you know that?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Paranoia has kept me alive. Stopped me losing the farm to Rikard, Kilcoy, and his spearmen. It¡¯s better to be prepared for contingencies.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t settle for guarding for one simple contingency, do you?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the situation,¡± I answered evasively.


    The warlock gave me an odd look as we cleared the third staircase. ¡°I don¡¯t say this often, but you truly are an interesting specimen The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.¡±


    ¡°You mean Jamin?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I do. I¡¯ve heard plenty of stories about his cunning. He¡¯s obviously rubbed off on you.¡± Selene made a rolling laugh. ¡°And I mean that as a compliment.¡±


    We strode along the fourth floor, and I unlocked the door to Selene¡¯s new room. Rich rugs stretched across the wooden floor, and a stone fireplace stood gray and empty on the right wall. A wide four-poster took up most of the space to our immediate right, and a copper bathtub adorned the space behind it. Selene took a deep breath through her nose as she stepped over the threshold and settled on the bed.


    ¡°So, are you finally going to bring me some coals?¡± she asked. ¡°You look like you could do with a hot, long bath yourself, Master. A good way to loosen up after all of your hard work.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Appreciate the offer, but no. If you¡¯re to stay here and work for me, there¡¯s rules.¡±


    Selene pouted but gestured for me to continue.


    ¡°Rule one: don¡¯t touch the Replicator if I¡¯m not present. Rule two: don¡¯t raise a hand against Alexia, my homunculi, or myself. Rule three: dinner is a little after dusk, starting tomorrow. If you don¡¯t turn up, you don¡¯t get to eat.¡±


    The warlock unbuckled one of her riding boots and drew my attention to the way her tight trousers hugged her toned legs. ¡°Are there any rules that cover nocturnal visits?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from laughing. ¡°That could be in breach of rule number two.¡±


    Selene stood up and kicked her boots into a heap beside the door. ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    ¡°Do you strip off your clothes in front of all your hosts, or am I special case?¡±


    She uncinched her belt and pulled at the ties of her corset. ¡°You¡¯re special. I thought I¡¯d made it quite clear that¡¯s how I see things.¡±


    Her eyes flickered over me and paused at my lower abdomen. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she slipped off her corset and bared her breasts again. Her nipples hardened as she slid her hands over her chest and squeezed them gently. Her gaze didn¡¯t budge from me as she bent over and pulled down her tights.


    ¡°Lexie told me that she¡¯s happy to share,¡± Selene purred. ¡°If you¡¯d like a warm up before you go to her, I¡¯d be honored to provide it.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get warm without the coals.¡± I nodded to the bath. ¡°They¡¯re still downstairs. And you¡¯ll still have to get them yourself. I don¡¯t have a housekeeping staff just yet.¡±


    The warlock¡¯s smirk just widened. ¡°I look forward to the day you will.¡±


    I turned and closed the door behind me. My trousers felt three sizes too small for me, and I muttered a silent curse as I went up the final staircase. Selene still hadn¡¯t given me any reason to distrust her. She was smart, sensual beyond belief, and powerful besides.


    But Alexia was waiting for me, and I couldn¡¯t afford to fully trust the other woman just yet.


    I pushed open the door to my room and found Alexia curled up on the bed in a sheer nightdress of white silk. Jamin¡¯s old chambers were enormous and opened up into an impressive stone balcony overlooking the entire north side of the farm.


    Heavy curtains swirled in the wind as I strolled into the room and trailed my fingers over the massive bookshelf to the right. I found a book I hadn¡¯t read before, titled A Companion to Companion Farming: Method and Philosophy, and tossed it onto the bed beside Alexia. I undid my belt and left it on a large mahogany desk set into the wall beside the enormous silk-sheeted four-poster bed. A fire crackled merrily in the room¡¯s hearth and sweet incense drifted hazily from the second room, where a bath awaited my attention.


    Alexia offered me a warm smile and joined me as I stepped out onto the balcony to cast my eyes out over the farm.


    The Perimeter Defense Squads combed the fence lines in the distance. Early night had set in, and moonlight glinted from the weapons of my new army. The Yeoman Archer slinked quietly through the garden below the balcony as he searched for any sign of an intruder. I took a deep breath and let it slip free in a contented sigh.


    For the first time in two days, I finally felt safe.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Caleb,¡± Alexia murmured. She placed her hand over mine and a warm thrill danced through my skin at her touch.


    I kissed the top of her head. ¡°It¡¯s a start. I¡¯ll bathe and read a bit before I go to sleep.¡±


    The bath took me five minutes, and Alexia greeted me with warm hands as I wrapped a towel around my waist and sat on the bed. Her fingers worked the knots out of my shoulders as I opened the treatise on companion farming.


    Warm bliss enveloped me while I flicked idly through the pages. It wasn¡¯t anything new to me. Jamin¡¯s tutelage and my own reading list on farming went beyond what the author had to say. Alexia¡¯s warm silk shift pressed into me from behind more than once as she kissed my cheek and nibbled on my ear.


    I turned over the book to the last page, read the author¡¯s name, and went suddenly still.


    The name was a familiar one. I read over the text again to make sure I had it exactly right. Thaddeus de Monar, the Emerald Sage. But what followed was even more interesting. Former Chief Specialist in the Kingdom¡¯s Companion Division.


    ¡°Caleb?¡± Alexia prodded. ¡°Am I doing something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured her. ¡°No need to stop.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Silk shifted, and her naked breast pressed into my back. I enjoyed the contact for a moment as I tried to place the name. I¡¯d heard it before; I was sure of it.


    ¡°The writer of this book,¡± I said. ¡°He claims to be an authority on Companion Farming, and calls himself the Emerald Sage. There¡¯s a local herbalist called Thaddeus, and he lives on the outskirts of Roarwind.¡±


    ¡°I thought you knew everything you needed to know,¡± Alexia murmured as she slid around me and settled in my lap. ¡°Why¡¯s he important?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s coming back to me now. Jamin mentioned him once or twice, and I remember visiting his home when I was younger. Hells, Thaddeus probably gave my uncle the tools he needed to create you, Alexia.¡± I exhaled sharply as she kneaded my thighs and tugged at the towel around my waist. ¡°If we¡¯re going to take on Longhorn Martyn, we¡¯ll need others almost as powerful as you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he has recipes your uncle doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°If he was once part of the Kingdom¡¯s Companion Division? Definitely.¡±


    A new buzz of excitement settled into my limbs and I caught Alexia¡¯s eye.


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    She¡¯d pulled the shift off her shoulders and bared her breasts for me without my noticing. The elf gave me a playful smile as she slipped away from my lap and tugged at my towel. I shifted my weight, and she dropped it onto the rug beside the bed. Her hands caressed my thighs in small circles, and she lowered herself until her cheek rested against my hip.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going after him now, are you?¡± Alexia giggled.


    Her tongue slipped out and brushed against my shaft.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a matter for tomorrow,¡± I decided.


    ¡°Then allow me to finish my ministrations, Master,¡± she teased.


    I settled my head back into my pillow as she engulfed me in her mouth. A rippling growl of pleasure exploded from my throat as Alexia quickly found exactly the right rhythm. Her fingers encircled me, and she moaned as she sucked me over and over again. Within moments I was already fit to burst, but Alexia was relentless. Her tongue roamed over me ravenously, and my muscles bunched reflexively as pleasure cannoned through my body.


    So this is what Selene and Alexia had discussed earlier.


    Alexia didn¡¯t so much as flinch as I filled her mouth. But I was sure I heard the softest moan of pleasure with every burst. She slipped off me for a moment and returned to press her naked skin against mine. I leaned back and relaxed as I listened to her whisper a soft poem in her native tongue.


    Life was good.


    But it was about to get better.


    The Emerald Sage¡¯s recipes would give me the tools I needed to take on Longhorn. My farm was secure, but come tomorrow, my preparations for the battle against Roarwind¡¯s Shadow Lord would begin in earnest.

 9: Leaving the Farm

    The sun had only just appeared in the sky when I left my bedroom. Alexia¡¯s soft snore followed me as I tied off my shirt in the corridor and bounded downstairs. Fresh excitement chased away the dregs of sleep as I considered my next move.


    The Sage lived along the road to Roarwind, but I didn¡¯t have enough horses to take both Alexia and Selene along with me. Thankfully, Kilcoy had left his cart behind after his death, and the fat bastard sure as Hells didn¡¯t need it anymore. I reached out with my mind to the nearest Perimeter Defense Squad and ordered two of the Slammers to join me. Their stout strength combined with my own and made it easier to drag the cart out of the stable.


    I brought out the two draught horses, hitched them to the cart, and drove it over to the shack. Selene¡¯s observation on my paranoia flickered through my mind as I stacked six jars of preservative into a crate and placed it in the cart. Travel in the Northern Realms wasn¡¯t a safe proposition, and after my recent uninvited guests, I wasn¡¯t about to take chances. And there was no sense in wasting perfectly good ingredients for the Replicator. I ducked back inside the shack and checked on the machine. It hadn¡¯t been touched, all of the ether hoses were still fixed in place, and the Essence Core chilled my fingers as I pried it loose.


    Walk with me and watch my back, I ordered the Slammers.


    I fished my keys out from underneath my shirt as I returned to the house. The sound of heeled boots clacking on the stairs echoed down to me and informed me that Selene was awake. I doubled my pace, just to be safe, and found the armory on the first floor. The Piercers had left it open yesterday, but it didn¡¯t matter. There wasn¡¯t a single weapon left in the room for anyone to take. The vault felt oddly empty without the usual blades, arrows, and shields fixed to the walls.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the price you pay for security,¡± I said aloud to the Slammers.


    I took a quick moment to check over the Essence Core. Jamin had told me that each one was unique to its Replicator. The Core was shaped roughly like a lantern and built out of elvish cast metals to protect it from supercooled ether. It was the controlling valve between the Essence load and the Replicator itself. Without it, my Replicator was unarmed and useless to anyone who managed to slip through the farm¡¯s defenses.


    I stashed it under a bench and turned to leave.


    One of the Slammers shifted and kept his vacant stare on my back. The other Slammer circled around me with his stumpy stride. Both of them reeked of sweat and unwashed hair. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. They¡¯d taken my orders literally.


    The Replicator was disarmed, but that was just one layer of defense. I stepped out of the armory and took a deep breath to focus my mind and then reached out to all the homunculi at the edges of the farm. I couldn¡¯t afford to have trespassers snooping around while I was out to see the Sage.


    Kill anyone that attempt to enter the farm while I¡¯m not here. The two women will leave with me. It took a moment for my order to flood into their minds, but understanding flickered through their thoughts and assured me my farm was well guarded.


    Return to your former squad, I told the two Slammers.


    An odd rush of affection touched me as they stomped outside to rejoin their comrades. These homunculi weren¡¯t sentient, of course, and they were designed to be disposable tools for an Adventurer or farmer. But they did their job well, didn¡¯t complain, and cost next to nothing to feed or house. They were brilliant servants and far better than most humans I¡¯d met.


    Even if the homunculi were thundering chucklefucks with no self-awareness.


    I locked the armory door firmly behind me and backtracked into the hallway. I made a brief stop in the dining hall to scoop up my arbalest and quiver. A soft female murmur from the hallway told me where to find my traveling companions. Selene and Alexia glided down the stairs and greeted me with conspiratorial smiles. I didn¡¯t even need to ask. It was clear that the blood mage had already told Selene all about last night¡¯s little massage in my bed. The blond mage was dressed for travel, and she¡¯d given one of her fur-lined coats to the elf. I smirked at them and Alexia bounded down the last of the stairs to kiss my cheek.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your scheme today?¡± the blood mage asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re headed out to meet with the Emerald Sage,¡± I replied. ¡°The cart is outside.¡±


    The two women followed me outside to our waiting method of transportation. Selene frowned at it and gestured to the stable.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to take my horse,¡± Selene said. ¡°Faster and less of a target to bandits.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing some homunculi to guard it,¡± I told her, ¡°and two powerful mages. It¡¯ll be more than enough to discourage anyone from attacking us. If you bring a horse with you, you¡¯ll end up drawing more attention to us. It¡¯s better if people assume we¡¯re simple merchants or locals.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± the blond mage admitted grudgingly.


    It took a moment for me to choose the right homunculi for our escort. The Archer in the gardens appeared behind us first. The Zweihander Swordsman joined us a few moments later, and I selected a Shield Slammer and Pike Piercer from the nearest detachment of guards. Selene nodded approvingly as they surrounded the cart and waited for my next order.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you bring more?¡± Alexia asked, confused.


    ¡°Too many and they¡¯ll attract attention,¡± I reminded her gently. ¡°Just the same as Selene¡¯s horse. Any travelling companion farmer would have a small contingent of homunculi, but bringing half an army along is just an invitation for trouble.¡±


    ¡°Trouble tends to hide around every corner this far north,¡± Selene observed.


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here,¡± I laughed. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Alexia leapt up into the back of the cart and offered Selene a hand up. I took my place in the driver¡¯s seat and set my arbalest beside me. The Archer climbed up beside the women behind me and rounded out our convoy. I gave the horses a light tap on the neck with the reins and started our journey off the farm.


    I guided the horses through the north exit to the farm as the girls chatted behind me. One of the Perimeter Defense Squads marched along the fenceline behind us as I locked the gate and drove the cart further to the rolling hills beyond. A chilling breeze flooded down from the sky-scraping mountains in the distance. A dusty, beaten path carved through the hills and forked out toward the local homesteads. Low walls of ancient stone crisscrossed their way through the farms and stood as proud markers of farmer-owned land. Jamin had never been one for getting to know his neighbors, and after the last two days, I finally understood why.


    An illegal Replicator, dealings with a Shadow Lord, and a dangerous homunculus locked away in the cellar attracted all the wrong kinds of attention.


    My homunculi followed on foot and moved in a rough triangle formation around the cart as we rode on toward the Emerald Sage¡¯s house. Under my instruction, they rotated around every fifteen minutes and kept their eyes peeled for any signs of danger. Ambushes from riding bandits weren¡¯t uncommon, but I figured that our chances of being attacked this close to a cluster of homesteads was low. Farmer¡¯s wives loved to talk about anything and everything, and word spread fast even this far north.


    I tuned in to Alexia and Selene¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°So when did you decide to take up magic?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Your curiosity is always flattering, Lexie,¡± Selene laughed. ¡°When I was sixteen and still living in Yarrowheld to the south. I was snapped up by a local recruiter for the Crown, who took me to the most prestigious Academy in the King¡¯s Realm.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an Academy?¡±


    ¡°There certainly is. They train the best and the brightest people of magic talent to serve the King wherever they¡¯re needed.¡± I heard the smirk in Selene¡¯s voice. ¡°They certainly found me a difficult prospect. I¡¯ve always been interested in the darker sides of magic and its applications. Demonology, the skills of a warlock, and sacrifice rituals.¡±


    ¡°I take it they didn¡¯t approve,¡± I observed.


    ¡°No, they did not. I didn¡¯t quite fit the mould of a young female mage.¡± Selene lowered her voice to a loud whisper. ¡°For one, they couldn¡¯t stop me from luring all the strapping young men into my chambers. And some of the women, too.¡±


    Alexia coughed. ¡°So what happened? How did you end up as a Commission mage?¡±


    ¡°I went a little too far one day and decided to hex someone during one of our training bouts,¡± Selene replied. ¡°Poor dear didn¡¯t know how to deal with that kind of magic. The lecturers didn¡¯t appreciate my unorthodox methods, they turned me out. I found work solving the occasional possession or bartering deals with low-level demons.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± I interrupted, ¡°one of your customers outed you to the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°That they did,¡± Selene nodded. ¡°And I was forced to rejoin their ranks once again. But where do you place a young woman of my rather alternative habits? In the most dreary, boring, unfashionable office imaginable. You put them with the Companion Commission and direct them to oversee the refining of Essence and to enforce the rules.¡±


    ¡°You must¡¯ve hated it,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the most thrilling employment,¡± Selene agreed. ¡°But you two are a good deal more interesting to work with. I¡¯m glad you decided to have me along.¡±


    The girls lapsed into a contented silence and enjoyed the view around us.


    We crested a hill and left the clusters of farming land behind. I shaded my eyes against the sun as I scanned the terrain for any threats. A small hill surrounded by stone jutted out of the scenery off to the east. Weapons gleamed in the morning sun as people moved around the old underground catacomb.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°I keep forgetting how young you are,¡± Selene laughed.


    ¡°I have spent most of my life in a dark cellar,¡± the elf said defensively.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon,¡± I supplied. ¡°It¡¯s the source of income for the Adventurer Guilds. Which, in turn, are a source of income for us. Funnily enough, most heroes don¡¯t always want to risk life and limb in the pursuit of riches.¡±


    ¡°So companions are built for Adventurers?¡± Alexia mused. ¡°Is Longhorn part of a Guild?¡±


    ¡°Only his own,¡± Selene snickered. ¡°Companion homunculi were originally designed as a simple shield, guide, or specialist to round out a party. They weren¡¯t originally made to last all that long. But as mages and alchemists poured more research into the endeavor, truly astonishing results started to arise from it.¡±


    ¡°Results like you,¡± I told Alexia with a wink.


    I turned back to scan our surroundings again. Three riders appeared over another rolling crest and slowed as they saw us. Three figures shambled after them on foot and rounded out the riders to a party of six. My homunculi rearranged themselves into a tight triangle around the edges of the cart at my direction, and I leaned forward to study the potential threat.


    Each of them were Adventurers on the road back from the dungeon. Red and white paint adorned their shields. Small sashes streamed in the wind from their inexpensive saddles, and even their horses were marked with colored stripes to mark the riders as part of an official Guild. The lead Adventurer hailed us with a raised hand. Tight leather armor shifted around a wiry body packed with muscle and a string of monster teeth rattled against his chestplate. A double set of daggers bounced against the man¡¯s hip as he settled back into the saddle.


    I decided to call him the Tracker.


    A bored-looking wood elf cantered along to the Tracker¡¯s left. White hair glinted in the sun as his disinterested gaze swept over the cart and my homunculi escort. An elfbow laid across his lap and every inch of his saddle bristled with quivers of feathered arrows. The second rider¡¯s armor was of an old elvish make, all smooth edges and faded gold piping, but his gear looked as if it hadn¡¯t seen maintenance in decades. I settled on calling the elf the Hunter.


    The third of the party caught the most attention. A round shield hung from his armored shoulders and a spiked mace swung freely from a loop in his belt. He was a muscled bear of a man with piggish eyes and a steel-capped helmet. The Adventurer¡¯s eyes went straight for Selene and Alexia in the back of the cart and a gruesome smirk slid over his features as he leaned in to say something to the Tracker. I¡¯d have put my money on the mace-bearing rider as the dumb muscle of the group, so I decided to call him the Fighter.


    The riders drew closer and I got a better look at their followers. The shambling step and expressionless faces were enough to tell me that the Adventurer party had paid for low-quality homunculi. A Crossbowman struggled to match the pace of the Hunter¡¯s mount and almost tripped over a Shield Slammer as he trailed behind the Tracker. The third homunculus carried a smallsword and a damaged buckler. I recognized it as a Footsoldier-class homunculus from my studies with Jamin.


    Six individuals from a local Guild on their way home from a hard night¡¯s raiding.


    They were a medium-level threat to my convoy, but the last thing that I wanted was a fight in the open spaces so close to a dungeon.


    Selene¡¯s hair brushed my shoulder as she leaned over to examine the riders.


    ¡°Local Guild nobodies,¡± she observed.


    ¡°Potential paying customers,¡± I countered. ¡°No harm in seeing what they want.¡±

 10: Guildies

    I pulled the draft horses to a halt as the adventurers slowed their mounts and clustered off ten yards to our right. My homunculi shifted uneasily at their presence and I ordered the Slammer to stop chewing on his shield.


    This is serious business, I growled at him. Cut that shit out.


    The Tracker chuckled as he cast his gaze over the cart.


    ¡°Good day, friend! What brings you this far north?¡± he asked cheerily.


    ¡°Business,¡± I replied. ¡°Yourself?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just finished a dungeon raid. We¡¯re headed back to an inn closeby, to the west.¡±


    ¡°What guild do you belong to?¡± the Hunter piped up.


    The elf directed his question at Alexia. The blood mage froze, unsure of what to say, and I chuckled at the elf¡¯s rudeness. Travellers were common enough in the North, and plenty of them didn¡¯t belong to a guild.


    ¡°We¡¯re not part of any guild, friend,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°I¡¯m a companion farmer, and these are my associates. As for the homunculi, well, the roads can be dangerous this time of year.¡±


    A rapid, calculating glance rippled between the three adventurers. I pulled my fingers back when I realized I was slowly reaching for my arbalest. I¡¯d seen the same expression on Brigmann¡¯s and Kilcoy¡¯s faces. The Tracker turned back to me and his smile widened in genuine delight.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re certainly of excellent make. Are you looking for customers at present?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Depends on the coin they¡¯re prepared to pay. I offer a relatively small range of high-quality homunculi suited for dungeon divers of high standing.¡±


    The Fighter barked a laugh of disbelief and pointed to my Slammer. ¡°That looks pretty fucking standard,¡± he said.


    ¡°Bringing high-quality homunculi out here means risking damaged goods,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Which means I don¡¯t make a good sale. So I settle for a more economical method of protection for my travels.¡±


    ¡°And where are you headed?¡± the Tracker asked.


    ¡°Further north to see a supplier,¡± I said. ¡°Need to pick up a few items.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an inn a few miles north of here. Mind if we join you while we travel there?¡± the Tracker asked. ¡°I could go in for a bed free of lice and a nice warm meal. What about you, Berred? Tystian?¡±


    ¡°Better lodgings would suit me perfectly,¡± the elf¡ªTystian¡ªanswered.


    ¡°So long as we can make a stop at the brothel,¡± grunted the Fighter. ¡°It¡¯s been a week since I¡¯ve managed to fuck a whore. They¡¯re in short supply in the mountains.¡±


    I turned to the girls behind me. Selene gave me a devious smile and Alexia simply stared at the adventurers in fascination. The blood mage¡¯s mouth trembled as her curiosity threatened to spill over into a torrent of questions. I slapped the reins and clicked my tongue, and the cart jolted as we started forward again. The adventurers matched our modest pace, the Tracker making sure to position himself to my immediate right.


    ¡°So, how much do you charge for a head?¡± the skinny man asked.


    ¡°Hundred silver coins,¡± I answered effortlessly. ¡°Extra thirty coins if you want them delivered in the Northern Regions.¡±


    The Tracker blanched at my price. ¡°That¡¯s obscene!¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Decent homunculi are in short supply these days, and I work faster than any other farmer you¡¯ve ever heard of. So it¡¯s a fair price if you want a product that lasts.¡±


    ¡°And where¡¯s your farm?¡± the Tracker asked.


    I tapped my nose and smirked. ¡°Trade secret, my friend. You¡¯ll have to catch me when I open up a trading post in Roarwind. We can negotiate companions then.¡±


    The Tracker nodded his thanks and retreated to rejoin his comrades. The Fighter¡ªwho I assumed was Berred¡ªcouldn¡¯t take his eyes off Selene. The bastard was practically drooling as he stared at her. Tystian had resumed his uninterested expression, but it was all a front. The elf¡¯s glances at Alexia were enough to convince me that this little guild detachment hadn¡¯t joined us to make small talk and pass the time.


    Selene¡¯s gorgeous legs appeared in my peripheral vision. The blond mage slipped effortlessly into the seat on my right and slung an arm lazily around my neck. She leaned in and her full mouth brushed my ear. Pleasure blasted through my skin like lightning and I shivered slightly at the contact.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± Selene breathed slyly.


    I grinned and leaned in to whisper back. ¡°Let me guess, you don¡¯t like their auras. Or the fact that they decided to turn around and follow us the moment they found out I farm homunculi.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good, so the friendly-salesman thing was just an act. I thought you¡¯d suddenly turned as mercenary as me, and forgotten about your criminal enterprises.¡±


    My hand crept around her waist and pulled her a little closer to keep up the act. I caught Berred¡¯s eye, and he ripped his gaze away from Selene instantly. The mage¡¯s perfume swam over my senses and I struggled to stop myself from kissing her.


    All for the show, of course. It had nothing to do with my slamming pulse.


    ¡°Tell me about them,¡± I said.


    Selene shifted, leaned closer, and made a show of kissing my neck. ¡°Berred is an animal driven by rage and lust. Tystian is full of cruelty but lacks any kind of love. Neither of them are possessed of any magical talent.¡± Selene¡¯s breath tickled my skin as her lips drifted back to my ear again. ¡°Their leader, however, masters some simple spells and is filled to the brim with deceit.¡±


    ¡°Poetic,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Their homunculi are poorly made and not maintained. If it comes to a fight, we have the advantage, but I¡¯d rather not start one here. Stay alert.¡±


    I caught Berred staring at Selene again and glared at him until he withdrew his gaze.


    ¡°Well, well, you¡¯re protective,¡± she purred.


    ¡°If a fight breaks out, retreat and support from a distance,¡± I said.


    Selene nodded, gave me a genuine smile that lit up her eyes, and then settled back into the cart beside Alexia. My blood mage piped up suddenly and directed her question at Tystian.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like to go into a dungeon?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Hard. Dangerous. Endless.¡± Tystian answered with undisguised irritation. ¡°Someone of your pedigree has dived dungeons before, surely?¡±


    Alexia shook her head. ¡°No, regrettably not. What do you find on your adventures?¡±


    Tystian met her eye and smirked. ¡°All kinds of things, youngling. Gold. Minerals. Fallen corpses of other adventurers less skilled or more foolhardy.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you bring companion homunculi?¡± Alexia pressed excitedly. ¡°The danger?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The Hunter narrowed his eyes and stared at her. I gritted my teeth and silently directed my homunculi toward the right of the cart. My soldiers moved casually enough and the adventurers didn¡¯t blink as my companions edged into a line to create a wall between the cart and the horses.


    ¡°Do you spend no time educating your lessers?¡± Tystian asked me coldly. ¡°Companions are disposable, youngling. They¡¯re shields of flesh that serve us and are barely worth the coin we pay for them.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t stop you paying the coin, does it?¡± Selene interjected cheerily.


    ¡°They¡¯re inefficient,¡± Berred laughed. ¡°I mean, look at them. My horse is smarter than these drooling bastards.¡±


    Alexia¡¯s face slid into a cold mask of fury. ¡°So you don¡¯t care for them.¡±


    Tystian slipped his foot out of a stirrup and kicked my Shield Slammer in the face. The homunculus tripped, and his skull cracked against the side of the cart. My hand caught hold of my arbalest as the adventurers beside us laughed. I took a deep breath to steady the ice-cold fury crackling through my veins and ordered my companion to its feet. The Slammer stumbled up to its feet and shook a line of blood out of its eye.


    Alexia glared at Tystian and got to her feet in one fluid move. She bit down on her hand. Tystian sneered at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, youngling?¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t stand the sight of a little violence?¡±


    Blood spilled around Alexia¡¯s hand and wreathed itself into a crackling ball of energy. The adventurers stared at her as the blood mage lifted up the small orb for them to see. I released the reins of the cart, snatched up my arbalest, and brought it to bear just as Alexia opened her fingers. Her spell whipped forward and hit Tystian in his right shoulder. Magic exploded outward, ripping his eye cleanly out of its socket and obliterating half of his jaw in a single pulse of raw energy.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Companion, just as they are!¡± Alexia shouted.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Berred snarled as he yanked his horse to a halt.


    Tystian slid nervelessly out of his saddle and smashed into the grass at his feet. I lunged off the front seat of the wagon to the left as the adventurers dived off their mounts. I slammed my shoulder blades into the side of the cart, using it as cover, and peeked over the top of it.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve been lying to us, traveller,¡± the Trapper called out cheerily. ¡°You did bring the cream of the crop with you¡ªand we¡¯re taking her with us!¡±


    ¡°Like hell you are,¡± Selene growled.


    The blond mage hooked Alexia¡¯s arm and hauled her over the side of the wagon. The women landed beside me in a whirl of black cloaks. A fresh orb of energy swarmed around Alexia¡¯s hand and I caught her wrist before she could fire off another blast of magic.


    ¡°We need them in one piece if possible,¡± I told her urgently. ¡°And I need you both at a good range for magic. When I give the word, break cover and retreat. Selene, can you bedazzle them?¡±


    ¡°If I can get a clear shot,¡± she said.


    ¡°Wait for my signal to hit them,¡± I said.


    ¡°Farmer!¡± the Trapper called out. ¡°This is an unfortunate accident, but perhaps we can negotiate some terms? Ones that don¡¯t involve death, destruction, and an unfortunate mess?¡±


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± I shouted back to play for time.


    Berred roared and raced out from around his horse toward the front of the cart. My two mages sprinted away from the cart in a crouch and I reached out to the minds of my homunculi as I spun out of cover. The Fighter blasted toward my Pike Piercer just as I directed my Slammer to take the blow on his tower shield. An echoing crack of splintering wood exploded across the hills.


    Keep him busy, I ordered the Piercer and the Slammer. Work as a unit and keep him at a distance.


    Berred laughed as the Slammer shoved him back. My Piercer stabbed at him, but he stepped out of range and shrugged his shield over his left arm. The Slammer and Piercer marched forward as one and pressed him away from the cart.


    Attack the Trapper, I ordered my Swordsman.


    My warrior grinned and hefted his weapon as he sprang forward after the second adventurer. I drew a bead on the closest enemy homunculus and saw the Trapper duck a swipe from my best creation. Blue energy sparked from the Trapper¡¯s fingertips as he drew a rapid sigil on the ground and cartwheeled away to avoid the Swordsman¡¯s massive blade. Azure light burst out of the ground, latched onto the Swordsman¡¯s boot, and instantly encased him in ice.


    I swore and reached out to the Yeoman Archer. Duck down until I tell you otherwise.


    Details swarmed in and I rapidly created a mental picture of the situation. The Fighter¡¯s formidable melee skills kept my Piercer and Slammer at bay. The Trapper was using the horses as cover. My Swordsman was out of the fight and vulnerable. And yet the guild¡¯s homunculi stood there in dumbfounded amazement¡ªwhich meant that the surviving adventurers didn¡¯t have any idea of how to use a mental link to direct them.


    ¡°Kill the farmer!¡± the Trapper cried. ¡°Find him and kill him, you useless bastards!¡±


    The guild homunculi barrelled forward in a tight cluster. They stumbled around the back of the cart and forced me to adjust my aim. I lined up a shot on the Crossbowman, steadied my arbalest against the side of the wagon, and pulled the trigger. The steel crossbow jerked in my hands and my shot caught my target straight in the mouth. The barbed point of the projectile punched through the back of the homunculus¡¯s head and severed his spinal cord.


    Eye of the Hawk! I shouted silently at the Archer. Aim for the Footsoldier!


    The Yeoman Archer whipped an arrow out of his quiver, braced his foot against the side of the cart, and took aim. White power blazed around the arrow as the homunculus drew back his huge bow and released it. The arrow sprang free of the string and punched into the Footsoldier¡¯s helmet from less than four feet away. The enemy companion staggered backward but  the arrow didn¡¯t penetrate. I¡¯d only bought a few precious seconds.


    My arbalest was empty, and I didn¡¯t have the time to reload it. I tossed the weapon into the cart just as I heard a throaty yell of excitement. I spun to my right and spotted the enemy Slammer advancing on me with lumbering steps. An ugly grin split his face as he raised his shield and braced himself for a charge.


    My eyes found the still-loaded crossbow of the fallen homunculus just as the Shield Slammer barrelled toward me. I didn¡¯t have time to jump clear, so I did the first thing that came to mind. I dropped to the ground and spread myself flat. The enemy Slammer¡¯s boot found my ribs as he tried to slow down. The momentum from the Slammer¡¯s charge carried him over me in a whirl of limbs and hair. I twisted into a crouch, came to my feet, and dived for the fallen crossbow beside the left wheel of the wagon. My hands closed around it just as the mental thread between my mind and my own Shield Slammer vanished.


    ¡°Is this all you have?¡± Berred roared.


    I bit back a curse as I lifted the crossbow and aimed at the fallen Shield Slammer. The enemy homunculus groaned and struggled fruitlessly to find its feet. I risked a glance under the wagon and saw the Trapper¡¯s boots slide up behind my Pike Piercer. Blood splattered the ground and my mental link with the spear-wielding homunculus vanished.


    Two of my homunculi had fallen, but I still had the advantage.


    Keep the Fighter busy, I ordered the Archer.


    ¡°Selene, get the Swordsman free!¡± I shouted aloud.


    I yanked the trigger on my stolen crossbow. The quarrel ripped free of the weapon and punched into the ribs of the fallen Slammer. The homunculus grunted, rolled the wrong way, and drove the barbed projectile deeper into his body. I tossed the crossbow aside and climbed to my feet just as Selene dashed past me in a trail of black leather and blond hair.


    I vaulted into the cart to get a better vantage point.


    My Archer¡¯s hands blurred as it sent arrow after arrow toward Berred. He snarled as the feathered shafts slammed into his armor and punched into his shield. The Trapper sprang away, dived into a roll, and scrambled to take cover behind his terrified horse.


    ¡°It¡¯s done, Caleb!¡± Selene shouted.


    I glanced over my shoulder. Hazy magic blurred around my frozen Swordsman while cracks spiderwebbed through his icy prison. The Swordsman tensed suddenly and the magic binding shattered around his limbs. My homunculus hefted his sword and looked up at me for orders.


    Go after the Trapper and don¡¯t give him time to breathe, I ordered.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Berred howled.


    I scooped up my arbalest, slipped my foot through the stirrup, and rapidly cranked the weapon to reload it. Berred staggered as yet another arrow hit him in the arm and forced him to drop his shield. I slid a fresh quarrel into my crossbow just as the Fighter barrelled forward at the draught horses.


    ¡°Get him dizzy,¡± I told Selene.


    The mage stepped out to the left of the cart and lifted her hands. A rippling haze appeared in her hands at a wordless command, and she blasted the Fighter with a beam of power. He staggered backward like a drunk as the hazy energy washed over him. My Yeoman fired off another arrow and hit the bastard in the gut. I lifted my loaded arbalest and sighted in on Berred¡¯s throat just as he lifted his eyes to meet mine.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this,¡± he hiccuped.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve stuck to raiding dungeons,¡± I told him.


    I pulled the trigger and punched a hole in his jugular. The adventurer collapsed to his knees and blood fountained from his ruined throat. My eyes swept off him and searched out the last member of the little guild. A flash of steel and a scream of pain helped me pinpoint the Trapper¡¯s exact location. The sneaky fucker lost his half-mount on his horse and tumbled to the ground. My Swordsman raised his blade to finish him off.


    Halt, I ordered. Pin him down, level the sword at his neck, and keep him there.


    I had intentions other than a swift death for this final adventurer.

 11: Bargains

    Alexia raced in from the left and bent over the rapidly dying Fighter with a grin. I took an extra three seconds to reload my arbalest, then ordered the Archer to follow me off the back of the cart. Selene joined me as I stepped around the horses to confront the last survivor.


    The Trapper was squirming under the Swordsman¡¯s boot as I approached. A vicious slash across his outer thigh colored the grass beneath him with a steady stream of blood. I waved off the Swordsman and leveled my crossbow at the fallen adventurer¡¯s face. He stared up at me in horror as he tried to stem the flow of scarlet.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he stammered. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡±


    ¡°We should,¡± Selene said. ¡°He knows about Lexie.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, he¡¯s more useful alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m useful. I swear I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Selene. ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hardly in a position to argue,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Anything, anything at all,¡± he blabbered, ¡°please, just let me live.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nasty cut on your leg there, friend,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll bleed out in a hurry if you don¡¯t get it seen to. So here¡¯s my proposition. You go to your guildmaster, and tell him a companion farmer named Caleb is offering high-quality homunculi for 150 silver coins a head.¡±


    ¡°You said 100,¡± the Trapper choked.


    ¡°Gods, you¡¯d think he¡¯d have a list of priorities,¡± I said to Selene.


    She shook her head and clicked her tongue. ¡°adventurers. Purse strings tighter than a virgin on her first night of marriage.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t go to the Commission, of course,¡± I told the Trapper. ¡°Because you and your people are little better than highway bandits with guild colors. I assure you they¡¯ll take my word over yours. So the only person you talk to about any of this is your guildmaster.¡±


    ¡°Tell the guildmaster,¡± the Trapper gasped. ¡°Yes, yes, I will.¡±


    ¡°Go to anyone else, and Selene will unbalance your mind until you can¡¯t tell your ass from your head.¡± I gestured to Tystian¡¯s corpse. ¡°And then Alexia will boil you from the inside out. It won¡¯t be slow, and the results won¡¯t be pretty. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he whimpered. ¡°Gods, please let me go. I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯ll do it right now.¡±


    ¡°Give me your knives and I¡¯ll send you on your way.¡±


    I lowered my arbalest and watched the Trapper stagger to his feet. He unsheathed the dual daggers, dropped them at my feet, and limped toward one of the horses. It took half a minute for him to get into the saddle and bolt away from the cart. I watched him leave to make absolutely sure he was gone.


    ¡°That might not have been wise,¡± Selene mused.


    ¡°Word will reach the guild within a day,¡± I pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll play it carefully. The guild hasn¡¯t the first idea where we live, and I have a small army of homunculi around the farm in any case. Where¡¯s Alexia?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± called the blood mage.


    Alexia stepped away from Berred¡¯s corpse with a face of absolute concentration. Blood swirled around her in strange streamers of energy. She tried to bring her hands together, but the energy dissipated and scarlet splattered over her clothes. Selene touched her shoulder with a warm smile and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting better,¡± Selene said. ¡°It just takes time.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want me to help?¡± Alexia asked me. ¡°You could¡¯ve kept your homunculi alive and killed them twice as quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but their gear would be ruined and we¡¯d lose decent ingredients. You¡¯re my trump card, Alexia. Your power is incredible, but it¡¯s a little overkill. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a time when we¡¯ll need you to cut loose.¡±


    The elf nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I killed him. I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±


    ¡°They were bastard highwaymen,¡± Selene said, ¡°and they were insulting you. They also threw the first blow against Caleb¡¯s Slammer. They had it coming.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I said, ¡°we¡¯ve profited from it.¡±


    I directed my Swordsman and Archer to drag the bodies to the back of the cart. I started to unlatch the armor from the fallen homunculi and took a closer look at the quality of the gear. The leather was worn, scarred, and needed a good oiling, but it was still a valuable addition to my growing army of companions. I stripped the homunculi down and assembled their weapons in a neat row on the back of the wagon. The crossbow I¡¯d snatched up was smaller than the arbalest, but had a faster action despite its rusted mechanism. I placed the weapon and its accompanying quiver on the driver¡¯s seat.


    Selene smirked. ¡°I see you¡¯re downsizing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the size, it¡¯s about how you use it,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Besides, sometimes, two is better than one. Didn¡¯t you learn that in the Mage Academy?¡±


    She rolled her eyes as I turned back to the other homunculi¡¯s weapons. The Slammer¡¯s tower shield was a welcome addition to my collection. I offered Selene the arming sword. She unsheathed it and examined the blade.


    ¡°Rusted, nicked, and mostly blunt,¡± she sighed. ¡°You¡¯d really think that their guild would take better care of their investments, even if it¡¯s for a homunculus.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Do you want it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    Selene sheathed the sword back into its scabbard and buckled it to her belt. I dragged the homunculi corpses to the side of the road. Alexia caught my arm as I rolled the dead Slammer out onto the grass.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you use their parts?¡± she asked. ¡°Make new soldiers?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re not technically organic, and they don¡¯t carry the necessary life force to create a new homunculus. It¡¯s just dead meat and it¡¯ll weigh down the cart.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So you couldn¡¯t turn me into another homunculus?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even try to,¡± I assured her. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve got a present for you.¡±


    Alexia followed me back to the cart. I offered her the Trapper¡¯s daggers. She beamed at me as she took the bone-white hilts and tested the weight. Sunlight caught the slightly curved blades as she spun them in her hands and nodded.


    ¡°They¡¯re perfect,¡± she said.


    ¡°See? Capitalize on a bad situation the right way, and along come the rewards.¡± I kissed her cheek gently and then gestured to the cart. ¡°Come on, you¡¯ll need those. We¡¯re not done yet.¡±


    Alexia and Selene helped me strip down the bodies of Berred and Tystian. Berred¡¯s mace, shield, and armor were huge and terribly maintained, but they would favor a heavier and harder-hitting homunculus once I found the right recipe. I moved over to Tystian¡¯s gear and gave it to the Yeoman Archer. The elfbow was a good deal more valuable than the longbow and I¡¯d heard that the range was better. I stashed the arrows from the Hunter¡¯s horse in the cart beside the Yeoman in case of another attack. Alexia tied off the spare animal¡¯s reins to the back of the wagon.


    Then I turned my attention to the corpses of the adventurers themselves. We harvested as much as we could and stowed them in the pickling jars I¡¯d packed earlier in the morning. Selene shook her head at me as I sealed off the last one and placed it into a straw-packed crate.


    ¡°Of course you thought to bring half of the workshop with you,¡± the mage muttered.


    ¡°Layers upon layers,¡± I reminded her as I rolled Tystian¡¯s harvested corpse under the canvas tarpaulin. ¡°It was possible we¡¯d run into trouble, so I thought ahead.¡±


    ¡°Lexie, do some more practice,¡± Selene instructed as I climbed up to the driver¡¯s seat.


    The blond mage joined me at the front as I gave the horses a gentle slap. They started forward at a placid pace. Magic hummed behind us as Alexia tried her best to move through an exercise that Selene had given her out of my earshot.


    ¡°Suppose that the little weasel does what you tell him to,¡± Selene said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned that the guildmaster will brag about his brand-new companion farmer to his rivals? Or that word will get out that you¡¯re in the area?¡±


    ¡°Any sane leader of a guild would want to see how powerful my homunculi are at first,¡± I said. ¡°If they¡¯re really everything I advertize, the guildmaster won¡¯t want to alert his rivals to the fact that he has premium companions from an exclusive source.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through,¡± the mage said. ¡°Defenses, preservatives, now playing the guilds? You really are a devious character, Caleb. I knew you were sharp, but this is something else entirely.¡±


    I winked at her. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡±


    The morning sun shifted into afternoon as the draft horses carried us toward the homestead of the Emerald Sage. I took a left fork in the road and steered the cart down a beaten track between two stone fences. Selene slipped back into the cart and began to tutor Alexia in a half-whisper.


    A small house awaited us at the end of the track. Smoke drifted cheerily from a stone chimney and a wide rows of unkempt gardens surrounded the front of the house. It was a good deal smaller than my own, but the familiar trileaf hedges and gorequince trees marked the owner of the homestead as a serious alchemist. Thaddeus evidently still kept some of his old habits alive, and a rush of excitement blazed into my bloodstream as we drew closer and closer to his house.


    An odd shape like an unstuffed scarecrow hung off the front gate.


    It was a man¡ªa dead man.


    Intestines spilled out from the body and pooled around the foot of the gate. Blood leaked from a gaping mouth into a white beard and a completely blackened iris stared out uselessly over the road. I caught hold of my arbalest and pulled it up to my shoulder as I cast my eyes back over the corpse.


    I couldn¡¯t remember the pitch-black eyeball or the bulging, misshapen nose. But I was barely twelve when Jamin took me to see Thaddeus. And there was no mistaking that bald pate or the pair of withered hands.


    Someone had killed the Emerald Sage and hung his body up in his garden.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take another step!¡± a voice howled from the house. ¡°Or I¡¯ll kill you, just like I did the old man!¡±


    I froze. I recognized this voice.

 12: The Emerald Sage (1)

    The homunculi tensed at the voice and started forward. I ordered them to stand down, and lowered my arbalest myself. Selene caught my arm and leaned in close.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s Thaddeus,¡± I whispered back. ¡°That¡¯s not him hanging over the gate.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Alexia protested.


    ¡°It¡¯s a failed experiment,¡± I said. ¡°Jamin told me the herbalist was a slippery bastard. I doubt a bandit caught him unawares on his own property.¡±


    I turned back to the house. ¡°Thaddeus!¡± I called out. ¡°It¡¯s me, Caleb, Jamin¡¯s nephew!¡±


    A long moment passed by before the front door rattled and swung open, and the Emerald Sage stumbled out into the sunlight. A thick haze of smoke drifted around him as he hefted up a double-stacked crossbow and glared at the cart through beady, unfocused eyes. I stepped off the cart and strolled up to the gate with my hands open and empty. Recognition bloomed in the old man¡¯s eyes, and he scratched his leg idly with the loaded crossbow.


    ¡°Well, this is embarrassing,¡± Thaddeus said. ¡°I thought you were bandits.¡±


    ¡°How many bandits drive a cart with a homunculus escort?¡± I said.


    ¡°Bandits would ride dragons and strike down their prey with lightning if they could. I¡¯ve seen them try. Won¡¯t be long now before they¡¯re plundering the skies in flying ships, mark my words.¡± He looked me up and down and huffed. ¡°Well, you¡¯re all grown up, then.¡±


    ¡°Time is funny like that,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Bloody young people. You all think you¡¯ll be strapping and strong forever,¡± Thaddeus muttered. ¡°Come in, and bring the lovely ladies with you. I¡¯ll put on some tea.¡± He squinted at the wagon and pointed to the side of his house. ¡°I¡¯ve a stable behind the acid-leaf trees. Drop off the cart there and meet me inside.¡±


    Thaddeus vanished into his house as I turned back to the cart. Selene raised an eyebrow at me as I hefted the corpse off the fence and pushed the gates open.


    ¡°He seems well-adjusted,¡± she commented dryly.


    I took the reins of the draft horses and guided the cart into the mass of shrubbery around the house. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call him that, no, but he¡¯s a companion farmer.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s paranoid and scheming?¡± Alexia giggled.


    ¡°You have to be if you want to stay in business in the North,¡± I told her.


    The stable was low and wide, and stuffed with straw. It stank of age-old horse shit and it desperately needed a sweeping-out, but I ignored the stench as I stabled the horses. Alexia took care of Tystian¡¯s animal with soothing words and a gentle hand.


    ¡°Planning to bring your little retinue with us?¡± Selene asked.


    I considered the homunculi for a moment. ¡°No, they probably won¡¯t fit inside the house. And I want to keep Thaddeus at ease as best I can.¡±


    Stay in the shadows of the stable and keep watch for anyone approaching the house, I ordered my companions. Warn me in advance if anyone comes down the road.


    The Swordsman tipped me an informal salute and took up a position beside the stable¡¯s entry. My Yeoman Archer ghosted into one of the spare stalls and nocked an arrow to the string of his bow. Alexia wrinkled her nose as we left the stable.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t much care for animals,¡± she said.


    ¡°I have a feeling he doesn¡¯t much care for people, either,¡± Selene muttered. ¡°I mean, honestly, leaving a corpse on the gate like that? What is he trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Probably a good indication he¡¯s not to be trifled with,¡± I said as I held the front door open for them. ¡°Mind you don¡¯t irritate him, I have a feeling that¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have a feeling that what?¡± Thaddeus growled as I closed the front door behind me.


    ¡°That you might be inclined to poison the tea,¡± I finished with a cheeky grin.


    Thaddeus chuckled and looked into Alexia¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try it with these two in the house. Dear Gods, Caleb, where did you get a homunculus of this quality?¡±


    Alexia stared back into Thaddeus¡¯s eyes and frowned. ¡°Your eyes are glazed, sir.¡±


    ¡°My brain too,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s better that way. A little lubrication goes a surprisingly long way if you know what to do with it. You speak. You think. You¡¯re obviously independent. Did you give it a name, Caleb?¡±


    ¡°Alexia,¡± the elf told him firmly. ¡°My name is Alexia.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Very well¡ªAlexia it is.¡±


    I leaned back against the door as Thaddeus turned to inspect Selene. The warlock met his gaze with an amused smile and tapped the Commission badge on her cloak.


    ¡°Yes, I once worked for the Commission, and no, I¡¯m not here to ask about the corpse on your fence.¡± Selene unclasped her cloak and hung it on a wide coathook by the door. ¡°My name is Selene. I¡¯m with Master Caleb in an advisory capacity. He said it was vital that we come and speak to you.¡±


    The old man scratched the white explosion that was his beard and nodded. ¡°Well, family of Jamin is family of mine. When¡¯s the last time you were here, lad?¡±


    ¡°Probably close to eighteen years ago,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Hm. Well, first things first. A tour of my humble abode, a courtesy from one professional to another.¡± Thaddeus waved us further into his house.


    Our feet rustled softly against the smooth stone floor as we trailed after the old man. Thick walls crowded us in and curved into a low ceiling fitted with two-foot-wide rafters. Lanterns and candles hung from the roof and filled the house with a soft orange glow after the hallway.


    We turned down a passage to the right and stepped into the main parlour. Thaddeus had converted it into a trove of knowledge and alchemical practice. Tall bookcases of thick mahogany groaned under the weight of dusty tomes and countless jars of ingredients. Alexia ran a hand over the main table in the centre of the room. Blue lines of crystal swam through the surface of the stone tabletop and illuminated the oceans of books around it.


    Selene gasped as she stepped closer to it. ¡°That¡¯s a corridium nexus.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± Alexia asked, confused.


    ¡°An elvish workbench for infusing magic into metals,¡± I explained. ¡°Probably why you were drawn to it, Alexia. Elves like to make sure that their work is appreciated by other elves.¡±


    ¡°Bloody bastards charged me through the nose for that,¡± Thaddeus snorted. ¡°It¡¯s useless for my work, in any case, but it is a good piece of furniture. Sturdy, you know.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°You bought something this important and you use it as a reading desk?¡± Selene asked incredulously. ¡°I¡¯ve met practitioners who would give up a limb to have one of these.¡±


    Thaddeus cracked a grin full of crooked teeth. ¡°And your point is?¡±


    Selene shook her head and muttered something about crazy old men as I scanned the bookshelves. The jars of preserved ingredients were stored neatly and efficiently despite the ocean of books cluttered about the parlour. Any decent alchemist knew to keep their ingredients separated and correctly labeled, and Thaddeus was no exception.


    ¡°It¡¯s an impressive store of ingredients,¡± I observed.


    ¡°You need it in our line of work,¡± Thaddeus grunted. ¡°Does Jamin still keep his Replicator in that old shack out in the open and harvest all his ingredients fresh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a creature of habit,¡± I said. ¡°Of course he does¡ªwell, he did.¡±


    Thaddeus¡¯s fingers tapped an odd rhythm against his chin as he stepped over to join me. ¡°So you¡¯ve taken over his farm, eh? How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°He just packed up and left. Gave it to me a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious enough you know your way around the basic processes. Those Piercers are some fine work, even if they warrant an inventive death sentence from the Commission. Have you ever had your testicles frozen?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say it¡¯s one of my hobbies, no,¡± I said.


    ¡°They¡¯re inventive, those Commission mages,¡± he muttered with a quick glance over his shoulder at Selene. ¡°Come, there¡¯s something I want to show you. It¡¯ll change your perception of the process of building homunculi, let me tell you.¡±


    The girls fell in behind me as we strolled into the adjoining room. The smell of baking bread hung heavily in the air and drew my attention to an oven of thick steel to my right. A small kitchen station with stone benches and wooden shelves jutted out from the wall beside it. Herbs and plants of all kinds swung from the heavy rafters above in messy bunches and added to the scent of the bread. But that wasn¡¯t even the most impressive addition to the kitchen. Three homunculi bustled about the space in rough woven dresses with feather dusters. I studied them as I brushed a bunch of herbs aside and followed Thaddeus to a locked pantry door on the right. Each of the homunculi had a female form, but their chests were flat as a board and their eyes drifted over me with the typical vacant expression.


    ¡°It almost puts your kitchen to shame, Caleb,¡± Alexia said.


    Thaddeus paused in front of the door and turned to me. ¡°It¡¯s behind here. My greatest discovery. The one thing that keeps me energized, young and healthy from day to day.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Selene drawled, ¡°you¡¯ve found the Elixir of Life.¡±


    Thaddeus waggled a finger. ¡°Almost, young lady, almost.¡±


    I frowned as Thaddeus made a show of unlocking the door. Was the old man talking about new recipes? A fresh philosophy for putting together homunculi that Jamin hadn¡¯t heard of? My pulse kicked up a notch as Thaddeus stepped into the pantry and re-emerged with a fistful of herbs and a wide-bowled smoking pipe.


    Selene barked a laugh. ¡°Madman¡¯s clover, oh Emerald Sage? That¡¯s your secret?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever tried this wonderful weed?¡± Thaddeus asked her with a manic grin. ¡°It¡¯s truly a gift from the Gods. Should you so happen to set it on fire, it¡¯ll do truly spectacular things for your mind. Free you from the shackles of mundane consciousness and propel you to new heights unlike anything you¡¯ve ever seen before.¡±


    Thaddeus packed the pipe with withered fingers, bustled past us, and withdrew a long piece of steel wire from the fireplace. He touched the white-hot end of the metal to the bowl of the pipe and took a deep, appreciative toke. I couldn¡¯t suppress a chuckle as the scent of the potent psychedelic drifted across the room. Jamin had warned me about madman¡¯s clover, and I¡¯d never touched the stuff as a result. Thaddeus moaned appreciatively and glanced around the room with wide, hazy eyes.


    ¡°Much better,¡± Thaddeus cackled. ¡°Oh, yes, the colors. Precisely what I needed.¡±


    He strolled back to us with lurching steps and offered me the pipe. I shook my head and Alexia stepped forward. She held out her hands and Thaddeus paused as he met her eye. Then he turned to me and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Can I try some, Caleb?¡± Alexia asked.


    I eyed the pipe. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°I want to try these things. I¡¯ve been locked up in a cellar for years. Please?¡±


    ¡°Take it slow, then,¡± I advised. ¡°Just a few puffs. If you start seeing bandits, dragons, or a rainbow made of honey trying to drown you with its colors, then you know you¡¯ve definitely gone too far.¡±


    Alexia took the proffered pipe and inhaled. Her eyes widened almost instantly and her face relaxed into a lazy smile. Thaddeus cackled again as she inhaled a few more times and coughed violently. He ripped his pipe back, sucked in more of the clover, and then winked at Alexia. The elf giggled to herself and caught me in a violent hug. She gazed around at Selene and gasped. The blond mage paused her examination of a bunch of herbs.


    ¡°Is that what auras look like?¡± Alexia breathed.


    ¡°That¡¯s the clover,¡± Selene told her gently. ¡°So no.¡±


    ¡°Oh. All the colours, they¡¯re so pretty.¡± Alexia nuzzled into my chest. ¡°You smell so gooood,¡± she moaned.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve gotten my favourite homunculus silly, can we talk?¡± I asked.


    Thaddeus nodded and lurched out of the kitchen. Selene withdrew her fingers from one of the braids of herbs and followed him. Alexia murmured indistinctly into my tunic as I followed them. Her hands drifted over my ass and another wave of giggles shook through her chest. I kissed the top of her head and guided her back to the table with a sigh.


    This was turning out to be an interesting day.


    Thaddeus swept a pile of books onto the floor with a resounding crash and cleared some of the table. I pulled up a chair from the side and sat Alexia down in it. Selene found another two tucked into a corner and offered one to me. She dropped easily onto the seat and cross her long legs under the table, caught my gaze, and offered me a smirk.


    ¡°So,¡± Thaddeus said as he jumped and sat down on the table. ¡°What do you want, nephew of Jamin? What brings you all the way off my old friend¡¯s farm?¡±


    ¡°Business,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s always bloody business with you lot,¡± Thaddeus said with a jab of his pipe. ¡°I always used to tell Jamin he needed to loosen up, let go of his scheming. Do you think he might have listened to me, boy?¡±


    ¡°Doubt it,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Then he taught you well,¡± Thaddeus grunted. ¡°Too well. I¡¯ll not be dragged into some harebrained plan again. I¡¯m too old and too damn busy for that nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Your maidservants seem to do most of the work for you. They¡¯re an interesting design. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever seen any of them so¡­well, unendowed.¡±


    Thaddeus cackled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not the worst part about them. Make sure they don¡¯t smile at you. They¡¯ve got teeth on them like a shark.¡±


    Alexia started out of her haze and gazed back to the kitchen. ¡°Why would they have those?¡±


    ¡°Kingdom-approved recipe for houseservants,¡± I guessed. ¡°The Commission doesn¡¯t like the idea of building any female homunculi with¡­sexual organs, and they like to discourage owners from interfering with homunculi. But this is a new design. Haven¡¯t seen it before.¡±


    Alexia gulped and the Sage barked a laugh. ¡°She¡¯s a real interesting one, Caleb, I¡¯ll give you that. But let¡¯s get down to business. I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t ride all the way out here to compliment me on my helpers. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it brief,¡± I said. ¡°I want to bargain for your recipes. I need to widen my range of homunculi and I¡¯m not about to start throwing just anything into the Replicator.¡±


    ¡°Widen your range, eh?¡± Thaddeus puffed on the pipe and hiccuped. ¡°Last I heard that was illegal practice. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Commission Mage?¡±


    Selene smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very illegal.¡±


    Thaddeus squinted suspiciously at her. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve done the right thing by not experimenting with recipes. Plenty of young companion farmers like you have been bitten in the bloody ass for that. You¡¯ve got a rare head on your shoulders, coming to me for help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a beautiful head,¡± Alexia murmured dreamily.


    Her fingers caressed my face and I fought off a laugh.


    ¡°Beautiful heads aside,¡± I said, ¡°it¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll manage to get into the market around Roarwind. I need your military-grade recipes for combat homunculi to sell to the guilds.¡±


    Thaddeus sputtered and smoke exploded out of his nose. ¡°You what?¡±


    I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair while the old companion farmer got his breathing under control. Alexia¡¯s hands drifted over my shoulder and brushed my thigh as Thaddeus leaned over the edge of the table to stare straight at me.


    ¡°Can you imagine what the Commission would do to me if I was caught selling those kinds of recipes to a man with an illegally modified Replicator?¡± Thaddeus whispered. ¡°Frozen testicles would just be the start. They¡¯d turn my toenails into a knife to cut off my beard. Or shear off my ears and make me wear them around my neck.¡±


    I glanced at Selene. The blond mage lifted a hand to her mouth and trembled, but after a moment I realized she was trying not to laugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s only if they catch you,¡± I said, ¡°and they won¡¯t. I already have the Piercers and the Archers, and I did it without your help. If you need protection, I can provide it.¡±

 13: The Emerald Sage (2)

    Thaddeus leaned back onto the table and took another mouthful of the clover smoke. ¡°I can¡¯t take the risk. It¡¯s already bad enough as it is. My work is on the edge of a precipice and I have no intention of creating more trouble for myself. Do you really want the Commission breathing down your neck?¡±


    Selene winked at me, and I laughed.


    ¡°Depends who they send,¡± I said.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a joking matter, boy,¡± Thaddeus whispered. ¡°I can¡¯t give you the recipes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not exactly in a legal position yourself, you know,¡± Selene said. ¡°That dead homunculus outside looks an awful lot like you, Emerald Sage. And last I heard, attempting to create homunculus clones is far worse than ranging outside of your Replicator¡¯s parameters.¡±


    ¡°I have the licence,¡± Thaddeus growled. ¡°It¡¯s permitted.¡±


    ¡°Can I see it?¡± Selene asked innocently.


    Thaddeus jerked back as if he¡¯d been punched, and I nudged Selene¡¯s ankle with my foot. She sank lower into her chair with a satisfied smirk on her face, and I caught Alexia¡¯s wrist before she could start unfastening my trousers.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to threaten you, Thaddeus,¡± I said lightly. ¡°But with your help, we could create the best companion farm in the Northern Realms. We¡¯d profit enormously from your help, and you¡¯d be well compensated for your trouble.¡±


    ¡°Risk-taking is a young man¡¯s game,¡± Thaddeus muttered. ¡°Not mine. Gods, I need more clover. And I need to get back to work. All this talk of Replicators is just reminding me of my research.¡±


    Thaddeus clambered off the table, stumbled, and caught the back of Alexia¡¯s chair. She didn¡¯t have the time to balance herself and she pitched backward with a yelp. Her body crashed into Thaddeus¡¯s half-sprawled form and drove him into the floor. A mewl of breathless agony slipped out of Thaddeus¡¯s mouth as Alexia rolled off him in a fit of hysterical giggles.


    ¡°He sounds like a mouse,¡± Alexia tittered. ¡°Like a baby mouse.¡±


    I caught Alexia¡¯s arm and helped her to her feet. ¡°Thaddeus, you¡¯re obviously having issues with your Replicator. Can I offer you the use of mine, instead? Jamin had it modified, and it can do quite some astonishing things, given the right recipes.¡±


    Thaddeus pushed himself over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling for a long moment in silence. Alexia pressed herself to my side and almost distracted me as she kissed my neck. I pulled away from the touch of her soft, warm mouth to offer Thaddeus my hand.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a fresh pair of eyes,¡± Thaddeus admitted.


    I hauled him to his feet. He spun on his heel for a moment, got his bearings, and then pointed to the hallway that led to the front door. Selene¡¯s chair scraped as she got to her feet and joined us. Thaddeus muttered obscenities to himself as he halted in the main hallway and pressed his hands against the wall.


    I took a moment to check with my homunculi outside. The perimeter was clear.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°Are you trying to eat the wall?¡±


    Thaddeus leaned in, pressed his ear to the smooth stone, and then touched a certain crack with his fingertips. A whirring series of clicks echoed through the hallway as the hidden door swung open on well-oiled hinges. A set of stairs stretched down into the darkness below. Thaddeus clapped his hands and started rubbing his palms together.


    ¡°Corridium nexus, hidden doorways,¡± Selene muttered to herself. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Come and see, Miss Commission Mage,¡± the old man retorted.


    I ducked under the lintel of the hidden doorway and started down the staircase. The dark pressed in from all sides and I used my hands to keep my balance down the unevenly carved steps. My feet found the floor beneath the last step and a sudden glow illuminated the secret room.


    I gaped around in astonishment.


    A huge, floor-to-ceiling Replicator took up the entire back wall. Shadowy entrances to an underground tunnel system twisted away to our right, and I curbed my curiosity to focus on the machine. Fluid bubbled within the main chamber and machinery whirred pleasantly around it as I stepped closer. I heard a choked gasp behind me.


    ¡°It¡¯s enormous!¡± Selene exclaimed.


    Thaddeus stopped at a bench and re-packed his pipe with madman¡¯s clover. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m rather proud of this old unit. Pity it doesn¡¯t quite meet my expectations.¡±


    I drifted closer and checked the Essence injectors. My own machine back home had a single Essence Core, but Thaddeus¡¯s machine had three separate parts designed to flood the chamber with fuel. Everything was well-oiled, clean, and properly maintained.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be legal,¡± Selene said. ¡°Surely.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t, not quite,¡± Thaddeus said, ¡°but it¡¯s difficult to tell unless you¡¯re an engineer. Damn thing hasn¡¯t built anything sane in five years. I have to kill every homunculus that comes out of it, because they¡¯re all, well¡­¡±


    ¡°Insane?¡± Alexia supplied.


    Thaddeus ground his teeth and nodded. ¡°Yes, rather insane. More clover?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve had quite enough, thank you.¡±


    He grunted. ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going insane because you¡¯re trying to give them sentience,¡± I said. ¡°Jamin used to talk about it. You don¡¯t give a homunculi a thinking mind because they¡¯re not suited to handle it.¡±


    Thaddeus pointed to Alexia. ¡°Some are. Looks like your uncle found a way to make it work. Bloody cocksure bastard, always running off into the shadows to find new ingredients. He knew his business, though, I¡¯ll give him that.¡±


    ¡°How did you meet Jamin?¡± Alexia asked as she rubbed her eyes.


    ¡°Bastard kicked me in the balls over a woman and a drink once,¡± Thaddeus huffed. ¡°Back in the Academy, of course, before he started off on his insane adventures all over.¡±


    ¡°The Mage Academy?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Good to see the clove is wearing off,¡± Selene said with a smirk. ¡°No, the Companion Academy. Where all the Kingdom-approved farmers go to learn their craft, and teach it to others.¡±


    I examined the injector hoses and chuckled as I thought of Jamin as a young man. ¡°So, my uncle kicked you in the balls? What then?¡±


    ¡°We became good friends,¡± Thaddeus said. ¡°He has the luck of the devil, so Jamin does. Ran riot all over the Academy, challenging the teachers because he knew more than they did. He always figured there was more to companions than just bare utility. That got him expelled in the end, and the Gods may damn me if I didn¡¯t follow the crazy snake out of there.¡±


    ¡°The Kingdom doesn¡¯t seem to appreciate people with different ideas,¡± I said.


    Selene flicked a tendril of hair from her cheek and shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re very set in their ways, and if anything threatens their authority, they take it rather personally.¡±


    ¡°Idiots,¡± Thaddeus snorted. ¡°We found ourselves in and out of dungeons, little tasks, paid in coin or in favors by good people and unsavory scum-suckers. Until I decided I¡¯d had enough and went back to the Academy. I graduated without your uncle to get me into trouble and from there I worked with the Division.¡± He grunted. ¡°Wrote some books, made companions, and then got turfed out by a pack of newcomers to the Division.¡±


    ¡°New Companion Farmers for the King?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Something like that. They were idiots, didn¡¯t appreciate my methods. I left them behind and moved out here. Jamin was in the area, so we worked together.¡± Thaddeus blew smoke from his pipe and muttered a curse. ¡°Need to grow a stronger strain of this. Where was I?¡±


    ¡°Working with Jamin,¡± Selene said dryly.


    Thaddeus snapped his withered fingers. ¡°Yes. We made profits, and bought some old equipment from the Division. Jamin took his Replicator, and I took this one. We had our licenses, and the idea was simply to generate a steady flow of income. Plenty of coin to tickle our bedsheets with at night. Damn would¡¯ve worked too, but your uncle decided he needed to go deeper into his rule-breaking.¡±


    ¡°You got cold feet and left him alone,¡± I said.


    ¡°Boy, I knew when to cut my losses. I retired and wrote books. Theses. Poetry. Philosophy. Anything I bloody well wanted to, because I could.¡± Thaddeus thumped his fist on the workbench and rattled a roll of knives beside him. ¡°And before you bloody ask, yes, I did want to follow him into the fire. Gods know I would¡¯ve, too. But he was going down a path I couldn¡¯t pursue.¡±


    ¡°So you decided to continue to work within the bounds of the Kingdom,¡± Selene laughed. ¡°With your little underground chamber and your illegal experimentation on homunculi.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Thaddeus said emphatically. ¡°Where it¡¯s fucking safe.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your favorite work you¡¯ve written?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°Is there one?¡±


    ¡°My magnum opus,¡± Thaddeus said in an oddly quiet voice. ¡°Homunculi Unbound. But it was taken.¡± He muttered another curse as his pipe went out. ¡°Now look what you¡¯ve done. At this rate I¡¯ll be sober soon.¡±


    ¡°Gods forbid,¡± Selene muttered.


    Thaddeus went silent, and I looked up from my examination of his Replicator. There was so much Jamin hadn¡¯t told me. So much he¡¯d simply decided to dump at my feet and run away from. I couldn¡¯t blame the old Sage for deciding on safety over the thrill of danger.


    But he¡¯d just given me an idea for something that I could trade for his recipes.


    ¡°What if I found this treatise?¡± I asked him. ¡°If I brought it back to you, would you give me what I want?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s lost,¡± Thaddeus snapped. ¡°Burned. There¡¯s no way of recovering it.¡±


    Selene¡¯s brow furrowed as she fixed her eyes on the old man. I saw the gesture and realized that she was reading Thaddeus¡¯s aura. Something was off, and my gut told me that Thaddeus was lying. The old man had answered my question too quickly, too negatively.


    I shifted the subject to confirm my suspicions. ¡°But you still saw Jamin after he kept breaking the rules. You must have¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have met you otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡± Thaddeus seized my change of topic greedily. ¡°Jamin moved back to his father¡¯s old manor house, of course, with his Replicator. Started churning out homunculi for the locals and making a rather tidy profit. He used to come and see me sometimes.¡±


    ¡°For advice?¡± Selene said.


    ¡°For the clover, actually,¡± Thaddeus chuckled. ¡°We had a good time, Jamin and I. But he started coming less often, and I found out that he¡¯d found a woman. Someone had gotten into his head, separated him from his work. Damn fool fell in love.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with falling in love,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°There is when your beloved dies before you can marry her,¡± Thaddeus retorted. He cast his eyes over the elf, dropped his pipe idly on the bench, and stalked forward. ¡°In fact, you look a good deal like Jamin¡¯s late woman, Alexia. A good deal like her, indeed.¡±


    I stepped between Thaddeus and Alexia. ¡°So, she died. What happened then?¡±


    Thaddeus¡¯s eyes shifted away from mine, and I knew for certain he was lying about the manuscript. These stories about my uncle were the perfect escape route for him.


    ¡°He became obsessed with breaking the wards around a Replicator,¡± Thaddeus told me. ¡°He went straight to the only place that would get him to what he needed. I didn¡¯t know he was dealing with the Underrealm. But he found it. He found out what he fucking wanted and he did it. He shattered the wards, and started doing business with Longhorn Martyn.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Thaddeus shuddered as he said the name.


    Selene stepped forward and curiosity sparkled in her eyes. ¡°How¡¯d he do it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so interested?¡± Thaddeus asked suspiciously. ¡°Are you sure you trust her, boy?¡±


    ¡°Answer the question,¡± I told him. ¡°She works for me, not the Commission.¡±


    Thaddeus looked down at his unlit pipe and muttered yet another curse. ¡°He was always dipping his fingers into the magic aspects of alchemy, rather than the science. Idiot didn¡¯t know when to quit. The Underrealm was his biggest source of information. It had to be. No other way he could¡¯ve found out how to reverse the Kingdom¡¯s warding spells.¡±


    ¡°Where is the Underrealm?¡± Alexia butted in. ¡°Underground?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as another world behind a veil.¡± Selene¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t move from Thaddeus as she spoke. ¡°We were taught to avoid it in the Mage Academy, so, being a good student, I became very interested in it.¡± She chuckled darkly. ¡°It¡¯s where I first brushed shoulders with demonology and realized that the Academy had it all backwards.¡±


    Thaddeus met her hard gaze with interest. ¡±Oho, so you found out how to get into the lands of the Shadow Lords. I can see why Caleb likes you, Miss Commission Mage. You¡¯ve a rather varied skill set. And tell me, how did you find the price to cross over?¡±


    ¡°What price?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it simply a door? Can¡¯t you just unlock it with magic?¡±


    ¡°It requires sacrifice,¡± Selene answered evenly. ¡°To satisfy the gatekeepers. I never attempted it myself, but I know the theory and I¡¯ve banished more demons than most of the Kingdom Mages put together.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they keep you then?¡± Thaddeus said. ¡°Seems like a waste of talent.¡±


    ¡°Because the Kingdom has their own warlocks and they don¡¯t talk about them,¡± Selene said. ¡°Once they caught wind of my studies, they decided to have me expelled for using a supposedly forbidden spell in a practice duel. After that, I was on my own.¡±


    ¡°Until they picked you up again and shafted you into the Commission to keep you out of trouble.¡± Thaddeus rubbed his brow tiredly and looked sidelong at Selene. ¡°You¡¯re damn lucky they did. The last thing you want to do is trifle with someone like Longhorn Martyn. Shadow Lords aren¡¯t to be underestimated, under any circumstances.¡±


    Alexia stared at Thaddeus. ¡°You¡¯ve met him, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Thaddeus flinched as if he¡¯d been hurled into an ice-cold river.


    ¡°Once,¡± he admitted. ¡°Over Jamin¡¯s shoulder, damn him to all the Hells.¡±


    ¡°Scrying crystal?¡± Selene asked.


    ¡°Yes. Fucking monster was staring at me with all of his teeth and just smiling at me like I was food on the banquet table. Some kind of delicious bloody apartief.¡± Thaddeus paced past his table and sat down on a chair. He ran his hands through his snowy hair and I saw a tremble take hold of him. ¡°If Jamin has made a deal with Longhorn and promised him something, then the Shadow Lord will come to collect.¡±


    ¡°This is why I came to you,¡± I said. ¡°Jamin left me with a debt. The price is one sentient blood-mage homunculus.¡±


    Thaddeus stared at Alexia for a long moment. ¡°Oh, Hells take it all. Her?! Longhorn probably emptied his coffers and called in favors to find the sentience ingredient, then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So I need the recipes for better soldiers. And, while I¡¯m at it, I need the ingredient combination that makes a homunculus sentient. It¡¯s the only way we can get Longhorn off our backs. We either give him what he wants or kill him.¡±


    Thaddeus shivered again as the glazed look in his eyes finally faded. ¡°And you want to know if I have the ingredients for sentience. That¡¯s why you came here?¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t have it, because there¡¯s a dead homunculus on your front lawn with his guts painting the grass. But you might know someone who does.¡±


    ¡°I need to clear that away. But as for your ingredient, Jamin has to have it. The snake must¡¯ve gone deep into the Underrealm to find it, and made a lot of connections with the Shadow Lords. Maybe even more than just Longhorn Martyn. If your uncle is smart, boy, he¡¯d be halfway across the fucking continent by now. I don¡¯t blame him for leaving.¡±


    ¡°Even if he left all of this on Caleb?¡± Selene asked, disgusted.


    The old man shook his head. ¡°I assume you¡¯ve spoken to Longhorn, or his people. There¡¯s no way you would know about it otherwise. The Shadow Lord will come for his payment, and he¡¯ll want interest besides. He might take you as his slave, make you kill your whole damn family with a rusted nail. I heard a story about that man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen,¡± I assured him.


    ¡°Longhorn Martyn is not to be trusted. The Commission is one thing, but now this?¡± Thaddeus shook his head, stood up suddenly, and pushed past Alexia to grab my tunic. ¡°You need to get out of here, boy. You¡¯re in deeper than you¡¯ve ever been in anything your whole life, and you need to make the smart decision and run. Gods above, do you ever need to run.¡±


    I caught hold of his wrist and met his eyes without flinching. ¡°I don¡¯t run, Thaddeus.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe you¡¯re not as smart as your uncle after all,¡± Thaddeus spat. ¡°I need more clover. And food. So much food. Gods, I¡¯m hungry. I could eat a butcher¡¯s fat wife right now and have her dogs for dessert.¡±


    Thaddeus released my tunic, spun, and staggered on his way toward the stairs. He paused at the exit and leaned against the wall to catch his balance.


    ¡°Come upstairs if you¡¯re hungry,¡± he said.


    The old man¡¯s bone-thin body vanished a moment later, and left the three of us standing in his laboratory. Alexia sagged tiredly against my chest again. I caught her under the arm as the effects of the clover properly wore off. Her stomach growled audibly and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sound. Madman¡¯s clover had a price to pay once the effects wore off.


    ¡°He¡¯s lying to us about his book,¡± I said to Selene.


    ¡°Oh, you caught on to that.¡± She sighed in relief. ¡°I wondered why you changed the subject.¡±


    ¡°Helped me prove it,¡± I said. ¡°He took the bait and dove into the new topic. Which, apparently, turned out to be our issue with Longhorn.¡±


    Selene rubbed her temples. ¡°Your uncle¡¯s certainly a colorful character.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly. What did you see in Thaddeus¡¯s aura?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s intelligent, resourceful, and afraid. Afraid of dying, most of all. He uses the clover to ease his fears. It was difficult to glean anything more than that from it.¡±


    ¡°Why is he making illegal homunculi if he¡¯s afraid of dying?¡± Alexia asked as she pulled her head away from my chest. ¡°Why¡¯s he still doing it if it could get him killed?¡±


    My mind raced back to the corpse slung over the front gate. ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t want to die of old age. He wants to replace himself, or find a way to transfer his soul into a functional, sentient clone. All of the advantages of a homunculus body with none of the weaknesses.¡±


    Selene stared at me in astonishment. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±


    ¡°He was friends with my uncle,¡± I reminded her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t strike me as strange. Besides, didn¡¯t you say you could imprison Longhorn¡¯s essence in something? Couldn¡¯t it be done with a human, too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s technically possible, but a lot more dangerous, as you don¡¯t have the advantage of another dimension into which to move a soul,¡± Selene said quietly. ¡°There¡¯s a dozen ways to mis-time the spell and simply scatter the spirit into ashes.¡±


    ¡°But you could do it?¡± I pressed her.


    Selene didn¡¯t meet my eye. ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    I laid a hand on her shoulder. She leaned over and brushed her face against my hand absentmindedly as she tried to fight off the unease in her expression. Alexia hugged her suddenly from the side.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best person at magic I know,¡± Alexia said. ¡°I know you can do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only person you know,¡± Selene said with a soft smile.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t do it,¡± I said. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go up to Thaddeus. I think I finally have a business proposition for him that he won¡¯t be able to turn down.¡±


    We climbed the stairs and left Thaddeus¡¯s gigantic Replicator behind. I led the women up into the hallway, checked with my homunculi in the stable, and confirmed that we were still alone in the house with the Sage. I stood to the side and let Alexia and Selene stroll out of the hidden entrance to the underground chamber. The living room bustled with activity as we stepped toward the table for refreshments. Two of Thaddeus¡¯s maids cleared away the piles of books and stacked them as tidily as they could against the walls, while another laid out two fresh loaves of sourdough and a large cheese.


    The Sage lit up a fresh pipe of madman¡¯s clover and gestured to the food. ¡°Make yourselves at home, troublemakers. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had visitors.¡±


    I dropped into a seat as Alexia dug into a loaf of bread.


    ¡°I have a proposition for you,¡± I told the Sage.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not interested,¡± he growled.


    I spread my hands and softened my tone. ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯ve run into a wall with your projects, Thaddeus. You can¡¯t create a sentient clone and transfer your consciousness into it. We both want the ingredient for sentience. But supposing you get it, how will you transfer your mind into a homunculus?¡±


    The Sage stared at me for a long moment. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to lend you the use of my warlock to do it. But to find the ingredient we both need, I need your recipes for new homunculi. I understand you don¡¯t want to give them to me, but this will ensure I find your magnum opus, and then I can bring it back to you.¡±


    Fragrant smoke drifted from Thaddeus¡¯s lips as he considered my point. Hope, doubt, and fear all warred in his eyes, and he shook his head to himself as he reached a decision. I had to push him further.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± he began.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Emerald Sage,¡± I interjected. ¡°Your knowledge on the building and furthering of homunculus knowledge is your life¡¯s work. Transferral of consciousness would be an enormous breakthrough, but if you turn me away, you may well never achieve it.¡±


    He hesitated, and I leaned forward on my elbows and locked eyes with him.


    ¡°Do you really want to die an old man? With nothing to show for your knowledge and experience except a pile of crazed clone corpses? Or do you want to take a risk and help me find the tools we need to achieve our goals?¡±


    Smoke hissed free of the Sage¡¯s nostrils as he growled a curse. ¡°Gods, you¡¯re too much like your uncle, boy. And as much as it pains me to say it, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m too old for such an endeavor. But if anyone has the cunning and the resources to do it¡ªit¡¯s you.¡±


    I took a slice of bread from the silver platter as relief sluiced through me. I finally had some traction with the old man, but now came the difficult part. I needed to track down the thief responsible for stealing the Sage¡¯s magnum opus.


    ¡°This adventurer that took your writing. What did he look like?¡± Selene asked.


    Thaddeus piled cheese onto a slice of bread and gulped it down before answering. ¡°Probably 6¡¯3¡±, human, carried a pair of sabres. Wore expensive armor, all chainmail and gold lining. Had to be high up in a guild somewhere. He kicked my door down, roughed up two of my maids, and went straight for my desk. He knew it was here, he had to.¡±


    ¡°Did he tell you his name?¡± Alexia asked around a mouthful of cheese.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Thaddeus said. ¡°Of course not. He took my writing and he ran. I followed the bastard, gave him a few bolts in the back for his troubles. Hells, I even took a horse and went after him. But he gave me the slip and ran into an Eldritch Dungeon four miles west of here on the outer edge of the realms.¡±


    Selene inhaled sharply. ¡°Curkill Depths?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± the Sage muttered. ¡°The work may as well be ashes, boy. You won¡¯t survive any kind of raid in such a place. Even the best guilds avoid it like the plague.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange place to escape into,¡± I said with a frown.


    ¡°I watched for a number of hours,¡± he said. ¡°He didn¡¯t return. The bastard is dead, and good riddance. There¡¯s not a chance in a million that you¡¯ll find my writing.¡±


    ¡°Those are the conditions I set,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll find it if it¡¯s still in one piece.¡±


    Selene touched my arm. ¡°Master, I can¡¯t support this. You¡¯ll die down there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a quick incursion, in and out. It¡¯s likely he didn¡¯t make it very far. With the right homunculi and some quick thinking, it¡¯s possible. Dangerous, sure, but I¡¯ve dealt with dangerous before.¡±


    Alexia gulped down yet another slice of bread and I bit back a chuckle. I hadn¡¯t seen the homunculus eat like this before, but madman¡¯s clover had some rather interesting effects once it went deeper into the system. Exceptional hunger was the most common one.


    ¡°So, can I offer you anything else before you depart on a suicidal endeavor?¡± Thaddeus asked. ¡°If nothing else, boy, you and your friends here have made my day a colorful one. I¡¯d be a boor not to extend to you all the courtesies of my house.¡±


    The Yeoman Archer¡¯s mental voice blazed into my head. Nine men on foot approaching house. Five heavily armed, wearing blue and gold colors.


    Hide, I ordered immediately. Don¡¯t be seen under any circumstances.


    I leapt to my feet and cursed. Selene¡¯s gaze shot to me, then turned to the front door.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Commission officials,¡± I said. ¡°We can¡¯t be seen here. Thaddeus?¡±


    Selene froze and her face turned bloodless at my words.


    ¡°Fuck all kinds of flying fucking pigs with spears and corks,¡± the Sage snarled as he gestured to the maids to clear the table. ¡°Are you certain, boy? Do you know it¡¯s them?¡±


    ¡°Who else do you think would come here? Did you dispose of that corpse?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course, lad, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    Alexia jammed a last piece of bread into her mouth and reached for her daggers, but I caught her arm and shook my head. She relaxed at my touch. Selene scrambled out of her chair and sank back against the wall with wide-open eyes.


    ¡°So I take it they¡¯re not as much of a joke as you made them out to be?¡± I said sharply.


    She shook her head and set her mouth in a trembling line. ¡°They are, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, if we don¡¯t get moving, we¡¯re going to be finding out for ourselves.¡± I whirled around to Thaddeus. ¡°Your underground chamber. Can you keep us there and turn them away?¡±


    The Sage sprinted past me with surprising agility. ¡°Oh, Hells damn it all. Come, and bring your women with you.¡±


    We sprinted for the hidden door just as a heavy fist smashed against the front door.


    ¡°Thaddeus de Monar!¡± a voice called. ¡°I am Bradford Celvet, representative of the Companion Commission, and I request an audience!¡±


    Alexia vanished into the dark passage without a word. Selene snatched up her cloak from the coathook by the door and then dove after the blood mage. Thaddeus caught my arm and leaned in close to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°Do not emerge until I¡¯ve told you otherwise,¡± he muttered urgently. ¡°Leave the tunnels alone and wait for my word. Do you understand me, boy? If they catch you with the blood mage, you¡¯re done for. And so am I.¡±


    ¡°No promises,¡± I hissed back, ¡°but I¡¯ll follow your lead for now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough. Now fuck off!¡±


    I stepped onto the stairs and barely missed having my arm caught in the hidden door. It clicked shut behind us, and I leaned back against the stone wall. My pulse pounded against my ears like a war drum, and I forced myself to take a long, deep breath.


    The Commission were here.


    We were outnumbered.


    And I¡¯d left our safety in the hands of a crazy, clover-addled old man.


    I needed a plan.

 14: Bradford, Commission Officer (1)

    The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. It took a moment to get my breathing under control and actually focus on the sounds in the hallway of Thaddeus'' house. A single set of feet paused outside the hidden door and I caught the unmistakable sound of rattling spurs.


    ¡°Bradford, my friend,¡± Thaddeus said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Thaddeus. Still smoking those cloves?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Of course. Care for some?¡±


    ¡°You might be able to handle the stuff, but it¡¯s too strong for me.¡± Bradford¡¯s gravelly voice barked in a genuine laugh. ¡°Is that freshly-baked bread I smell?¡±


    ¡°Come in and sit down. I¡¯ll have the help bring you some,¡± Thaddeus said.


    The footsteps vanished into the living room and the voices faded into an indistinguishable murmur. Bradford was in the house, then, which left eight individuals unaccounted for. My homunculi couldn¡¯t gather any more information about the intruders outside without revealing themselves. And if Thaddeus¡¯ tongue slipped, it would be well within the policy of the Commission to conduct a search of the old man¡¯s property. My companions would be found out, and an inquiry would be launched. If they caught me, I could expect an interrogation at minimum. But if the Commission found any sign of Thaddeus¡¯s failed experiments, he could easily expect a summary execution without any questioning in the slightest.


    I took another deep breath to calm myself.


    I needed more information, and I wouldn¡¯t get it by listening in on Bradford and Thaddeus.


    Selene flinched as I jumped down the stairs. The huge Replicator cast her terrified expression in a pallid glow of blue and she shook her head as I pointed up to the floor above us.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going up there with them, Caleb. You don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll do if they find out that I betrayed them and let you kill Kilcoy and his mercenaries-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± I murmured. ¡°We¡¯re not going up there, not yet. Can you read their auras from here and give me an idea of what we¡¯re up against?¡±


    The warlock gritted her teeth, brushed her hair out of her eyes, and then glanced up at the ceiling. Her face narrowed in concentration as she scanned for any sign of an aura. A shade of relief flickered across her face as she met my gaze again with a nod.


    ¡°One human in the house with Thaddeus. He¡¯s relaxed, which means that they don¡¯t have any suspicion that we¡¯re here.¡± She sighed in relief. ¡°It¡¯s the Commission Officer - Bradford, I think he said his name was? He¡¯s bored, and he doesn¡¯t want to be here. Which is good for us. It means they¡¯ll likely leave soon.¡±


    ¡°And the others outside?¡± I asked. ¡°Are they homunculi?¡±


    ¡°Four of them are human. They¡¯re lazy, bored, and hungry. I can¡¯t tell what kind of homunculus the other four are, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering,¡± the warlock said. ¡°It¡¯s difficult enough trying to find them through a rather large blanket of earth and stone, you know.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°But now we know that we have an advantage against them. They¡¯re not expecting us to be here. It¡¯s probably a routine, and Thaddeus was likely too deep in the clove to remember that he had other visitors aside from us today.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to attack them while their guard is down?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°We should see where these tunnels lead, and see if there¡¯s a way out of here,¡± Selene told her. ¡°Attacking them is suicide. We don¡¯t have the numbers, and even if we did, we¡¯d attract the attention of the rest of the Commission.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got a point about the tunnels,¡± I said thoughtfully. ¡°But we¡¯re not going to run, and we¡¯re not going to fight them unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary.¡±


    Selene muttered a curse. ¡°I know that look on your face. You¡¯re scheming.¡±


    ¡°We need more information on them before we make a decision,¡± I said. ¡°Thaddeus is keeping them off our backs for the moment. Be a shame to waste the time he¡¯s giving us.¡±


    Selene joined my side as I turned to the opposite wall of Thaddeus¡¯ hidden chamber. Two tunnels sliced away into the dark. I stepped into the gap on the right and took a deep breath. The overwhelming stench of rotting flesh and hot, thick air eliminated the first tunnel as anything more than some kind of repository for corpses. The second tunnel tickled my face with a soft breeze. Decomposing flesh and its sickly-sweet stench still hung in the air, but there was airflow. I started into the second tunnel and grimaced at the stench.


    ¡°Master, you can¡¯t just kill or bargain with everyone you meet off the farm,¡± Selene warned me. ¡°The Commission is dangerous, and they don¡¯t take treason of any kind lightly.¡±


    ¡°But you still left them behind for me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I thought you had more sense than to tangle with them.¡±


    ¡°Have some faith,¡± I said. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    Something crunched under my foot and I glanced at the floor. A grinning skull with half a jawbone fell away from my foot as I stepped back and squinted. Shapes piled against the walls of the tunnel in the dark and my gut lurched. Thaddeus hadn¡¯t seen fit to install an incinerator as part of his homunculi operation.


    ¡°Are those people?¡± Alexia squeaked.


    ¡°I think they¡¯re homunculi,¡± I assured her.


    ¡°Gods, that¡¯s foul,¡± Selene muttered as she covered her nose with a hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s why Jamin has an incinerator,¡± I said grimly. ¡°It keeps everything neat. No need to drape a clone of yourself over your garden fence to keep trespassers out.¡±


    I stepped over the discarded skull and used the wall to guide me further down the tunnel. The smell grew stronger, but the tickle of fresh air drove me forward. The tunnel curved around in a U-shape, and a shaft of light pierced the darkness as we rounded the bend. I blinked, let my eyes adjust, and glanced up at the source of light.


    The rich smell of fresh trileaf and gorequinces wafted through a heavy grate fixed into the ceiling of the tunnel and told me that Thaddeus¡¯s tunnel ran underneath his garden. Thaddeus must have repurposed an old drain to use as a disposal method of his dead homunculi and used the fragrance of his garden to chase away the stench of rotting flesh. I stepped around a mangled corpse without arms and gazed up at the midday sky. Alexia and Selene joined me while I measured the distance between the grate and the floor of the secret tunnel. It couldn¡¯t have been any more than five yards above us, and the grate was wide enough that I could fit my head through one of its square-shaped gaps


    ¡°Are you going to tell us what you¡¯re planning anytime soon?¡± Selene asked me.


    I chuckled. ¡°All in good time, Selene. Wait here.¡±


    I rolled my shoulders to loosen them up and then lunged up. My hands found the steel bars of the grate and I hoisted myself off the ground. Strain immediately burned through my muscles, but years of farmwork served me well as I hauled myself up. I peeked over the edge and rapidly scanned my surroundings. A trileaf hedge obscured the front door, but the four homunculi stood by the front gate. Each of them shifted lazily, toyed with the hilts of their rapiers, and waited for orders. Lean, snake-like muscle rippled underneath their blue-and-teal surcoats and every inch of them radiated speed and grace.


    Four humans sat on a bench in the garden to their left. Two of the men puffed on short pipes while the others busied themselves with bunches of scrolls. Their features were unremarkable, but I knew scholars and bean-counters when I saw them. They weren¡¯t a threat, at least not if the Commission¡¯s incursion came to a fight.


    My shoulders started to tremble, and I lowered myself back into the tunnel again.


    ¡°What kind of homunculi are they?¡± Alexia asked eagerly. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Some of the best that money can buy,¡± I grunted. ¡°Duelist-class Companions in service of the Commission. Military-grade units. Damn near impossible to find in the adventurer market. There¡¯s a pack of bookkeepers out there, too, but they¡¯re not my concern.¡± I flexed my arms to get some feeling back into them. ¡°Shit. It makes things more complicated.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you take them out with the Swordsman and Archer?¡± Alexia asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°The Swordsman is impressive, but these units were designed to kill some of the best human fighters in close-quarters combat. And they¡¯re fast as snakes. I¡¯d just lose my homunculi.¡±


    Selene gritted her teeth. ¡°Dammit. So we¡¯re stuck here?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I said. ¡°The Commission might¡¯ve brought good homunculi with them, but they have no idea how to handle their units. They¡¯re just standing there waiting for orders. They won¡¯t be keeping an eye on the gardens because they weren¡¯t told to.¡±


    ¡°So you want to catch them while they¡¯re sleeping?¡± Selene asked hopefully.


    ¡°Look at his face,¡± Alexia pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s not what he¡¯s thinking at all.¡±


    ¡°You know me too well,¡± I laughed. ¡°Listen, if we play our cards right, we can manipulate this Bradford into working for our interests. I¡¯ll feed him a story and see if he bites. If not, then yes, we¡¯ll fight. Alexia and my homunculi take the Duelists by surprise and we deal with Bradford and his clerks. But we can¡¯t miss an opportunity this huge.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about lying to a Commission Official¡¯s face,¡± Selene choked. ¡°You do realize what will happen if he doesn¡¯t take to your story, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing I have a Commission mage pledged to my service,¡± I grinned.


    Selene¡¯s features turned ashen.


    I turned to Alexia. ¡°Alexia, you need to do everything you can to stay away from the Duelists. You can¡¯t let them get close to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing,¡± Alexia protested as she tapped the hilts of her new knives. ¡°How am I ever going to learn how to fight in close if you don¡¯t let me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance,¡± I replied, ¡°but not today. If everything falls apart, I need you to take the Duelists apart with everything you have. I¡¯ll send the other homunculi to flank them and give you the opportunity to kill them. No playing around.¡±


    An excited light sparkled in the elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Selene?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you get that grate loose?¡± I asked.


    Selene shivered as she raised her hands and focused on the steel bars above my head. I stepped back and narrowly avoided a ribcage while hazy energy swept into being around the warlock¡¯s hands. Her face tightened in concentration as tendrils of magic meandered upwards to the opening. Alexia darted forward as the steel bars began to shake and surprised me with a kiss. I caught my balance, appreciated the warmth of her mouth, and pulled away a moment later.


    ¡°Can you find some blood down here somewhere?¡± I asked quickly.


    Alexia wrinkled her nose, but nodded and held her hands out toward the corpses as she walked down the tunnel. I turned my attention back to the opening in the roof. The steel shuddered crazily as Selene¡¯s magic buzzed around the bolts holding it in place. Rusty filing fell from the roof as the bolts gave with a mercifully quiet thunk, and then the grate plummeted downward.


    The corpses beneath absorbed the impact with a thick crunch and I nodded my thanks. Scarlet light flooded from a bright sphere of energy in Alexia¡¯s hand as she rejoined us. A ghost of a smile cross Selene¡¯s face as the warlock nodded her approval.


    ¡°Remember, just keep your mind quiet,¡± Selene told her quietly. ¡°No distractions.¡±


    I gestured up to the exit to the garden. ¡°Remember what I told you, Alexia. Wait for my call. If my homunculi move out to attack, support them from a distance.¡±


    She nodded, and I offered her my interlaced fingers as a step. The blood mage closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and maintained her concentration. Then she took a running start and leapt lightly up onto my hands. I wrenched upward and propelled her through the gap in the tunnel ceiling.


    Alexia vaulted effortlessly into the garden, offered me a quick smile, and then vanished from sight. That was one contingency plan up my sleeve. Now came the difficult part.


    Playing a little game with an Officer of the Commission.


    But the weak link in my plan was Selene. I¡¯d seen the warlock face down my homunculi and murderous adventurers with nothing but savage joy and ruthless cunning. And yet somehow she was terrified of Bradford.


    Selene noticed my questioning gaze and bit her lip. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°Three days ago, you worked for the Commission. Then you came to work for me, happily helped me use the bodies of mercenaries to build homunculi, and a few hours ago we did the same to a trio of adventurers. You didn¡¯t even flinch. What are you so scared of?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re running out of time,¡± I agreed. ¡°Come on.¡±


    We left the sunlit section of the tunnel and groped our way back toward Thaddeus¡¯s hidden chamber. Selene made a soft sound of disgust as she snapped a femur underfoot.


    ¡°Selene,¡± I asked, ¡°do you trust me?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer until we arrived in the eerie blue chamber. She turned to me and met my frank gaze with an uncertain light in her eyes. I took a moment to appreciate just how she looked. Even after half a day¡¯s fighting and stripping corpses, Selene still radiated effortless sensuality and poise. But I could tell that she was deathly afraid of something, and she didn¡¯t want to tell me what it was.


    ¡°I trust you,¡± she said finally with a lift of her chin.


    I reached out and brushed a curl of blonde hair behind her ear. She moaned softly at the contact and that familiar catlike smile tugged at the edge of her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is that scares you,¡± I said to her quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why the Commission has you clammed up like this. But I can tell you one thing. For as long as you¡¯re by my side, I¡¯ll protect you like I would Alexia.¡±


    Her smile widened and she couldn¡¯t hide a slight blush in her cheeks.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting soft, are you, Master?¡± Selene asked coyly.


    ¡°Doubt it,¡± I snorted. ¡°I need you in the game, Selene. No hesitation, no fear.¡±


    A dangerous calm flickered over her face as she set her jaw.


    ¡°I know. What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± I winked.


    I traced my fingers over the inside of the hidden door until I found a lever and gently eased it to the left. The door clicked and swung silently inward. I held it open and ushered Selene into the hallway with a finger pressed to my lips. She nodded and adjusted her step as I quietly pushed the secret door closed and then crept through the hallway. The familiar buzz of nerves sparked in my gut as I heard voices from the parlor.


    ¡°And you¡¯re complaining that Essence prices are up again?¡± Bradford asked. ¡°Thaddeus, every man and his cow around here knows that you¡¯ve plenty of money to spare. I mean, look at this table. How much did it set you back?¡±


    I turned to Selene and gestured for her to follow me.


    We ghosted around the corner of the hallway and paused just outside the parlor. I shrank back against the wall and motioned for Selene to join me. Her shoulder brushed against mine and a warmth thrill slipped through my whole arm for a moment. Selene offered me a smirk, took a long breath, and then waited.


    I inched just a little closer to the entrance of the parlor and peeked around it.


    Thaddeus¡¯s bare feet were on the table, but the rest of his body was half-hidden in a plume of smoke in his chair. Bradford sat with his broad back to us. The Commission officer was a burly man, easily six feet tall, and built like a farmer. A long white scar slashed across his neck and vanished behind his collar. A steaming tankard of tea sat beside his elbow, but the Commission Official hadn¡¯t touched it just yet.


    ¡°Too much,¡± Thaddeus grumbled in reply. ¡°In any case, shall we get to why you¡¯re still sitting here? Surely they don¡¯t pay you enough to make small talk on top of routine inspections?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little too close to home, Thaddeus,¡± Bradford chuckled. ¡°No, they don¡¯t pay me anywhere near enough.¡±


    ¡°So why the prolonged visit?¡± Thaddeus asked with a hint of suspicion.


    Bradford leaned forward over the nexus and scooped up his tankard of tea. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing some troubling rumors from the local farmers, Thaddeus. Troubling rumors indeed.¡±


    Thaddeus hesitated for a fraction of a second, then snorted dismissively.


    ¡°Farmer¡¯s wives tales, Bradford? I thought you knew better than to entertain absurdity like that.¡±


    ¡°And wild tales they are,¡± he said pointedly. ¡°A few of them swear that they¡¯ve seen you running naked through the fields in the moonlight. Screaming loudly.¡±


    Thaddeus glanced down at his pipe and shrugged. ¡°In summer, perhaps, but this late in the season in the North? My old cock would shrivel up and fall off from the cold, Bradford. They must be seeing things.¡±


    ¡°But here¡¯s the fascinating part,¡± Bradford said. ¡°They said it wasn¡¯t just one of you. It was always in packs of two or three. All identical versions of the local herbalist.¡±


    Thaddeus lapsed into a long silence. Selene tensed beside me and wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her short sword. I caught her arm, fixed eyes with her, and shook my head. Thaddeus couldn¡¯t lie to save his life, but we could use this opportunity. Adrenalin rippled into my system like a tidal wave of fire as I made my decision.


    ¡°The homunculi,¡± Selene breathed in my ear. ¡°You need to use them. Now.¡±


    ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± I reminded her. ¡°You said you trusted me. Do you?¡±


    A steely look brightened her eyes. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    I stepped through the doorway and strode casually into the parlor.

 15: Bradford, Commission Officer (2)

    Thaddeus¡¯s eyes bulged as I appeared in the room. Bradford turned and stepped out of his chair far faster than I¡¯d anticipated. It wasn¡¯t a stretch to assume that the man had his share of fighting experience. Bradford¡¯s hand whipped toward the rapier on his thigh, but I made a calming gesture with my hands. Selene joined me, and Bradford''s eyes flitted over to the badge on her cloak. He relaxed a little and crossed his arms.


    ¡°And who is this, Thaddeus?¡±


    ¡°Caleb, Overseer of Garmont Companion Farm,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been properly introduced, Officer Bradford.¡±


    ¡°Garmont? That¡¯s Jamin¡¯s territory, lad, not yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his nephew,¡± I explained. ¡°Jamin is on a pilgrimage to the mountains. He left me in charge of the farm in his absence. You know how slowly word travels around the Northern Realms.¡±


    Bradford¡¯s mouth twisted into a wry smile. ¡°Is there any particular reason I should hear you out? I believe you¡¯ve just intruded on a private conversation and Commission business.¡±


    ¡°Thaddeus de Monar and I are business partners,¡± I said. ¡°So you¡¯ll excuse me for interrupting, but I believe I can assist in clearing up some of the rumors about the Emerald Sage and his work on this farm.¡±


    Thaddeus stared at me in horror as Bradford frowned. Bradford considered the thought for a moment and then gestured at the empty chairs beside him. I made a show of pulling out a chair for Selene and gave her a subtle wink. A haughty expression hardened the warlock¡¯s face as she settled imperiously down into the chair and crossed her legs.


    ¡°I doubt the timing of your appearance is a coincidence,¡± Bradford said as he returned to his seat and narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°This has to do with the rumors of illegal homunculi, does it not? Are you involved, lad?¡±


    I knew the best way to lie was to tell someone most of the truth, but not all of it. I smirked at Thaddeus and turned to Selene. She met my eyes with a flicker of small apprehension.


    ¡°Permission to speak freely, my lady?¡± I asked her.


    She inclined her head.


    I kept my lazy smile as I returned my attention to Bradford. ¡°It has everything to do with these rumors, Officer Bradford. The Emerald Sage and I have been working on a secret project for the King outside of the bounds of Commission-regulated homunculi.¡±


    Bradford stared at me in astonishment.


    ¡°Long may he reign,¡± I supplied.


    ¡°Long may he reign!¡± echoed Thaddeus as he took another draw of his pipe.


    ¡°Health and long life to him,¡± Selene agreed.


    Bradford echoed our sentiments. A subtle look of relief flushed over his features and curiosity settled into his expression as he leaned back into his chair and took a sip of tea. I spread my hands across the table as I continued to weave my lie into Bradford¡¯s mind.


    ¡°The Royal Viceroy doesn¡¯t trust the new additions to the Companion Division,¡± I explained. ¡°He came to Thaddeus directly and charged him with a secret mission. To create a sentient clone of the King himself and transfer our beloved ruler¡¯s consciousness across to it. To achieve this would ensure a longer life span and freedom from maladies of the flesh.¡±


    Bradford gaped at me. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°With magic and alchemy, anything is possible,¡± I said. ¡°We simply require the correct ingredients and blanket of secrecy with which to achieve our mission.¡± I turned to Selene. ¡°Which is where our own private overseer comes into play.¡±


    The warlock snorted dismissively. ¡°You talk too much, peasant.¡±


    I bit back a grin. ¡°Lady Selene is posing as the Chief Director of Western Companion Production, Officer. But her true authority runs much deeper. She has the ear of the Viceroy himself, and has charged us with this mission.¡±


    Bradford¡¯s frown deepened as he cast his gaze over the three of us. He shifted in his seat as he took another pull at his tankard and considered my blatant falsehood.


    ¡°I¡¯ve met the Western Director,¡± Bradford said finally. ¡°And was an older man, certainly not a woman who looks like a Commission Mage. Forgive me if I find your tale somewhat unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°This is a highly-sensitive and delicate operation,¡± snapped Selene. ¡°Tell me, Officer. When was the last time you saw the Director of the Western Realms? Or even held his attention for longer than thirty seconds?¡±


    Bradford flinched as if Selene had just slapped him.


    But Selene wasn¡¯t done. ¡°You should remember your place, Officer Bradford. You are no more than a local and barely competent Commission enforcer. The reason the Viceroy chose this place was precisely because of people like you. We could trust that the operation would remain secret.¡±


    I watched Bradford closely. The man hadn¡¯t expected to have his professional manner attacked in such a heavy-handed fashion. The lie was taking hold in his mind. Selene¡¯s acting was perfect, and now Bradford was on the back foot.


    Now it was time to win his loyalty with a little sympathy.


    ¡°My Lady, please,¡± I interjected. ¡°The officer here is understaffed, underpaid, and does the best with what he has, I¡¯m sure. Not all of us out here have the resources required to carry out the Kingdom¡¯s wishes to their fullest extent.¡±


    Relief flooded over Bradford¡¯s face and he shot me a grateful look. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive my doubt, Lady Selene, but it is exactly as he says. I¡¯m barely contacted by my superiors in the area, let alone the Directors of the Realms. I apologize if I gave any offense.¡±


    Selene sneered at him. ¡°You would do well to remember the seriousness of the mission, Officer. We¡¯ve had several liaisons with other agencies throughout the Kingdom, and many of them didn¡¯t have the sense to heed my word.¡± A cruel smirk flitted over the warlock¡¯s face. ¡°Need I tell you their fate?¡±


    Bradford paled and shook his head. ¡°No, my Lady, of course not.¡±


    The cold threat hung in the air for a long few seconds and I took the opportunity to scan the table again. Thaddeus puffed rapidly at his pipe to my left. He couldn¡¯t believe what was happening, but as long as he stayed quiet, I could cement my plan in place and win over Bradford. Thaddeus was a terrible liar, and a worse actor. But he had the brains enough to realize it, at least. And I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better conspirator than Selene.


    I decided to break the ice.


    ¡°Officer, Lady Selene has ordered us to act in absolute secrecy as long as possible. Unfortunately, the nature of our work can often have rather strange side-effects, such as the one that the farmer¡¯s wives speak of. The Viceroy, however, understands the nature of our work and has a contingency plan.¡±


    Bradford straightened in his chair. ¡°And that is?¡±


    ¡°Reaching out to our local authorities,¡± I replied. ¡°Just as we are doing at this very table. And, to put it politely, reward them for loyalty to the Crown by assisting us in our work.¡±


    Bradford inhaled sharply. ¡°What kind of assistance?¡±


    ¡°It mostly consists of maintaining the secret, of course,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°But a consistent supply of Essence to Garmont and a list of ingredients I give you would make the process all the more simple for us. You¡¯ll be well compensated for your trouble, Officer.¡±


    Bradford stared at me with a mixture of ecstatic joy and relief.


    ¡°It would be an honor to assist you in such an endeavor. All of you,¡± he said hastily.


    I winked at him. ¡°My Lady, would it be too much trouble to put in a good word for Officer Bradford? For his troubles in assisting us?¡±


    Selene regarded Bradford with a wintry expression. ¡°After the work is done, and he has proven himself capable and competent? I will consider it.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Bradford bowed his head to her. ¡°I would be honored, my Lady, to serve to the best of my ability. Is there anything I can do to help you at this moment?¡±


    My mind raced to the matters at hand, and lingered on the Duelists outside.


    ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯ve already helped us more than most,¡± I said. ¡°Those Duelist homunculi are of an excellent make. Could you provide the Lady with a bodyguard of them at your earliest convenience? Travel in the Northern Realms for someone of her station is a dangerous proposition.¡±


    Selene stared at me for a moment and then smiled. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve enough manpower to spare them now, Officer?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Bradford said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll leave them with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to ensure they¡¯re not missed,¡± Selene told him flatly. ¡°Order more of them as soon as you can, and mention nothing of my presence. Simply say you lost them to vagabond adventurers as you passed a dungeon. It¡¯s a common enough occurence in these parts.¡±


    Bradford paused. ¡°Are you sure it wouldn¡¯t be easier to simply mention your name-?¡±


    Selene pinned him with an icy glare. ¡°Have you heard anything the peasant said?¡±


    ¡°Of course I have, I¡¯m simply trying to help-¡±


    ¡°My name is not mentioned. Our purpose is not mentioned.¡± Selene¡¯s glare softened and a vicious smirk slashed across her lips. ¡°You have a family, do you not? Three children, and a wife full with your eighth attempted child?¡±


    ¡°My Lady, I simply want to help,¡± Bradford choked.


    ¡°Then do as you¡¯re instructed, Officer,¡± the warlock said coldly. ¡°The Kingdom is not beneath making examples to its other agents, Bradford. You will not be the first. And should your tongue slip? You will not be the last.¡±


    The air in the room stilled in a pained silence.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll leave the homunculi behind, and report them destroyed,¡± Bradford whispered. ¡°Is there anything else I can do to serve his Majesty¡¯s mission?¡±


    ¡°Lady Selene,¡± I cut in, ¡°could I request that Officer Bradford personally oversee the deliveries of Essence to Garmont Farm? And the continued routine visits to both my property and that of our Emerald Sage?¡±


    Selene nodded crisply. ¡°That would be more efficient, yes.¡±


    ¡°Changing the rosters without suspicion will be nigh impossible without attracting attention,¡± Bradford protested in a small voice. ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority required.¡±


    ¡°Grease a few palms,¡± I suggested with a warm smile. ¡°Thaddeus, offer the man some coin for his trouble.¡±


    He made a show of scowling and stood up. His face appeared from the haze of smoke and a glint of amusement shone through his eyes as he called out to his homunculi. One of the maids scuttled into the room and bowed deeply to Thaddeus. He leaaned over, whispered in her ear, and then sent her out of the room. We waited for a moment until the housemaid returned with a large purse.


    The money clinked as the maid set it down before Bradford and offered him a smile with razor-pointed teeth. He nodded uneasily, pulled the drawstring tightly around the mouth of the hefty payment, and hung it from his belt. Bradford stood, and I rose to show him out. Selene winked at me and a manic grin split Thaddeus¡¯s face as I led Bradford back toward the front door.


    ¡°We¡¯re grateful for your help,¡± I told him.


    Bradford exhaled sharply. ¡°It¡¯s so much to take in. And right under my nose, this whole time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too hard, my friend,¡± I said. ¡°Carry on as usual and don¡¯t draw attention, and you¡¯ll be well-compensated by the crown for your efforts. I was surprised myself when they brought this to my door, trust me.¡±


    I held the front door open for Bradford. He worked his jaw as he touched the sack of coins. It was a difficult lie to swallow, I knew. The man would have his suspicions, and he was justified in them. But the force of Selene¡¯s personality and the promise of coin would keep him invested, and that was all I needed.


    If worst came to worst, I¡¯d find a way to dispose of Bradford later.


    The bookkeepers scrambled to their feet as Bradford approached.


    ¡°Back on the horses,¡± Bradford said shortly. ¡°Everything¡¯s clear. The old coot kept me talking longer than I would¡¯ve liked.¡±


    I watched the scholars open the gate and untie their steeds from the fence. Thaddeus had kept his word, since there was no sign of his dead homunculus near the gate. The brawny Officer turned to me and slapped my shoulder with a heavy hand.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done right by me, Caleb. I¡¯ll be sure to do the same.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure, Officer,¡± I replied with a grin. ¡°Can you bring the delivery through in the next few days? I¡¯ll need them every week, if it¡¯s not too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be. Long live the King.¡±


    ¡°Long live the King,¡± I replied. ¡°Gods speed your journey.¡±


    I shut the gate behind Bradford and watched him mount his horse. The scholars cast their eyes over me with interest, but I ignored their gaze and offered their leader a grin. The Commission horses turned at a word from their leader, and cantered down the road until their gold-and-teal uniforms vanished into a cloud of dust.


    I let a pent-up breath hiss out of my teeth and turned to examine my new spoils.


    They really were exceptional homunculi, brimful of energy and well-armed.


    I reached out with my mind and found theirs. Their observations tumbled through their thoughts like flashes of lightning in a storm. Years of disciplined bladecraft charged their entire being, and a triumphant grin split my face as I turned toward the garden.


    ¡°Alexia!¡± I called. ¡°It¡¯s clear.¡±


    She appeared from behind a gorequince tree and huffed a sigh. ¡°You took your time.¡±


    ¡°My scheme paid off,¡± I said. ¡°We now have a Commission Officer in our pocket.¡±


    ¡°And he gave you these?¡±Alexia gasped as she stared at the Duelists.


    ¡°Sure did. Come on, we should meet the others inside.¡±


    Join the others in the stable, I told my new companions. Stay out of sight and rest.


    We joined Thaddeus and Selene in his parlor a minute later. The homunculi housemaids bustled around the table and set out four goblets and an enormous cask of rich wine. Thaddeus scrambled around the table and slapped my back heartily as I took up a goblet.


    ¡°You, boy, are an absolute fucking genius!¡± Thaddeus exclaimed. ¡°How in every hell there is did you manage to come up with that and pull my wrinkled ass out of the fire? Even your uncle couldn¡¯t have pulled that off.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I told him most of the truth, and let him figure the rest out on his own. Give someone an antagonist force, a threat, and then an easy way out? They¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Thaddeus shook with laughter. ¡°Gods, the look on his face. I¡¯ll not forget it. Maids! Bring out everything expensive in the pantry! My esteemed guests feast with me tonight!¡±


    I left him to his antics and joined Selene at the table.


    ¡°Lady Selene?¡± the warlock asked with a grin.


    ¡°Well, you come off as a bit of princess,¡± I teased. ¡°It was the easiest way to convince him. And I¡¯m proud of you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to pull that off after your little episode in the tunnels.¡±


    Selene sipped her wine and eyed me appreciatively. ¡°If you want me to impersonate a Kingdom official every time Bradford arrives at your farm, you¡¯ll need to pay me more.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°The money will come, don¡¯t you worry about that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about money,¡± Selene murmured.


    She leaned in and her hand touched my knee softly. I drained half a goblet of wine, set it down, and then brushed her cheek with my fingers. Selene¡¯s breath tickled my cheek as I leaned in to whisper to her.


    ¡°After that little performance,¡± I said in an undertone, ¡°I might just consider your proposition.¡±


    I kissed her. My head spun as I drowned in the taste of wine, sweet herbs, and a strong flavor that was the warlock¡¯s own taste. Selene moaned at the contact and her fingers closed around the front of my tunic to pull me deeper. I pushed at her generous chest, broke the kiss, and tried not to notice the lustful smolder in her eyes. She relented after a moment, pursed her lips, and flashed me a sensuous smile.


    ¡°Later, then,¡± Selene murmured.


    ¡°Boy, I¡¯m still struggling to believe you pulled this off!¡± Thaddeus called from the head of the table.  ¡°Fuck me with a barrel of spears, but this is stupendous!¡±


    He puffed happily at his pipe of clover and sprang onto the table. Thaddeus¡¯s unfocused eyes scanned the room for a moment while he found his bearings.  I stood as he staggered across his little platform and towered over me in a cloud of manic energy and hallucinogenic smoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll give me the recipes I asked for in exchange?¡± I asked.


    Thaddeus snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one. It¡¯s not exactly what you want, but it¡¯ll help. Take a lock of hair, an apron, and a spiceapple.¡±


    I repeated the recipe under my breath for a moment to memorise it. ¡°Let me guess. It¡¯s your housemaid recipe.¡±


    ¡°I imagine that old manor doesn¡¯t get too much of a dusting these days,¡± Thaddeus cackled. ¡°Jamin was never one for cleaning, and I doubt he left you any servants to help. He¡¯s a lazy bastard, that old snake.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything else?¡± I asked him quietly.


    He heard the seriousness in my voice and coughed. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s occurred to me I could search your house,¡± I said calmly.


    ¡°You won¡¯t find them,¡± Thaddeus replied cheerily. ¡°I¡¯ve them under lock and key, and before you threaten to torture me and force me to tell you where they are, it¡¯s not a good idea, boy. Between the cloves and my memory, you won¡¯t get anything out of me that I don¡¯t want you to.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Just a thought. The dungeon sounds like an easier prospect.¡±


    ¡°When are we going?¡± Alexia piped up from the table excitedly.


    ¡°Not tonight!¡± Thaddeus roared. ¡°Tonight we celebrate! We triumph in our victory over the common bureaucrat and his fascination with my old cock in the moonlight! We drink to the abolishment of farmer¡¯s wives and their gossip! And we drink for Caleb, the conniving little bastard who just thrust us neck deep into the shit with him!¡±


    Selene raised her goblet. ¡°Hear, hear.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Thaddeus was right.


    I was about due a victory celebration.


    After we¡¯d all had our fill and far too much wine, Thaddeus led us to guestrooms. I spent the night with Alexia, but I couldn¡¯t help thinking about Selene and how much she¡¯d helped my mission today. She¡¯d made her interest plain, so I¡¯d reward her when the time came.


    After a well-earned night¡¯s sleep, we gathered our things and set off for Garmont Farm. I had a lot of preparations to make for the Eldritch Dungeon. I knew almost nothing about them, but I was sure Jamin had left some texts lying around the manor.


    If I wanted to stand a chance against Longhorn, I¡¯d need to take on a threat that every guild in the Northern Realms wouldn¡¯t touch.


    Something no adventurer had managed to do for centuries.

 16: Back at the Farm

    The journey home was mercifully uneventful. The Duelistists took the place of my Slammer and Piercer, and I set up the Swordsman and Archer in the back of the wagon as a secondary force in the event of a fight. Selene and Alexia practiced magic behind me as I leaned back in the driver¡¯s seat and set the draft horses at a relaxed pace back toward Garmont.


    The north border of the farm appeared ahead of us, and I reached out with my mind to find the Perimeter Defense Squads.


    We¡¯ve arrived. Resume your regular patrols, and ignore the homunculi in gold-and-teal colors.


    Two of the guards had vanished in our absence, and as the wagon drew closer to the back gate, I realized why. Dried blood stained the grass around the northern entrance to the farm. Four corpses twisted out in odd directions beside the gate and weapons glinted dully in the morning sun around them. I scooped up my arbalest, stepped off the cart, and opened the gate to investigate the slain. The wagon shifted as Alexia and Selene joined me.


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Alexia asked nervously.


    ¡°You mean who were they,¡± Selene chuckled. ¡°They look like local looters.¡±


    I nodded as I turned over the first body with my foot. ¡°I don¡¯t think they were expecting an armed guard patrolling the farm..¡±


    Patchwork armor of leather and rusted mail hung off each of the corpses. All four of the corpses were human, a shade too lean to be well-fed, and stank of sweat and death. I motioned for Alexia to lead the cart through the gate as I slung my arbalest over my back. I caught the first bandit under the arms and dragged him aside to make room for the wagon.


    ¡°Did Longhorn send them?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but this doesn¡¯t strike me as a coordinated attack,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s only four of them, and they all look as if they¡¯ve been camped out in the mountains for weeks without food.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re locals,¡± Selene assured Alexia. ¡°If Longhorn really wanted to attack the farm, he would¡¯ve brought more men with better weapons.¡±


    Alexia brought the cart to a halt and I ordered the Swordsman to help me pile the dead bandits into the back of the wagon. Selene shut the gate as I inspected the weapons of my attempted invaders. Rusted butcher¡¯s cleavers, long skinning knives, and wood-axes weren¡¯t the chosen tools of serious fighters and I was inclined to agree with Selene. The dead men were simple opportunists, not an organised fighting force.


    A grin split my face. More ingredients was always a net gain for a companion farmer.


    I led the cart to the shack, backed it up to the entrance of my Replicator workshop, and unlocked the door. Selene and Alexia moved quickly, slipped inside, and took up their usual positions to strip down the corpses and harvest the parts.


    Stand guard around the main entrances of the manor house, I told my escort.


    My newly gained homunculi set off with a smooth stride as I hauled the corpses into the shack and started the process of stripping them down for parts. I piled the armor into neat piles by the door and left the bandits¡¯ makeshift weapons on the workbench.


    Selene wrinkled her nose at the stench of the corpses as she filled a fresh jar with preservatives. ¡°They must¡¯ve been lying there for a while.¡±


    I studied the skin of one of the bandits. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have been any longer than twelve hours, at most. They¡¯re still fresh enough to use.¡±


    Selene and Alexia fell into the steady rhythm of dissecting the dead. Cleavers flashed, fingers dropped into jars, and the sickly-sweet smell of entrails filled the shack. I watched Alexia carve fingers from a hand with swift flashes of her new daggers and a wave of warm pride flushed into my head. I couldn¡¯t have asked for better partners on my farm.


    Alexia caught my gaze and grinned at me. ¡°You know, I never thought that I¡¯d leave that cellar. And even if I did, the last thing I would¡¯ve expected was to help you create new homunculi.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was that, or hand you off to a ravenous Shadow Lord,¡± I joked. ¡°And I doubt Longhorn would¡¯ve seen you as anything more than a lovely weapon to terrorise Roarwind with. You¡¯re a natural, Alexia.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve certainly read enough books on anatomy,¡± she said. ¡°Fictional or otherwise.¡±


    Her flirtatious jab brought distracting memories to my mind and I winked at her.


    ¡°Nothing better than hands-on experience,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I certainly can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Alexia giggled. ¡°Selene, are you sure you don¡¯t want a turn at learning more about the human body?¡±


    Selene rolled her eyes as she placed a trio of fingers into a jar. ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of experience, Lexie. It¡¯s rather difficult to fill me with the thrill of discovery anymore.¡± She pursed her lips as I hacked an arm away from the second corpse. ¡°Although I could think of a few exceptions.¡±


    I tossed the arm onto the bench, tried to ignore the shameless grin of Alexia, and pulled a set of keys from around my neck. ¡°Alexia, can you go to the armory and pick up the Essence Core from under the bench?¡±


    She took the keys, nodded, and then offered me a wicked grin. ¡°Just be on your guard, Master. I think Selene may want that anatomy lesson sooner rather than later.¡±


    Alexia left the shack with a laugh of amusement and the swirl of her black cloak.


    I picked up a filleting knife, ran it across a sharpening stone a few times, and caught a movement out of the corner of my eye.


    The third corpse spasmed on the floor. It lifted a hand as black veins appeared throughout the skin on its face. Black ichor splashed down the dead bandit¡¯s cheeks and a death-rattle snarl exploded from its throat.. I cursed, leapt away from the bench, and snatched up one of the cleavers. Selene hissed in shock behind me as I raised the heavy-bladed knife.


    Kilcoy¡¯s face swam back through my memory, and I hesitated.


    I¡¯d seen this before. In my first conversation with Longhorn.


    ¡°Boy. Your insolence is insulting,¡± Longhorn¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°I was promised a blood mage, and you have yet to deliver what is rightfully mine.¡±


    I lowered the cleaver and fought off a tide of fear. ¡°I¡¯ve been set back by bandit attacks and interference from the Commission. I can¡¯t safely deliver your goods if I¡¯m constantly threatened from all angles.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to test my patience,¡± the corpse said. ¡°And you are stretching it to its limits. You will have the time you want, boy. But the original terms of the agreement have risen. You will-¡± The corpse shuddered and one of its eyes exploded in a mass of black fluid. ¡°You will bring me two of the blood mages. Both sentient. Or I will make these ¡®threats¡¯ you speak of a very, very real reality.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Sentience in homunculi isn¡¯t an easy process. I need more time.¡±


    ¡°Your time is running out,¡± Longhorn rasped. ¡°Two blood mages, in Roarwind. Bring them to me, or your farm will burn.¡±


    The corpse shook crazily for a moment and collapsed in a nerveless heap. Its jaw cracked open as black fluid cascaded out of its innards. I stepped in and severed the corpse¡¯s head with two vicious strokes. My heart slammed against my ribs as I leaned against the bench and stared at the dead bandit. Selene¡¯s warm hand found my shoulder and she squeezed it gently.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± she asked.


    I shook her off. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Remind me to decapitate any fucker from now on that we bring in here. How does Longhorn even do that? Possess living humans and corpses?¡±


    ¡°Anyone who makes an accord with a demon has the potential to become a vessel unless it¡¯s specifically mentioned in the contract,¡± Selene said. ¡°Kilcoy probably thought a vessel meant more than a mouthpiece. This bandit likely signed over himself to gain a small favour.¡±


    I exhaled sharply.¡°We need to get into the dungeon and find the Sage¡¯s manuscript.. Better defenses around the farm and some serious muscle to fight Longhorn. The sooner, the better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that the dungeon is the lesser of two evils here,¡¯ Selene cautioned.


    ¡°I made a deal with Thaddeus,¡± I said firmly. ¡°He¡¯ll get what I promised him.¡±


    The shack door burst open and Alexia leapt into the room with a dagger in one hand and the Essence Core in the other. She cast her eyes around the room, found us, and then relaxed slightly.


    ¡°I heard something from the garden,¡± Alexia said quickly. ¡°Was it-?¡±


    ¡°Longhorn wants to collect double the original agreement,¡± I told her. A thought occurred to me. ¡°Which means that he¡¯s desperate. He wouldn¡¯t be hounding us like this unless it was incredibly important to him.¡±


    Alexia frowned as she handed over the Essence Core. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a Shadow Lord? Why would he be desperate for someone like me? Surely he has his own army and his own power?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what doesn¡¯t add up. If he was so powerful, why does he need a sentient homunculus with blood magic?¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s something bigger in play here. And I have something that he wants. There¡¯s got to be a way to use it against him.¡±


    A thoughtful silence fell over the shack as I turned my attention back to the remaining corpses. The parts quickly filled the jars of preservative. Selene slipped outside to unload the cart and the leftover pieces of the rogue adventurers we¡¯d fought the day before, and I turned my attention back to the Replicator. Whatever apprehension Longhorn¡¯s message had forced into me faded as I examined my uncle¡¯s machine.


    There was always something oddly comforting about building companions.


    I slotted in the Essence Core. The Replicator hummed to life in a flash of magic runes and a soft cloud of steam. It took a minute to oil the working parts, dust off the small plinths for the ingredients, and ready the Replicator for my next set of homunculi. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Alexia brushed my shoulder with hers as she joined me beside the machine.


    ¡°What are you going to do about Longhorn?¡± she asked quietly.


    ¡°He¡¯s waited this long, so he can wait a little longer. He still said he¡¯d give me time, but I had to deliver double the goods.¡± I shrugged and went over to the shelf of ingredients. ¡°We have the Duelistists, but if the Sage can give us more of his recipes, we¡¯ll have the manpower we need to fight Longhorn. If it comes to that.¡±


    It took a few minutes to refresh my ranks of guards with two new Shield Slammers. I gave them the mismatched armor from the dead bandits, ordered them to find the shields from their fallen brethren, and sent them out to bring my guard back to its full capacity. The women joined me as I strolled out into the gardens.


    ¡°Do you have a plan to deal with the Eldritch dungeon?¡± Alexia asked me.


    ¡°I need to do some research,¡± I explained. ¡°You know Jamin¡¯s books in the cellar better than I do. Does he have any volumes on dungeon diving, adventurers, or the guilds?¡±


    Alexia frowned as I harvested an armful of fresh spiceapples. ¡°I remember seeing a small stack of them in there somewhere, but I never managed to read them. I was a little too interested in some of his more fictional works.¡±


    ¡°You mean his romance novels?¡± Selene teased.


    ¡°I read other things, too,¡± Alexia protested.


    ¡°Where does he keep the books on dungeons?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Towards the back, tucked away in a half-empty barrel of grain,¡± she said. ¡°Do you want me to find them for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to it,¡± I smiled. ¡°But I¡¯ve got something else in mind first.¡±


    I pulled my tunic over my head and bundled the last of the spiceapples into it. Selene and Alexia eyed me appreciatively as I slung the makeshift bag over my back and headed back toward the Replicator. The sun warmed my bare skin as I cast my eyes over the farm. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves of the garden behind me and the grass at my feet. Garmont looked just as any homestead in the North should¡¯ve, peaceful and unassuming.


    And, if not for the Replicator and Jamin, perhaps it would¡¯ve been.


    But I was damn glad it hadn¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t have met Alexia, or Selene, or even had half of the opportunities to create homunculi and fight off demons from another realm. I pulled myself out of my little reverie, pushed back into the shack, and then unloaded the fruit onto the workbench. I recalled the recipe that Thaddeus had given me and placed a spiceapple onto one of the plinths. Selene raised an eyebrow as I searched through my stores of ingredients and found a lock of female hair. Jamin usually kept heavy aprons under the workbench, and I scooped one out to finish the recipe.


    ¡°Forgive me for my impertinence, Master,¡± Selene said, ¡°but don¡¯t you have an Eldritch Dungeon to dive and a deal to honor with a Shadow Lord? Why are you making housemaids at a time like this?¡±


    I cranked the lever on the Replicator and backed away.


    ¡°I just thought you¡¯d appreciate being clothed and able to send someone to get coals for you,¡± I said innocently. ¡°Seeing as I¡¯m too busy to do it for you.¡±


    ¡°Really? You stripped down in front of him so you could have a hot bath?¡±


    Alexia burst into a fit of giggles.


    Selene turned away in a huff to maintain her dignity. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± I whispered conspiratorially to Alexia. ¡°Twice.¡±


    Essence hissed into the Replicator¡¯s main chamber and the ingredients I¡¯d added faded into dust as my machine began to create a new homunculus. A skeleton appeared behind the glass. Pointed teeth punched out from the jaw as flesh gathered around bone. Bright red hair burst from the homunculus¡¯ scalp. I¡¯d never made a female homunculus before. Smooth skin appeared around her groin, and a flat chest grew out from smooth ropes of muscle. Thaddeus¡¯s maidservants didn¡¯t even have nipples. The homunculus alighted on the floor of the chamber with a graceful step and tilted her head curiously at us.


    A whirr brought my attention to the skill sheet for the new homunculus.


    Garmont Companion Farm has created a Maidservant (Human)!


    Attack Power: 0


    Toughness: 2


    Accuracy: 2


    Vitality: 3


    Intelligence: 6


    Skills: Passive Housework


    ¡°Greetings, Master,¡± the maid said a warm voice.


    I jolted in surprise. I¡¯d never heard Thaddeus¡¯s maids speak before. But the status sheet of the homunculi had a surprisingly high intelligence rating. It made sense. How else did the Sage give them specific instructions?


    ¡°Greetings,¡± I returned as I opened the door to the Replicator.


    The maid stepped gracefully out of the machine and flashed me an eerie smile with her sharpened teeth. ¡°How may I serve you this fine morning?¡±


    ¡°For the moment, wait to the side,¡± I told her.


    The maid curtsied without a stitch of clothing in sight, and waited by the door of the shack. Alexia stared at the homunculus in fascination as I dropped more ingredients into the Replicator and forged another maid. Selene made a face as the third greeted me in much the same way as the first had.


    ¡°They¡¯re very¡­ nice,¡± Selene observed dryly.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible engineering,¡± I agreed. ¡°Most homunculi are dumb as bricks, but the old Sage looks like he keeps his best creations to himself. Just think what else he has in store for us when we bring him back his manuscript.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s still in one piece,¡± Selene muttered.


    ¡°Have some faith, Selene,¡± Alexia said happily as she handed back the keys. ¡°We¡¯ll find it.¡±


    ¡°Or we¡¯ll die horribly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± I grinned. ¡°Success or immediate death. That¡¯s how Garmont has been built, and that¡¯s probably how it¡¯ll stay. Look on the bright side, Selene. If we¡¯re dead, you never have to worry about the Commission again.¡±


    Another maid joined her sisters and made up a team of five.


    Selene eyed the maids suspiciously. ¡°Somehow, that fails to make me feel better, Master.¡±


    ¡°Maybe a hot bath will do the trick,¡± I suggested.


    Selene shivered at the words. ¡°Oh, yes please.¡±


    I reached out to the maids with a flick of thought. The maids immediately responded to my probe and stood to attention as I examined their mind architecture for a moment. Each of the homunculi had a tidily-organised headspace with a tremendous attention to detail. They weren¡¯t combat homunculi, but they knew everything there was to know about domestic tasks that involved cleaning.


    Thaddeus definitely knew his recipes.


    I need all of you to follow the elf and have her clothe you. Then I need three of you to sweep out the house thoroughly and make the beds. Another pair should start the laundry. As for the sixth, I¡¯d like you to organise rations for two day¡¯s journey. Food, clothes, tarpaulins and firewood. I paused for a moment. Please follow the orders of both Selene and Alexia, should they ask anything of you.


    ¡°Of course, Master!¡± all six of them chorused. ¡°Right away, master!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re incredible,¡± Alexia said excitedly. ¡°What are you going to set them to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already set them tasks, they just need clothes. Could you help find them some?¡± I asked. ¡°I think they¡¯ll be too distracting running around with all of that skin. ¡±


    ¡°Of course I can,¡± Alexia replied with a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯ll also make sure to have one of them run a bath for you, Selene. Should I make sure there¡¯s room enough for two, or-?¡±


    ¡°Just one is fine,¡± I winked.


    ¡°You should take a bath yourself, Lexie,¡± Selene suggested. ¡°And then practice your magic. I¡¯d like to see you create an edge tonight, if you can.¡±


    Alexia¡¯s eyes flitted between Selene and I and a mischievous light touched her eyes. She nodded, beamed at Selene, and turned to leave. I held the door open and watched Alexia lead the maids out of the shack. Selene brushed past me with a soft purr. It took me a moment to fight off my memories of Selene in her bath. I locked the door the shack and led the way toward the cellar.


    ¡°What are you hoping to find out about dungeons?¡± Selene asked as I unlocked the trapdoor into the cellar. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know everything you need to about them?¡±


    ¡°I build homunculi to help adventurers,¡± I reminded her. ¡°So my knowledge isn¡¯t exactly deep on the subject. I know dungeons appear in all kinds of places loaded to the ceiling with treasure, and that they¡¯re home to some of the most dangerous monsters in the whole Kingdom. But I want to know what makes an Eldritch Dungeon different from the others, and what to expect when we go into it.¡± I glanced at her. ¡°What do you know about Curkill Depths? You seemed to recognize the name.¡±


    ¡°The place is cursed,¡± Selene said in a guarded tone. ¡°Every one of the Guilds I¡¯ve dealt with has an uneasy truce with the others that agrees not to try and venture in.¡±


    I took up an oil lamp from the wall and sparked a flint into it. Warm light sprang away from the flickering flame a moment later and gave me a better view of the cellar. I wandered past Jamin¡¯s collections of wine, Alexia¡¯s old bedding, and found the barrel that Alexia had described to me.


    ¡°So the guilds won¡¯t go near it, you¡¯re terrified of it and you¡¯re used to drawing out demons, and Thaddeus would rather die than go in after his life¡¯s work,¡± I summarised. ¡°Everything I keep hearing seems to suggest that going there is a suicide mission.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it is,¡± Selene said sharply.


    ¡°With the exception of the Sage¡¯s thief, how many adventurers have been lost to it?¡± I asked as I hauled the books out of the barrel. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet someone¡¯s not keeping count.¡±


    ¡°It was years ago,¡± Selene admitted. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make it any less dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Sounds to me like someone is trying to keep the guilds away from the place,¡± I said.


    ¡°Not everything is some machination in a larger game,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I agreed, ¡°but it never hurts to be sure.¡±


    I dumped the tomes onto a bench of rough-sawn planks and hung the lamp from a nail jutting out of the wall. A few stray grains of barley bounced from the pages of the books as I spread them out across the makeshift table and glanced over their titles.


    ¡°Dungeon Romance - A Tale of an Adventurer and a Succubus,¡± Selene read aloud with a laugh. ¡°I see Jamin keeps only the highest-quality books for research purposes.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you entertain yourself with it while I do the work, then?¡± I teased.


    Selene rolled her eyes and shoved the novel to one side. I scanned the other titles until I landed on something promising. The Collected Journals of a Dungeon by Von D. smelled pleasingly of old leather and parchment as I lifted it up from the table. Selene pulled herself up to sit on the bench as she flicked through another book. A blonde curl fell over her face as she mouthed the words silently to herself. I leaned against the table and appreciated Selene for a moment more. Her eyes flitted to and fro at a rapid pace as she searched for anything useful.


    I¡¯d seen so many dimensions of her in the last few days. Bored Commission mage, a teacher of the arcane arts, a capable warlock and a brilliant actress. I¡¯d seen her resolute, afraid, aroused and confident. But her reluctance to join me in my plans lately pointed to the fact that she was hiding something from me. There was something she didn¡¯t want me to know.


    We read in silence for a few hours. I flicked through the journals of the dungeon-diver who called himself Von D., and absorbed his tales and tribulations when dealing with dungeons. Details swam in and fixed themselves into place in my mind as I pieced together the adventurer¡¯s writing.


    Then a single paragraph hit me like a punch.


    ¡°Fucking hells,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± Selene asked instantly.


    ¡°¡®Curkill Depths has been said to be the oldest and strongest dungeon in this Realm that the locals call Cellis¡¯,¡± I read aloud. ¡°¡®I¡¯ve seen larger and more dangerous places, of course, but none with the resolute will of this dungeon. It is timeless, and yet shifts in the shadows with an infernal design and purpose of its own, as with all places like it. But it is nowhere more evident than in this place named after the first adventurer to die within it¡¯.¡±


    Selene frowned. ¡°What is he saying?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s saying that dungeons are sentient,¡± I breathed. ¡°That each of them has a will. The writer hints at it earlier on, of course, but it¡¯s so wrapped up in description of architecture that it¡¯s easy to miss.¡±

 17: Dungeons (NSFW)

    ¡°Dungeons are places full of magic,¡± Selene said. ¡°Wild magic, true, but it¡¯s the creatures within them and the materials within them that the guilds want.¡±


    ¡°And where does the magic come from?¡±


    ¡°Localised veins in the earth,¡± she explained. ¡°We call them ley lines. The magic mutates and shifts particular points until it becomes a dungeon. But there¡¯s no way it can be sentient, Master. You¡¯re talking about a physical place that can warp and shift itself into other shapes.¡±


    I laughed at that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you cast out demons and help me build homunculi?¡± I asked. ¡°How is a sentient dungeon any more ridiculous than either of those things?¡±


    Selene¡¯s mouth narrowed into a thin line. ¡°Suppose this Von D. is correct and dungeons are, for the want of a better word, alive. How does that change anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll read some more and get back to you,¡± I told her.


    My eyes stung for a moment as I turned to read the pages again.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting colder,¡± Selene pointed out.


    ¡°Best continue this in the house, then,¡± I agreed.


    I tucked the Collected Journals under my arm and took the lamp from its hook on the wall. Selene slipped effortlessly from the bench in a single movement of leather and long legs. I left the other books on the bench and led the way out of the cellar.


    ¡°Did you find anything useful?¡± I asked as I directed the Duelistist by the front door to open it. ¡°Or was it all my uncle¡¯s romance fiction under a different name?¡±


    ¡°Some of it was,¡± Selene said. ¡°But there was a section about ley lines. I didn¡¯t learn about this at the Institute, but it seems like the wild magic congeals into a mineral and creates what dungeon divers call a ¡®core¡¯. They¡¯re incredibly valuable sources of the purest wild magic but they¡¯re almost impossible to find.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I said. ¡°So the core is the centre of the dungeon¡¯s power?¡±


    Selene shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not my area of expertise, but the writer certainly seemed to think so. With your leave, Master, I¡¯d like to retire for a moment and take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll meet you in the parlour later. Bring Alexia, if she wants to join us.¡±


    She started up the first flight of stairs and I couldn¡¯t help but admire her from behind. Selene glanced over her shoulder and graced me with a sensuous smile and a wink before she vanished towards her room. I strode into the kitchen and ordered the maids to bring me a basin of hot water and a fresh set of clothes.


    I set out for the parlour once I¡¯d cleaned myself up.


    Jamin¡¯s first-floor parlour was a cozy little affair with pleasant armchairs and a large fireplace. A large bearskin rug stretched out in front of a crackling fire, and low tables sat beside each of the chairs. The maids bustled in and out as I settled into one of the chairs and enjoyed the sleepy warmth of the fire for a moment. I ordered two of the homunculi to bring out three bottles of wine, a platter of bread and cheese, and blankets to guard against the chill of the night.


    I turned my attention back to Von D. and his writings on the dungeon of Curkill Depths. The adventurer¡¯s findings reinforced his earlier implication that the Eldritch Dungeon was a special one. A murmur of voices announced the arrival of Selene and Alexia. Both the women had left behind their bloodstained travelling clothes for warm nightdresses. I smiled at them as they sat down together on a wide couch and practiced magic. Alexia had one of the maids bring her a small saucer of blood from the kitchen and Selene ran her through a series of small exercises while I continued to piece together my plan for the Eldritch Dungeon.


    I finally closed the book with a snap and set it down in favour of a goblet of wine.


    ¡°See? Now you¡¯re getting it,¡± Selene encouraged.


    Alexia drew her finger around in a small arc. Scarlet energy crackled and a ribbon of energised blood rose from the saucer. Alexia gestured sharply and the magic sliced down and sliced a clean edge away from the porcelain plate before her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve finally got it!¡± Alexia cried. ¡°Finally!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take time, but before long you¡¯ll be able to create razor edges from huge amounts of blood,¡± Selene said with a laugh. ¡°Sharper than any sword or axe that an adventurer carries.¡±


    Alexia caught her in a sideways hug and nuzzled into her shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Selene. This is incredible! What would I do without you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d probably be turned into an exploding weapon by a demon,¡± Selene murmured. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you appreciate it. Finer control always beats huge bursts of power.¡±


    I smiled at the two of them and took a sip of Jamin¡¯s favoured vintage.


    ¡°So, gracious Master, what do you have planned for tomorrow?¡± Alexia asked me. ¡°Selene¡¯s told me that you¡¯re hellbent on going to the dungeon and getting yourself killed.¡±


    ¡°I have a plan,¡± I informed her, ¡°that doesn¡¯t involve any of us dying.¡±


    ¡°Do tell,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°The writer of this book is an expert in dungeon architecture,¡± I said to her. ¡°Everything that Selene and I have gathered today seem to point to the fact that dungeons aren¡¯t just magical holes in the ground. They¡¯re sentient, with a mind and a will of their own.¡±


    Selene rolled her eyes, but Alexia¡¯s expression turned thoughtful.


    ¡°That would explain why they¡¯re so dangerous, then. But why would the adventurers willingly dive into a dungeon if they know it¡¯s alive and it wants to kill them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think any of them actually know that dungeons are alive,¡± I explained. ¡°Except for a small handful who have spent their lives studying them. Von D. says that he¡¯s been into Curkill Depths and survived it. And that he couldn¡¯t clear the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°So he claims to have survived it,¡± Selene said.


    ¡°Right you are. He doesn¡¯t give a map or any indication of how he managed to get in there without being killed, but I think that¡¯s because the writer isn¡¯t exactly an adventurer himself. Unless I¡¯m reading it wrong, I think the writer was a dungeon himself, or something close to it.¡±


    Alexia gaped at me. ¡°What? How?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°He doesn¡¯t elaborate, unfortunately. But he does say that he ¡®made terms¡¯ with Curkill Depths and came to an agreement with the dungeon itself. Which implies that even an old, powerful, Elder-level dungeon like this one can be bargained with.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose this Von D. said anything about the details of his deal?¡± Selene asked sarcastically. ¡°Did he feed it adventurers from his own dungeon, or just lead others into it?¡±


    I tried not to roll my eyes at Selene¡¯s tone. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. But I think that it¡¯s our best shot at getting the Sage¡¯s magnum opus back and getting access to Thaddeus¡¯s best homunculi recipes. We go in, carefully, and try to make contact with the dungeon itself. If it¡¯s interested in us, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll try to kill us straight away. That¡¯s our opening to begin negotiations.¡±


    ¡°If it does try to kill us,¡± Alexia gushed, ¡°then I can try out my new magic. And my daggers. It¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve been able to use them properly, Master. You haven¡¯t exactly given me an opportunity of late.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°You might find you bite off more than you can chew, Lexie,¡± Selene warned her. ¡°Dungeons aren¡¯t to be trifled with, and an Eldritch Dungeon like Curkill Depths is avoided for a reason. You might be powerful, but you can get hurt or worse if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we have much of a choice,¡± Alexia pointed out. ¡°We need the Sage¡¯s writing. I mean, look at how amazing his maids are, and think of what we could do if Thaddeus gives Master recipes for better fighters. Roaming bandits wouldn¡¯t stand a chance!¡±


    I took another sip of wine and smirked at Selene. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    Selene glared daggers at me.


    ¡°You have enough manpower if you want it,¡± she argued. ¡°You could easily amass an army and fight off whatever Longhorn throws at you. With Lexie and I at your side, I can¡¯t think of anyone who would dare to try and cross us.¡±


    ¡°A huge army will attract attention and bring the Commission in to ask questions,¡± I countered, ¡°and what if Longhorn decides to come here personally? I¡¯d rather not risk it. We need to be on the offensive. Set the terms of the agreements, deliver them, and collect our rewards. And that starts tomorrow, with Curkill Depths.¡±


    Selene opened her mouth to reply just as Alexia faked a huge yawn. She kissed Selene¡¯s cheek, swung her feet off the couch and sauntered over to me. I leaned back just as Alexia kissed me passionately. The taste of wine, cheese and the unique edge that was hers alone washed over my mouth and I felt Alexia nibble gently at my lower lip.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in bed later tonight,¡± Alexia informed me in a loud whisper. ¡°You two seem like you¡¯ll be at this for hours.¡± She tipped Selene a saucy wink. ¡°If he finally decides to reward you, leave some for me?¡±


    Selene snorted. ¡°No promises.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it. Good night, Master. Good night, Selene.¡±


    I watched Alexia stroll out of the parlour, vanish into the hallway, and felt Selene¡¯s eyes bore into me from across the room. Wine washed over my tongue as I took another sip of Jamin¡¯s finest and settled back into my chair. I pressed my fingertips together and eyed the fire as Selene tried to speak.


    ¡°Master, I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been different,¡± I said.


    She froze and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Ever since we went to see Thaddeus,¡± I explained. ¡°Before that, you helped me build homunculi, kill a trio of adventurers and strip down a horde of corpses. You didn¡¯t so much as blink. But then the Commission knocks at the door, and something happened.¡±


    Selene went pale. She didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have time to talk about it, but you rose to the occasion and gave the best showing of an upper-class noblewoman I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± I continued. ¡°And now you won¡¯t stop fighting me on going to Curkill Depths. And I¡¯m curious about why that is.¡±


    She cast her eyes to the fire and her face tightened.


    ¡°Why were you scared of the Commission in that moment? And why don¡¯t you want me to lead an expedition into the Eldritch Dungeon?¡± I asked her quietly. ¡°You were willing to join me in a heartbeat when I killed Kilcoy¡¯s mercenaries. Why the change in heart?¡±


    ¡°I saw your aura,¡± Selene said finally. ¡°I saw an opportunity for power and wealth with you in that moment. Gods know I¡¯ve had precious little of either. Mortals and demons all deal in the same currency, but you had something they didn¡¯t.¡± She sighed and curled tighter into the couch. ¡°Truth. And the strength of character to carry out your words.¡±


    I saw memories and pain wash over her face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been betrayed before,¡± I said. ¡°And you thought I¡¯d do the same.¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t even that. I thought that if I got close enough, and if you looked as if you were going to betray me, I¡¯d do it to you first. When Bradford arrived, I-¡± Selene swallowed. ¡°I considered it. Gods damn me, but I considered it. And I couldn¡¯t do it. I cared too much.¡±


    I watched her and didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°I care too much about you and Lexie to be a true mercenary,¡± she whispered. ¡°You both mean more to me than simple coin or power, Master. And when I realized that, I couldn¡¯t believe it. I wanted to believe that I was untouchable and that things like love didn¡¯t apply to people like me. But they do. It does.¡±


    ¡°You think that the dungeon is too much,¡± I realized. ¡°That because it¡¯s dangerous, we¡¯ll get killed. You¡¯re worried about our safety, and you¡¯re looking for reasons to avoid danger.¡±


    Selene snorted softly. ¡°Well, it sounds silly when you say it like that. But yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going soft on me, are you, Selene?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of what it would be like without you. Or Lexie. You both make me feel wanted. Needed. Like you¡¯re family. I can¡¯t think of what would happen if I were to lose you.¡± She brushed something away from her cheek and turned angrily to me. ¡°So yes, damn you, I am going soft. All because of your stupid aura.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help it. I laughed and grinned at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can do anything about my aura,¡± I said. ¡°But I appreciate your honesty, Selene. And I appreciate you. Alexia does, too. We might be hurling ourselves headlong into danger, but it¡¯s not as if you didn¡¯t know that when you joined us.¡±


    She grunted. ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°And, I mean, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t take you up on your bathing offer,¡± I joked, ¡°if all you wanted was to seduce and use me. Hells, you¡¯d be running the show by now, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as if it worked, Master,¡± Selene muttered.


    I scooped up my goblet of wine, drained it, and left it on a side table. Selene shifted uneasily as I joined her on the couch and slid an arm around her shoulders. She hesitated for a moment more, and then relaxed into my shoulder with a disgruntled sigh.


    ¡°I definitely appreciate you naked,¡± I whispered conspiratorially. ¡°But I like you better when you¡¯re being honest.¡±


    Selene arched an eyebrow. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I smirked at her. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Selene¡¯s eyes traced over my clean clothes and laughed quietly. The velvety sound rippled through me like lightning as she snuggled a little closer into my shoulder. It was impossible to miss the hint of expensive perfume and leather as she leaned in to my ear.


    ¡°All of my machinations, and all I needed to do was play up being vulnerable?¡± Selene teased. ¡°I should add that to my repertoire.¡±


    ¡°Not when we¡¯re dealing with customers or enemies,¡±I warned playfully. ¡°I still need the secret agent of the King to help further my plans.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll have her,¡± Selene promised me. ¡°But tonight, Master, you just have me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± I smiled, and kissed her for the second time.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Selene moaned as I pressed my mouth to hers and tasted her. Her fingers curled in my hair and she shifted with surprising violence to mount me on the couch. She pressed me into the couch and the kiss went deeper. Her tongue danced with mine as she tore at my shirt and ground herself against my hips. I hissed as she pulled away and dug her teeth into my neck. Animal passion flared in my blood as Selene wrenched my shirt over my head. I shoved off the couch and she growled appreciatively as I smacked her ass against one of the side tables. A flare of pain ricocheted from my skin as her fingernails dragged over my bare chest. I lost track of the room as she shoved back at me and found her feet again. My hip bounced off a couch and seconds later my belt vanished from around my waist. I found the ties to her nightdress a second afterwards and ripped them open. The white silk fell from her shoulders in a single smooth movement and Selene stepped out of her dress with a catlike smile. Animalistic need burned in her eyes as she locked her gaze with mine for a long moment. Selene¡¯s heavy breathing drew my attention to her generous chest and just how firmly it showed her arousal. She lunged at me, wrapped her thighs around my ribs, and forced me to catch my balance. I spun around the room, growled as she bit my shoulder, and a moment later we sprawled out on the bearskin rug by the fire. She torqued her hips to roll me onto my back and I took the opportunity to squeeze her breasts. Selene moaned and rapidly tore my trousers out from around my knees.


    ¡°You¡¯re rather rough this evening, Master,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°My impression was that you¡¯d had enough of being soft,¡± I said.


    I kissed her breast, sank my teeth into her smooth, warm flesh, and felt her breath hitch. The warmth of her skin, the strength of her scent, and the raw power in her body made my head spin. Our kiss turned almost vicious as she sank down onto my length. A raw snarl exploded from her throat as she leaned back. Firelight splashed over her pale skin as she rode me with rapid thrusts of pure need. I caught hold of her ass and drove up into her harder. Selene bucked back and forth and I took the opportunity to explore her with my hands. A scar slashed across her left hip that I¡¯d never noticed before.


    Selene¡¯s spine arched into a beautiful curve as she came in a shuddering cry that echoed through the whole first floor. She didn¡¯t stop, and I didn¡¯t feel the need to give her a moment to regather herself. Her breasts bounced as she settled onto me again and swept stray blonde hair away from her face. I gave her everything she wanted, and more, until I couldn¡¯t hold back the tide of pleasure within myself.


    Selene gave me a final, almost loving bite over my heart, and then slipped off me with a contented sigh. I tucked my arms behind my head and caught my breath as she slung a sensuous leg over my hips. Her hair tickled the skin of my chest and Selene trembled as the pleasure ran the last of its course through her body.


    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Selene murmured finally.


    ¡°Understand what?¡±


    ¡°Why Alexia asked so much about how to please you,¡± she said. ¡°Gods, that was incredible. You¡¯re really something else, Master.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°And yet you still doubt me.¡±


    ¡°After that? I¡¯ll help you fight anything you want me to,¡± she purred. ¡°If only to make sure that you survive it. I¡¯m not about to let you die if it means I can¡¯t have this again.¡±


    My eyes wandered over the ceiling. Selene¡¯s hand drifted down my body again, and her eyes widened as her fingers closed around me.


    ¡°Care to try again?¡± I smirked.

 18: Eldritch Dungeon (1)

    I woke the next morning in Alexia¡¯s arms. She shifted sleepily as I slipped out of her grasp and swung my feet over the side of the bed. Grey skies battled the early-morning sun outside as I found a fresh pair of trousers, my belt and a clean shirt. Alexia giggled behind me as I dressed.


    ¡°Selene wasn¡¯t gentle with you last night, Master. You¡¯re covered in bruises.¡±


    I glanced down at my bare chest. Purple marks from Selene¡¯s teeth stood out on my skin as a proud reminder of her attentions. I chuckled as I opened the bedroom door and glanced back at Alexia. She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and offered me a salacious grin.


    ¡°Should I try that next time we lay together?¡± she offered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it in your hands,¡± I said. ¡°Get ready. We have a dungeon to visit.¡±


    I heard movement from Selene¡¯s room as I strolled past it toward the stairs. My body ached a little from last night¡¯s exercise, but I knew it¡¯d fade soon enough. Two maids shuffled past me in the first floor hallway and curtsied tidily as I approached them. Alexia had seen to it that each of my new servants wore matching uniforms. A white apron, dark dress and a neat bow in their hair marked them as servants of Garmont Manor. They breezed past me to the kitchen to start the morning¡¯s preparations. I pushed open the front door, took a deep breath of the morning¡¯s crisp air, and surveyed my farm.


    The Perimeter Defense Squads stood to attention at the touch of my mind. Their numbers remained the same from the day before and indicated that Garmont¡¯s borders had seen a peaceful evening. I ordered two of the Duelists to accompany me to the stable.


    It took a few minutes to harness the draft horses and drag the wagon out beside the shack. I made sure to saddle Selene and Tytstian¡¯s horses and bring them out alongside the cart. Selene and Alexia were my most trusted lieutenants, and they deserved their own method of transportation. I returned to the house, found my arbalest, and bundled two quivers of quarrels over my shoulder. My mission wasn¡¯t to go to war with the dungeon, but I wasn¡¯t about to disregard the Sage or Selene¡¯s warning about the place. Some people simply couldn¡¯t be bargained with.


    I took a moment to consider which homunculi to bring with us.


    The Slammer and Piercer combination was a tried-and-true method of fighting against unskilled opponent, but I had a feeling that the dungeon wouldn¡¯t be as simple as holding off bandits from the borders of my farm. I decided on two pairs of Piercers and Slammers, added in two Duelists, and found the trusty Swordsman on patrol through the gardens. I added him to the group and ordered them to gather by the shack. They assembled before me as I considered my other options. I added an Archer to the group to supplement my own ranged combat abilities, and drew one of the maids out from the house.


    The maid wasn¡¯t a combat unit, but she could light fires and set up a camp.


    I didn¡¯t know how long it would take us to deal with the dungeon, and it never hurt to have a spare pair of hands. The homunculi assembled before me in a neat line and I did a rapid count. Nine homunculi in total, not including Alexia, of course.


    A party of twelve to take on the challenge of Curkill Depths. Any more would¡¯ve been an armed invasion, and any less seemed foolhardy. I took a few minutes to take the Essence Core from my Replicator and stash it in the wagon. Something told me that I¡¯d need it before long. I ordered one of the Piercers to strip off his armor and did my best to piece it together over myself as Alexia and Selene finally pushed their way through the front door.


    ¡°Gods, that¡¯s a small army,¡± Selene commented. ¡°I thought you just wanted to bargain with the potentially-alive dungeon with a ravenous hunger for flesh.¡±


    ¡°Better to be safe rather than sorry,¡± I countered. ¡°Besides, some of them will need to guard our camp outside while we go in. Last thing I need is a pack of bandits to plunder our supplies while we¡¯re occupied with the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Selene admitted.


    Alexia bounced up to her horse and patted its nose with a tender touch. The animal nickered softly and pressed its head to her chest. Alexia smiled at it, and stepped up into the saddle with relative ease. Selene mounted her own horse as I tied off the last piece of armor and climbed onto the head of the wagon.


    ¡°Do you know where the dungeon is?¡± Alexia asked as she pulled at the reins and turned her horse around to face me. ¡°It isn¡¯t like Thaddeus gave us a map to its location.¡±


    ¡°I have a rough idea,¡± I replied. ¡°The thief wanted to lose him in the foothills. We¡¯ll find the easiest path away from his property and into the wilds. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult from there.¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn how to ride, Lexie?¡± Selene asked.


    Alexia patted her horse¡¯s neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t. It¡¯s just instinct, I think.¡±


    ¡°Mind your rear end,¡± I warned her. ¡°It gets rather tender after a few miles.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be fine, Master. Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Alexia giggled.


    I turned to the team of homunculi around us. The maid climbed into the cart and sat down. The Archer and Swordsman joined her while the others fanned out in a rough triangle formation around our transport. I tugged at a chafing edge of my ragged leather armor, double-checked our provisions, and then led the way toward the northern exit to Garmont.


    I set an easy pace over the road toward the Emerald Sage¡¯s house. Alexia and Selene chatted to each other as they matched the speed of the wagon, and left me to keep a watch on the road ahead. We passed several groups of ragged adventurers bearing guild colors, but they scuttled away quickly enough when they caught sight of my contingent of homunculi.


    We passed the fork to the Sage¡¯s house an hour later and stayed on a northern path. I turned the cart around when I saw a trail snake out to the west into the hills. My homunculi trudged beside the cart at a steady march. The gentle slopes grew steeper as we left the rolling green hills behind us. Stones jutted aggressively out from the hills and I took notice when Selene suddenly cut off her conversation with a sharp breath.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Magic,¡± she said faintly. ¡°But it¡¯s all wrong. Too chaotic.¡±


    ¡°You can sense that from here?¡± Alexia asked.


    Selene nodded. ¡°You get a taste for it as a warlock. Useful for tracking demons.¡±


    ¡°Which way?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re on the right path,¡± she answered. ¡°You¡¯ll want to keep to the left fork in the road ahead, and it¡¯ll take us right toward it.¡±


    I nodded and urged the draft horses forward. The meandering road cut through a narrow gully and forked out in two directions. I followed Selene¡¯s suggestion, slowed the horses and sent the homunculi out ahead. It was a perfect terrain for an ambush, and I wasn¡¯t about to take chances this close to the end of the journey We followed the track, rounded an enormous boulder, and found the entrance to Curkill Depths.


    Black stone warped its way out of an enormous hill in strange patterns that drew the eye. My head throbbed strangely as I focused on them and I decided to avoid the strange designs that decorated the entrance to the dungeon. The arch-shaped entrance spiraled out of the hill and clung to the edges of it like some kind of otherworldly tumor. Purple flames crackled in blackened sconces set into the arch and sent shadows dancing in strange, uncomfortable shapes. I pulled the cart to a halt, stepped off the driver¡¯s seat, and buckled a quiver of bolts to my belt.


    ¡°It feels so strange,¡± Alexia murmured.


    ¡°It should,¡± Selene replied. ¡°That¡¯s what ¡®eldritch¡¯ means. In the Institute we used to call it ¡®wild¡¯ magic. The kind that grows out of the earth and spreads its corruption across the land.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Set up a camp by the entrance, I ordered the maid.


    The homunculus hopped from the back of the cart and immediately began the process of setting up a small fire under a small overhang to our right. I directed the Swordsman to watch over the maid and ordered the rest to follow me from a modest distance. I turned my attention back to the task at hand, and shivered with anticipation. We were close to the Sage¡¯s manuscript, and a new set of powerful recipes.


    Our only obstacle stood right in front of us in all of its unholy glory.


    The entrance to the dungeon radiated power. I didn¡¯t have Selene¡¯s fine-tuned senses when it came to magic, but it was impossible not to notice the coldness emanating from the entrance to Curkill Depths. Alexia and Selene dismounted and joined me as I strolled closer to the dungeon¡¯s front door. A crackle of deep unease blasted down my spine and settled in my gut as I tried to peer down into the dungeon.


    ¡°You can feel it too, can¡¯t you?¡± Selene asked me.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s an odd blend of ¡®fuck off¡¯ and ¡®come closer¡¯, isn¡¯t it?¡± I turned to my homunculi and motioned for them to follow us. ¡°The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can leave. Keep your eyes open for the corpse of an adventurer with quality armor.¡±


    I took a deep breath of mountain air, steadied myself, and then plunged through the entrance.


    A wide stairwell with long, shallow steps carried us down into the first chamber of the dungeon. Purple flames crackled overhead as my eyes adjusted to the new environment, and I took a moment to study the terrain for an ambush. The walls jutted out at odd angles and made it impossible to figure out the overall shape of the room. Geometric patterns swirled over every surface in jagged displays of confusion-inducing artwork. Alexia sneezed behind me and dust clouded around the walls at the sudden noise.


    ¡°Gods help us,¡± Selene whispered. ¡°Could you keep it down?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Alexia replied quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    I positioned my two-man teams of the Slammers and Piercers ahead of us and moved the Duelists in behind them to create two ranks of units between us and the centre of the chamber. I tore my eyes away from the hypnotising architecture and decided that the first chamber was roughly circular in shape. Thick doors of black stone decorated with veins of amethyst marked the way forward. A spiked archway of bleached bone framed the exit and rippled strangely in the purple light.


    My foot scuffed against a puddle of dry blood on the floor.


    ¡°Alexia, can you-¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t work on dried blood, Master,¡± Alexia told me quickly. ¡°If it¡¯s still liquid, I can use it. The fresher it is, the more powerful the magic. But I can¡¯t weave anything from a bloodstain.¡±


    I nodded and crept toward the center of the chamber. ¡°Von D. said that each dungeon layout has some kind of ¡®trigger¡¯ to it. To progress to the next room, we¡¯ll need to find a switch, or kill dungeon creatures to progress.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Selene said. ¡°Perhaps the dungeon doesn¡¯t want us here?¡±


    ¡°Dungeon!¡± I called out. ¡°Could you please open your doors to a few visitors?¡±


    Something shifted in the shadows of the ceiling. I slid a foot back, brought my arbalest to my shoulder, and tried to line up a shot on the movement. A glistening creature spun off the ceiling and landed in front of my homunculi. Bone-white claws glittered in the weird light and two pairs of slitted eyes narrowed as the creature glared at us. Adrenaline charged through my veins as I studied the monster for half a second. Shaggy fur clung to the creature¡¯s body. Its forelimbs were long and muscled, tipped with wicked talons.


    It snarled and opened a maw of jagged, uneven teeth. Black ichor leaked from its mouth and pooled on the stone floor at its feet. Selene gasped as the creature lunged at the nearest Slammer.


    Keep it back, I ordered. Piercers, move in! Archer, support them from the back!


    The Slammer dropped his shoulders and caught the creature mid-flight. The monster¡¯s vicious claws tore through the homunculus¡¯ wooden shield like it was paper. My Piercers lunged forward a fraction too late and the creature tore through the Slammer¡¯s throat. Blood fountained in the air as I raced to the left to get a better shot at the monster.


    ¡°What the hells is that thing?¡± Alexia shouted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Selene called back.


    ¡°Call it a Creep,¡± I said to them as I dropped to a knee.


    The Creep batted aside the incoming pikes and sheared effortlessly through one of the Piercer¡¯s spears. I narrowed my eyes, fought off the distraction of the patterns on the walls, and then pulled the trigger of my arbalest. The steel crossbow jolted in my hands and a bolt rocketed into the Creep¡¯s ribcage. My projectile bounced off the creature¡¯s matted fur and clattered uselessly against the ground. The Creep hesitated for just a second, turned its glittering eyes toward me, and snarled at a pitch that turned my blood cold.


    Two more bundles of black fur and claws materialized out of the ceiling and dropped into the midst of my homunculi. An ambush. I pulled my homunculi back into a concave arch and sent the Duelists forward. Arrows whipped past their heads as the new homunculi drew their rapiers in a flash of steel and sprang toward the threat. I slipped my foot through the stirrup of the arbalest and cranked the bow into the loaded position.


    ¡°Selene, slow them down! Alexia, wait until we¡¯ve cleared a gap before you pick up the blood!¡± I ordered.


    The first Duelist stepped smoothly away from a flash of Creep claws and countered with a rapier thrust. The monster barely flinched. It coiled, ready to spring, and I sent a Piercer in to catch it from the side. A hazy blast of magic rippled through a gap in the homunculi¡¯s formation. Selene¡¯s ray of power washed over her target, spread over it onto the floor, and fizzled out. I rammed another bolt into the arbalest and saw a Piercer fall to a Creep¡¯s claws.


    The three creatures were pressing my homunculi back toward the entrance.


    Their armored fur made Selene¡¯s magic and my projectiles useless, and the homunculi couldn¡¯t pierce the creatures. The Duelist¡¯s agility kept them safe from the flashing claws and teeth, but my Slammers and Piercers couldn¡¯t match the raw aggression of the dungeon¡¯s monsters.


    I needed a change of plan.


    Duelists, keep them in place as best you can, I ordered.


    ¡°Alexia, you¡¯re up!¡± I called.


    One of the Creeps broke through the line of homunculi and barrelled towards me with a hopping gait. I cursed, jumped backward, and then fired straight into the creature¡¯s open mouth. It stumbled and spewed black blood from its maw. Alexia blazed past me with a dagger in her hand. She swept her blade across the stunned Creep¡¯s eyes and slammed a kick into the underside of its jaw. The Creep staggered backward as Alexia reached down and drew the monster¡¯s blood into her hand. Black energy hummed from her hands as she shaped it into a spiked orb of power. The monster regathered itself, spat splinters onto the floor, and lunged up toward the ceiling.


    Alexia caught it mid-jump with a blast of blood magic.


    The orb detonated with a screeching howl of pure power. Black shards of energy punched outward in a wide arc and tore clean through the Creep¡¯s fur. It collapsed to the floor in a heap of viscera and nerveless muscle and disintegrated into a cloud of purple mist.


    ¡°Support the others!¡± I urged her.


    Alexia sheathed her dagger in a flash and gathered more monster blood around her hands before she raced back into my failing ranks of homunculi. My pair of Duelists moved with the speed of heroes in the old epics. They sidestepped the surviving Creeps¡¯ attacks and delivered counter-strikes skilled enough to cripple even the best swordsman. But they weren¡¯t fighting enemies that used weapons. The Creeps were creatures born of wild magic from the depths of the earth. Even the best bladecraft in my party barely slowed them down.


    But I had a blood mage.


    Archer, retreat, I ordered. Piercers and Slammers, double back and protect Selene. Duelists, back off when I give the order.


    Alexia gathered the black blood in her hands into a melon-sized sphere of eldritch power and whipped it into the midst of the Creeps.


    Now! I called to the Duelists.


    My military-grade homunculi dived clear as Alexia¡¯s magic exploded against the floor. Spears of thorned magic plowed outwards and punctured the monsters. One of the Creeps spun away across the polished stone and went still. I exhaled sharply as one of the creatures vanished into purple mist. The last Creep stumbled away, and Alexia advanced with a bloodthirsty grin.


    Two of my homunculi were down, but we¡¯d faced the dungeon¡¯s first threat. It didn¡¯t mean that we needed to press our advantage. If the dungeon was indeed sentient, then showing mercy to its minions would give a reason to believe the fact that we weren¡¯t here to plunder Curkill Depths.


    ¡°Alexia, stop,¡± I ordered.


    ¡°Caleb, what are you doing?¡± Selene hissed.


    ¡°We¡¯re simply here to talk!¡± I continued. ¡°We¡¯re not adventurers. There¡¯s something that was lost here, and I¡¯ve come to bargain for it. I¡¯d rather not damage your lovely home or your servants, Master Dungeon.¡±


    Flames crackled in the silence.


    ¡°Are you expecting the dungeon to talk back?¡± Alexia asked.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s testing us,¡± I said. ¡°Never hurts to be polite, either way.¡±


    ¡°That, or you¡¯re assuming that a writer¡¯s insane notion is correct,¡± Selene muttered.


    The Creep leapt awkwardly onto the wall and vanished from sight. I waited a minute, confirmed that the monster had indeed left, and then flinched as the exit started to move.


    Stone shrieked against stone as the huge doors at the end of the chamber swung open.

 19: Eldritch Dungeon (2)

    I quelled my anticipatory nerves and sent the surviving Slammer and Pikeman in first. Alexia paused by some of Creep blood on the floor. The black ichor leaped into her hands and took on the telltale sheen of magic. Selene and Alexia joined my side as I followed the homunculi down another flight of shallow steps. The Archer nocked another arrow to his bow and brought up the rear.


    ¡°My magic doesn¡¯t work against these creatures,¡± Selene told me. ¡°I think it¡¯s the geometry and the power in the air. I can¡¯t seem to focus my magic onto a target properly.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you brought me to protect you,¡± Alexia said.


    ¡°Your spells seem more powerful when you use Creep blood,¡± I observed.


    Alexia nodded and glanced at the black ribbons of energy around her hands. ¡°It¡¯s easier, somehow. I don¡¯t know why. Did Jamin create me to dive Eldritch Dungeons?¡±


    ¡°Wish I knew,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m getting the feeling he wasn¡¯t planning on turning you over to Longhorn.¡±


    We reached the bottom of the stairs. A long hallway stretched out in front of us and the dizzying patterns on the walls glittered with more veins of amethyst ore. I slowed the homunculi and scanned the ceiling for more Creeps. Nothing stirred above us, but I didn¡¯t let down my guard as I turned to Selene.


    ¡°Is the dungeon stopping you from sensing magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s not exactly helping, either. This whole place is drenched in it. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I doubt this hallway is as unassuming as it looks,¡± I said.


    Alexia wandered over to a nearby wall and examined one of the designs. ¡°Maybe the dungeon heard you, and is giving you an easy way to meet it.¡±


    She reached out to touch one of the gems, but Selene pounced and caught her wrist before Alexia¡¯s fingertips could brush the surface of the wall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Selene said quickly. ¡°Master¡¯s right. This hallway is trapped.¡±


    Selene narrowed her eyes at the wall and held out her hand toward it. Hazy magic gathered around her fingertips and flashed a bright violet as it touched the wall. A spiral of runes appeared in a ripple of light. Alexia hastily backed away as Selene curled her fingers. A bead of sweat slipped down Selene¡¯s face as she focused.


    The purple runes vanished with a sudden pop and Selene breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I disarmed it,¡± she said. ¡°At least temporarily. You¡¯ll have to be careful with your homunculi here, Master. Make sure they don¡¯t touch the walls or the floor until I¡¯ve been past them.¡±


    Fall back behind us. Stay away from the walls and follow in our exact footsteps, I told the homunculi.


    The Slammer and Piercer stepped past us and the Duelists followed them with quick, flowing strides. I turned my attention back to Selene as she crept forward with her hands outstretched. Tendrils of her translucent power crept from her fingertips and brushed the intricate designs inscribed on the walls and floor around us.


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Alexia asked. ¡°Sense magic like this? You¡¯ve never told me about it before. Can any mage learn it, or are you special?¡±


    ¡°It can be learned, it just takes years to become proficient,¡± Selene said. ¡°And these runes aren¡¯t dissimilar to what I¡¯ve used myself to trap Underrealm creatures.¡± Another magic trap appeared by her feet and Selene focused on it for a moment. ¡°But they¡¯re far more powerful and intricate. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡±


    ¡°Still think that the dungeon is a simple product of wild magic?¡± I asked her.


    Selene paused. ¡°It would take the better part of a month to construct something this complex, Master. But I doubt any mage in their right mind would come down here to create these traps.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°This Von D. may very well be right.¡±


    ¡°These traps remind me of that adventurer,¡± Alexia commented. ¡°The leader of that little band that were speaking ill of homunculi. Is it a similar spell?¡±


    ¡°If a masterwork of painting can be compared to a child¡¯s scrawl in the dirt, then yes,¡± Selene said. ¡°They work on the same principles of magic.¡±


    I digested the information as I watched Selene work. Her fingers trembled as she started to disable the fifth trap in the hallway. Selene was still surprising me, even after last night¡¯s revelation. Her breadth of knowledge about magic was truly something to behold. I doubted that there were many sorcerers or mages in the North who would¡¯ve joined me on a venture into an Eldritch Dungeon, let alone be able to disable its magical defenses.


    Selene took another few minutes to bypass the runic traps throughout the dungeon¡¯s corridor. Another set of massive stone doors barred our progress as we reached the end of the hallway. I squeezed Selene¡¯s shoulder appreciatively as I stepped up beside her and glanced over  at the homunculi. My remaining seven units waited for orders with impassive faces.


    ¡°Will you allow us to proceed?¡± I asked the door. ¡°We¡¯ve come a long way to meet with you, Master Dungeon. Time is pressing and we¡¯ve matters to discuss.¡±


    The doors scraped open in answer and revealed yet another chamber ahead. I readied my arbalest and scanned the space quickly. A stone table flanked by benches stood in the center of the room. Four fireplaces of purple flame roared in the corners of the space and reminded me of a sitting room in a manor house. No sign of an exit presented itself before us, I checked the ceiling again, mindful of the Creeps from our first encounter.  I couldn¡¯t see any of the creatures clinging to the roof. I led the way into the dungeon¡¯s strange parlor at a careful pace and ordered my homunculi to fan out in front of me in a rough semicircle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Selene whispered.


    Her face shone with an eerie paleness in the purple light and I realized that her work with the traps had drained her energy reserves. I motioned for Alexia to follow me and we took up a position in front of Selene to protect her from the dungeon¡¯s next threat.


    ¡°We¡¯ll protect you, Selene,¡± Alexia said firmly. ¡°No matter what.¡±


    ¡°Your work is always appreciated,¡± I supplied. ¡°Catch your breath.¡±


    Selene nodded with a sigh of relief. ¡°This looks like a dead end.¡±


    ¡°And perhaps it is,¡± an echoing voice said.


    I tensed at the sound. A figure materialized from the shadows underneath the table and stood up with a grin of fanged teeth. I brushed off my surprise at his strange entry and focused on the details that leaped out at me as I analyzed our visitor. He stood tall at a lean six and a half feet, and the sable cloak cascading over his shoulders only drew more attention to his size. Deep purple skin shone in the firelight as he offered us a courteous bow. I caught a flash of pointed ears through his mane of black hair. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    He was an elf, but not like any I¡¯d ever seen before.


    ¡°Greeting, sir,¡± I said politely. ¡°I take it you¡¯re the master of the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking,¡± the elf said, amused. ¡°You¡¯ve shown a surprising amount of promise, adventurers. None have delved this deep and survived before.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not adventurers,¡± I told him, ¡°and something tells me that you haven¡¯t brought your full forces to bear down on us. The Creeps and traps were simply a test, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    The tall elf laughed in a deep bass tone. ¡°Very perceptive for one who claims not to be an adventurer. But you¡¯ve not yet proven yourselves worthy of a bargain. Not yet, not yet.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the implication in his voice. ¡°Then how should we proceed?¡±


    ¡°Your objective is simple,¡± the elf said. ¡°Survive.¡±


    He unclasped his cloak. It fell from the elf¡¯s broad shoulders in a mass of silk as violet energy gathered around his hands. The elf stepped off the table and two enormous scythes rippling with purple flame appeared in his hands. I drew a bead on the elf¡¯s throat and readied myself for a fight.


    ¡°Before we begin,¡± I called, ¡°could I have the pleasure of your name?¡±


    The elf advanced with a long, easy stride. ¡°How courteous. I am known as Ryth.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Caleb,¡± I replied, and fired my arbalest.


    The bolt slammed into Ryth¡¯s throat and spun away from his skin as if I¡¯d just fired at a brick wall. I reached out to my homunculi and sent the Slammer and Piercer forward with everything they had. White light flashed around the Slammer¡¯s tower shield as he body-checked the Elf. Ryth took a single step back, sliced off one of the Slammer¡¯s legs, and then decapitated it with his other scythe. The Piercer¡¯s speartip rammed into Ryth¡¯s ribs a second later, but the elf simply snorted in amusement and tore the Piercer in half with a single sweep of his weapons.


    Duelists, forward, I growled. Stay on your toes and keep your distance.


    I turned the hand-crank rapidly on my arbalest to reload it as the Duelists carried out my will. They danced just outside of range of the elf¡¯s long weapons, darted in and out with daring strikes, and ducked around the elf¡¯s crushing counter-blows. Ryth quirked an eyebrow in appreciation as I backed away and considered my options.


    ¡°I can strike him down from here,¡± Alexia urged me. ¡°Just say the word.¡±


    ¡°I want to see what he can do,¡± I told her quickly. ¡°Selene, can you unbalance him without using your magic on him directly?¡±


    Selene raised her hands. ¡°I can try.¡±


    I raced toward the nearest fireplace and ordered the Archer to follow me. Ryth¡¯s rolling laugh echoed from the walls as he missed one of the Duelists by a hair. The elf spun his scythes easily in his hands, parried a rapier strike, and his face lit up with an eerie smile.


    ¡°Yes, yes! You fight well, underlings! Come, bring me more!¡±


    A wave of hazy magic blasted through the chamber and found the ceiling above Ryth¡¯s head. Selene planted her feet, curled her hands into fists, and then brought them together with a vicious gesture. The ceiling vibrated crazily at the touch of her magic and the elf paused. Rapiers scraped off his skin as the Duelists took advantage of the opening.


    ¡°Now that is interesting, little one,¡± Ryth mused. ¡°What are you trying to accomplish?¡±


    A smile flittered across Selene¡¯s face. ¡°Just a distraction.¡±


    Retreat, I told the Duelists. ¡°Alexia!¡±


    I pushed the end of my arbalest into the violet embers of the fire behind me. They engulfed the head of my loaded bolt greedily and I winced at the strange coldness of the fire. Alexia sprinted in toward the huge elf and the black energy around her hands lengthened into barbed whip of energy. She sliced at him and Ryth caught the blow on a scythe blade. Alexia¡¯s magic fractured into shards, but she didn¡¯t stop there. Alexia dived away from a sweeping blow, dipped her hands into the blood of the dead Piercer, and came up in a crouch with two orbs of power around her hands.


    I pulled my crossbow from the flames and inspected the head of the bolt. Cold flame chewed greedily on the steel-tipped quarrel and I directed the Archer to do the same with his loaded arrow. Ryth laughed again as Alexia cut at him with tiny daggers of blood magic.


    ¡°So fierce, little one! You fight with such passion and skill!¡± The tall elf glanced down at a small cut on his arm and chuckled. ¡°Why, I haven¡¯t seen such a marvellous creature in more than a century!¡±


    ¡°Delighted to meet you too,¡± Alexia growled.


    She hurled an exploding orb into Ryth¡¯s chest. Her magic detonated and the dungeon¡¯s creature shot backward into the nearest wall. Ryth pushed off it, spun his scythes appreciatively, and fixed his black eyes onto Alexia.


    ¡°Blood magic is the hardest of the arts, little one. You acquit yourself well.¡±


    ¡°Then you haven¡¯t met my Master yet,¡± she replied fiercely.


    I raised my crossbow, braced it against my shoulder, and fired. The bolt rocketed free in a flash of purple flames and buried itself into Ryth¡¯s right tricep. As I¡¯d suspected, the Eldritch fire was enough to puncture the elf¡¯s nigh-impenetrable skin. Ryth roared with laughter and let one of his scythes drop to the ground.


    ¡°Poetry!¡± Ryth exclaimed. ¡°Pure poetry in motion. You acquit yourself well, Caleb!¡±


    A streak of blonde hair and black leather raced in from Ryth¡¯s right. Selene closed her hands around the elf¡¯s massive scythe, gave it an experimental heft, and then delivered a spinning slash. Ryth parried the blow easily and his grin widened. Small blades of scarlet magic ripped across his chest as Alexia kept up her barrage of blood magic.


    I reloaded my arbalest. Eye of the Hawk!


    The Yeoman Archer by my side pulled his arrow from the fireplace and drew back the string of his longbow. White light exploded around the shaft, blended with the purple flame, and then streaked away. The arrow slammed into Ryth¡¯s left eye and the elf staggered backward with a grunt of appreciation.


    Alexia and Selene pressed the advantage as I lit up yet another bolt. But Ryth¡¯s skill, even one-handed and half-blinded, kept the two of them at bay. He parried a blow from Selene, trapped the blade of her scythe with his own, and ripped it out of her hands with a deft twist of his arm. I pulled my arbalest out of the Eldritch fire, drew a bead on the elf, and fired again. My shot smashed into his gut and Ryth staggered. One of his legs gave out and he dropped to one knee. He swiped viciously at Alexia, but she ducked under the blow and grabbed his blood-soaked chest. Black energy spun around her hands as Alexia skidded past Selene to avoid another blow. Selene scooped up her fallen scythe from the floor and slashed downward. Ryth¡¯s good arm fell to the ground in a shower of dark ichor. The elf didn¡¯t even blink as he got to his feet. He slammed a kick into Selene¡¯s gut and slid her toward Alexia. Alexia leaped over her mentor, shaped her magic into another barbed whip, and flicked it toward Ryth.


    The huge elf closed his eyes with another contented chuckle.


    Alexia¡¯s magic tore through Ryth like a hot knife through butter. The dungeon creature¡¯s halves hit the ground with a splatter of grey viscera. I reloaded my arbalest, called my homunculi forward, and raced over to Selene.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡±she gasped. ¡°Just winded.¡±


    ¡°Then catch your breath,¡± I said. ¡°Here.¡±


    I slung my crossbow over my shoulder and caught her under the arm. Selene muttered a curse as I hauled her up. The scythes vanished into the dungeon¡¯s purple smoke. Ryth¡¯s steaming corpse dissipated into a larger cloud of magical residue, and left us alone in the dungeon¡¯s parlor. Selene straightened up after a minute and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Lexie,¡± she said. ¡°Your magic¡¯s never been better.¡±


    A fierce glint touched Alexia¡¯s eyes. ¡°He didn¡¯t expect me to use his own blood against him. I¡¯ll make sure to remember that for later.¡±


    Alexia yelped as the floor under her feet shifted. She dived to find solid ground again as black stone screeched on hidden hinges and formed itself into a neat set of stairs. I checked the entrance behind us, but there wasn¡¯t any sign of an ambush from behind. The women turned to face me and I grinned at them.


    ¡°How do you feel about sentient dungeons now, Selene?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t, Master,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it. You were right.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Ryth was the dungeon¡¯s spirit?¡± Alexia asked me as we descended the stairs. ¡°He certainly looked like he belonged here. And he was powerful enough to kill any adventurer I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°He was just another test.¡±